The article embedded in this tweet is a must read.

[tblue37]

Link to tweet

Text

I was inside the DC foreign-policy "Blob" for 5 years. I wrote an essay about the experience, why the US keeps going to war, who really drives those decisions, and who benefits. Just for tonight, it's outside the paywall...

[secondwind]

1. Cannot open.

[tblue37]

2. Can't open the tweet or the article?

[joetheman]

11. What paywall??? nt

[Demobrat]

3. It's back behind the paywall.

Too bad, I would love to read it.

[TomWilm]

8. This might help with your problem ...

Install this secure addon for Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari.

[Tetrachloride]

4. Summary: meetings, money, indignation, revolving doors

vs Presidents Obama, Trump and Biden.

I recommend reading. The first few paragraphs are insider talk, so when you get to President Obama, you are tired. But the people of the story were usually not.

President Trump’s role was something that i didn’t expect.

Then new management of President Biden.

The story is worth reading

[underpants]

5. Great read. Obama spoke of this right before leaving office

in an interview with The Atlantic (I think). He said he came to realize that the first option on almost any matter was the use of the military or its hardware. For everything internationally for sure but even components on domestic issues.

I will also say that I laughed a bit that both Richard Haass and Lloyd Austin both received $1.7 M in salaries. We’ve been watching a documentary on Q 8Chan Fred Brennan and the Watkins and the 17 stood out to me. It’s a good documentary. It’s in 8 episodes I think. We haven’t quite finished it yet.

[OneGrassRoot]

6. Can someone post paragraphs you find most important, please? n/t

[TomWilm]

9. The last paragraphs:

... The Blob's pro-war tilt was evident in the Iraq simulation I took part in. The prepared materials we were given laid out five options: maintain the status quo, deploy one of three "force packages" — sized small, medium, or large, like french fries — or withdraw. I instinctively pushed for withdrawal. ...

The Army colonel who was guiding our deliberations quickly relegated my view to the margins. ... The gist was that this was a crisis. Conditions on the ground were rapidly deteriorating and would continue to do so until we did something or ISIS came crashing through our front door. We wound up recommending the small-force package. Today, that colonel is a two-star general.

[OneGrassRoot]

13. Thank you! n/t

[Scrivener7]

7. Would like to read it, or at least know what it says, but can't.

[yardwork]

10. I can't read it but it's obvious that the U.S. always chooses war.

That's why the media are beating up Biden for withdrawing our troops from Afghanistan. Trillions of dollars in war spending (not "defense" spending) is a lot of money fir a lot of people.

Too bad we can't spend they money on mobile hospitals for people sick with COVID or for hurricane relief or for healthcare for our own people or to reduce hunger among the 25% of U.S. children who go hungry or....

[Kid Berwyn]

12. "Money trumps peace." -- George w Bush, February 14, 2007

Not a bleep from the press in follow-up.