Dan interviews returning guests Aslı Bâli and Aziz Rana on the long history behind the crisis of American imperial legitimation that has become so manifest amid the pandemic.
#1376 Tell Stories, Not Myths: America is a Force But Not Always For Good
Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
Jay Tomlinson
4.5 • 3.4K Ratings
🗓️ 21 October 2020
⏱️ 72 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Air Date 10/21/2020
Today we take a look at some of the many zany foreign misadventures the United States has had over the past 100 years. And by "zany misadventures" I mean the naked pursuit of capitalism at any cost, the support of military coups and other undemocratic overthrows of foreign governments and wars for oil and resources in an unabashed attempt to keep America wealthy and the rest of the world less so - all while maintaining an anti-imperial, pro-democracy, pro-freedom, live-and-let-live poker face.
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SHOW NOTES
Trump lies all the time but he's also continuing one of the great lies of America
Ch. 2: Empire Unhinged with Aslı Bâli & Aziz Rana - The Dig - Air Date 6-11-20
Dan interviews returning guests Aslı Bâli and Aziz Rana on the long history behind the crisis of American imperial legitimation that has become so manifest amid the pandemic.
Ch. 3: American Empire Part 1 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 4-29-20
“America” and “empire.” Do those words go together? If so, what kind of imperialism does the U.S. practice, and how has American empire changed over time? By host and producer John Biewen, with series collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika.
The Intercept’s investigative series The Iran Cables offers historical insight into Iran’s operations in neighboring Iraq, which are informed by the bloody history of the Iran-Iraq War, the U.S. invasion, and subsequent occupation of Iraq
Ch. 5: 2020 Hindsight on Iraq - Open Source with Christopher Lydon - Air Date 1-9-20
America's "original sin" in the Middle East: the CIA's (and Britain's) coup d'etat in Iran in 1953.
Ch. 6: American Empire Part 2 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 4-29-20
“America” and “empire.” Do those words go together? If so, what kind of imperialism does the U.S. practice, and how has American empire changed over time? By host and producer John Biewen, with series collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika.
Ch. 7: Voting Is Not Enough - 2 WEEKS LEFT, GET OUT THE VOTE - Best of the Left
Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/2020Action.
Ch. 8: American Empire Part 3 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 4-29-20
“America” and “empire.” Do those words go together? If so, what kind of imperialism does the U.S. practice, and how has American empire changed over time? By host and producer John Biewen, with series collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika.
Ch. 9: The Always Stumbling US Empire - Citations Needed - Air Date 10-25-17
"Stumbling", "sliding", "drawn into" war––the media frequently assumes the US is bumbling its way around the world. The idea that the United States operates in “good faith” is taken for granted for most of the American press.
Ch. 10: The Other 9/11: Part One - Making Contact - Air Date 9-3-13
Before 2001, there was another 9/11. In 1973, a military coup backed by the United States, overthrew the Chilean government and ushered in seventeen years of brutal dictatorship. In the first of a two part series; we hear stories of the Chilean 9/11.
Ch. 11: Empire Unhinged with Aslı Bâli & Aziz Rana Part 2 - The Dig - Air Date 6-11-20
VOICEMAILS
Ch. 12: Domestic focus is about setting a good example - Chris from San Diego
Ch. 13: Thoughts on right-wing vs left-wing anarchism - Alex
Ch. 14: Fighting for legitimacy - Dave from Olympia, WA
FINAL COMMENTS
Ch. 15: Final comments on the dangers and paranoia that come with illegitimate power
TAKE ACTION!
Voting problems? Call 866-OUR-VOTE or 866OurVote.org
EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE
The Billion-Dollar Disinformation Campaign to Reelect the President (The Atlantic)
Behind in the Polls, Republicans See a Silver Lining in Voter Registrations (The New York Times)
Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman
MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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- Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard
- Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to this episode of the award winning best of left podcast in which we shall learn |
| 0:07.4 | about some of the zany foreign misadventures the United States has bumbled its way into |
| 0:12.8 | over the past hundred years. |
| 0:14.9 | And by zany misadventures, I mean the naked pursuit of capitalism at any cost, the |
| 0:19.9 | support of military coups, and other undemocratic overthrows of foreign governments, and wars |
| 0:24.7 | for oil and resources and an onabashed attempt to keep America wealthy and the rest of the |
| 0:29.7 | world less so, all while maintaining an anti-imperial pro-democracy pro-freedom live and |
| 0:37.9 | let live poker face. |
| 0:40.0 | Clips today are from Intercepted with Jeremy Scalel, the dig from Jackman Radio, scene |
| 0:45.9 | on radio, open source with Christopher Lighten, citations needed, and making contact. |
| 0:59.1 | When you strip down or strip away the buffoonery and the arrogance and the lies, and you look |
| 1:04.2 | at the US position in the world on foreign policy, Trump is basically in line with the |
| 1:10.5 | political strategy of the empire politicians, of the elite. |
| 1:15.7 | The world has long watched in horror as the United States has pursued its imperial march. |
| 1:22.7 | Trump has made it okay to openly mock it. |
| 1:26.2 | And while Trump does indeed lie about anything and everything, he simultaneously engages in |
| 1:32.6 | the big lies, the big lies that unite Democrats and Republicans. |
| 1:39.2 | That is why America will always choose independence and cooperation over global governance, control |
| 1:47.4 | and domination. |
| 1:49.5 | I honor the right of every nation in this room to pursue its own customs, beliefs and traditions. |
| 1:56.8 | The United States will not tell you how to live or work or worship. |
| 2:03.9 | We only ask that you honor our sovereignty in return. |
... |
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