Blowback S4 Episode 8 - "Sons of Liberty"
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Dec 27, 2023 The podcast dives deep into Afghanistan's tumultuous history, spotlighting a tragic massacre fueled by false intelligence. It reveals the devastating human cost of military actions, including a deadly wedding attack. The conversation highlights the CIA's legacy of counterterrorism tactics post-9/11 and the corruption intertwined with the Afghan opium trade. Additionally, it discusses the political fallout of terrorism in Spain and the impacts of influential figures like Malalai Joya amid the chaos of warlords and their ongoing strife for women's rights.
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The Khas Uruzgan Massacre
- In Khas Uruzgan, U.S. Special Forces massacred 19 pro-American government officials based on a false tip.
- This incident, along with other instances of civilian casualties, highlighted the unreliability of official body counts and the blurred lines between enemy and civilian.
Warlord Strategy
- The U.S. relied on Afghan warlords, some with ties to Bin Laden, to maintain order.
- This strategy, coupled with substantial bribes, allowed these warlords to regain control, becoming power brokers in the new regime.
Iran and the "Axis of Evil"
- Despite assisting the U.S., Iran was labeled part of the "axis of evil" by President Bush.
- This political maneuvering was exploited by Afghan warlords like Ismail Khan, who controlled the flow of information between the two nations.