This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.americanprestigepod.comDon’t forget: AP is moving to Supporting Cast! Read our announcement for details on what to do to keep your paid subscription going or just head over to our Supporting Cast page to get started.

Ryan Grim, co-founder of Drop Site News, and investigative journalist José Olivares join the show to talk about their recent piece for Drop Site revealing how Ecuador’s US-linked attorney general is using her office to attack the country’s left. The group gives the background of Rafael Correa and his left-wing “Correísmo” movement, how Correa and his successors became targets of “anti-corruption” attorney general Diana Salazar, leaked messages of Salazar’s obtained by Drop Site leading to explosive allegations, the United States' potential links with assassinated presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, and why the US remains interested in domestic Ecuadorian politics.Along with checking out the story, be sure to claim your exclusive American Prestige discount for a Drop Site subscription! Don’t forget: AP is moving to Supporting Cast! Read our announcement for details on what to do to keep your paid subscription going or just head over to our Supporting Cast page to get started. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.americanprestigepod.comDanny and Derek once again speak with Mark Ames, co-host of Radio War Nerd, for an update on what’s going on in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. They talk about the internal dynamics in Putin and Zelinskyy’s respective administrations, Russia’s Kursk counteroffensive, media framing around Ukrainian victories vs. those of Russia, when western governments wil…

It’s not the good news, but Danny and Derek bring you, well, also not good news. This week: a Gaza ceasefire talks update (1:15) while the IDF kills American citizen Aysenur Ezgi Eygi (5:18); Iraq is negotiating a deal for the US to withdraw its forces (11:43); the US gives Egypt a full military aid allotment (13:47); in Sudan, new Rapid Support Forces (RSF) activity in the country’s south (15:22); the Pentagon is trying to reconstitute a presence in West Africa (16:29); in Russia-Ukraine, the Russian counteroffensive in Kursk (19:24), claims of Iran supplying missiles to Russia (21:02), and Biden might be on the cusp of allowing Ukraine to strike inside Russia (23:00); Venezuelan presidential candidate Edmundo González flees the country (25:46); the Mexican Senate passes AMLO’s judicial reform (27:50); and a New Cold War update featuring US and Chinese theater commanders speaking for the first time since 2022 (30:02) and fears over a possible Chinese naval base (31:16).Don’t forget: AP is moving to Supporting Cast! Read our announcement for details on what to do to keep your paid subscription going or just head over to our Supporting Cast page to get started. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe

**This episode was originally recorded and released in September, 2021**Danny and Derek begin the episode with some reflections on their 9/11 experience. They then interview Jim Lobe, director of LobeLog and contributing editor at the Quincy Institute’s Responsible Statecraft, about the intellectual origins of the coalition that after 9/11 pursued endless war. The episode ends with a discussion with Laila Ujayli, associate editor at Inkstick Media, about growing up as a young Muslim in post-9/11 America, the attacks' effects on the American Muslim community, and more.Subscribe now at Supporting Cast! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe

Danny and Derek called an emergency pod crossover with Chapo Trap House to break down the new Reagan film, where Dennis Quaid—supported by the likes of addled Hollywood heavy hitter Jon Voight and Creed crooner Scott Stapp—takes his stab at portraying the man who brought us “Morning in America”.Don’t forget: AP is moving to Supporting Cast! Read our announcement for details on what to do to keep your paid subscription going, or decide that you’d like to join us for the wild ride of American FP and history. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe

Danny and Derek speak with Jake Werner, acting director of the East Asia Program at the Quincy Institute, about his recent brief, “A Program for Progressive China Policy.” They define the current state of US policy toward China before exploring the background of US-China alignment starting in the neoliberal turn, the fundamental misconception of what’s happening in China by American policymakers, and his progressive vision for the US’s policy towards China regarding issues of the economy, military, human rights, and climate change.Further reading from Jake:* This report focusing in more detail on the bilateral US–China relationship* This analysis emphasizing the contrasting experience of Russia and China in the free market globalization era* An interview on a progressive vision for the global economyAlso, for this coming week, the House leadership is organizing a “China Week”, when they will try to pass some two dozen bills restricting and excluding China. Look out for an article on this from Jake in The Nation.Note: There also appears to be an issue with Substack’s RSS, so we are running this on the main feed. Fear not: a double bonus is coming for paid subscribers soon. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe

Danny melts from the LA heat while Derek pukes from the DC elite, all while giving you the news. This week: in Palestine-Israel, several Israeli hostages in Gaza are killed (1:22), Netanyahu continues to block a ceasefire (7:17), and the IDF’s operation in the West Bank goes on over one week (10:57); Turkey applies to join BRICS (14:24); Myanmar’s junta might be making election preparations (16:36); the UN negotiates a central bank resolution for Libya (18:57); the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) finally gets mpox vaccines (21:38); the US again accuses Russia of election meddling (24:57); an update on the Ukraine war (26:52); Macron finally names a prime minister in France (29:46); Venezuela issues an arrest warrant for the opposition presidential candidate (33:02); Antony Blinken visits Haiti amid a stagnant intervention (34:56) and a New Cold War update featuring the US losing support in Southeast Asia (38:14). This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe

Danny and Derek welcome back AP mega-guest Spencer Ackerman, author of the Forever Wars newsletter and soon-to-be-published issues of Marvel Comics’ Iron Man. The group explores Spencer’s inspiration to pursue more work in the world of comic books, writing for a character who is a defense contractor, bringing left-wing messaging into the medium, the sand box of Marvel Comics vs. the behemoth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, plus Spencer’s impressions on some major current events.NOTE: This interview was recorded on 8/30/24, prior to reports that the Israeli military had recovered the bodies of six hostages inside Gaza.Click hear to learn how to pre-order Iron Man & get free merch!More of Spencer’s work:* The graphic novel Waller vs. Wildstorm* Forever Wars newsletter * His book Reign of Terror Further Reading:* Annie Nocenti, journalist, writer, editor and filmmaker* Six Stops on the National Security Tour by Miriam Pemberton This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.americanprestigepod.comDanny and Derek welcome to the podcast television writer and producer Justin Boyd to talk about Oliver Stone’s 1991 epic JFK. They explore Justin’s own origins as a Dallasite, the place the film occupies within the film & television canon, whether a 3 1/2 hour, paranoid epic fueled by rage could be made today, its modernist features, claims of homophobi…