US President Donald Trump is considering sending American troops or planning airstrikes to Nigeria to stop “the killing of a record number of Christians,” according to a declaration he made on board Air Force One on November 2.
Nigeria has been affected by the attacks of Islamic State–affiliated Boko Haram and other terrorist groups for more than a decade. According to Ladd Serwat, a senior Africa analyst at ACLED, a US crisis-monitoring group, these attacks are indiscriminate and devastate both Christian, Muslim, and traditional worshipper communities. They are caused by overlapping factors such as “political power, land disputes, ethnicity, and cult affiliation.”
The US often views military action as a solution to global problems. Indeed, since the American Revolutionary War ended in 1783, there's rarely been a time when the country has not taken up arms. And with Trump’s latest declaration, Washington appears to, yet again, be readying itself for armed conflict.
So, what are some of the most infamous military engagements that have seen America at war on and off since its birth? Click through and find out why peace has never really been given a chance.