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Saturday Commentary and Review #184

Fisted by Foucault • 206 implied HN points • 26 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy Geopolitics National Security Think Tanks Military Affairs
  1. The US needs to take Taiwan's defense seriously to prevent China from taking over. Taiwan is crucial for the US's credibility and is seen as a key part of stopping China's rise as a superpower.
  2. Trump's focus on acquiring Greenland shows the US's need for strategic resources. Greenland has valuable minerals and its location is important for military surveillance against threats from Russia and China.
  3. Funding for think tanks largely comes from special interests and foreign governments. This can affect the objectivity and independence of their research, raising concerns about who really influences US foreign policy.

‘Bomb Iran’ Goes Bipartisan

Nonzero Newsletter • 293 implied HN points • 10 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy Bipartisanship Military Democracy Think Tanks
  1. There's a noticeable shift in political attitudes towards military action against Iran, with some Democrats now supporting the idea of a military strike, unlike in the past when they were against it.
  2. Using artificial intelligence in social media, like Meta did with AI-managed profiles, can backfire as users may find them creepy or untrustworthy.
  3. Foreign policy think tanks in the US are being heavily funded by military contractors and foreign governments, which raises concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

When RAND Made Magic + Jason Matheny Response

ChinaTalk • 340 implied HN points • 25 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Think Tanks Foreign Policy Military Strategy Research Funding Public Policy
  1. RAND Corporation was once at the forefront of military and scientific research, making groundbreaking contributions in areas like game theory and defense strategy during the Cold War.
  2. Over time, RAND has shifted its focus from cutting-edge scientific research to social and policy analysis, leading to a decline in its innovative output as it navigated new funding sources and political landscapes.
  3. Despite its challenges, RAND continues to play a significant role in addressing modern security issues, adapting its research to tackle contemporary challenges like military capabilities and psychological impacts of war.

From Population Control to Social Norms: A Century of Social Engineering

Satisologie: Systems//Creativity • 0 implied HN points • 01 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Social norms Think Tanks Human Rights Sustainable Development
  1. Population control has been a big topic because of fears about too many people using up resources and harming the environment. Many believed that without control, we could face famine and poverty.
  2. Think tanks and foundations like the Rockefeller Foundation pushed for population control strategies, believing it would help society manage resources better. They funded programs for family planning and education to promote smaller families.
  3. Over time, the focus has shifted from controlling population to ensuring human rights and sustainability. Today, issues like sexuality and reproductive rights are central to discussions that were once about just managing growth.
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