Topic Guide
What Is Defense spending?
Defense spending is a subject covered in depth across 2 podcast episodes in our database. Below you'll find key concepts, expert insights, and the top episodes to listen to — all distilled from hours of conversation by leading experts.
Key Concepts in Defense spending
Regime change light
A strategy, attributed to former President Trump by Anthony Scaramucci, where a country's leadership is effectively changed or influenced without a full-scale military invasion. This approach was successfully implemented in Venezuela, where a new leadership was installed without bloodshed, by leveraging economic sanctions and incentives for military generals.
Oil's most volatile day in history
A dramatic period characterized by extreme fluctuations in oil prices, described in the episode as a consequence of the escalating conflict between the US and Iran, particularly after reports of Iran mining the Strait of Hormuz. This volatility reflects market uncertainty and the critical importance of the Strait as a global energy choke point.
Ieds of the water
A term used by Tom Ellsworth to describe the Iranian mines laid in the Strait of Hormuz. Analogous to Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) used in land warfare, these are low-tech, easily deployed devices that can cause significant disruption, create havoc, and interrupt highly organized opponents, posing a challenge to conventional naval power and global shipping.
What Experts Say About Defense spending
- 1.The Valuetainment host is explicitly "not a fan of NATO in the first place," questioning its foundational purpose.
- 2.NATO was originally formed out of fear of the Soviet Union, a distinction the host makes from modern Russia.
- 3.The United States contributes 16% of NATO's annual budget, which is $3.8 billion.
- 4.Beyond direct fees, the US also provides significant military and defense support, including stationing 100,000 troops in Europe.
- 5.The host questions the value of these US contributions if NATO members are unwilling to "back us up" when the US "make[s] the ask."
- 6.The episode highlights a perceived imbalance in contributions, specifically questioning what countries like Spain contribute in comparison to the US.