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Give us your feedback and tell us what you would do if you ruled the world!“All you have when the shit hits the fan is each other... Often that is enough.” Welcome to another thought-provoking episode of "If I Ruled the World." Today, I sit down with Joe Glenton, a former British soldier turned journalist and anti-war activist. Joe shares his transformation from a ‘good' military operative to a voice for peace, dissecting the complexities of military ethics and the true cost of war.Episode Highlights:Military Lessons: Joe opens up about the valuable and harsh lessons he learned during his service, emphasising the importance of solidarity amongst peers when facing dire situations. He reflects on how this lesson of mutual dependence and team ethic, though squandered in the military, is crucial for societal progress.Critique of Military Use: Joe critically assesses how military solidarity is often exploited and misused, pointing out the need for a system that genuinely fosters community and support rather than conflict.The Role of Media and Public Perception: The conversation takes a deep dive into how media representations can distort public perceptions of war and military actions. Joe and Gillian discuss the role of media in shaping narratives that justify war and overlook its devastating impacts.The Importance of Dialogue and Community: Throughout the episode, the emphasis remains on the power of dialogue and community building. Joe advocates for open conversations and collective actions as the pathways towards meaningful system changes and a more peaceful world.Follow the show:You can follow ‘If I Ruled the World' on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your preferred platform of choice.Connect with our guest:Joe Glenton - ForcesWatchFollow Gillian:InstagramWebsiteMentions & ResourcesVeteranhood - Joe GlentonSoldier Box: Why I Won't Return to the War on Terror - Joe Glenton
In our final episode of Series 4, we speak with Paul Rogers on the parallels and differences between the invasions of Iraq and Ukraine, and reflect on some of the key themes that have emerged across the past five months. Paul is Emeritus Professor of Peace Studies in the Department of Peace Studies and International Relations at Bradford University, and an Honorary Fellow at the Joint Service Command and Staff College. You can read his rich body of work as openDemocracy's international security correspondent by following this link. He is on Twitter via @ProfPRogers. Support the show via the Warrior Nation Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WarriorNationOr follow us on Instagram (@forceswatch) and Twitter (@ForcesWatch).Sign-up to our newsletter.You can discover Housmans Bookshop's amazing selection here: https://housmans.com/Music by Esion Noise.Support the show
Think-tanks are a key part of the political process in the UK - indeed globally - but do they actually promote democracy? Which ones have influence, how are they funded, and what role does legacy media have in amplifying their ideas.In this episode we speak with Rethinking Security coordinator Richard Reeve and academic Kjølv Egeland, experts in the multifaceted world of defence and security think-tanks. They discuss how funding plays a key role in think-tank output, constraining critique and ensuring the most dominant ideas remain within the boundaries of the status quo.You can read Kjølv's latest research into think-tanks here or catch up with Richard's work over at the Rethinking Security website.Support the show via the Warrior Nation Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WarriorNationOr follow us on Instagram (@forceswatch) and Twitter (@ForcesWatch).Sign-up to our newsletter.You can discover Housmans Bookshop's amazing selection here: https://housmans.com/Music by Esion Noise.Support the show
As the impacts of the climate crisis escalate, there is a growing trend for securitised responses that foreground the role of militaries in tackling the fallout. But whose interests do these militaries serve and what role have they played in bringing about environmental catastrophe.In this episode we speak with Nick Buxton, a communications specialist with 20 years experience in climate sustainability and international development, to pick his brain on the intersection between climate change, the military and security. Nick has produced an incredible body of work for the Amsterdam-based Transnational Institute, covering climate change, border securitisation, Big Tech and much more. Follow this link to read Nick's Primer on Climate Security | Transnational Institute (tni.org). You can also follow him on Twitter via @nickbuxton.Support the show via the Warrior Nation Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WarriorNationOr follow us on Instagram (@forceswatch) and Twitter (@ForcesWatch).Sign-up to our newsletter.You can discover Housmans Bookshop's amazing selection here: https://housmans.com/Music by Esion Noise.Support the show
As the sentiment goes, there always seems to be money for warfare but never quite enough for welfare. So what's the picture in the UK - that tiny collection of islands with its towering defence expenditure. In this episode, we're joined by Matt Fawcett from the Global Campaign on Military Spending UK to discuss the dark economics of Britain's war machine.Matt talks about the troubling gaps between what Britain spends on its military and what it spends on climate mitigation or carbon reduction targets. Not to mention international aid budgets. He also adds the GCOMS take on NATO spending commitments and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, arguing against the dominant Atlanticist notion that Putin's aggression is due to NATO underspending. You can access all of GCOMS resources via their website.Support the show via the Warrior Nation Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WarriorNationOr follow us on Instagram (@forceswatch) and Twitter (@ForcesWatch).Sign-up to our newsletter.You can discover Housmans Bookshop's amazing selection here: https://housmans.com/Music by Esion Noise.Support the show
Foreign and military policy doesn't cut through to voters, or so it is said. What matters to the public is bread and butter economic policy or GP surgery hours. Yet, is it really the case that people simply don't care about, for example, Yemen? And if not, why not? Is it the case that the main parties are so alike on these matters that there appears to be no space for debate? Much was made of Qatar's human rights record during the men's World Cup, but where was any critique of the RAF's role in training Qatari pilots? And what would it take to put the military industrial complex front and centre, where it arguably should be?In this episode we speak with journalist Mark Curtis, founder and editor of Declassified UK, on the issue of reporting critically about British foreign policy and why think-tanks and the mainstream press help perpetuate a myth on Britain's role in the world.To learn more about Mark's work head over to the Declassified website.Support the show via the Warrior Nation Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WarriorNationOr follow us on Instagram (@forceswatch) and Twitter (@ForcesWatch).You can discover Housmans Bookshop's amazing selection here: https://housmans.com/Music by Esion Noise.Support the show
Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) is the preeminent anti-arms trade organisation in the UK. Their advocacy for a safer and fairer world extends into many realms, including Parliament – where defence firms wield unchecked influence over elected politicians.In this episode we speak with Katie Fallon, CAAT's Parliamentary Coordinator, to discuss the difficulties of working in spaces where militarism and war are seen as inevitabilities. Our discussion is wide-ranging: from the revolving door to the multi-faceted opportunities for lobbying in a broke political system.You can keep up to date with CAAT's incredible work here.Support us via the Warrior Nation Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WarriorNationOr follow us on Instagram (@forceswatch) and Twitter (@ForcesWatch).You can discover Housmans Bookshop's amazing selection here: https://housmans.com/Music by Esion Noise.Support the show
When it comes to critiquing and analysing how Government works to support the military, the focus is always on politicians and the lobbying work that seeks to influence them. But what about the people in Whitehall who oil the political machine? Civil servants out-live the ministers, cabinets and governments they work for, and have more influence than we fully understand. If the overall culture within the civil service is pro-military, then it stands to reason that the mechanics of government will naturally support the armed forces.In this episode we speak with Hannah Wright, a scholar who has looked in great detail at how militarism and militarist assumptions infuse and shape security and foreign policy. Hannah is an ESRC Postdoctoral Fellow in the School of Politics and International Relations at Queen Mary University of London but also worked as an advisor for Saferworld, PAX and other peace-focused NGOs. Her PHD examined the civil service through the lenses of coloniality and feminism. You can discover Hannah's work on the Queen Mary website.Support us via the Warrior Nation Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WarriorNationOr follow us on Instagram (@forceswatch) and Twitter (@ForcesWatch).You can discover Housmans Bookshop's amazing selection here: https://housmans.com/Music by Esion Noise.Support the show
From Deepcut to sexual abuse cases and war crimes, the UK military and MOD are no stranger to legal controversy. And when you read back through the reportage around this lamentable list one name recurs again and again, acting in opposition to power and in favour of fairness and human rights.Emma Norton is Director and co-founder of the Centre for Military Justice, whose work we at Forces Watch greatly admire. She is also former head of the legal team at human rights organisation Liberty and lectures twice a year at the Defence Academy on human rights and the armed forces. Emma joins us to explain the glacial pace of service justice reform and what it's like to challenge the power of the British military. Trigger Warning: this episode includes discussion of sexual violence.You can read more about the work of the Centre for Military Justice on their website and Twitter (@cmjhq).Support us via the Warrior Nation Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WarriorNationOr follow us on Instagram (@forceswatch) and Twitter (@ForcesWatch).You can discover Housmans Bookshop's amazing selection here: https://housmans.com/Music by Esion Noise.Support the show
Joe Glenton reflects on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu's complex and intimate relationship with various currents of right-wing politics.He explores the dominant cultures within BJJ including the prevalence of reactionary conspiracy theories and how Brazilian fascism continues to shape the upper echelons of the sport. We also discuss Comunidade Jiu Jitsu, an invitation only gym founded to create a welcoming and inclusive space built on commitments to anti-racism, LGBTQ+ inclusion and gender equality.Joe is a journalist, film-maker and award-winning writer. He is the author of Veteranhood, which was published by Repeater books in 2021, a book about the political world of veterans and militarism in Britain. Joe is a veteran turned conscientious objector and anti-war campaigner who served in Afghanistan before going AWOL and using the ensuing legal case to mount a critique of The War on Terror and British Imperialism.www.redmedicine.xyz@red_medicine__
Back in 2003, every national British newspaper bar the Guardian supported the invasion of Iraq - including The Guardian's sister paper, The Observer. Unfortunately, this was not an anomaly (dodgy dossiers or not). The sad truth is that it is very hard to find critical pieces on the UK's armed forces. And since the Edward Snowden leaks, Britain's intelligence establishment has worked assiduously to ensure that even The Guardian begins to tow the line.You really can't talk about British defence and security journalism without mentioning today's guest. Richard Norton-Taylor covered defence and security for The Guardian newspaper for over 40 years, reporting on everything from the Cold War to the 'War on Terror'. Winner of a number of awards he was once described by a GCHQ officials as a thorn in the side of the intelligence establishment. Support us via the Warrior Nation Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WarriorNationOr follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forceswatch/You can discover Housmans Bookshop's amazing selection here: https://housmans.com/Music by Esion Noise.Support the show
In this episode, Alice and Mike discuss War Hypocrisy the Media & Racism. Check out our new weekly livestream on the Cow Daily YouTube channel in which we talk about things like this and other things. In addition a new series of the podcast lives there with guests such as: Sleaford Mods, Jackie Weaver, Joe Glenton, Darren McGarvey, Channel Rescue, & more LINK: https://youtube.com/channel/UCpAeCWp4I4NQARHLrACEgOQ Become a funder of MIlk the Cow's new independent media organisation Cow Daily via www.patreon.com/cowdaily there you can gain early access to all content, gain instant access to the new private Cow Daily discussion forum, create employment and be the reason why something good can emerge from a grey world. #independentmedia All other Milk the Cow links here: http://milkthecow.ctcin.bio Much love to all as ever, MTC X
In this episode, Alice and Mike chat with Tom Fowler about the Spycops undercover policing scandal. More information can be found at https://www.spycops.info including a link to the campaign groups excellent podcast. Enjoy. Follow Tom here: https://twitter.com/tombfowler?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Check out our new weekly livestream on the Cow Daily YouTube channel in which we talk about things like this and other things. In addition a new series of the podcast lives there with guests such as: Sleaford Mods, Jackie Weaver, Joe Glenton, Darren McGarvey, Channel Rescue, & more LINK: https://youtube.com/channel/UCpAeCWp4I4NQARHLrACEgOQ Become a funder of MIlk the Cow's new independent media organisation Cow Daily via www.patreon.com/cowdaily there you can gain early access to all content, gain instant access to the new private Cow Daily discussion forum, create employment and be the reason why something good can emerge from a grey world. #independentmedia All other Milk the Cow links here: http://milkthecow.ctcin.bio Much love to all as ever, MTC X
In this episode Alice Wolf and Mike Cow are joined by Jez Hunt to discuss the matters of the day. Check out Ancestor Leathercrafts here: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/AncestorLeathercraft Check out our new weekly livestream on the Cow Daily YouTube channel in which we talk about things like this and other things. In addition a new series of the podcast lives there with guests such as: Sleaford Mods, Jackie Weaver, Joe Glenton, Darren McGarvey, Channel Rescue, & more LINK: https://youtube.com/channel/UCpAeCWp4I4NQARHLrACEgOQ Become a funder of MIlk the Cow's new independent media organisation Cow Daily via www.patreon.com/cowdaily there you can gain early access to all content, gain instant access to the new private Cow Daily discussion forum, create employment and be the reason why something good can emerge from a grey world. #independentmedia All other Milk the Cow links here: http://milkthecow.ctcin.bio Much love to all as ever, MTC X
In this episode Alice and Mike are joined by Roni-Leigh Lyons who lets us know what this world is like for a Clinically Vulnerable person plus a news round up. Check out our new weekly livestream on the Cow Daily YouTube channel in which we talk about things like this and other things. In addition a new series of the podcast lives there with guests such as: Sleaford Mods, Jackie Weaver, Joe Glenton, Darren McGarvey, Channel Rescue, & more LINK: https://youtube.com/channel/UCpAeCWp4I4NQARHLrACEgOQ Become a funder of MIlk the Cow's new independent media organisation Cow Daily via www.patreon.com/cowdaily there you can gain early access to all content, gain instant access to the new private Cow Daily discussion forum, create employment and be the reason why something good can emerge from a grey world. #independentmedia All other Milk the Cow links here: http://milkthecow.ctcin.bio Much love to all as ever, MTC X
In this episode, Alice and Mike discuss the Policing Bill and the Cost of Living Crisis. Check out our new weekly livestream on the Cow Daily YouTube channel in which we talk about things like this and other things. In addition a new series of the podcast lives there with guests such as: Sleaford Mods, Jackie Weaver, Joe Glenton, Darren McGarvey, Channel Rescue, & more LINK: https://youtube.com/channel/UCpAeCWp4I4NQARHLrACEgOQ Become a funder of MIlk the Cow's new independent media organisation Cow Daily via www.patreon.com/cowdaily there you can gain early access to all content, gain instant access to the new private Cow Daily discussion forum, create employment and be the reason why something good can emerge from a grey world. #independentmedia All other Milk the Cow links here: http://milkthecow.ctcin.bio Much love to all as ever, MTC X
Alice Wolf and Mike Cow bring you the first in a weekly podcast (broadcast live at 7pm every Tuesday via the Youtube link below, please subscribe good people). Check out our new weekly livestream on the Cow Daily YouTube channel in which we talk about things like this and other things. In addition a new series of the podcast lives there with guests such as: Sleaford Mods, Jackie Weaver, Joe Glenton, Darren McGarvey, Channel Rescue, & more LINK: https://youtube.com/channel/UCpAeCWp4I4NQARHLrACEgOQ Become a funder of MIlk the Cow's new independent media organisation Cow Daily via www.patreon.com/cowdaily there you can gain early access to all content, gain instant access to the new private Cow Daily discussion forum, a monthly mental health support group, create employment and be the reason why something good can emerge from a grey world. #independentmedia All other Milk the Cow links here: http://milkthecow.ctcin.bio Much love to all as ever, MTC X
This episode is something a little different, a recording of a live event we held with in Liverpool in December 2021 with Joe Glenton (@joejglenton), discussing his recent book Veteranhood: Rage and Hope in British Ex-Military Life, published by Repeater. You can buy the book directly from Repeater here: https://repeaterbooks.com/product/veteranhood-rage-and-hope-in-british-ex-military-life/ Veteranhood is a fantastic book; poignant, witty and angry, as well as highly readable. We wanted this event to be as open as possible, with a couple of readings from Joe and questions from ourselves, but mainly letting the conversation run through the audience. As a live event, some of the sound quality isn't great throughout, but we hope you find it as interesting and as fun as we did at the time…. ---------------------------------------------------------------- You can keep in touch with the podcast via email: abcwithdannyandjim@gmail.com, and Facebook, Twitter and Instragram, all @abcdannyandjim. You can subscribe to our newsletter here: https://abcwithdannyandjim.substack.com/ The podcast music is Stealing Orchestra & Rafael Dionísio, 'Gente da minha terra (que me mete um nojo do caralho).' Reproduced from the Free Music Archive under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License, available here: https://bit.ly/35ToW4W The podcast logo is an adapted version of the Left Book Club logo (1936-48), reproduced, edited and shared under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International licence. Original available here: https://bit.ly/35Nd6cv The image in this episode is the cover art of Joe's Book, designed by Johnny Bull
In the final episode of Series Three, Joe speaks with Essex University historian Lucy Noakes and Chicago-based artist Michael Rakowitz on the creation of cultural memories around war and conflict. They cover a wide array of topics, including the Churchillian turn of British World War II narratives and how the words monument and demonstrate are linked by their roots in Latin. Their discussion beautifully encapsulates a number of topics covered across the series and explores more radical ways of remembering - or remembering better. Lucy Noakes is a social and cultural historian with specific interests in war, memory and gender. She is co-editor of the book British Cultural Memory and the Second World War, sits on the Academic Advisory Board of the Imperial War Museum's Second World War Galleries redevelopment project, and is a series editor for the Social History Society book series New Directions in Social and Cultural History. Michael Rakowitz is an Iraqi-American artist working at the intersection of problem-solving and troublemaking. His anti-war statue April is the Cruellest Month formed part of the Turney Contemporary for the English coast series in 2021. Michael is also Professor of Art Theory and Practice at Northwestern University.As always, the show was presented by our very own Joe Glenton. If you'd like to learn more about Joe's new book Veteranhood (as mentioned in the podcast by Michael) then head over to his publisher Repeater.ForcesWatch is a small organisation funded by grants and donations. All contributions - no matter the size - can make a huge difference. If you want to support our work then please follow the link below.Support the show (https://www.forceswatch.net/support-our-work)
Joe Glenton was a lance corporal with the Royal Logistics Corps, who vowed not to return to Afghanistan. After going on the run for a full 737 days, Joe was jailed at the 'Glasshouse' in Colchester. The court-martial heard that Joe had been suffering from PTSD after his first tour of duty. He was later officially discharged from the British army. Joe is now a journalist, film-maker and award-winning author. Read 'Eating Smoke: One Man's Descent into Crystal Meth Psychosis in Hong Kong's Triad Heartland.' Paperback UK: https://amzn.to/2YoeaPx Paperback US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0993543944 Support the podcast at: https://www.patreon.com/christhrall (£2 per month plus perks) https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-our-veterans-to-tell-their-story https://paypal.me/TeamThrall Sign up for my NON-SPAM newsletter and FREE books: https://christhrall.com/mailing-list/ Social media Links: https://facebook.com/christhrall https://twitter.com/christhrall https://instagram.com/chris.thrall https://linkedin.com/in/christhrall https://youtube.com/christhrall https://discord.gg/yqvHRUN https://christhrall.com
They are claimed from all sides and by all parties – but who are Britain's ex-service personnel? What do they want? And what do their politics – whether conservative, liberal or socialist – tell us about Britain as a post-imperial country? Aaron Bastani speaks to Joe Glenton, journalist and author of Veteranhood.
This week, Milo and Nate speak with British Army veteran, leftist organiser, BJJ enthusiast, and all round comrade Joe Glenton (@joejglenton) about Britain's relationship with its Army and the different types of nutters who serve in it. Joe has a book out now entitled VETERANHOOD: RAGE AND HOPE IN BRITISH EX-MILITARY LIFE that you should order here: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/veteranhood-rage-and-hope-in-british-ex-military-life/9781913462451 If you want more Britainology, sign up on the Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/trashfuture Also, we have new Vonk shirts available to pre-order until 17 November, so get them while they're available here: https://www.trashfuture.co.uk/shop If you're in the UK and want to help Afghan refugees and internally displaced people, consider donating to Afghanaid: https://www.afghanaid.org.uk/ *MILO ALERT* Check out Milo live dates here: https://www.miloedwards.co.uk/live-shows *WEB DESIGN ALERT* Tom Allen is a friend of the show (and the designer behind our website). If you need web design help, reach out to him here: https://www.tomallen.media/ Trashfuture are: Riley (@raaleh), Milo (@Milo_Edwards), Hussein (@HKesvani), Nate (@inthesedeserts), and Alice (@AliceAvizandum)
This week, Milo and Nate speak with British Army veteran, leftist organiser, BJJ enthusiast, and all round comrade Joe Glenton (@joejglenton) about Britain's relationship with its Army and the different types of nutters who serve in it. Joe has a book coming out in November entitled VETERANHOOD: RAGE AND HOPE IN BRITISH EX-MILITARY LIFE that you can pre-order here: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/veteranhood-rage-and-hope-in-british-ex-military-life/9781913462451 Get the whole thing on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/56590770 We've also unlocked the Dogging episode of Britainology to the $5 tier--get it here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/51682396 And our Christmas Panto Britainology is unlocked to the free feed: https://trashfuturepodcast.podbean.com/e/unlocked-britainology-8-christmas-panto/ *MILO ALERT* Smoke returns for another night of new material from pro-comics featuring Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Jordan Brookes. See it all, for the low price of £5, on September 28 at 8 pm at The Sekforde Arms (34 Sekforde Street London EC1R 0HA): https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/smoke-comedy-featuring-jordan-brookes-tickets-171869475227 Trashfuture are: Riley (@raaleh), Milo (@Milo_Edwards), Hussein (@HKesvani), Nate (@inthesedeserts), and Alice (@AliceAvizandum)
Here is an unlocked Britainology to hopefully brighten your weekend. Yes, it was a little bit late when it came out. It was late because Nate and Milo got exposed to covid right before Christmas and couldn't record while waiting on test results. But we have in fact discussed Jim Davidson's terrible bawdy Cinderella pantomime from 1995, entitled 'Sinderella', and discussed the concept of pantos in general. Hope you enjoy! We've also unlocked the Dogging episode of Britainology to the $5 tier--get it here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/51682396 And if you want two (2) Britainologies a month, sign up on the $10 tier on Patreon! This month's second episode features us discussing the British Army with friend of the show, veteran, leftist, and author Joe Glenton: https://www.patreon.com/posts/56590770 *MILO ALERT* Smoke returns for another night of new material from pro-comics featuring Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Jordan Brookes. See it all, for the low price of £5, on September 28 at 8 pm at The Sekforde Arms (34 Sekforde Street London EC1R 0HA): https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/smoke-comedy-featuring-jordan-brookes-tickets-171869475227 Trashfuture are: Riley (@raaleh), Milo (@Milo_Edwards), Hussein (@HKesvani), Nate (@inthesedeserts), and Alice (@AliceAvizandum)
Joe tells us how his experiences in the military, going AWOL, and seeing the so called "War on Terror" from the inside developed his understanding of the problems with capitalism and how this led to his own socialist beliefs.
In the fourth installment of our series on war and memory we speak with former British Army mental health clinician Christian Hughes on the traumatic impacts of conflict, and explore the relatively new acknowledgment of moral injury. He explains how military training conditions soldiers to respond to traumatic events in ways that may be counterproductive to their mental wellbeing, gives a detailed breakdown of the elements of PTSD - and the more expansive complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) - and problematises how PTSD has been framed as a 'heroes' injury that only those on the front line of conflict experience.Christian K Hughes is a psychotherapist who served in the British Army as a mental health clinician. He also worked as a Senior NHS Clinician in a Complex Treatment Team and has a special interest in PTSD, trauma and moral injury. You can find out more about his work here.If you've experienced, or are experiencing, any of the issues discussed in this podcast you can get specialist help from the NHS. Follow this link to find out more.Support the show (https://www.forceswatch.net/support-our-work)
The world's news feeds have been inundated this week with a deluge of images of the extremely hasty American retreat from Afghanistan. After militarily occupying the country for two decades and spending an estimated $2 trillion, the American-backed Afghan government lasted barely a week without U.S. troops backing it up. President Ashraf Ghani almost immediately fled to nearboring Tajikistan, reportedly taking hundreds of millions of dollars in stolen cash with him.The scenes of desperate Afghans crowding into the last American planes have made this week an extremely embarrassing one for the U.S. and its allies. But what about the human cost of two decades of occupation?One man who knows more than most about the absurdities of the war is Joe Glenton. A former soldier in the British Army, he refused to return to Afghanistan, citing his moral objections to the conflict, for which refusal he served six months in a military jail. Joe Glenton joins Watchdog host Lowkey to discuss his experiences and the recent events in the country.Like many working class people, Glenton saw the military as a potential way out of poverty. He passed through basic training and was deployed to Kandahar Province in 2006. The Army told him he would be going there to help Afghan women, to allow girls to go to school, to build infrastructure, and to stop the booming illicit opium trade. However, he soon became disillusioned with what was going on. He developed a creeping sense of “I think we're being lied to,” he told Lowkey. And what was sold as a peacekeeping mission almost immediately became a hot war. “It very quickly became clear that our presence had become a lightning rod. Where there hadn't been an insurgency, there suddenly was one,” he added, noting that “on this supposed peacekeeping mission we ran out of high-artillery ammunition.”After repeated mortar shelling, Glenton began manifesting the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and once back in the United Kingdom, he publicly refused to return, leaving the country but eventually coming back to fight his case. Today, he is an activist and a writer whose work has appeared in The Guardian, The Independent and The New Internationalist. His book, “Soldier Box: Why I Won't Return to the War on Terror,” was published in 2013.In this frank discussion, Glenton opens up about the cult of imperialism within the British Army, his experiences with the opium trade, and the completely foreseeable collapse of the Afghan government. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/MintPressNews)
Joe Glenton is a former soldier of the 13 Air Assault Regiment, who served in Afghanistan during the early days of the second gulf war and went on to tell his story in his first book 'Soldier Box: Why I Won't Return To The War On Terror.In this episode we discuss Joe's book as well as Ju-jitsu and the current state of the middle-east as a consequence of the British and American occupation in these areas.Joe's book can be found on Amazon, Verso, and Good Reads.Follow us on Instagram @saveroompodcast @seanequalshimself @dk_pike
Football sadly isn't coming home or trying to settle in England for three years despite being a European citizen which the Home Office wouldn't allow. But its ok because we still have racism and Covid which refuse to leave home and move on with their lives so we still feel like we have a busy house. More on restrictions lifting as things get worse, the Policing Bill, Elections Bills and Borders Bill. Plus defence writer Joe Glenton (@joejglenton) on his upcoming new book 'Veteranhood'.PRE-ORDER JOE'S BOOK HERE: https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/Veteranhood-by-Joe-Glenton-author/9781913462451FORCES WATCH: https://www.forceswatch.net/BRITISH BOXERS - GET 15% OFF WITH THE CODE ON THE PODCAST: https://british-boxers.com/PLEASE HELP TIERNAN SURVIVE ALL OF THE COMEDY NOT COMING BACK TILL END OF JULY AT THE VERY EARLIEST:Donate to the Patreon at www.patreon.com/parpolbroBuy me a coffee at https://ko-fi.com/parpolbroOR FIND THE ACAST SUPPORTER BUTTON WHEREVER IT ISREVIEW THE PODCAST AT: https://lovethepodcast.com/parpolbroUSUAL PODCAST JABBER:LOOK AT TIERNAN'S FANCY NEW WEBSITE AND SIGN UP TO THE MAILING LIST: www.tiernandouieb.co.uk/Follow us on Twitter @parpolbro, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/ParPolBro/ and the fancy webpage at http://www.partlypoliticalbroadcast.co.ukMusic by The Last Skeptik (@thelastskeptik) - https://www.thelastskeptik.com/ - Subscribe to his podcast Thanks For Trying here.SIGN UP TO NEXT UP COMEDY AT: www.nextupcomedy.com/tiernanisgreat Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/partlypoliticalbroadcast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Joe Glenton is joined by Phil Miller, staff reporter at Declassified UK and author of 'Keenie Meenie: The British mercenaries who got away with war crimes', for a wide ranging discussion on defence journalism and coverage of the UK military in the media. Declassified provides critical investigative reporting on the UK military, security services and foreign policy. The organisation was blacklisted by the Ministry of Defence earlier this year. Despite this, it is filling the void which existed in foreign policy and defence journalism.We discuss how Phil first got into investigative journalism and is now one of the leading reporters in the UK on defence, security and the military.The discussion also covers: Phil's work (now also a documentary) on Keenie Meenie, a British mercenary company which, as a result of evidence he presents, the Metropolitan Police are currently investigating for war crimes; press freedom around defence issues; Labour and left policy and response on military and veteran issues; and, what's over the horizon, including the potential impact of Scottish independence on the military and foreign policy, and post-Brexit 'Global Britain' policy. For more information on Phil's work: @pmillerinfo and http://KeenieMeenie.InfoDeclassified: @DeclassifiedUK and https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/declassified-uk/Apologies for some reduced sound quality at points.Support the show (https://www.forceswatch.net/support-our-work)
On this episode of #TyskySour Aaron Bastani is joined by Joe Glenton as they discuss recent events in the Middle East. Is the assassination of Qassem Suleimani the beginning of the end for the United States in the region?
On this episode of #TyskySour Aaron Bastani is joined by Joe Glenton as they discuss recent events in the Middle East. Is the assassination of Qassem Suleimani the beginning of the end for the United States in the region?
For the finale of our first podcast season, we spoke to political hip hop artist Lowkey about war, militarism, the current political climate, and our hopes and prospects for the future. The event was recorded in front of a live audience at Housmans Bookshop in London on 4 December and co-hosted with peace activist Maya Evans. The music in this podcast is from Hand On Your Gun by Lowkey.Support the show (https://www.forceswatch.net/support-our-work)
In this episode we met Joe Glenton author of Soldier Box, to talk us through his new documentary A Very British Institution: The UK Military and the Far-Right. We also talked about the army, structural racism, the links between the military and insurgent far right in the UK and what a radical defence policy might look like. Enjoy!
Episode 238 saw Dissident Island pay tribute to the hive of radical activity that is Peace House in the run-up to the building's 60th anniversary. To mark the occasion we had: – Catherine from Housman's Bookshop telling us some of the history of Peace House and discussing why it's such a vital space for organising (00:01:13 – 00:10:09) – ACAB Andy giving us the lowdown on developments with Green & Black Cross' restructuring, a report from protests against the DSEI arms fair, and a tribute to departed comrade Donald Rooum (00:11:20 – 00:25:03) – Author and ex-soldier Joe Glenton from Forces Watch discussing the group's work countering militarisation and the ethics of the military (00:28:22 – 00:40:29) – Dissident Island's contribution to September's edition of BAD NEWS, the audio bulletin of the network of anarchist and antiauthoritarian radio stations from around the world featuring a briefing on rad shit that's happened around the UK in the past months (00:43:10 – 00:52:13) – Jay from No Sweat in to talk to us about the group's campaign against sweatshop labour in the garment industry and their efforts to support workers building a better future by taking control of their workplaces (00:54:04 – 01:13:08) – Announcements for upcoming opportunities to hit the streets, shake your booty and share solidarity ((01:13:09 – 01:17:45) – Speedcore/breakcore tunes from the twisted mind of Monad to finish us off (01:17:46 – 02:52:51) Plus tunes from the Punk Ethics / Punks Against Sweatshops playlist featuring Crass, Oi-Polloi, Petrol Girls and The Restarts Download the full show below, or you can download just the chat show and/or dj set separately here: SHOW // DJ SET
IN this special bonus episode of Podaganda, Ben Cowles speaks with author, activist and veteran JOE GLENTON on how the British military resembles a far-right organisation. We also discuss imperialism, class, and why Joe went Awol in Southeast Asia and fought for his right to be recognised as a conscientious objector. Show notes Follow Joe Glenton on Twitter here: @joejglenton. You can buy Joe’s book, Solider Box: Why I Won’t Return to the War on Terror, here: bit.ly/2KfMYf9 (Try not to use Amazon). Forces Watch investigates militarisation, military ethics and human rights concerns in Britain. Be sure to check out their website, here: forceswatch.net, and follow them on Twitter: @ForcesWatch Read Forces Watch’s report Warrior Nation: War, militarisation and British Democracy by Paul Dixon here: bit.ly/2Zc1iLB It’s worth researching about the following battles: Omdurman, Rorke's Drift, the India Rebellion and the Battle of Islandwanda here Watch the trailer to the 1964 film Zulu here: bit.ly/2Mfs7v4 Check out the Football Lads and Lasses Against Fascism’s website here: flaf.org.uk Boris Johnson sacked Penny Mordant on July 24th. The new defence secretary is Ben Wallace. Gavin Williamson is now Education Secretary… unfortunately. Check out Rudyard Kipling’s poem Tommy here: bit.ly/32PqUQN Intro music by Jamie Thrasivoulou and Andrew De’Ath.
We figured it was time to dig in a little deeper on British military stories. This week, Nate speaks with British Army veteran and journalist Joe Glenton (@joejglenton) about his recent piece in the Independent, on the topic of paratroopers shooting at a picture of Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn. The conversation also touches on reactionary sentiments in the British Army, the UK’s history of veteran activism, and the strange ways in which people convince themselves to forget the truth about empire. Read Joe’s recent piece here: https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/corbyn-shooting-video-soldiers-target-practice-snapchat-army-a8853086.html Also, Joe’s memoir Soldier Box is available from Verso Books here, and it's good as hell: https://www.versobooks.com/books/1428-soldier-box This week’s bonus features Nate and Cynthia discussing the 1995 Hughes Brothers movie Dead Presidents, in which they ask the important question: is it fascist? Get it on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/26117226 We have a YouTube channel now -- subscribe here and get sweet videos from us in which we yell in our cars like true veterans: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwlHZpNTz-h6aTeQiJrEDKw Are you tired of your veteran-themed coffee company shirts being too subtle? Well, we have a solution to your problems: https://teespring.com/dickgun-coffee-company#pid=387&cid=101869&sid=front We also have a Soviet-inspired socialist gym rat shirt, for the Swoletariat: https://teespring.com/swoletariat#pid=755&cid=103339&sid=front You can follow the show on Twitter here: @HellOfAWay Follow Nate here: @inthesedesertsFollow Francis here: @ArmyStrang
As poppy season gets in full swing, ex-soldier Joe Glenton joins Michael Walker and Dalia Gebrial to discuss British militarism and how we should remember war.
This week, Nate and Francis discuss the military barring enlistment, and even pulling someone out of basic training, for seeking counceling while a military dependent, and the firing of David Shulkin and the long march toward privatizing the VA. Extended show notes here For this week’s bonus interview, Nate spoke with Joe Glenton, a former British Army soldier whose opposition to the War on a Terror is the basis of his book “Soldier Box” (link). Nate and Joe discuss the British military, deployment experiences, and what the role of leftist veterans might be in our society. Get the full episode here along with our other bonus content for $5 a month. Pick up Joe's book Soldier Box on Verso Follow Joe on Twitter @joejglenton We're also introducing new bonus tiers for the Patreon! We will have a $1 and $3 level you can give to as well. Click here to sign up! NEW NEWSLETTER! Sign up with your email here for a twice monthly news letter. Don't miss anything and have it delivered directly to you Got a story to share? You can do on the Voicemail line (314) 722-6138. You can also feel free to just DM, email at sergeantjoker@hellofawaytodie.com or send us an anonymous question or comment to curiouscat.me/16666014 Follow the podcast on Facebook Follow The Podcast on twitter Follow Francis on Twitter Follow Nate on Twitter