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In-Depth Interview: Former Army Officer Danny Sjursen Shares His Journey from Soldier to Military Critic

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Retired Army Lt. Danny Sjursen explains how critical thinking, and tours of Iraq and Afghanistan led him to become a prolific writer and critic of US foreign and military policy.At the start of the interview, Sjursen offers his views of the new Trump/Ukraine scandal and the comments of acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire.

Then we shift to his powerful, personal essay published recently at TomDispatch, where he explains his odyssey from a loyal, unquestioning squad leader to a strong critic of regime change wars and US policy in general.  Sjursen says he “hit the books” to learn of American military history and tragic foreign policies that have punctuated our recent history.  When asked how he led troops on missions that were undefined or futile, he said that he often “phoned it in” in order to protect the soldiers under his command.  He also talks about widespread PTSD, and comments on his own struggles near the end of the interview.

We also talk about the decline of America’s technological advantage in drone warfare, as evidenced by the recent attack on Saudi oil facilities claimed by the Houthis of Yemen, and the real risks of an attack on Iran–which is being sold in the news columns of the NY Times.

In this wide-ranging interview, we touch on many other topics, including Netanyahu’s efforts to retain power in Israel, along with bipartisan support for regime change in Venezuela.

Find other recent articles by Sjursen here.