#277 Michael Lester - Are We the Bad Guys?
Thu Feb 05 2026
Michael T. Lester, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former Marine Corps combat pilot who served in Asia and the Middle East, initially believed deeply in American ideals. Over time, he experienced growing disillusionment as U.S. actions abroad often contradicted official narratives and failed to align with stated goals of promoting democracy and freedom.
His book provides a non-partisan analysis, arguing that repeated harmful outcomes across administrations are systemic features driven by incentives, not mere mistakes. It outlines an imperial playbook involving regime change, sanctions, proxy wars, and economic control, while linking foreign policy to domestic narrative management that manufactures consent.
Lester applies this framework to current events like Ukraine, Gaza, and Venezuela, noting increasing global skepticism toward U.S. explanations. The provocative title refers to outcomes; from a global viewpoint, the U.S. often appears as the antagonist, emphasizing that denial hinders self-correction.
Motivated by the view that silence enables complicity, Lester wrote this book to encourage honest reckoning in a multipolar world.
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Michael Lester Links:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mtlester
Books - https://michaeltlester.com
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Michael T. Lester, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former Marine Corps combat pilot who served in Asia and the Middle East, initially believed deeply in American ideals. Over time, he experienced growing disillusionment as U.S. actions abroad often contradicted official narratives and failed to align with stated goals of promoting democracy and freedom. His book provides a non-partisan analysis, arguing that repeated harmful outcomes across administrations are systemic features driven by incentives, not mere mistakes. It outlines an imperial playbook involving regime change, sanctions, proxy wars, and economic control, while linking foreign policy to domestic narrative management that manufactures consent. Lester applies this framework to current events like Ukraine, Gaza, and Venezuela, noting increasing global skepticism toward U.S. explanations. The provocative title refers to outcomes; from a global viewpoint, the U.S. often appears as the antagonist, emphasizing that denial hinders self-correction. Motivated by the view that silence enables complicity, Lester wrote this book to encourage honest reckoning in a multipolar world. Try Mindful Sparkling Water - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FPT6YPXX?maas=maas_adg_1C797BA219D5E6EE94343185A49EE100_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: Try Rho Nutrition today and experience the difference of Liposomal Technology. Use code SRS for 20% OFF everything at https://www.rhonutrition.com/discount/SRS Sign up at https://BetterHelp.com/srs to get 10% off. #ad Our listeners get the Harry’s Plus Trial Set for only $10 at https://www.Harrys.com/SRS #Harryspod Go to https://DRINKAG1.com/SRS for a free AG1 Flavor Sampler, AGZ Sampler, free Vitamin D3+K2, and AG1 Welcome Kit with your first subscription order, plus a 90-day money-back guarantee (limited time, while supplies last). Michael Lester Links: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mtlester Books - https://michaeltlester.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices