For more than 40 years, journalist and author Robert Scheer has covered political and social issues, often taking aim at U.S. government officials.

Scheer, 72, covered the Vietnam War, interviewed every U.S. president from Richard Nixon to Bill Clinton — he got former President Jimmy Carter to tell him he had lust in his heart — and worked at the Los Angeles Times for 29 years as a national reporter, a nationally syndicated columnist and a contributing editor. His range included the Soviet Union, arms control, national politics and the military. He is now the editor of TruthDig.com, an online magazine specializing in current affairs, and his nationally syndicated column is based out of the San Francisco Chronicle.

The author of nine books, Scheer recently published "The Pornography of Power: How Defense Hawks Hijacked 9/11 and Weakened America" (Twelve Books), a scathing attack on the nation's military-industrial complex. Scheer examines U.S. military expansion throughout the world, its nuclear strategy and what he calls "the immorality of corporations profiting in Iraq."

Scheer argues that U.S. military spending — $625 billion for fiscal year 2008 — is "absurdly disproportionate to the task at hand."

Terrorism could be fought with police work and not $2.5 billion submarines to battle a foe that doesn't even own a boat, he said.

"What we have seen since 9/11 is the military-industrial complex has roared up to take on an enemy that can buy its arsenal at Home Depot," Scheer said by telephone from California. "To combat that kind of an enemy, we now spend more than all of the nations of the world combined."

Sheer, who will be in Hawai'i for two book signings, spoke with The Advertiser by phone from California.

Q. Would you consider yourself anti-military?

A. I have covered defense issues a lot. I don't think of myself as anti-defense. I think of myself as anti-waste. A really huge amount of money is going to this stuff, and it has nothing to do with fighting terrorism.

Q. Why do you think Americans are not paying attention to their nation's military expansion and what you describe as the arrogance of their leaders when it comes to foreign policy?

A. I think they are paying attention now. It's always catch-up. We conquered the country that had the second-biggest supply of oil in the world, and the price of oil went up five-fold under Bush. Imperialism doesn't pay, and people pretty much know that when they pump their gas.

Q. Who do you blame for this situation?

A. In part, I blame the politicians. The Democrats and the Republicans are all afraid. This is the elephant in the room. Everyone wants to be tough on defense and take it to the enemy. They don't want to talk rationally on that. But people can see that the money is leaking in all directions and not going to stuff they need. Most of us don't benefit from this.

Q. Which of the two presidential candidates has the skills to deal with the problems of Iraq and Afghanistan?

A. I think both of them have the skills if they would play to their better nature. I think John McCain has been a good senator in that regard, in cutting Pentagon waste. I think Barack Obama is absolutely correct in saying we have to start negotiating with these people and not try to be the policemen everywhere.

Q. But do either McCain or Obama have the desire to pursue that challenge?

A. I am worried about that. I think the pressure has to come from people and the media. I think the media has not played a good role. ... When it comes to domestic programs, we look under one microscope, but when it comes to defense spending, we don't have any microscope. Go ahead, take what you want, make any claim you want and everybody panics. We need political leadership.

Q. Hawai'i has a large military presence. What will be your message to your audiences here who depend on that?

A. I am aware of how important the military is in Honolulu. My message is this: I don't want to fire anyone. We can give these people golden parachutes. These people can be paid to make electric cars. They're smart people. They are hard-working people. I am all for job retraining. I am all for being humane about it.