America Unleashed: Why the US Can’t Kick Its Addiction To Empire

Friday, June 12, 2026, IstanbulIt’s not just Iran. The US is kicking up chaos in a wide swath of the world, including in Latin America, where it has toppled the government in Venezuela, besieged the nation of Cuba, meddled in Columbian elections, and harassed the president of Mexico. Foreign policy analyst Dan DePetris, of Defense Priorities, joins me in a discussion as to whether those advocates of restraint in Washington are winning or losing ground in an effort to reign back a US seemingly hellbent on maintaining the trappings of empire. DePetris and I discuss events in Iran, as well as Latin America, which is his focus. Please listen or watch, share, comment, and subscribe. badlands is a reader-supported podcast and newsleter. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borzou.substack.com/subscribe