"Speak about destruction! Speak about destruction!"
September 21, 2024 1:27 PM   Subscribe

The Blowback podcast has released its fifth season on Cambodia, Nixon, Kissinger, Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge (previously). Each season features hosts Noah Kulwin and Brendan James providing historical analysis of post-WWII U.S. foreign policy, leftist perspectives on the death and destruction its caused, and dark humor for the colorful, macabre cast of characters that populate their narratives. Bonus episodes for season 5 include interviews with journalists Elizabeth Becker and Sy Hersh (previously), and historians Ben Kiernan and Vu Minh Hoang. The first of ten episodes is available here.

Seasons consist of ten hour-long episodes plus about ten bonus episodes with interviews or investigations of related issues. James distills the show's basic thesis in the final episode of the first season, on Iraq:
Blowback: it’s the CIA’s name for unintended consequences when we solve a problem and create another problem. The history of America’s involvement with Iraq is certainly an example of that. But what I think I really want to say going out is that, we think of blowback, and blowback gets talked about, as if its karma…we do something evil and then, oh, it comes back to get you….but I don’t think we should accept or grant this idea, that its karma, that its unwanted. I think the real chilling thing is that the American empire, elites, capital, military, whatever you want to say, they like blowback. Blowback is part of the whole deal. When you create a new problem, you create a new opportunity, and when you solve that problem by creating a new problem, you keep the hamster wheel going, you keep the cycle going, its not karma, it’s a feedback loop.
The second season covers the Korean War. The third season covers Cuba. The fourth season covers Afghanistan.
posted by Hume (8 comments total) 9 users marked this as a favorite
 
Holy shit, that teaser video is haunting.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 1:52 PM on September 21


wow this sounds so fascinating but I am just not a podcast person. like, I'm feeling pulled to try to be one so I can check this out. I love a historical deep-dive!
posted by supermedusa at 1:58 PM on September 21 [1 favorite]


Yay! The best, most infuriating podcast is back. Gonna get so fucking mad.
posted by rodlymight at 2:01 PM on September 21 [2 favorites]


Abehammerb which link is the teaser?
posted by supermedusa at 2:04 PM on September 21


Oh sorry, first video link from the homepage: here.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 2:41 PM on September 21 [2 favorites]


I got hooked on this after seeing the teaser for season four, Afghanistan. Seriously, the trailer alone is worth an essay. Narrated by H. Jon Benjamin, incredible visual style, good music too.
posted by rustcrumb at 2:57 PM on September 21


for the trailer, I half expected the line: "Cambodia is Nixon doctrine in its purest form". first episode I admittedly skipped around but got to the part when the narrative during the Carter Administration shifts to the North Vietnamese and others who contributed to the rise of Pol Pot and the ensuing genocide. if I interpret the trailer right I see American officials, Nixon, Kissinger watching in the red blob some sort of gollum Salot Sar, aka Pol pot,, brother #1, the chairman, rise. Oddly, U.S. intelligence had very little on Pol Pot.
posted by clavdivs at 3:28 PM on September 21


None of the links in the OP seem to give actual links to the podcast.

Here is the link to iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/blowback/id1502178774

And here is the RSS: https://feeds.redcircle.com/e30b9f10-8c86-432e-9fa0-ba287fb94e7f
posted by Senescence at 5:32 PM on September 21


« Older “You know what they say—strict parents raise...   |   COVID denialism and disability justice Newer »


You are not currently logged in. Log in or create a new account to post comments.