When President Dwight David Eisenhower left the stage as president of the United States in 1961, he warned of the military-industrial complex he was leaving behind. Sounds ominous, right? And that complex has had 60 years to harden in place since Eisenhower’s farewell address.
But what is the military-industrial complex? Is it a war-mongering machine out to kill us all at a profit? Is it a bunch of old boys networking to sell $700 hammers to the Pentagon through no-bid deals? Was Eisenhower overstating a problem that only he could see?
We spoke with Emma Salisbury, who just finished a Ph.D. thesis on the subject. As with virtually everything on Angry Planet, the truth was more complicated than you might think.
Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.
https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe
Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.
https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Case for Leaving Afghanistan
Ethical behavior on the battlefield
The Bannon effect and a brief history of the National Security Council
How the West has aided democracy’s decline
The security costs to barring refugees and creating civilian ‘safe zones’
Russia's hybrid war against the West
Magick as strategy in World War Two
No, the Trump transition isn’t endangering U.S. nukes. Here’s what to really worry about
Tracking America’s ‘shadow wars’
Churchill – the ‘glowworm’ who changed the fate of modern Europe
ICYMI: The drone that almost killed bin Laden
ICYMI: In Russia, 'fake news' is the norm
The next Great Game may be played for the North Pole
Going where Obama feared to tread in Syria – the Albright-Hadley plan
ICYMI: The men who burned down the world: A conversation with Dan Carlin
The Kremlin had a plan - Donald Trump winning wasn't part of it
The road to Ward 17
ICYMI: Can NATO still put up a fight against Russia?
The security threats both candidates are ignoring
Is the U.S. at war? Sorry, that's classified.
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free