Those young demonstrators had come of age seeing continual — and effective — protests during the civil rights movement and national mourning after the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A year earlier King staked out his opposition to the war, saying that while he wasn’t attempting “to make North Vietnam or the National Liberation Front paragons of virtue,” he wanted to underscore his belief “that America would never invest the necessary funds or energies in rehabilitation of its poor so long as adventures like Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money, like some demonic, destructive suction tube.” He said he was “compelled to see the war as an enemy of the poor and attack it as such.”
Archiv: National Defense Authorization Act / Gesetz zur Autorisierung der nationalen Verteidigung (NDAA) / US Militärbudget / Kriegsetat
Senate passes surveillance bill despite contentious debate over privacy concerns
Congress had been up against a Friday deadline after authority for Section 702 was extended through that date as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.
Senate passes reauthorization of key US surveillance program after midnight deadline
After its midnight deadline, the Senate voted early Saturday to reauthorize a key U.S. surveillance law after divisions over whether the FBI should be restricted from using the program to search for Americans’ data nearly forced the statute to lapse.
The legislation approved 60-34 with bipartisan support would extend for two years the program known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
Lawmakers still benefitting from share trading in defense stocks
(02.04.2024)
With the onslaught of new wars, Congress added $70 billion over the last two years to an already bloated Pentagon budget, much of which is funneled directly into the coffers of defense contractors like Palatir, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. The stock values in these companies have since experienced double-digit growth – a lucrative business opportunity not overlooked by lawmakers calling the shots.
At least 25 members of Congress sitting on national security committees have simultaneously purchased stock in these very same companies. The majority of these members sit on the Senate and House Armed Services committees, the entities responsible for overseeing the Defense Department budget and contracts.
Kremlin responds to rumors of Russian space nukes
Western media reports claiming that Russia could place nuclear weapons in space are nothing more than a ploy by the White House to convince US lawmakers to approve further military aid to Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.
Citing sources, several US media outlets reported this week that American intelligence had obtained information on purported Russian plans to deploy a nuclear anti-satellite system in space, although the idea supposedly remains at the developmental stage.
Biden has requested a whopping $105 billion in supplementary funding to pay for multiple, active and impending wars that Congress was originally voting on. This is on top of the already massive $886 billion war budget.
What‘s everything in Genocide Joe‘s latest request?
First, it‘s important to note the disputes on this. House Republicans want a bill just for Israel, while Democrats say they need it packaged with the other wars (with Russia and China). Both parties agree they want more war.
So, what‘s in Biden‘s request?
To start, $14.3 BILLION for the genocide in Gaza…
Freedom Caucus won’t support Ukraine ‘blank check.’ What‘s that mean?
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) expressed hesitancy about whether and when it was worth it to pass a funding measure at this point in time. “Why are we talking about Ukraine supplemental when we can’t figure out how to fund our own operation of government to do what it‘s supposed to do?” he asked during a press gaggle on Monday morning.
“I want to see what claim there is for actual success in Ukraine,“ he added. „And I want to know how every dollar that $113 billion is going to be spent. Come present that to me as a member of Congress, and then talk to me about” what future funding should look like.
We don’t need nuclear cruise missiles at sea
(August 9, 2023)
This month, as House and Senate conferees begin to iron out differences between the two chambers on a nearly $900 billion Pentagon spending bill for next fiscal year, both the House and Senate armed services committees want to place a new generation of nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missiles (known as SLCM-Ns) back on Navy vessels. That would be a mistake.
Pocan Derides Nearly $1 Trillion NDAA
“It’s time to say ‘enough.’ Year after year, we spend more and more on our national defense – it’s too much with too little accountability. We have troops on food stamps while at the same time, price-gouging defense contractors are getting richer by the day.
House Narrowly Passes Defense Bill, Setting Up Showdown Over Social Issues
At stake is an $886 billion bill that would grant a 5.2 percent raise to military personnel, include programs to counter aggressive moves by China and Russia, and establish a special inspector general to oversee U.S. aid to Ukraine.
Israel to buy new fleet of F-35 fighter jets financed by US aid
(2 Jul 2023)
Israel will buy its third fleet of F-35 stealth fighter jets in a deal worth $3bn that will be financed through US military aid, according to the Israeli military.
Israel’s Ministry of Defence approved the purchase on Sunday, with the additional 25 aircraft manufactured by Lockheed Martin to bring the number of F-35 jets in Israel’s air force to 75.
To Foreign Policy Veteran, the Real Danger Is at Home
Mr. Haass recently published a book called “The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens,” outlining ways Americans can help heal their own society, like “Be Informed,” “Remain Civil,” “Put Country First” — all admittedly bromides and yet somehow often elusive these days. (…)
Putting his foreign policy hat aside for now, he said he wants to expand the message from his book and help refocus the country on the core values embodied in the Declaration of Independence as the 250th anniversary of the document approaches three years from now.
The Enemy From Within
America is a stratocracy, a form of government dominated by the military. It is axiomatic among the two ruling parties that there must be a constant preparation for war. The war machine’s massive budgets are sacrosanct. Its billions of dollars in waste and fraud are ignored. Its military fiascos in Southeast Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East have disappeared into the vast cavern of historical amnesia. This amnesia, which means there is never accountability, licenses the war machine to economically disembowel the country and drive the Empire into one self-defeating conflict after another. The militarists win every election. They cannot lose. It is impossible to vote against them. The war state is a Götterdämmerung, as Dwight Macdonald writes, “without the gods.”
Top-level study on Intel Community, Space Force satellite control coming soon
Since the Space Force’s inception three years ago, there’s been some tension between the newest military service and spy satellite agencies over who’s responsible for acquiring satellite imagery and ISR products and providing actionable information to military commanders.
NATO Members Use a Major Air Exercise to Send a Message to Russia
After 30 years of shrinking military budgets, air power had become a vulnerability for NATO, but that began changing after the Russian invasion. NATO increased its air patrols along the Russian border and based allied troops and aircraft in four more NATO countries.
In addition, some NATO states are trying to bolster Ukraine’s air power — for the current conflict and to deter Russia in the future — with the United States recently agreeing to let Ukrainian pilots train on American-made F-16 fighter jets.
Defense Contractor Funded Think Tanks Dominate Ukraine Debate
Few Americans know what a think tank is or does, although they play a pivotal role in the U.S. political process.2 Think tanks operate as something of a conduit between academia and the policymaking community, conducting research and opining on pressing policy issues, including everything from healthcare to climate change to U.S. foreign policy. Think tanks also work directly with policymakers in the executive branch and Congress. Their experts regularly testify before Congress and go on to serve in key positions in the executive branch. Former government officials in turn often go on to work for think tanks, earning them the nickname of “holding tank” where former government officials await a change in party affiliation of Congress or the Presidency.
Of most direct relevance to this brief is the fact that think tanks are a go–to source for media outlets seeking opinions on pressing policy issues. Think tank experts provide the comments and articles you read in prominent national media outlets . They’re the voices you hear providing commentary on NPR, podcasts, and even local radio stations. They’re the faces you see on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC opining on the most pressing U.S. policy issues of the day. In short, think tanks are a key component of public debates about U.S. politics and policy.
US Builds New Base In Northern Syria, Signaling Indefinite Occupation
The US-led anti-ISIS coalition is building a new military base in Syria’s northern province of Raqqa, The New Arab reported, citing a source close to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The US backs the SDF and keeps about 900 troops (officially at least) in eastern Syria, allowing the US to control about one-third of Syria’s territory. The report said there are currently about 24 US-led military sites spread throughout eastern Syria.
US-led coalition against Islamic State building new base in northern Syria
(24 May, 2023)
There are currently at least 24 US-led coalition military sites spread throughout Syria’s northeast.
The US says its military is stationed in the country to fight against the remnants of IS.
Between Oct. 2021 and Sep. 2022, the U.S. spent $877 billion on the military, more than the next 10 countries combined. These huge military expenditures, along with the rising costs of a for-profit healthcare system, have driven the U.S. national debt to over $31 trillion, nearly $5 trillion more than US GDP. #Kennedy24
Imagine how we could rebuild our nation if we brought even half that amount home. Let‘s take care of those left behind. Let‘s fix our infrastructure. Let‘s clean up our environment. Let‘s make our nation strong and prosperous again! #Kennedy24
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: „When my uncle came into office, two months later he was fighting his intelligence apparatus and his military… in the middle of Bay of Pigs, he realized they were lying to him. He realized the function of the intelligence agencies had become to provide the military-industrial complex with a constant pipeline of war… … And so the neocons and CIA got to go into Iraq and do regime change. We spent $8 trillion and what did we get for it? Nothing… Iraq is now much worse off than it was when we went in there. We killed more Iraqis than Saddam Hussein ever did.“
(April 20, 2023)
“The Chance for Peace” Address Delivered Before the American Society of Newspaper Editors, April 16th, 1953
This free world knows, out of the bitter wisdom of experience, that vigilance and sacrifice are the price of liberty.
It knows that the defense of Western Europe imperatively demands the unity of purpose and action made possible by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, embracing a European Defense Community.
It knows that Western Germany deserves to be a free and equal partner in this community and that this, for Germany, is the only safe way to full, final unity.
It knows that aggression in Korea and in southeast Asia are threats to the whole free community to be met by united action.
(…)
We are ready not only to press forward with the present plans for closer unity of the nations of Western Europe but also, upon that foundation, to strive to foster a broader European community, conducive to the free movement of persons, of trade, and of ideas.
This community would include a free and united Germany, with a government based upon free and secret elections.
This free community and the full independence of the East European nations could mean the end of the present unnatural division of Europe.
(…)
Again we say: the hunger for peace is too great, the hour in history too late, for any government to mock men’s hopes with mere words and promises and gestures.
The test of truth is simple. There can be no persuasion but by deeds.
(…)
The test is clear.
There is, before all peoples, a precious chance to turn the black tide of events. If we failed to strive to seize this chance, the judgment of future ages would be harsh and just.
If we strive but fail and the world remains armed against itself, it at least need be divided no longer in its clear knowledge of who has condemned humankind to this fate.
Why Eisenhower’s “Chance for Peace” Address Still Matters
(April 19, 2023)
Eisenhower made these comparisons in the early years of the Cold War, shortly after the death of Joseph Stalin. As he told his speechwriter at the time, he was “tired…of just plain indictments of the Soviet regime.… [J]ust one thing matters. What have we got to offer the world?” He was looking for a positive alternative to what he described as the “dread road” the world was then on, which in his view could only lead to one of two outcomes: atomic war or immiseration tied to perpetual military buildups. He described the outcome of continuing with the status quo as “not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.”
Congress, Pentagon: Compromise NDAA released with $857.9 billion topline
(December 06, 2022)
And of course, it wouldn’t be a defense-related topic in 2022 without a focus on China. “The language extends the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI) through fiscal year 2023, identifies approximately $11.5 billion of investments in support of PDI objectives, and authorizes approximately an additional $1 billion to address unfunded requirements identified by the Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM).” It also includes potentially interesting language requiring “the establishment of a joint force headquarters within the INDOPACOM area of responsibility.”
Lawmakers Want Increase in Pentagon’s INDOPACOM Budget for 2023
(May 2, 2022)
President Biden has requested a massive $813 billion military budget for the 2023 fiscal year, but it isn’t enough for Congress. Lawmakers have been combing the budget to find ways to increase the spending, and one area of concern is the Pentagon’s budget request for US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM).
Here’s what’s in the $858 billion defense bill
(December 15, 2022)
The NDAA would extend and modify the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, as well as authorize $800 million in funding in fiscal year 2023, which is $500 million more than was contained in last year’s defense bill.
The program provides funding for the federal government to pay industry to produce weapons and security assistance to send to Ukraine, rather than drawing directly from current US stockpiles of weapons.
‚They have us over a barrel‘: Inside the US and German standoff over sending tanks to Ukraine
In recent days, German officials have indicated they won‘t send their Leopard tanks to Ukraine, or allow any other country with the German-made tanks in their inventory to do so, unless the US also agrees to send its M1 Abrams tanks to Kyiv — something the Pentagon has said for months it has no intention of doing given the logistical costs of maintaining them.
An obscure counterterrorism authority has been used to create and control proxy forces throughout the war on terror—its use points to broader interpretations of the 2001 AUMF and the president’s inherent authority to use force than previously disclosed.
(29 Dec 2022)
What Can a Secretive Funding Authority Tell Us About the Pentagon’s Use of Force Interpretations?
(October 11, 2022)
Initially enacted as a provisional authority in 2004 and subsequently codified in 2016, § 127e allows U.S. forces to “provide support” to foreign militaries, paramilitaries, and private individuals that are “supporting” U.S. counterterrorism operations.
The kinds of support that U.S. forces may give and receive are not defined in § 127e. But the Department of Defense sought § 127e from Congress so that U.S. forces would have the ability to recruit, train, equip, and pay the salaries of foreign militaries, paramilitaries, and private individuals that would assist the United States in combating terrorism. According to Maj. Gen. J. Marcus Hicks, the former head of Special Operations Command Africa, putting these partners on payroll would give U.S. forces “full incentive authority” over them and enable U.S. forces to “command and control” them on missions.
Biden Is Set To Sign $858 Billion Pentagon Budget—One of the Biggest Ever
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is expanding the military budget enormously. Pentagon spending is set to hit levels not seen since the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Senate passes National Defense Authorization Act, bill heads to President Biden
Both chambers of Congress have passed the bill, and it will now head to President Biden‘s desk.
The bill passed by a vote of 83-11, with 60 votes needed for approval.
90+ groups warn US Senate of ‚damaging consequences‘ from Kids Online Safety Act
(29 Nov 2022)
Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), introduced the legislation in February in response to media reports and subcommittee hearings on social media companies‘ practices that the lawmakers say put kids at risk.
„Big Tech has brazenly failed children and betrayed its trust, putting profits above safety,“ Blumenthal said at the time. „The Kids Online Safety Act would finally give kids and their parents the tools and safeguards they need to protect against toxic content — and hold Big Tech accountable for deeply dangerous algorithms.“
Bad news for the internet: Congress is trying to sneak in dangerous “Save The Kids!” Internet Bill in Omnibus at the end of the year
(November 17, 2022)
Over the past week, I’ve been hearing about a major push by activists and lawmakers to include the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) in the year-end “must pass” omnibus law. Earlier this week, one of the primary parents pushing the bill walked on Jake Tapper’s show on CNN and stumbled for it. And Axios’ recent report confirms that lawmakers are trying to put it on the Lameduck omnibus, or possibly the NDAA (although it has absolutely nothing to do with defense spending).
Covert Military Information Operations and the New NDAA: The Law of the Gray Zone Evolves
(December 10, 2019)
Section 1631(b) expressly affirms that the Defense Department can conduct “military operations” in the information environment, “including clandestine operations,” for certain purposes. I’ll have more to say about that reference to “clandestine” below. First, let’s note the broad list of purposes.
The military’s role comes into play in three scenarios. First, defense of the United States itself. Second, defense of allies. Third, defense of the “interests” of the United States. The statute notably does not clarify what nature or degree of threats to these objects count, and so the invitation can only be described as quite broad.
Pentagon opens sweeping review of clandestine psychological operations
(September 19, 2022)
The measure, known as Section 1631, allows the military to carry out clandestine psychological operations without crossing what the CIA has claimed as its covert authority, alleviating some of the friction that had hindered such operations previously.
“Combatant commanders got really excited,” recalled the first defense official. “They were very eager to utilize these new authorities. The defense contractors were equally eager to land lucrative classified contracts to enable clandestine influence operations.”
After Congress passed Section 1631 allowing the military to conduct covert online propaganda, the Pentagon created droves of accounts spreading fake news against designated enemies, including one claiming Iran was harvesting organs in Afghanistan
(20.09.2022)
House’s ‘Irregular Warfare’ Provision Risks Unintended War
Under both 127e and 1202, the use of proxy forces must support “authorized” U.S. military operations. The Defense Department has cited two sources of authority for engaging in combat through and with 127e proxies: the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force, or AUMF—the authority for the United States’s endless “war on terror”—and the president’s constitutional prerogative to engage in “self-defense,” defined expansively by executive branch lawyers.
The Defense Department could cite similar authorities for the use of 1202 proxies. Although no AUMF was designed to counter Iran, North Korea, Russia, or China, the executive branch believes it has the authority to engage these countries militarily.
If you‘re gonna spend a trillion dollars on the military, pursue GOP‘s wet dreams in China, hand 10s of billions to cops and corps, keep Trump‘s tax cuts, while also not delivering on debt relief, higher wages, HC, or protecting any of our rights, why does voting for you matter?
The House just voted to approve an $840 billion military spending bill. Not one person asked how we’d pay for it.
Veterans For Peace Statement on Ukraine
Veterans For Peace (VFP) unequivocally condemns Russia‘s horrific invasion of Ukraine. VFP opposes western militarism and increased US military spending, and we are deeply concerned about even the possibility of nuclear warfare.
Disband NATO to End the War in Ukraine
To end the war in Ukraine, stand with its people, avert escalation and future wars, and create a more peaceful and collaborative world, we support getting to the origins and heart of the conflict and taking these actions when we are in government:
1. Disband NATO and its military bases
2. Recognize the UN as the global security authority
3. Disband permanent membership and veto power on the UN Security Council
4. Recognize Ukraine as an independent and militarily neutral country
5. End all wars of aggression, regime-change wars and resource wars
6. Ban funding and arming Nazis
7. Ban Congress and government officials from war profiteering and insider trading
8. Cut the US military budget in half and invest those resources into guaranteeing jobs, health care, housing and college at home
US Weapons Makers See Longer-Term Benefits of War in Ukraine
Raytheon, Lockheed Martin and other companies will profit from arming Ukraine and Europe‘s increased military spending
Senate Passes $768 Billion NDAA With Cyber Provisions
Lawmakers claim the bill is the widest expansion of CISA through legislation since the SolarWinds incident. Among other features, the NDAA authorizes CISA‘s program to monitor IT and OT networks of critical infrastructure partners; and codifies a program providing businesses and state and local governments with model exercises to test their critical infrastructure.
Push to repeal Iraq war powers snags in overloaded Senate
(07.12.2021)
Tim Kaine and Todd Young were preparing to celebrate a historic victory this month: repealing two outdated war authorizations.
But the Virginina Democrat and the Indiana Republican learned this week that their legislation to scrap the 1991 and 2002 Iraq war authorizations has become a casualty of the Senate’s year-end scramble to pass the annual defense policy bill, lift the debt ceiling and approve President Joe Biden’s social spending plan.
Only Congress Can End Washington’s Endless Wars
(07.10.2021)
The war on terror is a constitutional aberration. The U.S. legislature must reclaim its war powers from an overempowered executive branch.
The 2022 military spending bill, known as the #NDAA, which passed the House on Sept. 23 would hand a whopping $740 billion to the Pentagon and $38 billion to other departments, for a total of $778 billion in military spending, a $37 billion increase over last year‘s budget.
(07.10.2021)
The NDAA Needs These Two Narrow Immigration Bills
Although not an ideal solution to Congress’ struggle to pass legislation, lawmakers have historically used the NDAA to push their agendas. Concerns that these bills do not belong in the National Defense Authorization Act are misguided; this is not the first time immigration policy has been included in the NDAA. What’s more, these particular bills are narrowly tailored with bipartisan support and have legitimate ties to national security. Now, the responsibility lies with the Senate to approve the bills as part of the NDAA to optimize U.S. innovation and national security.
Ever notice how “deficit hawks” vote for record-high defense spending, yet claim bills that help people & challenge lobbyists are “too much?” ‘22 Defense Bill = $768 billion/yr Build Back Better = $350B/yr Guess which got rubber stamped & which gets deemed a “spending problem”
Wednesday’s House action follows a blowout bipartisan vote by the Senate Armed Services Committee to boost its version of the defense bill by $25 billion. Only one Democrat on the committee, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), opposed that proposal.
House panel backs $24B Pentagon budget boost, defying Biden
The proposal, offered by the committee’s top Republican, Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama, would pour an extra $23.9 billion into buying more weapons, and boost research and development, construction, and maintenance accounts. If approved, the new topline spending level would be $740 billion.
Fourteen Democrats broke ranks to push the GOP budget proposal over the finish line.
The War In Afghanistan Cost America $300 Million Per Day For 20 Years, With Big Bills Yet To Come
(16.08.2021)
Naturally, the United States has financed the Afghan war with borrowed money. Brown University researchers estimate that more than $500 billion in interest has already been paid (included in the $2.26 trillion total sum), and they figure that by 2050 the cost of interest alone on our Afghan war debt could reach $6.5 trillion. That amounts to $20,000 for each and every U.S. citizen.