In Episode 8 of Badlands Book Club, CannCon and Ashe in America dive deep into Chapters 13 and 14 of Kash Patel’s Government Gangsters, exposing the entrenched rot of the intelligence community and the Department of Defense. The episode begins with a fiery discussion on the importance of Ed Martin’s confirmation as U.S. Attorney for D.C., a critical position that could redefine the future of high-profile prosecutions, and highlights how entrenched bureaucratic rules are designed to stall reform and protect regime loyalists.

As they move into Patel’s account of his time at ODNI and the DoD, CannCon and Ashe explore how bloated staffing, classification abuse, and agency rivalry prevent transparency and obstruct presidential authority. They examine the centralization of intelligence under ODNI and the dangerous “stovepiping” that keeps key information siloed. Kash’s recommendations, streamlining personnel, establishing accountability, and overhauling classification systems, spark further debate about whether General Flynn could soon be leading those reforms.

In Chapter 14, the spotlight shifts to the Pentagon, where Kash reveals the incestuous relationship between senior military brass and defense contractors. From generals lobbying for wars they later profit from, to Trump’s battles with Secretary Esper, and the eventual appointment of Chris Miller, this chapter outlines how Trump’s final 72 days were spent racing to dismantle the Defense Industrial Complex. A must-listen for anyone seeking to understand the real war behind the wars.