Great point. Why else did the "War on Terror" let american soldiers guard poppy fields? Before that, USS Maine and Smedley Butler with United fruit.
Best bet, learn. Learn everything you can. If someone gripes about a law, or some govnmt injustice, some general gripe, you drop a leading question. Something to make that person ask YOU a question. Then you say just a little bit more. Repeat that process as long as you live.