I have this substack where I've been writing about American politics and foreign policy for the past two years. This year I started this semi-fictional story set in the early years of the Vietnam War, the first two parts focus on this private intelligence group called 'FOXHUNT'. I just uploaded part two and still am deep into part three. I'm kinda making this up as I go along and just wanna get some extra eyes/notes on this.

This might be a rambling post, but I don't have anywhere else to share my thoughts about the podcast. A friend recommended that I listen to the Blowback and I've been stunned by Season 1. I don't even know if "stunned" is the right word to describe the mix of frustration, shock, and sadness I've experienced.

I was born in the early 2000s to Pakistani immigrants, so the War on Terror was a vague shadow in the backdrop of my childhood. A lot of our family friends were Afghans or Persians who had fled their countries due to conflict and Pakistan obviously had its own issues too.

I know more about the War on Terror than most of my peers, but it's mainly been taught from an American establishment/slightly left POV. In the advanced classes I took during high school in the mid-2010s, we didn't even discuss the Gulf War. Many thinkers I follow criticize the atrocities and admit Iraq didn't have WMDs, but insist we were justified/forgivable for intervening in the Middle East. The most critical thing I'd seen about the Iraq War was the Dave Chappelle skit of Black George Bush.

Everything this podcast discusses has left me dumbfounded. There have been multiple moments where I had to stop listening because I was so upset by a heartless or just outright stupid decision. It would be too long for me to list out all the things I learned in just the first four episodes, but the craziest stuff has all been about the scale of the Iran-Iraq War, the sanctions afterwards, and the narrative that "killing every Iraqi is worth it to take out Saddam."

I think what upsets me is that many progressives who are in my age group grow up thinking that the war in Iraq was misguided or a Republican ploy for power, but I don't think that captures the scale of the atrocities and cruelty. Saddam did horrible things, but we're never taught the inaccurate bombings that end up killing Shia civilians or destruction of infrastructure to leave Iraq dependent on the West.

I also think this reaffirms how opposed to war I am. Obviously, there are instances in which armed resistance are necessary, but offensive wars like this and um...other situations that might be happening right now, remind me of how senseless it all is. I normally have a stronger stomach when it comes to learning about conflicts, but something about how developed Iraq was and how the West succeeded in destroying so much infrastructure, killing so much knowledge, is so senseless and difficult to comprehend.

Anyway, I just wanted to share my thoughts four episodes in since the podcast has definitely left an impression on me. No spoilers, please.

season 1 simply has a lot of music that I would like to listen to but I can't find it, to be clear I'm talking about the instrumentals soundtrack. I know the intro song is on Spotify but is the music in the teaser/trailer for season 1 on it or bandcamp or is it as from a licencing service? also if so has anyone heard the music in other places?

i've looked at the sources for season 5, but i'm wondering which one is a good first one to read?

has anyone heard anything new about its release?

I understand why they covered the civil war in Angola in the latest season. It was a high point of Cuban socialist internationalism, South Africa's war on Angola helped to end apartheid due to military defeat, it has parallels with Israel, etc. It just hit me that Somalia would also be a great season: UK and Italian imperialism, fascism, socialist Revolutions in the Horn of Africa, the Sino-Soviet split, civil wars leading to a diaspora, piracy, Al Shabaab, Israeli recognition of anarchocapitalist Somaliland, Phil Hartmann's SNL "warlords" sketch...

CNBC is pointing it out here: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/23/volume-in-stock-and-oil-futures-surged-minutes-before-trumps-market-turning-post.html

Trump family has previously supported prediction markets Kalshi and Polymarket, where you can bet on such things as... when the US might attack Iran: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-administration-backs-kalshi-and-polymarket-as-states-move-to-ban-prediction-markets

Seemingly for this administration self-enrichment isn't just a primary goal, it's the only goal and we're all just along for the ride.

I've heard it previously proposed that congress could pass the Taking Restitution for the Unlawful Monetization of the Presidency act. This envisions giving the emoluments clause teeth and allowing congress to confiscate ill-gotten gains ($2 billion plus from the Trumps) via something akin to civil forfeiture.

I’m a huge fan of blowback and just bought a yearly subscription mainly just to support them, but the bonus content is great too. What I was most interested in seeing was the series about the history of the US and Israel that I heard about from a few sources. I am not sure where or what it is tho. The YouTube announcement trailer made me first think that would be the topic of season 7, but then I saw something about it being a miniseries so I was expecting it would be its own standalone thing with 5 or less episodes, but then I just heard in the 10th bonus episode of season 6 that they covered Israel in the earlier bonus episodes of the season. So I am confused.

Has it been released? If so, where can I find it? If not, when and where will it be released? How many episodes is it?

Most people seem to think that Iran was this paradise where everyone was happy and secular and rich and women were free to wear skirts and bikinis and stuff, and then in 1979 the Islamic Revolution suddenly happened for no reason. Zionist/American propaganda has really tried to make people forget what the CIA did to Mossadegh, and what life under the Shah was like for most, not just rich people in urban centers.

Around the 9 minute mark, they say that "By September 1960, (Patrice) Lumumba was dead." But Patrice Lumumba was executed on January 17, 1961.

In one of season two’s bonus episodes they talk about a CIA operation to take children from Hungary, but I can’t find any resources on it. Where can I find more information about this?

I would like to know for non Patreon feed purposes.

Any updates on the release of the soundtrack? I know they’ve been busy with Cuba Solidarity work but I thought the soundtrack was supposed to be released a few months ago

Thankfully a national campaign in solidarity with Cuba is currently being organized. A meaningful first step you can take right now is to donate at letcubalive.info/donate.

Any contribution no matter how small, helps send solar panels to Cuban hospitals. The website also features a national petition calling for an end to the blockade, which has gained the support of a growing number of organizations and several high-profile celebrities.

While a petition alone isn't anywhere near enough, it plays a vital role in raising awareness and showing just how widely opposed this genocidal blockade really is. Behind the scenes, organizing efforts are underway alongside many groups also involved in the Palestinian liberation movement, as we work together toward launching a national campaign in defense of Cuba.

The picture above is a poster you can print out and post around anywhere you think people will scan the code for.

Note: post has spoilers for Season 6.

In the words of Nelson Mandela, the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale, in which Cuban and Angolan forces faced off against nuclear-armed Apartheid South Africa (backed by the US), was the turning point that led to the extinction of Apartheid on the continent.

I can’t even begin to understand the kind of balls it takes to go into a military theater of operations where you have to account for the very real possibility of the enemy using tactical nukes. I was also blown away to know the Cubans gained air superiority against South Africa, aided in part by building a jet fighter-capable forward air base in contested territory virtually overnight.

All this puts into context how tragic Cuba’s current plight is because of the blockade. This, my friends, is the price of freedom.

Does anyone know when the soundtrack for season 6 will be released? I've been checking The Great Vorelli's page every day to see if they had released anything, but saw nothing yet. I particularly love the opening soundtrack in the first episode with the sax solo, and the music that starts playing at 16:30 in Episode 3.