How Did the Bloating Military Become a Cancer on the US? (w/ Andrew Cockburn)
Current Affairs9 Des 2021

How Did the Bloating Military Become a Cancer on the US? (w/ Andrew Cockburn)

Andrew Cockburn is a veteran journalist who serves as the Washington Editor of Harper's magazine. His new book, The Spoils of War: Power, Profit, and the American War Machine, available from Verso collects his reporting on the military-industrial complex and the way the public coffers are looted by profiteers. He joined Nathan to discuss why he thinks the ever-bloating military has become an out-of-control "virus," as well as: - The bureaucratic waste that means the US military isn't even good at defense - Why profit, rather than war, is what the military is built for - The defense companies that depend on constantly manufacturing new threats, which conveniently pop up just when it looks like the military budget might be scaled back - Why the new stories about Chinese hypersonic missiles are exactly this kind of self-interested threat inflation - The alarming situation with nuclear weapons, which are far too close to being used for anyone's comfort - Why defense spending isn't even a good way to "create jobs" - Why progressives should not just focus on critiquing "militarism" and disastrous wars but on scaling back the giant institution that channels so many of our social resources into manufacturing "weapons that don't work for threats that don't exist"

Episoder(600)

The Left is Always Right Too Early

The Left is Always Right Too Early

🦩 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership  From slavery and child labor in the 19th century to the Iraq War and Gaza, the Left position has b...

25 Feb 18min

Current Affairs News Briefing ❧ February 20, 2026

Current Affairs News Briefing ❧ February 20, 2026

A convoy to Cuba, Grok doxxes a sex worker,  Mamdani cuts the library, Pakistan has really fast jets, MGP declares war on sea lions, Andrew is arrested, and bugs are more popular than Trump. 📰 SUBSCR...

21 Feb 7min

Abigail Thorn of Philosophy Tube on Parasocial Relationships

Abigail Thorn of Philosophy Tube on Parasocial Relationships

Abigail Thorn is an actor, writer, and the creator of the widely acclaimed YouTube channel Philosophy Tube, where she explores politics, culture, and philosophy through performance and storytelling. S...

6 Feb 29min

Why Conservatives Hate the Government But Love the Cops

Why Conservatives Hate the Government But Love the Cops

🦩 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership The core right-wing principle is a belief in hierarchy, not the limitation of state power. 🐍 Read ...

4 Feb 8min

How the Right Abuses Tolkien

How the Right Abuses Tolkien

🦩 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membershipFor Peter Thiel, JD Vance, and other figures on today’s far right, the works of J.R.R. Tolkien have ...

30 Jan 28min

Current Affairs News Briefing ❧ January 28, 2026

Current Affairs News Briefing ❧ January 28, 2026

EPA to stop animal testing, Palestinians go on general strike, Ye apologizes for his Nazism again, TikTok claims apparent censorship was caused by a power outage, and the government repeals workplace ...

29 Jan 4min

Ro Khanna: “Newsom Doesn’t Want to Offend the Donor Class”

Ro Khanna: “Newsom Doesn’t Want to Offend the Donor Class”

Ro Khanna is the U.S. representative for California’s 17th Congressional district, more commonly known as “Silicon Valley.” He was a co-chair of Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign in 2020, and ther...

24 Jan 40min

How Corporations Convinced America that Litter is Our Fault

How Corporations Convinced America that Litter is Our Fault

The "Keep America Beautiful" campaign urged Americans to pick up their trash—so that companies could keep producing it.🗑️ Read the full article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-sinister-origi...

23 Jan 12min

Populært innen Humor

papaya
rss-spartsklubben
harm-og-hegseth
enkel-servering
storefri-med-mikkel-og-herman
tore-og-haralds-podkast
tusvik-tnne
topp-3-med-wold-og-fladseth
ma-pa-behandling-med-morten-ramm
rss-nesten-hele-uka-med-lepperod
folk-flest-med-linn-og-nils
misjonen-med-antonsen-og-golden
hanna-de-heldige
wolfgang-wee-uncut
jan-thomas-og-einar-blir-venner
rss-snorre-med-gaute
rss-det-alle-snakker-om-med-siri-og-kim
verdens-verste
rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
gutta-backer