America as a war economy: Eisenhower’s warning that still runs Washington

One of the strangest things about U.S. politics is this: many countries look for reasons first, then go to war. Washington often does the opposite. It decides on war first, then changes the justification as pressure rises and as it needs to “sell” the decision at home and abroad. We saw this in Iraq, and we see it again in other files today: one reason, then another, then a third “explanation”; while the core decision stays the same for years. So why does the United States keep the weapon always on the table, and turn politics into a permanent stage for threats and escalation? A big part of the answer was named by a U.S. president from inside the system […]