Always at War
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 Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. Each episode features conversations with 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 at quincyinst.org.
Episodes
Israel's Lobby: More Powerful and More Unpopular Than Ever
In the latest episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex sit down with Eli Clifton and Ian Lustick — authors of the new book Israel's Lobby: America in the Grip of a Foreign Power — to understand how a concentrated network of pro-Israel donors and organizations became the most formidable special interest in Washington, and how it helped push the United States toward war with Iran.BUY THE BO
How America Rigged the Israel-Palestine Peace Process | GOING DEEP with Khaled Elgindy
In the latest episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex sit down with QI Senior Research Fellow Khaled Elgindy — former adviser to the Palestinian leadership on permanent status negotiations with Israel and author of Blind Spot: America and the Palestinians, from Balfour to Trump — to understand why America's constant interventions in the Israel-Palestine peace process have been doomed to f
Israel's War for American Hearts and Minds with Nick Cleveland-Stout
In the latest episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex examine Israel's $1 billion campaign to shape global opinion and policy toward Israel with the researcher who's done the work to expose it: QI Fellow Nick Cleveland-Stout.Nick's new paper, "The Eighth Front: Inside Israel's $1 Billion Influence Campaign," is the most detailed accounting yet of Israel's cha
America’s Soft Power Machine | GOING DEEP with Almut Rochowanski
In the latest episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex sit down with Almut Rochowanski, a non-resident fellow at the Quincy Institute and longtime grassroots activist who spent nearly two decades working with civil society organizers across Russia, Ukraine, and the former Soviet Union.Almut walks Courtney and Alex through the "NGO-industrial complex": how grant cycles, donor prioritie
The Middle East After the Iran War | GOING DEEP with Trita Parsi
SUPPORT QI'S FIRST AMENDMENT FUND: https://givingtools.com/give/939CHECK OUT TRITA'S SUBSTACK: https://tritaparsi.substack.com/In the latest episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex sit down with Quincy Institute co-founder and Executive Vice President Trita Parsi, an expert on Iran and US-Iranian relations. Trita has spent years warning Washington against a disastrous war with Iran —
They're Not Ending Aid to Israel. They're Hiding It.
On this episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex expose the secret plan to end US military grant aid to Israel while permanently shielding US military support for Israel from congressional oversight — and from you.First, they break down Section 224, a provision buried in the annual defense spending bill that would fuse US and Israeli military sectors — weapons procurement, production, AI, biote
Trump's Iran deal: Will they, won't they? | ALWAYS AT WAR x TRIP THE BELTWAY FANTASTIC
This week, we're bringing you a special episode in collaboration with our friends at Trip the Beltway Fantastic!Your hosts Courtney and Alex joined Kelley Vlahos, Editor-in-Chief of Responsible Statecraft, on her podcast to break down the recent will-they/won't-they diplomacy between Washington and Tehran. The trio dissects the rhetoric pushed by prominent pro-war figures—particularly th
China Bad? | GOING DEEP 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 es
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 &q
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 Tru
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. Catherin
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,
Is Trump already losing control of the Iran war? | EMERGENCY EPISODE w/Kelley Vlahos
On this emergency episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex are joined by Kelley Vlahos, Editor-in-Chief of Responsible Statecraft, to discuss the US-Israel attack on Iran and subsequent war.First, they discuss why Trump chose war over diplomacy, whether the administration is feeling a sugar high after regime change in Venezuela, and why the endgame in Tehran remains dangerously unclear. Next, t
The deadly decline of US empire | GOING DEEP with Noah Kulwin
On this episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex go deep with Noah Kulwin, journalist and co-host of the hit documentary podcast Blowback, on why American interventionism thrives on the very chaos it claims to be fighting.First, they get into how Noah came to be interested in America’s role in the world, the origins of Blowback, and how chaos figures into America’s strategy to maintain global m
Trump is strangling Cuba and threatening Iran. Feel safer yet?
On this episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex dive into the Trump administration's escalating threats against Iran and Cuba, exploring why Washington seems hell-bent on repeating its regime change failures of the past.First, they examine the looming threat of war with Iran and discuss how pro-Israel figures are pushing a "poison pill" for Iran talks that would ensure their fai
A dystopian vision for Gaza & Canada says the quiet part loud
Courtney and Alex are breaking down the latest news that explain why the U.S. remains perpetually at war — this week, courtesy of our benevolent overlords in Davos at the World Economic Forum.First, they congratulate Larry Ellison on Oracle's acquisition of TikTok and swift shadow-banning of Courtney’s account.Next, they discuss Trump's "Board of Peace" and plan to build a &quo
Why did Trump REALLY attack Venezuela? | GOING DEEP with Lee Schlenker
On this episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex are joined by Lee Schlenker, research associate with the Global South program at the Quincy Institute, to unpack the fallout from the Trump administration’s attack on Venezuela and kidnapping of Nicolás Maduro — what it means for Venezuelans, for Trump's foreign policy, and for Americans who are sick and tired of paying for these endless mil
Is the War Machine Censoring Your Social Media Feed? | GOING DEEP with Taylor Lorenz
Courtney and Alex go deep with tech journalist Taylor Lorenz on how social media shapes our perceptions of US foreign policy, and why war hawks like Hillary Clinton want to make it harder for Americans to get access to independent info on war and peace.First, they discuss how the internet went from being treated by US politicians as an emancipatory tool during the Arab Spring to a dangerous source
Hillary Clinton is wrong about Gaza (again) and Ukraine diplomacy is good, actually
Courtney and Alex are back to break down the latest stories that help explain why the US is always at war. First, they break down a pair of recent stunning statements by former Obama speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about how young people are getting the wrong ideas about Israel from the terrible images they're seeing of the genocide in Gaza. The solut
Profiting off Venezuela regime change, Pete Hegseth’s crazy proposal, & no more US aid for Israel?!
This week, Courtney and Alex discuss the news stories from around the world that caught their attention. First, they get into how American arms companies are profiting off of the push for regime change in Venezuela and the military buildup in the Carribean.Next, they unpack the Pentagon's "acquisition reform" — a terrible idea that will make it easier for the military-industrial co
Thanks A Lot, Dick Cheney | GOING DEEP with Jim Lobe
On this episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex talk with Jim Lobe, contributing editor at Responsible Statecraft, about the life and legacy of Dick Cheney after his death this week at the age of 84. Together, they unpack Cheney's long and gruesome record, from working with Donald Rumsfeld to derail Kissinger's strategy of detente with the Soviet Union, to helping the perpetrators of
Is the Gaza Ceasefire Working with Lara Friedman
In this episode of Always at War, hosts Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan are joined by Lara Friedman — President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP) — to examine the recent Gaza ceasefire deal.Together, they discuss what makes ceasefire deals work, America's sordid history as a "peacemaker" in the Middle East, why the current deal is unlikely to restrain Israeli aggressi
Washington’s Pro-War Consensus
Courtney and Alex discuss why the leaders of both of America’s major political parties still support America’s disastrous pursuit of global military primacy, and take a look at some of the individuals and interests that help uphold our crappy foreign policy consensus.###Why is America always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests,
A Tale of Two Americas with Greg Grandin
In this episode of Always at War, hosts Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan are joined by Greg Grandin — Professor of History at Yale University and author of America, América: A New History of the New World — to discuss the USA's relationship with the other America: Latin America.Together, they explore the missed opportunities for true fraternity between the two Americas, the long history of W
America's Empire of Bases
Does having 750 military base sites all around the world make America safer—or does it just make war more convenient? In this episode of Always at War, hosts Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan reveal the costs and consequences of America's massive worldwide military footprint and examine how it enables Washington's disastrous quest to maintain global military primacy, no matter the costs.
How Think Tanks Sell War with Ben Freeman & Nick Cleveland-Stout
In this episode of Always at War, hosts Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan are joined by the Quincy Institute's Ben Freeman & Nick Cleveland-Stout to discuss how America's top think tanks profoundly shape our country's approach to the world — and the golden opportunity these institutions represent for arms companies and foreign governments trying to buy influence over Washington&
Gaza: Headlines vs. Reality
In this episode of Always at War, hosts Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan discuss how the headlines about Gaza in most mainstream U.S. media outlets have consistently obfuscated the reality of Israel's genocidal campaign, and downplayed America's role in enabling and defending Israeli war crimes.###Why is America always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jorda
A Culture of Empire | Always at War x American Prestige
In this episode of Always at War, hosts Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan are joined by American Prestige's Daniel Bessner to discuss how Americans have come to understand — and however begrudgingly, accept — the costs and consequences of our nation’s military empire. ###Why is America always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied inter
Iran Regime Change...Again?
Courtney and Alex discuss America's long and sordid history of pursuing regime change around the world in light of the recent U.S. airstrikes on Iran, which triggered bipartisan calls from Washington for the Trump administration to try and topple the government in Tehran.###Why is America always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied in
How Terrorism Works with Elizabeth Beavers
Courtney and Alex speak with national security legal scholar Elizabeth Beavers about how the U.S. government defines terrorism and discuss whether America's terrorist designations and counterterrorism wars prolong conflict and advance political agendas, rather than make Americans safer. ###Why is America always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expo
The Eternal Causes of War | Always at War x NonZero
Courtney and Alex join Robert Wright's Nonzero podcast to discuss America's addiction to war in light of Trump's airstrikes on Iran.This episode is a special collaboration between Always at War and Nonzero. To access the full "Overtime" conversation, go to: https://www.nonzero.org/p/the-eternal-causes-of-war-robert###Why is America always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’
Congress Cashes In with Savannah Wooten
In this episode of "Always at War," hosts Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan explore how congressional stock trading enables U.S. policymakers to profit off of America’s constant wars and interventions , and speak with Public Citizen’s Savannah Wooten about how the military-industrial complex works to push U.S. military spending higher and higher — now approaching $1 trillion a year.###Ta
Vietnam Syndrome with Andrew Bacevich
In this episode of Always at War, we examine the Vietnam War on the 50th anniversary of its effective conclusion (April 30, 1975) and explore how it established the template for America's subsequent "forever wars."Through powerful imagery and historical analysis, hosts Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan, joined by scholar Andrew Bacevich, trace the direct connections between Vietnam
Going Nuclear with William Hartung
In this inaugural episode of "Always at War," hosts Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan explore America's continued investment in nuclear weapons despite their catastrophic potential. With the help of Quincy Institute Senior Research Fellow and military-industrial complex expert Bill Hartung, Courtney and Alex examine how defense contractors and lobbyists influence policy decisions to
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