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Back to Which Way, L.A.?

Which Way, L.A.?

Does Big Money Make America Safer?

After four hours of debate about terrorism, Secretary Rumsfeld and the war in Iraq, the Senate passed a $470 defense bill yesterday without a single dissenting vote. If Congress does nothing else between now and election day, it will have passed more military spending than the rest of the world combined.

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By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

After four hours of debate about terrorism, Secretary Rumsfeld and the war in Iraq, the Senate passed a $470 defense bill yesterday without a single dissenting vote. If Congress does nothing else between now and election day, it will have passed more military spending than the rest of the world combined. It's a post/911 election year, after all, with wars going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. But the Pentagon has admitted for years that it can't keep track of its money. So who knows if more and more dollars really add up to greater protection? Does Congress exercise the oversight it's supposed to? Are pet projects taking resources away from American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan? (An extended version of this discussion was originally aired earlier today on To the Point.)

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Warren Olney

    former KCRW broadcaster

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Frances Anderton

    architecture critic and author

  • KCRW placeholder

    Jonathan Broder

    Newsweek

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    Winslow Wheeler

    Center for Defense Information

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    Dan Goure

    Lexington Institute

    News
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