Despite widespread calls to modestly reduce the Pentagon's overflowing coffers to confront other priorities during a pandemic, Congress carries on with business as usual.
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Joe CirincioneThe defense industry owns Congress.
“Democrats who voted against an amendment to cut the military budget by 10 percent received 3.4 times as much in campaign contributions from the defense industry than those who voted for the amendment.”
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Show Deep State Radio, Ep Are We About to Enter a New Era in Climate Policy? - Jul 20, 2020
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Joe CirincioneIn “Are We About to Enter a New Era in Climate Policy?” Carol Browner and David Sandalow were just excellent. Recommendations for what Biden administration should do in first 100 days are spot on.
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The Defense Department is sending millions of dollars to keep companies afloat, and more deals are expected.
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Joe CirincioneOne out of five children do not have enough to eat during this pandemic, but the Pentagon is giving away millions to its favored companies. Enough. #CutMilitarySpending
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Even Trump’s former Secretary of Defense James Mattis agrees.
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Joe CirincioneTrump seems to be assembling his own para military network. He is pulling in armed units from a score of bureaus, agencies and forces. Then networking them together for operations in DC. In the process, he can see who are loyal to him and who are not.
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Joe Cirincione“If the United States resumed testing, ’India, Pakistan, perhaps China and most certainly North Korea would promptly test,’ Cirincione said. ‘Who in their right minds would want to give these nations better nuclear weapons?’”
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It is tempting to think that it would be cheaper and more effective to have U.S. allies get the bomb rather than link their security to U.S. forces, bases, and assurances. But countries do not obtain the bomb in a vacuum.
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Joe CirincioneI just wrote about how these new Dr. Strangeloves want to drag us back to the terrifying dangers of the 1950's and 1960's. This is not new thinking; this is Cold War nuclear bullying. 7/
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Accusations of a coverup threaten to place the secretary in the middle of a political maelstrom.
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Joe CirincioneThe worst secretary of state in American history may also be its most corrupt. A coverup is underway to hide the evidence. politi.co/2TcE7Qo via @politico
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Joe CirincioneFred Kaplan is right (though he underestimates the cost - Trump wants $70 Billion for nuclear weapons and related programs in this year's budget). Neither Trump nor Biden will cut programs without pressure. It's up to us to restore balance.
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Criticizing Trump as soft on China is a losing game for Democrats.
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Joe CirincioneEver since JFK slammed Nixon for a "missile gap" that didn't exist, Dems have tried to get to the right of GOP on national security. They rarely succeed. Case in point, explains @PeterBeinart 👇
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Washington and Tehran could use the public health emergency to show goodwill, dial down tensions while saving face, and avoid a dangerous confrontation.
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Joe CirincioneWe have our differences, but we shouldn’t weaponize the coronavirus. The Iranian people are suffering. We should help them.
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Joe CirincioneAstonishing. A Pentagon general told the Senate today that America should be ready to start a nuclear war. Says he wants a "flexible first use policy." After years of denouncing the Russians for having this policy, he wants the same doctrine. At 58:13 mark
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Representative Adam B. Schiff took a risk in telling senators they must convict and remove President Trump because "you know you can't trust this president to do what's right for this country."
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Joe CirincioneHere is the real reason GOP Senators are angry at @RepAdamSchiff.
“I have to say this,” Mr. Inhofe told reporters Friday morning in the Capitol. “Schiff is very, very effective.”
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Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talks to NPR's Mary Louise Kelly about U.S. policy in Iran and about Marie Yovanovitch, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.
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Joe CirincioneYou will read about this interview. You should also read it. Before his meltdown, Pompeo gives a perfect presentation of his foreign policy. It’s all Bully and BS. False claims, fake facts, whataboutism, misdirection, refusal to answers basic questions.
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Polls indicate voters would like to see a reduced Pentagon budget and more spending on health care and education at home.
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Joe CirincioneAs Washington stumbles into war, the public wants out. Our new poll show overwhelming agreement. 60% say “America should stop trying to police the world and invest instead in rebuilding America, including its crumbling infrastructure and social services.”
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With a populist message that promises to rein in corporate excess, Ms. Warren has been facing more hostility from the finance industry than any other candidate.
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Joe CirincioneOh my, what would we do if hedge fund managers, bankers and Wall Street financiers stopped funding Democratic candidates? Maybe we’d have better candidates, better policies and a better country.
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