Turns Out The Cardinals Were Just Vaping

Summary

Podcast Summary: Armstrong & Getty On Demand – "Turns Out The Cardinals Were Just Vaping"

Episode Information:

• Title: Turns Out The Cardinals Were Just Vaping
• Host: Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty
• Release Date: May 8, 2025
• Description: The official, On-Demand podcast of The Armstrong & Getty Show! Accept no substitutes!

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1. Analyzing the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Military Dynamics and Russian Strategies

The episode opens with a Military Analyst discussing the current state of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. At [01:29], the analyst notes, “We've heard from military sources they saw a slight downtick in Russian artillery use, but still in a small window, four or five artillery pieces firing a big amount of Russian surveillance drones in the sky...” This observation suggests a temporary lull in direct artillery engagements, possibly indicating strategic repositioning by Russian forces.

Putin's Calculated Maneuvers

At [02:07], a Political Commentator elaborates on Russian President Vladimir Putin's tactics, especially around significant events like May celebrations commemorating Russia's victory in World War II. The commentator states, “They think Ukraine would have attacked them and really disrupted them and caused a great embarrassment to Putin. But Putin having President Xi in town, Ukraine's not gonna damn, you know, hurt Xi or cause any problems there.” This highlights Putin's strategic use of high-profile events and alliances to fortify his position and minimize external interference.

2. Cultural Perspectives on Russian Warfare

Historical Myths and War Perception

Jack Armstrong delves into the cultural underpinnings of Russian attitudes towards war. At [05:02], he references Barton Swaim's analysis, stating, “Putin fully embraces the centuries old myth of Russia as the victim of betrayal and exploitation.” Continuing, he explains how this historical narrative frames war as a civic sacrament, reinforcing national identity and resilience through military engagement.

Cinematic Portrayals of Heroism

The discussion extends to Russian war movies and literature, where death is omnipresent, and heroism is measured by the extent of sacrifice. Armstrong notes, “Countless Russian war movies and novels feature as much death as possible. The story is not complete if anyone beside the one reporting the event survives.” This contrasts sharply with American war movies, where survival and heroism often coexist differently.

3. Critique of the Biden Administration

Afghanistan Withdrawal and Its Aftermath

A significant portion of the episode critiques the Biden administration's handling of the 2021 military withdrawal from Afghanistan. At [24:30], Political Commentator highlights the dire consequences: “The Taliban had a good year last year. They took in $3.4 billion in revenue... the repercussions of the Biden administration's disastrous 2021 military withdrawal... continue to reverberate.” The discussion emphasizes the substantial amount of military equipment left behind, which has fallen into the hands of the Taliban and various terrorist organizations.

Impact on US Reputation and Military Strategy

Jack Armstrong further critiques the administration by stating at [26:16], “The State Department... froze them in early April, citing Taliban interference... American aid partners... paid the Taliban at least $11 million...” This critical perspective underscores the perceived failures in accountability and the strategic mishandling of humanitarian aid.

Joe and Jill Biden's Public Image

The hosts also scrutinize Joe Biden's mental acuity and public appearances. At [15:02], Biden is portrayed as struggling with coherence: “He was asked if he regretted dropping out of the race. No, no... ‘it was the right decision.’” The Political Commentator questions the administration's strategy regarding Biden's public engagements, suggesting a disconnect between public perception and the realities of his leadership capabilities.

4. The New Pope and the Catholic Church

Speculations on Papal Successor

A lighter yet prominent topic in the episode revolves around the anticipation of the new Pope's announcement. At [20:23], Jack Armstrong muses, “If it comes out and it's a chick, it'll be shocking.” The hosts engage in playful speculation about potential names and backgrounds, reflecting on the Catholic Church's influence on Western civilization.

Cultural Significance of the Papacy

The conversation touches on the enduring power of the Catholic Church, with Armstrong asserting at [32:24], “It's one of the few forces that's keeping people... from embracing, say, radical fundamentalist Islam.” This positions the Church as a stabilizing ethical force within Western societies, contrasting it with other ideological threats.

5. Public Health Post-COVID

Long-Term Respiratory Issues

The hosts discuss the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on public health. At [34:00], the Political Commentator shares personal anecdotes: “I have my first ever in my life. Month plus long respiratory illness post Covid...” They explore theories about new diseases emerging or the lasting impact of COVID-19 on the human respiratory system.

Critique of Public Health Policies

There is a critical stance towards public health officials, particularly Dr. Deborah Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci. Armstrong vehemently states at [37:35], “Health officials lied with abandoned 15 days to slow the spread was a lie... The vaccines prevent infection and transmission was a lie...” This segment reflects deep skepticism towards the official narratives surrounding the pandemic response.

6. Intermittent Humor and Light-Hearted Segments

Vatican Square Vaping Incident

Amidst the heavy political discourse, there's a humorous interlude at [04:37], where the hosts joke about seeing cardinals vaping: “Turns out the cardinals are just vaping. Look at the people.” This light-hearted moment serves to balance the intense discussions with moments of levity.

Whimsical Final Thoughts

In the concluding segments, the hosts share quirky final thoughts, blending humor with their critical perspectives. For instance, at [37:46], Armstrong quips, “Chairman Xi's Clean bottom. Thank you, Armstrong and Getty,” showcasing their trademark blend of satire and commentary.

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Notable Quotes

1. Military Analyst [01:29]:

   “We've heard from military sources they saw a slight downtick in Russian artillery use, but still in a small window, four or five artillery pieces firing a big amount of Russian surveillance drones in the sky...”

2. Political Commentator [02:07]:

   “They think Ukraine would have attacked them and really disrupted them and caused a great embarrassment to Putin. But Putin having President Xi in town, Ukraine's not gonna damn, you know, hurt Xi or cause any problems there.”

3. Jack Armstrong [05:02]:

   “Putin fully embraces the centuries old myth of Russia as the victim of betrayal and exploitation.”

4. Political Commentator [24:30]:

   “The repercussions of the Biden administration's disastrous 2021 military withdrawal from Afghanistan continue to reverberate...”

5. Jack Armstrong [32:24]:

   “It's one of the few forces that's keeping people... from embracing, say, radical fundamentalist Islam.”

6. Political Commentator [34:15]:

   “I have my first ever in my life. Month plus long respiratory illness post Covid...”

7. Jack Armstrong [26:16]:

   “The State Department... froze them in early April, citing Taliban interference... paid at least $11 million...”

---

Conclusion

In "Turns Out The Cardinals Were Just Vaping," Armstrong and Getty navigate a labyrinth of pressing geopolitical issues, domestic political critiques, and cultural observations with their signature blend of sarcasm and insight. From dissecting the complexities of the Russia-Ukraine war and critiquing the Biden administration's foreign policy to pondering the cultural significance of the Catholic Church's leadership, the episode offers a comprehensive and engaging analysis for listeners keen on understanding the multifaceted challenges shaping today's world.

Transcript

[Jack Armstrong]

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[Joe Getty]

Broadcasting live from.

[Jack Armstrong]

The Abraham Lincoln Radio studio at the George Washington Broadcast Center, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty. Armstrong and Getty. And now here's Armstrong and Getty.

[Military Analyst]

An eerie silence here that's not necessarily indicative of a sea change. We've heard from military sources they saw a slight downtick in Russian artillery use, but still in a small window, four or five artillery pieces firing a big amount of Russian surveillance drones in the sky and even recently a Russian jet taking off. So not an immediate sign of the guns falling silent. There's great cynicism here amongst Ukrainian forces. They saw the brief Easter ceasefire that Russia also called unilaterally as essentially a time that Russia seemed to reposition its troops and then launch greater assaults in the hours afterwards, using the lull to their tactical advantage.

[Political Commentator]

So that's Putin's got his big May celebration about Russia winning World War II as he presents it. And the big thing they do every year in Russia and Ukraine had been attacking Moscow like crazy with drones. So they had to close down the airports. I mean, causing all kinds of disruptions as Putin was trying to get the big celebration together. And I'm, I'm big into this story as a lot of you know, I've been listening to the Ukraine. The latest, it's the, it's the London Telegraph podcast. They have a daily on the Ukraine story that is freaking awesome. If you're into the story, it is so good. But anyway, they were pointing out that she coming to town in Moscow is a bit of a using A human shield to protect, for Putin to be able to protect these mayday celebrations. Or they think Ukraine would have attacked them and really disrupted them and caused a great embarrassment to Putin. But Putin having President Xi in town, Ukraine's not gonna damn, you know, hurt Xi or cause any problems there. That would be, well, it'd be insane.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Speaking of that topic, before we move on, I came across this and I found it very, very interesting. Barton Swaim wrote, trump fails to understand about Putin. We've talked about this a little bit, how Putin could not care less that too many people are dying in Ukraine. I mean, he, he, he, it's just he does not care at all. And, and I found this very interesting because I knew part of this kind of the broad outlines of it. But as Gary Saul Morrison explained In a superb 2023 essay, do what do Russians worship? War. Putin fully embraces the centuries old myth of Russia as the victim of betrayal and exploitation. And he goes through some of the history of it. And it's literally centuries old that the myth, the Russian myth is and not myth is in fiction. But this is one of the stories we tell ourselves that helps us understand what our civilization is like. The American myths of the revolution and opportunity and equal rights. And the stuff, again, it's not myth as in fiction. It's in. These are the stories that bind us together. But, oh, my God, I hate to.

[Political Commentator]

Break in, but breaking news. I know. All of America's waiting white smoke.

[Jack Armstrong]

Maybe the cardinals are vaping.

[Political Commentator]

Turns out the cardinals are just vaping. Look at the people.

[Jack Armstrong]

Maybe it's that meth smoking raccoon.

[Political Commentator]

Look at the people jumping up and down and crying. Yeah, in Vatican Square because there's a new pope. All right, anyway, name it, we'll tell you.

[Jack Armstrong]

And, and folks, soon we won't have to hear anything more about it.

[Political Commentator]

That's a good point.

[Jack Armstrong]

There you go.

[Political Commentator]

God bless us all.

[Jack Armstrong]

So anyway, getting back to this 2023 essay about the history of Russia and how Russia must always fight foes bent on stealing its wealth, destroying its people. May 9, the day Nazi Germany surrendered to the. So 1945 is for Russians the most important holiday of the year, consecrated by the Russian Orthodox Church. Mr. Morrison Wright. They sense their kinship with the mystical body of the people, past and present. War in Russia, he explains, is a kind of civic sacrament. Newlyweds frequently place flowers on the tomb of the Unknown soldier in Moscow. And criticizing the military is often considered blasphemous in American war movies. The true heroes, or most of them survive, most of them. By contrast, countless Russian war movies and novels feature as much death as possible. The story is not complete if anyone beside the one reporting the event survives. The more death, the greater the heroism.

[Political Commentator]

Wow, what an interesting cultural difference.

[Jack Armstrong]

And you know, Barton Swaim posits that Mr. Trump's lamentations about all the killing and destruction in Ukraine will likely have the opposite of the intended effect on Mr. Putin. That, at any rate, is a reasonable conclusion from Mr. Putin's latest pronouncement that any agreement to end the war must include Russian control of four territories that they don't currently fully control. Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia. But, but yeah, the whole. There are too many people dying. That's. It's like telling me there's too much golf, too many gin and tonics. It's like, what do you. I don't even. We're not communicating here, right? Putin doesn't hair.

[Political Commentator]

Well, this daily podcast that I listen to out of Great Britain, they're heavily pro Ukraine, as Europe is, and so they have every reason to look for good news. But they're convinced that Russia's really close to collapse in terms of their military, that they're just flat. I mean, there's a, there is a finite limit to equipment and people. It's not unlimited. And they have lost a million people from the battlefield, I mean, numbers nobody's ever heard of in the history of the world of warfare in that amount of time. And that they may be close to like actually collapsing. And perhaps Trump is, you know, aware of that. NATO's aware of that, and we just, that's what we're waiting for. I don't know.

[Jack Armstrong]

Again, I doubt they signed whatever unholy deal with North Korea to import cannon fodder as a luxury. I think they did it because they really kind of needed to. I would guess that, and I feel pretty good about my guess. Oh, speaking of Russia, one more thing. The British government is updating the Cold War era government war book, a detailed plan for dealing with an attack on the nation by a foreign power, specifically Russia. It's going to be kinetic attacks and cyber attacks too, which is obviously a new wrinkle, but they are going to revise it and put it out and publicize it and train officials on it. They are at a pre war footing, but a we can't have this catch us flat footed point, as is a lot of Europe right now. I think a lot of Americans consider the question of the spread of warfare to be a purely rhetorical question.

[Political Commentator]

Right? Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

Whereas in Europe. No, they are seriously concerned about it.

[Political Commentator]

So white smoke above the Vatican. They got a new Pope, if I remember correctly. Pretty quickly, the new Pope comes out on the balcony and speaks, which is sometimes a big deal.

[Jack Armstrong]

I'll always thanks his agent. Thanks Harvey Weinstein, everybody at Miramax, they.

[Political Commentator]

Start playing 500 year old music to play him off. Your time is up. I remember John Paul II when he came out. Fear not, the crowd went crazy. But if anything happens around that, we'll bring it to you. Another ancient Catholic speaking today. We're just starting to get clips from Joe Biden. So Joe and Joe Biden are on the View today. It hasn't aired yet. We're getting some clips. I was just reading some of the headlines of things he said, who clearly nobody has any control over him. And Jill must be making these incredibly unwise decisions to put him on television. As Joe said last hour, it's doing him zero good, only harm. And the entire Democratic party and really any person of left politics, it's hurting everyone there. There's no advantage to be had by him going on the View and claiming like I just read up there, that of course Trump won. He had built an image of we can't elect a biracial woman or something. That's his excuse. And Biden apparently said on the View today he thinks he would have won. Who is that for, boy?

[Jack Armstrong]

The BBC interview the other day, he was incoherent. And the fact that anybody would listen to that performance and say, yep, let's plunge on with the media tour is a measure of their depravity or stupidity. I don't know what they're doing, so it's difficult for me to like criticize their strategy. I can't imagine what their strategy is.

[Political Commentator]

They're, they're, it explains the whole bubbling thing. They're so bubbled. Nobody can talk to them apparently, because this is insane to go out there and trot him out more. I've got a quote here and we'll play some of it later. I did not create a cocoon around Joe Biden. I mean, you saw him in the Oval Office, you saw him making speeches. He wasn't hiding somewhere, says Joe Biden on the View today. Well, that's not the way America interpreted it. We felt like he was hiding because he obviously was.

[Jack Armstrong]

Here's a clip from the BBC. I'll just read it. He was asked if he regretted dropping out of the race. No, no. We left at a time when we were, we had a good candidate. She was fully funded. What happened was I had become what we had set out to do, no one thought we could do, had become so successful in our agenda. It was hard to say, I'm gonna stop now. It was the right decision. What right? Jill.

[Political Commentator]

Jill is the villain.

[Joe Getty]

Eventually save Padre.

[Jack Armstrong]

She's a delusional, crazy person.

[Political Commentator]

Well, she's a doctor. Eventually. History will record Jill is the villain in this. But we'll have some of that from the View and other stuff on the way.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty.

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[View Host]

Don't mess with the minimum work unless you want to get the benefit.

[Political Commentator]

How do you argue?

[Jack Armstrong]

Yes, fair warning.

[Political Commentator]

I think so salesmanship here. Maybe we'll fall short, but our executive producer Hansen says our last oh, no, no, no.

[Jack Armstrong]

I say don't overprice, build it up. I say low key it.

[Political Commentator]

Okay, we got a good one for you, I think coming up.

[Jack Armstrong]

But anyway, and it'll change your life.

[Political Commentator]

Joe and Jill Biden on the View. Why is she trotting him out? How do they think this is helping them or anybody in any way whatsoever? But anyway, this is from today.

[Jack Armstrong]

Now, you are understandably very proud of many achievements in your administration, but do you take any responsible for any responsibility for not hearing the concerns of voters on the border security or cost of living sooner?

[Jill Biden]

And do you take any responsibility for Trump's reelection?

[View Host]

Yes, I do. Because, look, I was in charge and he won. So, you know, I take responsibility, number one. But number two, you know, you remember we put together a commission leading with one of the most conservative members of the United States Senate, Oklahoma, running it. We came up with a significant means by which we could deal with the border. What did Trump do? He got on the telephone and he called. Republicans do not support it. It's legal. It'll work. It'll make Biden look good. Don't do it. They backed off. They backed off.

[Political Commentator]

That's true. That was legislation. But Trump showed on day one that the president had the power to stop the inflow of illegals in an hour if he wanted to. And you didn't.

[Jack Armstrong]

And you're still free to work on legislation, right? Yeah.

[Political Commentator]

So, okay, roll on.

[Jill Biden]

You are your husband's fiercest advocate and a close advisor, and it's been reported that you created a sort of cocoon around him and kind of limited his interactions with the media and others. Do you think you could have been too close to the situation to objectively gauge whether he could handle a full four more years?

[Joe Getty]

I was with Joe day and night. I saw him more than any other person. I woke up with him. I went to bed at night with him. So I saw him all throughout the day. And I did not create a cocoon around him. I mean, you saw him in the Oval Office. You saw him making speeches. He wasn't hiding somewhere. I didn't have him, you know, sequestered in some place. I mean, that's ridiculous.

[Political Commentator]

Was that hurtful to you when they were describing you as Lady Macbeth and all of them.

[Joe Getty]

Yes, it was very hurtful. It was very hurtful. Especially from some of our so called friends.

[Political Commentator]

Oh, my God. How do they think they're helping themselves? 85% of Americans thought you couldn't serve a second term because they, when they did see you, which was rare, you displayed obvious cognitive problems. You did fewer interviews than anybody ever has in the modern era.

[Jack Armstrong]

You saw him giving speeches. You saw him in the Oval Office. That's like a childlike. That's the denial of a kid with his face covered with chocolate saying he didn't eat the cookies.

[Political Commentator]

Yes.

[Jack Armstrong]

Cody, you just have all of these. The hens on the View.

[Political Commentator]

Oh, yeah, right, yeah. Oh, they called you Lady Macbeth. And it was hurtful because you were Lady Macbeth. Keep it up.

[Jack Armstrong]

Keep it up. Perfect.

[Political Commentator]

Yeah. I find it. I only find it interesting from a. Trying to figure out what they think they're trying to accomplish. It's really got to be the two of them. There cannot be a possible professional that think this is a good idea.

[Jack Armstrong]

No, it's. It's delusional. It's egotism. It's. It's. I've not. I've not been awash in power and influence and be. Have my ass kissed for, you know, better part of a century like Joe Biden. And for a big chunk of it, Jill, I don't know how that makes you as crazy as they clearly are, but they clearly are that crazy.

[Political Commentator]

Yeah. It's hard to imagine going from being as relevant as you can get president, United States Senator for your whole life.

[Jack Armstrong]

We are told this clip is something to behold. Let's hear it.

[View Host]

That all the projects. The projects, the benefits. How do you lead the world with having a best infrastructure? More. How do you lead the world without having the best health. Healthcare. Enroll. How do you lead the world without having the best education system? How do you lead the world when you don't have that done?

[Political Commentator]

Whoa. Okay. We're gonna have to obviously listen to this more than once.

[Jack Armstrong]

Start. It started again.

[Political Commentator]

Michael.

[View Host]

The projects, the. The benefits. How do you lead the world without best infrastructure? More. How do you lead the world without having the best healthcare in the world? How do you lead the world without having the best education system? How do you lead the world when you don't have that done?

[Political Commentator]

He did. Hansen said. He did go full Elmer Fudd there toward the end.

[Jack Armstrong]

What is he okay? You know that Barton Swain piece or piece I was quoting earlier said, look, they shouldn't be dragging my grandmother out either. She has dementia. Let her play dominoes, smoke her menthols. And if you ask her what happened yesterday and she says, I have no idea, just give her the dignity of age. Quit trotting him out. It's sick.

[Political Commentator]

We all should hope to have a spouse that doesn't do that to us when we're in that condition.

[Jack Armstrong]

Be good to your meal ticket. You know what? He gave you that lifestyle. Could quit. Quit embarrassing him. How.

[Political Commentator]

How is nobody of any power willing to call out Joe Biden as evil?

[Jack Armstrong]

Here, Hunter, spit out the crack pipe and say something. Hunter, put down your paintbrush. It's funny. Your paintings aren't selling anymore. And say something. All right.

[Political Commentator]

I can't believe that no host on is going to come out and say, Jill Biden shouldn't be allowing this. She's an evil person. I want to hear more of that.

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[Jill Biden]

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[Jill Biden]

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Talkspace works with most major insurers, including Tricare. Match with a licensed therapist [e-mail] military go to talkspace.com military to get started today. That's talkspace.com military wait.

[Political Commentator]

The naming of a new pope, which is very exciting. Like Joe said earlier, I could make up a name for you if you want to, and you wouldn't know the difference. Alex Baldwick. That's very funny.

[Jack Armstrong]

As a reformer with traditional ties or a traditionalist with ties to reformers, or a right gentle man with simple ways, or a simple man with gentle ways, or.

[Political Commentator]

I just, I. I'd like to be there. I mean, it looks like a happy, forward looking, optimistic vibe. I mean, why not? Hoping for better times and, you know, peace on earth. What? Nothing wrong with being in that kind of a crowd now and then, as opposed to a hateful, sarcastic, you know, whatever.

[Jack Armstrong]

Narcissist. Yeah. If. If this guy can enhance the good that's done by the Catholic Church and minimize some of the harms and some of the scandals and problems, good for him.

[Political Commentator]

Man, those. Those outfits that the Vatican Guard wears, those are something. Those are some old timey, colorful outfits.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. The Swiss Guard. Is that what they call them?

[Political Commentator]

Something like. Yeah. And they got those big axes they carry around, which, like, harkens back to when the Pope had tremendous military power. Like about as powerful as anything on in Europe, which wasn't good.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's interesting. The Swiss Guard, though, are actually Swiss, and they're paid with Swiss francs. Because if you think of big, tough guys, of course, you. You think of the Swiss. Anyway.

[Political Commentator]

Well, you know.

[Jack Armstrong]

But back on the View. Yes.

[Political Commentator]

Who they're gonna have to fight? The Methodists. I mean, you know, bring it. So we got another clip from Joe Biden and Joe Biden on the View as they're coming out in drips and drabs. Yes.

[Jack Armstrong]

So Alyssa Farah asks old man Joe whether about his cognitive decline and whether the book. Sources of the many books that have come out in recent days were wrong about his condition. He says yes, they're wrong. And then the conversation continues as such.

[View Host]

And so we went to work and we got it done. And you know, one of the things that.

[Joe Getty]

Well, and Alyssa, you know, one of the things I think is that the people who wrote those books were not in the White House with us. And they didn't see how hard Joe worked every single day. I mean, he'd get up, he put in a full day and then at night he would. I'd be in bed, you know, reading my book. And he was still on the phone reading his briefings, working with staff. I mean it was non stop.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's. And why isn't he saying that? Having trailed off and stared into space? Because he is and was mentally incapacitated. You nut.

[Political Commentator]

And the fact that he tried really hard is not the question.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Wow. She is it that she's desperately trying to rescue his legacy. Oh, his legacy is terrible.

[Political Commentator]

Yeah. And if she thinks this is helping man, she is not good at pr.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Political Commentator]

You're better off with the, the, the, the halo effect that happens when you disappear. You're better off with that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. She keeps reappearing and reappearing and demanding. No, no, no. We should talk more about his presidency and his legacy.

[Political Commentator]

As I get. She tries to down the road of dementia.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right, Right. Yeah. Speaking of Biden's legacy, the Taliban had a good year last year. They took in $3.4 billion in revenue, boosting its cash supply significantly. Among the return amid the return of Afghanistan as a central safe haven for terrorists across the Middle East. According to a US government watchdog group, the repercussions of the Biden administration's disastrous 2021 military withdrawal from Afghanistan continue to reverberate across the war tor foreign country. You got multiple Al Qaeda affiliates accessing American supplied weapons seized from the former national Afghan National Army. According to the Special Inspector General for Afghan reconstruction, the US left 78 aircraft, 40,000 military vehicles and over 300,000 weapons in Afghanistan in the withdrawal that saw 13American service members lose their lives. According to Cigar, which is the group don't be distracted by their acronym which they delivered to Congress on 18th. On April 30, the report the Taliban transferred many of these arms directly to terrorist affiliates, while others made their way to the black market. Pentagon assessed that are of around $18.6 billion worth of US equipment provided to the Afghan army over decades of support. About seven and a quarter billion remains in the Taliban's possession. The rest has gone to terrorist groups including isis K and other groups you've never heard of, including at least four Al Qaeda offshoots.

[Political Commentator]

Well, that was the beginning of the end of the Biden presidency. I mean, he was cruising along at a decent clip approval rating until that happened and all the death there at the gauge, as we all know. And then his approval ratings plummeted as people realized grownups are not back in charge as they were claiming. And he never recovered. And then his mental capacity became more evident and it continues to this day for some reason.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow. Trump administration initially attempted to preserve emergency food assistance programs within the country, but the State Department ultimately froze them in early April, citing Taliban interference in the delivery of humanitarian aid. They nixed several other cash based assistance programs given government misuse, lack of appropriate accountability, blah, blah, blah. This watchdog organization discovered last year that American aid partners on the ground in Afghanistan had paid the Taliban at least $11 million in various fees just to be able to operate in the country and distribute food aid.

[Political Commentator]

That ain't good.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's. It's a scam. It's an Islamist scam.

[Political Commentator]

You know, my son asked a question yesterday that forced me to come up with an answer. And sometimes similar to what you're just laying out here, it's complicated. My son is in a chapter on Islam in school. And then we got talking about various countries and then we got to talking about Iraq and the Iraq War and my brother, his uncle, Uncle Jeff, who fought in both Iraq wars. But him asking, you know, why did we go to war with Iraq? And the first one was fairly easy to explain. The second one was not easy. You know, having lived through it and talked about it every single day for four hours, you know, here on the air, it was still kind of hard to explain to someone how that happened and how it turned out, what we got out of it and everything like that.

[Jack Armstrong]

I mean, yeah, it's a story worth hearing.

[Political Commentator]

The whole Afghanistan, Iraq thing during that whole period is complex. And I don't know what we got out of it. We spent a tremendous amount of money, not to mention, obviously many, many injured and killed people.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah.

[Political Commentator]

I mean, what did we spend in Afghanistan before we got out the way you just described? Trillion dollars or something like that. Paved all the roads, which were all completely ruined by the time we got out. Built all the schools which are all blown up or torn down by the time we left.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah. Tens of millions of dollars meant to empower Afghan youth, particularly girls and young women. Now the Taliban bans them from Schools and that sort of thing. Nice try, nice try. Yeah. The nature of. I mean, because I'd be more than happy to talk about why we went into Iraq and what happened and blah, blah, blah, and how Afghanistan is similar and how it's different, but you, you create problems as you solve problems, and if you can solve those problems without creating bigger problems, it's worth doing. But if you just keep creating more, bigger problems, at some point you have to find another way. I realized that was a completely unsatisfying. That was more like a fortune cookie than an analysis of our Middle Eastern adventures, rather. But I think, you know what I mean.

[Political Commentator]

While the beginning was very different, the result, I mean, at some point they were very similar in that we are trying to build a completely different kind of country in a country that didn't want us to be there at all. Yeah, that's apparently impossible to do. Yes. Unless you're gonna for a hundred years and spend more trillions of dollars than you have.

[Jack Armstrong]

Maybe like 400 years. But anyway, your point is 100% true. Yeah. The whacking of the Taliban for harboring and supporting Osama bin Laden, Al Qaeda, Completely legitimate, as we all know. So now you have a ungoverned, lawless land full of would be militant Islamists. What do you do now? And we attempted to answer that question best we could, but it just. The what now's never stopped.

[Political Commentator]

So the new Pope's about to come out and they're going to give us the name. Wouldn't it be some if it was Brandon? I think we're ready for a Pope, Brandon.

[Jack Armstrong]

Like just an American, you mean, or.

[Political Commentator]

No, just a more new, more new, more modern name. Sean.

[Jack Armstrong]

We have the name.

[Political Commentator]

We've never had a Sean.

[Jack Armstrong]

No, And Irish, they're into Catholicism, so you could have a Pope Sean. Sure.

[Political Commentator]

No, we will have a name probably by the time we get back. Or not. Well, we'll finish strong. State again.

[Jack Armstrong]

You can make it up if you want. I will. Armstrong and Getty.

[Talkspace Representative]

This podcast is supported by Talkspace.

[Jill Biden]

When my husband came home from his military deployment, readjusting was hard for all of us. Thankfully, I found Talkspace.

[Talkspace Representative]

Talkspace provides professional support from licensed therapists and psychiatric providers online. Military members, veterans and their dependents ages 13 and older can get fast access to providers, all from the privacy of their computers or smartphones.

[Jill Biden]

I just answered a few questions online and Talkspace matched me with a therapist. We meet when it's convenient for me and I can message her anytime. It was so easy to set up and they accept. Tricare. Therapy was going so well, my husband and I started seeing a couples therapist through Talkspace too.

[Talkspace Representative]

Talkspace works with most major insurers, including Tricare. Match with a licensed therapist [e-mail] military go to talkspace.com military to get started today. That's talkspace.com military no, I like history.

[Political Commentator]

And I like Western civilization. Western civilization being the best thing that ever happened to planet Earth, Clearly. Be nice if we can hang on to it. But one of the biggest things in Western civilization has been the Catholic Church. No doubt about it, there are a billion and a half Catholics still, and we're about to get a new Pope. What effect that'll have on that, I do not know. But I was listening to the National Review podcast a week or so ago. I know I mentioned this earlier, that they all agreed that the Catholic Church is the most important institution in Western civilization currently. Currently. And they didn't expound on that? I wish they would have, because I'd like to hear that lined up, laid out, certainly throughout time. You can make that argument, but the power it still has. I don't. I don't quite fully understand. I suppose I. I suppose you could.

[Jack Armstrong]

Argue this isn't Western civilization exactly, but it's one of the few forces that's keeping people, millions and millions and millions of people around the world from embracing, say, radical fundamentalist Islam.

[Political Commentator]

Right. Or nihilism.

[Jack Armstrong]

Or nihilism or violent revolution or what have you. It's at least a system of ethics.

[Political Commentator]

And rules, which turns out you might need. We've kind of been fooling ourselves into believing over the last half century or longer that you don't need that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Political Commentator]

Pope Brandon will get us back on the right track. If it comes out and it's a chick, it'll be shocking.

[Jack Armstrong]

Now that would be a headline worth reading. Yes. It's not going to be. It's going to be some old bastard because they don't want bastard. I didn't realize that. They want somebody 70 plus because they think Pope serving for too long is a bad idea.

[Political Commentator]

Probably.

[Jack Armstrong]

They want old guys.

[Political Commentator]

Yeah, that's probably true. There is. Yes. Yes.

[Jack Armstrong]

Michael, it's like US presidents. You got to be at least 75. What if they had a Trump look alike, walk out just. Oh, wow.

[Political Commentator]

Just as a joke. Just a hat.

[Jack Armstrong]

Just as a joke.

[Political Commentator]

Psych. Yeah. Gotcha. You fell for it, didn't you? Then you have the real guy. Come on. Yeah. The youngest cardinal I think I saw yesterday was 45. Yeah, you have a 45 year old pope. He can be pope for 40 years. And human beings being what human beings are and everything like that, that's no good.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, let's have somebody worshiped as some sort of. Well, you know, it's in the eye of the beholder. And I'm not contemptuous of Catholicism in.

[Political Commentator]

Any way, but neither am I.

[Jack Armstrong]

There are aspects of the Pope thing that is. He's like a demigod. I mean, he's like. He's in fact one step below a God. Yeah.

[Political Commentator]

Are you infallible? I'm not, no. I'm fouled many times already today and the day's young.

[Jack Armstrong]

What's the opposite? Fallible blind pig who finds an acorn? A bull. Anyway, thought you said you had something you wanted to address. Do you have something you'd like to address?

[Political Commentator]

I want to address getting to see my doctor today. See if I'm dying. It's hard for me to think of anything other than that. Thank you, Dr. Fauci. I'm convinced that this is somehow Covid related.

[Jack Armstrong]

I don't think I, or you or anybody is imagining an explosion of.

[Political Commentator]

Weird.

[Jack Armstrong]

Variants of respiratory illnesses being way bigger a thing now than they were in the year 2019. No, I don't, I don't think that's at all the, the, the quadmic or whatever the heck it was. Aaron. Just the RSV and all just.

[Political Commentator]

I have my first ever in my life. Month plus long respiratory illness post Covid. Either there are new diseases floating around because of COVID or our bodies got damaged in some sort of way where we reacting differently to other diseases. I don't know which, but I would be shocked if it's not somehow covered. Related.

[Jack Armstrong]

I've got a doctor buddy who, who said essentially the same thing. He said we're still trying to nail down exactly what's going on, but the human respiratory system and the things that we're breathing in, what it does to us is different now and we're not sure why. Whoa.

[Political Commentator]

God, they could be studying this for decades.

[Jack Armstrong]

I got a nice little lab in Wuhan they could use. They got decent enough safety protocols.

[Political Commentator]

Man, oh man, oh man, will the price ever be paid for this whole damn thing.

[Jack Armstrong]

There's a great book that I want to do a big podcast about it. I just, I won't let it go. I don't think we should let it go. I think it would be just a dereliction of duty. Whatever our duty is as human beings and Americans, honestly, to just say, you know, that was unpleasant and move on. That's. That's just the worst thing you could do.

[Political Commentator]

And Dr. Fauci's still. What? He's just still. He's still a successful rich guy.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. He was pardoned preemptively.

[Political Commentator]

That's right. Biden pardoned him going out the door. I completely forgot about that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Political Commentator]

Oh, that makes me angry as I cough.

[Jack Armstrong]

And ready.

[Joe Getty]

To listen to the final.

[Political Commentator]

Thought from here's your host for final thoughts, Joe Getty.

[Jack Armstrong]

Let's get a final thought from everybody on the crew to wrap up the show for the day. There he is, pressing the buttons in the control room. Michelangelo, Michael, final thought. Yeah. We need a little happiness here. The world may change, it gets worse. The Pope changes, but cost. Costco's hot dog always says A$50, so keep that in mind. That's true. That's something you can count on in these troubled times. Katie Greener, esteemed newswoman, has a final thought. Katie? Well, unfortunately, according to Kanye's Twitter, Heil Hitler. Has been banned by all digital streaming platforms. It's censorship. Jack, a final thought.

[Political Commentator]

You're a whiskey drinker, correct?

[Jack Armstrong]

I am indeed. Yeah. I had some scotch last night.

[Political Commentator]

The very first bottle of whiskey matured in a cask has been submerged in Loch Ness and they've brought it up and they're going to sell it. I think you should bid.

[Jack Armstrong]

How about you drink some first and let me watch? Yeah. My final thought. I've changed it on the fly. Health officials lied with abandoned 15 days to slow the spread was a lie. Dr. Deborah Birx admitted it in her memoirs. She intended to prolong the lockdowns. Covet originated and nature was alive. Fauci bullied a handful of scientists into authoring that obnoxious article. Dishonest. Six feet of social distance was a lie. It was a guess. The vaccines prevent infection and transmission was a lie, as became apparent to those of us who are vaccinated and suffered recurrent bouts of the disease. On and on and on it goes. No, I will not let it drop.

[Political Commentator]

Armstrong and Getty wrapping up another grueling four hour workday.

[Jack Armstrong]

So many people. Thanks. So little time. Go to armstrong. Getty.com drop us a note. What do you think? You want to react to anything we were talking about today? Drop us a note. Mailbagarmstrongandgetti.com you'll find the hot links. Katie's Corner. Ang Swag, pick up a T shirt.

[Political Commentator]

We will see you tomorrow with a brand new pope. God bless America.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Political Commentator]

We're in fear territory right now.

[View Host]

How do you leave the world without having the best healthcare in the world?

[Joe Getty]

Sweetheart, sweetheart, listen to me.

[Military Analyst]

Please don't call me sweetheart.

[Jack Armstrong]

They need to tone it down.

[Political Commentator]

Shut up.

[Jack Armstrong]

Let me say. Let me say. I don't believe we import our TP from China. You know what?

[Political Commentator]

Depends on your brand. I buy Dr. Xi's booty wipe. What is your brand?

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow. Chairman Xi's Clean bottom. Thank you, Armstrong and Getty.

[Talkspace Representative]

This podcast is supported by Talkspace.

[Jill Biden]

When my husband came home from his military deployment, readjusting was hard for all of us. Thankfully, I found Talkspace.

[Talkspace Representative]

Talkspace provides professional support from licensed therapists and psychiatric providers online. Military members, veterans and their dependents ages 13 and older can get fast access to providers, all from the privacy of their computers or smartphones.

[Jill Biden]

I just answered a few questions online and Talkspace matched me with a therapist. We meet when it's convenient for me and I can message her anytime. It was so easy to set up and they accept Tricare. Therapy was going so well, my husband and I started seeing a couple's therapist through Talkspace too.

[Talkspace Representative]

Talkspace works with most major insurers, including Tricare. Match with a licensed therapist [e-mail] military go to talkspace.com military to get started today. That's talkspace.com military you're listening to an iHeart podcast.