Edwin Eisendrath is joined by David Smith, Washington bureau chief for the Guardian. The discussion explored how the post-9/11 response reshaped U.S. power, democracy, civil liberties, and contemporary politics.

Here is a brief summary of the conversation:
- The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, detentions, abuses, and expanded national-security powers damaged U.S. credibility and contributed to distrust in government.
- The response diverted attention from China’s rise and helped weaken the rules-based international order.
- The discussion connected those policies to political polarization and the rise of Donald Trump.
- Executive authority expanded across multiple administrations, while efforts such as closing Guantanamo failed to reverse that trend.
- Trump was described as an intensification of existing weaknesses, including bypassing Congress, targeting perceived enemies, and using national-security rhetoric against political actors.
- Far-right movements in the U.S. and Europe are interconnected through online influence, nationalism, and anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).   

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