I fear the US army already has a few mentally unstable people in it. The photos of abuse which did the rounds suggest that some ill people were doing what they found pleasing. I doubt a ’normal’ human could commit such acts.

I think that a smaller military or one which is less efficient would ultimately curb the US ability to invade and occupy multiple countries at once. Of course, it wouldn’t prevent war, that’s not possible, but I think it would restrict the scale and frequency of it.

If people were isolationist enough to adopt a purely defensive strategy (i.e. not take up arms until someone threatens you or your way of life) that could go a long way to reducing war too. Part of that strategy would be not to join the forces of your home nation until such point as your nation were threatened or under attack. It’d boost the economy too, more young, able workers doing positive jobs rather than shooting people in far off lands.

The current situation is that the governments of certain nations (not just the US) are using their military to frighten, bully and in some cases destroy other nations. Kind of like a bully with a pack of dogs. This is ultimately bad for the victims, and the people used as a weapon to bully with. The only person who ever gains is the politician in charge.