Mohsen Abdelmoumen: You co-authored The People Make the Peace: Lessons from the Vietnam Antiwar Movement. What about the anti-war movement in the United States today?

Frank Joyce: What is most often overlooked about the massive opposition by U.S. Americans to the invasion of Viet Nam is what an aberration it was. The violence inherent in settler colonialism and slavery established the worship of militarism, guns and brutality toward people of color that remains dominant to this day. The current absence of significant organized opposition to war represents the regression-to-the-mean, that is returning to the commitment to war and violence that is at the core of the identity of the U.S.

This is reflected in the vast extent of military bases and operations as well as insanely high levels of foreign and domestic military spending. The prevalence of violence and militarism in popular entertainment and the extent of personal gun worship and ownership also reflect this culture. The results include high suicide rates among armed personnel, foreign and domestic along with frequent mass shootings in schools, movie theaters, military bases, concerts, stores, or, really, anywhere that people are gathered.

In your opinion, why the Americans couldn't get over the trauma of the Vietnam War?

As with the U.S. Civil war, no genuine healing or reconciliation has taken place. Devotion to violence and white supremacy remain too powerful.

According to you, why the United States still needs wars? Isn't it the military-industrial complex that dictates its law to the American leadership?

The U.S. government has four branches: Congress, the executive, the judiciary and the Pentagon. They work in a bi-partisan way to protect and extend the U.S. empire. This requires frequently inventing pretexts for the invasion and occupation of foreign nations as well as more limited interventions including assassinations, the manipulation of elections, the training of foreign dictators and soldiers along with supplying them with weapons of all kinds. A far greater portion of the U.S, economy depends on this military-industrial business than is generally understood or acknowledged.

In the event of Trump's re-election, and given the unstable state of this person, isn't there a risk of a war that would be worldwide?

There is great risk of worldwide war if Trump is reelected. There is the near certainty of increased domestic political violence and repression whether he is elected or defeated. There are heavily armed militias throughout the United States who are already positioned for this purpose.

That said, we should be careful about paying too much attention to Trump and his personality defects. He is a product of forces of white supremacy and white nationalism that are deeply embedded in U.S. society. His active enablers include his family, his cabinet, his staff, most of the Congress, most of the media, most business leaders and the 63 million who voted for him in 2016.

Should the anti-war movement not alert the American population to the arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in particular, which are massacring the people of Yemen?

Yes, absolutely. Many peace activists are aware of this and doing what they can. A large part of the U.S. American population is numb to the suffering carried out in their name, wherever it takes place. Making matters worse, much of the slaughter isn’t reported at all.

You are a very committed activist for peace in the world and you have received a decoration from Vietnam for your action for peace and friendship between nations. What is the impact of the work you are doing with your movement to counter the US imperialist wars?

The impact obviously is not enough.