Peace Economy Project

“Reducing military spending in favor of social and infrastructure needs”

The Peace Economy Project researches military spending, educates about the hazards of an unchecked military-industrial complex and advocates for conversion from a military to a more stable peace-based economy. We focus our attention on local weapons manufacturing and its connection to global militarization. We collaborate with other organizations to raise consciousness of where our tax dollars are invested and to encourage others to reinvest in their communities.

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Memories of the dinner table and the words of Dr King remind me to hold onto hope for Peace in the Middle East

Andrew Heaslet
Jan 13, 2009

My brain hurts. My brain hurts because my heart is throbbing with pain. My heart throbs with pain because, across the globe, rockets, bombs, and missiles are raining down on human beings, some militants and many innocents.

My head hurts because of my peers asking why people are only speaking up now that violence in Gaza has reached a critical point.

“Where were you when Gazans were suffering because of the blockade?” my pro-Palestinian friends ask.

“Where were you when mortars were indiscriminately being lobbed into Southern Israel?” ask my Pro-Israeli pals.

Battle lines seem to have been drawn, making it difficult to simply say, “Palestine. Israel. I want peace for you both.”

Finger pointing in the holy land can go back millennia and despite Israel’s desire to end the “Hamas problem” once and for all, they will ultimately have done little to stop the mortars once this campaign ends. It reminds me of the phrase, “Fighting for Peace is like Engaging in Coitis for Virginity.”… Keep Reading

Defense doesn’t need stimulus

Wednesday, January 28, 2009
William Hartung and Christopher Preble
SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES

As the Obama administration and Congress move forward with a multifaceted economic-stimulus package with a price tag of hundreds of billions of dollars, yet another interest group has staked its claim to a share of those funds — the nation’s defense contractors.

The arms lobby and its supporters in the think-tank world have made their case in a series of ads, articles and talking points. Martin Feldstein of the American Enterprise Institute describes defense spending as a “great stimulus.” Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol agrees. Noting that the military was “spending all kinds of money already,” Mr. Kristol wondered aloud, “If you’re buying 2,000 Humvees a month, why not buy 3,000? If you’re refurbishing two military bases, why not refurbish five?”

Such comments ignore that military spending is supposed to serve one central purpose: advancing U.S. security… Keep Reading