We taped a show, but too much news came in overnight, so we'll "do it live" today, as Bill O'Reilly would say. Cataloguing a slew of unusual new facts in the terror cases
Thank you, Matt Taibi and Walter Kern for everything you guys do. You’re both national treasures.
Also, people need to pay attention, be vigilant and have a plan. The US will have an Oct 7th style homeland attack in the not too distant future according to ex CIA officer Sarah Adams and retired Green Beret, Scott Mann. Adams states that the terrorists plan for casualties from 50+ thousand US citizens.
Yea, just simple math regarding the number of muzzies in the world and the percentage that are so-called "radicalized" contrasted with the number of illegals Joe let it, should make those numbers exceedingly obvious.
A thousand could only be a fraction...what if all of them decided to show up in a place like say, Seattle? How long would it take for the US Army to retake an American City?
I live in South Bend, Indiana, and many of us have been hoping someone would attack the city for years. But I am damned concerned about what used to be a country which I loved.
Oh yeah, it's much better than Gary. I love to knock The University of Notre Dumb, but The Basilica is the most beautiful room I've ever been in. Breathtaking. If you ever get a chance to visit, don't pass it up.
When was the last time you CQB'ed your way through a city? And if you're relying on the Air Force part of JB Ft Lewis/McCord, bombing the muzzies out of it doesn't seem like the winning strategy.
Depends on your definition of things, I suppose. If taking a city back is rooting out every single bad actor and securing every structure, then I totally agree with you. If taking a city back is getting the terrorists you can, making sure whatever areas you deem as a priority are not actively held by a group, etc. then it would be a bit easier.
In this thought experiment, if it took 1000 terrorists a couple of hours to take Seattle, I think it would be stretch to say our military couldn't get back what they wanted to get back in fairly short order. Emphasis on "what they wanted", not eliminate every single invader. Not wanting to argue here, by the way. Just an observation.
Those "peaceful NW hippies" have a LOT of guns, don't live according to other's prejudices and have little inclination to "wait for the government to deal with" shit, no matter what memes you might have internalized. You damn sure don't LIVE in Seattle.
I mention Seattle since that's the general area where I am. Getting out of Seattle to the north and east is dependent on bridges. We've seen terrorists be bold enough to take out large targets like these before. Imagine if, before they started, they took out the I5 ship canal bridge? A thousand terrorists taking control of apartments/condos/dorms in different parts of the city at the same time would have to be initially countered by a police force that's been decimated by the "defund" movement. Depending on their deployment readiness, 2/75 could be on the move within hours. If they aren't currently the "ready" battalion, a couple of days. 1SFG would assuredly be north quicker, but they rotate deployments overseas so not sure what they might have available at any given time. Whatever 7th ID turned into is down there too. In any case, large-scale hostage rescue is not the military's forte. They'd assist in implementing martial law, but rooting out every single terrorist - because that is what it would take - would be a long drawn out process. Would we negotiate with them? What if they start indiscriminately killing/raping hostages like they did in Gaza? Imagine what it would be like if your son or daughter was in a dorm at the UW, or grandparents in a condo on Alki? I also used Seattle as an example because, it's also an attractive target since it's a very liberal - i.e., unarmed - City. Remember, 9/11 was effected by a few zealots armed with box cutters; an attack like this would be orders of magnitude more damaging.
Yup, heard this too from Shawn Ryan's podcast #149 with the same Sarah Adams. Get your home (for your neighborhood) and personal "Stop The Bleed" kits, and also (usually) free training on them!
There is SO much about both of these incidents that doesn't pass the smell test, that it's hard to know where to begin. The 180º pivots in a matter of hours, the conclusive statements about things that couldn't possibly be concluded yet, the inexplicable reporter's tour of the guy's apartment, the FBI's claims that they had people on video allegedly planting IEDs, and then quickly following that up with claiming the guy acted alone, the amateurishness of the Green Beret's alleged "act"......I see no reason to believe the so-called facts on any of this.
From my understanding this guy did comms and operated & maintained drones for the special forces. His gun and explosive choices may have been amateurish because he might not have actually had much military training in those things. I work with a guy who did a similar job with the SEALs but he was no SEAL himself, and I know he doesn’t have the particular knowledge and skills they do. The army may do things differently though.
As an intel officer Green Beret, he definitely went through explosives training. The point that he had the skills to concoct something much more sophisticated than this is a valid one.
Have to wonder if his being a big Trumper had anything to do with this? Maybe he didn't get with the program? Ukrainians and their supporters seem desperate with Trump coming into office.
As a little girl, I wanted to be a detective, a la the Hardy boys and Nancy Drew. I became an RN... one of those (now) unusual ones who asked LOTS of questions and loved to help my patients figure out their best way to health- encouraging THEM to ask lots of questions and to listen to their intuition. I really loved my job...and I was a popular nurse with both my patients and co-workers- until it was brought to an end because of a certain mandate my emplyoer put in place.
Now, I listen to you guys (and some other excellent investigative reporters and thinkers.. but none as fun as you) as they ask questions... and I LOVE it. Will we ever know the "real" truth? Anyone who thinks that they have all the answers is suspicious, in my opinion... and yeah, I'm a true child of the '60s... always annoyingly questioning reality...
...I'm still cracking up about Walter's comment on the reporter who "showed no signs that her reporting experience exceeds her jazzercise experience"...
LOVE your combo of investigative reporter and literary critic....and both lovers of interesting fiction and both with lots of life experiences.
My hunch is that this year is going to be a doozy... but I'm looking forward to listening to you two look at it all from both a humorous and deeply questioning manner. What a strange ride, this life is...
The "reporter," who was strangely "allowed" to give us a guided tour of the alleged killer's home, did not give me any confidence that we are being told the truth.
Why were those docs displayed on the kitchen island?
Was the Koran opened to a specific passage by the suspect, or by the "investigating" officers?
This entire segment reminded me of the photos released after the raid on Mar A Lago, with all those Top Secret docs spread out on the floor with their cover sheets, as if that's how Trump stored them.
We are being fed yet another fake story, & I have to wonder why?
Agreed! Would that place not be swarming with techs fingerprinting every surface ? Why let a civilian in without gloves and booties at least? This is nuts. Or lame investigation!
Having just finished Annie Jacobsen’s book on Operation Paperclip (late to the the party I’m sure)- when I now realize what the government was doing 80 years ago (not to mention what hasn't or wont even ever be disclosed [and how I’m sure they’ve “improved” substantially over those decades]), it’s hard for me not to think that that time period was akin to picking up an mRNA package which somehow left an imprint upon the DNA of certain governmental institutions that dominate our country and the world stage. Frankenstein lives.
Then yesterday, a fleeting glance on the news showing a much clearer picture of the alleged Jan 6 bomber and some FBI talking head saying something before I quickly turned it off not wanting to hear whatever BS reason they’re bringing that up now- I realized how much better I felt last year when I significantly cut back my carb intake.
I’m thinking I’ll do a similar exercise in 2025 with the “news” cycle. Trying to make sense of what ultimately is unknowable to me is time I’ll never get back. In my view our institutions have been imprinted to some degree with WWII era Nazi psychosis and the only sure thing I can know is, whatever story is being told isn’t the story and I’ll never even get close to it in my lifetime.
I did this to kick off 2018 and was able to stick to it for most of that year. It was definitely better for my mental health. We all know the general arc of where things are going, do I really need to know each day's new progress toward getting there? I should probably do it again, carving out an exception perhaps for Matt and Walter.
I started unplugging from my standards - outrage, bad media, bad government was reaching insulin resistance levels for me- that disc has been skipping for a while now. To your point, I think trajectory of the ICBM has been pretty much set.
Maybe one day dialogue about real solutions will start to take center stage vs the latest outrages caused by what to me just amounts to humankind resonance. I’ll ride with Matt and Walter a bit longer cause at lease we get some laughs out of it- but one more Joy Reid or Rachel Maddow clip and I think I’m going fully off grid and just embrace my ignorance.
I never felt more connected to a podcaster than I did with Walter today. My wife said I sound just like him yelling at morning news. That compliment is going in my obituary.
I can't believe that they just allowed a reporter to go through this man's house. What!!! This does not happen with a terrorist suspects home. The investigation has barely started.
Now it is claimed the soldier shot HIMSELF on arrival at the Trump hotel.
----------
There is zero chance that a special forces veteran would choose to take a Desert Eagle direct impingement gas operated pistol to an expected fire fight. These are sporting/hunter toys, not combat arms. Speaking from personal experience, they get gunked up way too fast. In .50 AE, I never saw one run two magazines without a stoppage. With the .44 Rem Mag version, stoppage was inevitable by 3rd magazine.
I’m waiting to see if he was an actual SF guy with full training, which would indeed make his choices odd, or if he was just attached to them. Even in the latter case you’d think he’d have learned about guns by osmosis though.
We won’t find out anytime soon. You’re right when those of you say turn off the boob tube. That is if you want to keep your insanity intact. We still nothing new on both assassination attempts. And yet, we have goofy republicans fighting like children over who’s going to be speaker of the house. Without having a clear choice lined up. What the F is going on up in that swamp? They really do believe the general public is stupid and have zero common sense.
He was 19 + years in the army. His service record of time in units/specialties are open record. His last several months were as a drone systems specialist.
The Tesla charging stations kept records of where/when he charged truck, some also had security camera video.
----------
Experience
US Army
19 years 1 month
Remote and Autonomous Systems Manager
Nov 2024 - Present
3 months
Special Forces (SF) Operations Manager / Team Sergeant 18Z
In many ways, this live ATW episode is a good intro. for newbies, who have quit their legacy media habits but are still unclear on how to negotiate the podcast news landscape.
It does make me hope you're still working on that Bierce-style project: a satirical index for a risible age!
This is single best / informative program I listen to each week. No angels ,no spin the only common theme from show to show is, things are likely not as they seem ……and probably never were. Truly terrifying.
Inconvenience? Matt and Walter, you guys are the best thing in media. It's stunning that you would do such a thing, because we are unaccustomed to integrity in journalism.
My only lament is that my genetic nocturnalism caught up with me again, I was up until 5:00 AM, and I woke up a few minutes after the livestream ended. I'm about to watch it now.
Side by side, these two terror stories look incredibly sus.
You have a terrorist attack designed to inflame conservative sympathies: Middle Eastern Muslim guy does terrorist attack with a big old Isis flag hanging off his car, and the woke biden FBI couldn't even call him a terrorist at first!
Then you have a terrorist attack designed to inflame liberal sympathies: white guy does bomb attack in a car made by Elon musk, some family member describes him as a Rambo Trump supporter, and the coroner was too racist to call the guy who commits suicide by bomb a suicide bomber at first!
(Also that indestructible plastic ID card sure took me back to 9/11 days lol)
Also they both are military guys who got trained at fort Bragg. If I was an investigative journalist, I'd be looking very hard at Fort Bragg right now
Matt should write The Russia-Gate Book. There isn’t anyone else I know of that has the perspective and knowledge needed. This is, or should be, a HUGE story. The Laptop is just one chapter. Hamilton 68 is just one chapter. The Steal (Steel) dossier is just one chapter. The GEC is just one chapter. This collective effort was the continental divide between believing your tv and not believing your TV, and that deserves, cries out, for The Book documenting for posterity how it was done. Just my opinion.
Thank you, Matt Taibi and Walter Kern for everything you guys do. You’re both national treasures.
Also, people need to pay attention, be vigilant and have a plan. The US will have an Oct 7th style homeland attack in the not too distant future according to ex CIA officer Sarah Adams and retired Green Beret, Scott Mann. Adams states that the terrorists plan for casualties from 50+ thousand US citizens.
https://x.com/Evans_Wroten/status/1875170119971991864
Yea, just simple math regarding the number of muzzies in the world and the percentage that are so-called "radicalized" contrasted with the number of illegals Joe let it, should make those numbers exceedingly obvious.
A thousand could only be a fraction...what if all of them decided to show up in a place like say, Seattle? How long would it take for the US Army to retake an American City?
What's a "muzzie"? Is this reference supposed to be more clever than raghead? I hate shit like this...
Sikh's? Nope, no quarrel with them. It's in reference to those who follow the pedophile prophet Mohammed.
You can’t say Muslims so everybody understands what you’re talking about? Is this slur some kind of posturing instead of communicating?
Look - the grammar nazi arrived!
I live in South Bend, Indiana, and many of us have been hoping someone would attack the city for years. But I am damned concerned about what used to be a country which I loved.
@Bobby Lime
Damn.
Please clarify if you are fearful that such an attack might occur or are really WANTING some "non state actor" to attack your home town?!
If option #2, WHY do you still live there?
I'm just being sarcastic about South Bend. My thesis is that no one who has ever been anywhere else is here by choice.
It's probably better than Gary?!
Oh yeah, it's much better than Gary. I love to knock The University of Notre Dumb, but The Basilica is the most beautiful room I've ever been in. Breathtaking. If you ever get a chance to visit, don't pass it up.
With McCord joint base right there in Tacoma, realistically we would take Seattle "back" in about 15 minutes.
When was the last time you CQB'ed your way through a city? And if you're relying on the Air Force part of JB Ft Lewis/McCord, bombing the muzzies out of it doesn't seem like the winning strategy.
Depends on your definition of things, I suppose. If taking a city back is rooting out every single bad actor and securing every structure, then I totally agree with you. If taking a city back is getting the terrorists you can, making sure whatever areas you deem as a priority are not actively held by a group, etc. then it would be a bit easier.
In this thought experiment, if it took 1000 terrorists a couple of hours to take Seattle, I think it would be stretch to say our military couldn't get back what they wanted to get back in fairly short order. Emphasis on "what they wanted", not eliminate every single invader. Not wanting to argue here, by the way. Just an observation.
@Danny H
1,000 terrorists take Seattle?
BWAHAHAHA.
Those "peaceful NW hippies" have a LOT of guns, don't live according to other's prejudices and have little inclination to "wait for the government to deal with" shit, no matter what memes you might have internalized. You damn sure don't LIVE in Seattle.
I mention Seattle since that's the general area where I am. Getting out of Seattle to the north and east is dependent on bridges. We've seen terrorists be bold enough to take out large targets like these before. Imagine if, before they started, they took out the I5 ship canal bridge? A thousand terrorists taking control of apartments/condos/dorms in different parts of the city at the same time would have to be initially countered by a police force that's been decimated by the "defund" movement. Depending on their deployment readiness, 2/75 could be on the move within hours. If they aren't currently the "ready" battalion, a couple of days. 1SFG would assuredly be north quicker, but they rotate deployments overseas so not sure what they might have available at any given time. Whatever 7th ID turned into is down there too. In any case, large-scale hostage rescue is not the military's forte. They'd assist in implementing martial law, but rooting out every single terrorist - because that is what it would take - would be a long drawn out process. Would we negotiate with them? What if they start indiscriminately killing/raping hostages like they did in Gaza? Imagine what it would be like if your son or daughter was in a dorm at the UW, or grandparents in a condo on Alki? I also used Seattle as an example because, it's also an attractive target since it's a very liberal - i.e., unarmed - City. Remember, 9/11 was effected by a few zealots armed with box cutters; an attack like this would be orders of magnitude more damaging.
Word.
Yup, heard this too from Shawn Ryan's podcast #149 with the same Sarah Adams. Get your home (for your neighborhood) and personal "Stop The Bleed" kits, and also (usually) free training on them!
Agreed. Definitely establish a group of friends/family that are able to respond & survive if something happens.
Plus one for Stop the Bleed. It's easily as important as basic first aid and CPR.
Sarah's Spot-On; A Witness in the Raw. Have a lot of respect for her.
Which will be the pretext for war with Iran...
I’ve been thinking along those lines for quite awhile now. They are coming for us!
There is SO much about both of these incidents that doesn't pass the smell test, that it's hard to know where to begin. The 180º pivots in a matter of hours, the conclusive statements about things that couldn't possibly be concluded yet, the inexplicable reporter's tour of the guy's apartment, the FBI's claims that they had people on video allegedly planting IEDs, and then quickly following that up with claiming the guy acted alone, the amateurishness of the Green Beret's alleged "act"......I see no reason to believe the so-called facts on any of this.
From my understanding this guy did comms and operated & maintained drones for the special forces. His gun and explosive choices may have been amateurish because he might not have actually had much military training in those things. I work with a guy who did a similar job with the SEALs but he was no SEAL himself, and I know he doesn’t have the particular knowledge and skills they do. The army may do things differently though.
As an intel officer Green Beret, he definitely went through explosives training. The point that he had the skills to concoct something much more sophisticated than this is a valid one.
Have to wonder if his being a big Trumper had anything to do with this? Maybe he didn't get with the program? Ukrainians and their supporters seem desperate with Trump coming into office.
Thank you guys!!
As a little girl, I wanted to be a detective, a la the Hardy boys and Nancy Drew. I became an RN... one of those (now) unusual ones who asked LOTS of questions and loved to help my patients figure out their best way to health- encouraging THEM to ask lots of questions and to listen to their intuition. I really loved my job...and I was a popular nurse with both my patients and co-workers- until it was brought to an end because of a certain mandate my emplyoer put in place.
Now, I listen to you guys (and some other excellent investigative reporters and thinkers.. but none as fun as you) as they ask questions... and I LOVE it. Will we ever know the "real" truth? Anyone who thinks that they have all the answers is suspicious, in my opinion... and yeah, I'm a true child of the '60s... always annoyingly questioning reality...
...I'm still cracking up about Walter's comment on the reporter who "showed no signs that her reporting experience exceeds her jazzercise experience"...
LOVE your combo of investigative reporter and literary critic....and both lovers of interesting fiction and both with lots of life experiences.
My hunch is that this year is going to be a doozy... but I'm looking forward to listening to you two look at it all from both a humorous and deeply questioning manner. What a strange ride, this life is...
"Jazzercise" was a literal laugh out loud moment for me.
The "reporter," who was strangely "allowed" to give us a guided tour of the alleged killer's home, did not give me any confidence that we are being told the truth.
Why were those docs displayed on the kitchen island?
Was the Koran opened to a specific passage by the suspect, or by the "investigating" officers?
This entire segment reminded me of the photos released after the raid on Mar A Lago, with all those Top Secret docs spread out on the floor with their cover sheets, as if that's how Trump stored them.
We are being fed yet another fake story, & I have to wonder why?
Agreed! Would that place not be swarming with techs fingerprinting every surface ? Why let a civilian in without gloves and booties at least? This is nuts. Or lame investigation!
Agree. Something is up. Very up
That incident gives new meaning to the word "lame".
The video popped up in my X feed and I gave it 15 seconds and called bullshit figuring it had to be fake.
Fuck it! We'll do it live!
Having just finished Annie Jacobsen’s book on Operation Paperclip (late to the the party I’m sure)- when I now realize what the government was doing 80 years ago (not to mention what hasn't or wont even ever be disclosed [and how I’m sure they’ve “improved” substantially over those decades]), it’s hard for me not to think that that time period was akin to picking up an mRNA package which somehow left an imprint upon the DNA of certain governmental institutions that dominate our country and the world stage. Frankenstein lives.
Then yesterday, a fleeting glance on the news showing a much clearer picture of the alleged Jan 6 bomber and some FBI talking head saying something before I quickly turned it off not wanting to hear whatever BS reason they’re bringing that up now- I realized how much better I felt last year when I significantly cut back my carb intake.
I’m thinking I’ll do a similar exercise in 2025 with the “news” cycle. Trying to make sense of what ultimately is unknowable to me is time I’ll never get back. In my view our institutions have been imprinted to some degree with WWII era Nazi psychosis and the only sure thing I can know is, whatever story is being told isn’t the story and I’ll never even get close to it in my lifetime.
Happy New Year all!!
So much of what "they" say turns out to be utter hogwash, that it does make sense to just shrug off most of the early "reporting."
"Trying to make sense of what ultimately is unknowable to me is time I’ll never get back."
Well said!
I did this to kick off 2018 and was able to stick to it for most of that year. It was definitely better for my mental health. We all know the general arc of where things are going, do I really need to know each day's new progress toward getting there? I should probably do it again, carving out an exception perhaps for Matt and Walter.
Wise move.
I started unplugging from my standards - outrage, bad media, bad government was reaching insulin resistance levels for me- that disc has been skipping for a while now. To your point, I think trajectory of the ICBM has been pretty much set.
Maybe one day dialogue about real solutions will start to take center stage vs the latest outrages caused by what to me just amounts to humankind resonance. I’ll ride with Matt and Walter a bit longer cause at lease we get some laughs out of it- but one more Joy Reid or Rachel Maddow clip and I think I’m going fully off grid and just embrace my ignorance.
I never felt more connected to a podcaster than I did with Walter today. My wife said I sound just like him yelling at morning news. That compliment is going in my obituary.
Jim
And what about the “ dictionary of deleted words” idea. Good fun idea. Yet it came & went.
I can't believe that they just allowed a reporter to go through this man's house. What!!! This does not happen with a terrorist suspects home. The investigation has barely started.
The most bizarre act of modern time.
The trailer walk-through scene briings to mind the "Top Secret" files strewn across the floor of the closet at Mar-a-Lago
(edit)
Now it is claimed the soldier shot HIMSELF on arrival at the Trump hotel.
----------
There is zero chance that a special forces veteran would choose to take a Desert Eagle direct impingement gas operated pistol to an expected fire fight. These are sporting/hunter toys, not combat arms. Speaking from personal experience, they get gunked up way too fast. In .50 AE, I never saw one run two magazines without a stoppage. With the .44 Rem Mag version, stoppage was inevitable by 3rd magazine.
Matt's analogy comparing suicide with a Desert Eagle with suicide via a Napoleonic cannon was good.
If he did in fact intend to commit suicide, he wouldn't have needed to plan for a firefight.
I’m waiting to see if he was an actual SF guy with full training, which would indeed make his choices odd, or if he was just attached to them. Even in the latter case you’d think he’d have learned about guns by osmosis though.
We won’t find out anytime soon. You’re right when those of you say turn off the boob tube. That is if you want to keep your insanity intact. We still nothing new on both assassination attempts. And yet, we have goofy republicans fighting like children over who’s going to be speaker of the house. Without having a clear choice lined up. What the F is going on up in that swamp? They really do believe the general public is stupid and have zero common sense.
@John Duffner
He was 19 + years in the army. His service record of time in units/specialties are open record. His last several months were as a drone systems specialist.
The Tesla charging stations kept records of where/when he charged truck, some also had security camera video.
----------
Experience
US Army
19 years 1 month
Remote and Autonomous Systems Manager
Nov 2024 - Present
3 months
Special Forces (SF) Operations Manager / Team Sergeant 18Z
Feb 2023 - Nov 2024 1 year 10 months
SF Intelligence and Operations Specialist 18F
Nov 2015 - Feb 2023. 7 years 4 months
SF Communications Specialist 18E
Jan 2006-Nov 2015 9 years 11 months
In many ways, this live ATW episode is a good intro. for newbies, who have quit their legacy media habits but are still unclear on how to negotiate the podcast news landscape.
It does make me hope you're still working on that Bierce-style project: a satirical index for a risible age!
Millions of people have access to technology which can be turned into deadly weapons.
Mental illness combined with economic problems can drive people to the brink.
Assuming conspiracy may exacerbate the problem of violence.
A booming economy is the most effacacious treatment for this societal decay.
This is single best / informative program I listen to each week. No angels ,no spin the only common theme from show to show is, things are likely not as they seem ……and probably never were. Truly terrifying.
Inconvenience? Matt and Walter, you guys are the best thing in media. It's stunning that you would do such a thing, because we are unaccustomed to integrity in journalism.
My only lament is that my genetic nocturnalism caught up with me again, I was up until 5:00 AM, and I woke up a few minutes after the livestream ended. I'm about to watch it now.
Side by side, these two terror stories look incredibly sus.
You have a terrorist attack designed to inflame conservative sympathies: Middle Eastern Muslim guy does terrorist attack with a big old Isis flag hanging off his car, and the woke biden FBI couldn't even call him a terrorist at first!
Then you have a terrorist attack designed to inflame liberal sympathies: white guy does bomb attack in a car made by Elon musk, some family member describes him as a Rambo Trump supporter, and the coroner was too racist to call the guy who commits suicide by bomb a suicide bomber at first!
(Also that indestructible plastic ID card sure took me back to 9/11 days lol)
Also they both are military guys who got trained at fort Bragg. If I was an investigative journalist, I'd be looking very hard at Fort Bragg right now
Matt should write The Russia-Gate Book. There isn’t anyone else I know of that has the perspective and knowledge needed. This is, or should be, a HUGE story. The Laptop is just one chapter. Hamilton 68 is just one chapter. The Steal (Steel) dossier is just one chapter. The GEC is just one chapter. This collective effort was the continental divide between believing your tv and not believing your TV, and that deserves, cries out, for The Book documenting for posterity how it was done. Just my opinion.