CODEPINK Ranks the 2020 Presidential Candidates on War, Peace and Military Spending

Medea Benjamin and Nicole Davies of CODEPINK look at a new crop of presidential candidates and examine their views – and, when possible, voting records – on issues of war and peace.

Medea Benjamin
Nicolas J.S. Davies
By Medea Benjamin
And Nicolas J.S. Davies
Elizabeth Warren | foreign policy

Forty-five years after Congress passed the War Powers Act in the wake of the Vietnam War, it has finally used it for the first time, to try to end the U.S.-Saudi war on the people of Yemen and to recover its constitutional authority over questions of war and peace. This hasn’t stopped the war yet, and President Trump has threatened to veto the

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First International Conference Against US/NATO Bases Addresses Militarism

Unlike so much liberal and progressive political discourse in the US, which is obsessed with the personality of President Trump, the international perspective of this conference penetrated that distracting fog and concentrated on the continuity of US militarism regardless of who sits in the Oval Office.

Roger D. Harris
By Roger D. Harris
Protestors march next to giant puppet of U.S. President Donald Trump during a demonstration in Brussels, Saturday, July 7, 2018. Europeans are protesting U.S. President Donald Trump's appearance at a NATO summit, marching through Brussels to plead for less military spending and more public money for schools and clean energy. Geert Vanden Wijngaert | AP

For the first time in the history of humanity, the technical means are at hand to eliminate poverty if resources were not diverted to making war. World hunger could be abolished with only a small diversion from military budgets. The only luxuries that so-called middle-class Americans would have to forego would be the Blue Angels air show and

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Trump’s Military Spending Cuts Mask Record “Defense” Budget

Despite Trump’s promised 5% decrease in military spending, the 2019 budget is the largest ever with defense spending slated to reach at least $700 billion.

SouthFront
By SouthFront
Donald Trump military spending

US President Donald Trump called for defense spending cuts during a Cabinet meeting on October 17th. In fact, he asked all cabinet members to institute budget cuts of at least 5% for their departments in 2019. Speaking to the press prior to the Cabinet meeting, Trump spoke of his plan to ask every secretary to make a cut of 5% “if not more” in

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America’s Only Problem With Its Obscene War Budget is That Trump Didn’t Thank John McCain in a Speech

What is actually in the $717 billion military spending bill that Trump just signed?

Kevin Gosztola
By Kevin Gosztola
John McCain

President Donald Trump signed a $717 billion military spending bill on August 14. What made headlines was not the size of the bill or what is in the bill. Rather, most were upset that Trump did not thank Senator John McCain, whose name was put on the bill by his colleagues in Congress to honor him. On CNN, Jake Tapper, host of “The Lead,”  said

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Poll: Germans Want US Troop Withdrawal, Oppose Increased Military Spending

According to a YouGov poll conducted by Germany’s DPA news agency, 42% of Germans support a complete withdrawal of U.S. troops in the country.

Whitney Webb
By Whitney Webb
An anti-war protester wears a mask showing US President Donald Trump in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017 during a demonstration against nuclear weapons near the Brandenburg Gate. (AP/Michael Sohn)

BERLIN -- After over 70 years, Germans have apparently had enough of the U.S. troop presence in their country, the second largest presence of U.S. troops abroad after Japan. According to a YouGov poll conducted by Germany’s DPA news agency, 42% of Germans support a complete withdrawal of U.S. troops in the country with 37% of Germany wanting them

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Trump’s Bigly Military-Spending Is Not Enough for this Beltway Think Tank

Despite plans for near-record military spending, the influential American Enterprise Institute claims the US government is underfunding national defense.

Ryan McMaken
By Ryan McMaken
American Enterprise Institute President Arthur Brooks speaks following a speech by Vice President Mike Pence at the American Enterprise Institute, Oct. 24, 2017, in Washington. (AP/Andrew Harnik)

Earlier this month, SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) which monitors global military spending, released its latest report. To no one's surprise, the US topped the list, with more spending than the next seven biggest spenders combined. According to the report, in 2017 the US spent 610 billion dollars, while China spent 228

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