Joining us for the very first time on geopolitics and empire is a very special guest, the legendary Dr. Alfred McCoy, who holds the Harrington Chair of History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he teaches classes on the Vietnam War, modern empires and U.S. foreign policy.

He's the author of numerous books, including some of which I have here with me, the physical copy, the politics

of heroin, CIA, complicity in the global drug trade. We've got policing America's empire,

the U.S., the Philippines, and the rise of the surveillance state. He's also written in the

shadows of the American century to govern the globe, world orders, and catastrophic change.

And his newest, which we'll be discussing.

I've got the Kindle version here, Cold War on Five Contents, a global history of empire and espionage.

If you like geopolitics and empire, then as soon as the podcast is over, go buy some of Dr. McCoy's books.

Welcome to the podcast, Dr. McCoy.

Thank you very much for having me.

You know, we're not here to discuss your first and seminal book, Politics of Heroin,

but I've heard you say recently on podcasts that your latest book is sort of a culmination of your work since politics of heroin,

a culmination of a half century of experience. And, you know, for my interpretation on

your first book, you've demonstrated how Western governments were caught, you know, running drugs,

pointing out their hypocrisy and double standards, poking sort of a giant hole in the facade

they projected being some sort of innocent and pure freedom-loving democracies and empires.

And, you know, you got your street credentials.

You mixed and mingled with covert operatives.

And the CIA attempted to get rid of you and your book once unsuccessfully.

And maybe just sort of as an introduction to listeners

who aren't aware of your work, anything you want to briefly tell us about politics of heroin?

It's a good question. And you're right. There's a causal connection between the two works. I've done

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