Interview with General David Petraeus | The Problem With Jon Stewart | Apple TV+

Has our military industry given us a complex? For our new episode, we ask General David Petraeus. to talk about what, if anything, we have learned from our often cavalier approach to foreign policy. Watch the full interview in “The Military Industrial Excess” on Apple TV+.
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#TheProblemWithJonStewart #military #afghanistan

[@SophisticatedBob]

Maybe I'm wrong, but Jon is the only person currently doing things like this. Networks certainly can't, or won't, do it because they only feed us 3 minute snippets of partisan information in between commercials. News budgets have been cut, so now rather than investigate real issues, they offer opinions on the same topics everyone else is talking about. Bravo Jon.

[@Sharkdanceteacher]

Not wrong. I feel the same way , unfortunately he doesn't have many viewers like the people spreading misinformation

[@atomicbonds6790]

As long as the major shareholders in our MSM are oligarchs and the military war complex...you're not going to be hearing from people like Jon on your MSM evening cable. He doesn't support the myopic narrative that the oligarchs want to jack hammer into our minds.

[@JustOneAsbesto]

You mean networks like AppleTV+??

[@atomicbonds6790]

@@JustOneAsbesto No. Main stream media. Apple is a paid service.

[@JustOneAsbesto]

@@atomicbonds6790 OP only said "networks". AppleTV+ is a network. Any relation to Barry? Say hi for me.

[@carbide4458]

You got the guy to admit we don't see the consequences of our "promoting democracy" experiments. I'm damn impressed.

[@damienyuen7718]

They don't promote democracy . It's warmongering imperialism.

[@LD-yq7cl]

those dictator countries were more in peace under their dictators...

[@donthomcsi]

My Dad was the Air Force Colonel during Vietnam in charge of logistics for Vietnam and Korea and he told me when I was due to join up that he didn't want me anywhere near there. He said they were using chemical defoilants on millions of acres of land that these people had to live of off and there was something terribly wrong with this war. Jon's comment, "what about the people on the ground?" was right on.

[@michaelotieno6524]

The short answer was that as a democracy people get to debate the merits of our military action...I don't think the General understood the question.....

[@bighands69]

Your story is nonsense.

[@harukrentz435]

@@bighands69 just search: agent orange vietnam. Your lack of knowlegde is embarassing.

[@BingBongFYaLife]

@@bighands69 agent orange and to dioxins it left behind are not nonsense. They cause cancer to this day and it is our fault. We were lied into the Vietnam war, the gulf of Tonkin incident was a false flag used to escalate a conflict.

[@jakevendrotti1496]

​@@michaelotieno6524 Oh, he understood the question all too well.

[@jfred36]

The "KKR" vest is the most telling part of this interview.

[@XBKLYN]

I thought the same thing. Leave no opportunity behind for some shameless advertising.

[@intexas7922]

Caught my eye as well , thinking alot of people don't realize what/who that is. it's not just the MIC , but the Military Industrial Complex partnered w/ PE ( Private Equity )

[@illant]

"We don't ever reckon with the true reality of our intellectualized exercises..." THIS guy. Thank you, John.

[@brendan95delany]

*Jon

[@touristguy87]

...we?

[@ravenblood1954]

Yeah and what do you think happens? The US presence in Korea and Japan are probably a large part of the reason why South Korea is a democracy and Japan isn’t a partner of an Authoritarian nation like China. It’s why Taiwan is still a democracy. You like to contemplate what your presence might do but you refuse to acknowledge the difficult realities of what your absence does as well.

[@avinashreji60]

@@ravenblood1954 South Korea only became democratic in the 80s and Japan already had democratic institutions. Quit lying dude

[@jaybk718]

His response "that's the beauty of a democracy" is so insensitive towards the lives we destroy through those "intellectual exercises". That KKR money gotta be crazy.

[@gedaliaw]

Where's the rest of this interview? This looked like a genuine discussion that could go on for an hour and that we'd love to see.

[@Kymoon99]

Apple TV +

[@MrAnonymous825]

Apple won't go the netflix or hbo max route and just leave the episodes or the major segments online, gotta go black flag unless you wanna pay for apple tv+

[@ThomasHaberkorn]

should be on public broadcast

[@Kymoon99]

@@ThomasHaberkorn I wish it was 👍🏼

[@MabelLouDad]

@@Kymoon99 it is not on AppleTV. this is the same interview from the show

[@golfer5636]

Love that Petreus is wearing a vest with KKR- Kohlberg, Kravitz, Roberts. Huge private equity firm

[@thomasstengel7356]

Jon Stewart is a national treasure. I'm so glad he semi-unretired. We need him and more like him.

[@judykinsman3258]

Jon. You are a national treasure. It’s sad we don’t have more journalists doing what you do.

[@stud6414]

Jon, is an actor and a natural subverter. His job is placate normies in thinking they have a voice in "our" democracy. Remember gloria steinem the "feminists" pretending to be for women. Turns out she worked with the CIA and her real job was to breakup the family and get women into the workforce to grow the GDP.

[@christomccarthy1369]

Jon, you are the voice of reason. Unfortunately, you can't tell the truth in a house of lies.

[@GeebusCrust]

I think it's even sadder that we're getting so much more of this from a comedian than any career journalist. Or at the very least, his platform gives him so much more reach. But indeed yes, a national treasure

[@mikec5641]

They're too busy covering corporate demands and interests

[@marciamakesmusic]

​​@@GeebusCrust because most journalists are forced to work for media conglomerates that censor what they can write

[@iriereviews]

Jon is out there showing these media types how to conduct probing and interesting interviews. What a shame that this is so rare. I can watch these all day.

[@johnlodge8546]

Why do you think this is the case??? I know!! Specifically, the networks are more concerned with continued access to the politicians, whom don't want to answer nuanced questions. For the networks it's better to allow these interviews to be controlled by the interviewee.

[@iriereviews]

@@johnlodge8546 exactly!!! I think this was a rhetorical question since you have the exact answer. I think of Maggie Haberman cozying up to Trump. It's apparently standard operating procedure in the mainstream media.

[@grildcheez1504]

Not rare. You mean like Anthony Pompliano, Joe Rogan, Tim Ferris, Lex friedman etc plenty others do long form for the most influential people all on KZbin/Spotify. Stewart is 5 years late to the party.

[@MattyIce2584]

I do! lol

[@sean-michaelsmyth9389]

​@@grildcheez1504 Sure it's long format but everyone mentioned is heavily outclassed by Jon. Influential yes, but Joe Rogan is a clown by comparison imo.

[@CA-hl4hi]

these interviews are so good. The interviewees are even better & more coherent than on major media news programs

[@misscameroon8062]

Jon Stewart sure coherent, but you must be bonkers to see petereus as a coherent, he is anything but..

[@itslene]

@@misscameroon8062 you must be deaf then

[@CA-hl4hi]

@@misscameroon8062-- "Coherent"-adjective 1. (of an argument, theory, or policy) logical and consistent.

[@misscameroon8062]

@@CA-hl4hi do you know what cohesion is?

[@lucasmurphy740]

@@CA-hl4hi what part of the 20 year "intervention" into the middle east did you find logical. General Killgore here literally says, "We had to get Bin Laden. That meant we had to get the entire Taliban." Only a braindead marine thinks that is a coherent statement.

[@darryltara773]

I miss watching Jon Stewart on The Daily Show but I think what he's doing now is way more important!!

[@1992TheHurricane]

Agreed

[@LXTstudio]

Everything Everywhere All At Once is both a fantastic film and apparently America's foreign policy

[@marufahmed3416]

Great comment.

[@yourmomsaccount69]

Bahahaha! It's even more Appropriate when you think about how Evelyn in the film had potential to do anything but had excelled nothing, kind of like america these days..

[@BroAnarchy]

Lol. WHUT

[@joeystillpoppin1173]

A great description 😁👍🏻

[@jcehlert]

I will watch that film.

[@5-1biggiebagextrafries]

It’s kinda adorable and refreshing seeing a guest ACTUALLY do a little research before 😂

[@JohnnyFlash-]

I don't think anyone is going to try and say that General David Petraeus is someone who doesn't know his shit. Agreeing with his outlook and assessment is something else.

[@ibeezisi3847]

I’m actually more in agreement with the General while still being a big fan of Jon. The problem with the Afghan/Iraq wars was a lack of focus on what needed to be achieved. Also, the monumental/colossal/consequential decision of invading Iraq. Should never have happened. I’m quite impressed with our posture now towards the Russia/Ukraine war. And I like the more dialogue approach to our rivalry with China, rather than saber rattling.

[@Sarah-re7cg]

@@JohnnyFlash- “Agreeing with his assessment and outlook is something else” THIS 👏🏻 👏🏻 thank you

[@Khronogi]

​@@ibeezisi3847 Yeah I'm with you. I'd love to see the longer form of this interview.

[@adolforosado]

It was not research, it was his memo telling him what he could say and what he could not.

[@Raven-si7bm]

As usual, Jon makes a lot of fantastic points. As an immigrant and active duty service member, the one part of this interview that I can't help but to think about is what the retired general said at the end. The value of having these kinds of discussions in a public platform can be so important. Is that what we are fighting for? Its symbolic but sort of a copout...we already have that right and I don't see how a foreign "threat" will take that away.

[@fludblud]

The threat wont take that away... at first. But if it is allowed, it will first take those rights and discussions away from smaller countries bordering it, then those next to them and so on until that threat has enough strength, power and influence to take it away from you. The biggest argument for US foreign policy comes from the most vulnerable nations like Taiwan, Japan, Phillippines, Ukraine and the Baltic states that would immediately be swallowed up by the likes of China and Russia if they were not under the US military umbrella or receive support. Its what makes the US and NATO so unique from previous empires, their willingness to allow smaller nations to exist under their protection instead of outright conquering them because they can.

[@naturesmusic1171]

​​@@fludblud anything to tell yourself that'll make you feel good about conducting regime change, destruction and havoc across the globe 😂😂. None of the places you have been in the past decades is better now than it was before, Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq. How a whole country became so war minded beats me. You tell yourself you're doing good, because you don't have to live in that "good" you're creating elsewhere, other people have to live it. Nations existed before NATO so don't make it sound like NATO is the only thing guaranteeing nations safety.

[@msmith3395]

@@naturesmusic1171 Sometimes the good accomplished from a set of policies and actions is less obvious, or even invisible, while the inevitable imperfections in a process are in the spot light. This is especially true when the good is the preventative type. It's easy to say "defund the police" or similar because there are legitimate grievances with the policing, but you have to consider the consequence of having no police. Possibly the safest approach is step wise modification of the current practices rather than a radical leap to the other extreme. I'm not a fan of the U.S.'s intervention in the middle east, or at least how it was done, but also not quite ready to say we should become isolationist.

[@scratchy996]

"how a foreign "threat" will take that away." - If you give it enough time, it will take everything away from you, without firing a single bullet. As someone who has studied history for a lifetime, and has lived behind the Iron Curtain, I can tell you that you need to understand that people never change, we are the same creatures we were 2000 years ago, and we will be the same until our extinction. Knowing that, you have to look at history, and realize that everything you know can be turned upside down in a very short period of time. People felt perfectly safe and secure just before ww1. People felt safe and secure after ww1, because they thought no one is crazy to try that again. Bigger, older, more powerful empires than the US have come and went away. All you have to do is see why Rome fell, and extrapolate from there. Just know that people never change, and the people that followed that Austrian moustache guy, or the big moustache Soviet guy, or now the little balding Russian guy were normal people who thought they were doing the right thing. Just like you and your neighbor. Just because you have a right, it doesn't mean you have it forever. "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure." - Thomas Jefferson

[@fluidthought42]

​@@fludblud ... except we have supported and still support oppressive and brutal dictators and monarchies across the world. The Saudis are literally a royal family, not exactly the exemplars of a functioning democracy! And yet we support them. Then we have Israel sliding into undemocratic tendencies while at the same time promoting far right figures that both Israel and the US once classified as terrorists into power. And don't even get me started with the US military's complacency and implicit defense of allied warlords engaging in "bacha bazi" in Afghanistan... Point is, it never was about our morality or a shared ideology of rights and principles. It has, if not always then at least predominantly been an exercise in maintaining the status quo of power, with US at the top.

[@roberth4448]

General David’s Facial expression on John Stewart’s last statement “ And, so what. Not our problem “ 😭😂

[@basilhatte]

"The Military Industrial Complex are the only winners in all this..." The nugget of truth that Pateaus couldn't bury with all his shit. Jon's got the gold!

[@daethalion1725]

Yup. Patraeus neglects to mention that a) American intervention efforts have consistently failed to achieve victory according to America's stated policy objectives since the Korean War, and b) American intervention efforts are never waged from a desire to improve the lives of other humans around the globe. *Never*

[@paulschweizer7696]

KKR vest is a nice touch... 🤔

[@polarfroge]

@@daethalion1725 Neither is ANY other country. Humanity is selfish by nature. Point to a single nation that isn’t just as driven by greed & self interest. Just one. Take your time. I’ll wait.

[@Khronogi]

Yes Basil, but he also didnt say it wasn't. Yes, they make ridiculous money. Yes, they have ridiculous waste with that money. Yes, they war monger for the sake of profit. BUT, we also unfortunately need them in order to maintain the technological advantages that we have. Because if shit hits the fan, we need to be able to win. There is a balance to be struck. We can constrain the complex and reduce waste. Just like our police force, we can help to restructure and reform, but removing it is only going to fuck ourselves.

[@raywalsh9152]

@@daethalion1725 I was actually surprised that Jon only went back as far as Iraq/Afghanistan. He could have easily gone back to Korea. Since that "conflict", or "police action", or whatever prettier than "war" term some would like to attach to it, we are 1-4. And Grenada was like playing a pre-conference game against St. Mary's University for the Blind and Disabled.

[@ThirdInLine]

Jon, please never leave us. We need you to press buttons and get real answers! You are a great force for reason and logic, something we lack severely these days!

[@jimquinn2431]

So we actually can have a civil but adversarial interview with intelligent people sharing their perspectives.. I feel a tiny bit better today

[@evrythingis1]

Thats the whole point, to make you feel better by talking about it, without ever actually doing ANYTHING about it. Welcome to America!

[@NachttiSchlampE65]

@@evrythingis1 Yeah from a European pov its always refreshing to hear people from the US trying to get a bigger picture or a different perspective on things. I think if theres one clear similiarity on both sides of the Atlantic, then it is politicians saying what the public wants to hear, without taking action. As pessimistic as it may sound but i just dont see anything changing in the near future as well. That MIC seems just hilariously powerful and even out of control in a sense. That industry exists solely with a potential threat, which needs to be taken care of or at least protect from. Whether that threat is created or actually exists, that doesnt matter, as long as the money keeps flowing.

[@kail9777]

I'm so thankful we have people like Jon Stewart who see others as people as well.

[@JohnVance]

I love how fearless Jon is.

[@tommygun5038]

Fearless???🤣

[@maryhalverson5713]

The establishment reined him in after his outburst of truth on the the Colbert show.

[@teshkuti1722]

He wasn’t fearless he was very soft to this criminal thug

[@lesliepetty8210]

Jon 2024 please!

[@eyespliced]

he won't, and I don't blame him. . . but yeah. I would love to see someone of his moral caliber in that office.

[@HH-el8vp]

A vegan Jew? No thank you. He basically a Marxist.

[@yourmomsaccount69]

I vote his show be shown on every network for free as a social service.

[@eyespliced]

​@@HH-el8vp Oh my, someone with the username "HH" getting upset about someone being *_jewish_* sounds like we got some natzee skum on our hands. It would be really tragic if you tripped off a clif, "HH."

[@HH-el8vp]

@@eyespliced HH? It atands for 'Hi, Hello.' Its an inside joke from how answer the phone high. Nazis were socialists, I am not. Modern Jews kill Palestine kids over real estate argument in Israel becauae they think they are 'GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE.'

[@abigfish1620]

I could have listened to you interviewing General Petraeus for hours. There is a lot of experience and wisdom and intelligence in that room.

[@sbuckle1171]

But all the righteousness is clearly within the General, of course.

[@oze1999]

Agreed!

[@klowen7778]

Dunno, much as I admire Jon, it's always easy to criticize and find fault... but war is never 'tidy'. And what are the 'alternatives', besides stay-at-home isolationism, and let China, Russia, North Korea, ISIS, whomever eat our lunch (and grab everyone else's lunch besides)?

[@sbuckle1171]

Never ever have seen someone as intelligent as John Stewart be able to hold one of the military’s sacred cow generals to account. This is just unheard of in the great United States of Goosesteppers.

[@airbrushken5339]

As a Vietnam Veteran who is dying from Dixon Exposure related health issues .... over 300,000 fellow Vietnam Veterans have died that way so far. I live in Australia now (so at least I have access to free health care) as i moved here to teach in 1979 after 9 years Army. I'm also an Artist who took part in different Vietnam War Art Shows with two different groups; one in the USA (Chicago) and the other in Australia .... we wanted to show our fellow citizens what we did in their name. To show the true pain of war. Sadly we failed as both counties continued with the same basic systems.... do a 12 moth tour and go home. Well son you're back, time to move forward, forget about it???? Over 300,000 Vietnam Veterans have died AFTER coming home from exposure to Dioxin Poisoning related health issues. I was at an organized medical appointment (US Veterans Admin made the appointments). There my wife and I met two gulf war veterans, and while waiting told me about these burn pits??? Both men looked pretty sick, even had gray colored gums and odd colored teeth. It broke my heart as these men stood up to be counted when the USA was attacked ... my life's over, there is no cure for poisoning. It took a man Like Jon to bring this to light, I wish someone would have been around for us... I am alone, no family ... "Thank you for your service???" sure....

[@NathanCroucher]

Why not take one of the people who did that to you with you when you go? cheeney, bush their all living out their days in leisure, no accountability whatsoever. kissingers another one, 99.

[@ADDeeJay]

I'm finding out a bunch of us USN submariners were exposed to a crazy amount of things and a bunch of us are showing symptoms and some have died. Pretty recently too. I've dealt with some hard shit since getting out. When people thank me for my service it always feels like a "fuck you". They're finally starting to ask the questions, and when I posted about this I got a lot of information from the people I worked with. I had assumed it was radiation, and I'm being told if it was the long term symptoms wouldn't be the same. But then everyone started talking about everything we were exposed to. Where it was. What it was. People that have died already. Shared common symptoms. I can think of at least 30 instances where I was exposed to something abnormal as part of my daily work. Sometimes covered in stuff head to toe. The chemicals they burned. The smell of carbon monoxide as they ran the diesel. Living in that for weeks at a time. I fucking feel you man. It's like they used us to wipe the world's collective ass and then threw us away.

[@crazyitalian333]

My heart hurts for you. Sending love

[@rickallen1908]

Sir, as a citizen of the United States I would like to thank you for your service, God Bless. I entered adolescents during the Viet Nam war, an army brat. I remember the protests, and Canada runners. Thinking they were abandoning their country. I wouldn't realize for decades how my country abandoned our soldiers. My first exposure was in my 20s, when a man I met needed a ride to the closest VA clinic 70 miles away. He had lost his leg in "The Nam" as he called it. He was supposed to be getting a new prosthesis, I took him four times in the course of a year before it was ready. Since then all my friends who served have died of cancer, or respiratory failure. All I can do is feel empathy for your plight, for what it's worth, I'll keep you in my prayers.

[@apexnext]

I wasn't even alive during Vietnam, but I have educated myself as a history buff. So many Americans today have forgotten how we treated Vietnam Vets. Today people can be against _War_ and still be _For_ the troops. Back then society was still blaming troops for what the government was doing. Soon after Veterans started to come back from Afghanistan and Iraq, I started telling anyone who would listen to stop saying, "Thank you for your service." And leaving it at that. People wanted to say the empty platitude and feel better about themselves. I know I may never be able to truly comfort a Veteran and I will definitely never understand completely. But I always try and actually listen and actually hear what they are saying. I cannot even imagine. Thank you for being better than most others, I'm sorry we still don't take care of our best.

[@clearytheory8826]

Jon is getting his mojo back. Finally. Keep it up.

[@maryhalverson5713]

Jon needs to have some deep discussions with Chris Hedges.

[@maryhalverson5713]

@Waldo 7071 When the establishment took it.

[@gregchambers6100]

I like both of these guys. Jon because he cares and thinks. David because he cares and thinks.

[@Jkim890]

Haven’t seen the whole interview, but from what I can see so far, this is a conversation between two true believers of wanting to do the right thing. Patraeus puts forth his talking points of the purpose and mission of the US Military, but also concedes on its faults. Stewart takes the point of someone who doesn’t attack the General’s character, but of someone who is genuinely unable to reconcile the evidence with the conclusions presented and instead shows different perspectives to consider that are often ignored. Patraeus doesn’t invalidate these alternative viewpoints. Beautiful.

[@maximusdillon5258]

Not solving anything and saying it was incredibly constructive was the most army general thing to do.

[@peterhorton9063]

Yes they should of solved these complex foreign policy issues in 6 min.

[@DuderofDudeness]

It was incredibly deconstructive

[@em8066]

He just went in circles, no accountability, just deflecting and oversimplifying. Had nothing to say about the burn pits. Expected more from his "homework."

[@DuderofDudeness]

@@peterhorton9063 😆 He's talking about the military complex solving foreign disputes not solving them in a manicured deep state friendly interview.

[@yomamasohot6411]

@@peterhorton9063 He is talking about the 20 years, genius!

[@darksangel56]

Of all of the interviews i have seen from this program, Jon actually is interviewing someone with a good IQ and is open to questions. Everything, everywhere all at once......hilarious!

[@aidenmurphy9924]

"But you see... that's the beauty of democracy... if everyone is ok with me doing bad stuff then that's democracy"

[@Token_Nerd]

@@aidenmurphy9924 The okay thing is being able to criticize him openly and directly. That is a good thing.

[@foobar4763]

@@Token_Nerd What is the net outcome of those criticisms? Yes, I get we can talk/ask, but there is no action. To the point Jhon made, who is going to take care of those people on ground who are in reality dealing with the issues from the burn pit? Anyone seriously thinks they will be take care of?

[@lenny8511]

@@foobar4763 how can there be action if no one raises awareness that change needs to occur?

[@doxasticc]

a 'good IQ'? Are you serious? He just deflected criticism by saying 'iSn't iT gReAT wE cAN cRITiCize.' Someone with a 'good IQ' would've addressed the actual criticism, not deflect with silly platitudes. He's an imbecile.

[@AsitAithal]

Jon BOOM Stewart. The best. Having the balls to ask tough questions that 'journalists' don't.

[@luisvarela7827]

Jon puts 95% of American journalism to shame. Thank you. We should all follow suit otherwise what is the point if only one person is actually doing something.

[@LD-yq7cl]

that is because the people that repeat the same crap are not journalists, just NEWS READERS... yes master...

[@MalakaPetros]

Jon is the best! I realize that's not the most nuanced and thoughtful comment here, but I'm just in awe of how he manages to put his finger right on what's important and present it succinctly and critically to people in authority. Wish they would listen.

[@Bubble998Grunge]

not much of a convo when you keep interrupting

[@nataliemoon1512]

He needs to ask Pope Francis why he promote Cardinal Pell who urged victims to sign away legal their legal rights

[@1987retroman]

He's bootlicking essentially. It's gross.

[@donaldnewman5836]

I like watching this man interview people he is not afraid to ask the tuff questions. He challenges each guest.

[@kurolap7882]

he is not asking questions.listen to the interview....really. there are no substantive questions.

[@yojimbo3681]

"Keep the plates spinning" LOLOLOL. We really have turned into a circus.

[@justinhakaraia9264]

John Stewart for president 2024..I approve this message.

[@ParadNorthProd]

Look at how much money KKR makes on the defense industry. The vest is telling.

[@premswaroop8168]

I thought comment section will be on this . But it seems no one noticed KKR vest.

[@candyquahogmarshmallow8257]

C'mon sir, you're under a vest for that comment **handcuffs you**

[@feddomeijerwiersma6955]

First thing I noticed.

[@billcall1600]

Different KKR

[@arabellachampaq689]

Bill, which KKR do you think manifested that vest?

[@gotherecom]

Petraeus: "If not us, who?" Stewart: "Smart, kind people don't seem to last."

[@waelabdallah4272]

Thank you Jon for your sincere and great work to bring the truth And the Truth shall set you Free

[@michaeld4861]

Great as always!

[@langamtimkulu6846]

Profits before people. Welcome to America

[@stevenpwilliams]

My goodness Jon, you have missed your calling. Somehow, you need to find a way to leverage your ability to articulate 'The Problem' to even greater and higher levels of impact. Bravo, sir!

[@flymakena]

Time to listen,word up Jon 👍👏👏

[@OnTourWithPattiSmith]

PROOF that a man with a hammer sees everything as a nail. 💯

[@christophergrewe3651]

Like always another great interview!!!

[@arriuscalpurniuspiso]

General Betrayus is talking a lot and saying nothing. He is a simp

[@caridadbenito4329]

Jon thank u so much for coming back after ur retiremnt. Wlthe world needs u SO BADLY. u r a hero a saint a dignified human being and being fun is just a bonus!!!how blsd u r for living a truthful life

[@csilvermyst]

Great questions. Gen Petreas was giving honest answers, they're just complicated and multifaceted.

[@arshadhayat]

Jon keep doing what you do. please don't stop.

[@arriuscalpurniuspiso]

He is exposing all the frauds like General Betrayus

[@battlezonetrading]

Jon you have taught me many lessons on questioning my surroundings, kindness and having courage. I have been trying to push congress to help families with disabled love ones just like mine but it seems like such a long road where noone will listen. Your battles you have fought keep me going, however I am no Jon Stewart.

[@usmausmma]

Petraeus is a good leader.Good interview. Jon Stewart has become more balanced than his past career. Certainly more thoughtful than anything Colbert can muster.

[@datmeme8967]

Press Consultant: "If you get a difficult question, just say how great democracy is that we can even have the discussion." Petraeus: "That's gold, Jerry!.... GOLD!"

[@rg-cc5kg]

But that is the point. Democracies can discuss decisions, autocracies can t and therefore must repeat their mistakes again and again. Do you believe a ruZZian general would ever discuss policy with a guy like Jon Stewart?

[@datmeme8967]

@@rg-cc5kg Actually, the point is to answer the question he was asked and not deflect into some flag hugging.

[@evrythingis1]

@@rg-cc5kg "Democracies" can discuss decisions until they are blue in the face, and it literally NEVER impacts what ends up happening. The entire point is having the illusion of choice. Congress votes against THEIR OWN CONSTITUENTS will over 97% of the time. I bet even China has a better adherence rate than that....

[@rcg9573]

@@rg-cc5kg No, actually that isn't the point. The point is Petraeus was intentionally deflecting and changing the subject because Stewart brought up a perfectly valid and logical point that he had no intention of addressing.

[@ahyaok100]

@@datmeme8967 He's no nationalist. To say Iraq and Afghanistan could have been handled better is a huge understatement. But that doesn't mean that the US doesn't need a strong military. Let's not be naive. Democracy and freedom will never be appreciated until you lose it. The difference is profound. His answer was appropriate IMO.

[@LtdNulty]

"We've left their countries polluted" - "This is the beauty of a democracy, that we can sit here and talk about it. And I think this is incredibly constructive." Constructive for whom, if I may ask?

[@jedinxf7]

lol if the victims got a vote in the consequences then democratic accountability would have a role in the discussion. Maybe the solution to American foreign policy disasters is to offer accelerated citizenship to anyone from an affected nation who wants it and let them participate in the vote over how we fix our messes.

[@biscuit2075]

That was a "these are no the droids your looking for" moment, or him yelling SQUIRREL.

[@prospectnyc]

Yes. That was a way to get out of addressing the question. Not a good one either because the people they are talking about do not have a vote or say in the matter.

[@skunkjulio]

That's what the edit was supposed to lead you to. But these are two snips from different parts of the interview.

[@LtdNulty]

@@skunkjulio that is possible and i didn't take it into account. But how do you know?

[@ovtheabyss84]

We need to protect Jon and journalists like him at all costs.

[@nataliemoon1512]

Journalsts like N galilea. The vatican promoted priests that covered up abuse right before the pandemic. Her books reveal

[@bryanleggo3489]

LOL! Journalists like him! Are you kidding?

[@GoldenBearKarl]

Keep doing what you do Jon, you're the only sane person in the media.

[@EmilyEverglot]

I met Petraeus in 2005/2006 when he was at Ft Leavonworth. He and others at the graduation of CGSOC and they all did speeches of KNOWING the US would be at "war" for at least 20 years or more!

[@hackiest]

Jon will never get them to say things he wants them to, but the beauty is watching them trying NOT to say it, is just as satisfying.

[@Queensizemusic]

What a fascinating and, yes, constructive, conversation.

[@dpelpal]

Well, a guy like Petraus didnt exactly get there via honesty and forthrightness.

[@SnowCones101]

The whole point is Petraus is deflecting using abstract language like "well the beauty of our democracy is we can have this conversation" rather than grappling with the fact that the institutions he has been so vital to have killed millions over the past few decades. It's not about "the conversation" he represents something unfathomably evil

[@chicom14]

I admire this really intelligent conversation.

[@gl0bal7474]

jon makes it look easy. he is a true master

[@MSKhan-dh9id]

I would have liked to see the full interview, to further explore the real influence of our Military Industrial Complex and its testing ground around the World.

[@RickCardone]

I was dying to ask the question, "What did we learn from Vietnam?"

[@orlock20]

Vietnam was a testing ground. 80% of the Vietnamese backed the North Vietnamese (hence the Viet Cong) so there really wasn't much in terms of the U.S. destroying a friendly village. The U.S. pulled so far ahead in technology that the most modern Russian and Chinese equipment now was stuff the U.S. used in the Vietnam War or shortly after. The Korean Civil War was different in that the U.S. and the Soviet Union were on par when it came to technology.

[@RobertDooley-sl7cp]

Thanks Jon!

[@ellenmccarthy6912]

Thank you John.

[@ethelkrobinson7159]

Jon I love you and what you do. Very thought provoking and real and honest always and funny sometimes too. Great all around sensible man. Thank you. He will never agree with or even understand the point Job is making. Why is everything in the world "our" business.

[@jayl271322]

Because world events impact the world - and the US (and all other western countries) exist in the world. Either those events impact you in the direction you'd like to go or they don't. Like I'm sure you do on a daily basis, they try to shape their environment in alignment with the world they'd like to see. Not always done right, not always ethical but on the level of principle it makes sense.

[@longshank59]

As a Vet for Peace it's not our business. I've experienced what we do around the world. 😢

[@tin-n-tan]

If you heard your neighbour beating his wife would you call the police? What if the police come and your neighbour takes his gun, shoots his wife, kills 3 cops and turns the gun on your family. Whose fault is that? Yours, because you couldn't keep to yourself? I mean the Taliban are some really f***ed up people. Iran. North Korea. Russia. I'm not saying America should get involved but at the same time it's pretty shitty watching generation after generation of North Koreans wasted because they live under a tyrant. It's hard not to want to send Ukraine weapons when Russia is openly declaring that their goal is genocide. Life's tough, Afghanistan and Iraq were handled terribly, but we all also complain about all the injustice in the world.

[@catsNcode]

@@jayl271322 to a certain extent, I understand what you mean. Where I begin to have issue with what we do is when the propaganda machine feeds the public with ideas to manufacture consent for war. You see this with China. Yeah, China does some terrible shit. But everything the U.S. accuses them of---are exactly what we've been guilty of doing.

[@AWSOM817]

@@jayl271322 And USA, to certain extent their citizens are willing to do whatever necessary so that impact favors them. Thats not so much different than what Putin and Russia did, dont worry I condemned Russia as much as USA for that principle. May they annihilated each others, preferably without others get caught in it, but if it the price to pay for freedom for humanity so be it.

[@stephengragg7287]

It’s very telling that Jon keeps having the discussion and David’s responses are all “isn’t it great that we live in a Democracy and we can have these conversations.” If I’m Jon I’m just thinking ‘Not really cause I’m trying to have the conversation and you’re not participating in it’

[@xVDRx]

Direct questions, direct answers, respectful debate and conversation. Imagine if everybody just treated each other with respect, imagine how different shit could be.

[@AndrejGobec]

Don't remember anyone ever asking questions this way. Jon's channel needs more exposure!

[@premiertrainingFL]

Jon, so grateful for you. Always have been. Speaking truth, keeping it simple, asking the obvious questions. The most disturbing part of all this was that it looked like some of what Jon said, never occurred to Petraeus. The military industrial complex looks to expand its own power and interests, it is NOT the job of the people of the United States to fix broken nations, or what we labor as broken, it’s not our job to assess that either. If we’re attacked, or extreme atrocities can stopped then you send them in as a last resort. We’re already spinning the biggest plate 100 times over. We got people suffering here, infrastructure, healthcare, and all this money going elsewhere needs to stay right here, reinvest in this country and it’s people.

[@jamalsinjab5137]

You are absolutely right . Mind you the industrial military complex just pushed the pentagon to double its military budget. And for what

[@deriznohappehquite]

Government spending is 30% of the US’s GDP. The military is 3%. It has already taken massive cuts as a percentage of GDP and even vs. inflation. If 27% of our GDP isn’t enough, cutting out the DoD isn’t going to make up the difference.

[@premiertrainingFL]

They can’t account for 61% of their assets or spending. There’s no way anyone with a straight face could call that efficient. Soldiers making $19k a year, come back broken spiritually and physically. People like Jon have to go beg congress to help pay for their medical care. It’s totally abysmal

[@lamontcranston3177]

Kinda funny to see these two together. Stewart's interview with a journalist helped to end the career of Petraeus. She couldn't stop praising him because she was in love with him and they were having an affair. Very interesting interview. When the affair/security-risk was exposed Stewart went on air and confessed that he didn't catch-on to the truth during the show.

[@realm3164]

Whats the source of this? Im curious about what happened.

[@lamontcranston3177]

@@realm3164 The "source" was any news at the time. This was a big story and common knowledge. Petraeus (a married man) had an affair with his biographer. A person in his position is violating security protocols by exposing himself to the risk of blackmail. He was fired for it. It ended his career.

[@wilhelmroentgen5373]

When you get to ask the questions and never answer them, you always appear to be the brighter adversary. Jon Stewart has always been that guy, maybe one day he will put some skin in the game.

[@jmiquelmb]

Really? You think Steward is the ine who didn't answer questions? To start with he's a journalist, not military. And second, Patreus didn't address the question about the damage caused by chemical weapons. He was going around with vague nonsense. That's why I don't have respect for high rank military. They often have this pragmatic holier than you savior complex where they act like they're above good and evil. They're ready to mske sacrifices as long as those sacrifices aren't their own life. They're like the opposite of heroism

[@LavaMan60]

Fantastic!

[@2012meditation]

Jon is one of the few journalists left who still have souls

[@bryanleggo3489]

Journalist? Jon? LOL!

[@2012meditation]

what is your definition of journalist, I think that he is more qualified than any other journalist@@bryanleggo3489

[@jst42nite]

Thank you Jon awesome, you have come a long way from The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, now if only Colbert could see the light, perhaps after retirement...

[@Troilus72]

Great interview with two very intelligent guys.

[@Tanglewalker]

Really wish we could have seen this conversation go on for about another hour. I'm certainly not a fan of the military industrial complex, or Petraeus in general, but feel like there could have been so much more gold mined here from his vast experience.

[@sturdevantphotography5726]

His vast experience of mismanaging failed occupations? Pure gold isn't what you're going to get from these idiots, everything is just about their careers and transitioning onto boards of arms dealers

[@alexanderrose1556]

@@sturdevantphotography5726 Petraeus was very succesful in his commands, his campaigns were undermined by the american political establishment not its military - "America doesnt lose wars it loses interest" has never been more true.

[@sturdevantphotography5726]

@@alexanderrose1556 Nobody ever 'won' a war in Afghanistan, pay attention, that's where empires go to die. Silly conversation anyways, we know from leaked memos that the US had no purpose in that country, it was perpetuated by people like Patraeus here lying about 'progress' trying to make careers, and a grift industry that gets rich from hopeless occupations.

[@Phantus00]

"Petraeus, notably, works for Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Co., the investment firm with holdings in several major defense contractors that is reportedly moving to “build up its defense portfolio at a time when military budgets are skyrocketing.”

[@cwr8618]

And? If you work in a certain industry or professional capacity, that’s where most of your value resides.

[@Zebra663]

Thanks Jon

[@6grandkidz]

thank you jon

[@kevinfitz8516]

Jon Stewart needs to be on a news channel every day

[@Kund_ai]

Then they'll box him and start telling him what he can and can't discuss.

[@mrmr446]

Real questions should be asked about what we were doing for twenty years in Afghanistan for it all to fall apart so quickly? Was it incompetence or just a bad plan from the start? Would have liked Jon to ask 'When it comes to the military how much is enough?'

[@TheSLOShadow]

Yes incompetence is what let us enter a war with no endgame plan.

[@eyespliced]

imo, we should never have gone into Iraq, and focused *_all_* of the resources we used on both countries on _Afghanistan alone._ If we'd just focused on it from the get go, instead of getting distracted by shock and awe over Baghdad and the aftermath of taking such a large country, we could have actually helped construct something lasting and magnificent, instead we reaped what was sown after 20 years of corruption and aimlessness.

[@longshank59]

I've said it before and will state it again. It'll never be enough. MIC holds the Reins on this country.

[@andrewklang809]

The US was willing to spend enormous amounts of money to make it seem that things were going well in Afghanistan, and the kinds of local officials most willing to play ball were the ones who were in it for the money. The US knew they were corrupt, brutal, inefficient, and unpopular, but didn't care, because working with them was the easiest thing to do in the moment. Money kept flowing in from the US, the military and State Department were playing with house money, so who cares if you're getting good value for that. And while Afghans rightfully gree cynical of their new US-backed warlords, the Taliban regrouped and focused their efforts on undermining the corrupt, unpopular Afghan state, not a hard thing to do. Then when the US got tired of the headache and seeing no progress, they made a deal with the Taliban to leave the US alone while it gradually withdrew (so the Taliban still had a free hand against the warlords), and the whole rotten enterprise collapsed because it was never built to either fight off the Taliban or to win local favor - it existed for the US to spend money and the corrupt officials (EDIT: and US contractors, of course) to take that money USMC General Smedley Butler once called war a "racket". Afghanistan was the biggest racket the US has ever gotten itself into.

[@besam]

Afghanistan and western part of Pakistan you can not built a nation. It is just the same problem everyone else faced. It is too many tribes, war lords looking out of personal interest.

[@curtisdush5686]

Love Jon Stewart. 💕💕🌟🌟

[@goss4444]

Dear John Stewart, Your sincere dedication to truth, compassion, and unity has left an indelible mark on many lives, including my own. Our country is in need of a leader with your qualities. I encourage you to contemplate running for President of the United States-your remarkable talent for debunking misinformation, breaking down complex issues, and engaging diverse audiences with wit and humor sets you apart. Your unwavering commitment to social justice and support for marginalized communities reflects your extraordinary character. As President, you'd embody hope and inspire millions of Americans, leading us towards a prosperous future. Give this suggestion the consideration it warrants. Best wishes, Ryan Chapman

[@bryanleggo3489]

LOL! If you'e going to suck up in such an embarrassing way you might want to spell his name right.

[@ImStayGold42]

OIF veteran here. I wish I could sit down & talk w Jon about my military experience. I went from being in basic training during 9/11 to deploying w my unit to Iraq in 2004. The stories I could tell you...🤦‍♂️🇺🇸

[@crono3339]

I went to Ramadi late in 2003 and left a year later in 2004. Hope you are healing inside and doing well all these years later. And I love Jon Stewart he really lets no BS slide by in his interviews.

[@MrSfxer]

Have you considered writing a memoir? Your experience is valuable, and I'm sure people would listen if you were ready to share it.

[@Thekennel177]

The stories would be the exact same stories we’ve heard from the days bow and arrows to now. War sucks. End of story.

[@crono3339]

@@Thekennel177 It is awful and it's the same throughout time, but individuals need to have their stories heard. Soldiers, regular people, all who are involved have their own life and story.

[@anandaadidevi2339]

"The military industrial complex is the one undefeated combatant in all of our adventures." Nailed it in a nutshell.

[@jamesfaucher4588]

It's great that we can talk about it, nothing changes or gets done, but we can talk about it. Run for president Mr. Stewart.

[@petesong7146]

Two exceptionally intelligent gentlemen engaging in a revealing conversation, with valid points raised from both.

[@existenceful]

Would love to ask Petraeus if he has read, War is a racket by Smedley Butler (USMC. Maj Gen ret) and what he thinks has changed in the last century?

[@robr9313]

I met Petraeus, I actually was in his west point company and got some pics with the guy. Hes complicated but I like him. Even as good as this interview was in 6 min, I suspect he was even better for the whole hour

[@nepaliyuva408]

He is full of contradictions. He should have been in prison for giving classified info to the journalists he was fucking. But of course, officers have different rules.

[@tjdomerny4847]

Jon is smart and so is Patreus, It was a very good conversation.

[@robertbeerbohm1800]

Jon, Run for President. The world would have hope. You have no idea what your energy inspires with truth.

[@andyroberts805]

I met the General in Ramadi in 2007. He was very open and honest with us and that went a very long way amongst soldiers that had been constantly lied to.

[@sgramling771]

Excellent pressure. Love to see more firm pressure on him and others

[@slotcarpalace]

That was superb! General Patraeus is a great interview and has a philosophical view of the military and the current perilous state of world balance. I really appreciated this dialogue. Jon Stewart you are a great humanist!

[@down-to-earth-mystery-school]

And that was Jon’s point, our actions overseas are not philosophical for the people who are affected

[@drewf4775]

General Petraeus is a fraud and an embarrassment to the US military. Everything he ever did was to further his own career and political ambitions, and true to form his own hubris brought him down.

[@cha0sniper]

​​I think the afghan women would disagree that pulling out completely was the right call though. Also all the people who worked with the US and never got pulled out and are now on a Taliban hit list. EDIT: I just realized I replied in the wrong comment thread somehow, but whatever. I'll leave it here as the mark of my shame xD

[@cjampz8704]

@@cha0sniperruh we trained the Taliban, and probably most other terrorists on the continent of Africa and overthrew govts with more rights for women before we put our puppets in to scorn scary communism 😟

[@Spiritof_76]

US Army General and CIA director? He knows the script.

[@OmalySamory]

Jon Stewart farrrrr better than any journalist in America!!

[@DaniilShevelev]

"Millitary industrial complex is the one undefeated combatants in all of our adventures" - wow, bravo {clapping}

[@sands7779]

Think about the times when someone gets you to look at a problem a completely different way. Foreign intervention has unintended consequence which are often not acknowledged in the cost/benefit/ risk analysis before the intervention. The people making the decisions often have the same mindset and influences. One of the reasons for trying for a range of mindsets contributing to decisions.

[@johan8969]

The cost benefit analysis are made by people bought by companies like Lockhead and BlackRock. Foreverwars are a big boon for american politicians because of shares and benefits and they sell it to the public with words like "democracy" and "freedom". You think a starving afghan woman cares about university when she lost two sons and cant put food on the table?

[@moegreene7940]

Except it’s not “unintended” it’s most certainly Intended

[@luxum11]

I remember this one admiral in a Smarter Every Day video stated it a bit more honestly: The purpose of our military presence is to ensure nobody wants to attack us in the first place. Understandable on first glance, though it's equally not that hard to find fault with it.

[@deriznohappehquite]

Well, really so that no one messes with the boats. If people messed with the boats… that’d be pretty bad. We’d very quickly return to 1930s global population levels. The dildo of consequences rarely arrives lubed.

[@TheWhiskydaniel]

respectful both ways , i like it even though i do not 100% agree with Jon's view for once. But here we see two respectful people that discusses a complex topic, about when to intervene - great interview.

[@cfenton2010]

Jon Stewart is a smart and well read man. He shouldn’t be interrupting a General on foreign policy.

[@joellahrman4557]

That was a very interesting interview. I did not realize that David Petraeus is employed by KKR, and I'm not sure what to make of that.

[@buckbenelli8]

That he sold out to very wealthy predatory venture capitalists. Just read about KKR leadership.

[@rmo9808]

It's a problem with top brass. Flynn has been hanging out with a bunch of televangelists. After these guys serve they are left to their own devices with a lot of sensitive information. The movie War Machine is a pretty accurate satire of the whole process.

[@johningram2153]

Oh I'm sure what to make of it :)