<![CDATA[The Authentic Anti-Imperialist Podcast]]>
ericdraitser.substack.com]]>https://ericdraitser.substack.com/podcastSubstackSat, 27 Jun 2026 04:23:49 GMThttps://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/4428718.rssEric DraitserIndependent political analyst Eric Draitser explores issues around the world from a left-wing, anti-imperialist, anti-colonial perspective.episodicEric Draitserericdraitser@substack.comNo<![CDATA[The Origins of the Private Intelligence Complex w/ Barrett Brown]]>Award-winning journalist and author Barrett Brown returns to CounterPunch Radio to discuss the critical period before 2016 when online activism emerged, fusing with political movements and bringing down regimes. During that time, Brown became the public face of Anonymous and the burgeoning transparency movement, which led to the US Government targeting him and his eventual imprisonment. Learn the inside story of the hacking efforts, which powerful individuals and entities were exposed, how Brown and his colleagues began to unravel the complex web of relationships at the heart of the modern private military-industrial-intelligence complex, and how the State fought back. Listen and learn about the manufactured identities, the formation of the alt-right on 4chan, what was confirmed in the Epstein Files, and more.



Get full access to The Authentic Anti-Imperialist at ericdraitser.substack.com/subscribe]]>https://ericdraitser.substack.com/p/the-origins-of-the-private-intelligencesubstack:post:203278983Tue, 23 Jun 2026 17:32:16 GMTEric DraitserNo3246<![CDATA[UFC White House and the Billionaire Alliance Monopolizing US Politics, Sports, and Entertainment]]>CounterPunch explores the upcoming UFC White House spectacle and the Hollywood, DC, and Gulf power brokers at the nexus of US politics, sports and entertainment. Host Eric Draitser welcomes veteran combat sports journalist Nate Wilcox, Editor-in-Chief of The MMA Draw, to the show to discuss the White House event, the mythology around Trump's relationship with the UFC and Dana White, the role of Ari Emanuel and TKO Group in monopolizing combat sports and playing all sides of the power structure, the Gulf monarchies and their projection of soft power, the overlap between entertainment, finance, and geopolitics, and so much more.

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Nate Wilcox is a veteran combat sports journalist and editor best known as the founding editor of Bloody Elbow, a premier mixed martial arts publication. Launching the site under the SB Nation network, Wilcox hired the original editorial team and spent over 15 years building the platform into a leading voice for investigative reporting, renowned for its coverage of MMA finances, fighter pay, and antitrust lawsuits. During his tenure, he also developed the syndicated SBN MMA consensus rankings featured in USA Today. Following Vox Media's downsizing and the subsequent sale of the publication, Wilcox transitioned his focus to The MMA Draw, an independent Substack newsletter and podcast network. Through The MMA Draw, he serves as Editor-in-Chief, offering sharp analysis on fight culture, promotional monopolies, and the complex business behind combat sports.

Eric Draitser is an independent political analyst and longtime CounterPunch contributor and host of CounterPunch Radio. You can find his exclusive content including video interviews and analyses, articles, podcasts, commentaries, poetry and more at patreon.com/ericdraitser and on Substack @ericdraitser.



Get full access to The Authentic Anti-Imperialist at ericdraitser.substack.com/subscribe]]>https://ericdraitser.substack.com/p/ufc-white-house-and-the-billionairesubstack:post:201727413Fri, 12 Jun 2026 13:50:54 GMTEric Draitser and Nate Wilcox, EIC The MMA DrawNo3745<![CDATA[The State of the US Left w/ Arun Gupta]]>Journalist Arun Gupta returns to CounterPunch Radio to discuss the state of the left, antiwar politics, and much more. Arun talks to host Eric Draitser and provides his analysis of the No Kings movement and how leftists should understand it, as well as a retrospective of the antiwar movements around Iraq and Vietnam. He explores the importance of physical community and organization using the example of New York’s Lower East Side, where he resides. The conversation also touches on the Left’s historic role in countering the hegemonic view of global affairs. A devoted leftist, Marxist, investigative journalist, chef, and food tour guide, Arun Gupta always brings incisive analysis and thoughtful critique to CounterPunch.



Get full access to The Authentic Anti-Imperialist at ericdraitser.substack.com/subscribe]]>https://ericdraitser.substack.com/p/the-state-of-the-us-left-w-arun-guptasubstack:post:200161925Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:29:30 GMTEric DraitserNo5737<![CDATA[Let's Talk About Israel's War Crimes]]>Eric Draitser provides his perspective on Israel's egregious war crimes and violations of international law.

Links: Lebanon: Israel Unlawfully Using White Phosphorus | Human Rights Watch

Two UN peacekeepers from Ghana critically hurt in Lebanon missile attack | The Times of Israel

Israel accused of targeting UN peacekeepers after three injured in south Lebanon strike | SBS News

Nearly 700,000 Displaced by War in Lebanon, U.N. Says - The New York Times

Lebanon: Israeli blanket displacement orders bring more misery to civilians | OHCHR



Get full access to The Authentic Anti-Imperialist at ericdraitser.substack.com/subscribe]]>https://ericdraitser.substack.com/p/lets-talk-about-israels-war-crimessubstack:post:190680850Thu, 12 Mar 2026 01:29:34 GMTEric DraitserNo1100<![CDATA[[clip] Israel: A Fascist State with a Messianic Destiny]]>



Get full access to The Authentic Anti-Imperialist at ericdraitser.substack.com/subscribe]]>https://ericdraitser.substack.com/p/clip-israel-a-fascist-state-withsubstack:post:190209305Sat, 07 Mar 2026 16:33:29 GMTEric DraitserNo55<![CDATA[Israel: A Fascist State with a Messianic Destiny]]>Eric Draitser provides his analysis of the current state of Israel and how it transformed from purported liberal democracy to fascist state with biblical delusions of messianic grandeur.

The Authentic Anti-Imperialist is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.



Get full access to The Authentic Anti-Imperialist at ericdraitser.substack.com/subscribe]]>https://ericdraitser.substack.com/p/israel-a-fascist-state-with-a-messianicsubstack:post:190205711Sat, 07 Mar 2026 16:20:55 GMTEric DraitserNo847<![CDATA[ US-Israeli War on Iran Threatens Global Trade]]>Eric Draitser provides his analysis of the economic fallout of the US-Israeli war on Iran. He explores the impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on oil and gas, agricultural products, and more.

Thanks for reading The Authentic Anti-Imperialist! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.



Get full access to The Authentic Anti-Imperialist at ericdraitser.substack.com/subscribe]]>https://ericdraitser.substack.com/p/us-israeli-war-on-iran-threatenssubstack:post:190136684Fri, 06 Mar 2026 19:53:44 GMTEric DraitserNo813<![CDATA[Civil War in Iran? US-Israel Strategy Doomed to Fail]]>Eric Draitser shares his analysis of US-Israeli plans to trigger civil war in Iran and why it will never work. He examines the ethnic groups in Iran that US-Israel would support as proxy forces and explains why the strategy is doomed to fail.



Get full access to The Authentic Anti-Imperialist at ericdraitser.substack.com/subscribe]]>https://ericdraitser.substack.com/p/civil-war-in-iran-us-israel-strategysubstack:post:190126950Fri, 06 Mar 2026 17:49:11 GMTEric DraitserNo1116<![CDATA[Fighting for Palestine, UFC’s Monopoly, Saudi Sportswashing, and the Politics of MMA]]>Combat sports journalist Luke Thomas joins Eric Draitser on CounterPunch for a discussion of the politics of MMA, Boxing, and combat sports broadly. The discussion explores the inspiration of Belal Muhammad for Palestinian solidarity and resistance, the right-wing politics and culture of the UFC, the motivations for the Saudi government’s move into sports, the role of MMA in promoting fascist politics to young men, the rise and fall of Conor McGregor, and much more. Follow Luke’s work on Substack @lukethomasnews.



Get full access to The Authentic Anti-Imperialist at ericdraitser.substack.com/subscribe]]>https://ericdraitser.substack.com/p/fighting-for-palestine-ufcs-monopolysubstack:post:161107972Fri, 11 Apr 2025 16:31:45 GMTEric Draitser and Luke ThomasNo3558<![CDATA[Belal Muhammad: The Palestinian Pride of the Octagon]]>This weekend on CounterPunch you will be able to watch my full hour-long conversation with Luke Thomas, the best combat sports journalist working today. I will post the full video once it is available on CounterPunch.

In the meantime, here’s a short clip in which we discuss Belal Muhammad, the UFC’s Palestinian-American welterweight champion and advocate for Palestine.

Thanks for reading Eric’s Substack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Combat sports journalist Luke Thomas joins Eric Draitser on CounterPunch for a discussion of the politics of MMA, Boxing, and combat sports broadly. The discussion explores the inspiration of Belal Muhammad for Palestinian solidarity and resistance, the right-wing politics and culture of the UFC, the motivations for the Saudi government's move into sports, the role of MMA in promoting fascist politics to young men, the rise and fall of Conor McGregor, and much more. Follow Luke's work on Substack @lukethomasnews.



Get full access to The Authentic Anti-Imperialist at ericdraitser.substack.com/subscribe]]>https://ericdraitser.substack.com/p/belal-muhammad-the-palestinian-pridesubstack:post:161036497Thu, 10 Apr 2025 17:58:34 GMTEric Draitser and Luke ThomasNo347