Blowback
A podcast about the American Empire.
Fri, February 14, 2025
S5 Episode 10 - "The Terrible But Unfinished Story"
Wounded but not destroyed, Cambodia staggers into the 21st century. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Fri, February 07, 2025
S5 Episode 9 - "Le Cercle Rouge"
Vietnam ends Democratic Kampuchea and the US backs the Khmer Rouge. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Fri, January 31, 2025
S5 Episode 8 - "Third World War"
Khmer Rouge horrors spiral toward conflict with an ex-comrade: Vietnam. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Fri, January 24, 2025
S5 Episode 7 - "Less Than Zero"
Cambodia slips into darkness, as the Khmer Rouge seize the country. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Fri, January 17, 2025
S5 Episode 6 - "Dream Warriors"
The short-lived reign of the Khmer Republic; the end of Nixon. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Fri, January 10, 2025
S5 Episode 5 - "Last Tango In Paris"
One Cambodian coup, two US invasions and an unlikely American friend: China. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Fri, January 03, 2025
S5 Episode 4 - "Mad Men"
Nixon and Kissinger put Cambodia on the menu. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Fri, December 27, 2024
S5 Episode 3 - "Listen to the Thunder"
Sihanouk struggles to keep Cambodia out of LBJ's war in Vietnam. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Fri, December 20, 2024
S5 Episode 2 - "The French Connection"
Indochina rises up, the French Empire ends, the Cold War begins. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Fri, September 20, 2024
S5 Episode 1 - "The Wolves Are Closing In"
A prelude and a primer to this season's story: the tragedy of Cambodia. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Wed, January 10, 2024
S4 Episode 10 - "The Phantom Pain"
Donald Trump cuts a deal with the Taliban — and America begins its withdrawal. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Wed, January 03, 2024
S4 Episode 9 - "Peace Walker"
The Obama administration promises victory in ‘The Good War.’ Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Wed, December 27, 2023
S4 Episode 8 - "Sons of Liberty"
America runs its war in Afghanistan on the cheap — and subcontracts to crooks, kingpins, and gangsters. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Wed, December 20, 2023
S4 Episode 7 - "Guns of the Patriots"
The Bush administration unleashes the first war of the 21st century. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Wed, December 13, 2023
S4 Episode 6 - "Ground Zeroes"
The Afghan jihad spreads to Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Wed, December 06, 2023
S4 Episode 5 - "We Can Live With That"
The warlord years, and the rise of the Taliban. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Wed, November 29, 2023
S4 Episode 4 - "They're Yours Now"
Operation Cyclone whips through Afghanistan — until a deal is finally struck. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Wed, November 22, 2023
S4 Episode 3 - "The Trap"
The USSR invades, and the Safari Club kicks things up a notch. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Wed, November 15, 2023
S4 Episode 2 - "Bleeders and Dealers"
The build-up to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Fri, August 25, 2023
S4 Episode 1 - "Snake Eater"
Welcome to Season 4: Afghanistan. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, November 28, 2022
S3 Episode 10 - "The Host"
The armistice in Korea is supposed to be temporary. But a peace treaty never comes. As decades roll on, the war becomes permanent. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, November 21, 2022
S3 Episode 9 - "No More Targets"
Stalemate on the battlefield does not stop the United States from obliterating North Korea. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, November 14, 2022
S3 Episode 8 - "American Caesar"
President Truman and his “Big General in the Far East” enter their final standoff over the war. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, November 07, 2022
S3 Episode 7 - "Mao's Poem"
The US threatens to cross the Yalu. The Chinese leadership debates its options in Korea. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, October 31, 2022
S3 Episode 6 - "National Smile Week"
Gen. MacArthur executes his revenge. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, October 24, 2022
S3 Episode 5 - “Train to Busan”
With a rightwing, US-backed klepto-case to his South, Kim Il-Sung bets the house. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, October 17, 2022
S3 Episode 4 - "Red Island"
The war before the war on a self-reliant island off South Korea. Soundtrack: https://open.spotify.com/album/4e9hkmGdDhycmgcGKe3bF0?si=d97_H1fvS5CV84ZvcEhZqQ Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, October 10, 2022
S3 Episode 3 - "The Blue House"
After a flash of hope post-WWII Korea is divided into North and South. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Sat, October 01, 2022
S3 Episode 2 - “The Uninvited”
A pocket-sized history of the Korean peninsula, the upstart US and Japanese empires, and World War II. Soundtrack: https://open.spotify.com/album/4e9hkmGdDhycmgcGKe3bF0?si=d97_H1fvS5CV84ZvcEhZqQ Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, July 25, 2022
S3 Episode 1 - “Stop Me Before I Kill Again”
A new season, a new story: The Korean War. To listen to the rest of season 3 right now, visit www.blowback.show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Tue, April 12, 2022
Coming Soon: Blowback Season Three
The third season of Blowback — the story of the Korean War — arrives July 2022. Pre-order and listening details at https://blowback.supportingcast.fm Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, November 15, 2021
S2 Bonus 10 - "Havana (Derangement) Syndrome"
Guests Helen Yaffe, José Pertierra and Marta Núñez Sarmiento discuss the protests in Cuba during July 2021. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, November 08, 2021
S2 Bonus 9 - "The Most Beautiful Cause"
A rundown of the Cuban revolution's foreign policy in Africa with guest, Cuban diplomat Oscar Oramas-Oliva. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, November 01, 2021
S2 Bonus 8 - "The Capital of Terrorism"
Noah talks with José Pertierra, a Cuban-American immigration attorney who has long tangled with right-wing Miami Cubans in the media and in court. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, October 25, 2021
S2 Bonus 7 - "Sweet Dirty Tony's Baadasssss Song"
Guest Bill Corbett (Mystery Science Theater 3000, Rifftrax) and Brendan hang out and talk about some bad Cuba movies. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, October 18, 2021
S2 Bonus 6 - “Neverland”
A discussion of Operation Peter Pan with Prof. Nelson Valdes, with a detour into Hungary, 1956. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, October 11, 2021
S2 Bonus 5 - "Massive Retaliation"
A brief overview of how American nuclear weapons strategy ran parallel to the story in our main narrative. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, October 04, 2021
S2 Bonus 4 - "CIAin't Kiddin'"
Guest Luna Olavarria-Gallegos explains how the US government infiltrated and co-opted the hip-hop scene in Cuba. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, September 27, 2021
S2 Bonus 3 - "Watch Out For That Boy"
We talk to activists and historians about Cuba, black radicalism, and how the Revolution attacked the problem of racism. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, September 20, 2021
S2 Bonus 2 - "Lo Distinto Se Parece"
Interviews with history professor Michelle Chase and Cuban scholar Marta Nuñez Sarmiento. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, September 13, 2021
S2 Bonus 1 - "Red-Handed Sleight of Hand"
Guatemala: an origin story, inspiration, and cautionary tale just a few hundred miles from our main story. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, September 06, 2021
S2 Episode 10 - "Infinite Crisis"
After the Kennedy assassination, US-Cuba diplomacy wanes and the embargo continues. To this day. Our story ends. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, August 30, 2021
S2 Episode 9 - "Cuba Libra"
Castro, Khrushchev, and Kennedy take tentative steps toward the path of peace post-Crisis. Cuban exile groups, and their CIA sponsors, are not pleased. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, August 23, 2021
S2 Episode 8 - “We’ll All Meet In Hell”
The USA announces to the world there are missiles in Cuba. Fidel prepares for war. Khrushchev secretly haggles with Kennedy. Americans enjoy Betty Crocker Super Moist Cake Mix. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, August 16, 2021
S2 Episode 7 - "Anadyr"
Fearing another American invasion — "the big one" — Soviet and Cuban leaders plot a secret response. Camelot never sees it coming. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, August 09, 2021
S2 Episode 6 - "Nothing To Lose"
Smarting from failure at the Bay of Pigs, the White House sets in motion a new plan to thwart the Cuban Revolution: Operation Mongoose. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, August 02, 2021
S2 Episode 5 - "Fish Is Red"
The CIA and the Cuban exiles get their long-awaited shot at taking out Castro and the Revolution. The subsequent battle in Cuba sends shockwaves around the world. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, July 26, 2021
S2 Episode 4 - "Secret Honor"
JFK outmuscles Richard Nixon on Cuba and into the White House. The CIA begins training Cuban exiles in Central America for an invasion. And Fidel pays a visit to Harlem. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, July 19, 2021
S2 Episode 3 - "New Normal"
The Cuban Revolution takes power and the counter-revolution begins. The U.S. government, organized crime, and Cuban exiles carry out a campaign of terrorism, assassination, sabotage and psy-ops to turn back the clock. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, July 12, 2021
S2 Episode 2 - "Lo Hicimos"
A long short history of Cuba’s relationship with the United States, climaxing with the Cuban revolutionaries’ war to liberate the island from the dictator Batista and his backers in the United States. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, April 19, 2021
S2 Episode 1 - "The Jupiter Menace"
Welcome back. Brendan and Noah reveal this season’s subject, explore the USA’s unrelenting Cuba mania, and introduce the cast of characters. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Trailer · Mon, April 12, 2021
Coming Soon: Blowback Season 2
New episodes drop on April 19. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Bonus · Thu, August 20, 2020
S1 Bonus - "Shock Corridor feat. Naomi Klein"
Author Naomi Klein joins us to discuss the American exploitation-fest in Iraq, her own experience coming up during the Bush years, the rehabilitation of the Bush administration, and its continuities with the Trump gang. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Bonus · Wed, August 19, 2020
S1 Bonus - "Iraqi Horror Picture Show feat. Matt Christman"
Brendan and Noah survey the underwhelming landscape of Iraq War cinema with special guest Matt Christman. They dissect both Hollywood's hits and flops — neither of which were very good — and recommend very few flicks worth watching. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Bonus · Tue, August 18, 2020
S1 Bonus - "Our Man In Baghdad feat. Dahr Jamail"
In this first bonus episode, Noah talks to author and journalist Dahr Jamail, one of the few journalists who covered the occupation of Iraq, on the ground, without being embedded with the US military or its allies. Dahr is the author of “Beyond the Green Zone,” “The Will To Resist,” and “The Mass Destruction of Iraq.” Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, August 17, 2020
S1 Episode 10 - "The Iraq War Did Not Take Place"
Invading Iraq means never having to say you’re sorry. The end of Bush, the broken promise of Obama, and the rise of ISIS and Donald Trump. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, August 10, 2020
S1 Episode 9 - "How Do You Fuck That Up?"
The empire strikes back. As Iraq deteriorates into civil war, the Bush administration taps a new man to lead a new American strategy. Which means saying goodbye to an old friend. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, August 03, 2020
S1 Episode 8 - "Electioneering"
The American public votes to give Bush another term, right before a big dose of buyers’ remorse. In Iraq, the new "democracy" struggles to get elections off the ground as the situation careens toward civil war. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, July 27, 2020
S1 Episode 7 - "#Resistance"
Somehow not expecting it, the Americans now face an insurgency problem, as both Sunni and Shi'a militants emerge to kick us out. War crimes and atrocities in Fallujah, Sadr City and Abu Ghraib fuel the flames of anti-American resistance. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, July 20, 2020
S1 Episode 6 - "Year Zero"
Welcome to the Green Zone, where America rules from Saddam’s old palace. The US occupation begins the destruction of Iraq, Rudy Giuliani almost becomes Viceroy, and Halliburton hunts and kills baby kittens. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, July 13, 2020
S1 Episode 5 - "Dead Links feat. Will Menaker"
The media episode, breaking down some of the journalistic fuck-ups and pundit idiocy that steered us toward war in Iraq. Featuring special guest Will Menaker. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, July 06, 2020
S1 Episode 4 - "Mars Attacks"
America sends Colin Powell, Good Cop, to the UN for one last PR stunt before we invade Iraq. The portal to Gozer the Destructor is opened and the war begins. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, June 29, 2020
S1 Episode 3 - "Curveball"
September 11th gives America the perfect excuse to finish our hit job on Iraq. We put together the Bush administration's case for war — WMD and al-Qaeda — and take it apart piece by piece. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, June 22, 2020
S1 Episode 2 - "American Psycho"
Before George W. Bush, there was Daddy Bush and Bill Clinton, who killed thousands of Iraqis and pushed the country to the brink of famine. The Gulf War, brutal sanctions, and the End of History. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mon, June 15, 2020
S1 Episode 1 - "Rosebud"
We trace the origins of America’s perverse relationship with Iraq, from the Cold War to the Iran-Iraq War in the 80s. Assassinations, coups, counter-coups, and the rise of Saddam. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Tue, March 17, 2020
Episode 0 - "Iraqnophobia" feat. H. Jon Benjamin & James Adomian
Brendan and Noah drag the Iraq War out of America’s memory hole to see how it shaped our hellworld today. Meet the rogues’ gallery of George W. Bush’s administration and Saddam Hussein’s family. Featuring special guests James Adomian and H. Jon Benjamin. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
Tue, March 17, 2020
S1 Episode 0 - "Iraqnophobia" feat. H. Jon Benjamin & James Adomian
Brendan and Noah drag the Iraq War out of America’s memory hole to see how it shaped our world today. Meet the rogues’ gallery of George W. Bush’s administration and Saddam Hussein’s family. Featuring special guests James Adomian and H. Jon Benjamin. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Trailer · Mon, March 09, 2020
New Podcast Coming Soon: Blowback
The Iraq War did not take place. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
Trailer · Mon, March 09, 2020
New Podcast Coming Soon: Blowback
The Iraq War did not take place. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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