Podcast appearances and mentions of catherine shakdam

Catherine Shakdam joins me this week.  Catherine is a research fellow at the Al Bayan Centre for Planning & Studies and a political analyst specializing in radical movements. She is the author of A Tale of Grand Resistance: Yemen, the Wahhabi and the House of Saud.  We discuss the differences in Middle East policy between the Trump Administration and the incoming Biden Administration and her take on this may surprise you. You can find Catherine Shakdam's recent essays at New Eastern Outlook.

Catherine Shakdam is Co-Founder of Veritas Consulting and Head of the Yemen Unit at the Next Century Foundation.  She was formerly Director of Programs at the Shafaqna Institute for Middle Eastern Studies. She is much in demand as an analyst of the Middle East and I am honored to have her join me on Wider View. We talk this time about the repercussions of the US assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani throughout the region. You can find Catherine's work at https://www.catherine-shakdam.com/ and at Citizen Truth, New Eastern Outlook, and on the blog of the Next Century Foundation.  You can follow her on Twitter @shakdamc.  

Catherine Shakdam, my guest this week,is a geopolitical analyst and commentator on the Middle East with a special focus on Yemen and the Gulf countries, and was recently named head of the Yemen Unit at the Next Century Foundation in the UK. She writes for Citizen Truth, New Eastern Outlook, Huffington Post, the website of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the Katehon think tank, among others.  She is the author of a number of books including “A Tale of Grand Resistance: Yemen, the Wahhabi, and the House of Saud”, “Arabia’s Rising: Under The Banner of the First Imam”, and “From Mecca to the plain of Karbala”.  Her website is http://www.catherine-shakdam.com/ In this broadcast, we discuss her recent article “How Yemen’s War Stands to Redefine the Region’s Future” in New Eastern Outlook. Since the topics we discussed are complex, I am providing a full transcript below. Charles: Catherine, you've just taken a new position at the Next Century Foundation. Maybe you can tell us a little bit about the foundation and what your role is there Catherine: Sure. The Next Century Foundation is essentially a peace building organization. So we are a think tank, and we are particularly interested in curating good and healthy relationship between different actors in the Middle East, but not just the Middle East , some of our interests extend to Africa, and I'm serving as the head of the Yemen unit.  We have launched a peace initiative recently, and what we're trying to do, because people tend to get a little bit confused when I say peace initiative, they just assume that we have those ambitions, thinking that we can actually broker peace in Yemen and bring everybody to the table. That is not what we are trying to do. What we're trying to do is act as a soundboard for all the different local and regional actors.  The team and the think tank in general has enough gravitas and enough connections across the Middle East to force certain conversations, and maybe gently nudge people to look at the conflict a bit differently, and to act as advisors as well, to try to find some kind of common ground and some consensus as to what needs to happen in Yemen in order to not launch the region into complete disarray.  If there is a consensus about one thing, it is that things cannot continue as they are, and if they do, we will face hell. And when I say we, I mean not just the immediate region, but the international community because Yemen is a very sensitive country by its geography. And if we don't want to see a repeat of Afghanistan, Libya or potentially something worse, we need to really get things together now. The humanitarian catastrophe is just one of the areas where we could see things devolve quite rapidly into an ugly, ugly vacuum of we don't know what, and I don't like not knowing what could happen when it comes to politics. We try to avoid black swans, and I think that Yemen is fast becoming one. We don't want to get suddenly blindsided and then say, "Oops, we didn't see that coming". So this is what we are trying to do. We're trying to reassess the situation differently in that we're trying to look at Yemen not from the who's right/who's wrong perspective, but rather how can we make sure that all the parties get something and that the people are offered a good future. We want to be there for the Yemenis, not so much for their political parties or the various factions involved in this war. We want Yemen to get a chance at being reconstructed and people getting out of poverty and away from the humanitarian crisis they're facing right now. This is our view because we don't want to be political. We don't want to defend one party or the other. We just want Yemen to be offered the chance to decide what it wants for its future. Charles: Excellent. I want to get back to that a little bit later, but certainly Yemen is in the news. Of course, the latest thing is this bombing of a Saudi Aramco facility that's in the empty quarter of Saudi Arabia. So we have the rebels in Yemen saying that they are responsible. We have the US saying that Iran is responsible and of course, Iran says is not responsible. What's your take on this particular event and what is going on? Catherine: I need to back up a little bit. If you recall, this is not the first time that the Houthis have claimed an attack on Saudi Arabia, or even on the Emirates for that matter. A few weeks ago, they, there was an attack launched against Saudi Arabia and the Houthis claimed it as well. There were rumors that this attack actually came from Iraq, from one of the PMU bases in Iraq. As you know, the PMU has supported the Houthis, if not directly, at least ideologically Charles: PMU stands for Popular Mobilization Units. Catherine: The ones that were created by Ali Sistani. So ideologically, they are in line with the Houthis in that they do not like foreign boots on the ground. They do not like idea of Saudi Arabia promoting any form of terrorism, whether by way of it's war coalition or using ISIS or al-Qaida elements, etc. It's not difficult to imagine that there would be an alliance of sorts between the PMU and the Houthis because essentially they are quite similar outfits. I mean, they are militia-ish even though now they have become somewhat legitimized by just being on the ground.  So given that there were precedents when it comes to such attacks,a lot of people are now saying that this particular attack actually came from Iraq and not from Iran. Now some other people have argued that it came from Iran, but that it came from Iran without the direct knowledge of the regime and that it could be that there are various factions within Iran and Iraq who are not particularly in alignment with what Tehran is doing and saying right now in terms of its foreign policy and how it wants to weigh in on the Yemen conflict against Saudi Arabia.  There have been different rumors, but I will say this and I think it's of importance, is that only a few weeks ago the Israelis conducted a series of attacks against the PMU bases. Now you know very well that Saudi Arabia is acting as a buffer and almost a client state to Israel. So it's interesting to see that now Israel is actually looking not at Iran so much or even Yemen, but actually looking at Iraq and the PMU in particular as its next most immediate existential threats. So I just found it interesting that there's somehow a little bit of a shift. It's a possibility that other players are coming into the Yemeni war theater and maybe the Saudis did not plan on coming in to this equation. So all I'm saying is that I could well be wrong, but Iran said they didn't and they don't have a problem taking ownership of what they do. So I would take their word for it. That being said, it's very possible that a rogue element within the regime decided to act to force their hand. Iran has it's war hawks as well. America is not the only one. There are various scenarios that we need to consider, but I wouldn't jump to conclusions too quickly. Charles: No. I heard Professor Mohammad Morandi speaking from Tehran on RT the other day making the point that the US has very major defense installations all through Iraq and in the Gulf states that one would assume would have intercepted anything coming from the direction of Iran. There were apparently Patriot missile batteries near the site of the bombing, but from whatever direction this came, it got through, which is ... Catherine: It's interesting isn't it? Because bear in mind that the Saudis have literally spent billions and billions and billions of dollars to be made safe within their borders. And Aramco is a very strategic place that they need to protect. It is a matter of national survival for them. This is their bread and butter. So the idea that drone could actually hit and not miss is actually somewhat troubling to me. And again, we need to ask the question. It's not so much as to who fired as to who would benefit from either an escalation or a disintegration of Saudi Arabia's sovereignty because an attack on Aramco is an attack on Saudi Arabia's sovereignty and Mohammed bin Salmon's direct authority because this is an extension of his power. Without the oil, he has nothing. Charles: Right, and there are probably quite a number of elements who would like to see his power diminished. Catherine: Well, yes. America could be playing Riyadh and and saying, "Oh look, this could happen, you do need to spend more money". Orit could be that someone somewhere wants to weaken Saudi Arabia, or it could be America saying she's done with Saudi Arabia and thinking, well we milked you for all you got. Maybe we want to make new friends in the region. I don't know.  Everything is possible when it comes to Donald Trump. I mean, he's not exactly very loyal to his friendships or even to the treaty that he's predicted to sign anyway. So I think anything goes right now, which is very dangerous because it's very difficult to predict what's going to happen or who did what, or on whose authority. Charles: I think one of the things that our government certainly is saying is that the Yemeni group - and maybe we should stop for a moment right here. As to the nature of the group in Yemen that is doing the fighting here, the western press tends to call them either the Houthis or more likely the Iran-backed Houthi rebels or something of that nature. Catherine: That actually infuriates me because if you want to be precise, and I understand that people want to cast a shade against your Iran and say they funded those militias in those groups across the region and they're fomenting instability. Iran is not funding them. And I mean they are not funding the Houthis for one very simple reason, they don't have the money for it. They are under sanctions, they are suffering greatly within their own borders. It doesn't make any sense whatsoever for them to fund a war in Yemen or any kind of war effort in Yemen when Yemen is not even sharing a border with them.  So if you're talking for example about Iraq, I would say yes, if you're talking about Syria, I would say yes, because it makes sense from a strategic perspective. Yemen doesn't make sense for Iran in the immediate term. And bear in mind that Iran's economy has shrunk so much that they really can't afford any kind of frivolity right now and Yemen's war would be classified under frivolity as far as the Iranian government is concerned.  Right now I think Iran is more concerned about feeding its people and ensuring that they don't end up with some kind of an unrest on their hands because people are going hungry, than actually playing with the Houthis. By the way, anyone who knows anything about Yemen, will tell you that the second you start pumping money into that country, it disappears into black holes. Yemen is really not an easy country to handle even if you have a good relationship with people there, because there's so much corruption. There are so many entanglements between the tribes and the religious factions and the political factions and the military and so on. It's very complicated and very, very expensive. And I don't think that the Iranians have time for it. So if you want to call them something, call them rebels if you want to. They're not, but you can call them that. But they're not Iran funded or Iranian backed at all. Charles: And they are at this point, the de facto government of at least part of Yemen. Catherine: Exactly and so they might want to change the adjective that they're using. The thing is the Houthis are not even technically in charge of everything. It's a coalition government. So what you have is a resistance movement within which you have the Houthis and you have -- I mean, look, if you look at the war, the war has lasted for four years now. It would be ridiculous to think that the Houthi who by the way account for about two to five thousand men tops because they're from one city inside the northern province of Yemen. There are not that many. They're not even a tribe technically, they're just a movement,okay? They have about five thousand fighters. So you're telling me that five thousand people for four years have managed to push against several military super powers, including Saudi Arabia? Come on. They were helped by the military in Yemen, which is by the way, loyal to the former president, Ali Abdullah Saleh. They aren't exactly pro-Houthi they just understand that they have to align themselves with the Houthis right now because they need all the help they can get to prevent foreign boots to bridge into their country. So it's really just an act of self defense and you have various factions who maybe don't like each other very much. but who right now have to make do because someone is batting them on the head. So they have to be friends right now. But people need to stop thinking that this war in Yemen is being led by the Houthis, they are just part of it. But it's easier again for the media to demonize an entire country by saying, “Oh, the bad Shi'a rebel Houthis, who are backed by the bad, bad Iran people”. No, it's not the case and it's, trust me, there's not even one Iranian boot on the ground in Yemen, you would like to think that they would send a few just to keep an eye on their interest. I mean, they've done it in Syria and in Iraq. Why not in Yemen? If they are in fact there but they're not! Otherwise trust me, you would have pictures everywhere of Iranian generals leading the show and the Saudis would say see, see we told you they were there. They're not there. People need to get over it. Charles: Exactly. We don't hear that at all in the western press at this point. Catherine: Because they don't know Yemen. I'm not berating the journalists, but they need to do a bit more research when they cover Yemen. Yemen is complicated. I mean, take the time to research the country for God’s sake before you start slapping adjectives on people. Charles: Right. I think they just take the State Department press releases. Catherine: In this case, if they want it to be balanced, then when they talk about President Hadi, for example, they should say “Former undemocratically elected Sunni-borderline-Wahabi president who resigned twice then ran away from his country to ask a foreign power to declare war on his people.” - if you want it to be accurate. And I don't see anyone saying stuff like that. When they talk about the Saudis, do they say “The Wahhabi regime of Saudi Arabia”? No. So why do they have to say “the rebels”,the “Shi'a fighters”. Let's be balanced. Why don't you call them for what they are as well. If you want to do the sectarian game, play to the end. Charles: Great. Only this morning, I read an article of yours in the New Eastern Outlook. In that article you said that Yemen's war is now precipitating a profound geopolitical shift in the region. So maybe you can expound on that a little bit. Catherine: Well, it's complicated. But I'm going back to what I was saying about the Iraqis having entered the war theater. And you need to understand that when we talk about the Middle East, we have to talk about the Islamic World, and when we talk about the Islamic world, we need to understand that there are various schools of thoughts within Islam, and that those schools of thought have been in competition with one another for centuries. And this is not something that's going to go away anytime soon. And for people who say that, oh, it doesn't really matter, people love each other and respect each other, it's simply not true. People are competing for power. And we know it to be true,that people, including clerics will use religion as a means to gain more power and to justify their actions. For the longest time, the Shi'ite Islamic world has been oppressed and its voice repressed by the Sunni world. This is not an accusation. This is just a historical fact, and that has been the case for centuries and centuries, 1,500 years, more or less, during which Shi'a have been systematically oppressed and they were never really given any political platform of their own. Now the war in Iraq changed that dramatically because suddenly this silent majority, the Shi'a majority in Iraq was suddenly given a platform and they formed a political polity and not they run the country but they are part of the government and they are a very heavy part of the government by the demographic of Iraq. And I think that the little movements that started in Lebanon with Hezbollah, for example, resistance movements that were essentially created on the back of Iran's 1979 revolution ,who were following a very revolutionary ideal. Ayatollah Khomeini was basically telling people that they had to resist any form of oppression, whether foreign or national oppression by their leaders, to embrace political self-determination and decide what is it that they wanted for themselves. He molded his political thoughts on Shi'a Islam and that gave in Iran the governance of the jurists. Now we know that this model of governance cannot be exported anywhere else but Iran, for the very simple reason that you need to have a very large majority Shi'a population for this form of government to even work or even be accepted by the people. So you could not do this, for example, in Lebanon, you cannot do this in Syria. You cannot do this in Yemen, you cannot do this in Iraq. And I think that everyone understands that. So when people were saying Iran is trying to export its revolution - No! It was trying to export an ideal , a political ideal that can then take any shape or form depending on the country's history and demographics.  Now, and this is important, in Iraq, right about the same time as Ayatollah Khomeini was formulating his system of governance, it was Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr who came up with something called Wilayat al Umma, which is the governance of the people. So rather than have the governance of the jurists, he wanted the people to have sovereignty. He wanted the source of power to come from the people. And that formula was adopted by the Da'wah party in Iraq. The Da'wah party was very largely funded by Iran at the very beginning in the 1970s. For obvious reasons, Iran was not particularly friendly to Saddam Hussein and Iran was more than happy to try to boost Shi'a revival movements next door because, there was this sense of brotherhood almost. I mean they wanted to help shape Shi'a political thought. They started off as friends, but naturally things evolve, things change. You could be friend on Monday and then on Friday you're going to be not enemies, but you're going to be competing for space.You're gonna be competing for power.  And I think the Da'wah party now is looking to stamp its own political thought, not just in Iraq but across the Middle East because it can export its ideology. Something that Iran cannot do because of the nature of the system of governance that it's promoting. You can promote the governance of the people more easily than that of the jurists because that would imply that the entire state has to be absolutely Shi'a. With Wilayat al Umma, it's a very different political formula. So that could be adapted to a great many different countries in the Middle East, and I think this is why Yemen has become so important because Yemen does not want to have an Iranian model. However, now it's paying attention to the Iraqi model because it's thinking, okay,that we could do. And of course as far as the Da'wah party is concerned, that would be a tremendous, tremendous win. Bear in mind as well, the Da'wah party is quite close to the Ayatollah Sistani camp. And I don't know if you're familiar with the way that Shi'a Islam is organized, but you have Maraji, which are the equivalent of the pope and each Maraji gives his own religious jurisprudence that people may choose to abide by and follow. So it's almost an allegiance that people make to a particular cleric saying, I'm going to follow you and whatever religious edicts that you're going to issue. I'm going to listen to you and only you. Now if you look, we have about 300 million Shi'a Muslims across the world spread out everywhere. About 70% of those follow Ayatollah Sistani. They do not follow Ayatollah Khamenei. Ayatollah Khamenei is the head of state of Iran and within Iran itself, you actually have a majority of Iranians following Ayatollah Sistani for their religious advice as opposed to Ayatollah Khamenei. So Ayatollah Sistani has much more power religiously speaking in numbers than Ayatollah Khamenei, and I think that this is giving a few people a few ideas because they are thinking, there is one top power here. And you have to understand that generally speaking, there is competition between the Sunni world and the Shi'a world. I'm not saying that they're trying to start a war because I don't think that's what they're trying to do. What they're trying to do is to operate, to shift -- for centuries that they were told to shut up and be quiet and not move and be oppressed and like it because nothing's going to change. Now they want to have a say in what happens in the region and create a network that will immobilize the likes of Saudi Arabia because if you look at Pakistan and India for example, there are more Shi'a Muslims in India than there are in Iran, and those Shi'a Muslims follow Ayatollah Sistani and no one else. So it's interesting to see that Najaf could potentially wield something like 100 million people to its name, which is not negligible. Those are big numbers. I think that we need to take this into account when we look at the way that Yemen is going or when we look at how allegiances are being re-formed in Lebanon, in Syria, in Iraq through the PMU .You have suddenly those little bubbles of militias being formed here and there. And those little bubbles are coming together and they're forming bigger bubbles. And I think, and I actually wrote this years ago, that we are seeing before our eyes, the formation of the pan-Arab-Shi'a-Islamic revival movement. Something similar to what we saw in the 1950's with Abdul Nassar, where it was born in Egypt but exported everywhere in the Middle East. And it was a very powerful movement. I think we see these being created from Najaf and not from Tehran, which is interesting again, because everybody is barking at Tehran and Tehran is not doing anything. Tehran is actually trying to stabilize the region and grow its economy. It doesn't need more territory. It doesn't need to have more political influence other than that it needs to protect itself in order to prevent any potential war or attempt to destroy its government. Charles: Well, I know it's complicated, but I think what you're saying here is, let's try to paraphrase this, kind of a loose alliance of Shi'a Muslim groups throughout the region that are beginning to put pressure on the Sunni groups that have been oppressing them, particularly at the Saudis, I would assume. Catherine: Yes. But it's not religious pressure per se. Those Shi'a communities are formulating their own political thoughts. It's coming from a place where they identify as a religious oppressed minority within the Islamic word , and they're slowly organizing themselves as a political force in order to compete against the likes of Saudi Arabia, the Gulf countries and everything. And you also need to bear in mind that, for better or for worse, often for worse, natural resources happen to be sitting under Shi'a communities across the Middle East. Qatif in Saudi Arabia is majority Shi'a and this is where the oil is, this is where Aramco is, this is what was attacked. North Yemen for example, is Shi'a territory and you know, guess what, this is why they wanted to invade it. I mean, Bahrain, all of these different countries.  And it's interesting because I'm thinking that there is a lot that is now coming to the surface because of religious subsets because of the fact that for many centuries they were politically silenced. And so they never really had time to think politically. Now they have this wealth that they are literally sitting on and they're thinking, why should we allow other people to take advantage of it or why should we be exploited? Why can't we take charge for once? So I think that all this is coming together and I do really think that Yemen exploded that because Yemen resisted. And so it gave people an idea thinking, well, if they can do it, why can't we gang up with this resistance movement that is standing up to Saudi Arabia and doing it so well? It's like vultures circling Saudi Arabia. The Saudis have left themselves completely exposed because of Yemen. And I think that the cracks that are starting to appear are being exploited by other actors, and not necessarily, as everyone seems to be thinking, Iran. I don't really think that Iran has anything to do with it because it's not in its immediate interest or not even long-term interest. It's not interested. Iran is not a colonial power. It doesn't need to be. Charles: That's true. Yeah. I think the colonial power that's sticking its nose in here, other than Israel, of course, is the United States. I think perhaps if we would reduce the number of western actors involved in this, we might come to some resolution a little quicker.   Catherine: Well, yeah, that's true. I had an interesting conversation this week with different people and I don't think that the Saudis are stupid. I think they understand that Yemen has become a very real problem for them. But they cannot change course and they will not change course until Washington tells them to, that's the problem. Because Saudi Arabia is owned. I don't think it has any real independent policy. I'm always the first one to blame Saudi Arabia when it comes to the atrocities that they committing. That being said, even though they are pulling the trigger, again decisions are not being made in Riyadh, they are being made in Washington. And so I tend to think that actually the Saudis will be the next victim. I mean, they are in a way victims here as well. This is not to take away from the horror that they're doing. I'm not excusing them in any way, shape or form. I'm just saying that again, I think we are barking at the wrong tree asking the Saudis to stop. They won't stop until the Washington says, yes, you can stop now. So I think they stuck as well. Charles: Well, I wish we had more time to talk but we're already probably a little over the time limit, and again, I always appreciate having you on the show. Catherine: Always a pleasure. Whenever you want. I'm always willing to talk. Charles: That's wonderful. Thank you.  

This is a wide-ranging and delightful conversation with Catherine Shakdam.  Catherine is a geopolitical analyst and commentator on the Middle East with a special focus on Yemen and the Gulf Countries.  She is also a researcher with Al Bayan Centre for Planning & Studies and the founder of Veritas-Consulting.  Her book Arabia’s Rising:  Under the Banner of the First Imam is available on Amazon. Catherine is currently working on several book projects which are scheduled to be published in 2019.  Her website is http://www.catherine-shakdam.com/    

Beginning with the arrest of Marzieh Hashemi of Press TV, we look at the relationship of the US and Iran and the "threat" Iran poses to Israel. Then we look at the case of a local activist silenced because her cause is not on the approved list. Today's episode contains content from Catherine Shakdam and Dr. Jack Dresser. We also report on a local activist and friend whose address to the local Womxn's March was silenced by the organizers because she wasn't fighting the correct oppression.  

I am very pleased to welcome Catherine Shakdam to the broadcast.  Catherine is a political analyst and commentator for the Middle East, fellow at Al Bayan Centre for Planning and Studies, author of A Tale of Grand Resistance - Yemen, the Wahhabi, and the House of Saud. Catherine is also the Director of Communication for the Journalist Support Committee, former consultant on Yemen for the United Nations Security Council, and PhD candidate based in London.  Catherine is also a frequent contributor to web-based news media such as New Eastern Outlook and Citizen Truth.   We talk about Saudi Arabia and the role it plays in the Middle East.  

President Trump has ordered a rapid withdrawal of all 2,000 United States ground troops from Syria within 30 days, declaring the four-year American-led war against the Islamic State as largely won, officials said today. “We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency,” the president said in a Twitter post this morning. He offered no details on his plans for the military mission, nor a larger strategy, in Syria.What does this mean going forward? Karl Racine, the attorney general for the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit today against Facebook for allowing Cambridge Analytica, a political consultancy firm, to gain access to the names, “likes" and other personal data about tens of millions of the social site's users without their permission. What's going on here and does this factor or tie into the other issues with Facebook and Google and other social networking platforms? So, according to Karl Racine, “Facebook failed to protect the privacy of its users and deceived them about who had access to their data and how it was used…Today's lawsuit is about making Facebook live up to its promise to protect its users' privacy.” The revelation unleashed unprecedented global scrutiny of Facebook's privacy practices and a wave of investigations, including the United States, where Facebook now faces the prospect of serious fines. Several companies have pulled their advertisements from Tucker Carlson's show after the host made disparaging comments about immigrants. On "Tucker Carlson Tonight," Carlson claimed that immigration makes the U.S. "poorer, dirtier and more divided" in a lengthy speech about the economics of immigrants. Now, the data on the economics of immigrants show the tremendous contributions that immigrants make to this economy and the remittance that many of them send back to their countries of origin play a significant role in supporting those economies as well. We've gone through this with Megan Kelly and others. Carlson characterized the events as attempts to "limit his free speech." What's happening to our discourse and what is supposed to be fact telling in journalism? Now to the other side of the coin, Dr. Mark Lamont Hill loses his CNN spot for telling the truth about the apartheid atrocities being imposed and inflicted upon the Palestinians by the Zionist government in Israel. GUESTS: Daniel Lazare — Journalist and author of three books: The Frozen Republic, The Velvet Coup and America's Undeclared War.Catherine Shakdam, a political commentator and analyst focusing on the Middle East, and the author of "A Tale Of Grand Resistance: Yemen, The Wahhabi And The House Of Saud".Brian Williams — Co-founder and partner at Wayne and Reed, a tech consultancy and venture builder.Hamil Harris - Adjunct Professor in the journalism department at Morgan State University and had a stellar career at the Washington Post.

John Shuck speaks with Hanan Al-Zubaidy and Catherine Shakdam about his recent trip to Iraq for Arbaeen Having just returned from Iraq for Arbaeen in which over 15 million people from all over the world converged on the Holy City of Karbala, John Shuck discusses his experience and the significance of the world’s largest event with Iraqi refugee and Portland resident, Hanan Al-Zubaidy, and geo-political analyst from the U.K., Catherine Shakdam. Hanan Al-Zubaidy was instrumental in bringing the Ramadan Tent Project to the United States. Catherine Shakdam recently wrote a couple of articles about Arbaeen entitled, “Millions of Muslims, Over 60 Nations Gather to Reject Terror in Iraq” and “The Great March to Arbaeen.” Arbaeen is the largest peaceful gathering on Earth and yet hardly anyone in the United States even knows about it. While in Iraq, John Shuck and photographer, Josh Townsley, were interviewed by Shabir TV, The Iraqi Media Network (starts 1:07),  and the Imam Hussein Shrine. — Bios: Hanan Al-Zubaidy is an Iraqi refugee who moved to the United States with her family in the early 90’s. Settling in Portland Oregon, Hanan is a recent graduate of Portland State University where she earned her masters in Educational Leadership and Policy. Focusing her work on marginalized populations, Hanan is currently volunteering with Larch Correctional Facility and sits on the board Human Rights Council of Washington County. — Catherine Shakdam is a geopolitical analyst and commentator for the Middle East with a special focus on Yemen and the Gulf countries, Catherine Shakdam has been published across several prominent media outlets including: The Huffington Post, Sputnik, Citizen Truth, Press TV, The New Eastern Outlook, RT, MintPress, Ayatollah Khameini’s website, Open Democracy, the Foreign Policy Journal,  The Duran, The American Herald Tribune, Katehon, and many more. Catherine has been instrumental in breaking media silence over Yemen’s war, and the tragedy which has befallen the impoverished nation.  In 2015 she authored: Arabia’s Rising – Under The Banner Of The First Imam. In 2016 she authored A Tale Of Grand Resistance – Yemen, the Wahhabi, and the House of Saud and From Mecca to Karbala – Walking with the Holy household of the Prophet  

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Dan Kovalik, a human rights and labor lawyer who is the author of “The Plot to Scapegoat Russia;” Jim Kavanagh, the editor of ThePolemicist.net; and Dave Lindorff, an investigative reporter and a columnist for CounterPunch.In a confidential 20-page letter to the Special Counsel, President Trump’s attorneys argue that he cannot be compelled to testify in the Russia investigation and he cannot be indicted for obstruction of justice because he has unfettered authority over all federal investigations. The letter apparently was leaked to the New York Times by someone in the Special Counsel’s office. The US is inching closer to imposing sanctions on European Union companies that do business with Iran or that are engaged in the construction of the new Nordstream 2 pipeline that would deliver gas to the EU from Russia. Meanwhile, the Chinese government has rebuked Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross’s attempts to secure further trade concessions from the country. John Ross, an award-winning resident columnist with several Chinese media organizations, and Reiner Braun, co-president of the International Peace Bureau, join the show. At least 33 people died yesterday when Guatemala’s Fuego volcano erupted,.spewing ash, rock, and gas into the sky just 25 miles from the capital of Guatemala City. It’s the country’s deadliest volcanic eruption since 1902. How have colonization and deep inequalities in Guatemala contributed to the death toll? Brian and John speak with Jackie McVicar, a member of the Atlantic Region Solidarity Network, working in solidarity with people struggling for social justice and environmental protection in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Atlantic Canada, and a former co-coordinator of the Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Solidarity Network. Jordan’s King Abdallah replaced Prime Minister Hani Mulki today in an attempt to appease Jordanians who are protesting IMF-backed reforms that have hit the country’s poor particularly hard. The government also plans to end taxes that have brought thousands of people into the streets in the capital of Amman. Daoud Kuttab, an award-winning journalist reporting from Jordan, joins the show. Monday’s regular segment “Education for Liberation with Bill Ayers” looks at the state of education across the country. What’s happening in our schools, colleges, and universities, and what impact does it have on the world around us? Today focuses on research showing that the series of school closings in Chicago worsened the outcomes of children. The hosts speak with Bill Ayers, an activist, educator and the author of the book “Demand the Impossible: A Radical Manifesto.” On “Connected Lives, Private Profits with Chris Garaffa,” Chris helps the hosts look at technological issues that shape our world and how we can fight to maintain our civil rights and civil liberties in the face of increasingly advanced, and sometimes hostile, technology. Today they focus on recent news about Google and Facebook. Web developer and technologist Chris Garaffa joins the show.The Yemeni army is on the verge of recapturing the coastal town of Hodeidah, which was taken over by Houthi rebels in 2014, and the US is being urged to step up its involvement. The port’s capture would effectively cut off supplies of arms and ammunition to the Houthis and it would severely limit the Houthis ability to fire rockets at Saudi Arabia. It was Hodeidah’s capture in 2014 that led to the Saudi invasion of Yemen. Brian and John speak with Catherine Shakdam, a political commentator and analyst focusing on the Middle East, and the author of “A Tale Of Grand Resistance: Yemen, The Wahhabi And The House Of Saud.”

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Kevin Gosztola, a writer for Shadowproof.com and co-host of the podcast Unauthorized Disclosure, and Alex Friedmann, the Associate Director of the Human Rights Defense Center and managing editor of Prison Legal News. On the regular Thursday series “Criminal Injustice,” about the most egregious conduct of our courts and prosecutors and how justice is denied to so many people in this country, the hosts discuss a new bipartisan bill in Congress that would expand the president’s ability to detain American citizens without a trial, and why “police union” is a misnomer.For Loud & Clear’s regular weekly segment covering the upcoming midterm elections, Brian and John take a look at Senate races nationwide. Jacqueline Luqman and Abdus Luqman, the co-editors-in-chief of Luqman Nation, join the show. Iowa’s state legislature yesterday passed the most extreme abortion ban in the country, eliminating women’s right to carry a child past the time when a fetus has a heartbeat, which can be as early as six weeks. Six weeks is often earlier than a woman knows she is pregnant. The bill now goes to the Republican governor, who has said she’s not yet sure whether she will sign it. Is the right trying to get abortion rights back into the Supreme Court, in the hopes the court will reverse Roe v. Wade? Brian and John speak with Danielle Norwood, a reproductive rights activist and a therapist specializing in treating adult and adolescent survivors of trauma. Despite the Pentagon saying for years that the US was not fully involved in the Yemen war and did not have troops in Yemen, several top US and European officials told the New York Times today that the Green Berets actually arrived late last year on the Saudi/Yemeni border—a big escalation in military assistance. Why is the US assisting the egregious Saudi government in their war? Catherine Shakdam, a political commentator and analyst focusing on the Middle East, and the author of “A Tale Of Grand Resistance: Yemen, The Wahhabi And The House Of Saud,” joins the show. Today is World Press Freedom Day, as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly. In a media landscape dominated by a handful of corporations, what can be done to truly guarantee the free expression and communication of ideas? Tim Karr, the senior director of strategy and communications at Free Press, joins Brian and John. Cambridge Analytica, the controversial data mining firm that has found itself in the middle of the Facebook data scandal, announced yesterday that it would close immediately. The company’s CEO said that rebranding the firm was “futile.” Dr. Robert Epstein, the Senior Research Psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology, joins the show.Dramatic developments have raised hopes for peace and reunification in Korea, but there is still much to be done. As the Chinese foreign minister visits North Korea, and the North agrees to release three detainees, how could this complex diplomatic process unfold? Brian and John speak with Sputnik news analyst Walter Smolarek.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Kani Xulam, founder of the American-Kurdish Information Network, and Sputnik News analyst Walter Smolarek.Since the end of March, the Turkish military has quietly been building outposts inside Iraqi territory to attack the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, in the nearby Qandil Mountains. The move is, of course, a violation of Iraqi sovereignty. And it points to Turkey’s obsession with fighting Kurds no matter where they are. The weekly series “Criminal Injustice” continues, where the hosts discuss the most egregious conduct of our courts and prosecutors and how justice is denied to so many people in this country, including the systematic abuse of prisoners across the system. Kevin Gosztola, a writer for Shadowproof.com and co-host of the podcast Unauthorized Disclosure, and Paul Wright, the founder and executive director of the Human Rights Defense Center and editor of Prison Legal News and Criminal Legal News, join the show. In March, Loud & Clear reported about the case of Alejandra Pablos, a prominent local reproductive health activist. Alejandra is a permanent resident of the United States. But when she went to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Arizona for a routine check-in, she was arrested and held incommunicado. She has been released, but is now facing deportation. Brian and John speak with Alejandra Pablos, an organizer with the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, a member of the immigrant rights organization Mijente, and a delegate to the People’s Congress of Resistance held last year in Washington, D.C. French President Emmanuel Macron said last night that he did not believe he changed President Trump’s mind on the Iran nuclear deal and that he expects the US to pull out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action next month. He added that doing so would be bad for everyone--Iran, the European Union, and the United States. Catherine Shakdam, a political commentator and analyst focusing on the Middle East, and the author of “A Tale Of Grand Resistance: Yemen, The Wahhabi And The House Of Saud,” joins the show. Teachers in Arizona walked out today in nearly 100 school districts across the state. The teachers are striking to reestablish education funding to the level where it was years ago (it has dropped 14% just since 2008 in Arizona, measured per student) and to stop passing tax cuts on the backs of public education. Nathalie Hrizi, a teacher and librarian and a teachers union organizer, joins Brian and John. The CIA is actively tweeting its support for deputy director Gina Haspel’s elevation to lead the Agency. It routinely retweets articles supporting or endorsing Haspel, while ignoring those that don’t. This would seem to be an ethical violation. Isn’t any federal agency supposed to be neutral on who may or may not lead it? Ray McGovern, a CIA analyst under seven presidents who was also the personal morning briefer for President George H. W. Bush, joins the show.President Trump told the hosts of Fox & Friends this morning that CIA Director Michael Pompeo was not supposed to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un when he traveled to North Korea over the Easter weekend. But Kim walked into the room and the two spoke for more than an hour. Pompeo later said that Kim was very smart, a revelation for US policymakers. Why does the US really know nothing about the North Korean leader?

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Medea Benjamin, the co-founder of Code Pink and author of the book “Kingdom of the Unjust: Behind the U. S.-Saudi Connection” and Catherine Shakdam, a political commentator and the author of “A Tale Of Grand Resistance: Yemen, The Wahhabi And The House Of Saud.”Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman arrived in Washington yesterday just in time for a vote in the US Senate that would demand an end to US support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. Senate Resolution 54 would call on the President to cut off intelligence, materiel, and mid-air refueling for Saudi jets, just as the Crown Prince begins a two-week trip across the country. America’s corporate, political and military elites are rolling out the red carpet for the young leader of the saudi monarchy. Tuesday’s weekly series continues, looking at the top economic issues of the day, including the Senate’s passage of legislation rolling back bank regulations. Financial policy analyst Daniel Sankey joins the show. Facebook is the target of criticism for allowing the British data firm Cambridge Analytica to acquire 50 million user profiles in the US to help the Trump campaign. But how is this any different from the 2008 and 2012 Obama campaigns using the same data to target voters? Brian and John speak with Dr. Robert Epstein, the Senior Research Psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology. Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signed into law yesterday a bill that would outlaw all abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. It is the earliest abortion ban in the country, and there are no exceptions in the law for rape or incest. Pro-choice advocates already have filed a lawsuit to block its implementation, and early this afternoon, a federal judge issued a temporary stay. Shannon Brewer, director of Jackson Women's Health Organization, Mississippi’s last women’s health clinic that still offers abortion health services, joins the show. Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was arrested today in connection with a growing scandal in which he is accused of having taken campaign money from former Libyan leader Muammar al-Qadhafi. Sarkozy is alleged to have secretly accepted €50 million, more than double the legal limit of €21 million. Gilbert Mercier, Editor in Chief of News Junkie Post and the author of “The Orwellian Empire,” joins Brian and John. In a speech in New Hampshire yesterday, President Trump said that he would seek legislation to allow the federal government to execute drug dealers. The speech was immediately condemned by treatment advocates and law enforcement officials alike, as the real problem causing the opioid epidemic is pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Margaret Flowers, a medical doctor and the co-coordinator of Popular Resistance, at PopularResistance.org, joins the show.A bomb exploded this morning in a FedEx facility near Austin, Texas, in what appears to be the work of a serial bomber. It’s the fifth device to detonate, while the four previous bombs killed two and wounded four. The FBI has ordered the deployment of 350 agents to Austin to aid in the investigation. Brian and John speak with Brian Griffiths, the host of People's Republic on KOOP radio in Austin, Texas.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Ann Wright, a retired United States Army colonel and former U.S. State Department official in Afghanistan, who resigned in protest of the invasion of Iraq and became an anti-war activist, Dr. Tim Beal, an author, researcher, and teacher whose most recent book is “Crisis in Korea,” and Professor Simone Chun, a fellow at the Korea Policy Institute and a member of the Korean Peace Network.The Winter Olympics opened yesterday in PyeongChang, South Korea in the shadow of difficult international politics. The sister of DPRK leader Kim Jong-un shook hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-In. She became the only member of the Kim family ever to visit South Korea. Meanwhile, Vice President Pence, representing the United States, sat three feet away and never acknowledged the North Koreans. The hosts discuss US policy in the face of improving relations between North and South Korea.In cities nationwide, longtime working-class city residents face higher rents and increased pressure from landlords and developers. The nation’s capitol is no exception, and two groups are taking the fight to a developer’s own house this weekend, with a march up a main DC street in upper Northwest. The hosts talk about the details of the march and the broader picture of gentrification in DC. Yasmina Mrabet, a housing organizer with ONE DC, a leading organization in the group that put together Saturday’s march, and Will Merrifield, an attorney with the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless who is representing the tenants of Congress Heights, join the show.The federal government shut down briefly last night. You probably didn’t notice it. In the middle of the night, Congress passed a two-year funding measure that adds another $300 billion in spending, more than half of that for the Pentagon, and it keeps the rest of the government open until March 23. Brian and John speak with Ted Rall, an award-winning editorial cartoonist and columnist.With passage of the budget deal, Congress will now take up the issue of immigration reform. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has called for debate to begin on immigration on Monday, with the Senate using the House’s Hurd-Aguilar proposal as a starting point. Angie Kim, an immigrant rights advocate and community organizer with the MinKwon Center for Community Action, joins the show.Years of war and violence have left 750,000 children in Mosul without basic health care, which UNICEF recently announced while appealing for $17 million to aid the area. Less than 10% of health facilities in the surrounding province are operating at full capacity. Despite this great need, there is little to no mention of it in the corporate media. Catherine Shakdam, a political commentator and analyst focusing on the Middle East, and the author of “A Tale Of Grand Resistance: Yemen, The Wahhabi And The House Of Saud,” joins Brian and John.According to multiple reports, Israeli police authorities are recommending to the country’s minister of justice that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be indicted on a myriad of corruption and bribery charges. The recommendation was made unanimously by a panel of police chiefs. Miko Peled, the author of “The General’s Son - A Journey of an Israeli in Palestine” and the upcoming title "Injustice: The Story of the Holy Land Foundation Five," joins the show.Again this week the hosts look at the worst and most misleading headlines. Brian and John speak with Steve Patt, an independent journalist whose searing critiques of the mainstream media have been a feature of his blog Left Eye on the News, which you can find at lefti.blogspot.com.

This is the podcast version of a live broadcast that aired January 12th on KBOO/Portland.  John Shuck spoke with Catherine Shakdam, Scott Bennett, and Aisha Jumaan.  They will be three of the headliners at a conference taking place at Portland State University on February 3rd, entitled, "U.S. - Saudi Coalition: Bringing Peace or War?" The conference is hosted by Roots of Conflict.  Joining John in the studio was Hanan Alzubaidy and Manijeh Mehrnoosh, who are hosting the conference.-- Catherine Shakdam has been instrumental in breaking media silence over Yemen’s war.  She is the author of Arabia’s Rising – Under The Banner Of The First Imam, A Tale Of Grand Resistance – Yemen, the Wahhabi, and the House of Saud, and From Mecca to Karbala – Walking with the Holy household of the Prophet. Scott Bennett is a former US Psychological Operations-Counterterrorism Analyst. He is a whistleblower and the author of Shell Game: A Military Whistleblowing Report to Congress.  Aisha Jumaan is a public-health specialist working as a consultant on heath-related projects in Yemen. Jumaan worked at PATH directing their HPV vaccine project from 2008-2010; at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 1995-2008; and as a CDC consultant from 2010-2012.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Gareth Porter and Catherine Shakdam, both journalists and authors. Donald Trump may kill the Iran deal in January, a move that could open the door to an Iranian nuclear weapon. Meanwhile, the U.S. mainstream media continues a drumbeat of hostility against Tehran that certainly will do nothing for peace in the Middle East or even for American economic well-being.Loud & Clear Listener Steve Patt has an interesting take on Congressional priorities. He posted on Facebook recently that the Democratic congresspeople in his neck of northern California recently wrote to FCC chairman Ajit Pai, not about net neutrality issues, but about the dangerous Russian bear taking over US airwaves.A federal judge has ruled that an American citizen accused of being an ISIS fighter has a right to an attorney. But doesn’t EVERY American deserve Constitutional rights, no matter his politics? Zachary Wolfe, a lawyer and activist who teaches at George Washington University, joins the show. The Trump Administration continues its attacks on the environment, pushing oil exploration in Alaska, decommissioning national parks in Utah, and subsidizing coal, among other things. Can 2018 be any worse? Author Fred Magdoff joins Brian and John to discuss.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Manuel Hassassian, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK, and by author and activist Miko Peled.In a stinging rebuke to the Trump administration, a highly unusual emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to condemn the U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.Catalonia votes today in what many are calling a second round of the independence referendum. All indications are that the results will be extremely close. Brian and John speak with independent journalist Alberto Garcia Watson, and Dick Nichols of Green Left Weekly.The Pentagon has admitted for the first time that it has carried out “multiple ground operations” in Yemen in 2017, as well as tripled the number of airstrikes from a year earlier. The horrific war drags on with the participation of the U.S. military. Independent political commentator Catherine Shakdam joins the show.In a big win for the first amendment, six of the defendants in the “J20” inauguration day protest arrests were found not guilty earlier today. Chip Gibbons, the policy and legislative counsel for Defending Rights & Dissent, as well as a journalist, joins Brian and John to discuss the victory.As of the time of this recording -- 3:00 p.m. eastern -- Congress looks set to pass a Continuing Resolution to avert a government shutdown. But funding will only last until January 19th, setting the stage for a shutdown on the one-year anniversary of Trump’s inauguration. Jim Kavanagh, editor of ThePolemicist.net, joins the show.Jim Mattis became the first Secretary of Defense since Donald Rumsfeld in 2002 to visit the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay, home to the infamous prison denounced around the world as a torture center. Tarak Kauff, a member of the Board of Directors of Veterans for Peace who in 2013 went on a hunger strike to demand the closure of Guantanamo Bay, joins Brian and John.Theresa May’s government has suffered yet another embarrassing blow as her Deputy Prime Minister Damian Green was forced to resign amid allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior. Joining the show is Robert Griffiths, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Britain.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by editorial cartoonist Ted Rall and author Daniel Lazare.CNN and later other media outlets including MSNBC breathlessly reported that they finally had the missing piece of evidence, the so-called Smoking Gun that would prove Russia-Trump collusion during the 2016 election. Pundits all over the media took to the airwaves. But there was a problem: this story too turned out to be entirely false.Then, Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a surprise trip to Syria and announced that the country was beginning to withdraw its military forces from the country. With the U.S. determined to stay in Syria indefinitely, what comes next as the many sides in the war consider a negotiated end to the conflict? International affairs and security analyst Mark Sleboda joins the show along with Rick Sterling of the Syria Solidarity Movement.Elizabeth Shackleford, a senior U.S. diplomat, resigned over the weekend, saying that President Trump and Secretary of State Tillerson had shown “stinging disrespect” for the foreign service. Her letter was released to the press and has become the most public rebuke of the U.S. foreign policy leadership to date. Former U.S. diplomat Brady Kiesling talks to Brian and John about the resignation.Iraq declared today that Daesh has officially been defeated. Independent journalists Catherine Shakdam and Mojtaba Masood join Brian and John to discuss what's next, in particular the role that the U.S. will play from this point forward. Days after Trump announced that the United States would recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, we will discuss whether the move could trigger a new level of resistance and struggle by the Palestinians. Satya Vatti, an organizer with the ANSWER Coalition, joins the show.Two new polls released this morning show Alabama Democratic Senate nominee Doug Jones and Republican nominee Roy Moore exchanging leads before tomorrow’s special election. Will Jones pull off a win in the heavily Republican state, or will Moore extend his extremist influence to Washington? Attorney Julie Hurwitz discusses the importance of the election.Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has asked his country’s Congress to extend martial law in the southern state of Mindanao for a year in order to allow for what he calls the “total eradication” of Muslim extremists and communists. A key tenet of the request is that all media would be banned from Mindanao. Adrian Bonifacio, national chairperson of Anakbayan-USA, joins the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by financial policy analyst Daniel Sankey.The high-stakes balancing act on the budget and tax reform has become even more fragile in the wake of Donald Trump’s ongoing feud with Senator Bob Corker. But behind the drama, is Congress gearing up for a huge giveaway to corporations?Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman has voiced his desire to, in his words, “return” his country to “moderate Islam”. But does he really have any intention of easing the theocratic regime that rules Saudi Arabia? Catherine Shakdam, an independent journalist and author, is our guest.While Puerto Ricans are still struggling to survive in the aftermath of devastating hurricanes, corporations are salivating over lucrative reconstruction contracts and set their sights on the ultimate prize -- privatizing Puerto Rico’s electric grid. Activist Greg Cruz joins the show.Fresh off of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s decisive reelection, U.S., South Korean and Japanese forces kicked off a two-day series of military exercises directed at North Korea. Alexander Mercouris, editor-in-chief of The Duran, joins John and Brian.The twice-a-decade Chinese Communist Party Congress has voted to make reference to “Xi Jinping thought” in its constitution. As the first living Chinese President to have his name added to the party constitution since Mao Zedong, will Xi bring about major changes in the country? Political analyst Ajit Singh comments on the moves. The Environmental Protection Agency blocked its scientists from addressing a conference in Rhode Island yesterday in the latest move by the Trump administration to cover up the facts when it comes to climate change. Professor and author Fred Magdoff joins the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and Walter Smolarek are joined by journalist Mojtaba Masood and Kani Xulam, founder of the American-Kurdish Information Network.Iraqi pro-government forces have swept into the disputed region of Kirkuk, taking Kirkuk city from Kurdish peshmerga soldiers. As the fight over the shape of post-ISIS Iraq ensues, could another war be on the horizon?In a surprise turn of events in Venezuela, pro-government candidates won the vast majority of governorships in yesterday's elections. The opposition is crying fraud, but the government says that the election shows that the momentum is with the country’s Bolivarian Revolution. We are joined by Carlos Ron, the Charge D’affairs leading the Venezuelan embassy in the United States, and by Lucas Koerner, a journalist with Venezuelanalysis.comThe Supreme Court will hear a major case on about e-mail privacy. Does the government’s ability to subpoena personal e-mails extend to every corner of the globe? Editorial cartoonist Ted Rall and news analyst Daniel Sankey join the show.Next, tension is growing as as the Spanish government threatens to invoke a controversial article of the constitution to dissolve the regional government of Catalonia while left-wing pro-independence forces press him to declare independence. Dick Nichols, correspondent for Green Left Weekly, joins the show the discuss these developments.The right wing surged in yesterday’s election in Austria, and the far-right Freedom Party is expected to enter the government following a stinging defeat for the ruling Social Democrats. Ilona Pfeffer, Sputnik News analyst, joins Brian and Walter.European Union Foreign Ministers gathering for a summit in Luxembourg have taken a strong stand in support of the Iran nuclear deal in the latest sign of friction between the EU and the Trump administration. Brian and Walter are joined by Catherine Shakdam, independent journalist.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and Walter Smolarek are joined by Kevin Kamps, the Radioactive Waste Watchdog at Beyond Nuclear. Donald Trump seems to be in love with nuclear weapons. At a high-level summit of military and foreign policy officials, Trump reportedly requested a nearly ten-fold expansion in the U.S. nuclear arsenal. Controversy is swirling over cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab, which the New York Times reports has been hacked by Russian and Israeli intelligence agents. We take a look at the big picture of espionage and high tech giants with Jeffrey Carr, a cybersecurity consultant and author of “Inside Cyber Warfare”. In the second hour, editorial cartoonist and columnist Ted Rall joins the show to discuss California Senator Dianne Feinstein announcing that she plans to run for reelection, a move that has California Democrats in revolt. As the latest round of NAFTA negotiations begin, the Trump administration and business groups appear to be clashing over several key provisions. Financial policy analyst Daniel Sankey joins the show. Spanish Prime Minister Rajoy has maintained his hardline stance against Catalan independence, declaring to parliament that he is ready to suspend the region’s government. Brian and Walter are joined from Berlin by Bolle Selke, a journalist and Sputnik news analyst. 2017 may very well be a record year for Israeli settlement construction in the occupied West Bank, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved plans to build over 3,700 new housing units. Independent analyst Catherine Shakdam joins the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and Walter Smolarek speaks with Julie Hurwitz, activist and a partner with Goodman & Hurwitz, P.C., Bob Schlehuber, news analyst and the producer of the Radio Sputnik show By Any Means Necessary, by Camilo Matos of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party, and by financial policy analyst Daniel Sankey.In the first hour, they discuss the big issues of the day -- Donald Trump in Las Vegas in the aftermath of the horrific mass shooting, Rex Tillerson attempting to defuse tensions between himself and Donald Trump, and the outrage continues towards Trump’s ridiculous behavior in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico.In the second hour, Brian and Walter are joined by independent journalist Catherine Shakdam. Testifying to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Secretary of Defense James Mattis defended the Iran nuclear deal, putting him at odds with Donald Trump.Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has hit out at the United States over its military actions in Syria, and vowed to respond to U.S. sanctions. International criminal lawyer Christopher Black analyzes the state of U.S.-Russia relations.There are more mixed messages and confusion coming out of the Trump administration on immigration, as a high-level Department of Homeland Security official suggests that Trump supports the Dream Act, but then a spokesperson quickly backpedaled. Angie Kim, community organizer with the MinKown Center for Community Action, joins the show.British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has made another one of his signature gaffes, joking about “clearing away dead bodies” in Libya, the country his government helped destroy. Alexander Mercouris, editor-in-chief of The Duran, discusses Johnson's comments.

On today’s episode of Loud & Clear, Shawn Garcia, Executive Director of Revolutionary Fitness; Gloria La Riva, who was the Coordinator of the National Committee to Free the Cuban Five; and Greg Cruz, an activist who will soon be traveling to Puerto Rico to take part in relief efforts, join the show.In our first hour, we discuss the crisis in Puerto Rico. After the devastation of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, there are dire shortages of essential goods and services. On top of this, Puerto Rico is still suffocating under a mountain of debt and the colonial status imposed on it by the United States. The far right Alternative for Germany has made a breakthrough in last week’s election, securing nearly 13 percent of the vote and entering parliament. What’s behind the party’s stunning rise and deep internal divisions? Marcel Joppa, a journalist and Sputnik News analyst, talks about the issue.Incumbent Republican Senator Luther Strange has been defeated in a landslide by far right challenger Roy Moore in the Alabama primary election. What does it mean for Trump, McConnell, and the future of politics in the United States? Ray Baker, the host of the podcast Public Agenda, discusses this development.The Venezuelan opposition has broken off talks with the government that were being held in the Dominican Republic, just weeks ahead of crucial regional elections. Lucas Koerner, a Caracas-based activist and writer for VenezuelAnalysis.com, joins the show.Saudi Arabia’s government has announced that it will legally permit women to drive for the first time following years of protest. But horrific restrictions on women’s rights still persist in this close ally of the United States. Catherine Shakdam, a political analyst and author, talks about this issue

On today’s episode of Loud & Clear, Lucas Koerner, an activist and journalist for VenezuelaAnalysis.com, political analyst Ajit Singh, and former State Department official turned anti-war activist Ann Wright join the show.Donald Trump’s debut speech to the United Nations General Assembly drew gasps from the audience as he threatened the destruction of North Korea, slammed Iran and Venezuela, and boasted about U.S. military might.The Republican effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act was left for dead, but a last minute push by Senators Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy seems to have gained serious traction. We are joined from Nashville by Dr. Carol Paris, President of Physicians for a National Health Plan, joins the show.We do some pretty amazing things here at Sputnik News, including, according to three members of Congress, time travel. In a letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai they claimed that we influenced the election through our broadcasts on 105.5 FM, which began eight months after election day. Dan Kovalik, a human rights and labor lawyer and author, talks about the issue.Defense Secretary James Mattis has announced that 3,000 more U.S. troops are going to Afghanistan as part of the Trump administration’s push to deepen the longest war in U.S. history. Phil Wilayto of the Virginia Defenders for Freedom, Justice & Equality, joins the show.Donald Trump’s unbelievably bellicose speech at the United Nations today took aim at Iran, slamming the JCPOA nuclear deal and calling for regime change. Catherine Shakdam, an independent journalist and author, talks about these developments.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by independent journalist Catherine Shakdam.An AP investigation has revealed that the United Arab Emirates is operating a series of black-site prisons in Yemen where horrific torture takes place, with the United States deeply involved. Senate Republicans have unveiled a bill to replace Obamacare. The brutal plan phases out the expansion of Medicaid and strips funding from Planned Parenthood, among other attacks on the right to healthcare. Margaret Flowers, the co-director of Popular Resistance, joins the show. New documents obtained by The Intercept reveal that a security firm called TigerSwan that spied on the Standing Rock protest movement was working with Illinois police to unconstitutionally surveil the ANSWER Coalition in Chicago while it organized anti-Trump protests this year. Brian is joined by John Beacham, coordinator of the ANSWER Coalition in Chicago.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Kandi Mossett of the Indigenous Environmental Network Project.As the Dakota Access Pipeline is set to become operational today, shocking revelations about spying by a private security firm called TigerSwan are showing the whole progressive movement the extent that corporate interests will go to protect their profits.Donald Trump is reportedly all set to pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement as the move is condemned across the world. What will it really take to save the planet from climate change? Kevin Zeese, the co-director of Popular Resistance, joins the show.The United States is stepping up its support for Free Syrian Army groups fighting in the country’s southeast. But is this latest intervention primarily a way of stepping up aggression against Iran? Catherine Shakdam, independent political analyst, joins Brian.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Kevin Zeese, the co-director of Popular Resistance, and Dave Lindorff, a founding member of This Can’t Be Happening. The Justice Department has appointed former FBI director Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate President Trump’s alleged ties with Russia, as Trump lashes out at the ongoing witch hunt. Iran’s presidential election takes place today, with incumbent Hassan Rouhani looking to secure a second term to move forward with his agenda of reform. What’s at stake in this important election? Catherine Shakdam, independent political commentator, joins the show. Mired in controversy at home, Donald Trump is finally making his first foreign trip as President, over four months after taking office. What can we expect as Trump arrives in Saudi Arabia? Alberto Garcia Watson, former senior correspondent for HispanTV, joins Brian.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by geopolitical analyst and author Catherine Shakdam. Turkish airstrikes on the Kurdish YPG militia has deepened the rift between Turkey and the United States. Meanwhile, fighting rages between opposition groups in Eastern Ghouta and near the de-facto capital of ISIS -- Raqqa.German Chancellor Angela Merkel is in Sochi today where she will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. As tensions between the West and Russia remain high, will the two leaders be able to make any progress? Geopolitical analyst Rainer Rothfuss joins Brian to discuss the significance of the talks. May Day demonstrations and protests took place across the United States yesterday. We bring you assessments from the frontlines of the struggle, with Juan Jose Gutierrez of the Full Rights for Immigrants Coalition and Preston Wood of the ANSWER Coalition.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Reiner Braun, co-president of the International Peace Bureau.NATO’s General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg visited Donald Trump at the White House yesterday. Despite the hype around the U.S. abandoning the alliance, the Trumpadministration has in fact moved rapidly towards the traditional neoconservative approach of hyper militarism.U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and President Vladimir Putin in Moscow yesterday as U.S.-Russia tensions soured following the US attack on Syria. What came of the meeting between the two, and what does it mean for the New Cold War? Nikolay Pakhomov, president at The New York Consulting Bureau, and journalist Dmitry Babichjoin the show.The former president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has registered as a candidate in the upcoming election despite the urging of the country’s Supreme leader not to do so. Catherine Shakdam, independent political analyst and author, talks about what Ahmadinejad's decision means for Iran, the region and the world.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by independent political commentator and author Catherine Shakdam.The Trump administration is doing an about-face on Syria, moving aggressively in the direction of escalated intervention in the war on behalf of opposition forces fighting to topple the government. What’s the real story behind the alleged chemical weapons attack and the fast-moving political developments that have followed?Donald Trump has met with King Abdullah of Jordan at the White House as the two leaders discussed the possible revival of Palestinian-Israeli negotiations. But is the Trump administration serious about forcing the apartheid government of Israel to the bargaining table? Brian is joined by activist and author Miko Peled.After calling for a controversial new referendum on Scottish independence, Nicola Sturgeon has embarked on a five-day tour of the United States. Are pro-independence forces correct in their assertion that Scotland could maintain its economic and diplomatic clout as its own country? John Wight, host of Radio Sputnik's Hard Facts, joins the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Alexander Mercouris, editor-in-chief of The Duran. British Prime Minister Theresa May will officially trigger Article 50 today to begin the process of withdrawal of Britain from the European Union -- but as the Scottish parliament votes to hold another independence referendum, is the UK itself on the verge of breaking up?A Chinese father of five, was killed by police in Paris, sparking street demonstrations and diplomatic protests. As political tensions reach new highs ahead of the presidential election, is this part of a wave of racist violence in France? Brian is joined by Louis-Georges Tin, President of the Representative Council of Black Organizations of France.Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani continues his visit to Russia for a third and final day, signalling increased cooperation between the two countries. How will the visit impact the war in Syria, and what will be the wider geopolitical ramifications? Political analyst and commentator Catherine Shakdam joins the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Tim Karr, Senior Director of Strategy at the advocacy organization FreePress. The FBI has confirmed that wide-ranging investigations into media outlets are underway. Is the first amendment about to fall victim to the anti-Russia campaign? Ministers from 68 countries are gathering in Washington, D.C. for a summit of the U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition. But perhaps the summit is most notable for who is left out -- Syria, Russia and Iran -- whose governments are doing perhaps the most to combat Daesh. Catherine Shakdam, independent political commentator and author, joins the show. Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright and Stephen Hadley, George W. Bush’s National Security Advisor, testified on capitol hill regarding “America’s place in the world”. As the biggest names in the foreign policy establishment weigh in, how is Trump’s foreign policy shaping up? Is he really an isolationist? Jeremy Kuzmarov, author and professor of history at the University of Tulsa, discuses this with Brian.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by political commentator and author Catherine Shakdam.Hundreds of Marines equipped with artillery will soon be deployed to northern Syria. This latest escalation of the U.S. intervention comes shortly after Defense Secretary Mattis submitted a new strategy to President Trump that ostensibly is aimed at fighting ISIS.The long and treacherous road to Britain’s exit from the European Union has gotten even more complicated following a maneuver by the unelected House of Lords. Brian is joined by legendary British Parliamentarian George Galloway.Ukraine is taking Russia to court. Despite all the hysteria about Trump and Russia, will his administration follow effectively the same path of anti-Russia aggression in Ukraine? Mark Sleboda, international affairs and security analyst, discusses a range of issues.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Estevan Hernandez, a writer with LiberationNews.org, and Walter Smolarek, producer of Loud & Clear.President Donald Trump is set to deliver his speech to Congress tonight one day after promising a massive military buildup and corresponding cuts to other government programs. Military contractors are salivating while the people of the world shudder.Could the current Syrian peace talks in Geneva break down just days after reconvening? Bomb blasts over the weekend have threatened to derail the talks that began just last week. Catherine Shakdam, an independent political commentator and author, joins the show. The Democratic Party has chosen Tom Perez as new chair of the party, narrowing defeating Keith Ellison in what many saw as a rematch of Hillary Clinton vs. Bernie Sanders. By refusing to grant even this largely symbolic position to the party’s left wing, is the Democratic establishment digging its own grave? Brian is joined by activist and analyst YahNé Ndgo.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by financial policy analyst Daniel Sankey. President Trump is taking aim at banking regulations after signing an executive order that would chip away at the Dodd-Frank Act. This could be a gift worth $100 billion or more for the biggest banks.Donald Trump held his first phone call with Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko over the weekend while also sending signals that he could seek cooperation with Russia in Syria. So which way is the wind blowing for the new U.S. administration? Mark Sleboda, international security and affairs analyst, joins the show. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May yesterday, urging Britain to take a more aggressive line on Iran just days after the Trump administration rolled out new sanctions against Tehran. Brian is joined by Catherine Shakdam, political commentator and analyst, talks about the significance of Netanyahu's visit.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by independent political analyst Catherine Shakdam. President Donald Trump has said he will establish so-called “safe zones” in Syria. What is a safe zone, how would they be established, and would this set the U.S. up for a much deeper illegal intervention?Vice President Mike Pence is speaking today at the anti-abortion March for Life in Washington, part of a heavy Trump administration presence at the rally. Brian is joined by Jane Cutter, editor of LiberationNews.org, and Danielle Norwood, an organizer with Women Organized to Resist and Defend (WORD), to speak about Trump's anti-women agenda.As the world marks the 50th anniversary of banning nuclear weapons in space, is the rush to militarize space bringing the prospect of war closer to realization? Daryl Kimball, the executive director of the Arms Control Association, joins the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined to by Marwa Osman, an independent political commentator; byAlexander Mercouris, the editor-in-chief of The Duran; and by Catherine Shakdam, a political analyst and author.Peace talks aimed at ending Syria’s nearly six year war are set to begin today in Astana, Kazakhstan, but unlike the Geneva talks that failed to bring about a resolution, this time the talks exclude the United States. What does the new relationship between Russia, Turkey and Iran mean for the prospects of achieving peace? What opposition groups are attending? Which ones aren’t? What will the role of the United States be now that Donald Trump has become the president?

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by independent political analyst Marwa Osman. Syria brought in the New Year with a ceasefire brokered by Turkey and Russia, but the opposition has already frozen talks about upcoming peace negotiations. Can this be the year that Syria’s war finally comes to an end? Two and a half months have passed since the operation to retake Mosul from the so-called Islamic State began. Iraq’s government had initially said the city would be retaken by the New Year, but progress appears slow amid fierce fighting. Catherine Shakdam, independent political commentator and author, joins the show. After the U.S expulsion of 35 Russian diplomatic personnel and their families, President Putin’s measured response indicates his desire for a re-set in relations after Donald Trump becomes president. Former CIA analyst turned political activist Ray McGovern joins Becker to talk about the future of U.S.-Russia relations and the ongoing mainstream media campaign against Moscow.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Sputnik International political analyst Dmitry Babich to discuss the shocking assassination of Russia's ambassador to Turkey. Andrey Karlov was shot dead in Ankara at an art exhibition as his shooter, a policeman, shouted “Do Not Forget Aleppo”. Russia has called the incident an act of terrorism, but will the western powers agree? How will this incident impact the war in Syria and relations between Turkey and Russia?The evacuation of Islamist rebels from Aleppo continues as the mainstream media shamefully ignores attacks by jihadists and the evacuation of the Shia majority villages of Fua and Kefraya. Will the UN Security Council resolution to send observers make a difference? Catherine Shakdam, independent political analyst, joins Becker to discuss the ongoing information war. As President Obama holds his last press conference the narrative that Russia had a role in hacking the Democratic Party during the election continues to be promoted endlessly in the corporate media. Will there be any letup in this war-mongering campaign? Becker is joined by Mark Sleboda, international affairs and security analyst.

The United States has announced it will commence with an operation to take Raqqa before the end of the battle to retake Mosul in Iraq. However, confusion exists over who the ground forces will be that the U.S. will give air support to as the coalition struggles to train Arab militias capable of fighting in the battle. Turkey wants in on the operation, but their Kurdish adversaries are likely to also be involved. Is the U.S. acting with haste in Syria? Iceland’s parliamentary elections take place on Saturday with a relatively new political force called the Pirate Party expected to do well or even win. The party wants to grant Edward Snowden citizenship and advocates a platform of direct democracy. Becker is joined by one of the Party's candidates in the coming election Oktavia Hrund, as well as by José Tirado, a Puerto Rican poet and political writer living in Iceland. As Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen that was launched in March 2015 continues to drag on, western countries continue to sell the Saudi government arms despite the pleas of human rights organizations. Are the goals of Saudi Arabia in Yemen the same as those of the United States and the UK? What does the conflict in Yemen mean for the wider region and the world? Catherine Shakdam, author and political commentator, joins Becker to talk about these issues which are discussed her new book entitled "A Tale Of Grand Resistance – Yemen, the Wahhabi, and the House of Saud."