Podcast appearances and mentions of jon schwarz

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack It is a constant head scratcher to us that the brilliant journalist and writer Jon Schwarz continues to put up with our madness. He rejoins us just 21 days out from the US Presidential election to talk all things political, societal in a presidential race that has ranged from the crazy to the absurd. We also talk Elon Musk and his needy role in it all. No cats were injured during the recording of this podcast. The General Election is on podcast is here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/114250721 Donate to Rory's marathon for Gaza here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/112598735

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Listener-favourite, writer, essayist and self-proclaimed humanity optimist, Jon Schwarz rejoins us to talk all things America, MAGA, Biden standing aside/getting pushed out and why, despite the incompetence of the current ruling class, he thinks that there are better days ahead. Long live the proletariat etc etc. New Coolock and the Condemning the things we Condone podcast out here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-108544707 Gaza Appeal details:https://www.patreon.com/posts/dignity-for-103882396

Please Join Us At patreon.com/tortoiseshack A lot has happened since we last spoke to Vice-Deputy Leader of the Portuguese Socialist Party, Joao Pina. From a case of political corruption that never was, to losing their governing majority and on to winning big in the EU elections. So we had a lot to talk about. The news isn't all good, but the fight goes on. The Jon Schwarz podcast is out now:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-108382695 The Gaza Appeal is here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/dignity-for-103882396

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack The US Student Demos and Hope for the Hopeless We went back to talk with (now former) writer with the Intercept and the launching soon www.tinyrevolution.substack.com, Jon Schwarz, about the ongoing slow-moving fall of the American empire. Sort of. We discuss the Student Demonstrations, the Tik Tok wars, the US (neo)liberal political alternatives, what is happening with immigration and lots more. As always, Jon puts everything in a stark yet humorous way. Laughing while the ship goes down? The Dignity for Palestine Donation details are here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/were-back-in-all-103886136

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this episode Dean opens ups about his anxiety and learns a few tips for coping with it. Sparky talks about humility, high blood pressure and listening to learn. Jon Schwarz from the Intercept pod is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-103754202

“Teachers Unions: Still a Huge Obstacle to Reform.” “Countering Iran's Menacing Persian Gulf Navy.” “Open Everything: The time to end pandemic restrictions is now.” “The Good Republicans' Last Stand” Each of these headlines comes from the same magazine: The Atlantic. For 167 years, the publication has enjoyed elite stature in the American literary and journalistic worlds, publishing such luminaries as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Barack Obama, and serving as a coveted professional destination for writers throughout the country. Founded by a number of esteemed 19th century authors, the magazine has long prided itself on its cultural and political depth. But beneath all of its high-minded rhetoric about democracy, free expression, fearlessness, and American ideals is a vehicle of center-right pablum, designed to launder reactionary opinions for a liberal-leaning audience. As the employer of warmongers like Jeffrey Goldberg, Anne Applebaum, and David Frum, under the ownership of a Silicon Valley-tied investment firm hellbent on destroying teachers' unions, The Atlantic, time and time again, proves a far cry from the truth-pursuing, consensus-disrupting outlet it claims to be. On this episode, we dive into the history and ideology of The Atlantic, examining the currents of middlebrow conservatism, left-punching, and deference to boring business owners that have run through the magazine throughout its nearly 17 decades of operation. Our guest is Jon Schwarz.

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Whether it's Biden or Trump, it seems Corporate Democracy will win again. But much like the President and former President, America seems to have lost a step. This, ladies and gentlemen, might be what empire in decline looks like. Joining us on the podcast to delve into this and a lot, lot more is one of the best writers, reporters and wry commentators there is, the Intercept's Jon Schwarz. 2024 has a lot in store for the U.S of A, and while we're not big into the predictions game, we aren't overly enamoured with the possibilities. A great listen! The Adam SpiceBag Doyle - Free Derry Wall podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-97890834

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack If you were one of the tens of thousands of people who attended the IPSC organised National Demonstration for Palestine in Dublin, then you got to witness one of the best speeches delivered on this island by one of the best people we have here, Bernadette Devlin McAlsikey. If you didn't make it, then here's the speech in full now for you. Listen to every word. See you at the Sugar Club for Podcasts for Palestine:https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/podcasts-for-palestine-tickets-782538141647 The latest from the US with The Intercept's Jon Schwarz is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-96242986

The new book “Silent Coup: How Corporations Overthrew Democracy” by investigative journalists Claire Provost and Matt Kennard reveals how the world actually works: the international structures and laws that preempt most attempts at any kind of economic democracy in most of the countries around the world. This week on Deconstructed, Provost and Kennard join Jon Schwarz to discuss this "silent coup" by powerful multinational companies.If you'd like to support our work, go to theintercept.com/give, where your donation, no matter what the amount, makes a real difference.And if you haven't already, please subscribe to the show so you can hear it every week. And please go and leave us a rating or a review — it helps people find the show. If you want to give us additional feedback, email us at Podcasts@theintercept.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. has been at constant war for the past two decades. Yet the public rarely sees the results of U.S. violence, or the bodies of Americans coming home. Norman Solomon, a journalist and antiwar activist, says that this is by design. This week on Deconstructed, Solomon joins Intercept writer and guest host Jon Schwarz. Solomon breaks down how American politicians, alongside mainstream media, spin lies and hide the true cost of American wars. Solomon is the author of “War Made Invisible: How America Hides the Human Toll of Its Military Machine.”If you'd like to support our work, go to theintercept.com/give, where your donation, no matter what the amount, makes a real difference.And if you haven't already, please subscribe to the show so you can hear it every week. And please go and leave us a rating or a review — it helps people find the show. If you want to give us additional feedback, email us at Podcasts@theintercept.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Also, looking at the special climate provisions, Russia's Ukrainian drone strike and Jon Schwarz on Henry Kissinger

Ever since Congress created a federal debt limit, it has managed to raise it before U.S. borrowing reached the limit. For the first time, it looks as though that may not happen, and the government could conceivably default on its obligations. Today on Deconstructed, Jon Schwarz is joined by the economist Stephanie Kelton to talk about the history that brought us to this moment, why both political parties may take us over this ridiculous and dangerous brink together, and what it all means for now and the future.If you'd like to support our work, go to theintercept.com/give, where your donation, no matter what the amount, makes a real difference.And if you haven't already, please subscribe to the show so you can hear it every week. And please go and leave us a rating or a review — it helps people find the show. If you want to give us additional feedback, email us at Podcasts@theintercept.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Charting a different course in the Vietnam War to fewer deaths and a better end," muses a book review in the Washington Post. "The Vietnam War was begun in good faith, by decent people," a Ken Burns PBS documentary tells us. "The Iraq War Reconsidered," reads a headline from The Atlantic. Often, especially when an anniversary of a U.S. invasion or withdrawal rolls around, we're told that the devastation wrought by the US war machine was complicated, flawed, but ultimately necessary if not beneficial. Sure, the United States has killed millions, destabilized power structures, wrecked communities and economies, lied about the reasons for doing it all, and drawn the ire of people throughout the world. But, in hindsight, many in U.S. media insists, a horrible act of war from a world superpower wasn't an unequivocal, deliberate, and needless crime against humanity, but somewhere between a misunderstood righteous cause and a bumbling, good faith mistake motivated by humanitarian concerns. An ideological system of reassurance therefore emerges. Once wars are broadly viewed as either wrong or a "failure" in the popular imagination — as in the case of Vietnam and Iraq — a cottage industry of punditry and pseudo-history emerges in the subsequent years designed to soothe the egos of elites and muddy the waters of both memory and reality for casual media consumers. Put another way: we all see a dead body on the floor, no one can doubt this. No one can reasonably argue the destruction of Vietnam and Iraq didn't happen. So, this cottage industry springs into action, on behalf of those that caused the death, working to get the guilty party a charge of third degree manslaughter rather than murder. It was an accident, they were mistaken, they had bad intelligence, they were driven by concerns for freedom and human rights. After all, those who destroyed Vietnam remained in power well into the 2000s. And those who destroyed Iraq currently run our major publications, universities, nonprofits, and think tanks. They still even run the country itself. So the incentive to make sure they all plead guilty to third degree manslaughter rather than first degree murder is tremendous, otherwise, we're just a country led by war criminals — and this simply cannot be. We need absolution. We must remain, when all is said and done, innocent. On this week's episode, we'll explore the war revisionism industry, breaking down five ways in which media seek to sanitize and justify even the most notoriously unpopular and horrific U.S.-led and backed wars — namely Vietnam and Iraq — as unpleasant, imperfect, mistaken, but ultimately incidental byproducts of a noble and righteous empire that, above all, meant well. Our guest is The Intercept's Jon Schwarz.

Recently, peculiar skirmishes have broken out in the U.S. over our history. In Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina, and many other places, conservatives have made efforts to sanitize the teaching of what exactly happened in America's past. But it's important to keep in mind this is just part of a much longer war — and, in fact, those who want to misrepresent history have won many victories. This is evidenced by the fact that the conventional wisdom about the past in the U.S., what everyone “knows,” is often wrong or far too simplistic.This week on Deconstructed, senior writer Jon Schwarz speaks to historians Kevin Kruse and Julian Zelizer about their new book, “Myth America: Historians Take On the Biggest Legends and Lies About Our Past.” With 20 chapters by 20 different historians, the new book takes a look at key fairy tales and replaces the standard bland hokum with the far more interesting reality.If you'd like to support our work, go to theintercept.com/give, where your donation, no matter what the amount, makes a real difference.And if you haven't already, please subscribe to the show so you can hear it every week. And please go and leave us a rating or a review — it helps people find the show. If you want to give us additional feedback, email us at Podcasts@theintercept.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BrownTown chops it up about WORK. Building on previous episodes about labor, unions, and trying to do liberatory work within capitalism, BrownTown contextualizes recent inflation hikes, the state of "hustle culture," and the seven-decade growth of corporate profits on the backs of the working class. While the majority of adults WORK, the propaganda that you must "earn" the right to live and be productive constantly in order to have any value has normalized harmful policies, language, and attitudes towards one another. Though COVID, the great resignation, Striketober, and other large phenomena have chipped the armor of capitalist logics and apparatuses, how do we better utilize that energy to sustain better material conditions forever and for always? Originally recorded October 25, 2022. “The reason all workers deserve a living wage is because all workers have to be alive. Not very complex” --@existentialcoms Previous episodes to listen to:Ep. 59 - Creative Jobs, Life Balance, & Working towards a Liberatory Future within Capitalism (& COVID) 2.0 ft. Genta TamashiroEp. 57 - Labor Day: Workers' Rights & Class Solidarity ft. Taylor ManessEp. 39 - Creative Jobs, Life Balance, & Working towards a Liberatory Future within CapitalismMentioned in Episode or Related Information:Katie Porter PROVES How Corporate Greed Led to Inflation, The Young TurksCEO Says He's Been "Praying for Inflation" Because It's An Excuse to Jack Up Prices by Jon Schwarz, Ken Klippenstein (The Intercept)The “Labor Shortage” Is Being Used as a Pretext to Harm Workers by Sarah Lazare (In These Times)‘Cartel-like' Gas Companies Are Profiting Billions From the War in Ukraine by John Buckley (VICE)TV Commercials Production Department Unionizes with IATSE (Hollywood Reporter)SoapBox Editorial: Interview with Caullen and Ellen Long of KartemquinShit in a bucket vs. toilets meme by Olivia LoveAccounts to follow: @blackleftiss, @economicleft, Upstream Podcast, and more!--CREDITS: Intro soundbite from The Young Turks. Outro music Pimpin' Benjamin by Coast Contra. Audio engineered by Kiera Battles. Episode photo by Aidan Kranz.--Bourbon 'n BrownTownFacebook | Twitter | Instagram | Site | Linktree | PatreonSoapBox Productions and Organizing, 501(c)3Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Site | Linktree | Support

This week Elon Musk gave Twitter employees an ultimatum: commit to a new, “hardcore” workplace culture of “long hours at high intensity,” or get out. Jon Schwarz talks with Bloomberg reporter Mike Leonard about how Musk is trying to squeeze profit out of the company and whether he's likely to succeed. Then, Jon and fellow Intercept reporter Ken Klippenstein discuss how Twitter has enriched their journalistic lives.https://join.theintercept.com/donate/now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's been a few weeks since the White House announced a plan for student loan forgiveness, and in that time, you've likely seen all sorts of articles and social media posts pushing back against it. Watching these arguments unfold has been frustrating, and it can be hard to know what to say. To help all of us know how to respond, I interviewed my dad, Ken Clarke, who spent more than 35 years working as a financial aid professional.  I mean it when I say my dad is the perfect person to walk us through this conversation. When he retired, he was the dean of financial aid for all Maricopa County community colleges in Arizona, and he had helped thousands of students navigate the financial aid process throughout his career. The conversation I had with him was so good and full of information that I ended up splitting it into two episodes. In this first episode, we address four of the most common arguments against student loan forgiveness: The argument that the plan only helps the “elite.” The complaints about having to “foot the bill” for other people's education. The objections that the plan is “unfair” to people who have already paid off student loans. The criticism that the plan is too expensive. And be on the lookout for the bonus episode with the second half of this conversation where my dad and I talk more about the history of student loans and how college became so expensive.   6 Characteristics of a Positive Community Anti-racism is a vital part of EVERY community. It's not something we should silo away from the other communities we are a part of, whether that's your neighborhood, church, PTA, craft circle, fitness group, etc. We should just focus on building healthy communities — where we strive for fairness, communicate when there's friction, embrace freedom of expression and celebrate traditions together. And First Name Basis is here to help you do it! Visit firstnamebasis.org/positivecommunity to get your FREE printable of the 6 characteristics of a positive community, adapted for the podcast from Dr. Nicole Celestine's work.   Ally Elementary and Ally Elementary Jr. We are opening the doors to both Ally Elementary and Ally Elementary Jr. on Sept. 20! Parents have been asking for a practical, interactive way to implement the anti-racist strategies that I lay out in the First Name Basis Podcast, so I created Ally Elementary and Ally Elementary Jr.  Ally Elementary is geared toward third-eighth graders, while Ally Elementary Jr. is for the smaller allies in our lives who are in preschool-second grade. During these programs, parents will work together with their children to create a culture of anti-racism in their home. We will use hands-on activities to teach our children about everything from the untold story of how race was created to how they can disrupt racism in their everyday lives to how they can learn more about their individual identity and culture. I am so excited to watch the families in our community make a meaningful transformation and improve their communities through anti-racist action. Click here to join the waitlist for Ally Elementary (for third-eighth graders)  Click here to join the waitlist for Ally Elementary Jr. (for preschool-second graders) Articles, Studies, & Podcasts Referenced in the Episode First Name Basis Podcast: Season 2, Episode 5: “A Conversation With My Dad About Black History Month” with Ken Clarke First Name Basis Podcast: Season 3, Episode 14: “The Untold Story of Fried Chicken” with Ken Clarke First Name Basis Podcast: Season 4, Episode 10: “The Memory That I Can't Shake: The Why Behind Ally Elementary” First Name Basis Podcast: Season 5, Episode 16: “Age Appropriate Anti-Racism” “Student Loan Debt by Race,” by Melanie Hanson, Education Data Initiative Leslie Streeter on Twitter  Jon Schwarz on Twitter  “Jim Crow Debt: How Black Borrowers Experience Student Loans,” by Jalil B. Mustaffa and Jonathan C.W. Davis, The Education Trust “What will student loan forgiveness mean for Black students and families?" by Andre M. Perry and Adrianna Pita, The Current Podcast from Brookings  “Fact Sheet: President Biden Announces Student Loan Relief for Borrowers Who Need It Most,” The White House Who is My Student Loan Servicer?   Song credit: “Sleeper” by Steve Adams” and “Dive Down” by VYEN

Since it was founded 23 years ago, the Center for Economic and Policy Research has sought to challenge the right-wing consensus that often rules economic policymaking in Washington, D.C. CEPR co-founder Dean Baker joins Jon Schwarz to discuss his career, his thoughts on the Biden economy, and his ideas for the future.https://join.theintercept.com/donate/now Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Sunday, after months of negotiation, the Senate passed a budget reconciliation bill called the Inflation Reduction Act. This week on Intercepted, we go behind the bill to look at the dynamics driving inflation, scrutinize the solutions being pushed by fiscal hawks, and demystify the economic jargon being used to sideline worker interests in pursuit of profit. Intercept Deputy Editor Nausicaa Renner is joined by investigative journalist Ken Klippenstein and senior writer Jon Schwarz to discuss their latest story about Bank of America executives' concerns about low unemployment and a tight labor market, how that sentiment is echoed throughout the media, and the cost of engineering a recession. join.theintercept.com/donate/now See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A new collection of work by the late investigative reporter Robert Parry, titled “American Dispatches,” chronicles the late journalist's career, from his origins as a student activist to his later reporting on corruption and wrongdoing at the highest heights of government. Parry's son Nat, who edited the book, joins Jon Schwarz to discuss his father's life and work.https://join.theintercept.com/donate/now See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In Robert Kuttner's new book, “Going Big: FDR's Legacy, Biden's New Deal, and the Struggle to Save Democracy,” he explains how we got to our present political inflection point, how high the stakes are, and what comes next. Kuttner — who co-founded the Economic Policy Institute as well as The American Prospect — joins Jon Schwarz to discuss.https://join.theintercept.com/donate/now See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jon Schwarz talks about his Intercept article "Right-Wing Supreme Court Continues Its “Great Fraud” About the Second Amendment." We also hear from Jeff Dorchen in this week's Moment of Truth about a new UFO conspiracy, and we announce this week's winning answer to the Question from Hell!

The proposed Social Security 2100 Act would bolster the nearly century-old social insurance program through additions like caregiver credits and increased minimum benefits. Connecticut Rep. John Larson, the architect of the plan, joins Intercept reporters Ryan Grim and Jon Schwarz to discuss why he thinks an expansion of Social Security is overdue.https://join.theintercept.com/donate/now See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It is always great to chat with writer with theintercept.com Jon Schwarz. We talk all things American politics, fears about inflation in the economy and why it's not the worry it's made out to be and the current Covid situation. Then we get into what Martin and Jon really want to talk about, the film Don't Look Up. If you haven't seen it this contains spoilers and a Meryl Streep story. Enjoy. Join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack

As 2022 begins, the world continues to see the effects of the climate crisis — from the severe drought in East Africa to the odd snowfall in British Columbia. But since December 5, a new film has been sounding the alarm. In Adam McKay's “Don't Look Up,” an allegory about the impending climate disaster, scientists discover an approaching comet that will destroy Earth. But the media, politicians, and elite in the U.S. fail at every opportunity to prevent the impending doom. The Intercept's senior correspondent Naomi Klein joins senior writer Jon Schwarz to discuss the film, how present-day elites are failing to address the climate crisis, and the future of the climate justice movement. Klein is a professor of climate justice at the University of British Columbia and the author of many books on climate change, including her latest, “How to Change Everything: The Young Human's Guide to Protecting the Planet and Each Other.” join.theintercept.com/donate/now See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jon Schwarz wrote an article for the Intercept last month that stirred up quite a buzz. In the piece, Schwarz makes the argument that, because it's hurting creditors and shrinking the real value of debt, inflation should be viewed as good news for most people. Scott brought Schwarz on together with Austrian economist Bob Murphey to have a discussion about Schwarz's argument and monetary policy more broadly.   Discussed on the show: “Inflation Is Good for You” (The Intercept) Understanding Money Mechanics by Bob Murphy Secrets of the Temple: How the Federal Reserve Runs the Country by William Greider Jon Schwarz is a writer for The Intercept, and has written for the New Yorker, the New York Times, The Atlantic, the Wall Street Journal, “Saturday Night Live,” and many others. Find him on his blog, A Tiny Revolution, or on Twitter @schwarz. Bob Murphy is an economist with the Institute for Energy Research, a research fellow with the Independent Institute, and a senior fellow at the Ludwig von Mises Institute. He is the author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Capitalism and Choice: Cooperation, Enterprise, and Human Action. Find him on Twitter @BobMurphyEcon and listen to his podcast The Bob Murphy Show. This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Free Range Feeder; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee and Listen and Think Audio. Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

Jon Schwarz wrote an article for the Intercept last month that stirred up quite a buzz. In the piece, Schwarz makes the argument that, because it's hurting creditors and shrinking the real value of debt, inflation should be viewed as good news for most people. Scott brought Schwarz on together with Austrian economist Bob Murphey to have a discussion about Schwarz's argument and monetary policy more broadly.   Discussed on the show: “Inflation Is Good for You” (The Intercept) Understanding Money Mechanics by Bob Murphy Secrets of the Temple: How the Federal Reserve Runs the Country by William Greider Jon Schwarz is a writer for The Intercept, and has written for the New Yorker, the New York Times, The Atlantic, the Wall Street Journal, “Saturday Night Live,” and many others. Find him on his blog, A Tiny Revolution, or on Twitter @schwarz. Bob Murphy is an economist with the Institute for Energy Research, a research fellow with the Independent Institute, and a senior fellow at the Ludwig von Mises Institute. He is the author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Capitalism and Choice: Cooperation, Enterprise, and Human Action. Find him on Twitter @BobMurphyEcon and listen to his podcast The Bob Murphy Show. This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Free Range Feeder; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee and Listen and Think Audio. Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

Independent, investigative news, reporting, interviews and commentary

Independent, investigative news, reporting, interviews and commentary

You don't need to understand inflation, elite media seem to say, but you do need to be mad about it. The post Jon Schwarz on Inflation, Enrique Armijo on Alex Jones appeared first on FAIR.

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

To help us untangle the lies around inflation panic, the so-called “labor shortage,” and Build Back Better, Mike is joined by Professor of Economics and Public Policy at Stony Brook University, Stephanie Kelton. They also discuss why it is foolish for Democrats to place the fate of their agenda in the hands of the Congressional Budget Office, and what's really going on with the economy, as capitalists attempt to keep a pool of workers chronically unemployed and underemployed and desperate for work. Stephanie's latest piece “Hate the Game” on her Substack: https://stephaniekelton.substack.com/p/hate-the-game Read her book, “The Deficit Myth: Modern Monetary Theory and the Birth of the People's Economy” https://bookshop.org/a/1381/9781541736184 And check out Jon Schwarz's piece in The Intercept about inflation: https://theintercept.com/2021/11/10/inflation-economy-debt-milk-prices/ A Thanksgiving Episode Ask Send me your questions or concerns you have before entering your Thanksgiving dinner debate with Uncle Ned or your QAnon-following Aunt. What questions do you need an answer to? Email: Mike@MichaelMoore.com Or send a voicemail here: https://anchor.fm/rumble-with-michael-moore/message Welcome To The Moore Store Check out The Moore Store where you can buy hats, shirts, hoodies, mugs and stickers – and a portion of proceeds will go to progressive groups and organizations fighting to teach the arts and civics in public schools. https://store.michaelmoore.com/ Music in the episode: Indigo Girls - Closer to Fine https://youtu.be/HUgwM1Ky228 Underwriters: 1. You can get a free thirty day supply with your first purchase at SuperBeets.com/RUMBLE 2. Go right now to Truebill.com/RUMBLE to save thousands per year Sign-up for Michael Moore's FREE email list at: MichaelMoore.com A full transcript of this episode can be found here: https://rumble.media/category/podcast/transcripts/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rumble-with-michael-moore/message

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

Air Date 10/13/2020 Today we take a look at the myths of Columbus and American Exceptionalism™ that we cling to and turn our gaze to some of the less-understood but more accurate and important aspects of our collective history Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com  Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Can You Handle The Truth? - Native Opinion Podcast an American Indian Perspective - Air Date 10-20-19 This is a heavy episode of our show. Discussions include Blood quantum and its use in Tribal Enrollment, American·s false love affair with President Abraham Lincoln and Christopher Columbus. Ch. 2: Why the US celebrates Columbus Day - Vox - Air Date 10-8-20 For centuries, the destruction and disease he ushered into the Americas have been set aside, allowing the myth of a pioneering sailor who discovered America and proved the world was round to embed itself in US culture. Ch. 3: Columbus In His Own Words - Let's Talk Native TV - Air Date 10-12-19 On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus landed on a small island in the Caribbean... these are his words. Ch. 4: In Search of a Better American Myth - Progressive Faith Sermons, Dr. Roger Ray - Air Date 10-11-20 A civilization's shared myths account for why things are the way they are. They can bolster loyalty to a religion or a nation, and they can excuse class and race privilege. Ch. 5: Jon Schwarz on social silence, hidden history, and why Trump is our most honest president - The Katie Halper Show - Air Date 11-22-18 Jon Schwarz on social silence and hidden history. Ch. 6: Voting Is Not Enough: Fight Voter Suppression & Help Restore Native Voting Rights - Best of the Left Activism Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/2020Action. Ch. 7: City Upon A Hill: A History Of American Exceptionalism - BackStory - Air Date 1-22-16 Tracing the origin and misappropriation of the idea of America as a "City upon a hill." Ch. 8: The American Exceptionalism Mythology - Loud & Clear - Air Date 7-5-19 Exploring the origins and falsity of the idea of "American Exceptionalism™" Ch. 9: Columbus redux! - Let's Talk Native - Air Date 7-17-19 The irony of telling dissatisfied progressives of color to "Go back where they came from" is that America is only so full of white people because they left their old countries rather than staying and trying to improve them. Ch. 10: Why The Right Is So Dishonest About American History - Cracked (Some More News) - Air Date 11-21-17 Happy almost-Thanksgiving. What could be better than football and turkey? Well, there·s genocide and stuff, but we don·t want to ruin your holidays. We·ll leave that to the disingenuous folks who would like to pretend that there is nothing wrong. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: In response to Craig from OH about the progressive myth - Dave from Olympia, WA Ch. 12: Conservative blindspot on climate - Craig from Ohio Ch. 13: Is 'kids in cages' really a conservative blindspot? - Larry from Minnesota FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on the blindspots from the right and left including the family separation policy, foreign policy and the climate emergency MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   SHOW IMAGE "Christopher Columbus Statue Torn Down at Minnesota State Capitol" by Tony Webster, Flickr | License | Modifications: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Also, the fallout over Biden's vaccine policy, Stephen Breyer's position on the court, Gavin Newsom's recall election and Jon Schwarz reflects on 9/11

***** Sign-up for Michael Moore's FREE email list to be notified whenever Mike has a new podcast or piece of writing MichaelMoore.com Consider becoming a paid member to support our work and produce more of it. You'll also get invitations to special events with Michael Moore. https://www.michaelmoore.com/subscribe ***** Mike is joined by Vijay Prashad (who writes brilliantly about Empires and the Third World); U.S. Army Col. Ann Wright (ret.); and friend and journalist from The Intercept, Jon Schwarz. They will tell you things about Afghanistan you haven't heard before, especially in the last week. Vijay's recent pieces on Afghanistan: The return of the Taliban 20 years later Vijay Prashad explains the Taliban's defeat of the US-backed government in Afghanistan following the US troop withdrawal https://peoplesdispatch.org/2021/08/17/the-return-of-the-taliban-20-years-later/ Create Two, Three, Many Saigons. https://thetricontinental.org/newsletterissue/33-afghanistan/ Jon's recent article on Afghanistan and the war profiteers: $10,000 Invested In Defense Stocks When Afghanistan War Began Now Worth Almost $100,000 Was The Afghanistan War A Failure? Not For The Top Five Defense Contractors And Their Shareholders. https://theintercept.com/2021/08/16/afghanistan-war-defense-stocks/ Veterans In Need Of Mental Health Help: The veterans crisis hotline is a tool for both current and former military members who need immediate mental health help. If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, please call the veterans crisis hotline at 800-273-8255, option 1. You can also call the national suicide prevention line at 800-273-8255. Mental health help is also available by text message at 838255 or through an online chat. All suicide prevention help is available 24/7. Music in Episode: "War (What Is It Good For?) - Edwin Starr https://open.spotify.com/track/4ZEEcEMGjkWOfZNBcIB9yE?si=c80a1af852714071 "Peace Train" - Yusuf/Cat Stevens https://open.spotify.com/track/3QMnmarOSPwIPzUgu3T6TP?si=143fa07d6b7c4cf7 Underwriter: Go to magicspoon.com/RUMBLE to grab a variety pack of great tasting healthy cereal that is not bad for you. And be sure to use our promo code RUMBLE at checkout to save five dollars off your order. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rumble-with-michael-moore/message

Also, a further discussion of the right wing culture wars, issues with the Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot, and Jon Schwarz exposing the insanity of Trump supporters on the election

Also, JD Vance vs Trump, and honesty about our history from Jon Schwarz

Also, everything you need to know about the Supreme Court's ruling on voting rights, a new profile of Krysten Sinema's office and Jon Schwarz remembers Donald Rumsfeld

Michael is joined by The Intercept's Jon Schwarz to discuss the shockingly unshocking report this week that the Saudi operatives who murdered Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi had received State Department-approved paramilitary training. They also discuss the recent foolish attacks on Rep. Ilhan Omar, the meaning and background of the phrase "moral equivalence," the AP's cowardly firing of Emily Wilder over her college advocacy for Palestinian human rights, and lies we are being told about "worker shortages." Schwarz is a friend and former colleague of Mike's, having worked on “Capitalism: A Love Story” and as the editor of MichaelMoore.com. Saudi Operatives Who Killed Khashoggi Received Paramilitary Training in U.S. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/22/us/politics/khashoggi-saudi-kill-team-us-training.html Read Jon's recent articles: Ilhan Omar And “Moral Equivalence,” A Term Of Propaganda Invented In The 1980s https://theintercept.com/2021/06/24/ilhan-omar-moral-equivalence-reagan/ Emily Wilder's Firing Is No Surprise: AP Has Always Been Right-Wing https://theintercept.com/2021/05/25/emily-wilder-firing-ap-right-wing/ The Business Class Has Been Fearmongering About Worker Shortages for Centuries https://theintercept.com/2021/05/07/worker-shortage-slavery-capitalism/ The “For The People Act” Would Make The U.S. A Democracy https://theintercept.com/2021/02/14/democracy-voting-campaign-finance-hr1/ The book Jon mentioned: The Brass Check by Upton Sinclair https://bookshop.org/a/1381/9789353866303 Free PDF https://ia800203.us.archive.org/7/items/cu31924026364251/cu31924026364251.pdf The Neftlix Doc Series Michael mentioned: High On The Hog https://www.netflix.com/title/81034518 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rumble-with-michael-moore/message

It was a pleasure to be joined by Jon Schwarz of theintercept.com to chat all thing US politics. We discuss the AP's firing of Emily Wilder and what that means for press freedom, the Biden administrations ups and downs, the unresolved polarisation in the US electorate, hope from the climate movement and what some of the newer US economic policies might mean for Tax Haven Ireland. Support this podcast by joining us at:patreon.com/tortoiseshack

If you were reading the news back in 2008, then you probably remember how residential mortgage backed securities fuelled by subprime mortgages tanked the global economy. Well now John Flynn, a veteran of the mortgage securities market, says it’s happening all over again — this time in the commercial real estate market. Flynn joins Ryan Grim and The Intercept’s Jon Schwarz to discuss. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

H.R.1, also known as the For The People Act, is a sweeping reform bill that aims to make voting easier, gerrymandering harder, and to generally rein in the out-of-control minoritarianism that has come to characterize American democracy. Does it have a chance of becoming law? Congressman John Sarbanes, political scientist Jacob Hacker, and the Intercept’s Jon Schwarz join Ryan Grim to discuss. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We were delighted to catch up with writer and journalist with The Intercept, Jon Schwarz, to talk about life in the US post Presidential election. Jon explains the Russian Roulette that is the US election process and the discuss Covid America, Trump's America and the America, Joe Biden is soon to be President of. We also ask about Glenn Greenwald's departure from the intercept and who is Jon going to move in with when democracy fails! Join us: patreon.com/tortoiseshack

Air Date 10/13/2020 Today we take a look at the myths of Columbus and American Exceptionalism™ that we cling to and turn our gaze to some of the less-understood but more accurate and important aspects of our collective history Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: GROUND.NEWS/BEST IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Can You Handle The Truth? - Native Opinion Podcast an American Indian Perspective - Air Date 10-20-19 This is a heavy episode of our show. Discussions include Blood quantum and its use in Tribal Enrollment, American·s false love affair with President Abraham Lincoln and Christopher Columbus. Ch. 2: Why the US celebrates Columbus Day - Vox - Air Date 10-8-20 For centuries, the destruction and disease he ushered into the Americas have been set aside, allowing the myth of a pioneering sailor who discovered America and proved the world was round to embed itself in US culture. Ch. 3: Columbus In His Own Words - Let's Talk Native TV - Air Date 10-12-19 On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus landed on a small island in the Caribbean... these are his words. Ch. 4: In Search of a Better American Myth - Progressive Faith Sermons, Dr. Roger Ray - Air Date 10-11-20 A civilization’s shared myths account for why things are the way they are. They can bolster loyalty to a religion or a nation, and they can excuse class and race privilege. Ch. 5: Jon Schwarz on social silence, hidden history, and why Trump is our most honest president - The Katie Halper Show - Air Date 11-22-18 Jon Schwarz on social silence and hidden history. Ch. 6: City Upon A Hill: A History Of American Exceptionalism - BackStory - Air Date 1-22-16 Tracing the origin and misappropriation of the idea of America as a "City upon a hill." Ch. 7: The American Exceptionalism Mythology - Loud & Clear - Air Date 7-5-19 Exploring the origins and falsity of the idea of "American Exceptionalism™" Ch. 8: Columbus redux! - Let's Talk Native - Air Date 7-17-19 The irony of telling dissatisfied progressives of color to "Go back where they came from" is that America is only so full of white people because they left their old countries rather than staying and trying to improve them. Ch. 9: Why The Right Is So Dishonest About American History - Cracked (Some More News) - Air Date 11-21-17 Happy almost-Thanksgiving. What could be better than football and turkey? Well, there·s genocide and stuff, but we don·t want to ruin your holidays. We·ll leave that to the disingenuous folks who would like to pretend that there is nothing wrong. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: In response to Craig from OH about the progressive myth - Dave from Olympia, WA Ch. 11: Conservative blindspot on climate - Craig from Ohio Ch. 12: Is 'kids in cages' really a conservative blindspot? - Larry from Minnesota FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on the blindspots from the right and left including the family separation policy, foreign policy and the climate emergency TAKE ACTION! VoteRiders.org TheLastWeekends.org Call: 866-OUR-VOTE | Visit 866OurVote.org ProtecttheVote.net NativesVote2020.com Native American Voting Rights Act (2019-2020) EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE The State of Native American Voting Rights (Brennan Center) Native Vote Infographic (National Congress of American Indians) The 5 Million Americans that the 2020 Candidates Refuse to Talk About (Vox - First Person) How the Native American Vote Continues to be Suppressed (American Bar Association) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   SHOW IMAGE "Christopher Columbus Statue Torn Down at Minnesota State Capitol" by Tony Webster, Flickr | License | Modifications: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Welcome to the Front of the House Fridays (FOTHF) podcast series on the ProSoundWeb Network, presented every Friday by Yamaha Pro Audio and hosted by veteran live and studio engineer Russ Long, who records his conversations with noted audio professionals literally in front of their homes (whenever possible) in following current social distancing guidelines.In Episode 9, Russ Long is joined by live sound engineer Jon Schwarz, who has worked with a number of artists and events over the course of 22 years, including Acquire the Fire, Women of Faith, Oprah Winfrey, Amy Grant, Sonicflood, Mark Schultz, Point of Grace, Casting Crowns, The Wallflowers, The Dove Awards, National Catholic Youth Conference, Young Life Conference, and Church of God National Conference. Jon loves spending his downtime with his wife and two kids. He has worked for CTS in Nashville Tennessee for the last 16 years and is currently relocating to Tucson Arizona to continue pursuing his passions in live audio.Host Russ Long is a top touring and multi-platinum recording and mix engineer who’s worked in professional audio for more than 30 years. Following a decade as Steven Curtis Chapman’s FOH engineer, he has spent over 12 years mixing FOH for Amy Grant, and has also mixed numerous high-profile events such as the KLOVE Music awards, the Challenge America Musical Gala at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, and Barbara Bush’s 90th birthday concert featuring Reba McEntire, Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant. In addition, he’s been part of the audio team for numerous broadcast events such as the Grammy Awards, the CMA Awards, ABC’s “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock” TV Special, and more. Russ is currently part of Yamaha’s console R&D team.

In the very first episode of Year 2000 Fix, Jordan and actor-writer-poet George (@instageorgious), discuss the unpredictable event that was the 2000 U.S. Presidential Election. We uncover the Al Gore and George W. Bush campaigns (with a little Nader too!), the media scrambling, the Florida Vote Recount, and the drastically different strategies both candidates used in their attempt to claim the presidency. Social media coming soon! Email year2000fix@gmail.com to share your thoughts and be part of the show. SOURCES USED: 1. The Florida Recount Of 2000: A Nightmare That Goes On Haunting by Ron Elving – NPR 2. The Brookings Institute Study on the 2000 Election by Thomas E. Mann 3. So, Who Really Won? What the Bush V. Gore Studies Showed by Wade Payson-Denney - CNN (Article summarizes the results of four Florida recount strategies, with a handy glossary). 4. CNN Special Report: The Endless Election (2015) – Doc featuring those who lived the events of the 2000 Election. (This is where you’ll find that Joe Liberman story about “Bush’s little brother”). 5. Maddow & Scarborough: Two Views Of The 'Brooks Brothers Riot' Of 2000 – MSNBC (Host Rachel Maddow and Joe Scarborough discuss the Brooks Brothers Riot and the fate of the rioters). 6. Dispelling the Myth of the Election 2000: Did Nader Cost Gore the Election? - By Irene Dieter of the CA Green Party debunking the myth that Ralph Nader “stole” votes from Gore and cost him the election. 7. Please see here for corroborating information on why Nader did NOT cost Gore the election. 8. Reconsidering Ralph (Feat. Ralph Nader) - Rumble with Michael Moore Episode 10 (Host Michael Moore and Ralph Nader discuss specifics of Nader’s 2000 campaign) 9. 9. DEMOCRATS SHOULD REMEMBER AL GORE WON FLORIDA IN 2000 — BUT LOST THE PRESIDENCY WITH A PRE-EMPTIVE SURRENDER by Jon Schwarz – The Intercept (November 10, 2018 – Jon Schwarz discusses the failure of Gore’s campaign to convince the public he was the victor of the election. He cites the 2012 book of activist and author, Jane McAlevey, entitled RAISING HELL (AND RAISING EXPECTATIONS). 10. BUSH’S COUSIN CALLED THE ELECTION IN HIS FAVOR 11. FIASCO – The first season of Leon Neyfakh’s multiple-part Luminary podcast series covering the 2000 Election.

Watching the sustained attacks on the Black Lives Matter protests in the US by both an increasingly militaristic police and an increasingly incoherent Divider in Chief, Donald Trump, you can't but be filled with a sense that we've seen this 'undermining playbook' before. We are joined by reporter and writer with The Intercept and friend of the pod, Jon Schwarz, to discuss the ongoing events and his recent article - A Short History of U.S. Law Enforcement Infiltrating Protests. Jon talks us through what is happening on the ground, the sense of exhaustion and a lot more. Follow Jon on twitter: @schwarz Join us: patreon.com/tortoiseshack

Watching the sustained attacks on the Black Lives Matter protests in the US by both an increasingly militaristic police and an increasingly incoherent Divider in Chief, Donald Trump, you can't but be filled with a sense that we've seen this 'undermining playbook' before. We are joined by reporter and writer with The Intercept and friend of the pod, Jon Schwarz, to discuss the ongoing events and his recent article - A Short History of U.S. Law Enforcement Infiltrating Protests. Jon talks us through what is happening on the ground, the sense of exhaustion and a lot more. Follow Jon on twitter: @schwarz Join us: patreon.com/tortoiseshack

From where we sit it looks like Donald Trump is ramping up his war on criticism of his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, rather than ramping up his governments response to it. So to get a better insight into these events we were delighted to be joined from Maryland via zoom by journalist and writer with the intercept, Jon Schwarz. We discuss both the bizarre Trump Presidency, the current economic and societal situation in the US, the upcoming Presidential election and the very real worries we should all share about the future of American democracy. Check out Jon's work on theintercept.com and find him on twitter @schwarz Join us: patreon.com/tortoiseshack

2020 began with a bombing in Iraq - ordered by President Trump - which killed one of Iran's highest ranking military officers. In this episode, we take a close look at the recent history of our relationship with the Iranian government in order to understand how we started the year on the brink of another war. Also, since our President is a total wildcard, we look at what Congress authorized for 2020 in terms of war with Iran, Iraq, and Syria.  Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Click here to contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank’s online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536 Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD041: Why Attack Syria? CD096: Fast Tracking Fast Track (Trade Promotion Authority) CD108: Regime Change CD131: Bombing Libya CD141: Terrorist Gifts & The Ministry of Propaganda (2017 NDAA) CD156: Sanctions – Russia, North Korea & Iran CD172: The Illegal Bombing of Syria CD175: State of War CD190: A Coup for Capitalism CD191: The “Democracies” Of Elliott Abrams CD195: Yemen Bills Bill: S.1790 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 Congress.gov, December 20, 2019 Sec. 1208: Eliminates the authorization for payments that started in late 2016 “for damage, personal injury, or death that is incident to combat operations of the armed forces in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Libya, and Yemen.  Sec. 1210A: Allows the Defense Department to give the State Department and USAID money for “stabilization activities” in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Somalia and authorizes an additional $100 million for this year (bringing the limit up to $450 million)  Sec. 1217: Allows the Defense Secretary to use War on Terror money for paying “any key cooperating nation (other than Pakistan)” for logistical, military, or other support that nation gives to our military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, or Syria.  Sec. 1221: Withholds at least half of the $645 million authorized by the 2015 NDAA for “military and other security forces of or associated with the Government of Iraq, including Kurdish and tribal security forces or other local security forces” for “training, equipment, logistics support, supplies, and services, stipends, facility and infrastructure repair and renovation, and sustainment” until the DoD submits a report that includes an estimate of the funding anticipated to support the Iraqi Security Forces through September 2025. The report also needs to include how much and what kind of assistance if being given to forces in Iraq by the Government of Iran. Also, a new stipulation is added saying that our military assistance authorized since 2015 “may only be exercised in consultation with the Government of Iraq.”  Sec. 1222: Changes the authorization from 2015 that allowed the Defense Department to train, equip, supply, give money to and construct facilities for “vetted elements of the Syria opposition” so that the “opposition” is no longer allowed to get the money or training. The new language eliminates all mentions of the “opposition” groups and deletes “promoting the conditions for a negotiated settlement to end the conflict in Syria” from the list of authorized purposes. The new language focuses specifically on providing assistance to combat the Islamic State and al Qaeda. It also limits the kinds of weapons that can be given to Syria groups to “small arms or light weapons” (there is a way for the Defense Secretary to waive this) and it limits the amount that can be spent on construction projects to $4 million per project or $20 million total.  Sec. 1223: Eliminates the authority for the Defense Department to fund “operations and activities of security assistance teams in Iraq” and removes the authority to pay for “construction and renovation of facilities”. The law still allows $30 million for the Office of Security Cooperation in Iraq (a $15 million funding cut). The authorization will then sunset 90 days after enactment (mid March 2020). The OSCI can’t get more than $20 million until they appoint a Senior Defense Official to oversee the office, develop a staffing plan “similar to that of other security cooperation offices in the region”, and they create a five-year “security assistance roadmap” that enables “defense institution building and reform.”  Sec. 1284: “Nothing in this Act, or any amendment made by this Act, may be construed to authorize the use of military force, including the use of military force against Iran or any other country.”  Sec. 5322: Creates a “Foreign Malign Influence Response Center” under the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which will “be comprised of analysts from all elements of the intelligence community, including elements with diplomatic an law enforcement functions” and will be the “primary organization” for analyzing all intelligence “pertaining to foreign malign influence.” The foreign countries that will specifically be reported on are, in this order, Russia, Iran, North Korea, China, and “any other country”. “Foreign malign influence” means “any hostile effort undertaken by, at the direction of, or on behalf of or with the substantial support of, the government of a covered foreign country with he objective of influencing, through overt or covert means the (A) political, military, economic or other policies or activities of the United States Government… including any election within the United States or (B) the public opinion within the United States.”  Sec. 5521: “It is the sense of Congress that, regardless of the ultimate number of United States military personnel deployed to Syria, it is a vital interest of the United States to prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hezbollah, and other Iranian backed forces from establishing a strong and enduring presence in Syria that can be used to project power in the region and threaten the United States and its allies, including Israel.”A report is required within six months that will include how Iran is militarily training and funding the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad and the threat that Iran’s forces pose to “areas of northeast Syria that are currently controlled by local partner forces of the United States.” The report also must outline “how Iran and Iranian backed forces seek to enhance the long-term influence of such entities in Syria through non-military means such as purchasing strategic real estate in Syria, constructing Shia religious centers in schools, securing loyalty from Sunni tribes in exchange for material assistance, and inducing the Assad government to open Farsi language department at Syrian universities.” The report must also include “How Iran is working with the Russian Federation, Turkey, and other countries to increase the influence of Iran in Syria.” The NDAA assumes the Iranian goals in Syria are "protecting the Assad government, increasing the regional influence of Iran, threatening Israel from a more proximate location, building weapon production facilities and other military infrastructure, and securing a land bridge to connect to run through Iraq and Syria to the stronghold of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.” The report also must include descriptions of "the efforts of Iran to transfer advanced weapons to Hisballah and to establish a military presence in Syria has led to direct and repeated confrontations with Israel”, "the intelligence and military support that the United States provides to Israel to help Israel identify and appropriately address specific threats to Israel from Iran and Iranian-backed forces in Syria”, “The threat posed to Israel and other allies of the United States in the middle east resulting from the transfer of arms to… Hezbollah”, and “Iranian expenditures in the previous calendar year on military and terrorist activities outside the country, including the amount of such expenditures with respect to each of Hizballah, Houthi rebels in Yemen, Hamas, and proxy forces in Iraq and Syria.” Sec. 6706: The 2017 Intelligence Authorization (Section 501) created a committee made up of the Director of National Intelligence, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Treasury, Attorney General, Secretary of Energy, FBI Director, and the heads of “each of the other elements of the intelligence community” for the purposes of countering “active measures by Russia to exert covert influence over peoples and government by exposing falsehoods, agents of influence, corruption, human rights abuses, terrorism, and assassinations carried out by the security services are political elites of the Russian Federation or their proxies.” This NDAA adds China, Iran, North Korea, “or other nation state” to the target list.  Sec. 6729: Orders an Intelligence Assessment into the revenue sources of North Korea, specifically requiring inquiries into “(1) Trade in coal, iron, and iron ore. (2) Fishing rights in North Korea’s territorial waters (3) Trade in gold, titanium ore, vanadium ore, copper, silver, nickel, zinc, and rare earth minerals.” They also want to know what banking institutions are processing North Korean financial transactions.  Sec. 7412:  Effective starting in June 2020, the President “shall” enact sanctions on a “foreign person” if that person gives money, material or technical support to the Government of Syria, is a military contractor working for the Government of Syria, the Russian government, or the Iranian government, sells items that “significantly facilitates the maintenance or expansion of the Government of Syria’s domestic production of natural has, petroleum, or petroleum products”, or “directly or indirectly, provides significant construction or engineering services to the Government of Syria.” If the sanctions are violated, the President “shall” use his power to “block and prohibit all transactions in property and interests in property of the foreign person” if that property “comes within the United States, are come within the possession or control of United States person.” The foreign persons will also be ineligible for visas into the United States except to permit the United States to comply with the agreement regarding the headquarters of the United Nations or to assist with US law-enforcement. Sec. 7402: Statement of Policy: …”to support a transition to a government in Syria that respects the rule of law, human rights, and peaceful co-existence with its neighbors.”  Sec. 7411: Gives the Secretary of the Treasury until late June to determine “whether reasonable grounds exist for concluding that the Central Bank of Syria is a financial institution of primary money laundering concern.” If it’s a yes, the Secretary of the Treasury “shall” impose “special measures” that could require banks to retain more records about transactions in Syria, give the government information about the people who conduct financial transactions with people in Syria, or prohibit US banks from opening accounts for Syrian banks.  Sec. 7413: Orders the President to submit a strategy to Congress by June 2020 to “deter foreign persons from entering into contracts related to reconstruction” in areas of Syria under the control of the Government of Syria, the Government of Russia, or the Government of Iran.  Sec. 7424: Authorizes the Secretary of State to “provide assistance to support entities that are conducting criminal investigations, supporting prosecutions, or collecting evidence” against those that have committed war crimes in Syria. The assistance can’t be given as long as President Bashar al-Assad is in power, can’t be used to build judicial capacities of the Syrian government, or for prosecutions in the domestic courts of Syria.  Sec. 7438: This title (Sections 7401-7438) sunsets in 5 years.    Bill: H.Con.Res.83 - Directing the President pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to terminate the use of United States Armed Forces to engage in hostilities in or against Iran. Congress.gov, January 9, 2020   Bill: H. R. 1158 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 GPO, January 3, 2019 Sec. 9007:  No funds from this year’s funding or any other law can’t be used to “establish any military installation or base for the purpose of providing for the permanent stationing of United States Forces in Iraq” or to “exercise United States control over any oil resource of Iraq” Bill: H.R.3107 - Iran and Libya Sanctions Act of 1996 Congress.gov, August 5, 1996 Articles/Documents Article: More US service members diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries following Iran strike by Barbara Starr and Zachary Choen, CNN, January 30, 2020 Article: House Votes 'No War Against Iran,' In Rebuke To Trump by Merrit Kennedy, npr, January 30, 2020 Article: Overnight Defense: White House threatens to veto House Iran bills | Dems 'frustrated' after Iran briefing | Lawmakers warn US, UK intel sharing at risk after Huawei decision by Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, January 28, 2020 Article: T‘Demeaned and Humiliated’: What Happened to These Iranians at U.S. Airports by Caleb Hampton and Caitlin Dickerson, The New York Times, January 25, 2020 Article: The Iranian revolution—A timeline of events by Suzanne Maloney and Keian Razipour, Brookings, January 24, 2020 Document: Iran Sanctions by Kenneth Katzman, Congressional Research Service, January 24, 2020 Article: KEY ARCHITECT OF 2003 IRAQ WAR IS NOW A KEY ARCHITECT OF TRUMP IRAN POLICY by Jon Schwarz, The Intercept, January 16, 2020 Article: INSTEX fails to support EU-Iran trade as nuclear accord falters by Alexandra Brzozowski, Euractiv, January 14, 2020 Article: The Members of Congress Who Profit From War by Donald Shaw and David Moore, Sludge, January 13, 2020 Article: Under pressure, Iran admits it shot down jetliner by mistake by Nasser Karimi and Joseph Krauss, AP, January 11, 2020 Article: Jet Crash in Iran Has Eerie Historical Parallel by Karen Zraick, The New York Times, January 11, 2020 Article: U.S. STRIKE ON IRANIAN COMMANDER IN YEMEN THE NIGHT OF SULEIMANI’S ASSASSINATION KILLED THE WRONG MAN by Alex Emmons, The Intercept, January 10, 2020 Article: New Iran revelations suggest Trumps deceptions were deeper than we thought by Paul Waldman and Greg Sargent, The Washington Post, January 10, 2020 Article: On the day U.S. forces killed Soleimani they targeted a senior Iranian official in Yemen by John Hudson, Missy Ryan and Josh Dawsey, The Washington Post, January 10, 2020 Article: Venezuela: Guaido Installs Parallel Parliament After Washington Threatens More Sanctions By Ricardo Vaz, Venezuelanalysis.com, January 8, 2020 Article: US-Iran tensions: Timeline of events leading to Soleimani killing Aljazeera, January 8, 2020 Article: The Quiet Billionaires Behind America’s Predator Drone That Killed Iran’s Soleimani by Deniz Çam and Christopher Helman, Forbes, January 7, 2020 Article: U.S. contractor killed in Iraq, which led to strike on Iranian general, buried in Sacramento by Sawsan Morrar and Sam Stanton, The Sacramento Bee, January 7, 2020 Article: US won’t grant Iran foreign minister visa for UN visit by Matthew Lee, Associated Press, January 7, 2020 Article: Iran's Zarif accuses U.S. of violating U.N. deal by denying him a visa by Michelle Nichols, Reuters, January 7, 2020 Article: What Is the Status of the Iran Nuclear Agreement? by Zachary Laub and Kali Robinson, Council on Foreign Relations, January 7, 2020 Article: For Some Never Trumpers, Killing of Suleimani Was Finally Something to Like by Michael Crowley, The New York Times, January 6, 2020 Article: Who Was The Iraqi Commander Also Killed In The Baghdad Drone Strike? by Matthew S. Schwartz, npr, January 4, 2020 Article: Will There Be a Draft? Young People Worry After Military Strike by Sarah Mervosh, The New York Times, January 3, 2020 Article: Four Years Ago, Trump Had No Clue Who Iran’s Suleimani Was. Now He May Have Kicked Off WWIII. by Mehdi Hasan, The Intercept, January 3, 2020 Article: WITH SULEIMANI ASSASSINATION, TRUMP IS DOING THE BIDDING OF WASHINGTON’S MOST VILE CABAL by Jeremy Scahill, The Intercept, January 3, 2020 Article: America is guilty of everything we accuse Iran of doing by Ryan Cooper, The Week, January 3, 2020 Article: Hashd deputy Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis: Iran's man in Baghdad Aljazeera, January 3, 2020 Article: Well, that escalated quickly By Derek Davison, Foreign Exchanges, January 2, 2020 Article: After Embassy Attack, U.S. Is Prepared to Pre-emptively Strike Militias in Iraq By Thomas Gibbons-Neff, The New York Times, January 2, 2020 Article: U.S. Sanctions Have Cost Iran $200 Billion RFE/RL staff, OilPrice.com, January 2, 2020 Article: Protesters storm US embassy compound in Baghdad Aljazeera, December 31, 2019 Article: US strikes hit Iraqi militia blamed in contractor’s death Ellen Knickmeyer and Qassim Abdul-Zahra, AP, December 30, 2019 Article: Saudi Arabia oil attacks: UN 'unable to confirm Iranian involvement' BBC News, December 11, 2019 Article: Six charts that show how hard US sanctions have hit Iran by Franklin Foer, BBC News, December 9, 2019 Article: At War with the Truth by Craig Whitlock, The Washington Post, December 9, 2019 Article: Foundation for Defense of Democracies Militarist Monitor, October 18, 2019 Article: Gulf tanker attacks: Iran releases photos of 'attacked' ship BBC News, October 14, 2019 Article: US-Iran standoff: A timeline of key events Aljazeera, September 25, 2019 Article: US Offered Millions To Indian Captain Of Iran Oil Tanker Heading To Syria NDTV, September 5, 2019 Press Release: Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini following the Foreign Affairs Council by European Union External Action, July 15, 2019 Article: Pentagon nominee Esper, a former Raytheon lobbyist, must extend recusal, says Warren By Joe Gould, DefenseNews, July 15, 2019 Article: INSTEX: Doubts linger over Europe's Iran sanctions workaround By Siobhan Dowling, Aljazeera, July 1, 2019 Press Release: Chair's statement following the 28 June 2019 meeting of the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action by European Union External Action, June 28, 2019 Article: Iran executes 'defence ministry contractor' over spying for CIA Aljazeera, June 22, 2019 Article: Saudi oil tankers show 'significant damage' after attack – Riyadh By Patrick Wintour, The Guardian, May 13, 2019 Article: Bolton: US deploying bombers to Middle East in warning to Iran Aljazeera, May 6, 2019 Statement: Statement from the National Security Advisor Ambassador John Bolton WhiteHouse.gov, May 5, 2019 Article: Iran responds in kind to Trump's IRGC 'terrorist' designation Aljazeera, April 8, 2019 Statement: Designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a Foreign Terrorist Organization WhiteHouse.gov, April 8, 2019 Document: The European Deterrence Initiative: A Budgetary Overview By Pat Towell and Aras D. Kazlauskas, Congressional Research Center, August 8, 2018 Article: Mike Pompeo speech: What are the 12 demands given to Iran? By Aljazeera News, May 21, 2018 Article: Trump Jr. and Other Aides Met With Gulf Emissary Offering Help to Win Election By Mark Mazzetti, Ronen Bergman and David D. Kirkpatrick, The New York Times, May 19, 2018 Article: If the Iran deal had been a Senate-confirmed treaty, would Trump have been forced to stay in? Nope. By Andrew Rudalevige , The Washington Post, May 9, 2018 Article: Trump Abandons Iran Nuclear Deal He Long Scorned By Mark Landler, The New York Times, May 8, 2018 Article: Valiant picks up another government business in $135M cash deal By Robert J. Terry, The Washington Business Journal, April 19, 2018 Article: 64 Years Later, CIA Finally Releases Details of Iranian Coup By Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian, Foreign Policy, June 20, 2017 Article: CIA Creates New Mission Center to Turn Up the Heat on Iran By Shane Harris, The Wall Street Journal, June 2, 2017 Article: CIA establishes mission center focused on North Korea By Max Greenwood, The Hill, May 10, 2017 Article: The Shadow Commander By Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, September 23, 2013 Article: Iran and Iraq remember war that cost more than a million lives By Ian Black, The Guardian, September 23, 2010 Document: Executive Order 12959—Prohibiting Certain Transactions With Respect to Iran Administration of William J. Clinton, GPO, May 7, 1995 Document: Middle East Peace Process, Executive Order 12957—Prohibiting Certain Transactions With Respect to the Development of Iranian Petroleum Resources Administration of William J. Clinton, GPO, March 15, 1995 Additional Resources Biography: Reuel Marc Gerecht Foundation for Defense of Democracies Budget: EUROPEAN DETERRENCE INITIATIVE, Department of Defense Budget Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 By Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, March 2019 Budget: EUROPEAN REASSURANCE INITIATIVE, Department of Defense Budget Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, February 2017 Fundraising Summary: Sen. James E Risch - Idaho OpenSecrets.org Joint Resolution: Public Law 107–40 107th Congress GPO, Congress.gov, September 18, 2001 Podcast Episode: GHOSTS OF MOSSADEGH: THE IRAN CABLES, U.S. EMPIRE, AND THE ARC OF HISTORY Document: TITLE 31—MONEY AND FINANCE GovInfo.gov Video: Why I Voted Against The Sactions Bill Bernie Sanders Video: MORE THAN JUST RUSSIA — THERE’S A STRONG CASE FOR THE TRUMP TEAM COLLUDING WITH SAUDI ARABIA, ISRAEL, AND THE UAE By Jeremy Scahill, The Intercept Vote Results: ROLL CALL 33, Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Medal Act Clerk of House of Representatives Vote Results: ROLL CALL 34, Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Medal Act Clerk of House of Representatives Sound Clip Sources Press Conference: Trump tells GOP donors that Soleimani was 'saying bad things' before strike, The Hill, January 10, 2020 Hearing: From Sanctions to the Soleimani Strike to Escalation: Evaluating the Administration’s Iran Policy, United States House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, January 14, 2020 Watch on Youtube Watch on CSPAN Witnesses DID NOT SHOW: Mike Pompeo Richard Haass, President of the Council on Foreign Relations Avril Haines, Columbia University (formerly NSA and CIA) Stephen Hadley Transcript: 44:55 Richard Haass: Here, I would highlight the American decision in 2018 to exit the 2015 nuclear agreement, the JCPOA, and the decision to introduce significant sanctions against Iran. These sanctions constituted a form of economic warfare. Iran was not in a position to respond in kind and instead instituted a series of military actions meant to make the United States and others pay a price for these sanctions and therefore to conclude they needed to be removed. It is also important, I believe, to point out here that the United States did not provide a diplomatic alternative to Iran when it imposed these sanctions. This was the context in which the targeted killing of Qassem Suleimani took place. This event needs to be assessed from two vantage points. One is legality. It would have been justified to attack Suleimani if he was involved in mounting a military action that was imminent. If there is evidence that can responsibly be made public supporting that these criteria were met of imminence, it should be. If, however, it turns out criteria were not met, that what took place was an action of choice rather than the necessity, I fear it will lead to an open ended conflict between the United States and Iran. Fought in many places with many tools and few red lines that will be observed. The President tweeted yesterday that the question of this imminence doesn't really matter. I would respectfully disagree. Imminence is central to the concept of preemption, which is treated in international law as a legitimate form of self defense. Preventive attacks though are something very different. They are mounted against a gathering threat rather than an imminent one, and a world of regular preventive actions would be one in which conflict was prevalent. 47:20 Richard Haass: First, there were other, and I believe better ways to reestablish deterrence with Iran. Secondly, the killing interrupted what I believe were useful political dynamics in both Iran and Iraq. Thirdly, U.S.-Iraqi ties were deeply strained. Fourthly, we've been forced to send more forces to the region rather than make them available elsewhere. Fifthly, given all worldwide challenges, I do not believe it is in our strategic interest to have a new war in the middle East. And six, Iran has already announced plans to take steps at odds with the JCPOA, which will shrink the window it needs to build a nuclear weapon if it decides to do so. And if this happens, it will present both the United States and Israel with difficult and potentially costly choices. 50:16 Richard Haass: Let me just make a few recommendations and I know my time is growing short. One, the United States should work closely with its allies and other signatories of the JCPOA to put together the outlines of a new agreement. Call it JCPOA 2.0 and present Iran with a new deal. It would establish longer term or better yet open-ended limits on Iran, nuclear and missile programs. In exchange for sanctions relief, Congress should approve any such agreement to remove the concern that this pack could be easily undone by any President, and such initiatives should emerge from consultation with allies. Our policy toward Iran has become overly unilateral and is less effective for it. 1:02:50 Stephen Hadley: The problem was that the strike occurred in Iraq. The fear of becoming the central battleground in a military confrontation between the United States and Iran is being used to justify calls for the expulsion of us forces from Iraq. But a U.S. withdrawal would only reward Kata'ib Hezbollah's campaign of violence, strengthen the uranium backed militias, weaken the Iraqi government, undermine Iraqi sovereignty, and jeopardize the fight against ISIS. A terrible outcome for both the United States and Iraq. To keep U.S. Forces in Iraq, Iraqi authorities will have to manage the domestic political fallout from the strike on Suleimani. U.S. Administration and the Congress can help by making public statements reaffirming that America respects the sovereignty and independence of Iraq that U.S. Forces are in Iraq to train Iraqi security forces and to help them protect the Iraqi people from a resurgent ISIS that the United States will coordinate with the Iraqi government on matters involving the U.S. Troop presence, that so long as U.S. Troops and diplomats in Iraq are not threatened, America's confrontation with Iran will not be played out on Iraqi territory, and that the United States supports the aspirations of the Iraqi people for a government that can meet their needs and expectations, and is free of corruption, sectarianism and outside influence. 1:49:30 Richard Haass: The other thing I think you heard from all three of us is the importance of repairing the U.S.-Iraqi relationship. I mean, think about it. Qasem Soleimani's principle goal was to drive the United States out of Iraq. Why in the world would we want to facilitate his success there after his death? We ought to make sure that doesn't happen. And Steve Hadley gave, I thought, a lot of good ideas about ways we could signal almost to help the Iraqi government manage the Iraqi politics. We could also look at some creative things. When I was in the Pentagon years ago, when we were building what became Central Command, we used to look at the idea of presence without stationing. There's ways to have a regular force presence without necessarily having forces be permanent. This may help the Iraqi government manage the politics of it without a serious diminuition of our capabilities. 1:58:20 Richard Haass: I think there's a fundamental difference between taking out a member of a terrorist organization and taking out an individual who is, who was an official of a nation state, who happens to use terrorist organizations to promote what the state sees as its agenda. I'm not saying it's necessarily wrong, I'm saying it's a big step. We've crossed a line here. So I think one thing this committee needs to think about is when it looks at AUMF's, none is on the books that allows us to do this as best I understand. So I think it's a legitimate question for this committee to say, do we need to think about an AUMF towards Iran that deals with this set of scenarios, where Iran would use military force to promote its ends, and also with the one that both Steve Hadley and I have talked about here, about the gathering threat on the Iranian nuclear side. 2:07:50 Avril Haines: Clearly the strike had an enormous impact on our relationship with Iraq. Iraq has come out and indicated that they did not provide consent for this particular strike on their territory. And it has brought the parliament to the point where they've actually passed to vote calling for the U.S. Forces to leave. And we've seen that the Prime Minister has indicated that in fact, they want a delegation to talk about leaving Iraq. And I think, as Dr. Haass noted, this is in many respects exactly what Solemani had wanted. And as a consequence, we're now in a position where I think it will be likely that it is unsustainable for us to have the presence that we've had. I hope that's not true. I hope that we can in fact, get through this period with them and that their domestic politics don't erupt in such a way that it makes it impossible for us to stay. 2:42:15 Rep. Adriano Espaillat: My question to you individually, this is a yes or no answer question, is whether or not you feel you gathered enough information or evidence, that from the inspectors or otherwise that you feel that Iran complied with the provisions established by the JCPOA. Mr Hass, do you feel that they complied? Yes or no? Richard Haass: Based on everything I've read, the international inspectors made the case that Iran was in compliance. Rep. Adriano Espaillat: Ms. Haines? Avril Haines: Yeah, same. Rep. Adriano Espaillat: Mr. Hadley? Stephen Hadley: So far as I know, yes. Interview: Pompeo on Soleimani Justification: I Don't Know Who Used "Imminent Threat" First, "But It Reflects What We Saw", Bret Baier with Fox News Channel Interviews Mike Pompeo, RealClear Politics, January 13, 2020 Speakers Mike Pompeo Bret Baier Transcript: Mike Pompeo: Not only when I was CIA director did I see the history and then what was the current activity for the first year and a half of this administration. But when I was a member of Congress serving on the house intelligence committee, I saw too, Suleimani's been a bad actor for decades in the region. He has the blood of hundreds of Americans on his hand. He's killed, or contributed to the killing of hundreds of thousands of people in Syria, Muslims, mostly throughout the region. This was a bad actor. And when we came to the point where we could see that he was plotting imminent attacks in the region to threaten Americans, a big attack, we recommended to the President he take this action. The president made the right decision. Press Conference: Pompeo Imposes Sanctions on Iran, Sticking to Assertion That U.S. Faced Imminent Threat, White House Press Briefing, The New York Times, January 10, 2020 Transcript: Mike Pompeo: We had specific information on an imminent threat, and that threat included attacks on U.S. embassies, period. Full stop. Reporter: What's your definition of imminent? Mike Pompeo: This was going to happen, and American lives were at risk, and we would have been culpably negligent, as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, that we would've been culpably negligent had we not recommended the President that he take this action with Qasam Suleimani. He made the right call and America is safer as a result of that. I don't know exactly which minute, we don't know exactly which day it would have been executed, but it was very clear. Qasam Suleimani himself was plotting a broad, large scale attack against American interests, and those attacks were imminent. Press Conference: The most troubling part of Mike Lee's broadside against the Trump administrations Iran briefing, The Washington Post, January 8, 2020 Transcript: Mike Lee: They're appearing before a coordinate branch of government, a coordinate branch of government responsible for their funding, for their confirmation, for any approval of any military action they might undertake. They had to leave after 75 minutes while they're in the process of telling us that we need to be good little boys and girls and run along and not debate this in public. I find that absolutely insane. I think it's unacceptable. And so I don't know what they had in mind. I went in there hoping to get more specifics as far as the factual, legal, moral justification for what they did. I'm still undecided on that issue in part because we never got to the details. Every time we got close, they'd say, well, we can't discuss that here because it's really sensitive. We're in a skiff. We're in a secure underground bunker where all electronic devices have to be checked at the door and they still refuse to tell us. I find that really upsetting. Interview: CNN Interview with Mike Pompeo The Hill, January 3, 2020 Transcript: Mike Pompeo: We know it was imminent. This was an intelligence based assessment that drove our decision making process. Hearing: Full Committee Hearing: “U.S. Policy in Syria and the Broader Region” House Armed Services Committee, December 11, 2019 Witnesses Mark Esper - Secretary of Defense General Mark Milley - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Transcript: 25:20 Mark Esper: Since May of this year, nearly 14,000 U.S. military personnel have deployed to the region to serve as a tangible demonstration of our commitment to our allies and our partners. These additional forces are not intended to signal an escalation, but rather to reassure our friends and buttress our efforts at deterrence. 25:40 Mark Esper: We are also focused on internationalizing the response to Iran's aggression by encouraging increased burden sharing and cooperation with allies and partners from around the world. The International Maritime Security Construct, which protects freedom of navigation in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, and the more nascent integrated air and missile defense effort led by Saudi Arabia are two such examples. Through these activities, we are sending a clear message to Iran that the international community will not tolerate its malign activities. Hearing: Review of the FY2020 Budget Request for the State Department Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, April 9, 2019 Watch on CSPAN Witnesses Mike Pompeo Transcript: 15:15 Sen. Lindsay Graham (SC): Do you agree with me that having a stabilizing force in Northeastern Syria will prevent Iran from coming down and taking over their oil? Mike Pompeo: It is an important part of our overall Middle East strategy, including our counter-Iran strategy. Sen. Lindsay Graham (SC): So, containing Iran, would include you having a policy in Syria that would keep them from benefiting from our withdrawal. Mike Pompeo: That's right. It's one piece of it. Yes. Sen. Lindsay Graham (SC): Okay. Hearing: State Department Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request House Foreign Affairs Committee, May 23, 2018 Witnesses Mike Pompeo Transcript: 18:05 Mike Pompeo: On Monday I unveiled a new direction for the President’s Iran strategy. We will apply unprecedented financial pressure; coordinate with our DOD colleagues on deterrents efforts; support the Iranian people, perhaps most importantly; and hold out the prospect for a new deal with Iran. It simply needs to change its behavior. Speech: Pompeo vows U.S., Mideast allies will ‘crush’ Iranian operatives around the world, Heritage Foundation, May 21, 2018 Transcript: Mike Pompeo: We will apply unprecedented financial pressure on the Iranian regime. The sanctions are going back in full effect and new ones are coming. These will indeed end up being the strongest sanctions in history when we are complete. Mike Pompeo: As President Trump said two weeks ago, he is ready, willing and able to negotiate a new deal. But the deal is not the objective. Our goal is to protect the American people. Speech: Bolton: 'Our Goal Should Be Regime Change in Iran' Fox News, January 1, 2018 Transcript: John Bolton: Our goal should be regime change in Iran. Hearing: IRANIAN TERROR OPERATIONS ON AMERICAN SOIL SUBCOMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT, INVESTIGATIONS, AND MANAGEMENT and the SUBCOMMITTEE ON COUNTERTERRORISM AND INTELLIGENCE of the House Homeland Security Committee, October 26, 2011 Watch on CSPAN Witnesses: Reuel Marc Gerecht: CIA Officer who became a director at the Project for a New American Century. Also a former fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Supported the Afghanistan regime change and Iraq regime change. Currently a senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy, which was founded after 9/11 and it funds “experts” who pushed Congress to fight the “war on terror”. Transcript: 1:30:25 Reuel Marc Gerecht: Again, I have nothing against sanctions. I think there are lots of sanctions the United States should tighten. I'm in favor of most of what we might call central bank sanctions, the Iran oil free zone. There are lots of different things you can do, but again, I just emphasize the people who rule around Iran rose up essentially through killing people. They have maintained a coercive system. It's become more coercive with time, not less. They do not respond in the same rational economic ways that we do. Iran would not look like the country it is today if they were concerned about the bottom line. So, I don't think that you are going to really intimidate these people, get their attention unless you shoot somebody. It's a pretty blunt, but I don't think you get to get around it. I think for example, if we believe that the Guard Corps is responsible for this operation, then you should hold Qasem Soleimani responsible. Qasem Soleimani travels a lot. He's all over the place. Go get him. Either try to capture him or kill him. 1:32:10 Reuel Marc Gerecht: You could aggressively harrass many of their operations overseas. There's no doubt about that. But you would have to have a consensus to do that. I mean, the need is to say the White House, the CIA would have to be on board to do that. You would have to have the approval to do that. We all know it's Washington, D C these things are difficult to do. So you may find out that this type of covert action is actually much more difficult to do than going after, say Qasem Soleimani when he travels. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)

I deeply hope for a President Bernie Sanders, But, with the shocking defeat of Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party and the even more shocking doubling-down of his most prominent Leftist supporters in media that they did nothing wrong, I figured this would be the perfect time to release our conversation w. the Intercept's Jon Schwarz. Jon is well known for his theory: The Iron Law of Institutions. That any organization's top priority is the survival of the organization, NOT the causes it fights for. I've long wanted to talk to Jon about how his law applies to the American Left. As a Leftist, I've grown exhausted by the parochialism and nepotism of the American Left, its media and its institutions. It strikes me as an endless cocktail party with the same list of guests, and on the outside looking in, the voices of the ordinary people they claim to represent. Jon was willing to discuss all this with me, even reflecting on his own institution: The Intercept. We also touch upon Armenia and our mutual connections to the country, as well as the global struggles happening around the world. So sit back, and enjoy the conversation, it's a radically honest, good faith conversation about what's wrong with the American Left with a voice from inside the cocktail party, and a voice from the outside. For more Info: Jon on Samantha Power: https://theintercept.com/2019/09/11/a-memoir-from-hell-samantha-power-will-do-anything-for-human-rights-unless-it-hurts-her-career/?comments=1 Jon on The Iron Law of Institutions: http://www.tinyrevolution.com/mt/archives/001705.html Jon on the Armenian Genocide: https://theintercept.com/2015/04/24/armenians-dont-understand-good-kind-holocaust-denial/ Beats by 30Hertz Beats https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJkqeAmR7vHhSlJHLsxZSXA

To discuss the crisis in Yemen, we were fortunate to speak with the brilliant Michigan State Professor Shireen Al-Adeimi (Twitter @shireen818). Shireen as a Yemeni immigrant (first to Canada, now in the US) has become one of the most forceful critics of the Saudi-led destruction of Yemen, and the Obama and Trudeau administrations role enabling this pointless carnage. I spoke with Shireen after reading her incredible article from IN THESE TIMES on Samantha Power, and listening to her interview on MSNBC's Chris Hayes. Incidentally, Mr Hayes, became a big part of this podcast ... because after expressing such concern and solidarity during an interview with Shireen, he conducted a later interview w. Samantha Power. Ms. Power is one of the main policy architects who helped drag Yemen into one of the world's worst humanitarian crises ... but during their interview, Chris, so eloquent in his knowledge on Yemen with Shireen is suddenly mute on the subject w. Ms Power. So while we discuss the Yemen conflict, we also discuss how elites (both liberals and conservatives) mold policy, KNOWING that they can avoid scrutiny from other elites. This is captured in the hypocrisy of political figures like Samantha Power and Justin Trudeau, but also in media figures like Chris Hayes, who refuse to ask the powerful any questions that expose their hypocrisy. Thus becoming hypocrites themselves. Yemen, like so many needless tragedies, is a conspiracy of silence, and the only way to break through is to do what Ms. Al-Ademi does: make some fucking noise! Here is Shireen's Writing on Yemen at In These Times: https://inthesetimes.com/community/profile/322961 Here is her wonderful interview on Yemen w. Chris Hayes: https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/detailing-america-s-role-world-s-worst-crisis-shireen-al-ncna906286 And here is Chris's boot-licking interview w. Samantha Power. I consider it to be a blight on his career, and a sickening example of how elitism and 1% politics work: https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/education-idealist-samantha-power-podcast-transcript-ncna1055331 Lastly for more on how self-serving, false and cold-blooded Samantha Power's memoir is, I highly recommend Jon Schwarz review at the Intercept: https://theintercept.com/2019/09/11/a-memoir-from-hell-samantha-power-will-do-anything-for-human-rights-unless-it-hurts-her-career/ (music credited to Ahmad Fathi - Salam احمد فتحي - سلام يا احباب قلبي )

A new format in which we each bring to the table a key article to unpick and unpack.   This week we take a sharp look at the crumbling US political establishment and its empire: impeachment and regime legitimacy; centrist rebels against their lefty parents; and the betrayal of the Kurds.   Readings: Impeachment is regime suicide, Daniel McCarthy, Spectator USA Centrist-child syndrome, Shuja Haider, The Outline The US is now betraying the Kurds for the eight time, Jon Schwarz, The Intercept

Friend of the show and writer at The Intercept Jon Schwarz joins us to review Samantha Power's self-serving, ahistorical memoir.

Naomi Klein analyzes the epic media failure on Trump-Russia and discusses the agenda for change and resistance that should have been.  Rolling Stone’s Matt Taibbi details how on Trump-Russia the media failed to do its job. Ali Abunimah, of the Electronic Intifada, lays out the scandal in plain sight: Israeli collusion with Trump and the broader U.S. political power structure.  The Intercept’s Jon Schwarz tells the bizarre tale of China’s illegal influence over the presidential campaign of Jeb Bush.  And Alison Klayman talks about her film "The Brink," a look at the past year of Steve Bannon’s project to bring his white nationalist agenda global.

The last thing you'll get from US media's assessment of the prospect of peace on the Korean peninsula? What Koreans think.

On this edition of jam-packed, 2 1/2 hour edition ofParallax Views, Media Roots Radio's Robbie Martin returns to the show to discuss what has been referred to in Washington, D.C. beltway media circle's as "The Blob": the foreign policy consensus that dictates the United States' actions abroad. BUT FIRST...   Ben Shapiro, Gavin McInnes, & Other Right-Wing Loons Go to the Circus in... KILLER KLOWNS FROM THE PERPETUALLY ANXIOUS RIGHT! Robbie and I begin by discussing the right-wing meme of "clown world". During this portion of the conversation Robbie gives his take on the right-wing's hysterics over cultural change and how they take focus away from issues like late-stage capitalism and antiwar issues. And, of course, we talk about Gavin McInnes and his bizarre stunt involving wearing a Southern plantation owner outfit out the Southern Poverty Law Center. THEN... Robbie tells us about the D.C. "Blob" that guides foreign policy decisions in the United States! We begin by discussing how the metaphor was popularized through the former Obama administration National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes to describe the beltway figures that led the U.S. into the disastrous mistake of the Iraq War. From there we delve into how the "Blob", the D.C. foreign policy establishment, seeks to dictate a highly interventionist war/peace ideology within the beltway regardless of who is holding court in the White House. Robbie details how the Blob's rhetoric is permeating all areas of the political discourse from the-right-to-the-left and, in his view, originates with the neoconservative movement (for more on that see Robbie's first appearance on Parallax Views in ep. 22). We then have a short back-and-forth about the idea that "neocon" is a codeword for Jews. Robbie argues that this is not true, although I counter that elements of the paleoconservative movement were using the term as an anti-Semitic shorthand for Jews within the beltway. Robbie calmly answers these criticisms and outlines the problems and faults of the paleoconservative conception of the neoconservative movement as a Jewish "Israeli-firster" conspiracy. He then goes onto argue that the neocons are not driven primarily by Israeli-first sentiments as much as a American hegemony. Israel, in this conception of the neoconservative movement, is not guiding American foreign policy but rather just another arm of U.S. hegemony. This portion of the conversation also includes a little bit of talk about the USS Liberty incident, neocons taking a degree of inspiration from Mossad operations, and hasbara. From there we delve into the issue of propaganda, including the U.S.'s long history of propaganda efforts overseas. Then Robbie delves into his research of how VICE ties into the subject of U.S. foreign policy propaganda and I note the sensationalistic, colonialist tone that makes up many of VICE's early documentaries. Robbie also notes the involvement of Bill Maher and Iraq War proponent Fareed Zakaria in VICE media that, he argues, should have been warning signs about the slants in VICE's geopolitical coverage. We also discuss VICE's recent firings of it's writers and some of VICE co-founder Shane Smith's troubling history that has been by overshadowed by Gavin McInnes. We then pivot into another figure within the Blob, namely MSNBC host and Rhodes scholar Rachel Maddow. This then leads us into a conversation about how the Blob's rhetoric now permeates Hollywood and the entertainment industry and liberal media's favorite buzzword "Whataboutism" (see the Citations Needed podcast for more on that topic). Robbie gives his take on the idea that any criticisms of the Blob are ultimately part of a Russian plot to undermine America's institutions. We then go on to note how the Trump juanta's stance on Venezuela actually coalesces with the Blob's promoters in D.C. and the media. This leads us into an extended conversation about the Venezuela situation. I myself am open to criticism of Maduro, but am nonetheless concerned about the U.S.'s regime change plans, the involvement of Iran/Contra figure Elliot Abrams in this situation, and the sanctions that the U.S. is imposing upon Venezuela that will have a detrimental effect on U.S. citizens. We discuss the parallels between regime change in Venezeula and the U.S.'s interventionist actions in Iran since the 1950s as well as how the current situation relates to plans for eventually starting a heated conflict with Iran. Robbie and I then briefly discuss the history of Elliot Abrams, his sordid history in Latin America, the media's underwhelming defense of him, and Robbie's interview with The Intercept journalist Jon Schwarz on Abrams career. Watch "An Ocean of Lies on Venezeula" from The Empire Files w/ Abby Martin From there we delve into the return of neoconservative Bill Kristol with The Bulwark, which paints itself as conservative #NeverTrump Resistance punditry, and how one of The Bulwark's writers is a former Bush administration official who, under the guise of being an online Twitter troll, creepily attacked Robbie's sister Abby Martin on social media. We use Kristol's history and reinvention as a way to discuss how the Blob has become a force that devours everything in its sight. Then we discuss the Blob's "sleeper agents" such as Ann Coulter and Tucker Carlson, who paint themselves as nationalistic anti-interventionists while laying the groundwork for regime change in Venezuela. This leads us around to Rand Paul, long-celebrated by antiwar libertarians, and his suspicious silence on Venezuela as well as his infamous run-in with Abby Martin in 2012 and its fallout. After that we go back to the subject of Venezuela, the mainstream media's coverage of Venezuela, and what the truth of the situation in Venezuela is right now politically. Robbie argues the situation on the ground is very nuanced and, from an outside perspective, difficult to sift through. We also the U.S.'s prior history of interference in Venezuela under Hugo Chavez and the effects that sanctions will have on the civilian population. In fact, Robbie goes so far as to argue that we are on the brink of a military invasion of Venezuela based around provoking Maduro into violence. Then we talk about Robbie's Media Roots Radio coverage of Newsguard and attempts to stifle alternative media starting with PropOrNot. Robbie argues that there is a slippery slope where Newsguard's attempts to ferret out fake news be abused to dismiss any media outlets critical of U.S. foreign policy. During the part of the conversation Robbie and I also discuss how websites like Breitbart and The Drudge Report are being conflated with left-wing websites like Media Roots and Counterpunch by Newsguard. Robbie speculates that this may be leading up to an attempt to smear left-wing websites as being under the same racist, right-wing umbrella of figures like Mike Cernovich, Richard Spencer, etc. Robbie argues that alt right voices may be being signal boosted to destroy the antiwar left, which Robbie believes is a threat to the foreign policy Blob. Robbie also gets into how YouTube videos are being demonetized for promoting conspiracy theories and the recent issue in which advertisers left the platform due to its attracting child predators. Why does certain content get boosted over other content in Youtube's algorithms? Robbie and I address all this in this portion of the conversation. Finally, we begin wrapping up the show by discussing Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and the elements trying to push the Democratic Party left. Robbie takes a bit more issue with Bernie in light of the Venezuela situation, but we manage to have a civil conversation about criticizing politicians and public figures, including the ones we like. And, of course, as always we try to end on a positive note. LISTEN TO MEDIA ROOTS RADIO WITH ROBBIE AND ABBY MARTIN

Robbie Martin interviews Jon Schwarz of The Intercept/Tiny Revolution about the shocking and horrific legacy of Iran-Contra criminal, policy-wonk and State Department neocon Elliott Abrams. The discussion starts with the Reagan administration and Abrams' role in covering up the atrocities by death squads in Latin America. Jon later explains the specific role Abrams played in funneling money to not just the contras, but other US-sponsored proxy forces in South America. He concludes with the curiosity surrounding Abrams appointment into the Trump administration. Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this podcast please consider donating to Media Roots Radio on Patreon: www.patreon.com/mediarootsradio FOLLOW // twitter.com/AbbyMartin // twitter.com/FluorescentGrey // twitter.com/schwarz

Elliott Abrams, the new U.S. Special Envoy to Venezuela, along with witnesses from the State Department and USAID, testified to Congress about the Trump administration's efforts to replace Venezuela's President. In this episode, hear highlights from that hearing and gain some insight into Elliott Abrams' past regime change efforts as a member of the Reagan administration, which will help you to understand why so many people are concerned that he was picked for the Venezuela job. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Click here to contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536 Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD190: A Coup for Capitalism CD186: National Endowment for Democracy CD176: Target Venezuela: Regime Change in Progress Sound Clip Sources Hearing: Venezuela at a Crossroads, House Committee on Foreign Relations, Committee on Foreign Affairs, February 13, 2019. C-SPAN YouTube Witnesses: Elliott Abrams - U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela, U.S. Department of State Sandra Oudkirk - Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Energy Resources, U.S. Department of State Steve Olive - Acting Assistance Administrator, Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, U.A. Agency for International Development (USAID) Sound Clips: 11:42 Rep. Michael McCaul: When Nicolas Maduro was hand picked by Hugo Chavez in 2013, it was clear that he would follow in his socialist dictatorship footsteps. Since that time, Maduro's policies, rampant corruption and violent crackdowns on peaceful political dissent have turned Venezuela into a failed state. Hyperinflation has skyrocketed. Food and medicine are scarce, and according to the United Nations, up to 3 million people have fled the country since 2014 last week, a fuel tanker and two shipping containers were placed on a bridge to block the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid as seen on the, uh, the screen. This act highlights how evil the Maduro regime really is. 12:34 Michael McCaul: The current crisis highlights the horrifying impact of socialism. Those who continue to preach or shows sympathy, do not understand its history and the abject suffering it has caused. 17:26 Elliot Abrams: Thank you for the opportunity to testify on our efforts to restore democracy. Protestors: Protestors yelling… 24:47 Elliot Abrams: Mr. Chairman, thank you for inviting me here today and thank you for the continuing interest, uh, and support that this committee has shown bipartisan interest in supporting the struggle for freedom in Venezuela. Protestor: Five coverage in your line. Again, that bridge was closed for years where that food was supposed to come down and when you were in charge will remind all persons in the audience any manifestations of approval or disapproval of proceedings is in violation of the rules of a house and committees. 29:47 Steve Olive: State supports local human rights defenders, civil society, independent media, electoral oversight, and the democratically elected national assembly. Over the past five years, we have provided close to $40 million in democratic democracy assistance to these groups, including the planned $15 million in fiscal year 2018 funding, which cleared Congress yesterday. 39:04 Michael McCaul: Mr Abrams, I think we really have a historic opportunity to transform what's been a, you know, socialist dictatorship that has been a humanitarian crisis into a democracy, um, supported by freedom and the, and the people. And at the same time, I think for the first time in decades, have an influence on Cuba in the western hemisphere. 43:44 Rep. Brad Sherman: Um, we've got a situation where Russia expects to be repaid a Mr. Abrams. Um, what steps are we considering to, uh, support an action by the Venezuelan people to say, okay, we owe you so much minus that two, three, $10 trillion of harm you did to our country by, uh, uh, supporting this criminal Maduro. Uh, therefore you only owe us 1 trillion instead of 2 trillion. Uh, Mr Abrams are we, discussing with the Russians how we can make it plain to, the permanent future Venezuelan government that they do not have to pay Russia and that they will not suffer any demerits, uh, in, uh, in their credit rating for western agencies. So in Western banks. Elliot Abrams: We'd begun to have those discussions. Uh, primarily, of course it would be led by treasury, but, um, the interim government and the National Assembly has said that they would repay debts. Some of those debts, I think were never approved by the National Assembly. Ultimately, it is a decision that they're going to put the most of these that they're going to have to make. Brad Sherman: But if we put the Russians on notice that we would support and require our banks to support a decision by the Venezuelan government to offset that by trillions of dollars of claims against Russia, and that we would prohibit, we might choose to prohibit our banks from looking at any credit rating, uh, that, uh, was impaired by failure to repay Russia. Elliott Abrams: Don't believe that exact message. Brad Sherman: I hope you will. 47:23 Brad Sherman: And, uh, we also have Venezuela reportedly owe China, $20 billion. Um, I know that China's policy toward Maduro is, is different than that of Russia, but, uh, uh, what is China doing now to help the legitimate government of Venezuela? Elliot Abrams: They aren't doing anything to help, uh, Mr. Brad Sherman: Are they providing any additional funds to Maduro? Elliot Abrams: No. Uh, my information is that they won't lend any more money because they're worried about getting back what they've already lent. And the message that we've passed at him is you continue to back Maduro and the economy of Venezuela descends further. You will never get paid back. 1:0439* Rep. Albio Sires: Ms. Oudkirk, can you talk to me a little bit about the oil sanctions? I know that in my reports, that Juan Guaido plans to name a new board of directors for Citco the process will require the west to legally recognize the new board members. Would a new board have access to U.S banks, accounts with proceeds from Venezuela's oil sales that have been blocked by the sanctions? Sandra Oudkirk: Thank you, Mr Congressmen. So as I noted in my remarks, the key to sanctions relief for PDVSA, um, it is the transfer of control of that company away from, uh, Maduro and his cronies and to a demo, a democratically elected representatives of the, of the Venezuelan people. It would the, with regards to Citgo, citgo operations in the United States are covered by a general license that Treasury issued on the day the sanctions were announced. So sit goes operations here in the u s um, are continuing under that, that license and that license covers them for six months from the date of announcement. The ban is on remitting, uh, payments back to, PDVSA as long as it is, uh, under, um, the illegitimate control. So if you have, Albio Sires: What would a board do, named by Guaido? What would that do? If he names a new board? Sandra Oudkirk: For Citgo? Albio Sires: Yes. Sandra Oudkirk: I will have to get back to you on the details, uh, of that. Um, I don't have the answer for you right now. I'm sorry, Albio Sires: Mr Abrams? Elliot Abrams: Well, we don't want any of the, uh, one of the funds to go to the, to the regime, so that would not be permitted. But, um, I think there's a lot of lawyers in Washington who were making a lot of money trying to figure out the answer to your question. Albio Sires: My daughter's a lawyer... My thing is if, if we are able to get this money in U.S. banks and obviously under this sanction, good dumb money be used for humanitarian purposes in Venezuela? Elliot Abrams: It can, um, all of these funds, uh, all Venezuelan government funds are in our view, a rightly available to the legitimate interim president, Mr Guaido and the National Assembly. So they can use those funds to purchase additional humanitarian assistance, right. Is a lot of procedures to go through to get them actual control of it. Uh, and they've made it clear that they want to be extremely careful. They're going to be accused of, of misusing the funds. So everything's got to be totally transparent, but in principle, yes, sure. 1:24:44 Rep. David Cicilline: I want to turn to my first series of question because I am concerned by continuing comments from the Trump administration noting that the use of military force is, as the president said, an option. And so for you Mr. Abrams. My first question is we have not, of course, the congress of the United States has not declared war on Venezuela, correct? Elliot Abrams: Correct. David Cicilline: Is there an existing statutory authorization that would allow for a military intervention in Venezuela? Yes or no? Elliot Abrams: Not to my knowledge. David Cicilline: Has Venezuela attack the United States, his territories or possessions or its armed forces? Elliot Abrams: No. David Cicilline: Has the administration increased troop deployments to countries including Columbia neighboring Venezuela at any point in the last month? Elliot Abrams: Don't believe so. David Cicilline: Are there, are there currently any plans to or discussions about moving additional combat troops to Columbia or any other country that neighbors Venezuela? Elliot Abrams: Not to my knowledge. David Cicilline: Is anyone at the White House, National Security Council, the Department of Defense or any other agency making plans for US military engagement in Venezuela? Elliot Abrams: That's a question I can't answer. I know of no such planning. David Cicilline: Well, consistent with the war powers act. I've introduced legislation that expressly prohibits the administration room taking military action in Venezuela without consulting Congress. Will you pledge that the Trump administration will not take any military action in a regarding Venezuela without consulting with Congress in accordance with the war powers act? Elliot Abrams: I don't know that I can answer that question. Mr Cicilline. A series of presidents, you know, have taken a jaundiced view, I might say, of the war powers act. So I'm really not… David Cicilline: Well, under our constitution, as you know, only congress can declare war and we have neither declared war and are granted the administration the authority to send the armed forces into hostilities in Venezuela. In my view, it would be illegal under us law, inappropriate and reckless to attempt and military intervention. The United States must show leadership in our own hemisphere and we must continue to provide aid to suffering Venezuelans. But I want to just build on Mr Keating's question because you said of the 51 countries in this coalition, we are the only one that has threatened the use of military force. And in response to a question from Mr Keating, you said, because we're the only one capable of doing it, surely you're not suggesting the other 50 countries do not have military capability to engage in a military action if they so elected do. Elliot Abrams: Well, some do and some don't. David Cicilline: So some do. And we're not the only ones that have that ability. Elliot Abrams: We have not threatened military action in Venezuela. We've said that all options are on the table. David Cicilline: My question is we're not the only one that has that capability. So when you said that to Mr Keating that was not accurate. Elliot Abrams: We are the only one with the kind of capability obviously, David Cicilline: but others have military capability and have not made the same assertion of that being an option. Isn't that correct? Elliot Abrams: I am actually not sure of the answer to that of whether of what other governments have said. David Cicilline: Okay. So Mr. Abrams, what is particularly concerning to me is that in light of the fact there is no legal authority to, uh, express the use of military force as an option. It's unclear to me how the president or anyone in the administration can claim it's an option on table because it is not. And to the extent that we are suggesting that it is, we are misleading the international community where miss me leading the people in Venezuela. So I urge you to take back the message, the administration that it is not authorized and not helpful. 1:41:03 Rep. Joaquin Castro: Uh, I have in the past supported sanctions against the Maduro regime because as Mr. Meeks mentioned, I do believe in many ways that Mr. Maduro Has oppressed his people. At the same time, I believe that the role of the United States is to promote democracy, freedom and human rights around the world. The role of the United States is not the hand pick. The next leader of Venezuela and Mr Abrams. I have a question for you. My question is whether you're aware of any transfers of weapons or defense equipment by the United States government to groups of Venezuela opposed to Nicolas Maduro since you were appointed special representative for Venezuela and I want to be respectful of you, but also honest and the reason that I asked that question. There's been a McClatchy news report of such an incident. Have you, are you aware of that news report? Elliot Abrams: I saw the report, yes. Joaquin Castro: I asked this question because you have a record of such actions in Nicaragua. You were involved in the effort to covertly provide lethal aid to the contras against the will of Congress. You ultimately pled guilty to two counts of withholding information from Congress in regard to your testimony during the Iran Contra scandal. So I asked you the question, can we trust your testimony today? : Well, you can make that decision for yourself, Mr. Castro. I can tell you that the answer to your question is no. It's a simple, uh, and unequivocal no. Uh, there has been no such transfer of arms. 1:41:50 Rep. Ilhan Omar: Mr. Adams in 1991 you pleaded guilty to two counts of withholding information from Congress regarding your involvement in the Iran Contra affair for which you were later pardoned by President George H. W. Bush. I fail to understand, uh, why members of this committee or the American people should find any testimony that you give a today to be truthful. Elliot Abrams: If I could respond to that Ilhan Omar: That wasn't a question. I said that that was not, that was not a question that was high. I reserve the right to my time. It is not. It is not right. That was not a question. On February 8th who is not permitted to reply that that was not okay. Question. Thank you for your participation on February 8th, 1982 you testified before the Senate foreign relations committee about US policy in El Salvador. In that hearing you dismiss As communist propaganda report about the massacre of El Mazote in which more than 800 civilians including children as young as two years old, were brutally murdered by us trained troops doing that massacre. Some of those troops bragged about raping a 12 year old girl before they killed them girls before they killed them. You later said that the u s policy in El Salvador was a fabulous achievement, yes or no. Do you still think so Elliot Abrams: from the day that President Duarte was elected in a free election, To this day, El Salvador has been a democracy. That's a fabulous achievement, Ilhan Omar: yes or no. Do you think that massacre, was a fabulous achievement that happened under our watch? Elliot Abrams: That is a ridiculous question. Yes or no? No, I will. Ilhan Omar: I will take that as a yes. Elliot Abrams: I am not going to respond to that kind of personal attack which is not a question Ilhan Omar: Yes or no. Would you support an armed faction within Venezuela that engages in war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide if you believe they were serving us interest as you did in Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua? Elliot Abrams: I am not going to respond to that question. I'm sorry. I don't think this entire line of questioning is meant to be real questions and so I will not reply. Ilhan Omar: Whether you under your watch, a genocide will take place and you will look the other way because American interests were being upheld is a fair question because the American people want to know that anytime we engage a country that we think about what our actions could be and how we believe our values are being fathered. That is my question. Will you make sure that human rights are not violated and that we uphold international and human rights? Elliot Abrams: I suppose there is a question in there and the answer is that the entire thrust of American policy in Venezuela is to support the Venezuelan people's effort to restore democracy to their country. That's our policy. Ilhan Omar: I don't think anybody disputes that. The question I had for you is that the interest does the interest of the United States include protecting human rights and include protecting people against genocide. Elliot Abrams: That is always the position of the United States. Ilhan Omar: Thank you. I yield back my time. 1:42:35 Joaquin Castro: I also want to ask you, I mentioned the promotion of democracy and the fact that the Venezuelan people have to pick their own leader. What is the administration strategy for encouraging elections as soon as possible in Venezuela? Elliot Abrams: Well, that is the heart of really of administration policy. That is, uh, after the Maduro regime, a short transition to an election. And that's the view of all of the 51 nations that are supporting Mr Guido. I completely agree with the way you started. It's not for us to choose the next president of Venezuela. It's for Venezuelans. We can help is a lot of other countries can help in facilitating a free election because there's, you know, there's a lot of experience. The National Democratic Institute, International Republican Institute, Freedom House and equivalents in a lot of other countries are really quite good at giving assistance. 1:45:40 Elliott Abrams: And once there is a, uh, freely elected government that can deal again with the World Bank and the IMF and a broad international programs of support, I think the Russian role will diminish very quickly. 1:47:00 Rep. Sandra Oudkirk: So one of the reasons why we licensed the continued involvement of US companies in upstream oil production in Venezuela was because the oil and gas sector is the key pillar of the Venezuelan economy and it will be going forward and keeping us the U s corporate presence there, um, with their best practices, with their adherence to all the sorts of practices that we expect here in the United States is we believe one of the best ways to ensure that in the future, Venezuela is able to return to prosperity and sort of an economy that functions normally. 1:47:59 Sandra Oudkirk: But we do believe that western involvement in the upstream oil sector, we will leave us positioned to, to have both the US private sector and the u s government assist with eventual economic recovery. And, and we are a counterweight to the Russian and the Chinese investment, which is otherwise very prevalent in that industry. 1:53:03 Greg Pence: Over 40 countries have now recognized Juan Guido as the interim president of Venezuela. 1:56:22 Steve Olive: What administrator Green and I were there in July. It was clear that there were saying, and we, and we saw it firsthand, that 90% of the Venezuelans that were coming into Colombia to get support, we're going back in to Venezuela. So they were just coming in to be able to get the vaccines or healthcare or food or, or generate some income to be able to go back into the country. And we expect that to continue until when we were allowed to bring in our humanitarian assistance into the country in a safe and efficient manner, in a manner that we can monitor where it goes, and that it makes sure that it gets to the people who are in need of it most. 1:57:24 Rep. Adriano Espaillat: Well, Mr Abrams, uh, many of our allies have expressed concern of your appointment, uh, to deal with this problem. Some carob have characterized it as being perhaps like appointing Exxon to lead a discussion on the green new deal or maybe even appointing MBS to lead a discussion on fairness in journalism and accessibility to journalists. Uh, do you feel that your past actions in Iran contract permanently impair your ability to fairly and transparently a deal in the region? Since we all know the outcome of what happened then? Do you feel that that's a major problem, baggage that you bring to the table? I don't and I've now I've been doing this job for two whole weeks. Um, and I can tell you that, uh, members of Congress have raised it. No Latin American of any nationality with whom I have dealt has raised it. And we've had lots and lots of discussions about how we're going to promote democracy in Venezuela. Elliot Abrams: I guess I should say, since I've been attacked now three times in my own defense, if you look at the written record of eight years when we came in, there were military dictatorships,and when we left in country after country after country, there had been transitions that we support it Chili's a very good example. So I think it's actually a record of promoting democracy. I think a lot of Adriano Espaillat: Respectfully, I differ with you, I think is a fact of history. We should not dig our heads in the sand and make believe that this never happened because he did. And you were at the helm of that Elliot Abrams: I was at the helm of promoting democracy in Latin America. Adriano Espaillat: You may want to characterize it that way, but I don't, I think you were involved in the Iran-Contra deal, and I think that permanently damage you to be a fair and impartial arbitrar in a conflict is leading to, to, to a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented levels in Venezuela. 2:18:26 Rep. Steve Chabot: Um, what's the state of press freedoms in Venezuela and how are we a countering the regime's propaganda and ensuring that Venezuelans are aware of the support that the u s uh, and the international community or providing? Elliot Abrams: Thank you, congressman for your question. We are providing support for independent media. Uh, we are now up to, with the approval of your current, the congressional notification notification that has now expired and we can now use our 2018 funding. We have approximately of spent about approximately $40 million or available for one of the areas is independent media. The groups that we are working with, Freedom House, uh, the International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute, Ndi and others are working to preserve an independent media within the country. 2:27:30 Rep. Tom Malinowski: Would you then agree as a general matter, and I know I'm sensitive to the fact that you're here representing the administration's Venezuela policies you can't necessarily speak for, for everything else, but as a general matter, would you agree that if we are going to be condemning a president who is trying to attain absolute power for life contrary to constitutions and the democratic process in Venezuela, that we should do so in other countries such as Egypt when that similar situations arise as a general matter? Sure. Elliot Abrams: I really should not respond, um, beyond the question of Ben as well. It's really not my remit at the department and not while I'm up here. Uh, you and I go back a ways and you know, that, uh, my view is generally that the United States should be supporting the expansion of democracy, um, all over the world. Video: Bolton promises to confront Latin America's 'Troika of Tyranny', The Washington Post, November 1, 2018. Video: Empire Files: Abby Martin Meets the Venezuelan Opposition, YouTube, July 30, 2017. Video: Empire Files: Abby Martin in Venezuela - Supermarkets to Black Markets, YouTube, July 11, 2017. Video: Pauly D & Vinny: The Ultimate Guidos' Official Throwback Clip, Jersey Shore, MTV (YouTube), June 1, 2017. State of the Union Address: George W. Bush - Uranium from Africa Statement, YouTube, January 28, 2003. Presidential Address: President Reagan's Address to the Nation on the Iran-Contra Controversy, YouTube, November 13, 1986. Sound Clips: President Ronald Reagan: In spite of the wildly speculative and false stories of our arms for hostages and alleged ransom payments, we did not, repeat, did not trade weapons or anything else for hostages... But why you might ask, is any relationship with Iran important to the United States? Iran encompasses some of the most critical geography in the world. It allows between the Soviet Union and access to the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Geography explains why the Soviet Union has sent an army into Afghanistan to dominate that country, and if they could, Iran and Pakistan, Iran's geography gives it a critical position from which adversaries could interfere with oil flows from the Arab states that border the Persian Gulf, apart from geography, Iran's oil deposits are important to the long-term health of the world economy. Discussion: Elliott Abrams discusses Guatemala with Jim Lehrer, The MacNeil/Lehrer Report, YouTube, November 30, 1983. Sound Clip: 4:11 Jim Lehrer: On the killings, in 1981 as I'm sure you're aware of, the State Department said there was between 250 to 300 political killings a month in Guatemala. Can you give me any idea as to what that figure is now? Elliott Abrams: our latest figures are down to about 40 or 50 a month, which is a considerable reduction. We're not suggesting that situation of 40 or 50 a month is good, but it's a lot better and we think that kind of progress needs to be rewarded and encouraged. Jim Lehrer: And you think this sale will in fact encourage more, not less? I mean more progress, not less progress? Elliott Abrams: Yes, absolutely. Because... Jim Lehrer: Now why? Elliott Abrams: Because it shows the government that we mean it when we say that we are behind these kinds of moves and that if you make these kinds of moves were willing to support you. If we take the attitude that don't come to us until you're perfect, we're going to walk away from this problem until Guatemala has a perfect human rights record. Then we're going to be leaving in the lurch. People there who are trying to make progress and are succeeding. Jim Lehrer: Are you, do you firmly believe that the, that the key person who is trying to make progress is President Rios Montt? Elliott Abrams: Yes. Because the government, uh, policies really changed after he came in and, uh, March of last year. Uh, and he is, I think it's fair now to say practicing what he preaches. There has been a tremendous change, especially in the attitude of the government towards the Indian population, which used to be seen as an enemy and is now seen as a citizen population, as an ally in the struggle for a future of Guatemala. Additional Reading Article: The tragic life of the war criminal Elliott Abrams by Branko Marcetic, Jacobin Magazine, February 16, 2019. Article: What did Elliot Abrams have to do with the El Mozote massacre? by Raymond Bonner, The Atlantic, February 15, 2019. Article: How a bridge between Colombia and Venezuela became a part of a propaganda fight, CBC News, February 15, 2019. Article: The fight between Ilhan Omar and Elliott Abrams, Trump's Venezuela envoy, explained by Zack Beauchamp, Vox, February 15, 2019. Article: Media hype confronts reality on the Venezuela-Colombia border by Marco Terrugi, Workers World, February 15, 2019. Article: Rep. Ilhan Omar went after Elliot Abrams for lying to Congress. Then he did it again by Jon Schwarz, The Intercept, February 14, 2019. Article: El Salvador's backslide by Hilary Goodfriend, NACLA, February 14, 2019. Article: Hungry Venezuelans urge help but standoff looms over 'politicised' aid by Joe Parkin Daniels, The Guardian, February 13, 2019. Article: US-backed Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó recruits DC lobbyists as crisis deepens by Karl Evers-Hillstrom and Raymond Arke, OpenSecrets News, February 13, 2019. Article: Venezuela hopes to create non-dollar trading bloc by Nidhi Verma, Reuters, February 12, 2019. Article: Red Cross, UN slam 'politicised' USAID humanitarian assistance to Venezuela by Paul Dobson, Venezuela Analysis, February 11, 2019. Article: Western media fall in lockstep for cheap Trump/Rubio Venezuela aid pr stunt by Adam Johnson, Fair, February 9, 2019. Article: Air charter firm, client both deny role in alleged shipment of arms to Venezuela by Martin Vassolo, Tim Johnson, and David Ovalle, McClatchy DC, February 8, 2019. Article: Venezuela says plane from Miami delivered weapons for use by enemies of Maduro by Tim Johnson, McClatchy DC, February 7, 2019. Article: Venezuela says plane from Miami delivered weapons for use by enemies of Maduro by Tim Johnson, McClatchy DC, February 7, 2019. Report: Venezuela: Overview of U.S. sanctions, Congressional Research Service, February 1, 2019. Article: Washington follows Ukraine, Syria roadmap in push for Venezuela regime change by Whitney Webb, Mint Press News, January 26, 2019. Article: Battle for water rights heats up in El Salvador by Heather Gies, Truth Out, August 5, 2018. Transcript: Erain Rios Montt, former Guatemalan dictator, dies at 91, All Things Considered with host Mary Louise Kelly, NPR, April 3, 2018. Article: America's role in El Salvador's deterioration by Raymond Bonner, The Atlantic, January 20, 2018. Article: Negotiations between Venezuelan regime and opposition making "good progress," Chilean mediator says by Karina Martin, Panam Post, December 4, 2017. Article: Venezuela stops accepting dollars for oil payments following U.S. sanctions by Anatoly Kurmanaev, The Wall Street Journal, September 13, 2017. Article: CIA chief hints agency is working to change Venezuelan government by Andrew Buncombe, Independent, July 25, 2017. Transcript: The view from Langley, The Aspen Institute, July 20, 2017. Article: The dirty hand of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in Venezuela by Eva Golinger, April 25, 2014. Article: On democracy and orchestrated overthrows in Venezuela and Ukraine by Howard Friel, Common Dreams, March 17, 2014. Article: U.S. repeals propaganda ban, spreads government-made news to Americans by John Hudson, Foreign Policy, July 14, 2013. Article: Speaking of Abrams, what did he know about genocide in Guatemala? by Jim Lobe, Lob Log, May 10, 2013. Article: Former leader of Guatemala is guilty of genocide against Mayan group by Elisabeth Malkin, The New York Times, May 10, 2013. Article: The Maya genocide trial by Peter Canby, The New Yorker, May 3, 2013. Book Review: Big fruit by Daniel Kurtz-Phelan, The New York Times, March 2, 2008. Report: USA: Below the radar - Secret flights to torture and 'disappearance', Amnesty.org, April 5, 2006. Article: What I didn't find in Africa by Joseph C. Wilson IV, The New York Times, July 6, 2003. Report: From madness to hope: the 12-year war in El Salvador: Report of the Commission on the Truth for El Salvador, United States Insitute of Peace, January 26, 2001. Article: The politics of neoliberalism in postwar El Salvador by Chris van der Borgh, JSTOR, Spring 2000. Article: Dirty hands by Benjamin Schwarz, The Atlantic, December 1998. Article: 12 years of tortured truth on El Salvador by Guy Gugliotta and Douglas Farah, The Washington Post, March 21, 1993. Article: How U.S. actions helped hide Salvador human rights abuses by Clifford Krauss, The New York Times, March 21, 1993. Article: The pardons; Bush pardons 6 in Iran affair, aborting a Weinberger trial; Prosecutor assails 'cover-up' by David Johnston, The New York Times, December 25, 1992. Article: Democracy's lies by Eric Alterman, The New York Times, November 4, 1991. Article: Contra inquiry to focus on Abrams's silent role by David Johnson, The New York Times, October 9, 1991. Report: Aid compensates for economic losses but achieves little growth, U.S. General Accounting Office, February 1991. Article: Turnover in Nicaragua; Americans laud result but differ on moral by Elaine Sciolino, The New York Times, February 27, 1990. Article: Bush's trade; Behind the transformation of Central American policy by Robert Pear, The New York Times, April 16, 1989. Article: The Reagan White House; Tower report tarnishes the luster of Abrams, point man on contra aid by Richard J. Meislin, The New York Times, March 4, 1987. Article: The White House crisis; Memos raise questions on Reagan's knowledge of contra aid operations by Jeff Gerth, The New York Times, March 2, 1987. Article: The White House crisis; Guatemala aided contras, despite denials, panel says by Richard J. Meislin, The New York Times, February 28, 1987. Article: The White House crisis; The unfolding of a secret White House policy: A clearer picture emerges by Robert Pear, The New York Times, February 27, 1987. Article: The White House crisis: The tower report inquiry finds Reagan and chief advisers responsible for 'chaos' in Iran arms deals; Reagan also blamed by Steven. V. Roberts, The New York Times, February 27, 1987. Article: The White House crisis; The deception inquiry finds Reagan and chief advisors responsible for 'chaos' in Iran arms deals; White House cast wide net in seeking aid for contras; The missing notes by Fox Butterfield, The New York Times, February 27, 1987. Article: An innocent victim of the Iran scandal by Walter F. Mondale and Frank J. Fahrenkopf Jr., The New York Times, February 23, 1987. Article: Senators challenge officials on contras by David K. Shipler, The New York Times, February 6, 1987. Article: Adding pieces to the puzzle: A new chronology of the Iran-contra affair, The New York Times, February 1, 1987. Article: Senators charge a web of deceit in Iranian affair by David E. Rosenbaum, The New York Times, January 30, 1987. Article: C.I.A. said to guide contras' military despite ban on aid by James Lemoyne, The New York Times, January 11, 1987. Article: The White House crisis: Getting supplies to the contras; U.S. got reports on contra arms by Joel Brinkley, The New York Times, December 17, 1986. Article: The White House crisis: First hint of Hasenfus; Bush staff got calls about contra plane by Gerald M. Boyd, The New York Times, December 16, 1986. Article: The White House crisis: Contacts in Central America; U.S. oversaw supplies to rebels, officials say by James Lemoyne, The New York Times, December 8, 1986. Article: The White House crisis: Voices that contradict; How contras got arms: An account from a crew by James Lemoyne, The New York Times, December 4, 1986. Article: The White House crisis: The view from Teheran; 20 planeloads of U.S. arms reported flown to Iran, The New York Times, November 29, 1986. Article: The White House crisis: President will not be called; Iran money reported diverted in '85, The New York Times, November 28, 1986. Article: White House shake-up: A task is handed to State Dept.; Israel now says it sent arms at request of U.S., The New York Times, November 26, 1986. Article: Iran payment found diverted to contras; Reagan security adviser and aide are out by Bernard Weinraub, The New York Times, November 26, 1986. Article: White House shake-up: What the lawyers say; New doubt raised on responsibility by Stephen Engelberg, The New York Times, November 26, 1986. Article: C.I.A. begins training 70 Nicaraguan rebels, The New York Times, November 20, 1986. Article: President orders sales of weapons to Iran stopped by Bernard Weintraub, The New York Times, November 20, 1986. Article: At O.A.S., many reject the contras by Stephen Kinzer, The New York Times, November 15, 1986. Article: Contras plan assault by radio by Milt Freudenheim and James F. Clarity, The New York Times, November 9, 1986. Article: Congress plans to investigate covert policies by Stephen Engelberg, The New York Times, November 9, 1986. Article: Contras to start new radio station by Stephen Engelberg, The New York Times, November 5, 1986. Article: Contra aid: Who art the planners? by Leslie H. Gelb, The New York Times, October 23, 1986. Article: Let's get the facts on Nicaragua; Is the C.I.A. involved? by Patrick J. Leahy, The New York Times, October 23, 1986. Article: U.S. again denies a Nicaragua role by David K. Shipler, The New York Times, October 16, 1986. Article: White House official linked to arms deliveries to contras, The New York Times, October 15, 1986. Article: Close aide to Bush linked to figure helping contras by Philip Shenon, The New York Times, October 13, 1986. Article: U.S. says contras get more supplies by Stephen Engelberg, The New York Times, October 12, 1986. Article: U.S. prisoner in Nicaragua says C.I.A. ran contra supply flights by James Lemoyne, The New York Times, October 10, 1986. Article: A U.S. agency used plane lost in Nicaragua by Richard Halloran, The New York Times, October 10, 1986. Article: Reagan calls plane's crew a new Lincoln Brigade by Richard Halloran, The New York Times, October 9, 1986. Article: Don't sell democracy short by Morton Kondracke, The New York Times, September 22, 1986. Article: El Salvador rejects contra training, The New York Times, August 27, 1986. Article: U.S. vetoes rebuke on aid to contras by Elaine Sciolino, The New York Times, August 1, 1986. Article: C.I.A. is assigned role of running contra activities by Bernard Gwertzman, The New York Times, July 12, 1986. Article: Overseeing of C.I.A. by Congress has produced decade of support, The New York Times, July 7, 1986. Article: Excerpts from rulings by the world court, The New York Times, June 28, 1986. Article: World court supports Nicaragua after U.S. rejected judges' role by Paul Lewis, The New York Times, June 28, 1986. Article: House votes, 221-209, to aid rebel forces in Nicaragua; Major victory for Reagan by Linda Greenhouse, The New York Times, June 26, 1986. Article: Ex-officers accuse contra chiefs of siphoning off U.S. aid money by David K. Shipler, The New York Times, June 21, 1986. Article: Millions in contra aid misused, G.A.O. says, The New York Times, June 12, 1986. Article: Contras are said to receive new arms, The New York Times, April 24, 1986. Article: C.I.A. aid to rebels reported, The New York Times, April 14, 1986. Article: Inquiry reported into contra arms, The New York Times, April 11, 1986. Article: White House tells of Honduran plea by Gerald M. Boyd, The New York Times, March 27, 1986. Article: Nicaragua denies its troops invaded Honduras by Stephen Kinzer, The New York Times, March 26, 1986. Article: Lawmakers say new raid will help cause of contras by Steven V. Roberts, The New York Times, March 26, 1986. Article: C.I.A. is reported set to channel aid to contras by Richard Halloran, The New York Times, March 18, 1986. Article: U.S. said to weigh training contras by Richard Halloran, The New York Times, March 14, 1986. Article: Reagan says the choice is between backing him or communists by Gerald M. Boyd, The New York Times, March 7, 1986. Article: U.S. is said to aid contras via Salvador by James Lemoyne, The New York Times, February 13, 1986. Article: Latin ministers urge U.S. to halt aid to contras, The New York Times, February 11, 1986. Article: C.I.A. defends contras' behavior, The New York Times, February 3, 1986. Article: In the nation; The old scare tactic by Tom Wicker, The New York Times, January 6, 1986. Article: Reagan urges arms aid for Nicaragua rebels by Bernard Weinraub, The New York Times, December 15, 1985. Article: Major news in summary; U.S. says Cubans fight in Nicaragua, The New York Times, December 8, 1985. Article: Push the Russians, intellectuals say by Robert Pear, The New York Times, November 25, 1985. Article: Latin arms trade detailed in court by Richard Bernstein, The New York Times, September 17, 1985. Article: World court hearing Nicaragua's case against U.S. by Richard Bernstein, The New York Times, September 13, 1985. Article: Nicaragua's American lawyers prepare case by Shirley Christian, The New York Times, September 8, 1985. Article: U.S. aide's ties to contras challenged by Jonathan Fuerbringer, The New York Times, September 5, 1985. Article: Role in Nicaragua described by U.S. by Gerald M. Boyd, The New York Times, August 9, 1985. Article: Nicaragua rebels getting advice from White House on operations, The New York Times, August 8, 1985. Article: House-Senate conference approves restricted aid to rebels by Steven V. Roberts, The New York Times, July 26, 1985. Article: Rights group says U.S. distorts Nicaragua reports by Susan F. Rasky, The New York Times, July 16, 1985. Article: Major news in summary; House bows on Nicaragua, The New York Times, June 16, 1985. Article: A consensus on rebel aid by Steven V. Roberts, The New York Times, June 14, 1985. Article: Key congressman to praise embargo, The New York Times, May 2, 1985. Article: The message of sanctions by Bernard Gwertzman, The New York Times, May 2, 1985. Article: Rebuff for the President by Hedrick Smith, The New York Times, April 26, 1985. Article: Nicaragua rebels accused of abuses by Larry Rohter, The New York Times, March 7, 1985. Article: Brights report on Nicaragua cites recent rebel activities by Joel Brinkley, The New York Times, March 6, 1985. Article: Nicaragua rebels reported to have new flow of arms by Philip Taubman, The New York Times, January 13, 1985. Article: A threadbare C.I.A. defense William Casey's first public statement on C.I.A.'s manual for war against Nicaragua is as peculiar as the document it tries to justify, the New York Times, November 3, 1984. Article: Rebel asserts C.I.A. pledged help in war against Sandinistas by Joel Brinkley, The New York Times, November 1, 1984. Article: Honduras key to U.S. role in Central America by Gordon Mott, The New York Times Magazine, October 14, 1984. Article: Abroad at home; Free market terrorism by Anthony Lewis, The New York Times, September 13, 1984. Article: Help to Salvador cheers U.S. aides, The New York Times, August 13, 1984. Article: The world; Reagan's war over Nicaragua by Milt Freudenheim and Henry Giniger, The New York Times, July 22, 1984. Article: CIA funding reportedly aids Duarte campaign by Julia Preston, The Boston Globe, May 4, 1984. Article: U.S. actions and statements in the dispute over Nicaragua by William G. Blair, The New York Times, April 12, 1984. Article: House group joins in opposing mining Nicaraguan ports by Bernard Gwertzman, The New York Times, April 12, 1984. Article: U.S. lifts embargo on military sales to Guatemalans by Bernard Gwertzman, The New York Times, January 8, 1983. Archive: Red, pink, white villages Chimaltenango, GWU, November 10, 1982. Article: El Salvador's land program: Fervor on both sides by Raymond Bonner, The New York Times, March 5, 1982. Article: Massacre of hundreds reported in Salvador village by Raymond Bonner, The New York Times, January 27, 1982. Article: El Salvador -- one of Ronald Reagan's first foreign-policy challenges by James Nelson Goodsell, The Christian Science Monitor, December 1, 1980. Resources Book Description: Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA by Tim Weiner, Indie Bound Encyclopedia Britannica: Boland Amendment, US Legislation Freedom House: Board and Staff Freedom House: Our History International Republican Institute: Board of Directors National Democratic Institute: Board of Directors National Endowment for Democracy: Venezuela 2017 Report ProPublica Report: Audit for period ending September 2017, International Republican Institute ProPublica Report: Tax Filings and Audits by Year, National Democratic Institute for International Affairs Search: "In the Name of Democracy" carouthers Google Book search Community Suggestions See Community Suggestions HERE. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)

Venezuela scholar George Ciccariello-Maher and journalist Kim Ives discuss recent developments and examine the massive protests rocking Haiti’s U.S.-backed president.  The Intercept’s Jon Schwarz details the bloody and murderous career of Elliott Abrams, the man now in charge of U.S.-Venezuela operations.  And journalist Sharif Abdel Kouddous explains the failed revolution in Egypt and outlines U.S.-backed dictator General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s plot to make himself president for life.

UNLOCKED Matt and Will discuss the life and career of Elliot Abrams, the newly appoints "special envoy" to Venezuela who may be the most evil person to ever serve in the US government, with The Intercept's Jon Schwarz Read Jonathan's piece here: https://theintercept.com/2019/01/30/elliott-abrams-venezuela-coup/

We speak to The Intercept's Jon Schwarz about his latest piece "This Thanksgiving, I'm Grateful for Donald Trump, America's Most Honest President." Jon also goes over why Thanksgiving is the second most important day every year, after Columbus Day, and how Hitler drew inspiration from the slaughter of Native Americans.

How did we get here? Why is America a country where, in just one week, two African-American senior citizens were gunned down in Kentucky, pipe bombs arrived in the mailboxes of over a dozen prominent liberals, and 11 members of a Pittsburgh synagogue were slaughtered at a bris?* How DID we get here? On this episode of Stories Beyond the Headlines, Teresa’s guest, journalist Jon Schwarz from The Intercept shares his definite opinions about what’s happening in America and why. Listen to this thought-provoking episode of Stories Beyond the Headlines.Host: Teresa RodríguezShowrunner: Carmen LucasEditor: Andy StermerLinks:https://theintercept.com/https://theintercept.com/staff/jonschwarz/Revolver Podcasts would like to thank journalist Jon Schwarz from The Intercept.Click below to Subscribe on:Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/teresa-rodriguez-stories-beyond-the-headlines/id1294144122Google Play Music: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iximr5uqwege67iw77vl4h5n3uqSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2aUY1JSXldLbsG0MppTp0fiHeart Radio App: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/teresa-rodriguez-stories-beyond-the-headlines-28549674/

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

This week, investigative reporter Allan Nairn breaks down Trump's relationship with the CIA and the killer assembly of neocons and right-wing conspiracists running the U.S. war machine. Princeton professor Keeanga Yamahtta-Taylor dismantles Obama's problematic legacy and offers strategic advice for resisting Trump. The Intercept's own distinguished alt-historian, Jon Schwarz, offers a lesson on the origins of presidential executive orders. And Kimya Dawson gives a raw performance of a new song about racism and the police state.

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

Jon Schwarz's new job is with The Intercept. He previously worked for Michael Moore's Dog Eat Dog Films and was Research Producer for Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story. He's contributed to many publications, including The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, Mother Jones and Slate, as well as NPR and “Saturday Night Live.” In 2003 he collected on a $1,000 bet that Iraq would have no weapons of mass destruction. See: https://theintercept.com/staff/jonschwarz