Judging Freedom [CLOSER LOOK] LtCOL. Bill Astore : Running Low: America’s War Readiness Questioned
Mar 19, 2026
LtCol. Bill Astore, retired USAF officer and military commentator, discusses America’s strained war readiness. He talks about fiscal pressure from debt and oil, Pentagon waste and munitions shortages. He examines diplomacy’s decline, political posturing, and the economic costs of war for ordinary Americans.
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Debt Interest Outsized Defense Spending
- The U.S. is spending more on interest for its $39 trillion debt than on the defense budget.
- LtCOL. Bill Astore notes servicing the debt exceeds a trillion dollars, crowding out funds for infrastructure, healthcare, and education.
Wars Sustain Pentagon Spending
- Pentagon budget growth is self-perpetuating because wars justify more spending and the department has failed multiple audits.
- Astore argues repeated audit failures and wartime conditions make cutting the Pentagon budget unlikely.
Presidential Temptation To Use Force
- American political culture favors violent solutions, making presidents prone to use military force.
- Astore cites historical continuity from Truman to Obama and the U.S. habit of being 'involved in a war' almost every year.