Always at War

On this episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex reveal the Department of War's newest scapegoat, Artificial Intelligence, and debate whether Congress will ever defend their constitutional power to declare war. First, they break down the technical distinction between LLMs like Claude and targeting systems like Palantir’s Project Maven, explaining how these tools are designed to maximize "target throughput" at the expense of civilian life.Next, they revisit the history of "revolutionary" technology in war, comparing the techno-utopian promises of the Vietnam era to the modern-day obsession with shortening the "kill chain."Finally, they examine the dangerous decay of Congress' constitutional authority over matters of war and peace and discuss the history of the War Powers Act—from the Nixon era to today’s conflicts in Cuba and Iran—and the possibilities and challenges of using this legislative vehicle to actually put a stop America's endless wars.###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

On this episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex explore the many, disturbing creative writing exercises of the Washington "Blob." First, they deconstruct the latest outlandish op-eds from think tank war hawks, including an effort to frame the war on Iran as Tehran's "War of Choice," and discuss the solipsism of US foreign policymakers. Next, they reveal what Donald Trump admitted in a leaked, closed-door speech: that every dollar spent on war is a dollar taken away from Americans' critical needs. They break down the real opportunity costs of military spending, the guns vs. butter economic reality that D.C. elites have spent decades lying about.Finally, they discuss how the average American taxpayer shelled out over $4,000 in 2025 for weapons and war and the "moral injury" of financing civilian casualties with our own hard-earned cash.  Closing with a reflection on Eisenhower’s "Cross of Iron," Courtney and Alex ask: when will Washington finally stop choosing empire over Americans?###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

On this episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex sit down with Catherine Lutz, co-founder of the Costs of War Project and professor emerita at Brown University, to dissect the culture of war in Washington that keeps America perpetually at war — with taxpayers footing the bill. First, they discuss the "base coat" of fear that defines Americans' understanding of the world. Catherine explains how decades of domestic and international policy have primed the public to view global problems as "nails" that require a military hammer, and how this systemic anxiety is leveraged to justify a federal discretionary budget that prioritizes force over what's actually required to keep Americans safe.Next, they unpack the linguistic sleight of hand used by the media to make Americans identify personally with the violent actions of the state. From "allowing" oil shipments to reach Cuba to the "beautiful" imagery of weaponry on the evening news, they deconstruct how the language of dominance prevents the public from seeing the government as a separate entity capable of making distinct, often disastrous, choices on the global stage.Finally, they take a hard look at the opportunity costs of the current war in Iran. Catherine explains the trade-offs Washington routinely makes between military power and Americans' wellbeing — that every dollar poured into a war of choice is a dollar stripped from Americans' wellbeing. They challenge the persistent myth of the military jobs program and discuss what it would look like to finally reclaim a peaced dividend for the American people.###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

On this episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex are joined by returning guest Nick Cleveland-Stout, co-creator of the Quincy Institute’s Think Tank Funding Tracker, to pull back the curtain on the financial interests shaping how Americans are being sold the war in Iran.First, they discuss the stark gap between the American public and the Washington foreign policy establishment on the Iran war, and why that disconnect is no accident Next, they dig into the think tank money trail: how institutions like the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, the Hudson Institute, and the Atlantic Council are funded by Pentagon contractors like Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and RTX (formerly Raytheon) — and how their experts dominate cable news, making the case for war without disclosing who signs their paychecks. Nick reveals that in 2024 alone, Pentagon contractors gave at least $7 million to the top think tanks, with $44 million flowing in since 2019.Finally, they examine the revolving door between the military, defense contractors, and media commentary — including retired generals like Jack Keane, who holds millions in defense contractor stocks, going on Fox News to tell Americans to tighten their belts and back the war. Plus: why Democrats are making a mistake opposing the Iran war on procedure rather than principle, and what a real anti-war politics might actually look like.###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

On this emergency episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex are joined by Kelley Vlahos, Editor-in-Chief of Responsible Statecraft, to discuss the US-Israel attack on Iran and subsequent war.First, they discuss why Trump chose war over diplomacy, whether the administration is feeling a sugar high after regime change in Venezuela, and why the endgame in Tehran remains dangerously unclear. Next, they examine the fracturing of the "MAGA" coalition around the war. Kelley explains why influential voices on the right are breaking with the White House, and how the administration is "running scared" from backlash within its political base.Then, they look at the generational divide that this war is exposing in US society and culture. From the "normie" echo chamber on Fox News to the democratization of information on TikTok and podcasts, they explore whether legacy media is losing its grip on the narrative, and why young Americans are more skeptical of war than ever before.Finally, they tackle the "Culture of War" in Washington. Kelley shares her insights from decades reporting in the nation's capital, detailing how the military-industrial complex has become a "self-licking ice cream cone" that treats peace as a personal threat to status and profit.###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

On this episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex go deep with Noah Kulwin, journalist and co-host of the hit documentary podcast Blowback, on why American interventionism thrives on the very chaos it claims to be fighting.First, they get into how Noah came to be interested in America’s role in the world, the origins of Blowback, and how chaos figures into America’s strategy to maintain global military primacy.Next, they explore how the American public has been insulated from the costs of war since the end of the draft, and what this means for building opposition to our endless, ruinous interventions.Finally, they examine why America’s major political parties continue to invest in status quo foreign policy, and why Washington seems set on breaking the global chessboard if it doesn’t get to control the game anymore.RESOURCESSubscribe to blowback: blowback.show Read Jeff Stein’s reporting on US sanctions: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/interactive/2024/us-sanction-countries-work/###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

On this episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex dive into the Trump administration's escalating threats against Iran and Cuba, exploring why Washington seems hell-bent on repeating its regime change failures of the past.First, they examine the looming threat of war with Iran and discuss how pro-Israel figures are pushing a "poison pill" for Iran talks that would ensure their failure, sparking a new forever war that Americans don't want.Next, they shift focus to the Cuba, where the US has initiated a campaign of strangulation against the Cuban people through a fuel blockade. They discuss the ideological underpinnings of America's Cuba policy since the revolution and the devastating human cost of the crises we've created — in pursuit of what, exactly?Finally, Courtney and Alex reflect on Washington's inability to reconcile basic facts and history with reality. Is there something in the water over there?###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

Courtney and Alex are breaking down the latest news that explain why the U.S. remains perpetually at war — this week, courtesy of our benevolent overlords in Davos at the World Economic Forum.First, they congratulate Larry Ellison on Oracle's acquisition of TikTok and swift shadow-banning of Courtney’s account.Next, they discuss Trump's "Board of Peace" and plan to build a "New Gaza" over the ashes of a genocide — and the chilling details of what this "peace" vision could entail, from forced displacement or indentured servitude to biometric surveillance and re-education.Finally, they break down why Canada's Prime Minister decided to acknowledge the truth about the so-called "rules-based order" and whether Washington will ever let go of its favorite myths about American foreign policy. ###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

On this episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex are joined by Lee Schlenker, research associate with the Global South program at the Quincy Institute, to unpack the fallout from the Trump administration’s attack on Venezuela and kidnapping of Nicolás Maduro — what it means for Venezuelans, for Trump's foreign policy, and for Americans who are sick and tired of paying for these endless military adventures all over the world. First, they discuss the mechanics of military escalation and why the administration chose a violent raid over ongoing diplomatic channels. Next, they examine the pretexts used to justify the intervention—from fabricated claims about fentanyl production to good old-fashioned anti-communism. They dive into the history of Venezuelan oil nationalization and explain why the U.S. foreign policy establishment remains obsessed with a "trillion-dollar" windfall, even if it comes at the expense of regional stability and Venezuelan sovereignty.Finally, the group looks toward what's next for Venezuelans and what this intervention tells us about the administration's broader plans in Latin America, analyzing why the administration’s "kinetic" success in Venezuela might not be so easily replicated 90 miles off the coast of Florida. 00:00 - Introduction 03:58 - Introducing Lee! 10:04 - Why the U.S. kept the Maduro government but kidnapped Maduro15:28 - Extraction vs. Democracy25:15 - Debunking the pretexts for war, from "Narco-terrorism" to the battle for hearts and minds 35:44 - The Oil War: A history of Chevron, Exxon, and the fight for profits. 51:08 - How is this being received in Venezuela? 1:08:28 - Lee on why the US is Always at War ###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

Courtney and Alex go deep with tech journalist Taylor Lorenz on how social media shapes our perceptions of US foreign policy, and why war hawks like Hillary Clinton want to make it harder for Americans to get access to independent info on war and peace.First, they discuss how the internet went from being treated by US politicians as an emancipatory tool during the Arab Spring to a dangerous source of misinformation during the war on Gaza.Next, they unpack the role of social media sites like TikTok in Americans' rapidly shifting views on Israel, and the power that these platforms have to suppress,  disincentivize, and even ban content related to conflicts and diplomacy. Finally, they take a look at current efforts in Washington to restrict Americans' access to information through social media and the internet in the name of safety, and discuss what these efforts mean for the future of foreign policy dissent.###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

Courtney and Alex are back to break down the latest stories that help explain why the US is always at war. First, they break down a pair of recent stunning  statements by former Obama speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about how young people are getting the wrong ideas about Israel from the terrible images they're seeing of the genocide in Gaza. The solution, of course, is not to prevent such carnage in the first place, but to try and game and work the algorithms and apps to prevent young people from accessing inconvenient, independent news about matters of war and peace.Next, the episode is #stillwithher as Courtney and Alex next discuss Clinton's reaction to the Trump administration's efforts to develop a negotiated framework that can end Russia's invasion of Ukraine, including her deployment of the overused Munich analogy to discourage the Trump team's diplomacy. Courtney and Alex to go deep on the realities actually facing Ukraine's war effort in 2025, and how hawkish opposition to diplomacy among Western elites like Clinton scuttled opportunities to advance an end to the conflict far earlier, when Ukraine had far more leverage at the negotiating table. ###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

This week, Courtney and Alex discuss the news stories from around the world that caught their attention. First, they get into how American arms companies are profiting off of the push for regime change in Venezuela and the military buildup in the Carribean.Next, they unpack the Pentagon's "acquisition reform" — a terrible  idea that will make it easier for the military-industrial complex to build and profit off of dysfunctional weapons (this time, with even less oversight!)Finally, they discuss the confusing messages coming from top Israeli officials. While some say they're seeking a new, 20 year memorandum of understanding that would lock in U.S. aid to Israel for a generation, others seem to be pushing to end U.S. aid so that Israel has more "freedom of action." Either way, pro-Israel voices seem to be responding to real, growing opposition in the US to providing more aid to Israel after its genocide in Gaza. ###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

On this episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex talk with Jim Lobe, contributing editor at Responsible Statecraft, about the life and legacy of Dick Cheney after his death this week at the age of 84. Together, they unpack Cheney's long and gruesome record, from working with Donald Rumsfeld to derail Kissinger's strategy of detente with the Soviet Union, to helping the perpetrators of Iran-Contra get pardoned, to selling the American people on a catastrophic invasion of Iraq. Jim also helps situate Cheney within the broader conservative foreign policy movement, arguing that he is not a neoconservative himself,  though he worked directly with the neocons to reshape U.S. foreign policy after the Cold War.Finally, they survey Cheney's legacy today —  how his efforts to concentrate power in a "unitary executive" empowered every 21st century president to engage in reckless military actions, and how his belief that United States has the right and responsibility to unilaterally intervene militarily anywhere and anytime has become gospel in Washington, D.C. ###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

In this episode of Always at War, hosts Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan are joined by Lara Friedman — President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP) — to examine the recent Gaza ceasefire deal.Together, they discuss what makes ceasefire deals work, America's sordid history as a "peacemaker" in the Middle East, why the current deal is unlikely to restrain Israeli aggression against Palestinians in Gaza, the shifting politics on Israel in Washington, and much more. Learn more about Lara's work at fmep.org and make sure to check out the Occupied Thoughts podcast. ###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

Courtney and Alex discuss why the leaders of both of America’s major political parties still support America’s disastrous pursuit of global military primacy, and take a look at some of the individuals and interests that help uphold our crappy foreign policy consensus.###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

In this episode of Always at War, hosts Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan are joined by Greg Grandin — Professor of History at Yale University and author of America, América: A New History of the New World — to discuss the USA's relationship with the other America: Latin America.Together, they explore the missed opportunities for true fraternity between the two Americas, the long history of Washington using Latin America as a testing ground for its foreign policy adventurism, and how the myths and attitudes that informed various disastrous U.S. interventions in the region last century still persist today.###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

Does having 750 military base sites all around the world make America safer—or does it just make war more convenient? In this episode of Always at War, hosts Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan reveal the costs and consequences of America's massive worldwide military footprint and examine how it enables Washington's disastrous quest to maintain global military primacy, no matter the costs. ###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

In this episode of Always at War, hosts Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan are joined by the Quincy Institute's Ben Freeman & Nick Cleveland-Stout to discuss how America's top think tanks profoundly shape our country's approach to the world — and the golden opportunity these institutions represent for arms companies and foreign governments trying to buy influence over Washington's foreign policy.###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

In this episode of Always at War, hosts Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan discuss how the headlines about Gaza in most mainstream U.S. media outlets have consistently obfuscated the reality of Israel's genocidal campaign, and downplayed America's role in enabling and defending Israeli war crimes.###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

In this episode of Always at War, hosts Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan are joined by American Prestige's Daniel Bessner to discuss how Americans have come to understand — and however begrudgingly, accept — the costs and consequences of our nation’s military empire. ###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

Courtney and Alex discuss America's long and sordid history of pursuing regime change around the world in light of the recent U.S. airstrikes on Iran, which triggered bipartisan calls from Washington for the Trump administration to try and topple the government in Tehran.###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

Courtney and Alex speak with national security legal scholar Elizabeth Beavers about how the U.S. government defines terrorism and discuss whether America's terrorist designations and counterterrorism wars prolong conflict and advance political agendas, rather than make Americans safer. ###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

Courtney and Alex join Robert Wright's Nonzero podcast to discuss America's addiction to war in light of Trump's airstrikes on Iran.This episode is a special collaboration between Always at War and Nonzero. To access the full "Overtime" conversation, go to: https://www.nonzero.org/p/the-eternal-causes-of-war-robert###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

In this episode of "Always at War," hosts Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan explore how congressional stock trading enables U.S. policymakers to profit off of America’s constant wars and interventions , and speak with Public Citizen’s Savannah Wooten about how the military-industrial complex works to push U.S. military spending higher and higher — now approaching $1 trillion a year.###Take a deep dive into Congressional war stock trading: https://readsludge.com/2024/09/12/here-are-the-members-of-congress-invested-in-war/ More on the Pelosi Tracker and Autopilot: https://www.salon.com/2025/03/17/pelosi-tracker-shows-us-how-to-trade-stocks-like-politicians/ How does Congress figure into the Military-Industrial Complex? Here’s a great breakdown: https://www.corporatecrimereporter.com/news/200/julia-gledhill-on-the-military-congressional-industrial-complex/ Who are Congress’ top military stock traders? Check it out: https://responsiblestatecraft.org/congress-defense-stocks/Learn more about Rep. Tlaib’s efforts to ban members of Congress from owning military stocks: https://tlaib.house.gov/posts/tlaib-introduces-bill-to-ban-members-of-congress-from-owning-defense-stocks###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

In this episode of Always at War, we examine the Vietnam War on the 50th anniversary of its effective conclusion (April 30, 1975) and explore how it established the template for America's subsequent "forever wars."Through powerful imagery and historical analysis, hosts Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan, joined by scholar Andrew Bacevich, trace the direct connections between Vietnam and the War on Terror, revealing how both conflicts shared similar patterns of mission creep, civilian casualties, unclear objectives, and inevitable American withdrawal.###See how the iconic rooftop helicopter evacuations of Saigon and Kabul, separated by nearly 50 years, represent bookends to what Bacevich calls America's "56-year long war" [https://www.counterpunch.org/2022/01/26/a-very-long-war/]Learn how the elimination of the draft after Vietnam was not a victory for peace but actually fulfilled Defense Secretary McNamara's disturbing vision to "go to war without the necessity of arousing the public ire" [https://peacepolicy.nd.edu/2015/05/18/vietnam-wrong-lessons-learned/]Understand why Bacevich argues America's addiction to war stems from "overstretch, compounded by indolence" rather than from strategic necessity [https://harpers.org/archive/2020/03/the-old-normal-united-states-addiction-to-war-andrew-bacevich/]Discover how these "wars of choice" were fought in response to threats that were "figments of fevered imaginations" with no true strategic necessity [https://voxpopulisphere.com/2020/12/28/andrew-bacevich-reflections-on-vietnam-and-iraq/]###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org

In this inaugural episode of "Always at War," hosts Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan explore America's continued investment in nuclear weapons despite their catastrophic potential. With the help of Quincy Institute Senior Research Fellow and military-industrial complex expert Bill Hartung, Courtney and Alex examine how defense contractors and lobbyists influence policy decisions to maintain a $315 billion nuclear program that many experts consider unnecessary and dangerous, and investigates who benefits from these massive investments.###Explore how American politicians consistently prioritize "the strongest, most lethal fighting force" while receiving millions from the defense sector: https://www.opensecrets.org/2024-presidential-race/kamala-harris/industries?id=N00036915&src=cLearn how American financial institutions hold $327 billion in investments in nuclear weapons producers, with U.S. spending exceeding all other nuclear powers combined: https://responsiblestatecraft.org/nuclear-weapons-budget/Discover how the Sentinel ICBM program's costs have ballooned 81% since 2020 while its lobbyists donated to 92 senators and 413 representatives to maintain support: https://quincyinst.org/research/inside-the-icbm-lobby-special-interests-or-the-public-interest/See how former Senator Jon Kyl lobbied for Northrop Grumman while advocating for expanded nuclear weapons programs that directly benefited his client: https://www.thenation.com/article/world/the-washington-establishment-isnt-going-to-protect-us-from-nuclear-war/Understand how the misleading term "modernization" masks a $1.7 trillion program to completely rebuild the US nuclear weapons complex: https://inkstickmedia.com/when-it-comes-to-nuclear-weapons-tell-it-like-it-is/Find out why military spending creates fewer jobs than almost any other government investment, with alternative expenditures creating up to 250% more jobs: https://responsiblestatecraft.org/nuclear-weapon-lobbying/Learn why ICBMs create a dangerous "use it or lose it" pressure on presidents who have only minutes to decide whether to launch if warned of an incoming attack: https://jacobin.com/2024/06/us-nuclear-icbm-weapons-safety###Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.orgContact the show: [email protected] art by Justin Hantz###Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org   Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInstTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst  Website: https://quincyinst.org