Ben Rhodes + Julia Ioffe: After the Fall

[@49prodog]

Great discussion. Confrontational at times but very professional. We need more of this kind!

[@jonathantodhunter8407]

Outstanding people. Wish there were more like this to save the world.

[@Driver-ur9mf]

Are they merely outstanding because of leftist views, that the condemn democracy as corrupt, or they fail to declare US a republic? The double talk about authoritarianism bad, after years of white house censorship, disinformation, and do what I say or lose your job. Biden is powerless to address world concerns? When in most powerful nation, with house, senate, and spooks in his pocket. And most powerful military in the solar system, or entire universe? Yup, help the dummy understand

[@surlypiratewench1969]

Wow. Two voices I look to on foreign policy the most. Ben’s book “ After the Fall” is brilliant and having Julia’s perspective was enlightening. Great work y’all 👍🏼❤️

[@jayham____fromgeorgia]

since Feb. 2022, I have listened to a handful of really experienced and intelligent people like Julia, other journalists as well as military/state department folks.. it has been really helpful for trying to understand the issues surrounding russia, russia's invasion of Ukraine also the background on putin/kremlin. also leaning much about Ukraine and the will of the people in Ukraine to push russia out of their country.. thank you guys very much.. great content

[@danielhutchinson6604]

The illusion that Ukraine has one type of Heritage, appears to ignore a large record of Historic Records? Ukraine is populated by Humans of Polish ancestory who appear to desire a return to Galicia as a part of a Polish Empire. The presance of Tatars, might indicate some desire to be a part of Mongolian Cultures? Romanians may seem to desire a return of the Holy Roman Empire and German Popes who can part the Waters of money that flood over Ukraine? Greeks show us that Alexander influenced the area long before Turks assumed control of Crimea. History reveals the presence of many Empires effects on the land between Asia and Europe. Political Prostitutes like Ioffe appear to enforce some foolish belief that Ukraine is some unified group of single minded Individuals who now desire to be exploited by Western Powers Investors desires for Profits? Economic Warfare is Hell, and Civilians as well as Soldiers now are dying to provide profits to a small group of investors. The inability to seek facts as the US State Department holds a Bake Sale, that offers Yellow Cake, while Old Farts play Domino Theory, seems to offer more misinformation than Russian Propaganda appears to provide? If you chose to believe that the information that theUSS Maddox was attacked, is a good reason to kill 6 million Humans in Southeast Asia, you apparently may be stupid enough to operate a .50 cal machine gun from the roof of an Embassy to shoot at Humans who are supposed to be our friends, and not need anti depressants to cope with your feelings about the event? The US State Department is capable of telling lies to provide profits...... Go ahead, prove me wrong?

[@DavidKingsbury89]

Julia is fascinating to listen to. great storyteller, and asking ben some tough questions

[@safuwanfauzi5014]

why everybody love Julia, my god, i watch many of Julia video, many man fall love with her.

[@artmusic2]

Scholarly conversation, with Ben & Julia, is always sorely needed & knowledge driven by both of them. Strand Bookstore never disappoints. Thank you New York City!

[@TheAtheistAdam]

Julia: You seemed to have failed at your purposes, what would you do different? Ben: Well it’s complicated and we actually made the best choices possible Why is accountability so hard? Choices made with good intentions and limited data can lead to failure. Honest reflection on our missteps is necessary for the growth of a political movement…

[@dnfi5480]

I had the same impression. The benefit of hindsight is that you can take distance, disect, learn...Ben seems to go into political pundit mode and just endlessly defend the administration he was part of. Disappointing... Julia was great, all interviewers should be probing like this.

[@leorivers7759]

Ben seems well intentioned and intelligent. But he did complain "we are getting away from my book" at least once.

[@aardvarkansaw]

Obama not defending his red line in Syria chemical warfare: I think Americans were, at that point, severely averse to any military intervention and expressed it directly to their representatives in congress. The country just did not want it at that time. The media made a big deal about not defending the "Red Line".

[@richardburgess8657]

Great stuff. Thank you.

[@oscarmora4602]

I was in Moscow in 1999 for New Year's. The clubs were crazy and I've managed to hold on to one of your news papers. O.

[@kennetharbour1160]

In the light of the Ukraine, Julia clearly has a lot of problems with the Obama foreign policy. Those years need more examination. I hope her voice and influence grow,

[@eamonnopratai]

Good work as interviewer by Julia Ioffe - she pinned down Ben Rhodes until she got real answers back from him! 🙂

[@pewtergamer8600]

Love both of them. She was a bit rough on him, but he took it on his shoulders.

[@mtfine]

Julia nailed him.

[@h1jen1x]

Wow. She's completely torching this dude. And rightfully so. Additionally, nobody has ever questioned Obama like this.

[@3prohor]

Briliant minds

[@nlabanok]

I love the tough questions from Julia rather than the puffball talk so many authors face during their media promo tours....of course, hindsight is 20-20 and I say this as someone who voted FOR Obama twice and would vote for him again, but the Obama administration was waaaaaaaaay too delicate with Putin and with the nascent & as it turns out illegal support for Putinism that was growing within the US during the Obama administration. I do understand that part of his premise for being president was a more humble and reserved presidency but generational mistakes were made through an unwillingness to act when necessary to reground the community of Americans and the world community on acceptable behavior.

[@ilirllukaci5345]

Poured through Strand catalogs in the 1990's.

[@aPeaceOfAdam]

15% commission of the funds recovered for any finance worker that discovers and declares any financial transaction that is "dark money" - boom, problem solved

[@Nandotainer]

Great discussion, love the insights from well read people. You could've saved some time not by not coffing, but cutting out on the 'you know' parts, adds up to a few good minutes am guessing..

[@robbrown4621]

Ben Rhodes sounds exactly like John Adams, which is probably why there is no memorial to John Adams in Washington. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle between Jefferson on one side and Ben Rhodes on the other...

[@leorivers7759]

Please explain... this went over my head.

[@robbrown4621]

@@leorivers7759 John Adams said that Americans are not special, not the product of divine intervention, and the idea of a democratic America has no more than a 50/50 chance of survival. Adams was exposing the dark side of American character. He was a contrarian in regard to Jefferson's high minded writing and expressions of American uniqueness and noble character. Adams was thinking about slavery, about the genocide of native Americans, and about the social and cultural divide between Southern and Norther peoples. He was also thinking about states rights in opposition to a strong federal government. Adams lectured on the need to be aware of the negative qualities of human nature before building monuments to an American mythology. Ben Rhodes is a modern day contrarian in the mold of John Adams...

[@leorivers7759]

Thanks. This is a perspective that I can put to use.

[@robbrown4621]

@@leorivers7759 Cool. Check out a book called, Passionate Sage, about the emotional state of John Adams. It's very good.

[@jsrjsr6105]

Anyone know how to spell deusch correctly?

[@puggcash4860]

The Earth Grows Humans !

[@oscarmora4602]

Oh man, I thought you were Taibi!

[@joesky011]

Interesting when Ben said "What's exceptional about America... is the story we tell about ourselves". I think therein lies much of the problem with America....the self-delusion that leads to the current dysfunctional state of US politics, economics and life in general. America is an amazing country, no doubt about that but it's also a flawed democracy with incredible wealth inequalities, an insane obsession with guns and the Republican Party operating like an autocracy in the making. I don't know how you reinvent America as the great country it should be but it has to happen. The world needs a strong and functional USA.

[@DavidS-m8o]

What we can do if we don’t like the way things are is stop paying taxes. Don’t file. It’s that easy. You don’t like the management in this country and YES! We The People can make things better. Thorium reactors will be a very good start. We must change. 🌎✌🌍✌

[@gavinmc5285]

14:34 all-inclusive GB

[@douglas2lee929]

Was she crying just as she came on, or was she choking on her water?

[@roseblue3368]

Ben excuses in Syria is very shortsighted

[@rainmanjr2007]

Ben went down to Havana and took a little risk?

[@danielschaeffer1294]

Lawyers guns and money should get him out of this.

[@rainmanjr2007]

@@danielschaeffer1294 Send them.

[@richardkennady9568]

He mentioned Stacy Abrams and lost me, this guy has his head in the sand to even mention her name.

[@Richard-hv5hh]

Richard I totally agree. I think Ben Rhodes was not remotely up to the job and he continues to think progressives are the answer. He was hostile to Israel, good to Iran, did zero for the black community, clings to the idea that racism towards Obama was a major problem, gave a pass to Putin on Crimea and did nothing regarding the Syrian red line..... just a failure and glad to see Julia hold him to some account. I would have gone a lot further.

[@JAYDUBYAH29]

Oof, she’s tough and he maintains composure under pressure.

[@bertoneautomotive7172]

This is a MONOLOGUE of Ben Rhodes... :(

[@boomidongle4271]

havana syndrome = crickets

[@samw4758]

This is why our country is in trouble. Ben Rhodes Samantha Powers and crew running the show. I wouldn’t let them paint my house.

[@__Andrew_]

Lousy audio quality, such a shame. Much rather have no video and use the bandwidth for decent audio. And ffs if you cough all over your opening question, do a retake

[@ilirllukaci5345]

American exceptionalism is not just an aspiration. Proof of this is that "American nationalism" is actually an oxymoron. But it took Obama's cowardice to make us forget that. You cite Crimea, but no mention of Syria?

[@arthurswanson3285]

Obama sought congressional approval for Syrian intervention, as the constitution says he was supposed to. McConnell opposed him for political expedience, as he did when he asked McConnell to forming a joint statement against Russian interference in the 2016 election.

[@ilirllukaci5345]

@@arthurswanson3285 Obama only sought it because he knew he wouldn't get it. He had the prerogative to act on his own. What do you suppose Hillary felt about this?

[@arthurswanson3285]

@@ilirllukaci5345 Im not a psychic, so I have no idea what hillary felt. I also know that if Obama made that statement alone he'd have been accused of interfering in the election, which is why it was critical to have mcconnell backing him up in making that statement. Which mcconnell refused to do, leading to the trump disaster.

[@ilirllukaci5345]

@@arthurswanson3285 And Hillary's defeat. You are not aware of the tension between Hillary Clinton and Obama on the issues of Syria and Russia and just interpersonally? Hillary was a neo-con. She had Madeleine Albright behind her. What do you think Albright thought of Obama?

[@Driver-ur9mf]

@@arthurswanson3285 trump disaster? Odd characterization of fundamental constitutionalism. I get it if you lament the brief detour from Marxism, peace in middle east, with a safe and secure border. No worries, was undone in a quarter.

[@Miguel_El_Chileno]

liberal democracy or populist and demagogic conservative nationalist authoritarianism

[@AMCNolan]

Too little too late.

[@BugMateo]

Ben is talking poop about Cuba... it's OK, bud...