In 2008 Buffy Sainte-Marie sang at an outdoor rally hosted by Veterans for Peace, Code Pink, Veterans Against the War in Iraq and many other groups protesting policies of the Bush administration, singing Universal Soldier across the street from the Smithsonian, where she had a concert and speaking engagement later that day. She also read her poem The War Racket.

Ooo you’re slick – you investors in hate
You Saddams and you Bushes You Bin Ladens and snakes
You billionaire bullies You’re a globalized curse
You put war on the masses while you clean out the purse

And that’s how it’s done War after war
You old feudal parasites just sacrifice the poor
Got the cutting edge weapons but your scam’s still the same
as it’s been since the Romans: It’s the patriot game
It’s the war racket It’s the war racket

You twisters of language – Creeps of disguise
Your disinformation – Worms in your eyes
You Halloween robbers You privileged thieves
You profit on war: there’s less money in peace

That’s how it’s done time after time
Country after country and crime after crime
You pretend it’s religion and there’s no one to blame for
the dead and impoverished in the patriot
in the War Racket

We got the worlds greatest power and you team up with thugs
Make a fortune on weapon, destruction and drugs
But your Flags & boots & uniforms start to all look the same
when both sides are playing the patriot game.
It’s the War Racket

That’s how it’s done and you’ve got our sons
in the crosshairs of horror at the end of a gun
But your flags & boots & uniforms all turn to shame
when both sides are playing the patriot game

And war is never, never holy
It’s just a greedy men’s dream
And you 2-faced crusaders – Both sides are obscene.
War is NOT made by God: it IS made by men who
misdirect our attention while you thieves do your thing

And that’s how it’s done
About every 30 years
The rich fill their coffers
The poor fill with tears
The young fill the coffins
The old hang a wreath
The politicians get photographed with their names underneath.
It’s the patriot game It’s the war racket