Judging Freedom Ben Freeman, Ph.D : Runaway Military Spending Means More Wars.
Feb 9, 2026
Ben Freeman, Ph.D., political scientist and Quincy Institute senior fellow who studies U.S. military spending. He discusses how massive defense budgets fuel more wars and foreign adventures. He covers contractor influence, wasteful programs like the F-35, strained readiness from costly operations, and why diplomacy and smarter procurement could reduce risks and costs.
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Spending Drives The Search For Enemies
- The trillion-dollar military budget creates a political need for enemies and more wars.
- Ben Freeman links huge spending to an unrestrained foreign policy that seeks 'monsters to destroy.'
More Money Means More Waste
- Rapidly increasing defense budgets mainly fuel waste and crony capitalism.
- Freeman expects new funds to produce costly, underperforming systems like past F-35 and littoral combat ship programs.
Budget Flows Create Political Incentives
- Large defense appropriations create guaranteed political cash flows that pressure Congress and incentivize conflict.
- That iron grip of money makes initiating wars politically easier and more likely.
