Badlands Book Club Ep. 5: Government Gangsters by Kash Patel – Chapters 10 & 11

In this riveting installment of Badlands Book Club, CannCon and Ashe in America dig into Chapters 10 and 11 of Government Gangsters by Kash Patel, peeling back the curtain on one of the Trump administration’s most iconic military wins, the raid that eliminated ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and the bureaucratic sabotage that constantly threatened to derail victories like it.

Chapter 10, “The Good,” showcases the bold operation in Syria, from Patel’s behind-the-scenes work to the last-minute tension with Russia and the iconic “level that thing” moment ordered by Trump. The hosts analyze the raid’s execution, the shady absences of Gina Haspel, and Mark Esper’s bizarre uninvited arrival. They spotlight how President Trump empowered decisive action while dodging a minefield of leakers, bad actors, and intelligence community obstruction.

Chapter 11, “The Bad,” contrasts this success with deep state slow-walking, stonewalling, and silent insubordination. From Trump’s push for declassification to Patel’s battles with Coats, Haspel, and Esper, the chapter reads like a playbook on how the administrative state resisted Trump at every turn, and how Patel fought back with grit and tactical precision.

From real-time analysis to poignant reflections on Trump’s leadership style, Melania’s surprising behind-the-scenes role, and the intelligence community’s ongoing duplicity, this episode delivers insight, fire, and fierce optimism for what comes next.