The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart

The Military Industrial Complexity

Jun 13, 2024

Bill Hartung, a Senior Research Fellow focused on military spending, and Roxana Tiron, a National Security Reporter at Bloomberg, dissect the complexities of the military-industrial complex. They question whether the U.S. arsenal truly protects democracy, especially amid current conflicts. Insights on the bloated defense budget reveal a glaring disconnect in prioritizing military spending over public services. The duo also examines the contradictions of arms sales and the challenges faced by investigative journalism in shielding national security issues from public scrutiny.

01:10:08

Episode guests

Bill Hartung

Roxana Tiron

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

The podcast questions the efficacy of US military interventions and the impact of World War II strategies on current military practices.

The importance of transparency and oversight in handling massive military budgets is emphasized, highlighting the need for accountability in spending.

Investigative journalism plays a crucial role in uncovering military inefficiencies, advocating for increased media coverage to promote reform and transparency within the defense sector.

Deep dives

Jon Stewart discusses the military industrial complex and US military strategy

The episode delves into the complexities of the military industrial complex and questions the effectiveness of US military interventions. Jon Stewart and guests examine the evolutionary impact of World War II learnings on current military strategies. The conversation critiques the allocation of a massive budget towards programs like the malfunctioning F-35 fighter jet, highlighting the need for transparency in spending.

Intro

5min

Military Funding and Foreign Policy Complexities

17min

The Cycle of Military Intervention and Its Consequences

5min

The Paradox of Arms Sales and Democracy

16min

Regulation Gaps and Financial Oversight in the Military Sector

4min

Critique of the F-35 Fighter Jet Program

17min

The Challenges of National Security Journalism

4min

On the 80th anniversary of D-Day, we reflect on how the US military saved democracy from fascism. This week, as the Senate marks up next year’s defense spending bill, Jon sits down with Bill Hartung of the Quincy Institute and Roxana Tiron of Bloomberg to investigate whether our arsenal is still bolstering democracy, both abroad and at home. From the active conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza to our rivalry with China, we explore the efficacy of U.S. strategy. Plus, we dive deep into the ballooning defense budget and discuss Jon’s attempts to shine a light on it all.

And you can also check out the tax tool shared with us by a resourceful listener here:

https://us.abalancingact.com/2023-federal-taxpayer-receipt

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CREDITS

Host/Executive Producer – Jon Stewart

Executive Producer - James Dixon

Executive Producer – Chris McShane

Executive Producer – Caity Gray