Who said that?

"In great empires the people who live in the capital, and in the provinces remote from the scene of action, feel, many of them, scarce any inconveniency from the war; but enjoy, at their ease, the amusement of reading in the newspapers the exploits of their own fleets and armies. To them this amusement compensates the small difference between the taxes which they pay on account of the war, and those which they had been accustomed to pay in time of peace. They... are commonly dissatisfied with the return of peace, which puts an end to their amusement, and to a thousand visionary hopes of conquest and national glory from a longer continuance of the war. "

Surprise, Adam Smith in 'The Wealth of Nations', published in 1776, the year America declared its independence. 'Wealth' is the revolutionary treatise on the sources of nations' wealth which is still the foundation of classical economics. The quote could well describe today's American war party and ruling class except for two revisions:

1. Simply replace "fleets and armies" with "drones and F-16's".
2. Complete "To them this amusement" with "is accomplished with no increase in taxes whatsoever under the concept of war paid with borrowed money."

That's the American war party, which understands completely that 'war is the health of the state.'