We Are the Bad Guys

The Global Cost of American Power

By: Michael Lester

Narrated by: Michael T. Lester

A Marine combat pilot and Naval Academy graduate reveals what he learned about American power that the history books left out.

America tells one story about itself. The world sees another.

After serving across Asia and the Middle East, Michael T. Lester noticed a gap between what he was told and what he saw. The locals didn't look liberated. The missions didn't match the slogans. So he spent twenty years using his historian training to find out why.

We Are the Bad Guys connects what's usually kept separate: the coups, sanctions, covert operations, and media narratives that frame them. Drawing on declassified documents, leaked cables, and historians, this audiobook traces a century of U.S. intervention and asks: What if we're not the good guys?

What you'll discover:

• How U.S. wars, coups, and covert ops reshaped Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia
• How "freedom," "democracy," and "security" manufacture public support for intervention
• Why the world sees America so differently—and what they know that we don't
• Financial and intelligence tools used to destabilize countries without deploying soldiers

This isn't anti-American. It's pro-truth. Clear, direct language—no jargon, no ideology, just documented history most weren't taught.

Perfect for listeners who enjoyed Howard Zinn, Noam Chomsky, and Andrew Bacevich.

About the Author:

Michael T. Lester is a Naval Academy graduate and former Marine combat pilot who served across Asia and the Middle East. Now a cybersecurity executive, he researched U.S. foreign policy for two decades, examining the gap between America's stated values and actual behavior abroad.

©2025 Michael T. Lester (P)2025 Michael T. Lester

It was fine until his hypocritical views

I first heard this gentleman on the Shawn Ryan show. I searched out his book and spent a precious credit, on the title. All was fine until he started ragging on law enforcement. No, all of law enforcement is not flawless . No group is flawless but, neither is all of law enforcement bad. I, for one, do not want to live in a society with no type of law enforcement. It would be total anarchy. In addition, Americans, unlike many Countries that have
Been living in wartime and lawlessness for decades, would completely crumble if they did not have anyone to call for help. We Americans, have had it too good for too long, to be able To live in such chaos.

I finally decided to return the book when Mr Lester started siting only the facts that support his views, which is exactly what he criticizes others of doing. I will not financially support such a raging hypocrite .

DONT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY!

Exceptional

First heard of Michael Lester on the SRS Podcast. I stopped listening to it once he mentioned his book, immediately downloaded the audio version and just finished it. Amazing knowledge produced, so many things of our history that is just not talked about. I will now finish his podcast. Throughly enjoyed this audio book.

A hard truth that needs to be discussed

This book is a necessary contribution to our civic dialogue. If our country is to move forward in a productive way, citizens need to open their eyes to the real role we have play on the world’s stage. I wish we were the hero’s we have all been told we are but it just isn’t true. Michael does a great job, topic by topic, of holding a mirror up to the idea of “American Exceptionalism” and exposing it for the fallacy it is. The capacity for critical thought is an important trait to possess when reading this book.

Biased analysis

I too heard about this book on the Shawn Ryan show. I was intrigued by the interview so I used a credit to purchase the book. I made it about half way through but when he started to cite the reasons for success or failure on race and economic disparity, I knew where the book was going. No accounting for personal choices or accountability, just blame race and neighborhood. Don't waste the money or credit. Just another furtherance of the agenda that white America is bad.

patriotic criticism

author loves America and holds a high standard for our role in the world. worth the listen to understand the urgency and importance of our actions in the time we have.