Mike Drop

In this powerful and unfiltered part 3 of episode 266, host Mike Ritland sits down with former U.S. Army Green Beret and Afghan-American Kawa Mawlayee — a first-generation immigrant who fled Soviet-occupied Afghanistan as a child, grew up in the American Midwest, and went on to serve 23 years in Special Forces, including multiple combat tours. What starts as a discussion about Trump’s leadership style, tariffs, and manufacturing quickly evolves into a raw, no-holds-barred exploration of the biggest issues facing America in 2025: foreign policy hypocrisy, the military-industrial complex, the Israel-Palestine conflict, Islamophobia and the myth of “Sharia law takeover,” America-First nationalism vs. endless overseas entanglements, accountability in leadership, the future of the U.S. military under Pete Hegseth, and whether the country is sliding toward internal conflict. Kawa brings a rare perspective: a Muslim Green Beret who loves America deeply, calls out both parties, refuses PAC money, and isn’t afraid t