American Exception posts
Posts: 650
Files: 2031
Conspiracy to Tell the Truth | Interview with Lance deHaven-Smith
In 2013, I contacted Abby Martin and suggested that she interview my friend and mentor, Professor Lance deHaven-Smith. He had just released his last (fourteenth, iirc) book, Conspiracy Theory in America through the University of Texas Press. Abby invited Lance to come on her show, Breaking the Set. This is the interview!Thank to Carl Hartung for finding this video after Google's YouTube censorship regime removed the original video!
Episode 88: President Kennedy: Into the Storm (EDS 18)
In this episode, we start to look at JFK’s presidency. Coincidentally, we are able to kick off our exploration of the Kennedy years right after our last episode (#87) on the 59th anniversary of the assassination in Dallas. In this episode, we discuss JFK’s background—his rise from son of privilege to World War II hero to Congressman to Senator to President. We look at the forces he had to accommodate and confront, and we look at how the Bay of Pigs fiasco impacted the early months of his presidency.This is the 18th installment of our Empi...
President Kennedy: Into the Storm (AE88; EDS 18) - Video
In this video version of the episode, we start to look at JFK’s presidency. Coincidentally, we are able to kick off our exploration of the Kennedy years right after our last episode (#87) on the 59thanniversary of the assassination in Dallas. In this episode, we discuss JFK’s background—his rise from son of privilege to World War II hero to Congressman to Senator to President. We look at the forces he had to accommodate and confront, and we look at how the Bay of Pigs fiasco impacted the early months of his presidency.This is the 18th ins...
Livestream Discussion of Nuclear Perils and the US Empire's Weaponized Petrodollar
In this livestream, Ben Norton and I discuss how and why the world is on the brink of nuclear doomsday. We relate this to potential end of US unipolarity and how the petrodollar/US T-Bill standard (aka the post-Bretton Woods Rumpelstiltskin dollar regime) has been a pillar of US global dominance.
November Zoom Update/Q and A Session!
We're going to have our monthly Light Bringer Zoom session on Monday at 4PM Eastern. We'll give some updates and answer patron questions. And we may spend some time dissecting a certain terrible, pro-empire article. Please put questions for me or Ben inthe comments below!
Episode 87: A Stroke of the State: Dallas at 59 w/James DiEugenio
A special double episode on the 59th anniversary of President Kennedy’s assassination: Aaron speaks with the venerable James DiEugenio. After the discussion, Aaron looks at JFK’s “Peace Speech” at American University in which JFK called for “not just peace in our time, but peace for all time.” Calling for an end to the Cold War and for moves toward full disarmament, the speech was repeatedly broadcast in the Soviet Union afterward. JFK would not have long to pursue his vision for world peace. The speech was delivered in the Summer o...
Episode 86: Biodefense and the Question of Origins w/Sam Husseini and Gumby
Aaron discusses the latest in the world of “biodefense” with journalist Sam Husseini and the illustrious independent researcher who posts as Gumby on Twitter.Please check out Sam Husseini’s Substack page and his recent article “Did West Africa’s Ebola Outbreak of 2014 Have a Lab Origin?” which he cowrote with virologist Jonathan Latham.Special thanks to Dana Chavarria for the sound engineering!Music: "Til the Mornin" by Mock Orange
Episode 85: Ike's Legacy of Ashes (EDS 17) [VIDEO]
In this video version of the episode, we close out the Eisenhower years. Specifically, we look at Eisenhower’s policies in Cuba and Congo—as well as how he made weak, half-hearted attempts to respond to the threats posed by the dangerously unaccountable CIA and the murderously greedy military industrial complex. As you will see, Ike’s was indeed a legacy of Ashes!This is the 17th installment of our Empire and the Deep State series--an in-depth exploration of my new book American Exception: Empire and the Deep State. I am again joined by s...
Episode 85: Ike's Legacy of Ashes (EDS 17)
In this episode, we close out the Eisenhower years. Specifically, we look at Eisenhower’s policies in Cuba and Congo—as well as how he made weak, half-hearted attempts to respond to the threats posed by the dangerously unaccountable CIA and the murderously greedy military industrial complex. As you will see, Ike’s was indeed a legacy of Ashes!This is the 17th installment of our Empire and the Deep State series--an in-depth exploration of my new book American Exception: Empire and the Deep State. I am again joined by series co-host Ben Nor...
Update!
Hello comrades! I just wanted to update everyone on a few things. There is a little delay getting the next episode out, but it should drop tomorrow. Accompanying the podcast version of this Empire and the State episode (the Eisenhower finale), we are planning to also post a video version of the episode, assuming that Patreon's new video hosting works as advertised.Coming soon, we also have what I think is a great episode featuring Gumby and Sam Husseini on the subject of "biodefense." Then we have a Dallas anniversary episode with J...
Episode 84: Denouement: Allen Dulles, Sukarno, JFK, and G30S w/Greg Poulgrain
Aaron talks to the tireless and iconoclastic historian of post-colonial Indonesia, Greg Poulgrain. In this final part, they discuss how JFK, Dag Hammarskjold, and Sukarno were unable to stop Allen Dulles’ murderous grand strategy to turn Indonesia into world history’s most valuable neocolony—under imperial US auspices.Greg Poulgrain teaches history at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. He is the author of The Genesis of Konfrontasi: Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia, 1945-65, The Incubus of Intervention: Conflicti...
Episode 83: Allen Dulles' Long Game in Indonesia w/Greg Poulgrain
Aaron talks to the tireless and iconoclastic historian of post-colonial Indonesia, Greg Polugrain. In this first of two episodes, they discuss Allen Dulles' dark influence over US policy in Indonesia up through the Eisenhower administration.Greg Poulgrain teaches history at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. He is the author of The Genesis of Konfrontasi: Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia, 1945-65, The Incubus of Intervention: Conflicting Indonesia Strategies of John F. Kennedy and Allen Dulles, as well as the more ...
The State of the Exception - October Update
Aaron and Ben Norton offer an update, answer patron questions, and discuss related historical/political matters!
CrossTalk | Time to Talk? - with Scott Ritter, Larry Johnson, and Aaron Good
I went on CrossTalk to discuss the Ukraine War. We tried to answer three questions: How is the conflict in Ukraine likely to end? Why does the west refuse to negotiate an end to the conflict? And, how will the international order likely to change as a result of the conflict in Ukraine?
Episode 82: Ike's Imperial Crisis Management (EDS 16)
We look at how Eisenhower and the Dulles Brothers handled two geopolitical hot spots of the Cold War: Indonesia and Egypt.This is the 16th installment of our Empire and the Deep State series--an in-depth exploration of my new book American Exception: Empire and the Deep State. I am again joined by series co-host Ben Norton of Multipolarista as well our own Seamus McGuinness who is producing the series.Special thanks to Dana Chavarria for the sound engineering!Music: "Too Good Your Dreams Don't Come True" by Mock Orange
October Zoom Update/Q and A Session!
We're going to have our monthly Light Bringer Zoom session on Friday at 1PM Eastern. We'll give some updates and answer patron questions. Ben Norton will be joining us as well. Please put questions for me or Ben inthe comments below!
Episode 81: The Politics of Sexual Blackmail
Nick Bryant discusses his prolific efforts to expose sexual blackmail as, in effect, a deep state institution.Nick is the author of The Franklin Scandal: A Story of Powerbrokers, Child Abuse & Betrayal and co-author of Confessions of a DC Madam The Politics of Sex, Lies, and Blackmail. He also has a new book coming out in a few months entitled The Truth About Watergate: A Tale of Extraordinary Lies & Liars.Nick’s website is here.Special thanks to Dana Chavarria for the sound engineering!Music: “Payroll” by Mock Orange
Episode 80: Imperial SUCCESS (EDS 15)
In this episode we briefly discuss what the deep state is and is not before looking at the Eisenhower administration’s imperial chicanery in Guatemala and Vietnam.This is the 15th installment of our Empire and the Deep State series--an in-depth exploration of my new book American Exception: Empire and the Deep State. I am again joined by series co-host Ben Norton of Multipolarista as well our own Seamus McGuinness who is producing the series.Special thanks to Dana Chavarria for the sound engineering!Music: "Too Good Your Dreams Don't ...
Episode 79: Who Likes Ike? (EDS 14)
In this episode we look at Eisenhower’s ties to Big Oil and how they influenced Operation AJAX--the CIA conspiracy which overthrew Iran’s democratically elected Mohammed Mossedegh in order to install a US puppet, the Shah of Iran.This is the 14th installment of our Empire and the Deep State series--an in-depth exploration of my new book American Exception: Empire and the Deep State. I am again joined by series co-host Ben Norton of Multipolarista as well our own Seamus McGuinness who is producing the series.Check out the attached PDF to see...
Episode 78: NSC-68 and the Permanent War Panacea (EDS 13)
Check out the video version of this episode (featuring slides and such).In this episode we look at the history behind NSC-68, the seminal document of the US military industrial complex.This is the 13th installment of our Empire and the Deep State series--an in-depth exploration of my new book American Exception: Empire and the Deep State. I am again joined by series co-host Ben Norton of Multipolarista as well our own Seamus McGuinness who is producing the series.The latter portion of this episode was already posted on YouTube because we though...
Episode 77: The Devil’s Grand Chessboard (LS9/11 Part 2)
Ben Howard and Aaron continue the Long Shadow of 9/11 series with a discussion on the history of USUK imperial support for reactionary Islamism.The first article in the series is now up at American Exception: “Prequel to Terror: The 9/9 Massoud Assassination.”Special thanks to Seamus McGuinness for his editorial work on the article and to Dana Chavarria for the sound engineering!Music: "High Octane Punk Mode" by Mock OrangeThe image in the episode art is of the Al-Baqi cemetery before its 1926 demolition by the Saudis.The episode ti...
The State of the Exception - September Update
Joined by Dana and Seamus, Aaron gives an update and answers a number of questions from patrons.
Episode 76: The Imperial Behemoth (EDS Part 12)
In this episode, we begin our historical exploration of the post-World War 2 US empire. As explained in the book and in previous episodes of this history, the history of the post-World War 2 US empire is essentially the history of the US deep state.This is the 12th installment of our Empire and the Deep State series--an in-depth exploration of my new book American Exception: Empire and the Deep State. I am again joined by series co-host Ben Norton of Multipolarista as well our own Seamus McGuinness who is producing the series.Check out the atta...
Geopolitical reasons for Ukraine conflict and US new cold war on Russia & China
This is a segment from an episode we recorded last week but have not released yet. We released this part early because it is very relevant backstory to the recent attack on the Nordstream pipeline. We even talk specifically about the NordStream pipelines...
September Zoom Update/Q and A Session!
[EDIT: date was changed to Thursday 9/29]We're going to have our monthly Light Bringer Zoom session on Thursday at 1PM Eastern. We'll give some updates and answer patron questions. So...please put your questions in the comments below!
Episode 75: Crackpot Wokeism
Aaron is joined by Christopher Mott to discuss his recent article, “Woke Imperium: The Coming Confluence Between Social Justice and Neoconservatism.”Christopher Mott is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Peace & Diplomacy and the author of The Formless Empire: A Short History of Diplomacy and Warfare in Central Asia. Follow Christopher on Twitter and check out his personal website: geotrickster.com.Special thanks to Dana Chavarria for the sound engineering!Music: "Stuck In" by Mock Orange
Episode 74: Dark Power and the American State (EDS Part 11)
In this episode, we wrap up our social science exploration of imperial criminality.We discuss dark power—i.e., top-down or despotic political power. Dark power is to be contrasted with open or democratic power—power derived from consensus and persuasion.This is the 11th installment of our Empire and the Deep State series--an in-depth exploration on my new book American Exception: Empire and the Deep State. I am again joined by series co-host Ben Norton of Multipolarista as well our own Seamus McGuinness who is producing the series.Special t...
Episode 73: Deep Scholasticism
Aaron and Ben Norton of Multipolarista discuss Establishment scholar Francis Fukuyama and his strange intervention into deep state discourse.I am hoping that Fukuyama is just building up to addressing the deep state construct in future installments because he does mention some important aspects of the emergence of the state, even as he leaves out many other angles:Valuing the Deep State, Part IValuing the Deep State Part II: The Origin of StatesSpecial thanks Dana Chavarria for the sound engineering!Music: “Nine Times” by Mock Orange
Episode 72: Mind the GWOT (LS9/11 Part 1)
Ben Howard and Aaron kick off the Long Shadow of 9/11 series with a discussion on their own personal reckonings with the great terror spectacle of 2001.The first article in the series is now up at American Exception: “Prequel to Terror: The 9/9 Massoud Assassination.”Special thanks to Seamus McGuinness for his editorial work on the article, to Casey Moore for the episode art, and to Dana Chavarria for the sound engineering!Music: "High Octane Punk Mode" by Mock Orange
Prequel to Terror: The 9/9 Massoud Assassination (LS9/11- Part 1)
We are bringing updated versions of our four 9/11 articles to the American Exception website! These articles are by Peter Dale Scott, Ben Howard, and myself.This article, "Prequel to Terror: The 9/9 Massoud Assassination," is the first part in the series: The Long Shadow of 9/11Updated with a new epilogue: In December of 2020, Peter Dale Scott and Aaron Good broke new ground with this investigation into the September 9, 2001 assassination of Ahmed Shah Massoud. Subsequent history suggests that Massoud’s murder served as a green light ...
