George W. Bush: Best way to revitalize the economy is war

Does war boost a country’s economic growth? Former United States President George W. Bush thought so, at least according to former Argentina President Nestor Kirchner.

The former Argentina leader sat down with filmmaker Oliver Stone to discuss political and social movements in Latin America, as part of a new documentary titled “South of the Border.” During a meeting with both Presidents, Bush explained that war revitalizes a country’s economy and, due to the various wars, the U.S. has grown stronger. “He said that. Those were exact words,” said Kirchner. “I said that a solution for the problems right now, I told Bush, is a Marshall Plan. And he got angry; he said the Marshall Plan is a crazy idea of the Democrats. He said the best way to revitalize the economy is war. And that the United States has grown stronger with war.” But does war really bring economic prosperity? “The United States has been drained of wealth and power by wars, cold and hot,” states Patrick J. Buchanan in an essay titled “A New Nationalism” published in the book “Economic of Liberty.” Economists from the Austrian School of Economics explain that war creates debt, inflation and deficits as the wars are financed through means of borrowing and printing.