This week, Meidas Defense’s Joe Plenzler sat down for a chat with Jonathan Katz - an award-winning journalist and author of Gangsters of Capitalism, which traces the legacy of two-time Medal of Honor recipient Major General Smedley Butler to understand the history of America’s empire and how Trump is turning America foreign policy back to the bad old days of large power competition.
PLEASE....just tell me WHEN this entire nightmare will be over? And will we have a country that isn't run by Russia or China? I don't care if we're not #1, but I really hate to be the lowest of "shit-hole" countryies and that seems to be the prize Trump and MAGA want. WHAT will it take to get us back on track? Last...can we make it until midterms and will those really change anything? We've seen what happened when Drumpf lost last time.. I'm scared, forlorn and sad.
The Man Who Would Be King provides a literary take on hubris and Afghanistan. Either Kiplings book or the movie with Sean Connery would be food for thought.
Concur, trump definitely has few brain cells left. But the worst part is the cult of moronic lemmings who cannot think for themselves and spew the ridiculous rubbish they learn on state-cult run media (Fox, Newsmax, etc).
You're so welcome, Jack! Thank you for being receptive.😊 But I'm afraid we cannot be inpatient, friend! All the structure that's built by the elite class were built over many decades… and lots of existing laws protect the rich (e.g., Citizens United). 😔
But I actually believe Drumpf #2 might even turn out to be a gift (for the future generations) for America, which has never experienced REAL DEMOCRACY (with a racist, misogynistic bent I might add)… It's our chance to finally earn it!! 🙏
We're completely on the same wavelength, I've told myself the same... that he could be the turning point or catalyst. I just want to see some changes before I die (which could be due to impatience!). Tk you.
War feels really wasteful and obsolete. It is like a peripheral vision engagement that could use focus for larger global goals. There is so much to do engaging countries, outside of just trade, for global space stations, Agrohoods on earth and evolution that is mindful and makes a niche for every living thing. We must evolve Away from war, the imbalance is contrived for greedy old school capitalist profits.
I really like your use of the word "obsolete". Some War's and fighting on a continental scale is a throwback to he hunter gatherer beginnings of humanities survival to today. The hunter gatherer played its part in allowing humanity to survive where he could also move away from the hunter gatherer to build farms and the like to feed himself. Saying "obsolete" points directly to the old ways of sustenance where it was the only way to survive. In this 2nd Millennium and some years, seeing an method that humanity has evolved out of being brought to the front (npi) is a obscenity against democracy and the hundreds of years of progress out of methods that equate to throwing rocks to get what you want. Not need. Want. Civilizations are supposed to be civil but then homo sapiens are supposed to be smart.
I feel you, Jack. It's a scary time! But I for one, started feeling more optimistic just recently.
Why? I finally realized the reason why things got worse after Drumpf #1 was because of the Corporate (elite) Democrats. “Vote blue no matter who” did NOT work for awakening people, which basically made Drumpf #2 possible.
But thanks to his real shitshows out in the open since Jan 2025, I think Americans are realizing that we have no choice but to confront reality and we are STRONG WHEN UNITED. Especially that we need true representatives who are willing to FIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE! AGAINST the ‘EPSTEIN CLASS‘ (billionaires and politicians who work to preserve the class)!!
We are seeing the real possibility of not just a Dems’ landslide in November but lots of younger people who don't take corporate money will be sworn into Congress and fight against the elite Democrats! 🙌 (Also, many MEGA might even realize Drumpf just used them and vote for true populists/progressives…)
I believe that's when a real change happens in America!! 🌟🙏
Ky, I agree with you on everything you said. Yes, the Dem message was ridiculously lacking in many ways. And yes, I agree that the real problem is the "aristocratic" (billionaire) class. Shades of the French Revolution, but the class war has continued waaaay too long. And I agree, the flips in '26 and '28 will be amaziing IF the right person gets elected who can lead a strong, experienced and competent cadre to not only put the ship upright BUT also take the opportunity to pick up the decades of 'poop" that has been swept into the corners and ignored.. It's time to stop puffing our our chests and get to Work to create a country that can be the beacon of shining light talked about by our founding fathers...but never achieved (look at Washington owning slaves!). I want to be optimistic and can be when I don't look at the current daily news. But we live in today...we need to stop a lot of this daily stuff (Trump on coins and currency? Stealing gold from Venezuela for Trump to "license" to his friends...). How? When? I wish I had patience but I don't...I want to see real for real push backs now...exposing those Epstein files would be a good start! Thank you for the optimistic reminders, I appreciate it.
(real question) what was lacking in the dems message? Im a independant that saw that Djtrump was attracting a lot of facist views and was also supported by the Kay(x3). That was enough for me to not want to see whats going on now with civil rights being under attack as is democracy. What did democrats say that could point to djtrump as a better option?
It wasn't what the Dems said that pointed to Drupf as a better option...it's what they didn't say. They didn't remind voters of the #45 atrocities, wasteful spending and annihilation of ally's trust...they really didn't say anything. Voters just heard the constant wah wah wah of the complaining. Biden never blew his horn and M. Garland didn't do what he was supposed to do (and there was so much he could have done even if called "political retribution."). When Dems didn't have a convention and switched in Harris at the last moment. (a VP that hadn't been in the news at all), that capped the fact that voters weren't going to accept a black woman. Effectively, the Dems did everything wrong, consistently and never pushed back against the bullhorn. Dems need to learn to use social media, recognize pain points of all Americans (not just the ones on the coasts) and offer solid solutions. They should have jumped all over the dogs and cats lies, the constant fear mongering/race-baiting and laughed aloud at the "concepts of a health plan." Dems were old, slow and out of touch and way toooooo quiet. Just my two cents (iinflation). Ky (@kyadvocates) can probably add more thoughts.
Great conversation regarding history and mistakes. It just baffles me how ignorant DT and the cabinet is - and has ruined what our grandfathers fought for!
Trump understands exquisitely Fear & Hatred (think Haitians eating your dogs) and wields them masterfully (think 77 million who voted for him. Again!). Like Mickey Mouse in Fantasia’s “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” he has unleashed what he cannot control. Mickey was rescued. But the World hadn’t learned to Fear & Hate him. O well …
I see it and I know what's happening and I keep acting on my resistance. All with the sense of total hopelessness against people of deep corruption, greed, immunity from the law and obscene wealth.
Ask the next 6 people under 20 you meet what it was and means. There is a dangerous trend in the US not to teach the negative sides of our own history.
Funny how during Vietnam...US used all types of technology.....the top of the line war equipment........and the most valuable weapon was the old AD1 Skyraider. The WW2 relic....single engine piston aircraft that could carry as much ordanance as a B17.
When rival rulers choose to have a knife fight, there are no rules.
Butch Cassidy
In unconstrained conflict, the community that wins is typically the one that can fight the hardest and longest and with the most resources. This, in turn, is likely to be the community whose members can be rallied to become the most selflessly devoted to its success - and the most implacably opposed to surrendering to the "other."
American power is more than military. Trade can cool down the gusto for imperialism. An actual democracy with a strong educational sector, research, rule of law and some moral anchors makes any military power less needed. The post WWII "order" was/is flawed, but limited large scale wars. Soft power is really important but doesn't generate spicy bomb videos.
Mexico, Central and Latin America, and the Caribbean have never forgotten things like the Banana Wars. They were still teaching about it in the schools in Puerto Rico where I grew up a long time ago. I learned a lot then that the average American never was taught. I never thought of this country quite the same again.
PLEASE....just tell me WHEN this entire nightmare will be over? And will we have a country that isn't run by Russia or China? I don't care if we're not #1, but I really hate to be the lowest of "shit-hole" countryies and that seems to be the prize Trump and MAGA want. WHAT will it take to get us back on track? Last...can we make it until midterms and will those really change anything? We've seen what happened when Drumpf lost last time.. I'm scared, forlorn and sad.
I’d very much like to return to precedented times. Keep faith and don’t give up the fight.
Removing all magats
Isn't the Venezuela oil money going into a Qatari bank for Trump to use as only he sees fit?
Does Quatar still have this$ ?
After being attacked because of USA backed war they may just keep it!
The Man Who Would Be King provides a literary take on hubris and Afghanistan. Either Kiplings book or the movie with Sean Connery would be food for thought.
The king has no clothes!
Also no brains!
Concur, trump definitely has few brain cells left. But the worst part is the cult of moronic lemmings who cannot think for themselves and spew the ridiculous rubbish they learn on state-cult run media (Fox, Newsmax, etc).
They should all go, ASAP
You're so welcome, Jack! Thank you for being receptive.😊 But I'm afraid we cannot be inpatient, friend! All the structure that's built by the elite class were built over many decades… and lots of existing laws protect the rich (e.g., Citizens United). 😔
But I actually believe Drumpf #2 might even turn out to be a gift (for the future generations) for America, which has never experienced REAL DEMOCRACY (with a racist, misogynistic bent I might add)… It's our chance to finally earn it!! 🙏
We're completely on the same wavelength, I've told myself the same... that he could be the turning point or catalyst. I just want to see some changes before I die (which could be due to impatience!). Tk you.
War feels really wasteful and obsolete. It is like a peripheral vision engagement that could use focus for larger global goals. There is so much to do engaging countries, outside of just trade, for global space stations, Agrohoods on earth and evolution that is mindful and makes a niche for every living thing. We must evolve Away from war, the imbalance is contrived for greedy old school capitalist profits.
I really like your use of the word "obsolete". Some War's and fighting on a continental scale is a throwback to he hunter gatherer beginnings of humanities survival to today. The hunter gatherer played its part in allowing humanity to survive where he could also move away from the hunter gatherer to build farms and the like to feed himself. Saying "obsolete" points directly to the old ways of sustenance where it was the only way to survive. In this 2nd Millennium and some years, seeing an method that humanity has evolved out of being brought to the front (npi) is a obscenity against democracy and the hundreds of years of progress out of methods that equate to throwing rocks to get what you want. Not need. Want. Civilizations are supposed to be civil but then homo sapiens are supposed to be smart.
I feel you, Jack. It's a scary time! But I for one, started feeling more optimistic just recently.
Why? I finally realized the reason why things got worse after Drumpf #1 was because of the Corporate (elite) Democrats. “Vote blue no matter who” did NOT work for awakening people, which basically made Drumpf #2 possible.
But thanks to his real shitshows out in the open since Jan 2025, I think Americans are realizing that we have no choice but to confront reality and we are STRONG WHEN UNITED. Especially that we need true representatives who are willing to FIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE! AGAINST the ‘EPSTEIN CLASS‘ (billionaires and politicians who work to preserve the class)!!
We are seeing the real possibility of not just a Dems’ landslide in November but lots of younger people who don't take corporate money will be sworn into Congress and fight against the elite Democrats! 🙌 (Also, many MEGA might even realize Drumpf just used them and vote for true populists/progressives…)
I believe that's when a real change happens in America!! 🌟🙏
Ky, I agree with you on everything you said. Yes, the Dem message was ridiculously lacking in many ways. And yes, I agree that the real problem is the "aristocratic" (billionaire) class. Shades of the French Revolution, but the class war has continued waaaay too long. And I agree, the flips in '26 and '28 will be amaziing IF the right person gets elected who can lead a strong, experienced and competent cadre to not only put the ship upright BUT also take the opportunity to pick up the decades of 'poop" that has been swept into the corners and ignored.. It's time to stop puffing our our chests and get to Work to create a country that can be the beacon of shining light talked about by our founding fathers...but never achieved (look at Washington owning slaves!). I want to be optimistic and can be when I don't look at the current daily news. But we live in today...we need to stop a lot of this daily stuff (Trump on coins and currency? Stealing gold from Venezuela for Trump to "license" to his friends...). How? When? I wish I had patience but I don't...I want to see real for real push backs now...exposing those Epstein files would be a good start! Thank you for the optimistic reminders, I appreciate it.
Could 27 Congress pass a '
'no confidence' vote for early removal of any regime! We want to shut the door on future rump wannabes before crises emerge!
(real question) what was lacking in the dems message? Im a independant that saw that Djtrump was attracting a lot of facist views and was also supported by the Kay(x3). That was enough for me to not want to see whats going on now with civil rights being under attack as is democracy. What did democrats say that could point to djtrump as a better option?
It wasn't what the Dems said that pointed to Drupf as a better option...it's what they didn't say. They didn't remind voters of the #45 atrocities, wasteful spending and annihilation of ally's trust...they really didn't say anything. Voters just heard the constant wah wah wah of the complaining. Biden never blew his horn and M. Garland didn't do what he was supposed to do (and there was so much he could have done even if called "political retribution."). When Dems didn't have a convention and switched in Harris at the last moment. (a VP that hadn't been in the news at all), that capped the fact that voters weren't going to accept a black woman. Effectively, the Dems did everything wrong, consistently and never pushed back against the bullhorn. Dems need to learn to use social media, recognize pain points of all Americans (not just the ones on the coasts) and offer solid solutions. They should have jumped all over the dogs and cats lies, the constant fear mongering/race-baiting and laughed aloud at the "concepts of a health plan." Dems were old, slow and out of touch and way toooooo quiet. Just my two cents (iinflation). Ky (@kyadvocates) can probably add more thoughts.
I feel the same way sir
Well, today is a good day to get out in the street. It will make "them" feel scared, forlorn and maybe a little panicked. Some of them can count.
Fascinating history, real history, has meat. Propaganda history, is like 1% milk.
Great conversation regarding history and mistakes. It just baffles me how ignorant DT and the cabinet is - and has ruined what our grandfathers fought for!
Indeed.
taking us back to the hateful America, that needed laws to protect ppl of color, and give us rights.
It’s a downward trend for sure. Look at the four promotions at the Pentagon Hegseth canceled today…not good.
Trump understands exquisitely Fear & Hatred (think Haitians eating your dogs) and wields them masterfully (think 77 million who voted for him. Again!). Like Mickey Mouse in Fantasia’s “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” he has unleashed what he cannot control. Mickey was rescued. But the World hadn’t learned to Fear & Hate him. O well …
Dehumanization is the first step towards genocide.
I see it and I know what's happening and I keep acting on my resistance. All with the sense of total hopelessness against people of deep corruption, greed, immunity from the law and obscene wealth.
I agree that I’m a boomer and hold on to Vietnam but do you think the holocaust is generational and will be forgotten.
Ask the next 6 people under 20 you meet what it was and means. There is a dangerous trend in the US not to teach the negative sides of our own history.
Indeed.
Many have or deny it ever happened.
Funny how during Vietnam...US used all types of technology.....the top of the line war equipment........and the most valuable weapon was the old AD1 Skyraider. The WW2 relic....single engine piston aircraft that could carry as much ordanance as a B17.
It was slow and loved by US troops on the ground.
When rival rulers choose to have a knife fight, there are no rules.
Butch Cassidy
In unconstrained conflict, the community that wins is typically the one that can fight the hardest and longest and with the most resources. This, in turn, is likely to be the community whose members can be rallied to become the most selflessly devoted to its success - and the most implacably opposed to surrendering to the "other."
Neil Howe
It’s like the convo between a US and NVA officer that went:
US officer: You never beat us once on the battlefield.
NVA officer: That is true and also irrelevant as you lost the war.
US continent was never invaded. People don’t really feel War.
Except they sure felt WWII and Korea and Vietnam in the the sons and daughters who fought and didn’t come home.
But I get your point as nd it’s a good one.
YES!!! America was invaded by white men who commited genocide against the native indigenos peoples that took care of North America.
White men have destroyed nature and turned once pristine lands into toxic waste dumps and garbage dumps.Polluted the air, soil and water.
'Robert Dollar, Standard Oil, and Jesus Christ' from 'The Sand Pebbles' by Richard McKenna, 1962 novel and excellent movie of the same name.
Indeed.
That was a great movie.
Another commentator corrected me when I mentioned the Cuba blockade as new. She said there has been a US blockade of Cuba for years.
Really? I thought there was some rapprochement during Obama years.
So Trump hadn’t done anything new except divert supplies of Venezuelan oil? And stop other supplies of oil by threats of tariffs?
There is no US naval cordon around Cuba?
There is a Russian oil tanker on the way to Cuba now. We’re gonna find out together.
I'll bet TACO and the tanker goes right into port. He's not going to piss off Putin.
Oh boy.
Thank you both for a useful lesson in history and economics!
Great idea about the United Nations!
American power is more than military. Trade can cool down the gusto for imperialism. An actual democracy with a strong educational sector, research, rule of law and some moral anchors makes any military power less needed. The post WWII "order" was/is flawed, but limited large scale wars. Soft power is really important but doesn't generate spicy bomb videos.
Indeed.
Mexico, Central and Latin America, and the Caribbean have never forgotten things like the Banana Wars. They were still teaching about it in the schools in Puerto Rico where I grew up a long time ago. I learned a lot then that the average American never was taught. I never thought of this country quite the same again.
Qatar account is getting drained from the back door for sure.
I do not see it as gunboat diplomacy. There is no diplomacy bening involved.
This is just behaviour as mobsters do. Incompetent ones, I must add.
I bet Trump dreams of one day being able of saying: " I have an offer that you can't refuse..."
War is a racket.
Apparently something we cannot resist doing for more than a few years:
Major US Military Operations since 1941
1941-1945. WW II (US involvement)
1950-1953: Korean (non-) War
1955-1975: Vietam (non-) War
1990-1991: Persian Gulf
*2001-2021: Afghanistan
2003-2011: Iraq
*2001-2021: Afghanistan
2026: Iran
Subic bay was bombed same time as a pearl Harbor.
Same with Food for Peace. Really subsidy for farmers.