Foreign Affairs, Drinks, & Other Ill-Advised Adventures

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Hell's Half Acre
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Ill-Advised Adventures
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Podcast

3 hours ago
3 min

The Long, Good War

The US quitting Afghanistan will lead to tragedy. So will an endless war. Pick your poison.

Apr 15
5 min

On the Shores of Tripoli

The Libyan Hostage Crisis, US Intervention & Regime Change

Apr 8
5 min

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

Vladimir Putin would like for NATO to rot, and is cultivating the conditions to make it happen.

Apr 1
5 min

A Beautiful Place to Be

After nine years of civil war, Libya has a national interim government. Will this one stick? Do they ever stick as well as we remember?

Mar 25
5 min

The Rubicon is Deeper Than It is Wide

The framers of the constitution looked to Rome for guidance. Not to build an empire but to avoid one. Results have been mixed.

Mar 11
4 min

The Loudest Voice in the Room

You rid us of Saddam.” He touched his heart, “But what was your plan? For after?” The man didn’t seem angry, just genuinely baffled.

Mar 3
5 min

The Syria Gambit

Thoughts on the US Syria gambit - and game theory.

Feb 26
2 min

El Draque

The El Draque is cocktail history, even if we're calling it the mojito now. But there is no reason to be a twit about the mint.

Feb 24
5 min

Cuba Libre!

One part rum, three parts yanqui imperialism, and an imaginary dollar.

Feb 18
4 min

Playing with Fire & Devils

Zarif makes a persuasive argument. On the other hand, not trusting people further than you can throw them is no reason not to like them.

Feb 11
5 min

An Exorcism in Myanmar

Every night for the last week they come out at precisely 8:00 o’clock to bang the pots and pans, the traditional exorcism for evil spirits.

Jan 28
5 min

On The Steps of the Capitol

Noxious though it is, we need government to provide some stability if we are going to be something other than house cats.

Jan 6
5 min

The Twilight of Revolution

The Arab Spring ten years on reveals the meat-hook realities beyond revolutionary slogans.

Dec 9, 2020
4 min

Be Wary the Revolution

George Washington led an army in a successful colonial revolt, but he was no radical. The man was about as establishment as you get.

Dec 2, 2020
5 min

The Rise of Op-Ed Intelligence

Still, the culture of America’s 17 intelligence agencies is hardwired for the cloak and dagger – even among themselves.

Nov 24, 2020
5 min

One of Those Marriages

On the gulf’s east bank sits Iran, baring its teeth at Saudi Arabia and doing a fair job of conquest-by-internal-rot of Iraq.

Nov 5, 2020
4 min

I've Never Been to Katmandu (Part II)

In retrospect, taking a swat at airport security was an idiotic thing to do but my conscious mind hadn’t thought about it. I'd just done it.

Oct 29, 2020
5 min

I've Never Been to Katmandu (part 1)

Excerpted from Pothole of the Gods (Burnaby) “Run and find out.” Motto of all the Mongoose family Rudyard Kipling Rikki-tikki-tavi...

Oct 1, 2020
2 min

Weapons Grade Elvis

I asked Jesse about one Paul MacLeod. He knew who I was talking about... “That guy,” Jesse said into his beer. “That guy went overboard.”

Aug 28, 2020
4 min

Machiavellian, But Not In a Bad Way

Dubai stands out between on the Persian Gulf like an air-conditioned glob of Kardashian on the edge of a baking, austere peninsula.

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For when whatever we're doing here isn't enough, join us for the 4717 podcast - in search of an interesting conversation and dedicated to the prevention of taking oneself too seriously.

On Day Drinking4717

00:00 / 19:23