War as a Subsidy for Capitalism: Iran, Venezuela, and the Business of Empire

The Bigfoot Manifesto · May 19, 2026 · 1m

Is war a glitch in the American system — or is it how the system works? In this episode of The Bigfoot Manifesto, Dave Pederson talks with historian, foreign policy analyst, and American Prestige co-host Daniel Bessner about U.S. empire, war, sanctions, oil, the national security state, and the political economy hiding underneath the language of "freedom," "stability," and "democracy." Using Iran and Venezuela as case studies, Dave and Daniel explore how American foreign policy often protects markets, energy flows, military contractors, and elite power — while ordinary people pay the cost…