Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

TrollBuster9090

(6,128 posts)
Fri Mar 27, 2026, 06:50 PM 22 hrs ago

Eric Braeden Explains How Hollywood Created The Myth of American Invincibility. (Where We Are Now.)

Eric Braeden is well known to soap opera fans as 'Victor Newman,' but those of us who were little boys in the 60s remember him as Hauptmann Dietrich in The Rat Patrol. He's also a very wise man.
Here he explains how Hollywood created a myth of American invincibility, by making it look like like America won two world wars single handedly; and that their opponents were cartoonish jokes that could easily be defeated. And that has lead us to where we are now. When the President, most of his Cabinet, and the entire Chickenhawk Wing of the GOP (ie-Lindsey Graham etc.) believe the myth, this is what you get.

Trump is not 'negotiating' with Iran. He claimed he's stopping hostilities for a week in order to negotiate. But we all know what he's doing. He's just giving the 82nd Airborne, and the two Marine MEUs time to get into position to invade Kharg Island. From there, it's only a short, predictable step from "this will be over in two weeks" to "we can't stop fighting now, because it would be disrespectful to the hundreds who have died already. Finish the job!"

Trump is a moron. That's already on full display.

He didn't foresee Iran firing missiles at other Gulf States, despite EVERYBODY in the region saying that's exactly what they'd do.

He didn't foresee Iran mining the Strait of Hormuz (or 'Hormone Strait' as Trump calls it), despite the fact that they did EXACTLY THAT during the Tanker War of 1987.

Now he's moving to take Kharg, to preserve the only source of oil that Iran (probably) won't target. But he didn't have any personnel in place, because he never anticipated he'd have to do that. 'BeeBee' just told him he could drop a few bombs, and the entire regime would collapse, and turn into a Jeffersonian democracy overnight. Don't worry about a couple of million heavily armed Iran Revolutionary Guard DEAD ENDERS (to quote Rumsfeld), who have nothing left to lose.


And what difference does it make, anyway? Jared, Don Jr, Eric, and Baron will never go near a battlefield. Leave that to the kids of midwestern families that are long on patriotism, and short on money. And a bunch of people who joined the Reserves because it was the only way they could pay for college.

This is what happens when you have a President who got all of his beliefs about wars by watching re-runs of The Rat Patrol, and Patton!


6 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Eric Braeden Explains How Hollywood Created The Myth of American Invincibility. (Where We Are Now.) (Original Post) TrollBuster9090 22 hrs ago OP
He ends up talking about Vietnam displacedvermoter 21 hrs ago #1
Yes, he's pretty intense. The first time I saw him interviewed I thought "This guy is a bit of a jerk." But... TrollBuster9090 21 hrs ago #3
Eric Braeden is great. I read his autobiography years ago--very progressive mindset... hlthe2b 21 hrs ago #2
(He was also the only actor on Gunsmoke who actually WORKED as a cowboy.) TrollBuster9090 21 hrs ago #4
Yes. And could ride. I have long bemoaned some of the really bad riders on westerns & related hlthe2b 21 hrs ago #5
Wayne should have blamed it on the horse... TrollBuster9090 21 hrs ago #6

displacedvermoter

(4,444 posts)
1. He ends up talking about Vietnam
Fri Mar 27, 2026, 07:01 PM
21 hrs ago

and a lot of wrong thinking that led us into that war. I guess he sees some of the same parallels I see as we get caught up in this mess.

Interesting perspective, pretty intense fellow!

TrollBuster9090

(6,128 posts)
3. Yes, he's pretty intense. The first time I saw him interviewed I thought "This guy is a bit of a jerk." But...
Fri Mar 27, 2026, 07:10 PM
21 hrs ago

...but then I read his autobiography ("I'll Be Damned&quot , and I realized I agree with almost 100% of what he says about everything.

He has a Facebook page, and he's very active on Facebook. He gives a commentary every week, gets thousands of responses, and responds to most of them. I don't know where he finds the time. (He had a Twitter account, but dumped it when Elon got involved. Good for him.)

hlthe2b

(113,893 posts)
2. Eric Braeden is great. I read his autobiography years ago--very progressive mindset...
Fri Mar 27, 2026, 07:10 PM
21 hrs ago

And well before Rat Patrol, he made guest appearances on Gunsmoke--several. In fact for Y&R fans, the actress who played the character Mrs. Chancellor many years ago, also appeared on Gunsmoke (Jeanne Cooper, died quite a few years ago). Watching old reruns, you never know who will turn up!

Braeden has seen a lot in his lifetime and he is no dummy!

TrollBuster9090

(6,128 posts)
4. (He was also the only actor on Gunsmoke who actually WORKED as a cowboy.)
Fri Mar 27, 2026, 07:14 PM
21 hrs ago

Yes, I was telling a commenter above that I read his book, too. And was very impressed. He's critical of everything, including himself. (Talks about his own life mistakes.)
And I mentioned to him once (on his facebook page) that he was probably the only actor on the show who had actually worked as a cowboy. He thought that was funny.
But it was kind of painful to read about him trying to work his way through college in Montana working as a cowboy, and having trouble staying awake in class. I had the same problem, but only because I was up all night watching TV. Not because I was herding cattle, and practicing the 100 yard dash.

hlthe2b

(113,893 posts)
5. Yes. And could ride. I have long bemoaned some of the really bad riders on westerns & related
Fri Mar 27, 2026, 07:18 PM
21 hrs ago

tv shows and movies. OMG. And that includes John Wayne who (especially in his later years) looked like he was mounting and seated in a Lay-z-boy recliner. I always felt horribly for his horse. Plenty of good riders over the years, mind you, but the really bad ones stick out if you've ever ridden.

TrollBuster9090

(6,128 posts)
6. Wayne should have blamed it on the horse...
Fri Mar 27, 2026, 07:24 PM
21 hrs ago

...like Roy Moore did. Hah! Blame it on the horse and the press, and you can't go wrong.


Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Eric Braeden Explains How...