Matt and Matt discuss a recent New York Times article, An American in Ukraine Finds the War He’s Been Searching For.. This article is every bit as terrible as the title indicates! Our Work: Read our "In the Context of Empire" blog with corresponding and expanded posts on this content! Find some of Matt M's writing at CovertAction Magazine Social Me…

We were privileged to be joined by Bryce Greene to discuss the current U.S made crisis in Afghanistan and complicity of U.S media in prolonging the suffering of the Afghan people. Bryce is contributor to the media watchdog Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. His two recent articles titled NPR Distorts History of US Invasion of Afghanistan and NPR D…

Jon, and the Matts (Connors and McKenna) discuss current events in Ukraine and lend some of their unsolicited commentary on the crisis. Discussed in this Episode: Jon’s trip to Vietnam - How’s it going? Updates? - Matt Connor's journey as an educator, left wing thinker, and anti-imperialist - Russia - Ukraine - US media coverage of the crisis - Wor…

Matt was joined by Bryce Greene to discuss the Russia- Ukraine crisis. Bryce Greene is a contributor to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. Some of his recent articles include What You Should Really Know About Ukraine and Vox Omits US Military Role in African Instability. More of his work can be found at FAIR. *NOTE: This episode was recorded on 2/…

The band is back together! Jon rejoined the podcast to talk about his trip to Vietnam, what he hopes to accomplish and its implications for anti imperialist education in US. Matt also does his best at an explainer for the situation in Ukraine. Our Work: Read our "In the Context of Empire" blog with corresponding and expanded posts to this content! …

Matt was joined by Justin Podur to discuss the terms "whataboutism," "tankies" and "moral equivalence" as useful tools for anti imperialists, despite imperialist attempts to dismiss them. Justin is the founder of the Anti Empire Project and Anti Empire project Podcast. He is the author of America’s Wars on Democracy in Rwanda and the DR Congo and T…

Matt was joined by Alex Avina to discuss the treacherous legacy of US imperialism in Latin America. Alex currently an associate professor of history in the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies at Arizona State University. He is the author of Specters of Revolution: Peasant Guerillas and the Cold War in the Mexican Countryside. …

Justin Podur and Joe Emersberger join Matt to discuss their excellent new book, Extraordinary Threat: The US Empire, the Media, and Twenty Years of Coup Attempts in Venezuela. Justin is the founder of the Anti Empire Project and Anti Empire project Podcast. He is also the author of America’s Wars on Democracy in Rwanda and the DR Congo and The Path…

As events in Afghanistan receive sudden US media attention, Matt was joined by a former student, Joey, to discuss the current situation and history of US imperialism in Central Asia. Discussed in this Episode: - The ridiculous premise that was used and continues to be used to justify this two decade war - The numerous chances to avoid war that the …

Jon returns to the show to speak with Matt about a variety of topics relating to how to responsibly discuss US empire. They discussed how the topic of genocide is generally taught in US schools in a manner that rarely extends past the Holocaust, and almost never identifies the US' historic culpability in the crime past the notion that it "just stoo…

While still the darling of many liberals, in his time as president Barack Obama maintained a veil of progressive politics while prosecuting US wars and empire quite effectively. Matt was joined by Jeremy Kuzmarov to discuss the trail of blood and destruction left behind by the 44th president of the United States. Jeremy is a writer and managing edi…

Justin Podur joined Matt to discuss the ongoing violence visited upon Palestinians by the US backed Israeli government. Justin is the founder of the Anti Empire Project and the host of the Anti Empire podcast. He is also the author of America’s Wars on Democracy in Rwanda and the DR Congo and The Path of the Unarmed, and Siege Breakers For his day …

Makasi and Matt were joined by Dr. Vijay Prashad to discuss a variety of topics including the United States' long war on the people of the Global South, the CIA's methods of regime change, and the current cold war with China. Dr. Prashad is the executive director of the Tricontinental Institute for Social Research and the chief correspondent at Glo…

Christine Ahn joined Matt to discuss the long history of US imperialism and violence on the Korean Peninsula. Christine is the founder and director of the peace organization, Women Cross DMZ. Discussed in this Episode: -Christine's background and interest in peace activism with a focus on the Korean Peninsula -The origins and mission of Women Cross…

Justin Podur joined Matt to discuss imperialist propaganda, and how to provide a countervailing narrative. Dr. Podur is the Associate Professor at York University's Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change. He is also the founder of the Anti Empire Project and the host of the Anti Empire Project Podcast. Justin is the author of America’s Wars on D…

In the US, it is often taken as fact that Iran has a nuclear weapons program, despite little evidence indicating that this is true, and mountains of evidence to the contrary. This myth has had devastating consequences for the Iranian people due to US sanctions that are justified through the nuclear weapons allegation. Dr. John Ghazvinian rejoined t…

The United States has been at war for nearly every year of its existence. Nearly all of those wars have been offensive in nature. These wars have killed tens of millions of people, and traumatized exponentially more. While this acknowledging that the history of the US military is one of mass murder and devastation, one source of hope is the fact th…

Jon and Matt were joined by Dr. Shireen Al-Adeimi to discuss the history and recent updates in ongoing US, Saudi, and UAE war on Yemen. Dr. Al Adeimi is an assistant professor of education at Michigan State University. She also devotes much of her time to activism directed toward ending the genocidal war in Yemen. Her writing can be found at In The…

Matt was joined by Janine Jackson for a discussion about the role US media plays in furthering US imperialism and warfare. Janine is a Program Director at the media watchdog Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She is also the producer and Host of the weekly radio show Counterspin Discussed in this Episode: - Janine's background, her interest in med…

The military industrial congressional complex consists of war profiteers, both obvious and less apparent. Matt was joined by Christian Sorensen for a wide ranging conversation about some of the most nefarious aspects of the war industry. Christian is a veteran of the United States Air Force and the author of Understanding the War Industry. He is al…

The gravest threat to press freedom right now is the US government's attempt to prosecute Julian Assange. The work of Assange, and more broadly Wikileaks has been a great service to the world. Through their work, they removed some of the cloud of secrecy that allows the most powerful figures in the US empire to commit crimes with immunity. Matt was…

Matt was joined by Dr. Ellen- Rae Cachola to discuss US imperialism in Hawaii and the Philippines. Dr. Cachola is a lecturer of Ethnic Studies at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, and the evening supervisor and archives manager University of Hawaii at Manoa William S. Richardson School of Law. Dr. Cachola's writing on the subject of settler coloni…

Jon and Matt were joined by Dr. John Ghazvinian to speak about the complicated history of the Iran and the United States. While many listeners are likely familiar with the more recent decades of this relationship, in which the US has been engaged in aggression against Iran since 1953, the relationship is actually far older, more complicated, and of…

Matt was joined by Danny Sjursen to speak about the confusing pattern of the United States being supportive of some uprisings, while seeking to crush others. They also discussed the wildly inconsistent reactions the United States has to various forms of terrorism. Danny is a retired Major in the United States Army, a historian, has taught at West P…

Matt was joined by journalist Ben Norton to speak about a variety of topics that highlight the hypocrisy of the US empire. The dicussion covers a range of topics including the mainstream media's deference to the national security state, concepts terrorism and genocide, and the treatment of Julian Assange. Ben writes for the Grayzone and hosts the M…

Jon and Matt were joined by Dr. Darryl Li to speak about a number of topics including the concepts of jihadism, national sovereignty, so called "humanitarian intervention" and some other dark realities of the US empire Dr. Li Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Chicago, an attorney, and the author of The Universal Enemy: Jihad,…

Jon and Matt were joined by Dr. Martin J Sherwin to speak about the all too important issue of nuclear weapons. Dr. Martin J. Sherwin professor of history at George Mason University, co-author of the Pulitzer Prize winning book,American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer., and author of A World Destroyed: Hiroshima and its…

Jon and Matt were joined by Tom Secker to speak about an aspect of imperialism that often flies under the radar, while being essential to the functioning of the empire. This episode focuses on the propaganda spread though movies and television shows that is crucial for the expansion of the warfare state. Films and shows may seem benign but often se…

Jon and Matt were joined by Dr. Daniel Bessner to discuss the need to challenge the bipartisan consensus on US foreign policy. Dr. Bessner currently holds the Joff Hanauer Honors Professorship in Western Civilization at the University of Washington. He is a non-resident fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. He also the author o…

Jon and Matt were joined by Makasi Motema to discuss the current situation in the US and the potential for revolution. Makasi is a Marxist Leninist activist and writer living in the New York City area. His work can be found at Workers World. Discussed in this Episode: - Makasi's political development - The situation in the US in 2021 that Makasi po…

Jon and Matt were joined by their coworker, friend, and occasional cohost, Dan to discuss the recent insurrection in the capitol. Discussed in this Episode: - Initial reactions - Garbage mainstream media media takes - God dammit, stop making "banana republics" and "third world" comparisons as if they aren't racist & obfuscating of American imperial…

Jon and Matt were honored to be joined by Leonardo Flores to discuss some of the many misconceptions that have been propagated by the US government about Venezuela and the Chavista movement. Leonardo is the Latin America campaign coordinator and and analyst on U.S.-Venezuela relations for Code Pink His writing has appeared in Common Dreams. Discuss…

Jon and Matt were honored to speak with Dr. Anand Gopal about some of the false assumptions Americans hold about the United States' war in Afghanistan. Anand is a journalist, Assistant Research Professor at the Center on the Future of War at ASU. Fellow with the International Security Program at the New America Foundation, and Author of No Good Men…

Jon and Matt were joined by Scott Horton to speak about the many ways by which the American war machine is not only counterproductive, but the cause of (and In the minds of policy makers the solution to) so many of our foreign "challenges" Scott is the Host of the Scott Horton Show, editorial director of Antiwar.com, the director of the Libertarian…

Jon and Matt were joined by Dr. David Vine to discuss the perpetual warfare state that the U.S has been since even before its independence. For its 244 years history, there have only been 11 years for which the United States was not engaged in military combat. These wars have almost all been offensive in nature, have killed tens of millions of peop…

Jon and Matt were joined by Stephen Kinzer to speak about the United States' near constant interference in other countries. Stephen is a former New York times Foreign correspondent, a current columnist for the Boston Globe and a Senior Fellow in International and Public Affairs at the Watson Institute . He is also the author of many books including…

This episode can be classified as an act of defiance to Jon's own recent article, in which he dismantled the myth of the "radical left educator." For this conversation, Jon and Matt spoke with two of these allegedly mythical beings, Dan (a social studies teacher) and Zach (an English teacher). They discussed a variety of topics centered around thei…

Jon, Dan and Matt were honored to speak with Dr. Neta C. Crawford about the utter destruction that has been caused by the United States' 2 decade "War on Terror." Dr. Crawford is the co-director of the Costs of War Project at Brown University, Professor and Chair of Political Science at Boston University, and the author of several books including A…

While Matt is often quick to label US officials, "war criminals," he does so without having done the requisite legal scholarship. In this episode however, Jon and Matt were lucky enough to speak with Dr. Rebecca Gordon about her research of the many war crimes and violations of international law that the United States has committed since 2001. Spec…

Jon and Matt were honored to speak with David Swanson, prolific anti-war activist, journalist, executive director of World Beyond War, and campaign coordinator for rootsaction.org. He is also the author of many books including War is a Lie and Leaving World War II Behind. David has been nominated for the Nobel Peace prize and is a tireless advocate…

Jon and Matt were honored to be joined by Medea Benjamin, long time peace activist and author. Medea is the co founder of the women led peace organization, Code Pink. She has has authored books including, Drone Warfare: Killing by Remote Control, Inside Iran: The Real History and Politics of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Kingdom of the Unjust: …

Jon and Matt were fortunate to be joined by Dr. Gerald Horne to discuss the foundational racism deeply embedded in the American experiment. Dr. Horne holds the Moores Professorship of History and African American Studies at the University of Houston. He is the author of many books including: The Apocalypse of Settler Colonialism: The Roots of Slave…

Jon and Matt were privileged to have Dr. Stephen Zunes share his wealth of knowledge about the Middle East and the Unites States' destructive history in the region. Stephen is expert on the Middle East and US foreign policy and current a professor of politics and International Studies at the University of San Francisco. Specifically discussed: - Th…

"You start to follow the money, and you don't know where the fuck it's gonna take you." - Lester Freaman from The Wire Jon and Matt were honored to be joined by Dr. Ben Freeman (no relation to Lester) for a further discussion of the corruption within the military-industrial-congressional complex. Ben is the direc­tor of the For­eign Influ­ence Tran…

Jon and Matt were privileged to be joined by retired US Army Major turned prolific antiwar writer, Danny Sjursen. This conversation focused on Major Sjursen's critiques of the pathologies of US empire & American exceptionalism. These are perspectives that are informed by Sjursen's own experiences within the US war machine along with his extensive h…

Jon and Matt were honored to be joined by Dr. Gareth Porter, historian and investigative journalist, to debunk some of the prevailing myths that serve to perpetuate the permanent war state. Specifically discussed: - Gareth's background: How he become so adept at debunking the myths propagated by the national security state - The truth about the "mo…

Jon and Matt are joined by Dr. Shireen Al-Adeimi to discuss the genocidal war in Yemen, and the United States’ deep complicity in the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Dr. Al-Adeimi is a Yemeni American who currently works as an assistant professor of education at Michigan State University. She also devotes much of her time to activism directed to…

Jon and Matt are joined by Stephen Semler to discuss the "Defense" budget. Stephen is the co-founder of the Security Policy Reform Institute. He also publishes the newsletter, Speaking Security where he scrutinizes the military industrial complex, and promotes ideas for a progressive US foreign policy. Specifically discussed: - The Pentagon budget:…

On the Thursday preceding the 2020 presidential election, Jon and Matt sit down for a discussion of the impending chaos. Seeing as there is already enough existing evidence of what a Trump presidency looks like, the focus of this episode is mostly centered on the potential of a Biden presidency. Specifically discussed: -Biden’s terrible record on d…

In a unique episode of In the Context of Empire, Jon and Matt tune into the second presidential debate of 2020. between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. The episode was recorded in the minutes both immediately before and after the shit show that was this exchange between these decrepit, rotting, old men. Episode 11 starts with predictions as to what wou…