They Were the Military’s ‘Quiet Professionals.’ Now They’re Talking. (Gift Article)

I’ve been working for the last few months on this story about the SOF podcast world, how these shows shape perceptions of Afg/Iraq history for young viewers considering enlisting, and their influence on Hegseth’s GWOT “handcuffed” narrative and his vision of what war *should* look like.

www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/m... Really good article by @wesleymorgan.bsky.social who IMO wrote the best account of our war in Afghanistan.

There’s so much said here that just comes through and with such a light touch letting folks and their actions speak and reveal for themselves. A key read. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/m...

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/m...

ANyways....read this. Fantastic article. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/m...

Veterans’ complaints about the rules of engagement have reached Pete Hegseth and a generation of new recruits. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/m...

www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/m...

Good one. #NYTimes #GiftLink

Worthy of the entire read. They Were the Military’s ‘Quiet Professionals.’ Now They’re Talking. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/m...

Right in line with today’s NYTimes story about how he spends his time listening to former Selpec Ops guys who believe the military has gotten too strict and uptight about the rules of war. All’s fair etc. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/m...

”They died like dog” #DéJàVu #Trump He olivat armeijan ”hiljaisia ammattilaisia”. Nyt he puhuvat. ”Veteraanien valitukset taistelusäännöistä ovat tavoittaneet Pete Hegsethin ja uuden sukupolven alokkaat” #Kaksipiippuinen #Terrorismi #Sota #Laki #Midterms ? www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/m...

Great article by @wesleymorgan.bsky.social on the SOF podcast space. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/m...

The Special Ops Podcasts Changing the Narrative of the War on Terror (Gift Article) f the nyt

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/m...

“As a retired veteran I would argue that a nation which collectively decides that it is acceptable to violate the laws of war should make every effort to avoid getting into one.” (fr comments) www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/m...

Les perspectives de soldats qui ne sont pas polies par leur département des médias, ça dégringole parfois vers le conspirationnisme, mais assez souvent ça peut devenir fascinant. Et dans une société qui s'éloignement des habitudes de lecture, les podcasts prennent de plus en plus de place.

They Were the Military’s ‘Quiet Professionals.’ Now They’re Talking. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/m...

They think they were too nice in Afghanistan and would have won the war with more brutality. Remember Vietnam, brutality will bring more resistance, because you killed more people brutally. And of course it will create more brutality. My opinion! www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/m...

www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/m...

They Were the Military’s ‘Quiet Professionals.’ Now They’re Talking. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/m... Let it all out guys. We are here to listen!

They Were the Military’s ‘Quiet Professionals.’ Now They’re Talking. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/m...

The Special Ops Podcasts Changing the Narrative of the War on Terror

The podcast-to-Pentagon pipeline is real: a bunch of guys who couldn't win in Afghanistan are now advising the guy running the Pentagon, and their big idea is "no stupid rules of engagement." One SEAL literally described executing a prisoner on a podcast and then tried to walk it back.

The Special Ops Podcasts Changing the Narrative of the War on Terror Veterans’ complaints about the rules of engagement have reached Pete Hegseth and a generation of new recruits.

www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/m...

[NYT] The Special Ops Podcasts Changing the Narrative of the War on Terror

In my head canon you had first read Wesley Morgan's, in my view, concerningly soft and puffy coverage of the special operations podcast industrial coffee-selling complex, focusing on Cleared Hot, and you went into this article, well, cleared hot. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/m...

"Rich Clarke, as the general in charge of all Special Operations forces found that when he asked junior and midlevel officers what they were reading, he would often get blank stares; he got better results asking what podcasts they were tuning in to." www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/m...