“Thus, it’s all a game. The US announces new missile system and nuclear modernization plans and expects Moscow to follow suit, and then becomes confused when the Russians don’t take the bait. Right now, Donald Trump wants to spend $1.2 trillion on the US nuclear arsenal: an amount equivalent to about 26 years of Russia’s entire defense allocation. And, of course, this is $1.2 trillion the US could spend on schools, hospitals or real infrastructure but instead is lavishing on useless equipment that will never be used. So Putin has maneuvered the US into doing what the Soviets did, frittering away money on wasteful prestige projects while the social contract decays.” (Bryan MacDonald)