In this episode, Cameron opens with a wild midnight ER visit that turns into a rumination on aging, mortality, and kung fu-induced hypochondria. Once the chest pains are out of the way, we pick up where we left off on Cuba’s “independence” after the Spanish-American War - President Tomás Estrada Palma, the illusion of Cuban self-rule under the Plat…

Like he had before Tehran, FDR refused the idea of an Anglo-American bloc when he and Churchill met briefly in Malta before the conference. He's trying hard to avoid putting Stalin on the defensive. Because he knows that in the game of wartime diplomacy, the player with the most troops on the ground had the loudest voice. HOW TO LISTEN If you're al…

Following the Spanish-American War, the U.S. Occupation Government of Cuba forced elections. They tried to engineer Cuba into voting to become one of the United States - instead the Cuban people chose independence. So the U.S. introduced the Platt Amendment, aimed at long term control over Cuba's military and economy while declaring them to be a so…

We look at the complexities surrounding America's occupation of Cuba at the dawn of the 20th century - General Leonard Wood’s appointment as governor, his controversial educational and economic reforms favoring American interests, and the racial tensions arising from imported labor practices. We look at America's strategic objectives behind colonia…

Towards the end of 1899, a new American governor was appointed in Cuba - General Leonard Wood, the recent commander of the Rough Riders along with Teddy Roosevelt. He set up thousands of free schools and introduced economic reforms - which caused a massive wave of dispossession and bankruptcy and enabled an American land grab. Learn more about your…

The post Vitellius #14 – Order 66 appeared first on Life Of The Caesars.By Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris

So, it's 1898, the Spanish have evacuated the island of Cuba after 400 years of rule, and the United States have taken their place. They ran Cuba as a military dictatorship. General Brooke, the first U.S. governor of the island, said, "There is not a sensible man who thinks we can leave for a long time." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit mega…

By Christmas of 1097, the Crusaders continued to lay siege to Antioch but it has gone on so long they are running out of supplies. One out of every seven men was dying of hunger. Even a greater percentage of horses were also dying. Because Jesus loved them. Both sides continued to hope for the arrival of reinforcements to turn the tables. There som…

When the U.S. troops landed in Cuba, it changed the nature of the war. The old racism returned. Of course, when the war was over in July, the U.S. had no intention of letting the Cuban people have their independence. As the commander of US forces in Cuba said: "Why, these people are no more fit for self-government than gunpowder is for hell." In th…

So in January of 1898, the Cubans were on the verge of victory in their battle for independence against Spain. And while the US government was happy to see Spain out of the picture, they had no intention of allowing Cuba to be independent. Since the days of Jefferson back in the 1790s, almost every presidential administration in Washington had imag…

Kerbogha, the governor of Mosul, with a massive coalition army he’d built, on his way to relieve Antioch, paused to eliminate Baldwin in Edessa. One of his new allies was Ridwan of Aleppo, who relied heavily on the Shi’a ‘Order of Assassins’, led by Hassan-i Sabbah, to stay in power. And Sabbah was friends with the Persian polymath Omar Khayyam. So…

The post Vitellius #9 – STRIKE FIRST, STRIKE HARD, NO MERCY appeared first on Life Of The Caesars.By Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris

In this episode we introduce one of Cuba's greatest heroes - José Martí. Castro frequently referred to Martí as the “intellectual author” of the Cuban revolution. He fought to free Cuba from Spain and to protect it from the hungry ambitions of the United States. Meanwhile, the creation of "Yellow Journalism" invented the modern American propaganda …

It's finally time to talk about the Cuban Revolution. But of course before we can do that story justice, we need to explain some back story. Everything needs to be understood in context. Let's go back in time to when Spain still had its American colonies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Some people have said 1983 was the most dangerous year in human history. On four separate occasions, the U.S.A. and the USSR nearly ended up in a hot nuclear war. Soviet leaders apparently became deeply worried that the US was preparing to launch a surprise nuclear attack on the USSR under the cover of a NATO exercise titled ‘Able Archer.’ Brian J.…

Today we interview Andrea Balis & Elizabeth Levy, co-authors of the book "Witch Hunt: The Cold War, Joe McCarthy, and the Red Scare", a cutting-edge look into a pivotal moment in US history: McCarthy's infamous "witch hunt" for communists during the 1950's Red Scare. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

This episode finds the Crusaders marching through the Anatolian desert, doing deals with French pirates, selling their armour and watching pack animals sliding down wet mountain paths, until finally reaching the city/fortress of Tarsus – where they immediately turn on and kill each other, before eventually moving on towards Antioch. This was less a…

As I’ve been saying for years – Trump isn’t the problem. He’s just a symptom of the problem. The actual problem is stupid people. And they are justifiably angry. But to think billionaires are going to solve the problem is just stupid. It’s billionaires and the politicians they control that got the U.S. into this situation in the first place. Welcom…

The reasons the CIA got involved in Tibet are complicated. But they seem to have had nothing to do really with protecting the Dalai Lama or any sort of ideological belief in Tibetan independence. It had more to do with weakening China once it became a communist country. The covert goal of the United States National Security Council was to "Discredi…

For nearly two decades, the CIA ran a covert operation designed to train Tibetan insurgents and gather intelligence about the Chinese, while smuggling weapons and money into Tibet, pushing Tibetan supporters of the Dalai Lama to launch violent uprisings, and using "black propaganda" to spread lies about Chinese atrocities in the region. But the U.S…

The post Vitellius #5 – The Mule Guy appeared first on Life Of The Caesars.By Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris

The media coverage, and Western government commentary, of Israel’s pager and walkie-talkie attacks in Lebanon have studiously avoided the use of the word “terrorism”, even though that’s what all of the world’s human rights organisations are calling it and what we all know the media and governments would be calling if it any other single country did…

During the 1950s, social unrest rocked Tibet, partly because of power struggles at the top level of the government and partly because the poor masses wanted a revolution like the one in China. Meanwhile, the Dalai Lama actually began to support the idea of Marxism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

There's nothing hotter than Tibetan-on-Tibetan violence, especially when it's the two top government officials having a civil war over the new Dalai Lama, as happened in Tibet in 1947. But don't let anyone ever tell you that making a child the head of a religion and government isn't a sensational idea. It's NEVER gone badly. EVER. And did you know …

On his way to Constantinople, Bohemond attacked a village of Christian heretics, because having different opinions should not be tolerated. When he arrived at the Byzantine capital, he met with Alexios but didn’t trust his cooking. After he left, he was quickly followed by Count Raymond of Toulouse, who thought he should be in charge of the allied …

Who is Kamala Harris? How does she stack up as a potential POTUS? And how do Lichtman’s 13 Keys to the White House work? Who does it predict will win the 2024 election? Listen and find out. The post BS 127 – Kamala and Lichtman’s 13 Keys appeared first on The BS Filter.By Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris

In 1904, the British sent an army into Tibet to secure it for Britain. It resulted in a massacre when the British opened fire with their new Maxim machine guns on Tibetans holding spears. The Dalai Lama was forced to flee the country. Over the next few decades, Tibet was oppressed by the British and China (also controlled by Britain, especially aft…

We all know that Tibet and China have a history, and that the U.S.A. is always in the middle of it. But you may not know that The United States recognizes Tibet to be part of the People’s Republic of China or that the UK and the U.S.A. have spent over a century trying to wrest control over Tibet away from China. This is part one of that story. Lear…

The post Vitellius #1 – The Third New Emperor appeared first on Life Of The Caesars.By Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris

The failure of the People’s Crusade didn’t stop the overall appetite in Europe for pillaging the Holy Land. They still had the Prince’s Crusade. A bunch of rich young men, their vassals and hired mercenaries set out to pillage Jerusalem and anything else appetising along the way. Even, perhaps Constantinople. There something secret here that only m…

The post Otho #12 – Fortitude and Firmness appeared first on Life Of The Caesars.By Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris

The CIA's second attempt at a coup succeeds. Mossadegh is driven into hiding and General Zahedi declares himself the new leader of the country. The CIA celebrates wth champagne. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris

It's the middle of 1953, and the CIA is ready to execute their coup against the democratically elected government of Iran. The plan? Spend a bucket load of money hiring thugs to cause riots in the streets. Blame it on Mossadegh and then bribe a corrupt member of the Iranian military to go and arrest him. Unfortunately for the CIA, it didn't go to p…

At the end of April in 1096, a priest by the name of Volkmar, a monk called Gottschalk, and an army from the Rhineland led by a Count Emich set off on the First Crusade with tens of thousands of soldiers and enthusiastic pilgrims… following a goose that had been inspired by God… and a holy goat. Their first order of business was to kill as many Jew…

The Praetorians push for a fast campaign because they didn't want to spend any more time away from the comforts of Rome than necessary. Unfortunately, in letting them drive the strategy, Otho sealed his doom. The post Otho #10 – The Comforts of Home appeared first on Life Of The Caesars.By Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris

In early 1953, Churchill initiated a plan with the CIA to overthrow Iranian Prime Minister Mossadegh, involving key figures like General Sahedi and the Rashidian brothers. Aided by disinformation campaigns, the Shah fled Iran, stirring public outcry. Despite initial resistance from Eisenhower, pressure from the Dulles brothers and ongoing chaos in …

Ever wondered why the heads of MI6 are called "M"? Well they aren't. They are called “C”. It all started with Sir Mansfield Smith-Cumming, who signed his docs with a green “C.” This guy was a true legend—a retired Navy man who became the spymaster extraordinaire, famous for his love of gadgets and high-speed Rolls-Royce drives. His dramatic life in…

The election of Eisenhower as U.S. President in Nov 1952 gave the British a new hope that the country might now support their plans to overthrow the Iranian government. Even before Ike took office, they sent Monty Woodhouse, the former chief of MI6 in Tehran, to Washington to start working with the Dulles brothers, soon to be the guys running the U…

In this episode of ‘The Bullshit Filter,’ we discuss the US’s selective adherence to international laws, the complex US-Saudi relationship, and evolving power dynamics involving China. Discussions include potential ICC arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders, the US’s opposition to ICC jurisdiction over Israel, and the historical context of t…

Mossadegh is more popular than ever. But that isn't going to stop the British from conspiring against him. They decide that next time they try to bring down his government, they will need to find a way to get the mob on their side. Key to their future plans will be General Zahedi and the CIA's Kermit Roosevelt. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis…

In July of 1952, eight months after he got back from Washington, and in the middle of fighting Anglo-Iranian in the World Court, Mossadegh paid a visit to the Shah and asked him to relinquish control over the army. The Shah refused. So Mossadegh resigned. The British and the Shah were ecstatic and appointed a new puppet PM who announced a new order…

This month we’re looking (again) at the US’ ban of TikTok, and their veto over Palestine’s membership in the UN, as well as the Australian government trying to censor X and we ask if what Israel is doing is “genocide”. 00:00 Welcome to the Bullshit Filter: Unpacking Contemporary Issues 01:21 Freedom of Speech and Social Media: A Deep Dive 03:44 The…

As Mossadegh wins the hearts and minds of Americans and the world, the British re-elect Churchill who considers Mossadegh "an elderly lunatic bent on wrecking his country and handing it over to the communists." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris

In October 1951, Mossadegh flew to New York to address the United Nations and then to Washington to meet with Truman. It was the first time the UN was used by a poor, post-colonial country to voice their grievances against Western aggression. He was going toe-to-tow with Britain’s great white hope, Sir Gladwyn Jebb. Learn more about your ad choices…

In actual fact, it wasn’t the CIA that came up with the template for using covert action to destabilise and overthrow a country’s government - it was a fascist British Foreign Secretary and the British academics he hired to bring down Mossadegh. The CIA just took that model and employed it - first in Iran, and then over and over and over again. Lea…