Let’s say, United States would be a lovely, peaceful country, with an army used only for helping flood victims and supporting firefighters. The only time they would go abroad, would be to bring relief to earthquake victims. If then the president of United States, after seeing North Korean parade on tv, would come up with an idea, to have one himself, that could be a subject for debate. It would be important. Americans could ask themselves, if a military parade in their capital doesn’t signal to the world, their country is a militaristic one, and besides, costs money, that could be well spent for something else.
United States is not such a country and a military parade is the least of worries for people, who think they oppose the empire. Yes, in a modern world, military parades seem obsolete and showing your apreciation for the troops can be better made with say, larger benefits for veterans. But, isn’t it hypocritical to pound on the president for wanting to be more like the French with their annual military parade for the Bastille day, and not for the attack on Syrian military east of the city Deir ez-Zor, in which at least 25 were killed and according to US news even 100? Isn’t it a problem, that United States carried out a record number of strikes in Yemen last year? Do you think, only terrorists get killed in those strikes? No innocents, even children? Doesn’t a huge defence budget, bigger than all the other countries in the world have combined, signal to the world, United States is a militaristic power and to Americans, that their armed forces have a priority over everything else?
Yes, attacks on Trump are often hypocritical. A military parade seems silly, but it doesn’t need that much attention. The real problem are military adventures across the world, that Trump inherited from his predecesors. Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and so on. The real problem is an empire of bases, spanning the globe. Trump didn’t start any new wars, he just continues old ones. He talks big and irresponsible about North Korea, but has one North Korean soldier been killed in a US strike so far? No. That doesn’t mean, Trump won’t start the bloodiest war of the 21st century and show himself a madman, but that didn’t happen yet.
No, a military parade in Washington isn’t really that important. Nobody will get killed because of it and nobody in the world will have his life ruined because of it. It will just be a spectacle for the masses and reporters will have the opportunity to write negative pieces on Trump. Real problems are elsewhere. Wars, incredible military spending, even militarized police.