The Consequences of President Trump’s Military Buildup

April 12, 2017

Corruption, Jobs, and the Arms Trade: Indefensible Book Launch and Panel Discussion (April 5, 2017)

Buoyed by promises of a massive U.S. military buildup, arms industry stocks have skyrocketed since the 2016 presidential election. The proposed increases in defense spending have been sold to the American public as a win–win policy: more military spending not only benefits national security, but will help drive economic growth and job creation.

Indefensible: Seven Myths That Sustain the Global Arms Trade, a book and web project of the World Peace Foundation at Tufts, critically examines the U.S. and global arms industry, in particular the public corruption it so often engenders at home and abroad. Far from protecting the United States or driving job creation, Indefensible finds that poorly overseen and bloated military spending actually undermines security and stifles economic growth.

At this book launch and panel discussion, experts weighed the risks and tradeoffs of President Trump’s proposed military buildup and budget shift away from international assistance and foreign aid—not just for American democracy but also for the U.S. economy and national security.

Listen to the talk above.

Topics

National Security and Counterterrorism

National Security and Human Rights

Rebuilding and Resilience: 20 Years Since 9/11

A woman standing at the September 11 memorial

On the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Open Society shares reflections from partners on the road traveled since—and the hard work still ahead.

September 10, 2021 | Laleh Ispahani

Voices

No State Accountability for North Carolina Contractor Who Helped CIA Torture

While far too much of the CIA’s activities during the presidency of George W. Bush remains hidden from the public, a new report helps to fill the gap by taking a closer look at North Carolina’s involvement.

December 13, 2018 | Catherine Read

Event Recap

The History of American Islamophobia, from the 19th Century to the Trump Era

Khaled A. Beydoun’s new book charts Islamophobia in the United States and the ways anti-Muslim rhetoric is rooted in the country’s legal system.

October 31, 2018

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