Always at War

China Bad? | GOING DEEPER with Jake Werner

On this latest episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex sit down with Jake Werner, head of the Quincy Institute’s East Asia program, to find out the answer to the question on everyone's lips in Washington: China bad? First, the three discuss the pervasive, bipartisan myth that Beijing wants to supplant America's role as the global military hegemony, tracing how the US foreign policy establishment systematically moved China from an economic partner to an existential enemy to shield itself from its own domestic and foreign policy blunders. Next, they explore the economic consequences of the neoliberal free-trade regime and the great recession, and how these crises left Washington casting about for anyone to blame but themselves. Finally, they examine why Washington is embracing the very tendencies it attacks China for — like ramping up McCarthyite surveillance and state-directed militarism — while largely ignoring the diplomatic opportunities to build a stable, mutually beneficial global system.  Make sure to check out some of Jake's research:  A Program for Progressive China Policy https://quincyinst.org/research/a-program-for-progressive-china-policy/ An Opening for a New US–China Economic Relationship  https://quincyinst.org/research/an-opening-for-a-new-us-china-economic-relationship/ Competition Versus Exclusion in U.S.–China Relations: A Choice Between Stability and Conflict https://quincyinst.org/research/competition-versus-exclusion-in-u-s-china-relations-a-choice-between-stability-and-conflict/# ### 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 Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions.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.org Contact the show: alwaysatwar@quincyinst.org Show 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/QuincyInst TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst   Website: https://quincyinst.org

War by Algorithm

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.org Contact the show: alwaysatwar@quincyinst.org Show 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/QuincyInst TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst   Website: https://quincyinst.org

Please Stop Spending My Taxes on Bombing Kids

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.org Contact the show: alwaysatwar@quincyinst.org Show 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/QuincyInst TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst   Website: https://quincyinst.org

The REAL costs of America's wars | GOING DEEP with Catherine Lutz

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.org Contact the show: alwaysatwar@quincyinst.org Show 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/QuincyInst TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst   Website: https://quincyinst.org

Who’s Selling the Iran War? | BREAKING IT DOWN w/ Nick Cleveland-Stout

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.org Contact the show: alwaysatwar@quincyinst.org Show 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/QuincyInst TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst   Website: https://quincyinst.org