E199 - MAGA Defense Cuts? w/ William Hartung

Danny and Derek welcome back to the podcast Paul Reitter, professor of Germanic languages and literature at the Ohio State University, this time for a discussion on Karl Marx through the lens of his Judaism and how that might illuminate new elements of his work or reshape our thinking of it. They talk about Marx’s place among other radical Jewish thinkers from the Rhineland, ideas of Jewish masculinity in his era, Jewish intellectuals becoming prominent atheists, how Marx’s background might have inspired his focus on the proletariat, and more. Be sure to grab the new edition of Capital translated by Paul Reitter and edited by Paul North (on which we did an episode recently).     Subscribe now for the full episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The bi-monthly collaboration between AP and Nonzero Newsletter continues! Our dear paid subscribers also get access to the additional "Overtime" conversation and a discounted membership to Nonzero, so subscribe now for that and much more content! Video 0:00 What could go right with Trump’s foreign policy? 7:47 Trump’s Bibi-pleasing Middle East path   13:25 How would Europe-led defence of Europe work? 15:31 What most miss about the Oval Office blowup 19:20 Has relying on America doomed Ukraine? 26:29 Heading to Overtime Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week in the news roundup: the Gaza truce expires and Israel resumes its blockade (0:29); the Arab League proposes a “day after” plan for the Strip which Trump rejects (5:53); the US is negotiating directly with Hamas (10:30); the PKK declares a ceasefire in Turkey (13:24); fighting breaks out on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan (15:10); a political crisis emerges in South Sudan (20:04); in Ukraine news, Zelensky embarks on a “repentance tour” while Trump suspends arms (22:00); the EU considers the “ReArm Europe” plan (28:59); BlackRock is buying up Panama Canal ports (31:08); and updates on the Trump tariff front (33:55). Subscribe now for an ad-free experience and much more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Derek welcomes back to the program Gönül Tol, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, and Djene Bajalan, associate professor of history at Missouri State University, to talk about leader Abdullah Öcalan’s call last week for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to disarm and disband. They talk about Öcalan’s history in this conflict, the need to manage his constituencies when announcing this ceasefire, how this fits into Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s plans, whether this move could broaden rights and protections for Kurds in Turkey, the potential implications for Syria, what this means for Kurds elsewhere in the region, and more. Read Gönül’s book Erdoğan's War: A Strongman's Struggle at Home and in Syria.    Listen to Djene’s radio show/podcast Talking History. Note: this was recorded before the ceasefire was declared. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jesse Robertson, writer and doctoral student in history at Harvard University, sits down with Danny to talk about the history of video games and their connection with the Pentagon. They explore the history going back to 1962’s Spacewar!, the army’s turn toward creating simulations in the 1970s and SIMNET, the neoliberal turn of more private companies developing military gaming, the Doom series, figures like Michael Zyda leading the connection between the Pentagon and the digital entertainment sector, the Call of Duty series, and more.    Subscribe now for the full episode! Read Jesse’s piece for The Nation, “Call of Duty: Pentagon Ops”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny and Derek talk about yesterday's hostile meeting between Donald Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in front of the media and what that might signal for the two countries' relations going forward. Subscribe now for the full episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny and Derek, the greatest news anchors since Lennon/McCartney. This week: Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan calls for the group’s disarmament (0:32); Syria hosts a “National Dialogue” conference to work through the country’s transition (6:34); Israel and Hamas salvage a hostage deal, but the end looms on Saturday (10:07); Yoon’s impeachment trial concludes in South Korea (20:46); in Sudan, increased fighting rages around Al-Fashir (23:27), the military makes gains in the country’s south (25:13), and the RSF and military set up dueling governments (26:43); Ukraine and the US potentially agree on a minerals deal (29:42); the results of the German election (34:41); Austria’s government attempts to form a coalition (38:17); Trump ends a sanctions waiver for Venezuela (40:35); the Trump admin muses kicking Canada out of the Five Eyes intelligence sharing network (42:29); the US announces tariffs on the EU, potentially Canada, and maybe even Mexico (44:20); Trump announces the “gold card” visa plan (46:45); and Trump’s attempts at a humanitarian aid blockade continue (48:45). Subscribe now for an ad-free experience and much more content. Join the Discord! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

William Hartung, a senior research fellow focusing on the arms industry and US military budget at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, joins the program to discuss reports that the Trump administration is planning “sweeping budget cuts” for the Pentagon. They talk about these “cuts” being more accurately termed “reinvestments” into other areas, the enormous amount of defense spending and the culture that engendered this, how the defense industry has changed in the past 20 years, actual moves that could meaningfully reduce the military budget like reducing bloated systems (F-35s, aircraft carriers) and overseas bases, whether there exists an influential constituency to support military budget cuts, and more. Read William’s recent piece on this, “Hegseth orders 8% cut to Pentagon budget. Not so fast.”           Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Derek welcomes to the program Becca Lewis, postdoctoral scholar at the Stanford Department of Communication, and Eoin Higgins, journalist and author of Owned: How Tech Billionaires on the Right Bought the Loudest Voices on the Left, for a discussion about Elon Musk, his role in the new Trump administration, and how Silicon Valley has interacted with the government since the 1990s. They talk about what exactly Musk seems to be doing, how he is leveraging his new access for business interests, the precedent of unelected positions in the executive branch, the reactionary tech industry showing its true colors, the self-delusion of Silicon Valley oligarchs, the atomization of media allowing for opportunities to shape narratives around tech, and more.  Subscribe now for the full episode! Be sure to read Becca’s piece for The Guardian, “‘Headed for technofascism’: the rightwing roots of Silicon Valley”. Also subscribe to listen to our series with Margaret O’Mara “The Making of Silicon Valley”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny and Derek are back with the news, but without much of a choice. This week: the US and Russia meet in Riyadh to discuss future bilateral discussions to end the war in Ukraine (0:38); Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump feud in public comments (3:38); The Daily Telegraph reports on a US mineral rights deal that Zelenskyy rejected (8:22); in Israel-Palestine news, Saturday’s hostage exchange was successful (12:55) and Hamas offers an expedited hostage release schedule (15:08); Israel decides to ignore the withdrawal deadline in Lebanon (19:32); the US State Department decides to change the wording on a fact sheet about Taiwan and China responds negatively (22:03); in South Korea, former president Yoon goes on trial (24:48); the RSF militia in Sudan attempts to form a government and controversy ensues (26:40); in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, M23 (supported by Rwanda) takes Bukavu while continuing to advance north and south (31:16); Argentinian president Milei is accused of a rug pull after the cryptocurrency he endorsed collapses (33:40); and in the United States, Trump and Musk fire National Nuclear Security Administration workers without understanding what their jobs meant (35:40), and Trump proposes cutting the defense budget (39:15). Subscribe now for much more content and an ad-free experience! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices