1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:04,680 Speaker 1: From UFOs to psychic powers and government conspiracies. History is 2 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 1: riddled with unexplained events. You can turn back now or 3 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:12,119 Speaker 1: learn this stuff they don't want you to know. A 4 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: production of iHeartRadio. 5 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 2: Hello, welcome back to the show. My name is Matt, 6 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:29,479 Speaker 2: my name is Noel. 7 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 3: They call me Ben. We're joined with our guest super producer, 8 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 3: none other than Gnomes Griffin. Most importantly, you are you. 9 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 3: You are here. That makes this the stuff they don't 10 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:47,960 Speaker 3: want you to know, and we hope this exploration finds 11 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 3: you well. If you are in your own global neck 12 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 3: of the woods, or if you consider yourself a tourist abroad, 13 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 3: We've got a real way for you tonight, folks, real 14 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 3: weird one. At least it's a real one for the 15 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:08,759 Speaker 3: real ones out there. There we go. Yeah, that's nice, Noel. 16 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 3: You're a bit of a tourist right now? How dare you? Yeah? 17 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 4: I suppose you could say that, Yeah, I am on 18 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 4: a trip to New York City, But don't I don't 19 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:20,399 Speaker 4: hang here like a tourist, or I'd like to think 20 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 4: so at least. 21 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, you're a local now at this point, right, you 22 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:26,680 Speaker 3: know where to go, how to step? You got your 23 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,040 Speaker 3: supreme hat. You're looking good, you're looking. 24 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 5: To I try to step right. 25 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, So we all remember our earlier series on a 26 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 3: concept that mystified us unanimously, diplomatic immunity. Part of that 27 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 3: goes back to the idea that you might be walking 28 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 3: around anywhere in these United States where we often record 29 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 3: the show, and you say, I got a parking ticket. 30 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 3: I have to pay a parking ticket. How do how 31 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 3: do these swells and these posh folks never have to 32 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:09,359 Speaker 3: pay parking tickets. We got into this concept of diplomatic community, 33 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:13,960 Speaker 3: which became a two part series, right, like a two 34 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 3: chapter episode. How would we explain diplomatic immunity get out 35 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:22,639 Speaker 3: of jail free card? Right? 36 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 2: Essentially, Well, it's a very specialized position that someone who 37 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:33,240 Speaker 2: is working for a different country operating in your country 38 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 2: wherever you are, they can have they can have these 39 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,960 Speaker 2: these special rules that apply to them, where all of 40 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:43,639 Speaker 2: the rules in that country where they're operating don't necessarily 41 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 2: apply to them because they're special, and they can take 42 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:52,360 Speaker 2: things in and out of a country as long as 43 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 2: they put it in the right pouch or the right bag, 44 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 2: or it has the right numbers on it, which is 45 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 2: really fun and special, and we got into it even 46 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 2: further when we did I think we did a third one, 47 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 2: right Ben on what do we call it? 48 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 3: Shadow diplomacy? 49 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 2: Shadow diplomacy? That sounds nice. 50 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 3: That's a great setup. Oh my gosh. Yeah, and thank 51 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:23,520 Speaker 3: you to everyone who reached out, including multiple tourism boards, 52 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 3: in response to our episodes on diplomatic immunity. And as 53 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 3: you said, Matt, shadow diplomacy, it's an ancient sort of 54 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 3: patch together series of gentlemen's agreements or traditions, and they 55 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 3: still play a role in the modern world. While we 56 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 3: were delving into this, we alluded to numerous instances where 57 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 3: some people will say diplomacy went wrong. So with that tonight, 58 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 3: we are exploring a specific case of a man that 59 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 3: may be known to sell. This guy is named Raymond 60 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 3: Alan Davis. So let's pause for a word from our sponsors, 61 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 3: and then let's introduce him. Everybody loves Raymond, except for 62 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 3: you know, Pakistan. 63 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:18,919 Speaker 2: Yeah, and many neighboring countries. 64 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:22,919 Speaker 3: Well right, right, right, all right, we're doing the break. 65 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 3: Here are the facts. Everybody loves Raymond, right except for 66 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:41,920 Speaker 3: the countries that Matt mentioned just a second ago. Can 67 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:44,919 Speaker 3: we learn a little bit more about Raymond Davis. 68 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:48,720 Speaker 4: We sure can so. First thing, Raymond Davis was not 69 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:54,239 Speaker 4: born wealthy, unlike the oss Hires of the Golden Age. 70 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:55,280 Speaker 3: He was not an. 71 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 4: Elite East Coast blue blood type of fellow. Instead, he 72 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 4: grew up in big Stone Gap, Virginia, which, in his words, 73 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 4: was a blink and you miss it type town. Perhaps 74 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 4: could be considered by some like a flyover country type situation, 75 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 4: not in the Midwest, but still similar concept. Coal country 76 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 4: is what you might call it, isolated in the mountains 77 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 4: and to a large degree, very much hidden away from 78 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,800 Speaker 4: the rest of the world, both geographically and politically, and. 79 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 5: Just really as an idea of a place that exists. 80 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, and as we said, his family was not wealthy. 81 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 2: They were getting by. If you look in certain places, 82 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 2: you'll see that his father was a coal miner. You 83 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:41,839 Speaker 2: also read about a stint as a bricklayer, also about 84 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:44,599 Speaker 2: all of the jobs that his mother took on to 85 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 2: support the family when his father got injured, and just 86 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:52,480 Speaker 2: you know, the struggles of trying to make enough money 87 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 2: to sustain what she got, not trying to reach for 88 00:05:56,200 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 2: anything huge and big out in the distance. Right. The 89 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 2: accumulation of wealth or something. It's let's get by. 90 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, And these are fantastic points to bring up 91 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 3: in the biography. So to be clear, this is not 92 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:18,120 Speaker 3: a situation wherein Old Wild Bill Donovan drops by you know, 93 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 3: Princeton or Harvard or something and says, who wants to 94 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:26,360 Speaker 3: have an adventure over there? You know, with World War two. 95 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 3: This is a kid, He's very much a child at 96 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:35,040 Speaker 3: this point who has a rough start. As we're saying, 97 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 3: he is, by the way, an award winning bricklayer. He 98 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:45,919 Speaker 3: won a competition on that front, and he's as a teen, 99 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:50,599 Speaker 3: he's shoveling snow, he's chopping wood, all to make sure 100 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:53,920 Speaker 3: that his family can stay aflat. He has two siblings, 101 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:56,200 Speaker 3: a mother and a father, so there are a lot 102 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 3: of people to support, and like so many other kids 103 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:04,360 Speaker 3: in rural Appalachia, he wants to see the wider world. 104 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:09,360 Speaker 3: And the best chance he has to pursue this dream 105 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 3: is the Armed Forces. So originally Raymond wants to join 106 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 3: up with the Marines. Noel can give us an urah 107 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 3: urrah if you will perfect we did. 108 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 2: Let's also remember that he's a big dude and he 109 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 2: Raymond plays football, he does wrestling, and he ex sells 110 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 2: at both of those things where he's an imposing force physically. 111 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:42,240 Speaker 3: The Armed Forces recruiters are not liking him for the Marines. 112 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 3: As he says in his later biography, The Or Autobiography, 113 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 3: the recruiters get this. They wanted toll skinny kids to 114 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 3: be Marines, and he was. This is a quote built 115 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 3: like a tree stump. So he is the opposite of 116 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 3: what the recruiters have in mind. And initially they tell him, Okay, 117 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 3: we're not gonna say no to any kid who wants 118 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 3: to join up with the war machine. You are going 119 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 3: to be what we call a sixty eight whiskey a medic. Ultimately, 120 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 3: I mean that's a field medic. He didn't know that 121 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 3: at the time. Ultimately he refuses that and he becomes 122 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 3: what we call an eleven mic that's an infantry man 123 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:36,559 Speaker 3: in the US Army. So he gets shipped off to 124 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 3: Fort Benning, Georgia, first time he's ever been on a plane. 125 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 3: Georgia furthest farthest he's ever been from home. He's eighteen 126 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 3: years old. At this point. The world is ahead of him. 127 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 3: The horizon beckons fast forward. Stationed in Fort Lewis, he's 128 00:08:56,120 --> 00:09:00,560 Speaker 3: serving out the last of his four year commit to 129 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:06,319 Speaker 3: the army, and then he has this life changing experience. 130 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:12,959 Speaker 3: Some Special Forces trainers go to hangout and they have 131 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 3: all the ammo, they have all the cool toys, and 132 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 3: they have kind of a field trip and they say, 133 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 3: you know what, let's teach you how to shoot these guns. Right, 134 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 3: Let's teach you, you know, just a cool couple of moves. 135 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:34,319 Speaker 3: And immediately this galvanizes him. It inspires him, and he thinks, 136 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 3: maybe I can one day become part of Special Forces. 137 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:50,200 Speaker 3: It's a very difficult training regiment. The selection process is 138 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:53,040 Speaker 3: such that there's a high rate of attrition. A lot 139 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:56,200 Speaker 3: of folks don't make it. But lo and behold, Raymond 140 00:09:56,280 --> 00:10:00,840 Speaker 3: Davis cuts the mustard and eventually becomes what we would 141 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:05,520 Speaker 3: call an eighteen bravo, a weapons sergeant. I don't know 142 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 3: if we can express just how brutal this training can be. 143 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, this is intense stuff, for sure. I want 144 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 2: to bring something up that occurred to him right before 145 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:20,680 Speaker 2: he signs up with Special Forces, which is interesting to 146 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:24,480 Speaker 2: me and feels like another one of these moments that occurs. 147 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:28,600 Speaker 2: He ends up spending a little bit of time right 148 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:33,320 Speaker 2: before signing up with Special Forces in Macedonia, which is 149 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:37,319 Speaker 2: it's a country just north of Greece out there, Bulgaria, 150 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:40,600 Speaker 2: Serbia right around there in that area. And he's serving 151 00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:44,000 Speaker 2: as a UN peacekeeper out there. Yes, which to me 152 00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 2: is the type of job that he's going to end 153 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 2: up in eventually. Not exactly the same kind, but has 154 00:10:53,559 --> 00:10:54,840 Speaker 2: a lot of similarities. 155 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:59,599 Speaker 3: I think, right, yes, I agree with that. I see that. 156 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:05,240 Speaker 3: As you know, he's an international man by various points 157 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:10,440 Speaker 3: of Macedonia is a fascinating country. It may be an 158 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 3: episode in the future. I love that you're pointing that out. 159 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:21,640 Speaker 3: This experience running into some of the g Watt guys, 160 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 3: George Watson Special Forces guys out there in Macedonia. 161 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:28,000 Speaker 2: Is that what g Watt means. 162 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:31,600 Speaker 3: I take it to mean that it's it's based on 163 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 3: I mean, it's lightly based on the career of the 164 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:40,160 Speaker 3: legend George Watson. So, as we were saying, Matt, this 165 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 3: guy comes back and he is incredibly impressed with the 166 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 3: caliber of character he meets in the Special Forces trainers 167 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 3: right in this kind of field day exercise, and he 168 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 3: signs up. There's a tremendously high rate of attrition. Everyone, 169 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 3: by the way, forget everything you heard about like Apocalypse 170 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 3: Now or the other war propaganda films. Everyone who applies 171 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:18,559 Speaker 3: for special forces, if they make that initial application and 172 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:22,760 Speaker 3: they fail the first time, they can apply more than 173 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 3: what the thing is most people, if they can't get 174 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 3: that mustard the first time, then they go back home. 175 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 3: They don't want to do it. 176 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:35,599 Speaker 5: Can't cut it right, can't cut that mustle. 177 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:40,760 Speaker 3: Right right right, just so. And one of the most 178 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:44,040 Speaker 3: think about it like grad school. One of the most 179 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:51,960 Speaker 3: brutal aspects of this training is something called sahreve. 180 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:56,319 Speaker 4: Heard about this recently in the TV series Lioness. They 181 00:12:56,400 --> 00:13:02,200 Speaker 4: depict it pretty brutally. It is essentially putting individuals through 182 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:07,199 Speaker 4: the same kind of interrogation, torture, and absolutely brutal hazing 183 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:10,840 Speaker 4: type rituals as maybe would be done to prisoners of 184 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:12,960 Speaker 4: war or captured combatants. 185 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:19,319 Speaker 3: Correct, yeah, yeah, could you give us the full pronunciation. 186 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:21,960 Speaker 3: What is sarah an acronym. 187 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:26,880 Speaker 4: For it is survival, evasion, resistance, and escape. People can 188 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:29,640 Speaker 4: literally die throughout the course of this training because of 189 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 4: its incredible brutality, and it includes some you know, real 190 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 4: Sophie's choice Kobayashi maru type situations, unwinnable situations, forcing an 191 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 4: individual to think on their feet and make some highly 192 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:48,960 Speaker 4: risky choices in mega mega clutch situations. These are accurate 193 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:52,600 Speaker 4: simulations of real world events where people are required to 194 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 4: or training trainees are required to live off the land 195 00:13:55,800 --> 00:14:00,679 Speaker 4: attempting to evade very very implacable and brutal forces that 196 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 4: are on their tail, and you will be captured, and 197 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:05,880 Speaker 4: you will, to what I was saying earlier, end up 198 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:09,439 Speaker 4: experiencing something very much like what happens to actual prisoners 199 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:09,800 Speaker 4: of war. 200 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 2: The concept of all of this is to almost give 201 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:18,400 Speaker 2: somebody who's going through it the muscle memory of knowing 202 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 2: what it's like to be either left behind when you're 203 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 2: on a mission, or I think it is that, right, 204 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 2: Like you're out there on your own, so something happens. 205 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 2: Now it's just you and the land and there's enemies 206 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:36,120 Speaker 2: all around you, right Like it's something that psychologically they're 207 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 2: trying to put, they're trying to instill psychologically for every 208 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:42,760 Speaker 2: one of these people, these specialists that they're going to 209 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 2: end up sending out there as teams in case one 210 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 2: of them is lost. 211 00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:53,080 Speaker 3: Right, we love a familiar situation, right, We do not 212 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:58,120 Speaker 3: enjoy novelty rights. That's part of it, and the reason 213 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:01,320 Speaker 3: I wanted us to refer to cope Yashi Maru for 214 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:06,880 Speaker 3: any Star Trek fan is the that is a climactic 215 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:14,200 Speaker 3: part of this sci fi training, the unwinnable situation as 216 00:15:14,240 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 3: we know spoiler for a very old sci fi series. 217 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 3: Captain James T. Kirk is the only guy who beats 218 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:29,840 Speaker 3: the Kobyashi Maru test originally because he changes the rules 219 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:34,280 Speaker 3: of the game. He moves the constraints, and that's also 220 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:40,480 Speaker 3: part of sare training. It's it's weird, right, It's it's 221 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 3: a strange thing to picture in any job, but it 222 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 3: is a job and it does mimic to high fidelity uh, 223 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:55,600 Speaker 3: the experience of when things go wrong to your point 224 00:15:55,680 --> 00:16:04,880 Speaker 3: matt muscle memory familiarity. So during this training, Raymond suffers 225 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 3: some pretty heavy damage to his right lung specifically, it's 226 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:14,000 Speaker 3: nineteen ninety eight at this point, but the full consequences 227 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:18,400 Speaker 3: of his injury don't come to bear until two thousand 228 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 3: and one, when that lung pretty much clocks out and 229 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:29,520 Speaker 3: stops working. He has a significant other. At this point, 230 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:35,320 Speaker 3: they relocate to Lexington, Kentucky. He goes to Eastern Kentucky University. 231 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 3: There are a couple of asset protection classes or courses 232 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:45,200 Speaker 3: that he's very interested in. But he's not a classroom guy. 233 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:49,480 Speaker 3: He doesn't want to be stuck in the stuck at 234 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:53,960 Speaker 3: a desk, right, He wants to be outside his own words, 235 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 3: So he rigorously trains himself back to health. And at 236 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 3: every step of this band's origin story, we see a 237 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:08,520 Speaker 3: guy fighting against the odds and succeeding at pursuits the 238 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:12,440 Speaker 3: ordinary person may well find impossible. 239 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:17,720 Speaker 2: Absolutely, And then, like everybody else you know, who joins 240 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:22,080 Speaker 2: the military, you either continue your contract. You know, if 241 00:17:22,119 --> 00:17:24,200 Speaker 2: you're in for a certain amount of time, you either 242 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:27,159 Speaker 2: continue it on or you're done and you leave. So 243 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:29,560 Speaker 2: he ends up leaving I think this is in three, 244 00:17:30,040 --> 00:17:35,440 Speaker 2: two thousand and three, and he does what a lot 245 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:38,520 Speaker 2: of folks were doing in the early two thousands who 246 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:41,440 Speaker 2: were either leaving the military or who had been out 247 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:44,359 Speaker 2: of the military for quite a while. They join up 248 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 2: with a very lucrative group, a specific group we've talked 249 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 2: about many a time on this show known as Blackwater, 250 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:59,879 Speaker 2: and these are military contractors that are operating in all 251 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:02,280 Speaker 2: kinds of different places in the Middle East in the 252 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:03,639 Speaker 2: early two thousands. 253 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, in Mina, right, Middle East, North Africa, a couple 254 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:11,760 Speaker 3: of other couple other of fun excursions. They got a 255 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 3: Dave and Busters everywhere. 256 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:14,119 Speaker 4: It is. 257 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:17,639 Speaker 3: This is familiar to a lot of us in the 258 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:24,280 Speaker 3: audience tonight. Let's dispel some myths. From Raymond's own words, 259 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:28,520 Speaker 3: he argues, a contractor is not the same thing as 260 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 3: a merk or a sorry mercenary or a soldier of fortune. 261 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:40,359 Speaker 3: In his experience, every contractor PMC private military contractor that 262 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:44,600 Speaker 3: he's met is working for you know, your academia, your 263 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 3: ex your Blackwater, your brown root or whatever. But they 264 00:18:49,119 --> 00:18:56,560 Speaker 3: have all retained the ideological motivation of the United States 265 00:18:57,880 --> 00:18:58,840 Speaker 3: global game. 266 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:01,159 Speaker 2: It's like Wagner right. 267 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:04,680 Speaker 5: Just so, and that's sear training. I mean a lot 268 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 5: of that is. 269 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:07,520 Speaker 4: I mean you can't really deny that it is indoctrination 270 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:11,320 Speaker 4: as well. I mean that level of you know, intense 271 00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:17,679 Speaker 4: hazing and brutal treatment kind of that's maybe meant to 272 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:21,360 Speaker 4: make this stuff acceptable in some way and also perhaps 273 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:23,800 Speaker 4: offer a helping hand at the end of it to 274 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:26,200 Speaker 4: get you out of it in some way, shape or form. 275 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:30,560 Speaker 4: There is some psychological indoctrination going on there, wouldn't you say? 276 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:33,640 Speaker 4: That would be really hard to shake in one's lifetime. 277 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:37,920 Speaker 3: I would say so, I would agree ISI does something similar. 278 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 3: Most modern nation states have some version of that shake 279 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:49,240 Speaker 3: and bake, right, and some non state actors do the same. 280 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:55,840 Speaker 3: To be quite clear, for Raymond's perspective, every contractor he 281 00:19:55,920 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 3: has met functioning under the letters of mar of the 282 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:05,920 Speaker 3: United States, they had a previous military career and they 283 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 3: are working to further that ideology, right, They're not, in 284 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 3: his opinion, there are not merks who say, screw the US, 285 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:24,600 Speaker 3: give me ten thousand dollars a bitcoin and let's figure 286 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:28,840 Speaker 3: out this West African country together. That does happen. But 287 00:20:29,560 --> 00:20:31,800 Speaker 3: those guys are not the guys he's talking about. 288 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 2: Sure, but we're also taking the perspective of a man 289 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:39,320 Speaker 2: who's been through the stuff we're about to talk about, right, 290 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:42,360 Speaker 2: who has kind of been forced to play the role 291 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 2: of pawn in large political schemes and diplomatic things. So, 292 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:53,639 Speaker 2: you know, it's just it's tough to know exactly what 293 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:57,639 Speaker 2: that's like and what you would actually put in a 294 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:00,720 Speaker 2: book when you write a book about your past life 295 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:02,560 Speaker 2: and everything that's occurred and all of that. 296 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:07,840 Speaker 3: Stuff, especially if they especially if you have a certain 297 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:09,880 Speaker 3: set of editors. 298 00:21:10,119 --> 00:21:16,040 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, and a co writer. Was that dude's name Storm's. 299 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:20,200 Speaker 3: Reback, Yes, yeah, different from Stormy Daniels. 300 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:26,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, different from Stormy Daniels. Correct interesting character on other 301 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 2: books that he's co written, like officially, you know. And 302 00:21:29,359 --> 00:21:31,520 Speaker 2: as we know, anybody who's got co writing credits like 303 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:34,880 Speaker 2: on Amazon has probably written way more books. Just their 304 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:36,160 Speaker 2: name didn't end up on there. 305 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:41,280 Speaker 3: Somebody else's did, right, right, Yeah, we've we've been through 306 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 3: the fire on that one together. H The idea is 307 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:52,320 Speaker 3: that every contractor Raymond meets per his own government approved 308 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:58,160 Speaker 3: autobiography or memoir, they all want to function for the 309 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:02,159 Speaker 3: best interest of the United States, to quote, support and 310 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:06,480 Speaker 3: defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies 311 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 3: foreign and domestic. That is such a banger line. I 312 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:12,879 Speaker 3: don't know about you, guys, It never gets old for me. 313 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 4: Have you ever thought about unpacking it? I mean, like, 314 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:19,960 Speaker 4: does it seem specific enough to you or is there 315 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:21,880 Speaker 4: some kind of broad brush type language there? 316 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:26,639 Speaker 3: Oh, it's totally broad brush. You nailed it, you know 317 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:31,040 Speaker 3: what I mean? Especially the folks who wrote this were 318 00:22:31,160 --> 00:22:39,119 Speaker 3: clearly imperfect, and they were clearly and purposely vague. Right, 319 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:43,080 Speaker 3: is what is foreign in the seventeen hundreds. What is 320 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:47,040 Speaker 3: foreign now? What is domestic in the seventeen hundreds is 321 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:51,720 Speaker 3: now right, right, right right? What is the defense? 322 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:54,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, we learned what some of those things mean with 323 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:57,399 Speaker 2: the remember those rock war tapes and some of the 324 00:22:57,440 --> 00:22:59,879 Speaker 2: things that came out via wiki leaks right around that 325 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:04,040 Speaker 2: same time. Correct, specifically with blackwater contractors and the killing 326 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:08,960 Speaker 2: of civilians. Kind of it's it's scary stuff. And we're 327 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 2: certainly not saying Raymond was a part of any of 328 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 2: that specific thing. It's just there. There's a complexity to 329 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:17,639 Speaker 2: a military contractor. 330 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:23,440 Speaker 3: Sure, yeah, and we also call it the Department of Defense, yes, 331 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:30,200 Speaker 3: ten no notes. This idea of contracting is, by the way, 332 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:39,280 Speaker 3: not an original pursuit. Contractors civilians assisting war efforts, which 333 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:44,560 Speaker 3: would be the technical definition. They're present in the DNA 334 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:47,280 Speaker 3: of the United States all the way back to the 335 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:54,960 Speaker 3: days of the Revolutionary War. Very tall, very unhinged ginger 336 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:59,840 Speaker 3: named George Washington was hiring folks I, you know, to 337 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:07,800 Speaker 3: mainly to persecute for his cause. Civilians have always assisted. 338 00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:11,120 Speaker 3: Raymond's career is a reflection of that. It took him 339 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:15,960 Speaker 3: around the world, especially in the wake of September eleventh, 340 00:24:16,119 --> 00:24:22,480 Speaker 3: we mentioned his time in Macedonia. We should also mention 341 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:24,919 Speaker 3: his experience in Afghanistan. 342 00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:27,960 Speaker 2: Ben I couldn't find much on his actual time as 343 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:32,439 Speaker 2: a contractor for Blackwater in Afghanistan between three and six. 344 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:34,359 Speaker 2: What did you find out there? 345 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:40,040 Speaker 3: Oh, he's just having a grand ole time, you know, learning. 346 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:47,400 Speaker 3: So you should see Matt's face, folks, learning some surveillance, 347 00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:55,879 Speaker 3: some infiltrations, some best practices, primarily in Afghanistan. At that point, 348 00:24:56,200 --> 00:25:04,280 Speaker 3: we're talking about protectingtecting arms of US interest, right, So 349 00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:10,560 Speaker 3: that could be individuals, that could be high value infrastructure 350 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:12,639 Speaker 3: that could be believe it. 351 00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:17,240 Speaker 2: There, giant palettes of billions of dollars in cash that 352 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:19,760 Speaker 2: accidentally fell off a giant plane. 353 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:21,160 Speaker 3: Counts as infrastructure. 354 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:28,160 Speaker 2: Okay, so it's really interesting. We don't know a ton 355 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:31,879 Speaker 2: of actual detail outside of what stated in the book there, 356 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:35,600 Speaker 2: but we do know. In two thousand and six, Raymond 357 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:39,640 Speaker 2: leaves Blackwater, he leaves the Middle East, he comes back 358 00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:43,560 Speaker 2: to the United States, goes to Las Vegas. Yeah, you know, 359 00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:47,040 Speaker 2: his roots are in Virginia. His roots are you know, elsewhere, 360 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:49,479 Speaker 2: maybe in Georgia after spending so much time there, But 361 00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:52,720 Speaker 2: he goes to Las Vegas and starts a private like 362 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:55,600 Speaker 2: I don't know, what would you call it, almost a 363 00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:59,360 Speaker 2: he starts a private contracting service as like a bodyguard service, 364 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:03,880 Speaker 2: as a know, anything you might imagine is almost private. 365 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:05,920 Speaker 3: Intelligence, security consulting. 366 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:09,560 Speaker 2: There you go, that's a good way to put it. 367 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:12,119 Speaker 2: We've met a few folks who are security consultants, who 368 00:26:12,119 --> 00:26:15,959 Speaker 2: really ex military, who just offer those services to anybody 369 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:20,600 Speaker 2: who has the budget who needs some security, usually for 370 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 2: moving a high value person, just like he was doing 371 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:27,240 Speaker 2: in Afghanistan, or high value assets, moving those things around. 372 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:30,240 Speaker 2: He's the kind of guy that would do things like 373 00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:34,080 Speaker 2: check the surroundings of a meeting place right or where 374 00:26:34,119 --> 00:26:37,240 Speaker 2: a meeting is gonna be held. It reminds me a 375 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:40,200 Speaker 2: lot of that character. I always forget his. 376 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:41,760 Speaker 3: Name, Homer Simpson. 377 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:50,040 Speaker 4: That's the one specifically, Homer Simpson backing away into the bush. 378 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 2: No, it's the character from Breaking Bad and Better call 379 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:57,960 Speaker 2: Saul whose dogs like yeah, yes. 380 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 4: It reminds me of a man true consult material, taking 381 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:03,720 Speaker 4: his you know, police training and then just you know, 382 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 4: giving him a leg up in the world of crime. 383 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 4: So I think that's an interesting parallel that you point out. 384 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:09,160 Speaker 5: Matt. 385 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:14,080 Speaker 3: You can always tell those guys h new offense. Some 386 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:18,560 Speaker 3: of us are listening tonight. We could always tell dudes, 387 00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:26,040 Speaker 3: it's not that you're mean or presenting something aggressive. It's 388 00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:29,280 Speaker 3: the fact that you always please beat me here. It's 389 00:27:29,359 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 3: the fact that you always look so tired whenever something happens, 390 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:40,840 Speaker 3: and you're like, so, there's probably a tracer. It's probably 391 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:41,640 Speaker 3: in the gas cap. 392 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:45,440 Speaker 4: Remember the episode where he took the car apart entirely 393 00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:47,600 Speaker 4: and then couldn't find it and then finally found it. 394 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:49,359 Speaker 4: Like it wasn't the yes, thank you, It was in 395 00:27:49,440 --> 00:27:51,640 Speaker 4: the gas cap spoilers, but it took him a minute 396 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:53,520 Speaker 4: to find it, but he worked his butt off to 397 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:53,920 Speaker 4: get there. 398 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:56,280 Speaker 2: If you can eat a gun, I'll just take one 399 00:27:56,320 --> 00:27:57,080 Speaker 2: of yours. 400 00:27:56,880 --> 00:28:01,240 Speaker 3: Take one of your yes, exactly the kind of guys 401 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:04,880 Speaker 3: who are who will have someone tied to a chair 402 00:28:05,520 --> 00:28:09,879 Speaker 3: and roll their eyes and be like, ah, my niece 403 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:16,200 Speaker 3: is real irritating, and when I have to do this today, okay. 404 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:18,360 Speaker 2: Y Well, the folks at the CIA. 405 00:28:18,560 --> 00:28:20,720 Speaker 3: Oh sure, yeah, take a little took a. 406 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:25,119 Speaker 2: Little liking to whatever Raymond was doing, either during his 407 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:27,640 Speaker 2: service or while he was out there in Las Vegas. 408 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:31,680 Speaker 2: And wasn't it right after this that he officially gets 409 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:32,600 Speaker 2: his green badge. 410 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:37,240 Speaker 3: Predictable, consistent delivers we like those. 411 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:43,280 Speaker 2: Right, then, that just means that he's officially a contractor 412 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:45,680 Speaker 2: for the CIA, where he can go in and out 413 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:49,160 Speaker 2: of Langley with a special little green badge that's given 414 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:50,000 Speaker 2: out to these folks. 415 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:55,920 Speaker 3: Yes, that is a real thing. And with that brief background, 416 00:28:56,880 --> 00:29:01,680 Speaker 3: let's travel to Pakistan. We've given you the quick skinny 417 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:10,440 Speaker 3: on an accomplished successful man. It's January twenty seventh, twenty eleven, right, 418 00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:15,960 Speaker 3: so about a decade after the events of September eleventh, 419 00:29:16,080 --> 00:29:21,040 Speaker 3: two thousand and one. January twenty seventh at this time 420 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 3: is going to be the day that changes everything and 421 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:30,640 Speaker 3: puts the world very close to disaster. What do we mean. 422 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:33,280 Speaker 3: We're going to pause for a word from our sponsors 423 00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:41,480 Speaker 3: and then we'll dive in. Here's where it gets crazy, 424 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:49,320 Speaker 3: all right, Laharre Pakistan cosmopolitan place, metropolis, right, it's long 425 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 3: been considered the cultural capital of that country, just like 426 00:29:55,920 --> 00:30:00,280 Speaker 3: New York City. It's very crowded, just like Tokyo. It's 427 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:06,080 Speaker 3: very crowded. It's also dangerous. As Noel said earlier, you 428 00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:11,240 Speaker 3: got a step right, so onto stage walks our guy Raymond. 429 00:30:11,360 --> 00:30:14,600 Speaker 3: He's about thirty seven years old at this point. 430 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:17,360 Speaker 4: Right, and he's a CIA contractor at this point, working 431 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:22,600 Speaker 4: with a team to safeguard US functionaries from the State 432 00:30:22,640 --> 00:30:28,160 Speaker 4: Department and us AID USAID. They're in Pakistan and surrounding countries, 433 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:32,680 Speaker 4: most specifically and notably Afghanistan, and this is really really 434 00:30:32,720 --> 00:30:35,880 Speaker 4: important work. In most cases, these guys are for all 435 00:30:35,920 --> 00:30:41,800 Speaker 4: intents and purposes, ghosts. They're invisible attaches, perhaps some it 436 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:47,400 Speaker 4: you know, consultants on board, attached to your local consulate 437 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:48,400 Speaker 4: or embassy. 438 00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:49,400 Speaker 5: And they're not. 439 00:30:50,960 --> 00:30:56,640 Speaker 4: You know, typical soldier jarhead types out there knocking people 440 00:30:56,680 --> 00:31:01,840 Speaker 4: around in Okinawa or soul Korea. Instead, they are much 441 00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:06,040 Speaker 4: more like herding cats, you know, acting as a shepherd. 442 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:11,960 Speaker 4: Functionaries kind of continually assessing the environment around them, observing, 443 00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:17,160 Speaker 4: making notes, familiarizing themselves with the region and the peculiarities 444 00:31:17,160 --> 00:31:23,200 Speaker 4: of the regions, specific details and customs around neighborhoods, or 445 00:31:24,080 --> 00:31:26,600 Speaker 4: assessments around a particular mission, in the hopes that the 446 00:31:26,640 --> 00:31:30,280 Speaker 4: people that they are safeguarding will listen to their advice. 447 00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:32,480 Speaker 5: This is always a bit of a dice roll there. 448 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:37,280 Speaker 2: Well, and let's just put this out here to state 449 00:31:37,280 --> 00:31:42,520 Speaker 2: it plainly. This type of role is not outwardly projecting 450 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:45,640 Speaker 2: Hey I'm a CIA contractor Hey I am working with 451 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:49,400 Speaker 2: the CIA. It's more like I'm gonna put my badge 452 00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:52,000 Speaker 2: underneath my shirt or whatever it is that I'm wearing, 453 00:31:52,120 --> 00:31:54,560 Speaker 2: so nobody knows who I am or what I'm doing. 454 00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:57,000 Speaker 2: But if I get stopped, I can pull it out 455 00:31:57,040 --> 00:31:59,680 Speaker 2: and say, hey, I'm with the Consolate or something like that. 456 00:31:59,800 --> 00:32:02,400 Speaker 3: Right. You can always tag base, yes, but. 457 00:32:02,680 --> 00:32:06,520 Speaker 2: They are unassuming. If you encountered them, somebody like Raymond 458 00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:09,040 Speaker 2: in the wild, you would have no idea what his 459 00:32:09,160 --> 00:32:10,680 Speaker 2: job is and what he's doing. 460 00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:14,479 Speaker 3: I'm just the driver. You get what I'll mean. 461 00:32:14,880 --> 00:32:17,000 Speaker 2: Well, and you could say that, right and maybe get 462 00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:18,200 Speaker 2: away with whatever you're doing. 463 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:20,640 Speaker 3: And I don't think so with that accent. No, I 464 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:22,360 Speaker 3: don't think that accent will work. 465 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:25,680 Speaker 2: In karaate or something. 466 00:32:25,760 --> 00:32:32,120 Speaker 6: Yeah, yeah, yeah, But but I guess my whole point 467 00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:36,760 Speaker 6: is he looks like a civilian essentially walking around from 468 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:38,000 Speaker 6: a different country. 469 00:32:38,360 --> 00:32:42,360 Speaker 3: And he's not driving a fancy car. He doesn't have 470 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:47,640 Speaker 3: a suit from the high street. He's probably rocking the 471 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:51,760 Speaker 3: kind of flad or flannel that you would see so 472 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:55,480 Speaker 3: common in the Pacific Northwest or in Austin, Texas. 473 00:32:55,720 --> 00:32:58,960 Speaker 2: And you can see pictures of his outfit very much 474 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:04,120 Speaker 2: much can you can see pictures of his little Honda 475 00:33:04,160 --> 00:33:05,040 Speaker 2: Civic as well. 476 00:33:05,160 --> 00:33:07,960 Speaker 3: It's a white Honda Civic, you know, good cars. This 477 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:13,280 Speaker 3: episode is brought to you, uh within in part with 478 00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:17,080 Speaker 3: great disagreement from Uncle Sah. This is brought to you 479 00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:22,600 Speaker 3: by white Honda Civics in Pakistan. So look, this is 480 00:33:22,840 --> 00:33:28,600 Speaker 3: a tremendously frustrating gig. You were out there telling very 481 00:33:28,640 --> 00:33:34,720 Speaker 3: important people, right, very ideologically motivated people at times to 482 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:38,440 Speaker 3: keep their own heads on a swivel. You thought the 483 00:33:38,520 --> 00:33:42,680 Speaker 3: bellagio was Harry, which it is right around two thirty 484 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:48,240 Speaker 3: three am local time. This is a different world, right, 485 00:33:48,520 --> 00:33:53,640 Speaker 3: This is a world where someone may be bringing aid, right, 486 00:33:53,840 --> 00:33:59,760 Speaker 3: maybe attempting to provide medical care, and then they get popped. Right. 487 00:34:00,280 --> 00:34:05,000 Speaker 3: You have to understand there is a very small margin 488 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:09,240 Speaker 3: of error, and people who are used to being treated 489 00:34:09,480 --> 00:34:16,400 Speaker 3: as though they are important often lose their faculties for surveillance. Right, 490 00:34:17,200 --> 00:34:20,880 Speaker 3: that that is just part of the gig. So a 491 00:34:20,920 --> 00:34:24,680 Speaker 3: lot of folks don't listen to Raymond, right, and he 492 00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:26,680 Speaker 3: and his team do it their best. 493 00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:32,040 Speaker 2: Absolutely, A couple of context pieces here we mentioned that 494 00:34:32,120 --> 00:34:35,799 Speaker 2: he is functioning essentially for the State Department and USAID, 495 00:34:36,640 --> 00:34:39,600 Speaker 2: the thing that just got almost completely fully shut down 496 00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:45,440 Speaker 2: here in the United States. USAID is the arm that 497 00:34:45,719 --> 00:34:48,719 Speaker 2: was What do we say, guys, we say it the 498 00:34:48,719 --> 00:34:52,480 Speaker 2: way they say it. They're providing aid to other countries. 499 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:56,399 Speaker 2: And what does that mean money? It means money so 500 00:34:56,480 --> 00:35:00,279 Speaker 2: that certain functions can occur either within the government or 501 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:04,040 Speaker 2: for support structures of a government. And USAID as a 502 00:35:04,080 --> 00:35:08,360 Speaker 2: part of the State Department slash US government, we provide 503 00:35:08,440 --> 00:35:12,960 Speaker 2: money to countries for things like stability, right to make 504 00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:17,040 Speaker 2: sure whatever governing party is in charge does some of 505 00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:19,359 Speaker 2: the things kind of the way we would like them 506 00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:22,279 Speaker 2: to do just a little bit, just enough, right, it's 507 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:25,840 Speaker 2: a nudge. But that money that's coming in from USAID 508 00:35:26,160 --> 00:35:30,960 Speaker 2: is highly important, especially at this time to countries like Pakistan, 509 00:35:31,080 --> 00:35:33,279 Speaker 2: specifically to Pakistan. 510 00:35:33,480 --> 00:35:36,359 Speaker 3: Did you ever hear the old shipoleth that we we 511 00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:44,239 Speaker 3: used to go too often resources and inspiration? Oh god, yeah, 512 00:35:44,320 --> 00:35:47,439 Speaker 3: I don't know this one. Then tell me it's it's 513 00:35:48,280 --> 00:35:54,680 Speaker 3: where you it's like a shekel off, Yeah, let's shove 514 00:35:54,719 --> 00:35:57,960 Speaker 3: it off. No, it's a word or a saying. It's 515 00:35:58,000 --> 00:36:01,200 Speaker 3: a thought terminating cliche. That's okay, Like. 516 00:36:03,280 --> 00:36:08,600 Speaker 4: Like an anti aphorism, you could you could always resort 517 00:36:08,640 --> 00:36:08,960 Speaker 4: to one. 518 00:36:09,200 --> 00:36:16,600 Speaker 3: Uh. Look, people are resorting to these ideological laches or 519 00:36:16,640 --> 00:36:21,359 Speaker 3: to these clear and present from Raymond's perspective, to these 520 00:36:21,440 --> 00:36:27,840 Speaker 3: clear and present threats. So this guy is driving around 521 00:36:27,880 --> 00:36:33,080 Speaker 3: just like uh, he's done several days prior, just like 522 00:36:33,160 --> 00:36:36,560 Speaker 3: his team has done as well. And he spends he 523 00:36:36,640 --> 00:36:40,200 Speaker 3: spends a good deal of time in in his uh 524 00:36:40,400 --> 00:36:45,839 Speaker 3: autobiography talking about this Honda Civic and gnomes. We know 525 00:36:46,160 --> 00:36:48,200 Speaker 3: you love when we bring up the hondas. 526 00:36:48,360 --> 00:36:53,000 Speaker 5: Uh, you're a guy, made no secret. 527 00:36:52,600 --> 00:36:57,279 Speaker 4: About that, Ben, Yeah, out of respect to you. 528 00:36:58,000 --> 00:36:59,000 Speaker 3: Out of respect to you, Ben. 529 00:36:59,080 --> 00:37:01,200 Speaker 5: No odyssees will be in my garage. 530 00:37:01,640 --> 00:37:04,840 Speaker 3: There's one bad one. There's one bad Honda. 531 00:37:05,600 --> 00:37:09,080 Speaker 2: Just the honesty that my sister drives. But we did 532 00:37:09,120 --> 00:37:11,160 Speaker 2: have a whole conversation about Honda fits. 533 00:37:11,440 --> 00:37:12,640 Speaker 3: No. Yeah, I love a fit. 534 00:37:12,719 --> 00:37:15,960 Speaker 5: Yeah, I'm a fit man for love of you. 535 00:37:16,080 --> 00:37:22,200 Speaker 3: Man. All right, So you're welcome, buckeroos. So everybody please 536 00:37:22,360 --> 00:37:27,720 Speaker 3: do avoid Honda odyssees. If you take nothing else away 537 00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:33,400 Speaker 3: from this parable The headline is this Raymond is is 538 00:37:33,719 --> 00:37:38,400 Speaker 3: learning roots, right, evaluating the streets. So this is not 539 00:37:38,640 --> 00:37:43,600 Speaker 3: like driving a black cab in London. You can't just 540 00:37:43,840 --> 00:37:47,359 Speaker 3: know the fastest point from A to Z. You have 541 00:37:47,440 --> 00:37:51,000 Speaker 3: to know how that point or how that passage works 542 00:37:51,120 --> 00:37:56,239 Speaker 3: at any given time. Right. And so they're running the 543 00:37:56,320 --> 00:37:59,080 Speaker 3: roots right, and like you said, Matt, they're making it 544 00:37:59,160 --> 00:38:04,279 Speaker 3: muscle memory. And the headline is this both the nation 545 00:38:04,440 --> 00:38:08,160 Speaker 3: of Pakistan and the nation of the United States agree. 546 00:38:08,600 --> 00:38:14,160 Speaker 3: On January twenty seventh, twenty eleven, our guy Raymond is 547 00:38:14,200 --> 00:38:19,160 Speaker 3: in traffic. A motorbike stops in front of him. There 548 00:38:19,200 --> 00:38:24,759 Speaker 3: are two Pakistani nationals on that motorbike. One of them 549 00:38:24,920 --> 00:38:31,040 Speaker 3: per Raymond raises a firearm, which he says indicates clear intent. 550 00:38:31,320 --> 00:38:34,480 Speaker 3: And he's saying, like, there's one guy driving facing away 551 00:38:34,480 --> 00:38:37,960 Speaker 3: from him. The guy on the back is turning around. 552 00:38:38,200 --> 00:38:44,279 Speaker 3: He's got that little telltale bulge and he produces a firearm. 553 00:38:44,719 --> 00:38:49,239 Speaker 3: He raises it toward Raymond through the windshield of that 554 00:38:49,320 --> 00:38:52,000 Speaker 3: Honda Civic. Go time. Yeah. 555 00:38:52,080 --> 00:38:56,240 Speaker 4: Raymond reacts as per his training and shoots the men, 556 00:38:56,360 --> 00:39:00,800 Speaker 4: who are later identified as Faison Hider and Fai Sham 557 00:39:00,920 --> 00:39:05,600 Speaker 4: Shot also sometimes referred to as Mohammed Fahim, Fahim was 558 00:39:05,640 --> 00:39:09,480 Speaker 4: twenty six Hyer twenty two. Raymond shot five rounds from 559 00:39:09,520 --> 00:39:13,799 Speaker 4: his service weapon through the windshield of his Honda. Additional 560 00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:17,799 Speaker 4: reports claimed that he got out of the vehicle and 561 00:39:18,280 --> 00:39:21,399 Speaker 4: unloaded four more rounds into the men as they lay 562 00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:23,040 Speaker 4: on the pavement mortally wounded. 563 00:39:23,239 --> 00:39:23,439 Speaker 3: Yeah. 564 00:39:23,719 --> 00:39:27,120 Speaker 2: My understanding is that he those initial shots through the 565 00:39:27,160 --> 00:39:29,640 Speaker 2: windshield right the person had the gun, and then he 566 00:39:29,680 --> 00:39:32,800 Speaker 2: got out of his vehicle and shot at the second person, 567 00:39:32,800 --> 00:39:35,000 Speaker 2: who was high driver right ain' away. 568 00:39:35,680 --> 00:39:41,200 Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah, and they when these two young men in 569 00:39:41,280 --> 00:39:49,080 Speaker 3: their twenties were already incapacitated. Pakistani news sources say that 570 00:39:49,440 --> 00:39:54,800 Speaker 3: he followed up, you know, and he double tapped essentially. 571 00:39:55,600 --> 00:39:59,520 Speaker 2: Well yeah, okay, So if we're putting Raymond in that situation, 572 00:39:59,640 --> 00:40:01,839 Speaker 2: in that moment when you see a gun aimed at 573 00:40:01,880 --> 00:40:05,440 Speaker 2: you and you're you're performing those capabilities on the behalf 574 00:40:05,760 --> 00:40:10,000 Speaker 2: of an intelligence agency slash, you know, USAID, slash the 575 00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:14,479 Speaker 2: State Department, you may imagine that those men are there 576 00:40:14,480 --> 00:40:16,560 Speaker 2: to kill you, and that is their only purpose. That 577 00:40:16,640 --> 00:40:19,360 Speaker 2: is why they're on that specific vehicle that can be 578 00:40:19,440 --> 00:40:22,720 Speaker 2: a speedy getaway, and that's why they're they're so mobile, 579 00:40:22,960 --> 00:40:26,319 Speaker 2: right with a firearm like that if you're in that 580 00:40:26,400 --> 00:40:29,640 Speaker 2: position and you have that training, I imagine that is 581 00:40:29,680 --> 00:40:31,960 Speaker 2: the reaction that you have take out the threat. 582 00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:32,640 Speaker 3: Right. 583 00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:38,359 Speaker 2: The details though, as this goes on about what those 584 00:40:38,480 --> 00:40:41,040 Speaker 2: young men were actually doing and had been doing like 585 00:40:41,320 --> 00:40:45,439 Speaker 2: for most of that day and for several days, it's 586 00:40:45,440 --> 00:40:49,160 Speaker 2: a it's it makes it more complex, but it doesn't 587 00:40:49,239 --> 00:40:51,640 Speaker 2: make in my mind, it's weird. It doesn't make Raymond's 588 00:40:51,680 --> 00:40:57,040 Speaker 2: actions necessarily wrong, except for the continual shooting after the 589 00:40:57,200 --> 00:40:58,960 Speaker 2: threat is disabled. 590 00:41:00,600 --> 00:41:07,279 Speaker 3: Makes you wonder whether some sort of familiarity existed. Right. Look, 591 00:41:07,640 --> 00:41:14,920 Speaker 3: that's a great point because at this instance, the public 592 00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:20,239 Speaker 3: knowledge in Pakistan and the US, it begins to diverge, right, 593 00:41:20,440 --> 00:41:27,239 Speaker 3: and these two countries are agreed that these kids are dead, 594 00:41:27,840 --> 00:41:34,160 Speaker 3: these twenty somethings are dead or Raymond Alan Davis definitely 595 00:41:34,640 --> 00:41:40,320 Speaker 3: takes photograph and video evidence of the scene, and while 596 00:41:40,320 --> 00:41:43,319 Speaker 3: he's doing this, he is radioing the rest of the 597 00:41:43,400 --> 00:41:47,080 Speaker 3: team for backup. They have, in my opinion, a slightly 598 00:41:47,120 --> 00:41:50,440 Speaker 3: better car, sorry to say it, it's a Toyota land Cruiser, 599 00:41:50,920 --> 00:41:55,279 Speaker 3: and these guys go cinematic with it. They are attempting 600 00:41:55,400 --> 00:41:58,680 Speaker 3: to reach the scene immediately, and they're coming from a 601 00:41:58,719 --> 00:42:03,960 Speaker 3: private residence on Scotch Corner. Again, Pakistan and US media 602 00:42:04,160 --> 00:42:08,759 Speaker 3: disagree about what the GPS evidence presents, which we'll get to. 603 00:42:09,840 --> 00:42:14,440 Speaker 3: This land cruiser is super interesting if you're a traffic 604 00:42:14,480 --> 00:42:18,000 Speaker 3: cop in Pakistan, or what they would call a traffic warden, 605 00:42:18,520 --> 00:42:20,839 Speaker 3: just someone who asked to as you said, Noel, heard 606 00:42:20,880 --> 00:42:27,120 Speaker 3: the cats of motorbikes and vehicles, because this land Cruiser 607 00:42:28,560 --> 00:42:33,600 Speaker 3: is rock and fake ID. It has false ID registration 608 00:42:33,760 --> 00:42:38,959 Speaker 3: plates and despite you know, that's fine out in their 609 00:42:39,080 --> 00:42:42,720 Speaker 3: rural verbs right out when you're trying to get past 610 00:42:42,760 --> 00:42:46,480 Speaker 3: the checkpoint or whatever, people might not radio that in. 611 00:42:47,040 --> 00:42:50,960 Speaker 3: But false plates are not going to help you in traffic, 612 00:42:51,440 --> 00:42:52,120 Speaker 3: you know what I mean? 613 00:42:52,320 --> 00:42:54,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, especially if you're going the wrong way on a 614 00:42:54,080 --> 00:42:55,520 Speaker 2: one way street, right. 615 00:42:55,640 --> 00:43:00,359 Speaker 3: Right, Yeah, So quickly, this land Cruiser of invisible men 616 00:43:00,600 --> 00:43:06,640 Speaker 3: becomes cartoonishly visible. They swerve over a grassy median and 617 00:43:06,760 --> 00:43:15,120 Speaker 3: they blast through oncoming traffic. Picture literally every traffic scene 618 00:43:14,719 --> 00:43:21,680 Speaker 3: you've witnessed in a blockbuster Hollywood film. They're doing that 619 00:43:22,200 --> 00:43:22,800 Speaker 3: right now. 620 00:43:23,200 --> 00:43:27,000 Speaker 2: And let's remember, a land cruiser is a giant suv. Like, 621 00:43:27,080 --> 00:43:29,000 Speaker 2: it's a big ass suv. 622 00:43:29,360 --> 00:43:32,160 Speaker 3: It's a chonky boy for sure, right, and we're in 623 00:43:32,200 --> 00:43:37,560 Speaker 3: a land of motorbikes and honestly smaller, more economic vehicles. 624 00:43:37,960 --> 00:43:43,000 Speaker 3: So this whale is swimming against the tide around these 625 00:43:43,680 --> 00:43:49,920 Speaker 3: panicked dolphins, right and these workday salmon. If we're gonna 626 00:43:49,920 --> 00:43:55,640 Speaker 3: spin that weird fish analogy out see analogy out. Anyway, 627 00:43:55,840 --> 00:44:00,560 Speaker 3: maritime stuff aside, This is not the movies. This is 628 00:44:00,719 --> 00:44:04,760 Speaker 3: real life. That land cruiser which did have an excellent driver, 629 00:44:05,719 --> 00:44:11,960 Speaker 3: it hits an innocent bystander by both countries' reports. It's 630 00:44:11,960 --> 00:44:16,160 Speaker 3: a guy named Abador Ramen. He is on a motorbike. 631 00:44:16,960 --> 00:44:21,839 Speaker 3: And we have to remember that all those crazy chases 632 00:44:22,200 --> 00:44:25,600 Speaker 3: you see in film are not like what happens in 633 00:44:25,640 --> 00:44:27,920 Speaker 3: real life. In real life, people do. 634 00:44:28,320 --> 00:44:32,480 Speaker 4: Die absolutely collateral damage. And this is you know, takes 635 00:44:32,480 --> 00:44:35,400 Speaker 4: what could have perhaps been a more contained situation and 636 00:44:35,480 --> 00:44:37,919 Speaker 4: now makes it much more of a diplomatic crisis because 637 00:44:37,920 --> 00:44:39,160 Speaker 4: Pakistan is not happy. 638 00:44:39,800 --> 00:44:43,399 Speaker 2: Yes, And while all of this is happening, there are 639 00:44:43,520 --> 00:44:45,960 Speaker 2: three men. There are two men shot, one man who's 640 00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:49,160 Speaker 2: been struck by a large suv right in this traffic, 641 00:44:49,200 --> 00:44:52,000 Speaker 2: in this chaos. One of the men who has been 642 00:44:52,040 --> 00:44:55,879 Speaker 2: shot is dead on the scene. One of the other 643 00:44:55,920 --> 00:45:00,880 Speaker 2: men who is shot is in extremely c condition but 644 00:45:00,960 --> 00:45:03,200 Speaker 2: still alive. And then the man who's struck by the 645 00:45:03,239 --> 00:45:06,000 Speaker 2: sub is still alive in critical condition. They are both 646 00:45:06,480 --> 00:45:10,600 Speaker 2: like being hurried to a hospital as quickly as possible. 647 00:45:11,480 --> 00:45:15,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, the closest hospital, which would be called service hospital. 648 00:45:15,320 --> 00:45:20,840 Speaker 3: Fahim and Abador survive long enough to get there, but 649 00:45:20,960 --> 00:45:25,120 Speaker 3: they both die. And at this point, the crew in 650 00:45:25,160 --> 00:45:31,360 Speaker 3: that Toyota cruiser they ghost immediately and they are racing 651 00:45:31,800 --> 00:45:37,400 Speaker 3: hell to pedal. Like picture a fire truck right, picture 652 00:45:37,400 --> 00:45:40,880 Speaker 3: of fire truck that does not play the siren noise. 653 00:45:41,800 --> 00:45:46,480 Speaker 3: It is racing to reach the safety of the US consulate. 654 00:45:47,120 --> 00:45:51,640 Speaker 3: And apparently they're throwing some stuff out of the window 655 00:45:52,120 --> 00:45:55,000 Speaker 3: on the way. They're dumping some things. Do we want 656 00:45:55,000 --> 00:45:56,120 Speaker 3: to do a list? 657 00:45:56,760 --> 00:45:57,680 Speaker 2: It's a weird list. 658 00:45:57,920 --> 00:45:59,040 Speaker 5: It's a very weird list. 659 00:45:59,360 --> 00:46:02,000 Speaker 7: Some of these things fetish, I like to bit, I 660 00:46:02,080 --> 00:46:09,880 Speaker 7: like to be bow here, Dennis, Oh my goods, gracious, no, 661 00:46:10,120 --> 00:46:10,919 Speaker 7: not quite right. 662 00:46:11,200 --> 00:46:15,360 Speaker 3: We're talking ammunition, battery. 663 00:46:15,080 --> 00:46:19,879 Speaker 4: Cells, scissors, gloves, a mask, and a blind phoat. Okay, Ben, 664 00:46:20,000 --> 00:46:21,480 Speaker 4: you were getting a little closer to what you're talking 665 00:46:21,480 --> 00:46:24,719 Speaker 4: about here, a baton compass. So some of this is, 666 00:46:24,760 --> 00:46:26,840 Speaker 4: you know, kind of wilderness. He boy scouty stuff, and 667 00:46:26,880 --> 00:46:28,640 Speaker 4: then some of it may be a little more sketch. 668 00:46:29,520 --> 00:46:32,400 Speaker 2: And some of the yellow American spirits. No, I'm just joking. 669 00:46:33,640 --> 00:46:39,239 Speaker 3: I oh, I believe there was a punch card for 670 00:46:39,560 --> 00:46:45,120 Speaker 3: a local shop and you know, a huge tragedy. Eight 671 00:46:45,160 --> 00:46:47,440 Speaker 3: of the ten holes were punched, so it was like 672 00:46:47,520 --> 00:46:48,320 Speaker 3: two sandwiches. 673 00:46:48,440 --> 00:46:53,200 Speaker 2: Oh man, whats the weirdest thing, you guys is that 674 00:46:53,680 --> 00:46:57,120 Speaker 2: the folks whoever was inside this land cruiser made a 675 00:46:57,160 --> 00:47:00,560 Speaker 2: great attempt to get to where Raymond was in his 676 00:47:00,640 --> 00:47:05,800 Speaker 2: Honda Civic, and yet they just decided the GTFO without 677 00:47:05,920 --> 00:47:10,680 Speaker 2: picking up Raymond, which feels like a really strange move 678 00:47:10,719 --> 00:47:14,239 Speaker 2: to me. I don't understand why you would just abscond 679 00:47:14,440 --> 00:47:18,080 Speaker 2: like that after causing such a scene without picking up. 680 00:47:18,640 --> 00:47:18,759 Speaker 1: Uh. 681 00:47:18,960 --> 00:47:21,560 Speaker 2: You know what I'm assuming is your target or you're 682 00:47:22,760 --> 00:47:25,040 Speaker 2: you're genle your teammate. 683 00:47:25,120 --> 00:47:29,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, you're objective, Yeah, yeah, we if we game it out. 684 00:47:30,160 --> 00:47:34,759 Speaker 3: What most likely would happen in that situation is that 685 00:47:34,880 --> 00:47:41,640 Speaker 3: they were responding to the possibility of firefight, right, the 686 00:47:41,760 --> 00:47:45,600 Speaker 3: possibility of other folks going on the scene, and then 687 00:47:45,800 --> 00:47:49,920 Speaker 3: they got the order to skidadle back. We know that Raymond, 688 00:47:50,160 --> 00:47:54,040 Speaker 3: he was not abandoned by these folks. They're all following orders. 689 00:47:54,560 --> 00:47:59,560 Speaker 3: Raymond also attempts to move the Honda Civic has a 690 00:47:59,600 --> 00:48:04,239 Speaker 3: cartoonish windshield at this point, but it's still drivable, right 691 00:48:05,080 --> 00:48:08,520 Speaker 3: because there is no bullet that hit the engine. He 692 00:48:08,640 --> 00:48:13,439 Speaker 3: makes it as far as old Anarcholi Food Street, and 693 00:48:14,360 --> 00:48:19,879 Speaker 3: those traffic officers, those wardens we mentioned earlier, they ask 694 00:48:20,000 --> 00:48:22,880 Speaker 3: him to stop. They stand in front of the car, 695 00:48:24,120 --> 00:48:28,239 Speaker 3: he complies, They bring him to the police. Maybe at 696 00:48:28,239 --> 00:48:31,080 Speaker 3: this point we stop for a word from our sponsors 697 00:48:31,520 --> 00:48:40,880 Speaker 3: and then get to the you know, a fallow Yeah, 698 00:48:40,920 --> 00:48:46,200 Speaker 3: and we're back now. No earlier you said Pakistan is pissed. 699 00:48:46,239 --> 00:48:47,879 Speaker 3: Could you tell us a little bit about that. 700 00:48:47,960 --> 00:48:49,400 Speaker 5: Well, they're certainly not pleased. 701 00:48:49,960 --> 00:48:51,720 Speaker 4: You know, as I was saying, what could have perhaps 702 00:48:51,800 --> 00:48:54,200 Speaker 4: been a little bit more of a contained situation has 703 00:48:54,320 --> 00:48:59,080 Speaker 4: now become really messy. Potentially, Pakistan is a government that 704 00:48:59,120 --> 00:49:01,440 Speaker 4: has been put in a particular tough situation because the 705 00:49:01,480 --> 00:49:06,080 Speaker 4: Honda was found to have a handgun, a telescope something 706 00:49:06,200 --> 00:49:09,520 Speaker 4: we're referring to here ben as a shadowy GPS not 707 00:49:09,600 --> 00:49:14,760 Speaker 4: a brand there are we talking about sketchy GPS type stuff? Okay, 708 00:49:14,760 --> 00:49:18,600 Speaker 4: fair enough, Burner cell phones. We've got satellite phone, the 709 00:49:18,680 --> 00:49:20,400 Speaker 4: kind of things you might find in a go bag, 710 00:49:20,600 --> 00:49:25,000 Speaker 4: minus the loose diamonds. We've got multiple IDs and bank cards. 711 00:49:25,280 --> 00:49:28,760 Speaker 4: Perhaps most disturbingly, how from their perspective, is a camera 712 00:49:29,160 --> 00:49:33,760 Speaker 4: with clear photographs of some stuff that Pakistan would prefer 713 00:49:34,440 --> 00:49:38,319 Speaker 4: you not to know. We're talking images of military installations 714 00:49:38,360 --> 00:49:40,240 Speaker 4: along the border with India. 715 00:49:40,680 --> 00:49:44,840 Speaker 2: And we're talking images that somebody took with this camera, 716 00:49:45,160 --> 00:49:48,360 Speaker 2: like sy had this camera and they were walking around 717 00:49:48,440 --> 00:49:52,840 Speaker 2: military installations taking photographs of stuff, of our secret stuff. 718 00:49:54,600 --> 00:49:57,839 Speaker 2: And who is this guy? Basically is the question, will 719 00:49:57,920 --> 00:50:00,479 Speaker 2: you find that stuff in the Honda? You go, who 720 00:50:00,560 --> 00:50:01,719 Speaker 2: the F is this guy? 721 00:50:03,120 --> 00:50:07,000 Speaker 3: Oh? Oh, I'm sorry, officer, I didn't know. I couldn't 722 00:50:07,040 --> 00:50:07,359 Speaker 3: do that. 723 00:50:08,360 --> 00:50:09,799 Speaker 2: Oh well, well then you're free to go. 724 00:50:10,080 --> 00:50:14,640 Speaker 3: Oh great, all right, five stars on YELP for you, sir. 725 00:50:15,760 --> 00:50:21,080 Speaker 3: So there's a side note here that point about military installation, 726 00:50:21,600 --> 00:50:27,960 Speaker 3: surveillance and photography is key. Pakistan is a nuclear capable 727 00:50:28,120 --> 00:50:34,800 Speaker 3: country and it is very much like ex partner angry 728 00:50:35,280 --> 00:50:40,680 Speaker 3: at India. They hate each other. The border ceremony is 729 00:50:40,920 --> 00:50:43,840 Speaker 3: amazing and worth your time. It went viral in the 730 00:50:43,840 --> 00:50:48,279 Speaker 3: West several years back. They do not trust each other, 731 00:50:49,040 --> 00:50:53,280 Speaker 3: and both countries are kind of frenemies with the US 732 00:50:53,480 --> 00:50:57,080 Speaker 3: and it's not their fault, it's based on US actions previously. 733 00:50:57,239 --> 00:50:58,760 Speaker 3: These are all rational actors. 734 00:50:59,200 --> 00:51:02,160 Speaker 2: Well, and there's lots of money getting pumped into both 735 00:51:02,200 --> 00:51:04,600 Speaker 2: India and Pakistan by usaid. 736 00:51:05,160 --> 00:51:10,359 Speaker 3: You guys like money, let's have some. Yeah, never mind 737 00:51:10,400 --> 00:51:15,600 Speaker 3: the camera, so imagine the relative you don't want to 738 00:51:15,640 --> 00:51:21,719 Speaker 3: see Thanksgiving. This is far beyond that. Do we want 739 00:51:21,760 --> 00:51:26,640 Speaker 3: to talk a little bit just for context about India 740 00:51:26,760 --> 00:51:28,440 Speaker 3: Pakistan relationships. 741 00:51:28,840 --> 00:51:31,879 Speaker 5: They are not buddies, they're not buckeroos. 742 00:51:33,480 --> 00:51:36,040 Speaker 2: Well, yeah, and this is something we're seeing play out 743 00:51:36,040 --> 00:51:39,040 Speaker 2: in the news now like s here in twenty twenty five, 744 00:51:39,080 --> 00:51:45,319 Speaker 2: where it's getting escalated, these tensions, these like hand with 745 00:51:45,360 --> 00:51:48,480 Speaker 2: a finger on the trigger, just waiting, just waiting for 746 00:51:48,520 --> 00:51:49,439 Speaker 2: the other side to do. 747 00:51:49,360 --> 00:51:51,000 Speaker 5: Something type stuff. 748 00:51:52,600 --> 00:51:56,120 Speaker 2: Yes, and at this moment we also have to remember 749 00:51:56,320 --> 00:52:01,759 Speaker 2: that it's twenty eleven. It's been ten years since the 750 00:52:01,800 --> 00:52:05,560 Speaker 2: September eleventh, a little less than ten years since that attack. 751 00:52:05,880 --> 00:52:11,080 Speaker 2: There are factions within Pakistan that are very much on 752 00:52:11,400 --> 00:52:16,640 Speaker 2: that track of what George W. Bush would call, you know, 753 00:52:17,400 --> 00:52:22,040 Speaker 2: terror like but really like groups are who are down 754 00:52:22,160 --> 00:52:26,759 Speaker 2: with we probably should destroy America kind of vibe that 755 00:52:26,920 --> 00:52:32,080 Speaker 2: is not the governing force within Pakistan because again that 756 00:52:32,200 --> 00:52:36,640 Speaker 2: force has little strings attached with all that US money 757 00:52:36,680 --> 00:52:39,319 Speaker 2: and other stuff coming in. So there's it's almost like 758 00:52:39,360 --> 00:52:42,600 Speaker 2: the tensions are ready to boil over from these other 759 00:52:42,640 --> 00:52:46,719 Speaker 2: groups within the country, but it hasn't yet. So it's 760 00:52:46,760 --> 00:52:47,720 Speaker 2: a delicate balance. 761 00:52:48,200 --> 00:52:52,880 Speaker 3: And just like the CIA historically at times in the US, 762 00:52:53,760 --> 00:52:59,360 Speaker 3: the ISI, the inter services intelligence of Pakistan is believed 763 00:52:59,360 --> 00:53:05,080 Speaker 3: to bemised in one way or another by ideological factions. 764 00:53:06,040 --> 00:53:12,120 Speaker 3: This is again not a condemnation of these various intelligence services. 765 00:53:13,120 --> 00:53:15,600 Speaker 3: I'm just saying, if you hang out at a barber 766 00:53:15,640 --> 00:53:18,520 Speaker 3: shop long enough, you're gonna get a haircut, you know 767 00:53:18,560 --> 00:53:19,160 Speaker 3: what I mean. 768 00:53:19,320 --> 00:53:23,839 Speaker 4: Yeah, or a good dose of hot goss, that's for sure. 769 00:53:23,840 --> 00:53:28,000 Speaker 3: For sure. And so this is a pickle. Right, the 770 00:53:28,160 --> 00:53:32,520 Speaker 3: media gets in front of this story, the West and Pakistan. 771 00:53:34,040 --> 00:53:38,000 Speaker 3: All of the stands that still have something like a press, 772 00:53:38,520 --> 00:53:44,120 Speaker 3: they are publishing about this. Right. India is dining out 773 00:53:44,160 --> 00:53:47,960 Speaker 3: on this. They kind of love it. And we have 774 00:53:48,040 --> 00:53:51,320 Speaker 3: to remember that both of these countries, the United States 775 00:53:51,360 --> 00:53:54,920 Speaker 3: and Pakistan, they have a deep investment in one another. 776 00:53:55,040 --> 00:53:59,839 Speaker 3: Because of what you're describing war on terror. They're practicing 777 00:54:00,200 --> 00:54:05,319 Speaker 3: Kissinger level real politic. So Pakistan in that case, in 778 00:54:05,360 --> 00:54:10,480 Speaker 3: a zero some game, they want any possible negotiation leverage 779 00:54:10,960 --> 00:54:14,520 Speaker 3: over their frenemies in the West. The media war begins. 780 00:54:14,920 --> 00:54:21,799 Speaker 3: Uncle Sam immediately says, Raymond from Virginia, he's a diplomat. 781 00:54:21,840 --> 00:54:23,439 Speaker 4: Well, this is a real test of all the things 782 00:54:23,480 --> 00:54:26,439 Speaker 4: we've been talking about, isn't it. Because they bulk at 783 00:54:26,440 --> 00:54:30,839 Speaker 4: that US claims that he is classified under the Vienna 784 00:54:30,880 --> 00:54:35,799 Speaker 4: Convention and is therefore subject to certain, you know, leniencies, privileges, 785 00:54:35,920 --> 00:54:41,040 Speaker 4: let's just say, dispensations. Pakistan disagrees, and legal arguments start 786 00:54:41,080 --> 00:54:42,040 Speaker 4: getting into the mix. 787 00:54:42,719 --> 00:54:46,040 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, well, and let's not forget. When Raymond finally 788 00:54:46,120 --> 00:54:48,359 Speaker 2: gets out of his civic and he gets pulled over 789 00:54:48,400 --> 00:54:51,319 Speaker 2: by those traffic cops, they're like, who are you? And 790 00:54:51,360 --> 00:54:53,560 Speaker 2: they take him into the police and they say who 791 00:54:53,560 --> 00:54:57,000 Speaker 2: are you? And he says, I'm a consultant. I just 792 00:54:57,120 --> 00:55:01,240 Speaker 2: work as a consultant at the console a general in Lahore. 793 00:55:01,360 --> 00:55:04,520 Speaker 2: I'm a consultant. And he picks up his shirt. Remember 794 00:55:04,560 --> 00:55:07,280 Speaker 2: we talked about having IDs and stuff on your shirt. 795 00:55:07,480 --> 00:55:09,359 Speaker 2: He picks it up and shows them, Yeah, that's who 796 00:55:09,440 --> 00:55:12,080 Speaker 2: I am. I don't have my passport and stuff on me, 797 00:55:12,160 --> 00:55:13,440 Speaker 2: but look I've got. 798 00:55:13,239 --> 00:55:17,960 Speaker 4: This green badge. But he does not present specific diplomatic credentials. 799 00:55:18,120 --> 00:55:20,200 Speaker 4: This is something different, right. 800 00:55:20,840 --> 00:55:24,360 Speaker 3: He's got a card essentially like our earlier conversations on 801 00:55:24,400 --> 00:55:28,040 Speaker 3: diplomatic community. He nailed it, guys. He's got a card 802 00:55:28,080 --> 00:55:32,800 Speaker 3: that that says call this person, right, yeah, yeah, yeah. 803 00:55:32,840 --> 00:55:36,440 Speaker 2: So when when the US governor says, oh, he's a diplomat, right, 804 00:55:36,520 --> 00:55:39,480 Speaker 2: You're like, oh, okay, well wait a second, I don't 805 00:55:39,520 --> 00:55:40,040 Speaker 2: know about that. 806 00:55:40,160 --> 00:55:45,000 Speaker 3: I don't know about that the government. It's a sticky wicket. 807 00:55:45,600 --> 00:55:45,759 Speaker 2: Uh. 808 00:55:46,480 --> 00:55:50,160 Speaker 3: Cricket's very popular in Pakistan, it is, You're right. So 809 00:55:51,080 --> 00:55:57,319 Speaker 3: the question becomes is this contractor on staff or is 810 00:55:57,360 --> 00:56:03,800 Speaker 3: he a hot head in acting on his own dangerous accord. 811 00:56:03,719 --> 00:56:08,680 Speaker 4: Right or his dangerous civic Sorry right, no joke left by? 812 00:56:08,840 --> 00:56:09,400 Speaker 3: That was great? 813 00:56:10,120 --> 00:56:10,319 Speaker 4: Well? 814 00:56:10,400 --> 00:56:13,040 Speaker 2: Can we also just state authorities are also trying to 815 00:56:13,080 --> 00:56:15,360 Speaker 2: figure out who those young men were on the motorcycle 816 00:56:15,520 --> 00:56:18,239 Speaker 2: because nobody knows, right, like, what were they doing there, 817 00:56:18,239 --> 00:56:21,200 Speaker 2: Why were they there? What was their purpose that they 818 00:56:21,200 --> 00:56:22,319 Speaker 2: were there to take him out? 819 00:56:22,440 --> 00:56:24,640 Speaker 5: It would seem that they were there to assassinate this. 820 00:56:24,600 --> 00:56:28,680 Speaker 3: Man private eye of watching you. 821 00:56:28,840 --> 00:56:30,520 Speaker 4: I mean, did they not pull up to him on 822 00:56:30,600 --> 00:56:33,000 Speaker 4: a motorcycle and draw down on him? 823 00:56:33,480 --> 00:56:34,440 Speaker 2: Yes? 824 00:56:34,480 --> 00:56:37,479 Speaker 5: Okay, that just seems like what it seems to me now, you're. 825 00:56:37,440 --> 00:56:46,439 Speaker 2: Right, beautiful. But the official story is that these young 826 00:56:46,520 --> 00:56:50,080 Speaker 2: men were on basically a crime spree, of some sort 827 00:56:50,120 --> 00:56:54,520 Speaker 2: of low level crime spree where they're committing robberies, right, 828 00:56:55,080 --> 00:56:59,560 Speaker 2: and they just happened to pull in front of this Contractor's. 829 00:56:59,000 --> 00:57:03,320 Speaker 3: Really really see a white guy, Wyhanta civic. 830 00:57:03,400 --> 00:57:05,480 Speaker 2: I guess that's true. 831 00:57:05,160 --> 00:57:08,120 Speaker 4: Maybe nobody's put it pointing the finger at something greater 832 00:57:08,200 --> 00:57:09,440 Speaker 4: than that. 833 00:57:09,800 --> 00:57:14,080 Speaker 2: It's all about plausible deniability, right, like every layer of this. 834 00:57:15,200 --> 00:57:20,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's true. So Raymond and Uncle Sam, the Department 835 00:57:20,200 --> 00:57:22,200 Speaker 3: of State, This, by the way, goes all the way 836 00:57:22,240 --> 00:57:26,880 Speaker 3: to the potus. They argue, this guy acted in self defense. 837 00:57:27,120 --> 00:57:32,120 Speaker 3: As as as we're saying there was a street level 838 00:57:32,320 --> 00:57:36,760 Speaker 3: crime spree, it could have been anyone behind that motorbike. 839 00:57:37,400 --> 00:57:42,080 Speaker 3: This guy happened to have the education and muscle memory 840 00:57:42,120 --> 00:57:47,320 Speaker 3: to respond to a threat. Pakistan's authorities disagree and they 841 00:57:47,320 --> 00:57:53,960 Speaker 3: say no, actually no, sorry, Uncle Sam, this is one 842 00:57:53,960 --> 00:57:59,160 Speaker 3: of your guys, and this American murdered two innocent twenty 843 00:57:59,240 --> 00:58:05,160 Speaker 3: year olds in traffic and then he escalated that incident. 844 00:58:06,080 --> 00:58:10,400 Speaker 2: Yep. Let's also gosh, there's so much context to this, 845 00:58:10,400 --> 00:58:13,280 Speaker 2: this thing that happens, right, That's why it's considered one 846 00:58:13,320 --> 00:58:17,120 Speaker 2: of those special moments that had ripples like that were 847 00:58:17,280 --> 00:58:20,000 Speaker 2: far reaching and that you can still feel them today. 848 00:58:21,000 --> 00:58:22,840 Speaker 2: Just before this, I don't know if it was years 849 00:58:22,840 --> 00:58:26,480 Speaker 2: before this or months before this, the United States sent 850 00:58:26,640 --> 00:58:30,440 Speaker 2: drone strikes to several areas of Pakistan. So within the 851 00:58:30,480 --> 00:58:33,680 Speaker 2: country there's already this resentment against the United States for 852 00:58:34,360 --> 00:58:38,000 Speaker 2: using these machines to come out and do targeted killings 853 00:58:38,200 --> 00:58:41,120 Speaker 2: or targeted strikes or what. I forget the words that 854 00:58:41,160 --> 00:58:44,240 Speaker 2: were used by the Obama administration back in the day, 855 00:58:45,240 --> 00:58:48,440 Speaker 2: but they were taking out specific targets with drones in 856 00:58:48,480 --> 00:58:52,240 Speaker 2: Pakistan around this time. So it is this whole thing 857 00:58:52,320 --> 00:58:55,600 Speaker 2: is almost seen as symbolic, right, especially for the high 858 00:58:55,680 --> 00:58:56,840 Speaker 2: level players. 859 00:58:57,760 --> 00:59:01,680 Speaker 3: Right right, and this is in the mill u when 860 00:59:02,520 --> 00:59:08,760 Speaker 3: Pakistan and the US or trying to publicly play nice, 861 00:59:09,880 --> 00:59:12,120 Speaker 3: there's a lot on the line. I mean, I think 862 00:59:12,120 --> 00:59:15,520 Speaker 3: it was Pervez musha Ref was on the Daily Show 863 00:59:17,160 --> 00:59:20,160 Speaker 3: around this time. Do you guys remember him, President of 864 00:59:20,240 --> 00:59:21,600 Speaker 3: Pakistan Sorrry. 865 00:59:21,680 --> 00:59:22,840 Speaker 5: Yes, yes, of course I do. 866 00:59:23,040 --> 00:59:28,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, Yeah, it's an interview that's worth your time. So Raymond, 867 00:59:29,080 --> 00:59:34,760 Speaker 3: Raymond gets jammed up two charges of homicide, and the 868 00:59:34,840 --> 00:59:38,040 Speaker 3: evidence is there he did shoot these kits for sure. 869 00:59:38,120 --> 00:59:40,320 Speaker 4: I mean, he's becoming kind of the sacrificial lamb in 870 00:59:40,360 --> 00:59:44,640 Speaker 4: this diplomatic hubbub. The US, however, does pressure Pakistan to 871 00:59:44,800 --> 00:59:50,080 Speaker 4: free him, though Pakistan initially bucks and in later conversations 872 00:59:50,160 --> 00:59:51,800 Speaker 4: were the kind that you might have at one of 873 00:59:51,840 --> 00:59:53,880 Speaker 4: those out of the way cafes that we described ben 874 00:59:53,920 --> 00:59:58,040 Speaker 4: where we're exchanging the face down you know, the cocktail, 875 00:59:58,120 --> 01:00:00,640 Speaker 4: napkins or whatever. In that scenari I am from our 876 01:00:00,680 --> 01:00:04,240 Speaker 4: first series on diplomatic community, Pakistan and the US do 877 01:00:04,560 --> 01:00:09,200 Speaker 4: hatch a deal. It was agreed usually that these two 878 01:00:09,280 --> 01:00:13,600 Speaker 4: kids on bikes were ISI agents. In the official US 879 01:00:13,680 --> 01:00:16,720 Speaker 4: story of an attempted robbery would prove completely or at 880 01:00:16,800 --> 01:00:20,680 Speaker 4: least largely false, but potentially worthy of holding some water. 881 01:00:21,280 --> 01:00:22,760 Speaker 2: There was a lot of back and forth. There are 882 01:00:22,920 --> 01:00:27,480 Speaker 2: high level attorneys hanging out in Pakistan on the part 883 01:00:27,520 --> 01:00:30,880 Speaker 2: of the US, attempting to negotiate to get this guy 884 01:00:31,040 --> 01:00:34,760 Speaker 2: out of the country before charges are laid at his feet. 885 01:00:34,800 --> 01:00:37,560 Speaker 2: Before they're you know, officially going to trial for any 886 01:00:37,600 --> 01:00:41,840 Speaker 2: of this stuff, before the s hits the f or 887 01:00:42,040 --> 01:00:45,200 Speaker 2: however that works, and. 888 01:00:47,200 --> 01:00:51,760 Speaker 3: How does that work? Bett, Have you ever defecated on 889 01:00:51,920 --> 01:00:52,280 Speaker 3: a fan? 890 01:00:53,040 --> 01:00:56,680 Speaker 2: Well, look, in certain situations that I can think of 891 01:00:56,760 --> 01:00:59,160 Speaker 2: in the past, there would be a problem if there 892 01:00:59,200 --> 01:01:08,720 Speaker 2: was a fan, like in the vicinity. Maybe. Well, guys, 893 01:01:09,080 --> 01:01:11,440 Speaker 2: it really depends on what your diet looks like in 894 01:01:11,840 --> 01:01:17,760 Speaker 2: certain you know, bacteria, it's way, yeah, anyway, it's it's 895 01:01:17,800 --> 01:01:20,320 Speaker 2: going really bad. But that there's this other thing that 896 01:01:20,400 --> 01:01:24,800 Speaker 2: gets floated after the prosecutor gets switched out, which is 897 01:01:24,840 --> 01:01:28,080 Speaker 2: an interesting thing that occurs, and it's you can look 898 01:01:28,120 --> 01:01:30,800 Speaker 2: at various news sources, including the New York Times to 899 01:01:30,840 --> 01:01:35,040 Speaker 2: see like the strange ways that on the Pakistan side, 900 01:01:36,040 --> 01:01:38,760 Speaker 2: the folks who are going to prosecute this person got 901 01:01:38,800 --> 01:01:42,160 Speaker 2: switched out and all of a sudden, this new concept arises. 902 01:01:43,080 --> 01:01:46,320 Speaker 3: Well, it's an old concept. We have to recognize that 903 01:01:47,280 --> 01:01:53,280 Speaker 3: every sovereign nation is entitled to its own judicial system. Pakistan, 904 01:01:53,520 --> 01:01:59,800 Speaker 3: being Islamic country, functions largely under Islamic law, which is 905 01:02:00,280 --> 01:02:06,720 Speaker 3: we see and an ancient concept that is considered legal 906 01:02:07,000 --> 01:02:09,000 Speaker 3: in this part of the world. Come into play. That 907 01:02:09,160 --> 01:02:14,000 Speaker 3: concept is the the closest translation in the West would 908 01:02:14,040 --> 01:02:18,080 Speaker 3: be something like blood price compensation for the people that 909 01:02:18,120 --> 01:02:21,280 Speaker 3: you have killed. And this is not unique to Pakistan. 910 01:02:21,520 --> 01:02:26,640 Speaker 3: It's not unique to Islam. It may sound strange to 911 01:02:26,920 --> 01:02:31,360 Speaker 3: people from the United States, but just because you're from 912 01:02:31,400 --> 01:02:36,240 Speaker 3: the US doesn't mean you know you know everything. Well. 913 01:02:36,280 --> 01:02:38,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, And just to clarify when I say a new concept, 914 01:02:38,800 --> 01:02:41,400 Speaker 2: what I mean is it wasn't being talked about as 915 01:02:41,440 --> 01:02:45,360 Speaker 2: an even possibility for this specific case with an American 916 01:02:45,480 --> 01:02:49,080 Speaker 2: who has killed two people in Pakistan who were Pakistani. 917 01:02:49,520 --> 01:02:52,760 Speaker 3: It's it's introduced. 918 01:02:53,320 --> 01:02:56,240 Speaker 2: Yes, it gets introduced as the prosecutors switch out. 919 01:02:57,320 --> 01:03:02,880 Speaker 3: So the United States pays something around two point four 920 01:03:03,000 --> 01:03:07,520 Speaker 3: million USD under Islamic law, they pay this blood price. 921 01:03:08,200 --> 01:03:10,960 Speaker 3: And so it comes to pass that on March sixteenth, 922 01:03:11,400 --> 01:03:19,240 Speaker 3: twenty eleven, Pakistan's judicial system acquits Raymond Allen Davis of 923 01:03:19,640 --> 01:03:23,680 Speaker 3: every charge of any charges. And they were really gonna 924 01:03:23,760 --> 01:03:27,360 Speaker 3: jam this guy up for multiple things like even uto 925 01:03:28,120 --> 01:03:32,440 Speaker 3: traffic violations like you're driving a car with a broken windshield, 926 01:03:33,080 --> 01:03:36,720 Speaker 3: screw you man, like all of this stuff. They wanted 927 01:03:36,760 --> 01:03:39,680 Speaker 3: to put him under the jail. But this price comes 928 01:03:39,720 --> 01:03:44,640 Speaker 3: in he catches the next plane out of the country secretly. 929 01:03:45,600 --> 01:03:51,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, well as does as do well. Yeah, and he 930 01:03:51,080 --> 01:03:54,120 Speaker 2: has to Afghanistan by the way to get to the US. 931 01:03:54,360 --> 01:03:58,439 Speaker 2: But the families that receive the blood money, the three 932 01:03:58,560 --> 01:04:02,000 Speaker 2: different families, they are all secreted away as well. 933 01:04:02,480 --> 01:04:09,240 Speaker 3: Yes, and Pakistan Pakistani politicians lose their careers over this. 934 01:04:09,640 --> 01:04:16,240 Speaker 3: Multiple Some people are saying, no, this is stinky, you know, 935 01:04:16,560 --> 01:04:19,400 Speaker 3: this is s hits the f and I don't like it, 936 01:04:19,720 --> 01:04:23,760 Speaker 3: and I don't like what it says about geopolitics. Boom, 937 01:04:23,920 --> 01:04:27,160 Speaker 3: they get sacked. Other people say, eh, yeah, you know 938 01:04:27,680 --> 01:04:30,320 Speaker 3: this is good. You gotta make it work. They get sacked. 939 01:04:31,080 --> 01:04:35,480 Speaker 4: This is a absolute crisis for diplomacy Monty Python levels 940 01:04:35,480 --> 01:04:36,960 Speaker 4: of sackings taking place. 941 01:04:37,440 --> 01:04:41,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, sacks all the way down. Man, it's sacking fifth Avenue. 942 01:04:41,000 --> 01:04:44,640 Speaker 4: Then, No, exactly, And like you said, Ben, at this point, 943 01:04:44,680 --> 01:04:49,760 Speaker 4: I mean, it's so stinky and sacky that the president 944 01:04:49,840 --> 01:04:52,160 Speaker 4: himself actually is forced to respond. 945 01:04:52,200 --> 01:04:53,280 Speaker 5: There's no way around it. 946 01:04:53,400 --> 01:04:58,000 Speaker 4: This is potentially blowing up into an outright diplomatic crisis. 947 01:04:59,160 --> 01:05:04,320 Speaker 2: Yep, solutely. Let's also remember that this is now in 948 01:05:04,440 --> 01:05:08,560 Speaker 2: February of twenty eleven. All of this is going down 949 01:05:09,240 --> 01:05:12,480 Speaker 2: where even the United States President is getting involved. 950 01:05:13,000 --> 01:05:16,760 Speaker 3: Right, So February is when it goes up to Potus 951 01:05:17,080 --> 01:05:22,600 Speaker 3: and Congress. Right March is when Raymond Allen Davis becomes 952 01:05:22,840 --> 01:05:28,040 Speaker 3: free and has to escape. But look for anybody in 953 01:05:28,080 --> 01:05:29,880 Speaker 3: the audience, and I'm sure there are a few of 954 01:05:29,960 --> 01:05:35,720 Speaker 3: us and have adventures. Be safe. You know well that 955 01:05:36,040 --> 01:05:41,040 Speaker 3: any time the president has to go in public and 956 01:05:41,240 --> 01:05:45,480 Speaker 3: say some stuff to respond, like to respond to an incident, 957 01:05:46,120 --> 01:05:49,320 Speaker 3: you're in trouble. You know what I mean. It's like 958 01:05:49,400 --> 01:05:53,919 Speaker 3: being a second grader and you hear the announcements at 959 01:05:53,960 --> 01:05:59,400 Speaker 3: school and the principal gets on the mic and says, also, 960 01:06:00,520 --> 01:06:03,120 Speaker 3: I want to have a quick word about Noel Brown 961 01:06:03,200 --> 01:06:08,640 Speaker 3: or Dak Frederick right to the office, right right, right. 962 01:06:08,840 --> 01:06:12,600 Speaker 3: There were some incidents at the neighboring high school, at 963 01:06:12,600 --> 01:06:17,560 Speaker 3: the neighboring elementary schools. It's just a bad look all around. 964 01:06:17,720 --> 01:06:21,000 Speaker 3: And we the public will never know what got discussed 965 01:06:21,000 --> 01:06:22,280 Speaker 3: in those back rooms. 966 01:06:22,640 --> 01:06:26,640 Speaker 2: No, no, we will not. We won't know the full 967 01:06:26,680 --> 01:06:29,920 Speaker 2: story because it was really fishy, something weird was going on. 968 01:06:31,160 --> 01:06:36,840 Speaker 2: What happened two months later? Anybody remember what happened two 969 01:06:36,880 --> 01:06:37,480 Speaker 2: months later? 970 01:06:37,720 --> 01:06:37,880 Speaker 3: You know? 971 01:06:37,960 --> 01:06:45,800 Speaker 2: Bottabad no comment? Uh, the world's most wanted man was 972 01:06:45,960 --> 01:06:51,040 Speaker 2: assassinated in a compound where there were stealth helicopters used. 973 01:06:51,800 --> 01:06:52,400 Speaker 3: No comment. 974 01:06:52,520 --> 01:06:55,680 Speaker 2: Where the CIA had been operating for Oh, I don't know, 975 01:06:56,040 --> 01:06:58,880 Speaker 2: months and months and months trying to track down Osama 976 01:06:58,880 --> 01:07:00,840 Speaker 2: bin laden via vaccinations. 977 01:07:00,920 --> 01:07:07,720 Speaker 3: No comment. M Oh my gosh, that sounded sketchy. Yeah, right, fine, No, 978 01:07:07,880 --> 01:07:11,640 Speaker 3: you're right, Matt, as as usual, you are absolutely correct. 979 01:07:12,000 --> 01:07:15,680 Speaker 3: There are always a larger pieces at play. Yeah, and 980 01:07:17,160 --> 01:07:20,080 Speaker 3: you're right. What we can say is that Raymond Davis 981 01:07:20,440 --> 01:07:24,320 Speaker 3: is not some kind of super villain. He's not some doctor. No, 982 01:07:24,640 --> 01:07:27,800 Speaker 3: he's not some kind of James Bond. By his own account, 983 01:07:27,920 --> 01:07:31,920 Speaker 3: he will deny you know, this double O seven appellation, 984 01:07:32,320 --> 01:07:36,720 Speaker 3: that Appalachian appellation that people put on him. He's a 985 01:07:36,880 --> 01:07:42,160 Speaker 3: kid from Wise County, Virginia. In his perspective, he's serving 986 01:07:42,200 --> 01:07:47,920 Speaker 3: his country. He never never imagined that he might be 987 01:07:48,120 --> 01:07:54,040 Speaker 3: the individual triggering such extreme events. But to know your 988 01:07:54,080 --> 01:07:59,040 Speaker 3: earlier point about powder kegs right and boiling water, it's 989 01:07:59,040 --> 01:08:01,840 Speaker 3: fair to ask if something like this would have happened 990 01:08:02,040 --> 01:08:07,720 Speaker 3: inevitably right, Because the entire time this is happening, factions 991 01:08:07,760 --> 01:08:13,520 Speaker 3: of an ISI know exactly where obl is it's just irrefutable. 992 01:08:14,320 --> 01:08:18,080 Speaker 2: Yep. It was a delicate little game that was being played. 993 01:08:19,120 --> 01:08:24,240 Speaker 2: Like everybody knows that, like to some extent, all sides 994 01:08:24,360 --> 01:08:29,240 Speaker 2: know that there are Americans operating beneath the consulate or 995 01:08:29,280 --> 01:08:32,759 Speaker 2: for the consulate or for the embassy who are inside 996 01:08:32,800 --> 01:08:35,920 Speaker 2: the country searching for this person, and they have been 997 01:08:36,080 --> 01:08:37,840 Speaker 2: for almost ten years. 998 01:08:38,720 --> 01:08:40,120 Speaker 3: And like check his watch. 999 01:08:40,640 --> 01:08:43,400 Speaker 2: I'm just saying it. It's known. Everybody is just aware 1000 01:08:43,479 --> 01:08:47,559 Speaker 2: that this is happening, right, because it's it's if you 1001 01:08:47,920 --> 01:08:51,519 Speaker 2: thought it wasn't happening, you know, you're being naive on 1002 01:08:51,560 --> 01:08:52,280 Speaker 2: those levels. 1003 01:08:53,080 --> 01:08:55,920 Speaker 3: We're here for the museums, you know what I mean. 1004 01:08:56,400 --> 01:09:01,000 Speaker 3: We're big fans of architecture and we like to see 1005 01:09:01,040 --> 01:09:04,840 Speaker 3: out of the way architecture. I'm sorry, officer, I did 1006 01:09:04,840 --> 01:09:05,240 Speaker 3: not know. 1007 01:09:05,720 --> 01:09:09,640 Speaker 2: I could not do that well exactly. But the Americans 1008 01:09:09,680 --> 01:09:13,240 Speaker 2: who are operating in Pakistan know that the intelligence services 1009 01:09:13,280 --> 01:09:16,519 Speaker 2: there are keeping an eye on them. So and if 1010 01:09:16,560 --> 01:09:20,360 Speaker 2: they believe, like they had around this time, that they 1011 01:09:20,360 --> 01:09:23,880 Speaker 2: had located the correct compound where Osama bin Laden was hiding, 1012 01:09:24,439 --> 01:09:28,360 Speaker 2: you have to that side is pretending like they don't know, right, 1013 01:09:28,640 --> 01:09:32,000 Speaker 2: and then the other side is trying to figure out 1014 01:09:32,040 --> 01:09:36,200 Speaker 2: what each other knows. It's just it gets so complicated. 1015 01:09:36,400 --> 01:09:41,040 Speaker 3: It's a weird, toxic relationship often with these countries, allies 1016 01:09:41,080 --> 01:09:45,120 Speaker 3: and enemies alike. To this very evening, we're gonna hear 1017 01:09:45,320 --> 01:09:49,040 Speaker 3: multiple differing accounts of what is called the Raymond Allen 1018 01:09:49,160 --> 01:09:53,480 Speaker 3: Davis incident in the West to our friends in Pakistan 1019 01:09:54,320 --> 01:09:58,600 Speaker 3: and points abroad. It's a harrowing parable about how no 1020 01:09:58,880 --> 01:10:04,479 Speaker 3: country should or trust the United States. This country, the 1021 01:10:04,600 --> 01:10:09,120 Speaker 3: US has a terrible reputation right now for sort of 1022 01:10:09,160 --> 01:10:14,519 Speaker 3: moving with the wind and the whims, which people don't like. 1023 01:10:14,840 --> 01:10:17,240 Speaker 3: I get it. You would you know, you crack a 1024 01:10:17,280 --> 01:10:22,439 Speaker 3: deal with one person who is supposedly in charge of 1025 01:10:22,439 --> 01:10:26,679 Speaker 3: the country. Four years later there's another person and they say, ah, 1026 01:10:26,840 --> 01:10:30,720 Speaker 3: forget that other guy. Here's my weird thing. How do 1027 01:10:30,800 --> 01:10:33,559 Speaker 3: you feel about how the civics And then you have 1028 01:10:33,640 --> 01:10:36,320 Speaker 3: to be like, I guess this is cool for four years. 1029 01:10:36,640 --> 01:10:40,960 Speaker 3: But to the United States, this is a moral play. 1030 01:10:41,000 --> 01:10:43,960 Speaker 3: This is the argument that if you send someone in, 1031 01:10:44,560 --> 01:10:48,360 Speaker 3: you may damn sure you get them back, and ideally 1032 01:10:48,840 --> 01:10:52,120 Speaker 3: you keep that invisible. This is a case where the 1033 01:10:52,200 --> 01:10:53,719 Speaker 3: conspiracy was revealed. 1034 01:10:54,360 --> 01:10:57,320 Speaker 2: Yeah it was. I didn't realize you guys that the 1035 01:10:57,479 --> 01:11:03,040 Speaker 2: Guardian newspaper is the out that officially stated out loud 1036 01:11:03,880 --> 01:11:06,679 Speaker 2: that Raymond Davis was employed by the CIA. 1037 01:11:07,280 --> 01:11:09,439 Speaker 3: Right, Yeah, they were first to the post on it. 1038 01:11:09,800 --> 01:11:13,960 Speaker 2: That was February twentieth, twenty eleven, so like well after 1039 01:11:14,080 --> 01:11:18,479 Speaker 2: the incident, and while while he's incarcerated, while all of 1040 01:11:18,479 --> 01:11:20,120 Speaker 2: the kerfuffle is beginning. 1041 01:11:20,280 --> 01:11:24,400 Speaker 3: Forces potus to respond, Yeah, the media pushed it, and 1042 01:11:24,479 --> 01:11:28,400 Speaker 3: the bag of Badgers is a parent. Neither Pakistan nor 1043 01:11:28,479 --> 01:11:32,280 Speaker 3: the US right now have come to a public agreement 1044 01:11:32,439 --> 01:11:37,679 Speaker 3: on this matter. Instead, both nations found an approachable stance. Right, 1045 01:11:38,160 --> 01:11:43,559 Speaker 3: we made correct with Islamic law. Right, so satisfying domestic 1046 01:11:43,640 --> 01:11:48,839 Speaker 3: population of Pakistan, if not the families of those people 1047 01:11:49,160 --> 01:11:55,400 Speaker 3: who were murdered. Honestly, the US individual got home safe. 1048 01:11:55,520 --> 01:11:59,640 Speaker 3: The US individual, wols I should say, because let's not 1049 01:11:59,680 --> 01:12:05,160 Speaker 3: forget Davis was not out there as a rogue lone wolf. 1050 01:12:05,880 --> 01:12:10,280 Speaker 3: They got back. Doesn't always happen. Sorry, that's how the 1051 01:12:10,320 --> 01:12:14,720 Speaker 3: sausage is made. The CIA and the ISI, they reset 1052 01:12:14,760 --> 01:12:18,840 Speaker 3: their chessboard once again, and they look towards the horizon, 1053 01:12:19,720 --> 01:12:24,839 Speaker 3: and the great game continues. As we wrap up tonight's episode, 1054 01:12:25,920 --> 01:12:28,120 Speaker 3: we went a little long, but thank you so much 1055 01:12:28,160 --> 01:12:29,560 Speaker 3: for tuning in, folks. 1056 01:12:29,800 --> 01:12:33,280 Speaker 2: M Yeah, there's more to the stuff that we were 1057 01:12:33,320 --> 01:12:35,639 Speaker 2: even able to cover, And this is a longer episode 1058 01:12:35,680 --> 01:12:38,200 Speaker 2: than we usually do on a single topic. But guys, 1059 01:12:38,560 --> 01:12:41,240 Speaker 2: look into this even further if you're interested in the 1060 01:12:41,240 --> 01:12:43,679 Speaker 2: ins and outs and some of the details and stuff. 1061 01:12:44,479 --> 01:12:47,160 Speaker 2: Just to recommend one source, you know, Ben, You've got 1062 01:12:47,200 --> 01:12:49,840 Speaker 2: the you can tell everybody the book that was actually 1063 01:12:49,880 --> 01:12:54,040 Speaker 2: written by Raven Davis. There's a pretty long New York 1064 01:12:54,080 --> 01:12:58,040 Speaker 2: Magazine article from twenty thirteen titled How a spy helped 1065 01:12:58,080 --> 01:13:01,519 Speaker 2: turn Pakistan against the United States. It's a pretty long read, 1066 01:13:01,600 --> 01:13:03,759 Speaker 2: but if you can gain access to that, we highly 1067 01:13:03,760 --> 01:13:04,360 Speaker 2: recommend it. 1068 01:13:04,960 --> 01:13:11,080 Speaker 3: We highly recommend mister Davis's words himself, the contractor, how 1069 01:13:11,120 --> 01:13:16,760 Speaker 3: I landed in a Pakistani prison and ignited a diplomatic crisis, 1070 01:13:16,800 --> 01:13:21,320 Speaker 3: and I don't want to lose what we set there previously. Again, 1071 01:13:21,840 --> 01:13:27,040 Speaker 3: the CIA, the ISI soldier on to continue. They reset 1072 01:13:27,080 --> 01:13:31,840 Speaker 3: the chessboard. They are looking toward a horizon, and the 1073 01:13:31,960 --> 01:13:37,479 Speaker 3: great game never stopped. It continues tonight. You can learn more, 1074 01:13:37,640 --> 01:13:40,760 Speaker 3: As Matt said, you can talk to us. Well, I 1075 01:13:40,960 --> 01:13:43,920 Speaker 3: know some of us are in the audience tonight. Who 1076 01:13:44,000 --> 01:13:49,200 Speaker 3: might be tourists you know, might be contractors at eshays, 1077 01:13:50,080 --> 01:13:53,200 Speaker 3: people who are fans of photographing museums. 1078 01:13:53,560 --> 01:13:56,120 Speaker 2: Your name right now is favorite tourist Ben. 1079 01:13:56,880 --> 01:14:02,479 Speaker 3: Oh, that's a gift from some friends of the show. Uh, 1080 01:14:02,640 --> 01:14:05,840 Speaker 3: speaking of You can find us online. We'd love to 1081 01:14:05,880 --> 01:14:08,000 Speaker 3: hear your thoughts. You can call us on the telephone. 1082 01:14:08,040 --> 01:14:10,880 Speaker 3: You can send us a good old fashioned email. Where 1083 01:14:10,880 --> 01:14:12,799 Speaker 3: do people sip the social meds? 1084 01:14:12,880 --> 01:14:17,840 Speaker 4: Nope, you can sip to your heart's content at the 1085 01:14:17,880 --> 01:14:20,720 Speaker 4: handle Conspiracy Stuff where we exist on Facebook with our 1086 01:14:20,720 --> 01:14:23,880 Speaker 4: Facebook group. Here's where it gets crazy on YouTube or 1087 01:14:23,880 --> 01:14:26,799 Speaker 4: we have just so many videos for you to enjoy 1088 01:14:27,120 --> 01:14:31,600 Speaker 4: on x as well fka Twitter and on Instagram and TikTok. 1089 01:14:31,880 --> 01:14:34,000 Speaker 4: We are Conspiracy Stuff Show. 1090 01:14:34,479 --> 01:14:37,280 Speaker 2: You can also call us at our number seven three 1091 01:14:37,520 --> 01:14:41,240 Speaker 2: four eight two six two three. Oh wait, that's the 1092 01:14:41,280 --> 01:14:44,280 Speaker 2: Office of Public Affairs for the Central Intelligence Agency. Don't 1093 01:14:44,280 --> 01:14:49,000 Speaker 2: call that one. Call one night three three std WYTK. 1094 01:14:49,360 --> 01:14:52,759 Speaker 2: When you call in, you'll get a little familiar sound 1095 01:14:52,840 --> 01:14:56,000 Speaker 2: in your ear, a little music and Ben Bowlin and 1096 01:14:56,040 --> 01:14:58,000 Speaker 2: he'll let you know that you've got three minutes on 1097 01:14:58,040 --> 01:15:01,160 Speaker 2: a voicemail. Give yourself a cool nick and let us 1098 01:15:01,200 --> 01:15:02,680 Speaker 2: know in the message. If we can use your name 1099 01:15:02,720 --> 01:15:05,320 Speaker 2: and message on the air, and if you want to 1100 01:15:05,360 --> 01:15:08,680 Speaker 2: write to us with your words, why not send us 1101 01:15:08,680 --> 01:15:09,160 Speaker 2: an email. 1102 01:15:09,280 --> 01:15:12,920 Speaker 3: We are the entities that read each piece of correspondence 1103 01:15:13,000 --> 01:15:16,599 Speaker 3: we receive. Be well aware, yet's unafraid. Sometimes the void 1104 01:15:16,680 --> 01:15:19,720 Speaker 3: writes back. Funny, isn't it how a bunch of very 1105 01:15:19,720 --> 01:15:23,080 Speaker 3: small and subtle decisions, when added together, can end up 1106 01:15:23,120 --> 01:15:28,959 Speaker 3: having such enormous consequences. That's a line from Raymond alan Davis. 1107 01:15:29,120 --> 01:15:33,000 Speaker 3: We'd love to hear your favorite quotations as well conspiracy 1108 01:15:33,080 --> 01:15:53,040 Speaker 3: at iHeartRadio dot com. 1109 01:15:53,240 --> 01:15:55,280 Speaker 2: Stuff they Don't Want You to Know is a production 1110 01:15:55,400 --> 01:15:59,960 Speaker 2: of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 1111 01:16:00,040 --> 01:16:02,880 Speaker 2: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.