Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

International

'U.S. Versus Them': The Costs Of Hawkishness

American conservatives like to say they take a back seat to no one when it comes to national security. But J. Peter Scoblic says the conservatism of the past 50 years has actually undermined American security.

In the new book U.S. Versus Them: How a Half-Century of Conservatism Has Undermined America's Security, Scoblic argues that by promoting an aggressive foreign policy drafted in absolute moral terms, the conservative movement has actually made the United States more vulnerable to attack.

Scoblic is the executive editor of The New Republic and previously served as editor of Arms Control Today. He wrote his new book while a visiting scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a visiting researcher at Georgetown University's Center for Peace and Security Studies.

Advertisement

He has written about security issues for The New York Times and The Washington Post.

Copyright 2023 Fresh Air. To see more, visit Fresh Air.

Fact-based local news is essential

KPBS keeps you informed with local stories you need to know about — with no paywall. Our news is free for everyone because people like you help fund it.

Without federal funding, community support is our lifeline.
Make a gift to protect the future of KPBS.