"Follow the money." This was the advice given by an informant on how to discover who was behind the Watergate break-in, as portrayed in the 1976 movie All the President's Men.

The suggestion is still sound, and following the financial connection between pro-war pundits and defense contractors reveals relationships between the two that have borne deadly offspring.

From President Obama's promise to "degrade and ultimately defeat ISIL," to the ubiquitous appearance of former generals on cable news shows, all calling for a U.S. military response to the alleged threat, the war drums are constantly sounding in the ears of Americans.

One example of the promotion from former brass to send in the armed forces to combat ISIL came from retired Marine General Anthony Zinni, who reportedly recommended putting "as many as 100,000 boots on the ground in Iraq" and using "special operations forces or CIA operatives on the ground there to get detailed intelligence."