How to Wield Influence and Sell Weaponry in Washington

by William Hartung Until recently, few of us woke up worrying about the threat of nuclear war. Such dangers seemed like Cold War relics, associated with outmoded practices like building fallout shelters and “duck and cover” drills. But give Donald… Continue Reading →

Osama Bin Laden’s America

by Tom Engelhardt Honestly, if there’s an afterlife, then the soul of Osama bin Laden, whose body was consigned to the waves by the U.S. Navy back in 2011, must be swimming happily with the dolphins and sharks. At the cost of… Continue Reading →

The Scandal of Pentagon Spending

by William Hartung Here’s a question for you: How do you spell boondoggle? The answer (in case you didn’t already know): P-e-n-t-a-g-o-n. Hawks on Capitol Hill and in the U.S. military routinely justify increases in the Defense Department’s already munificent… Continue Reading →

The American Military’s Repetition-Compulsion Complex 

by Ann Jones Here we go again! Years after most Americans forgot about the longest war this country ever fought, American soldiers are again being deployed to Afghanistan. For almost 16 years now, at the command of three presidents and a sadly forgettable succession… Continue Reading →

The Pentagon’s New Wonder Weapons for World Dominion

by Alfred W. McCoy Not quite a century ago, on January 7, 1929, newspaper readers across America were captivated by a brand-new comic strip, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.  It offered the country its first images of space-age death rays,… Continue Reading →