Happy New Year, Sad State of the War Machine

Some of our favorite episodes from 2021: The corruption of the military industrial complex has many ugly faces.

Despite an end to one U.S. war — Afghanistan — it’s been all status quo in for the Washington war machine in 2021. Budgets continued to explode, the U.S. military boot print remained planted over the earth, and agents of reform stymied at every turn. Crashing the War Party will be back next week but in the meantime here are some of the best episodes where we explored the corruption of the system, our entangling relationships abroad, and what regular Americans might do to at least face it all head-on.

The E-Ring gang that couldn't shoot straight, with Col. Doug Macgregor — 11/5/21

Journalist Andrew Cockburn on power and profit and the primordial ooze of American war —10/8/21

Mythology, militarism, and collective amnesia: America’s culture of war, with Mary Dudziak — 8/6/21

Is Saudi Arabia a friend or foe? An interview with Annelle Sheline —7/30/21

Paying to play in Washington: winners, losers and suckers, with Ben Freeman — 7/9/21

The trillion-dollar plane that can't fly: Dan Grazier on the F-35 fighter — 7/2/21