Why is the American government/ Empire so keen on war all the time?

[SlayerRondo]

the2real4mafol said:

SlayerRondo said:
War is great for distracting the local populace from the failings and offenses of their own government by uniting them against an enemy real or imagined.

Also, its worth noting that America is just great at war and few nations that are so capable stop of their own accord without some sort of challenge to their military supremacy.

Hopefully both America and China will be rendered unable to engage in voluntary warfare by keeping each other in check. Worse case they go back to the proxy wars of the Cold war.

Surely that distraction can only work for so long. America has been in and out of war since the First gulf war now. The 80's weren't that peaceful but was peace in comparision to since then 

I am unsure myself as to how effective war as a distraction is and for how long using war as a distraction can work. I do believe their are a few clear examples throughout history where war has effectively united a local populace against a perceived external threat.

Still, if a government wants such a distraction they may try no matter the effectiveness or consequneces.