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Mike Drop

DRUG WAR: Marine Exposes Hidden War in Afghanistan | Ep. 269 | Pt. 1

Mike Drop

Mike Ritland

Society & Culture, Personal Journals, Documentary, Politics, News

4.96.3K Ratings

🗓️ 10 December 2025

⏱️ 67 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this gripping episode of the Mike Drop podcast, host Mike Ritland sits down with Matthew Brunnemann, a Marine Corps veteran who spent over 500 days in Afghanistan's volatile Helmand Province. Brunnemann shares raw, firsthand accounts from his deployments, including intense combat operations, opium interdiction raids, and the harsh realities of counterinsurgency warfare. As the author of "War Business: The Hired Guns of Helmand Province," he offers a unique perspective on the cultural clashes and strategic failures that defined America's longest war. The conversation delves into Brunnemann's experiences as an on-the-ground Intel operator, from tracking Taliban commanders and installing covert devices to partnering with local forces amid a chaotic drawdown. He recounts heartbreaking losses, like the IED attack that killed "Doc" Beauchamp, and the moral dilemmas faced when dealing with Afghan civilians and children caught in the crossfire. Brunnemann's stories highlight the ingenuity of the enemy, the frustrations of limited resources, and the unbreakable bonds formed among Marines in the face of relentless danger. Brunnemann discusses his transition to civilian life, his faith journey, and his master's thesis on potential terrorist threats to U.S. homeland security. This three-hour discussion is a must-listen for anyone interested in military history, intelligence operations, and the human cost of modern conflict, blending tactical insights with profound reflections on war's enduring impact. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Kevin Harlan here. The NBA on Prime Crew is back and the quest for the Emirates NBA Cup is center court once again.

0:08.0

Group play is over. Now the remaining eight teams do battle in the knockout rounds and Prime is your exclusive home for all the action.

0:15.7

It all starts with the quarterfinals. Two consecutive nights of can't miss NBA doubleheaders this Tuesday and

0:22.9

Wednesday night.

0:24.2

If you're not a prime member, sign up for a 30-day free trial to get started today.

0:29.9

Restrictions apply.

0:31.6

See amazon.com slash Amazon Prime for details.

0:35.4

The Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals, Tuesday and Wednesday night, only on Prime.

0:41.9

Doc Beecham was killed August 7th, 2012, probably 5, 6 in the morning.

0:48.2

The whole squad minus, you know, two, three guys to man the, you know, the posts.

0:53.9

They were all out.

0:56.0

Taliban had put six IEDs daisy chain together.

1:00.0

The squad leader thought something was up, so he sent the dog.

1:04.0

They had a, you know, one of the one dogs.

1:07.0

Dog came back, no hits.

1:09.0

So they just kept patrolling where there were six IEDs.

1:12.6

Only one went off, the rest of bone, low order detonated.

1:16.6

I was sleeping in my rack on Cod, Pennsylvania, and I get woken up at like six in the morning.

1:21.6

And the ex-company ex-o was like, hey, you need to get a predator in here right now. We got a missing room.

1:28.3

So after about an hour, they went out and found them in the canal.

1:33.3

They were there isolated.

1:37.3

You guys didn't have Hilo support.

...

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