American Exception

Episode 117: CIA Career Day! w/ Alan MacLeod

We are joined by Alan MacLeod, Senior Staff Writer for MintPress News to discuss articles he’s written on the CIA and the US Establishment:
From Georgetown to Langley: The Controversial Connection Between a Prestigious University and the CIA
Tucker Carlson: The Elite Pedigree of a Brilliant Cosplaying “Populist”
After completing his PhD in 2017, Alan MacLeod published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent, as well as a number of academic articles. He has also contributed to FAIR.org, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, and Common Dreams.
Special thanks to Dana Chavarria for producing the episode!
Music: "World of Machines" by Mock Orange

Episode 116: JFK and Nasser (EDS 26) [TRAILER]

We look at JFK’s admirable but doomed attempt to repair US-Egyptian relations and stabilize the Middle East by working with Nasser. This is the 26th installment of our Empire and the Deep State series--an in-depth exploration of my new book American Exception: Empire and the Deep State. Again I am joined by series co-host Ben Norton of Multipolarista as well our own Seamus McGuinness who is producing the series.
Music: "Too Good Your Dreams Don't Come True" by Mock Orange

Episode 115: A Maidan Coup for Georgia? [TRAILER]

Aaron is joined again by Kit Klarenberg--an investigative journalist exploring the role of intelligence services in shaping politics and perceptions. We speak about two of Kit’s recent articles:
At GrayZoneUK: “‘Rigorous’ Maidan massacre exposé suppressed by top academic journal”
At MintPress: “Dare Call It A Coup? CIA Front Threatens Color Revolution in Georgia”
Special thanks to Casey Moore for the episode art and Dana Chavarria for the sound engineering!
Music: "Grow Your Soul Away” by Mock Orange

Episode 114: US Empire v. Assange

Kevin Gosztola joins us to discuss his new book, Guilty of Journalism: The Political Case Against Julian Assange. Kevin is also the co-host (with Rania Khalek) of the Unauthorized Disclosure podcast.
Thanks to Dana Chavarria for producing the episode!
Music: “Motel Man” by Mock Orange

Episode 113: Sukarno and JFK (EDS 25) [TRAILER]

We look at JFK’s admirable but doomed attempt to salvage US-Indonesia relations and avert catastrophe in Sukarno’s Indonesia. This is the 25th installment of our Empire and the Deep State series--an in-depth exploration of my new book American Exception: Empire and the Deep State. Again I am joined by series co-host Ben Norton of Multipolarista as well our own Seamus McGuinness who is producing the series.
Music: "Too Good Your Dreams Don't Come True" by Mock Orange

Episode 112: A Chinese Lab Leak? [TRAILER]

Gumby returns to talk about the latest developments in the covid origins mystery. Gumby is an independent researcher who often posts on Twitter.
Very special thanks to Bijan Sharifi for the artwork! Bijan is an art teacher and freelance artist in Tokyo. Follow Bijan on Instagram!
Thanks to Dana Chavarria for producing the episode!
Music: “Driving Day” by Mock Orange

Episode 111: Operation POMO [TRAILER]

Gabriel Rockhill joins us to talk about postmodernism and its usefulness to imperial capitalism. We also touch on the subject of fascism. Rockhill is the Founding Director of the Critical Theory Workshop, Professor of Philosophy at Villanova University, and the author or editor of nine books, as well as numerous scholarly and general public articles, including:
“The CIA Reads French Theory: On the Intellectual Labor of Dismantling the Cultural Left”
“The CIA & the Frankfurt School’s Anti-Communism”
“Liberalism & Fascism: The Good Cop & Bad Cop of Capitalism”
Special thanks to Dana Chavarria for producing the episode!
Music: “Be Gone” by Mock Orange

Episode 110: Arteries of Empire [TRAILER]

We talk about oil pipelines and spycraft with Charlotte Dennett, author of Follow the Pipelines: Uncovering the Mystery of a Lost Spy and the Deadly Politics of the Great Game for Oil.
Along with Gerard Colby, Dennett is also the coauthor of Thy Will Be Done: The Conquest of the Amazon : Nelson Rockefeller and Evangelism in the Age of Oil—a book we discussed in Episode 107.
Special thanks to Dana Chavarria for producing the episode!
Music: “Intake” by Mock Orange

Episode 109: Tribute to a Minder – Part 2 (Fundraiser for Peter Dale Scott)

This is the second part of our tribute in support of the GoFundMe campaign for Professor Peter Dale Scott after he incurred major unexpected medical and publishing expenses. In this episode, special co-host Ben Howard and I are joined by Oliver Stone and Peter Dale Scott to discuss themes and subjects related to Peter Dale Scott’s life and work.
Once again, please do donate to the GoFundMe campaign for Peter if you are able!
Special thanks to Seamus McGuinness for producing the episode!
Music: “The End of the World” by Mock Orange

Episode 108: Tribute to a Minder (Fundraiser for Peter Dale Scott)

A wonderful cast joins us to support the GoFundMe campaign for Professor Peter Dale Scott after he incurred major unexpected medical and publishing expenses. In this first of two parts, special co-host Ben Howard and I are joined by the following guests at the following timestamps:
7:19—David Talbot
25:20—James Galbraith
48:45—Joshua Oppenheimer, Peter Dale Scott, Daniel Ellsberg, and John Kiriakou
57:10—Liz Franczak, Brace Belden (and Yung Chomsky!)
1:13:00—Noah Kulwin
Once again, please do donate to the GoFundMe campaign for Peter if you are able!
Special thanks to Seamus McGuinness for producing the episode!
Artwork by Casey Moore!
Music: “Song in D” and  “The End of the World” by Mock Orange