"Yemen war: Joe Biden ends support for operations in foreign policy reset," reports the BBC. "Trump: US will be out of Afghanistan by Christmas 2020," cheered Military Times. "Trump Orders Withdrawal of U.S. Troops From Northern Syria," the New York Times told us.

For decades, the United States has very often appeared to have "ended" wars that do not, in fact, end at all. Open-ended jargon like "residual counter terror forces," "Vietnamization," "military advisors," along with deliberately ambiguous timetables, process criticisms––all are used to confuse the average media consumer. America's politicians know the American public broadly dislikes war and empire––and thus wants to see it restrained––but these same politicians don't really want to end wars so they have a frequent PR problem: How do you make it look like you’re ending a war or occupation without really doing so?

To solve this conundrum, American political leaders have perfected the art of fake-ending a war. Which is to say, announcing a war is going to end, typically around election time, only to––once the headlines make a big splash––backtrack, obfuscate, claim the "situation on the ground has changed" or the military involvement will only be in a "limited" or "defensive" capacity, shuffle troops around or find other thin pretexts to continue the war or occupation.

In this episode, we discuss the United States' history of fake-ending wars, who these pronouncements are meant to please, why troops levels are often impossible to know, and why so many of our so-called "wars" are not really wars at all, but military occupations that are never really meant to end.

Our guest is Shireen Al-Adeimi, assistant professor at Michigan State University.

Episode 133: The Art of Fake-Ending Wars

We are joined by Briahna Joy Gray to discuss her recent run in with Noam Chomsky and her takes on Joe Biden, the 2020 presidential election, democracy, and the future. Brie is the former national press secretary for the Bernie Sanders campaign, former senior politics editor at The Intercept, current contributing editor for Current Affairs, and co-host of the new podcast Bad Faith, along with Virgil Texas.

BRIAHNA JOY GRAY
@briebriejoy
@badfaithpod
https://www.currentaffairs.org/author/briahna-joy-gray
https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/07/in-defense-of-litmus-tests
https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/05/bidens-you-aint-black-comment-symptomatic
https://www.patreon.com/badfaithpodcast

OUTRO MUSIC
Kid ESP - Fleeting
Instagram: kid_esp
Lead singer’s IG: campersleep (Ethan)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTSXyiXpYj8&list=OLAK5uy_l92mBRbqvaimfr8gQ2sv1gHjqlNlGdPkc&index=1

MERCH
PodDamnAmerica.bigcartel.com

PATREON
Patreon.com/PodDamnAmerica

Manufacturing Content w/ Briahna Joy Gray

Podcast about the whole thing that's happening
Full episode at 
PATREON.COM/PODDAMNAMERICA

PATREON PREVIEW: Very Serious 2020 Election Prediction Show

Trillbillies coverage of Election Day 2020

Also please welcome our newest Trillbilly member, Aaron Thorpe, who we couldn't bus up to Kentucky for this episode but who was on our most recent Patreon episode and will be on our upcoming episodes: @posadist_trapgd on Twitter if you'd like to say hello

And please check out Tarence's article at Verso: https://www.versobooks.com/blogs/4905-a-view-from-trump-country

And finally you can support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/trillbillyworkersparty

Episode 171: Thank You, Kentucky

And introducing, on lead vocals, guitar and bass...it’s Mr. Billy Corgan. Yes we’re talking through the legendary frontman and sole consistent member of gen x rock titans Smashing Pumpkins, a person who is constantly portrayed as either alt-rock’s greatest villain or saint, depending on who you’re asking. And today we’re joined by Struggle Sessions Leslie Lee III to dive into some of Mr. Corgan’s most intimate thoughts and feelings about his life and career through the best access we have...his mid-2000’s LiveJournal called simply “BillyBlog”.

Check out Struggle Session at sesh.plus

Songs
Smashing Pumpkins - Zero
Smashing Pumpkins - Nothing and Everything (Live on Pulse 1988)
Smashing Pumpkins - Cherub Rock
Smashing Pumpkins - For Martha
Smashing Pumpkins - Transmission (Live, featuring Peter Hook)
Billy Corgan - Take Me Out to the Ball Game

And Introducing

#81 BILLY CORGAN! (ft. Leslie Lee III)

The election is finally over I think? We talk about it and make some predictions about the future. Me and Anders get into an argument. Alex does a Strong Bad impression. America listens.

FULL EPISODE AT
PATREON.COM/PODDAMNAMERICA

PREVIEW: Contradiction Time

Anders teaches us about the history of the evangelical movement and we make some predictions about its future post Trump. Jake teaches us about Cats (2019).

FULL EPSIODE AT
PATREON.COM/PODDAMNAMERICA

PREVIEW: The Evangelical Ball

We take a dive into the life of automotive software billionaire Robert Brockman and his recent indictment for what has been called the largest tax fraud in US history. Accused of dodging taxes on more than $2 billion in income he had an assist from an old episode subject, billionaire Robert F. Smith, of promising to pay off the debt of the graduating class of Morehouse fame. On this part 1 of 2 we provide an update on Smith and walk through the basics of the court case and the story of just how Brockman ended up in this situation.

You can read the full federal indictment here:
https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1327921/download

You can read more posts from the anonymous Reynolds and Reynolds whistle blower here:
https://reynoldswhistleblower.blogspot.com/

Episode 202: Robert Brockman and the No Good Very Big IRS Tax Fraud (Part 1)

This week with Alex Ptak of Pod Damn America we cover the life and misdeeds of Jonathan Tisch. Find out all about how the Tisch family initially made their riches, (Friends & Family LLC) the 6 billion dollar net worth of the family does all sorts of horrible things including a insurance racket where they wouldn’t pay out on hazard insurance to contractors in warzones. Find out all that and more right here on Grubstakers.

https://www.propublica.org/article/us-insurance-firm-neglects-survivors-of-iraqi-translators-may-face-criminal

Episode 204: Jonathan Tisch & the Tisch Family feat. Alex Ptak

Andrew, Lucy, and Theo are joined by journalist Jim Malo to talk about Australia's (alleged) war crimes in Afghanistan, our dipshit media's response to those war crimes, and China using those war crimes to own Australia on Twitter.
***
Support our show and get exclusive bonus episodes by subscribing on Patreon: www.patreon.com/BoontaVista
***
Email the show at mailbag@boontavista.com! Call in and leave us a question or a message on 1800-317-515 to be answered on the show!
***
Twitter: twitter.com/boontavista
Website: boontavista.com
Merchandise: boontavista.com/merchandise
Twitch: twitch.tv/boontavista

EPISODE 177: Lifetime Bitch Award

Bonus Episodes

EPISODE 177: Lifetime Bitch Award (Feat. Jim Malo)

Alex Vitale, professor of sociology at Brooklyn College and Author of The End of Policing joins us to talk about COPS, the Capitol riot, and Bernie's mittens.

ALEX VITALE:
@AVitale
http://www.alex-vitale.info/
https://www.versobooks.com/books/2426-the-end-of-policing

OTHER SOURCES:
https://www.interruptingcriminalization.com/

UNLOCKED -- AMAB w/ Alex Vitale

Gothic socialist comedy podcast by two idiot comedians: Jake Flores and Anders J. Lee. @poddamnamerica 
patreon.com/poddamnamerica

PREVIEW: Contradiction Time

Pod Damn America

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