Courtney and Alex go deep with tech journalist Taylor Lorenz on how social media shapes our perceptions of US foreign policy, and why war hawks like Hillary Clinton want to make it harder for Americans to get access to independent info on war and peace.

First, they discuss how the internet went from being treated by US politicians as an emancipatory tool during the Arab Spring to a dangerous source of misinformation during the war on Gaza.

Next, they unpack the role of social media sites like TikTok in Americans' rapidly shifting views on Israel, and the power that these platforms have to suppress, disincentivize, and even ban content related to conflicts and diplomacy.

Finally, they take a look at current efforts in Washington to restrict Americans' access to information through social media and the internet in the name of safety, and discuss what these efforts mean for the future of foreign policy dissent.

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Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions.

They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.

Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.org
Contact the show: alwaysatwar@quincyinst.org

Show art by Justin Hantz

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Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank.
Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/
Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org
Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInst
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst
Website: https://quincyinst.org

Courtney and Alex are back to break down the latest stories that help explain why the US is always at war.

First, they break down a pair of recent stunning statements by former Obama speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about how young people are getting the wrong ideas about Israel from the terrible images they're seeing of the genocide in Gaza. The solution, of course, is not to prevent such carnage in the first place, but to try and game and work the algorithms and apps to prevent young people from accessing inconvenient, independent news about matters of war and peace.

Next, the episode is #stillwithher as Courtney and Alex next discuss Clinton's reaction to the Trump administration's efforts to develop a negotiated framework that can end Russia's invasion of Ukraine, including her deployment of the overused Munich analogy to discourage the Trump team's diplomacy. Courtney and Alex to go deep on the realities actually facing Ukraine's war effort in 2025, and how hawkish opposition to diplomacy among Western elites like Clinton scuttled opportunities to advance an end to the conflict far earlier, when Ukraine had far more leverage at the negotiating table.

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Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions.

They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.

Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.org
Contact the show: alwaysatwar@quincyinst.org

Show art by Justin Hantz

###
Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank.
Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/
Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org
Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInst
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst
Website: https://quincyinst.org

This week, Courtney and Alex discuss the news stories from around the world that caught their attention.

First, they get into how American arms companies are profiting off of the push for regime change in Venezuela and the military buildup in the Carribean.

Next, they unpack the Pentagon's "acquisition reform" — a terrible idea that will make it easier for the military-industrial complex to build and profit off of dysfunctional weapons (this time, with even less oversight!)

Finally, they discuss the confusing messages coming from top Israeli officials. While some say they're seeking a new, 20 year memorandum of understanding that would lock in U.S. aid to Israel for a generation, others seem to be pushing to end U.S. aid so that Israel has more "freedom of action." Either way, pro-Israel voices seem to be responding to real, growing opposition in the US to providing more aid to Israel after its genocide in Gaza.

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Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions.

They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.

Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.org
Contact the show: alwaysatwar@quincyinst.org

Show art by Justin Hantz

###
Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank.
Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/
Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org
Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInst
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst
Website: https://quincyinst.org