Peace activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee David Swanson wrote House Compromises Away Peace, Senate Stands By War, which offers more detail about the failed amendments.
The Democrats had originally agreed on a Pentagon budget of $733 billion, whereas the Republicans wanted $750 billion. They compromised on $738 billion -- a 1.6% difference. If you add in costs for the Department of Energy (which manages nuclear programs), Veterans, Homeland Security, and debt from wars, the military budget exceeds $1 trillion a year.
The NDAA is "must pass" bill. But there may still be hope to convince the Dems to stand firm on the NDAA amendments. Please contact your member of Congress.
Rep. Smith confirmed to me that all the progressive amendments have been defeated. He said it's due to Trump, the Rs, and (for the Space Force issue) Rep. Jim Cooper, a hawkish Tennessee Democrat who chairs several HASC subcommittees.
Smith had repeatedly told me and others that he would fight for the progressive amendments. I am deeply saddened and don't understand how the Dems can, in good conscience, fail to stand firm on any of the important anti-war issues at all. As it stands, the NDAA is a profoundly immoral piece of legislation.
Rep. Smith said the Republicans were adamant about several issues. I asked him what the Dems are adamant about. Apparently nothing. The Dems could have said: we are willing to shut down the government unless you agree to compromise on certain issues. The Republicans would have shut down the government on the issues they hold dear.
I suppose the fundamental reasons for this disaster are (1) the Republicans are horrible, (2) there are many hawkish Dems too, (3) money corrupts, (4) too many Americans respect the military, due to propaganda from the Pentagon and elsewhere, (5) as President Eisenhower said, the military-industrial complex has too much power, and (6) too few people lobby to decrease Pentagon funding and power.
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