In this episode of Truthwire, Pasta and I interview Lieutenant Colonel Karen Kwiatkowski as we critically examine the state of the U.S. political system, the nature of it as a failing empire, and the need for a fundamental shift in public consciousness away from state dependency—as this has failed Americans and will continue to do so. While, I have not usually agreed with many former U.S. military officials, I admire Kwiatkowski's realistic and non-partisan perspective from a U.S. end, in terms of it not being captured by the usual USIAN blinders of liberal versus conservative, as well as not falling for the useless electoral game many in current politics and media still promote. Because these are such vastly vital topics to understanding how Washington’s game works and how U.S. domestic actions are directly in line with our foreign policy, I will explain the nature of our excellent conversation.
The U.S. is a Failing Empire & Trump Is More Status Quo Politics
Though surely Kwiatkowski's and I come from different generations, political spectrums and backgrounds, her approach in this discussion in terms of dissecting the fall of empire is extremely valuable and very much in line with what I believe in: stopping U.S. interventions, ending dependence on the failed state as it is, and organizing outside the system, to decentralize power instead of waiting for a hero or figure to save us—as no one is coming, everything is falling, and we must catch and save ourselves. She firmly states she is not on the team of the "uniparty," a term I often use to describe the entrenched, powerful establishment that controls both major U.S. political parties. Kwiatkowski further cites a 2014 study concluding the U.S. operates more like a "business kleptocracy" than a representative republic or democracy, where policy is influenced by money and connections, not the average voter.
Kwiatkowski admits that, like many, she initially saw Trump as a potential "disruptor" who might dismantle the empire and put "America First" by ending foreign wars and interventionism. But she is now deeply disillusioned, arguing he has proven to be a "bait and switch". While I’ve long felt this way, I’ve also had family members from her generation go through this process and see that Trump is just another vassal of the military-intelligence apparatus—and that has been a genuine and not just social media-induced shift or development within many people, both on the conservative and liberal end. She states he "loves the state and the trappings of power," and calls him a staunch imperialist who’s just as committed to Zionism as his predecessors.
We both ardently agree that the U.S. American empire is in an irreversible state of decline, with Kwiatkowski comparing it to "stage four cancer" or a patient on life support. This decline is characterized by unsustainable debt, a corrupted political system, and a military-industrial complex that produces expensive but ineffective weapons systems that do not actually benefit anyone but the elite class, and increasing mass surveillance, with the chickens or consequences of our forever wars, coming home to roost. Much like I’ve screamed to my followers, viewers, and friends for years, Kwiatkowski states that the empire cannot be reformed or saved through electoral politics. The entire system is "sclerotic" and "broken."
The Central Role of Zionism and Gaza:
We also significantly touched on the overwhelming bipartisan support for Israel and its actions, aka genocide in Gaza. Again Kwiatkowski admits and regrets that she was not aware at how much of a Zionist RFK Jr. was until he showed his cards, and touches on the unprecedented loyalty to Zionism from figures like Trump, RFK Jr., and Tulsi Gabbard, as well as Trump’s entire team which is of course influence by Miriam Adelson.
She describes the current situation in Gaza as a calculated "genocide" and a "dry run" or practice for the technologies and tactics of totalitarian control (e.g., AI, Palantir data systems, surveillance) that could be deployed elsewhere, including the United States—something I’ve also been stressfully pointing out in our Critical Perspectives series with Vanessa Beeley and my own writing. It was relieving to hear that yes others see what’s happening in Gaza will eventually come and is already at the gates of the Western world, however unfortunate that is, in my opinion it has to almost occur for some to realize what’s actually at play here.
Proactive Preparation, Disobedience, & Shifting Away From Reliance on State, With an Incoming Global Technocratic Takeover
Given the empire's inevitable collapse, Kwiatkowski's primary advice and that of many of our listeners and viewers, myself included, is to stop trying to save it and instead prepare for what comes next.
We talk about not voting—at least at the federal level. Kwiatkowski's argues voting legitimizes a corrupt system, which yes in my opinion it does and it also does not change a thing. The largest political party in the U.S. is full of non-voters, and withholding consent is a powerful act as no matter who is “selected” our foreign policy and plans for control remain the same. We also touch on practicing civil disobedience because the state or government as you may call it, has lost all moral credibility—especially now
We discuss that what we should be doing is building local networks and focusing on the real and tangible: building on skills, local community, food production, and family resources like land and gold. As mentioned before the need to decentralize is key in this time, looking at smaller, more manageable political units. Kwiatkowski references "The Great Taking," a theory which states the current financial laws are designed to ensure that when a sovereign debt collapse occurs, the connected elites will be paid first, leaving ordinary citizens with nothing.
Ultimately the essence of the discussion concludes that we don’t need just a mere (real not Bernie-like) political revolution—and are not ready for it anyway—but rather we are living at a a moment where a cultural and personal revolution must first take place. People must shed the illusion of American exceptionalism, recognizing the empire's crimes, and transfer our energy and loyalty from the state to building resilient, local, and free communities based on individual liberty, respect, and mutual aid. We circle back to the need to recognize that the U.S. empire's terminal decline, and focusing all efforts on personal and local preparedness, civil disobedience, and building new networks for a post-imperial future. Ultimately we are facing a global war against the people led via a fascistic, technocratic take over, and we must understand this reality and avoid the endless distractions and divisions.
