23. Why the f*ck are we in Afghanistan? with veteran Spenser Rapone

Summary: Rundown<br> In this episode, Mexie interviews the (in)famous Spenser Rapone, a veteran who was deployed in Afghanistan and became radicalized by his experiences there, becoming a virulent anti-war, anti-imperialist and anti-capitalist activist. We discuss the reasons for the war in the first place, Spenser’s time there and what he learned from inside the US war machine, and why this has turned into the longest US occupation of a sovereign country. We also dig into the political economy of war itself and how this state of constant ‘conflict’ has become so normalized that it barely registers anymore in mainstream media. Spenser and fellow veteran and comrade Mike Prysner have started the Eyes Left podcast project to reach out to veterans and people currently serving in the military to offer support in resisting the US war machine and joining the movement for peace and liberation.<br> Sources and Links<br> <br> * Eyes Left podcast with Spenser Rapone and Mike Prysner: <a href="https://soundcloud.com/eyesleft">https://soundcloud.com/eyesleft</a><br> * Eyes Left, Afghanistan War Update: Defeated Generals Boast of Success: <a href="https://soundcloud.com/eyesleft/afghanistanupdate">https://soundcloud.com/eyesleft/afghanistanupdate</a><br> * Spenser Rapone, The West Point Officer Who Called It As He Saw It: <a href="https://www.truthdig.com/articles/the-west-point-soldier-who-called-it-as-he-saw-it/">https://www.truthdig.com/articles/the-west-point-soldier-who-called-it-as-he-saw-it/</a><br> * Scott Horton, Fool’s Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36054118-fool-s-errand">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36054118-fool-s-errand</a><br> * Media Roots, Veterans Advocate Mutiny w/ Mike Prysner and Spenser Rapone: <a href="https://soundcloud.com/media-roots/veterans-advocate-mutiny-w-mike-prysner-spenser-rapone">https://soundcloud.com/media-roots/veterans-advocate-mutiny-w-mike-prysner-spenser-rapone</a><br> * On Contact with Chris Hedges, A Soldier’s Tale of Bravery and Morality: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwCbARsO9lQ&amp;feature=youtu.be">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwCbARsO9lQ&amp;feature=youtu.be</a><br> * Spenser on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/punkproletarian">https://twitter.com/punkproletarian</a><br> <br> Support the Show<br> <a href="https://www.patreon.com/veganvanguard"></a><br> <br> <br><br> <br><br> <br><br> <br>  <br>