Nothing in D.C. has the ability to unite political adversaries like a mutual hatred of the Pentagon’s OCO funding. But eliminating OCO — instead of reforming it — could further imperil the greater transparency and accountability that its detractors seek.
Russia has been dismissed as a declining by some policymakers and analysts who prefer to focus on competition with China. Yet Russia remains one of the most assertive and powerful states in the international system and ignoring the threat it poses is a strategic error.
Austerity hawks who focus overly much on the size of the national debt as an indicator of national security strength are missing the bigger picture. Expected interest rate hikes haven’t materialized, and instead the U.S. is missing opportunities for long-term investment.
D360’s Bad Ideas in National Security series features short articles from CSIS and outside scholars on recently considered and not too obvious bad ideas in the defense and foreign policy space.
Learn MoreLast Updated December 18, 2020
Last Updated December 17, 2020
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