The United States is a country at war. As I write, the U.S. is bombing Yemen, supplying weapons to Israel as it annihilates Gaza, conducting counter-terrorism operations in dozens of countries, and fighting a proxy war against Russia in Ukraine. Meanwhile, President Trump suggests he would go to war with Iran “very willingly” if nuclear diplomacy collapses.
As we stare down another potential forever war in the greater Middle East, a crucial question is raised: Why is the U.S. always at war?
The answer lies in a complex web of financial incentives and political calculations. This hidden matrix of interlocking interests that perpetuates America's war machine is precisely what the Quincy Institute's new YouTube show, "Always at War," investigates.
For Americans born after 1990, war isn't an anomaly — it's been the backdrop of their entire lives. And these conflicts haven’t just wrought destruction abroad — they’ve reshaped American society. In the wake of our endless wars, Americans’ civil liberties eroded, our police have militarized, and resources that could have been used to address domestic needs were diverted to the Pentagon, which looks set to spend nearly $1 trillion annually.
The money we allocate to defense is simply staggering: the U.S. government has spent $8 trillion on post-9/11conflicts as defense CEOs earn $25 million yearly and weapons manufacturers see 82% returns, amid recent conflicts.
But equally important are the political incentives that reward hawkishness and punish restraint.
When 80% of retired four-star generals join defense companies within five years and over 50 members of Congress own stocks in these same companies, we can plainly see the financial incentives that fuel American militarism. And there's also a powerful ecosystem of think tanks, media outlets, and political operatives that secure career advancements for those championing military solutions as they marginalize voices of those advocating for restraint.
“Always at War” aims to make this deliberately confusing system comprehensible.
The debut episodes feature the Quincy Institute’s William Hartung discussing America's nuclear weapons programs, especially its costly "Sentinel Program," and historian and Quincy Institute co-founder Andrew Bacevich, who draws parallels between the Vietnam War and today's ruinous interventions.
By revealing who benefits — both financially and politically — when America chooses war over peace, "Always at War" seeks to help viewers understand why the United States seems perpetually unable to stop participating in violent conflicts. Understanding these forces is the first step toward building a foreign policy based on restraint, diplomacy, and genuine national interest rather than profit and political advantage.
Watch now:
President John F. Kennedy and Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. in 1961. (Robert Knudsen/White House Photo)
