Podcasts about nusra

Rick Sterling is a retired engineer in the electronics and aerospace industries and at the University of California at Berkeley. Since then he has been an investigative journalist whose research focuses on international relations and a strong advocate for human rights causes.  His writing involves  the struggles against imperialism and supporting justice in the Middle East, Latin America and US-Russia relations.  Rick is a board member of Task Force for the Americas; he is currently the board president of Mount Diablo Peace and Justice Center and a co-founder of the Syria Solidarity Movement, which opposes imperialist interests in Syria.  Rick has visited Syria many times and was an election observer in 2021. He was among the small group of independent journalists who exposed the White Helmets as a faux humanitarian organization with ties to al-Nusra or al-Qaeda, the false accusations of Assad's use of chemical weapons, and western media deceptions about the former Syrian government before its downfall. Rick lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, and his organization's website is SyriaSolidarityMovement.org

Syrian rebel commanders have admitted that the US military helped them overthrow the government of Bashar al-Assad. NATO member Turkey and Israel played a key role as well. Ben Norton reviews the evidence. VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qicLi6kqt7M Topics 0:00 Intro 0:41 US troops occupy Syria's oil & wheat fields 2:56 US military oversaw Syrian rebel assault 6:22 Turkey backed Syrian rebel operation 6:48 Israel helped Syrian rebels 8:06 US military funded Syrian rebels 10:54 Rebranded Al-Qaeda takes over Syria 12:19 USA & Turkey carve up Syria 13:05 Israel colonizes Syrian land 14:31 Jake Sullivan: "AQ is on our side in Syria" 15:15 CIA armed & trained Syrian rebels 16:18 Jabhat al-Nusra rebrands as HTS 17:20 US diplomats meet with HTS leader al-Jolani 19:12 Western media whitewashes Al-Qaeda 2.0 21:05 Outro

Last week marked a historic turning point in Syria. Rebel forces seized control of the nation, toppling the regime of Bashar al-Assad and ending his family's brutal 50-year stranglehold on power. For decades, the Assad dynasty ruled through unimaginable violence—launching chemical attacks on civilians, silencing dissent with mass imprisonment and torture, and presiding over a civil war that killed an estimated 600,000 people and drove 13 million into exile. In cities across the world, jubilant Syrians have celebrated the regime's downfall, having deemed it to be one of the world's most oppressive dictatorships. But not everyone is celebrating. Or at least, some people are saying there is reason for caution. That's because the coalition of rebel forces taking control of Syria now is led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, a militant Islamist organization which originated as an offshoot of al-Qaeda. Its leader is a Saudi-born Syrian who calls himself Abu Mohammad al-Jolani. A 21-year-old al-Jolani left Syria for Iraq in 2003 to join al-Qaeda and fight against America. There, he was captured by the U.S. and put into Bucca jail, which housed some of the most notorious al-Qaeda prisoners. But since emerging on the world stage in the last week, al-Jolani has indicated that he is a reformed man, leading a moderated organization. He insists his al-Qaeda days and their methods—the detentions and torture and forced conversions—are over, and HTS is not going to persecute religious and ethnic minorities. But is it… true?  Few people in the West might know that answer as well as journalist Theo Padnos. In October 2012, Padnos ventured from Turkey into Syria to report on the Syrian Civil War. There, he was captured by HTS (then known as Jabhat al-Nusra) and held captive for nearly two years.  Throughout his captivity, Padnos endured relentless torture at the hands of his captors. He was savagely beaten until unconscious, given electric shocks, and forced into severe stress positions for hours at a time. All of this is to say nothing of the psychological torment inflicted on him. Today, he joins Michael Moynihan to discuss his harrowing experience, the psychology of jihadists, and what the future of Syria will look like under the leadership of his former captors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Syrian government was overthrown, and Salafi-jihadist rebels led by a rebranded version of Al-Qaeda called Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) took power in Damascus. US President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu boasted of helping topple Bashar al-Assad. NATO member Turkey played a key role as well. Ben Norton explains how the West dealt a major blow to the Axis of Resistance and Iran. VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8pZgwOdIuA Al-Qaeda-linked ‘rebels' in Syria say they ‘love Israel'. USA gave them billions in weapons & support: https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2024/12/06/al-qaeda-rebels-syria-israel-usa/ US troops are occupying Syria's oil fields. Congress refuses to withdraw them: https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2023/12/12/us-troops-occupy-syria-oil-congress-withdraw/ Topics 0:00 Syrian government is overthrown 3:17 Al-Qaeda leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani 4:39 AQ rebrands: Jabhat al-Nusra to Jabhat Fatah al-Sham to HTS 6:16 Western media whitewashed Osama bin Laden 7:53 Jake Sullivan: "AQ is on our side in Syria" 8:49 CIA spends billions arming Salafi-jihadists 10:06 Diplomat says HTS is US "asset" 11:33 HTS' medieval rule in Syria 12:44 Libya: where NATO brought back slavery 15:40 (CLIP) Biden takes credit for overthrowing Assad 16:58 Syrian Al-Qaeda got US weapons 17:24 Turkey backed Syrian assault 17:50 Ukraine's role in Syria 18:30 Israel boasts of Syria regime change 19:12 (CLIP) Netanyahu: Israel helped topple Assad 19:26 Israel supported Syrian rebels 20:38 Syrian rebels say they "love Israel" 22:09 Israel seizes more Syrian territory 23:15 Axis of Resistance is weakened 25:15 Syria's territorial integrity 26:41 US military occupies Syria's oil fields 27:19 (CLIP) Trump boasts: I took Syria's oil 27:46 Congress backs US military occupation of Syria 28:33 US starved Syria of oil revenue 29:43 Western sanctions suffocated Syria's economy 32:42 Inflation in Syria 33:35 This is not about "authoritarianism" 36:08 US strategy to collapse Syrian state 37:30 (CLIP) US official outlines Syria regime-change plan 39:46 Will Syria's borders be changed? 41:41 Iran: the ultimate US target 42:45 (CLIP) Wesley Clark: US planned to topple 7 governments 43:38 US collapsed 6 of 7 states on regime-change list 44:34 Will US war on Iran be next? 46:24 Outro

Actualmente, Siria se encuentra en una inmersa en una intensificación del conflicto en el noroeste del país, con avances significativos de las fuerzas rebeldes lideradas por Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) y las contra-respuestas del régimen de Bashar al-Assad y sus aliados. En los últimos días, los rebeldes capturaron posiciones estratégicas cerca de Alepo y Hama, mientras que las fuerzas sirias y rusas han intensificado los bombardeos en represalia, provocando desplazamientos masivos y una grave crisis humanitaria. Esta escalada ocurre en un momento crítico para Siria, destacando las divisiones internas y la intervención continua de actores internacionales. Los grupos islamistas han sido actores clave en el conflicto desde sus inicios. Organizaciones como HTS, el Frente al-Nusra y el Estado Islámico han desempeñado roles complejos, luchando tanto contra el régimen como entre ellos mismos, fragmentando la oposición. Estos grupos han exacerbado la violencia en el país, mientras intentan consolidar territorios bajo su control. Por otro lado, la supervivencia del régimen de Assad ha sido garantizada principalmente por la intervención de Rusia e Irán. Rusia, con su apoyo aéreo y logístico desde 2015, ha permitido al gobierno recuperar territorios estratégicos y ha protegido diplomáticamente a Siria en el Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU. Irán, a través de financiamiento, asesoramiento militar y el despliegue de milicias como Hezbolá, ha asegurado la estabilidad del régimen mientras avanza su propia agenda regional en el Levante. En el norte de Siria, Turquía ha llevado a cabo múltiples operaciones militares, justificadas como medidas de seguridad contra las milicias kurdas vinculadas al Partido de los Trabajadores de Kurdistán (PKK). Estas acciones han desplazado a cientos de miles de kurdos, generando denuncias de ingeniería demográfica en las zonas ocupadas por Turquía y sus aliados. Las consecuencias humanitarias y políticas son profundas, con millones de desplazados, tensiones regionales y una nación fragmentada que enfrenta desafíos monumentales para lograr la estabilidad y la paz.La oposición turca ha recibido a lo largo de los años apoyos de países de corte islamista como la propia Turquía (con el apoyo económico de Catar) y de Arabia Saudita, aunque este último apoyando a los grupos no islamistas que tienen una posición diferente a la suya. La situación de Siria nos lleva a pensar qué puede pasar en la región: permitir que esto se convierta en un Irak 2.0 podría ser catastrófico. Assad es un mal necesario y un peligro menor que la llegada de los islamistas al poder del país. El incendio que podría provocar el empoderamiento de los radicales puede poner contra las cuerdas cualquier intención de estabilizar incluso lo inestable que es por la lucha constante entre Irán y sus otros competidores regionales. El nivel de desastre que se avecina, si no se controla el avance de los rebeldes, no será un problema solo para Siria y sus aliados, sino para toda la zona, que puede sucumbir frente a un desastre aún no calculado hasta este momento.Fuente: Radio Sefarad.

Wojska opozycji syryjskiej zdobyły prawie całe Aleppo i w ciągu kilku dni dotarły do miasta Hama osiągając największe zdobycze terytorialne od 2016 roku. Na czele operacji stoi grupa o nazwie Hayat Tahrir al-Sham wywodząca się z frontu al-Nusra należącego do Al-Kaidy. W operacji o nazwie „Odparcie agresji” biorą również inne grupy opozycyjne - kontrolowane przez Turcję i Stany Zjednoczone. Jak zachowają się Rosja i Iran, dzięki którym reżim Baszara al-Assada przetrwał tak długo? I jak zdobycze opozycji wykorzysta Turcja, która jest najważniejszym zewnętrznym graczem na północy Syrii? Gość: Karol Wasilewski --------------------------------------------- Raport o stanie świata to audycja, która istnieje dzięki naszym Patronom, dołącz się do zbiórki ➡️ ⁠https://patronite.pl/DariuszRosiak⁠ Subskrybuj newsletter Raportu o stanie świata ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠➡️ ⁠https://dariuszrosiak.substack.com⁠ Koszulki i kubki Raportu ➡️ ⁠https://patronite-sklep.pl/kolekcja/raport-o-stanie-swiata/⁠ [Autopromocja]

//The Wire//2300Z November 29, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: WAR IN SYRIA ESCALATES AMID MAJOR REBEL OFFENSIVE. CYBER INCIDENTS CONTINUE IN EUROPE. CEASEFIRE LARGELY HOLDING IN LEBANON, DESPITE BOTH PARTIES CLAIMING VIOLATIONS.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Russia: As part of a general summit on security topics in Kazakhstan, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a few interesting remarks regarding Donald Trump. Speaking off-the-cuff, Putin made direct references to Trump's safety in the context of his multiple assassination attempts, saying: “By the way, in my view, even now he's not safe. Yes, why? The United States history has seen various developments. But he is a clever and cautious man, I should hope he realizes all that”.Europe: Danish authorities clarify details regarding a nationwide IT outage yesterday, which reportedly began as a small outage before expanding to include rail, cellular networks, and other telecoms infrastructure which were all affected and offline for hours. AC: This could be related to the initial reports of a similar outage in the Netherlands yesterday; either the initial reports of outages in the Netherlands were incorrect or the outages were minor in scale to those of Denmark, which were more substantial. Separately, this afternoon a large-scale cyber incident appeared to strike Russia, with many banking services and financial institutions reporting service interruptions. Russian airline companies also reported similar interruptions to ticketing and booking systems.Georgia: Significant escalations of ongoing domestic tensions emerged overnight as the Prime Minister announced a cessation of Georgia's bid to join the European Union. This announcement reignited unrest among Georgians along two major perspectives: those who support a more pro-EU, pro-West future for Georgia, and those who wish to pivot away from the EU in favor of Russia.Lebanon: The ceasefire largely appears to be holding for the moment. However, over the past 24 hours, both sides have claimed the other violated the ceasefire, with limited skirmishes taking place in the border regions of Lebanon. AC: Of course, the general idea of a ceasefire is for both belligerents to stop shooting at each other completely, which has not happened. However, both sides have reduced the intensity of combat operations to largely consist of isolated ambushes (from Hezbollah) and airstrikes (from Israel). Considering the tradition of the region, a reduction in combat intensity (if not an outright cessation of hostilities) might be the best anyone can hope for at the present moment.Syria: A significant escalation of the war is underway as fighting reaches Aleppo once again. Syrian “rebel” groups have advanced into the city, conducting a large scale offensive (which began a few days ago) toward Aleppo from Idlib. AC: The war in Syria, largely forgotten over the past few years following the 2020 ceasefire agreement, has remained an extremely complex conflict. Over the past few months, one of the many factions at play in the region, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (which evolved from the Jabhat al-Nusra group) has made significant territorial gains, which may now include the fall of Aleppo.-HomeFront-USA: This morning employees of the Amazon corporation conducted a labor strike, with employees from around 20 different countries participating. Most of the grievances appear to be centered around wage increases and demanding Amazon to allow workers to unionize. AC: It's not yet clear as to how this will affect logistics around the world considering that Amazon is not just a retailer of consumer goods, but also a very large provider of data and web services.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: The IT issues experienced throughout Europe over the past few weeks (some minor, some substantial) are quite interesting in the context of the two cable-cut

Curator Hammad Nasar expands ideas of miniature painting, moving around South Asia and Western Europe from the 17th century to now, with Nusra Latif Qureshi's 2009 digital print scroll, Did You Come Here To Find History? Beyond the Page, a touring exhibition of South Asian miniatures, is truly historic and historical. At its core are more than 180 detailed, small-scale works on paper, dating from the 16th to the 18th centuries, the time when the Mughal Empire ruled over much of South Asia. But these miniature paintings are borrowed not from contemporary India or Pakistan, but the British Museum in London, the Tate and V&A, and the Royal Collection. So how did this wealth of South Asian miniature paintings come to be held (and hidden away) in Britain's greatest collections – and what does it mean for this sheer quantity to be here now? Hammad Nasar, one of the exhibition's curators, puts these works in conversation with those by leading contemporary artists from South Asia and its diasporas, including Hamra Abbas, Imran Qureshi, Shahzia Sikander, Khadim Ali, and Ali Kazim. We consider their practice across media, highlighting the different forms in which miniature practice lives and lives on, whether in sculpture, film, or architectural installations. Travelling along Nusra Latif Qureshi's digital-printed scroll, we unpick the layers of portraits, from contemporary passport photographs, to traditional portraits from Venice and Mughal India. With a miniature painting of Saint Rabia, the first female saint in Sufi Islam, Hammad also highlights how women and the body have been represented in Islamic cultures, pluralising perspectives on the past. Connecting Britain and South Asia, we consider the foundation of the world-renowned Miniature Department of the National College of Art in Lahore, Pakistan, and how artists have long engaged with a range of non-Western/European media, including Japanese woodblock prints. Hammad defies the marginalisation of miniatures – due to their size, and ‘non-conventional' means of distribution and display – suggesting that art markets and institutions must ‘grow up' in their appreciation of the media. We also trace migrations and two-way flows, how courtly and Company paintings influenced well-known Dutch Masters like Rembrandt, to Anwar Jalal Shemza, a multidisciplinary artist of modernist and abstract works. Plus, Hammad talks about the ‘empire-shaped hole' in British history, and why it is important that we share uncomfortable histories like the legacy of the East India Company to challenge the displacement of empire, as something that happened over there and then. ‍Beyond the Page: South Asian Miniature Painting and Britain, 1600 to Now runs at MK Gallery in Milton Keynes until 28 January 2024, then The Box in Plymouth in 2024. For more, you can read my article in gowithYamo: gowithyamo.com/blog/small-and-mighty-south-asian-miniature-painting-and-britain-1600-to-now-at-mk-gallery. Part of JOURNEYS, a series of episodes leading to EMPIRE LINES 100. WITH: Hammad Nasar, curator, writer and researcher. He is Senior Research Fellow at the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, London, where he co-leads the London, Asia Programme, and co-curator of the British Art Show 9 (2020–2022). He is the co-curator of Beyond the Page, an exhibition supported by the Bagri Foundation. ART: ‘Did You Come Here To Find History?, Nusra Latif Qureshi (2009)'. PRODUCER: Jelena Sofronijevic. Follow EMPIRE LINES on Instagram: instagram.com/empirelinespodcast And Twitter: twitter.com/jelsofron/status/1306563558063271936 Support EMPIRE LINES on Patreon: patreon.com/empirelines

Bu video 10/04/2016 tarihinde yayınlanan “Meşru Siyaset ve Makyavelist Politikacılar” isimli bamtelinden alınmıştır. Tamamı burada: https://www.herkul.org/bamteli/bamtel... İsterlerse çarmıhlar hazırlasınlar; gayr-i meşru siyasetten ve makyavelist şerirlerden Allah'a sığınıp yolumuza devam edeceğiz!.. *Bu hadise bizim adalet ve hakkaniyet felsefemizin menkıbeleşmiş şeklidir. Biz buyduk. Bizi böyle olmaktan çıkaran, bizi şahıs, toplum ve millet deformasyonuna uğratan, küfre ait evsafı Müslümanlıkla karıştırıp çorba yapan, her şeyi karmakarışık hale getirip ciddi bir dejenerasyona sebebiyet veren gayr-i meşru siyaset olmuştur. Hazreti Üstad da “Eûzü billahi mine'ş-şeytâni ve's-siyâseti – Şeytandan ve siyasetten Allah'a sığınırım.” diyerek işte o makyavelist siyaseti zemmetmiştir. *Cenâb-ı Hak, ferden, cemaaten ve milleten Raşit Halifeler'in yolunda yürümeye bizleri muvaffak eylesin. Yürüdüğünüz yol budur. Hiçbir şeyden endişe etmeyin Allah'ın izni ve inayetiyle. İsterlerse sizi çarmıhlara gersinler; isterlerse Ashab-ı Uhdud'un yaptığı gibi paramparça etsinler, çukurlara atsınlar, üzerinize diri diri toprak salsınlar!.. Yürüdüğünüz yolun doğruluğundan eminseniz -Emin misiniz?!.- hiç tereddüt etmeden, dine ve insanlığa hizmet etmeye bakın!.. *Birleri nasıl binler yaparız? İslam'ın bu güzel çehresini bütün dünyaya nasıl duyururuz? İnsanlığı muhtaç olduğu o hakikatle nasıl buluştururuz? Nasıl bütün gönüllere su serpmiş ve herkesi serinletmiş oluruz? İslam kevserini âleme nasıl içirmiş oluruz? İslam'ı gerçek ruhuyla bilmeyen, onu IŞİD'de okuyan, en-Nusra'da okuyan, Boko Haram'da okuyan, el-Kaide'de okuyan, Murabıtîn'de okuyan kimselerdeki yanlış telakkileri nasıl değiştirir; onun gerçek Muhammedî yüzünü, Ebu Bekrî yüzünü, Ömerî yüzünü, Osmanî yüzünü, Aliyyî yüzünü nasıl gösteririz? Sevilmesi gerekli olan bu ilahî sistemi, bu Allah vaz'ını insanlara nasıl sevdiririz? Neticede bazıları kabul eder, bazıları sempatiyle bakar, bazıları dost olur, bazıları ilişmemeyi şiar edinir. Böylece dünya huzur ve sükûnu teessüs eder Allah'ın izni ve inayetiyle. İşte sizi bekleyen budur ve üzerinde yoğunlaşmanız gerekli olan hususlar da bunlardır.

Former UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, Khawla Mattar, charts her path from covering the Lebanese civil war as a young journalist to her long career in the multilateral system. Starting out as the “joke of the UN” - an Arab Muslim woman not expected to succeed in negotiating with extremists - she quickly proved doubters wrong by crossing into ISIL and al-Nusra territory and successfully negotiating local ceasefires. Her first-hand account of wartime Syria not only reveals the horrors and desperation of war, but also her admiration for the resilience of young Syrians and her unwavering hope for a rebuilt country.

DiploChatz welcomes you to our First Season - Episode 5! Episode 5 Description:DiploChatz Episode 5 is joined by the NNIC International Exchange Programs Manager Stacy Kinion who is running the Algerian Youth Leadership Program (AYLP). AYLP is a NNIC's flagship international exchange program that celebrates 13th year anniversary in 2022. AYLP provides a leadership development opportunity for Algerian and American youth through engagement in activities both in a range of public and community setting. Stacy will chat about AYLP more in depth in this episode.  Guest 2: Andrea, Ozora, Nusra, Vlad and Daniel join us to chat about the Academic Cultural Conversations and Exchange Program to Thrive (A.C.C.E.P.T.). This program was a collaboration between the Northern Nevada International Center and The Davison Academy of Nevada part of the University of Nevada, Reno. Hear directly from the students about the impact that this exchange program had in all of them and the growth that took place during their participation. Learn more about The Davison Academy of Nevada.  DiploChatz Global Engagement Question of the MonthSend responses to:  diplochatz@nnic.orgWhat is your personal highlight of 2021 for you? What are you looking forward to in 2022?DiploChatz featured on-going Segment:Every month DiploChatz proudly features a segment called Mindfulness Moment with Dr. Yvonne Stedham. This segment provides practical advice on how mindfulness can support you in your daily life.Who is Dr. Yvonne?In addition to a three decade long career in academia as a professor in the College of Business at the University of Nevada, Reno, Dr. Yvonne Stedham is a Center for Mindfulness trained mindfulness instructor. She has taught Mindful Leadership courses to MBA students, judges, and business executives and has a variety provided mindfulness programs to many organizations, including Microsoft, Hometown Health, and Nevada Department of Transportation. Dr. Yvonne has been continuously affiliated with the Northern Nevada International Center for decades.Supported by:DiploChatz is supported by the City of Reno. Click HERE to learn more about the City of Reno. We thank the City of Reno for their support and for believing in DiploChatz!Learn more about NNIC:Visit our website to learn more about the Northern Nevada International CenterCredits:Manuel Mederos, DiploChatz Host, Producer, Audio Editor, Content Director, Sound Engineer, FX/Music Coordinator Kevin Sung, DiploChatz Co-Host, Guest Coordinator, Social Media Content Creator Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=EAZG26HZY6MMN&source=url)

Ankara Rüzgârı'nda Türkiye gündemini değerlendiren Zülfikar Doğan, organize suç elebaşı Sedat Peker'in art arda yayınladığı iki videoyla İçişleri Bakanı Süleyman Soylu başta olmak üzere, AKP MKYK üyesi Metin Külünk, iktidara yakın bazı medya mensuplarıyla yargı mensupları hakkında çok çarpıcı iddiaları gündeme getirdiğini söyledi.Sezgin Baran Korkmaz'ın Bodrum'daki tatil köyünde ağırlanan bazı iktidar gazetecileriyle, yargı mensuplarına çağrıda bulunarak binlerce dolar-euro tutarındaki konaklama bedelini ödediklerine dair faturaları açıklamalarını istediğini kaydeden Doğan; ‘Peker bir kez daha bakan soyluyu sıkıntıya sokacak bir iddiayı dillendirdi. Daha önce kendisini de bir yakını aracılığıyla Soylu'nun yardığını ve yurt dışına çıkmasını ilettiğini öne süren Peker, bu kez de Baran Korkmaz'ı İçişleri Bakanlığı'na çağıran Soylu'nun uyardığını, 45 milyon dolarlık alacağına ve Bodrum'daki tatil köyüne çöküldüğünü ileri sürdü. Milletvekillerine çanta çanta para gönderdiğini, AKP'nin seçim kampanyasında dağıttığı Türk kahvelerinin on milyonlarca TL tutan bedelini kendisinin ödediğini iddia eden Peker, seçim dönemlerinde AKP'ye ve bazı vekillere para verdiklerini, otomobillerine para bıraktıklarını söyledi. İktidar cephesi Peker'in iddiaları karşısında yine suskunluk stratejisine yöneldi. Ancak Erdoğan'ın akrabalarına, yakın çevresindeki vekillere, AKP üst yönetiminde görev alan siyasilere uzanan bu iddia ve ithamlara ne kadar suskun kalınarak geçiştirilecek. İktidar sussa, iktidar medyası görmese de tüm bu söylenenler kamuoyunda, toplumda bir tortu bırakıyor. Siyasi kulislerde AKP'nin içinin fokur fokur kaynadığı, Erdoğan'ın da giderek tepkileri dizginlemekte zorlanacağı ileri sürülüyor' dedi.14 Haziran'daki Biden-Erdoğan randevusuna hazırlanan iktidarın Peker'in Suriye'de Nusra ve diğer örgütlere silah yardımı, IŞİD ile petrol ticareti gibi iddiaları karşısında izlediği stratejinin sonuçlarının görüşme sırasında ve sonrasındaki gelişmelerle ortaya çıkabileceğini kaydeden Doğan, Erdoğan'ın Brüksel buluşması öncesinde olağanüstü kabine toplantısı yapmayı kararlaştırdığını ve bu hafta 10 Haziran'da Biden'e hazırlık için kabine toplantısının erkene çekildiğini vurguladı.TÜİK'in Mayıs ayı enflasyon verilerinin her zamanki güvenilirlik ve gerçeklik tartışmalarına yol açtığını ifade eden Doğan, Cumhurbaşkanının Merkez Bankası Başkanından faizleri indirmesini istediğini açıklamasından sonra 17 Haziran'daki Para Politikası Kurulu'nun da Başkan Şahap Kavcıoğlu açısından siyasi talimatla faiz kararı alıp almama konusunda adeta test olacağını kaydetti.Gezici Araştırma'nın Habertürk'te duyurduğu son kamuoyu anketinde olası Cumhurbaşkanı seçiminde CHP lideri Kılıçdaroğlu'nun Erdoğan'ı yaklaşık 3 puan geçtiğini açıkladığına dikkat çeken Doğan; ‘Son dönemde Kılıçdaroğlu'nun adaylığı konusunda siyasi spekülasyonlar artıyor. İYİ Parti Genel Başkanı Akşener'in Millet İttifakı'nın tek adayla seçime gitmesi görüşünü açıklaması da bu açıdan dikkat çekici. Ancak kanımca bu tip anketlerle Kılıçdaroğlu'na gaz verilerek Erdoğan karşısında aday olması ve Erdoğan'a kazanma zemininin hazırlanması gibisinden bir strateji izleniyor. Sanki Kılıçdaroğlu'nu Erdoğan'ın önüne geçirerek adaylığa mecbur etme ve Millet İttifakı'nı parçalama doğrultusunda bir manipülasyon yapılıyor' diye konuştu.Zülfikar Doğan ile Ankara Rüzgârı'nı buradan dinleyebilirsiniz.

Ankara Rüzgârı'nda Türkiye gündemini değerlendiren Zülfikar Doğan, organize suç elebaşı Sedat Peker'in art arda yayınladığı iki videoyla İçişleri Bakanı Süleyman Soylu başta olmak üzere, AKP MKYK üyesi Metin Külünk, iktidara yakın bazı medya mensuplarıyla yargı mensupları hakkında çok çarpıcı iddiaları gündeme getirdiğini söyledi. Sezgin Baran Korkmaz'ın Bodrum'daki tatil köyünde ağırlanan bazı iktidar gazetecileriyle, yargı mensuplarına çağrıda bulunarak binlerce dolar-euro tutarındaki konaklama bedelini ödediklerine dair faturaları açıklamalarını istediğini kaydeden Doğan; ‘Peker bir kez daha bakan soyluyu sıkıntıya sokacak bir iddiayı dillendirdi. Daha önce kendisini de bir yakını aracılığıyla Soylu'nun yardığını ve yurt dışına çıkmasını ilettiğini öne süren Peker, bu kez de Baran Korkmaz'ı İçişleri Bakanlığı'na çağıran Soylu'nun uyardığını, 45 milyon dolarlık alacağına ve Bodrum'daki tatil köyüne çöküldüğünü ileri sürdü. Milletvekillerine çanta çanta para gönderdiğini, AKP'nin seçim kampanyasında dağıttığı Türk kahvelerinin on milyonlarca TL tutan bedelini kendisinin ödediğini iddia eden Peker, seçim dönemlerinde AKP'ye ve bazı vekillere para verdiklerini, otomobillerine para bıraktıklarını söyledi. İktidar cephesi Peker'in iddiaları karşısında yine suskunluk stratejisine yöneldi. Ancak Erdoğan'ın akrabalarına, yakın çevresindeki vekillere, AKP üst yönetiminde görev alan siyasilere uzanan bu iddia ve ithamlara ne kadar suskun kalınarak geçiştirilecek. İktidar sussa, iktidar medyası görmese de tüm bu söylenenler kamuoyunda, toplumda bir tortu bırakıyor. Siyasi kulislerde AKP'nin içinin fokur fokur kaynadığı, Erdoğan'ın da giderek tepkileri dizginlemekte zorlanacağı ileri sürülüyor' dedi. 14 Haziran'daki Biden-Erdoğan randevusuna hazırlanan iktidarın Peker'in Suriye'de Nusra ve diğer örgütlere silah yardımı, IŞİD ile petrol ticareti gibi iddiaları karşısında izlediği stratejinin sonuçlarının görüşme sırasında ve sonrasındaki gelişmelerle ortaya çıkabileceğini kaydeden Doğan, Erdoğan'ın Brüksel buluşması öncesinde olağanüstü kabine toplantısı yapmayı kararlaştırdığını ve bu hafta 10 Haziran'da Biden'e hazırlık için kabine toplantısının erkene çekildiğini vurguladı. TÜİK'in Mayıs ayı enflasyon verilerinin her zamanki güvenilirlik ve gerçeklik tartışmalarına yol açtığını ifade eden Doğan, Cumhurbaşkanının Merkez Bankası Başkanından faizleri indirmesini istediğini açıklamasından sonra 17 Haziran'daki Para Politikası Kurulu'nun da Başkan Şahap Kavcıoğlu açısından siyasi talimatla faiz kararı alıp almama konusunda adeta test olacağını kaydetti. Gezici Araştırma'nın Habertürk'te duyurduğu son kamuoyu anketinde olası Cumhurbaşkanı seçiminde CHP lideri Kılıçdaroğlu'nun Erdoğan'ı yaklaşık 3 puan geçtiğini açıkladığına dikkat çeken Doğan; ‘Son dönemde Kılıçdaroğlu'nun adaylığı konusunda siyasi spekülasyonlar artıyor. İYİ Parti Genel Başkanı Akşener'in Millet İttifakı'nın tek adayla seçime gitmesi görüşünü açıklaması da bu açıdan dikkat çekici. Ancak kanımca bu tip anketlerle Kılıçdaroğlu'na gaz verilerek Erdoğan karşısında aday olması ve Erdoğan'a kazanma zemininin hazırlanması gibisinden bir strateji izleniyor. Sanki Kılıçdaroğlu'nu Erdoğan'ın önüne geçirerek adaylığa mecbur etme ve Millet İttifakı'nı parçalama doğrultusunda bir manipülasyon yapılıyor' diye konuştu. Zülfikar Doğan ile Ankara Rüzgârı'nı buradan dinleyebilirsiniz.

Sesli Köşe-Mehmet Ali Güller-'Sedat'lı, SADAT'lı Nusra silahlarının öyküsü'

Please consider a paid subscription to this daily podcast. Everyday I will interview 2 or more expert guests on a wide range of issues. I will continue to be transparent about my life, issues and vulnerabilities in hopes we can relate, connect and grow together. Join the Stand Up Community An award-winning journalist’s searing, extraordinary account of being kidnapped and tortured in Syria by al Qaeda for two years - a revelatory memoir about war, human nature, and endurance. In 2012, American journalist Theo Padnos, fluent in Arabic, Russian, German, and French, traveled to a Turkish border town to write and report on the Syrian civil war. One afternoon in October, while walking through an olive grove, he met three young Syrians - who turned out to be al Qaeda operatives - and they captured him and kept him prisoner for nearly two years. On his first day, in the first of many prisons, Padnos was given a blindfold - a grime-stained scrap of fabric - that was his only possession throughout his horrific ordeal. Now, in Blindfold, Padnos recounts his time in captivity in Syria, where he was frequently tortured at the hands of the al Qaeda affiliate, Jebhat al Nusra. We learn not only about Padnos' harrowing experience, but we also get a firsthand account of life in a Syrian village, the nature of Islamic prisons, how captors interrogate someone suspected of being CIA, the ways that Islamic fighters shift identities and drift back and forth through the veil of Western civilization, and much more. No other journalist has lived among terrorists for as long as Theo has - and survived. As a resident of 13 separate prisons in every part of rebel-occupied Syria, Theo witnessed a society adrift amid a steady stream of bombings, executions, torture, prayer, fasting, and exhibitions, all staged by the terrorists. Living within this tide of violence changed not only his personal identity but also profoundly altered his understanding of how to live. Offering fascinating, unprecedented insight into the state of Syria today, Blindfold is an astonishing portrait of courage that combines the emotional power of a captive’s memoir with a journalist’s account of a culture and a nation in conflict that is as urgent and important as ever. Derwyn Bunton is the Chief District Defender for Orleans Parish (New Orleans) Louisiana leading the Orleans Public Defenders Office (OPD). Prior to becoming Chief Defender, Derwyn was the Executive Director of Juvenile Regional Services (JRS). JRS is the first stand-alone juvenile defender office in the nation and the first non-profit law office devoted to juvenile justice reform and front-line juvenile representation. Derwyn is also the former Associate Director of the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana (JJPL), a nonprofit juvenile justice reform and advocacy organization. Derwyn graduated from New York University School of Law in 1998. From 2000 to 2005, Derwyn aided in monitoring the settlement agreement between the United States Department of Justice, the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana, private plaintiffs and the State of Louisiana regarding Louisiana’s juvenile prisons. Derwyn was part of the litigation team that sued Louisiana over the conditions of its juvenile prisons. During Hurricane Katrina, Derwyn was part of a team of advocates and lawyers assisting the Orleans Parish Juvenile Court, the Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice and the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections locate and reunite youth and adults evacuated to multiple DOC facilities across the state after being trapped by floodwaters in the Orleans Parish Prison in the wake of Katrina. In 2007, Derwyn was part of a team of lawyers representing the so-called Jena 6 in Jena, Louisiana. Originally charged with attempted murder, Derwyn’s client pled guilty to a misdemeanor and received 7 days probation. His conviction has since been expunged. Follow Derwyn on Twitter  Pete on YouTube Pete on Twitter Pete On Instagram Pete Personal FB page Stand Up with Pete FB page

Support Pushback at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/aaronmate Amid a public relations campaign to rehabilitate the Al Qaeda franchise in Syria -- which rules Idlib, Syria's last militant-controlled province – former top US diplomat James Jeffrey has called the group a US "asset." Lindsey Snell, an independent journalist who escaped captivity by Al Qaeda in Syria, responds. Guest: Lindsey Snell, independent journalist covering the Middle East and North Africa. In 2016, she was kidnapped by the Al Qaeda group in Syria, what was then called al-Nusra, and escaped after 10 days.

We interview some guy named Noam Chomsky (extended interview coming next week), get to the bottom of why we broke up with Rolling Stone, and scrutinize the thrilling PBS interview of former al-Nusra/al-Qaeda leader-turned-very-handsome-man Abu Mohammed al-Jolani. Katie taps her beard-crit background, while we both investigate the two most important questions of our time: which four goateed male celebrities combined look like one PBS interviewer Martin Smith, and why do I keep thinking Smith is British? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the fall of 2012, Theo Padnos, who grew up in Woodstock, Vermont, was working as a freelance journalist in Turkey. He made a fateful decision to trust two men who promised to arrange safe passage for him into Syria, where he hoped to report on the civil war that began a year earlier. It was a catastrophically bad decision. His supposed helpers turned out to be working with Jabhat al-Nusra, the main affiliate of al-Qaida in Syria. Upon entering Syria, he was beaten and kidnaped. He spent the next two years in secret prisons being tortured by his captors. One of the ways he consoled himself was to write an allegorical novel set in Vermont. During his captivity, other journalists captured in Syria, including James Foley and Steven Sotloff, were executed. Others, like Austin Tice, disappeared. Padnos was lucky: In August 2014, he was released after the government of Qatar paid millions in ransom. Padnos first wrote about his ordeal in 2014 in an article in the New York Times Magazine, and he is the subject of a documentary, Theo Who Lived. He has a new book about his ordeal, Blindfold: A Memoir of Capture, Torture, and Enlightenment. The New York Times says it “lays bare the human condition at its extremes. There is depravity and resilience, rage and revelation, and, ultimately, a triumph of the human spirit.” Padnos sees parallels between the mindset of his al-Qaida captors and the pro-Trump insurrectionists who stormed the U.S. Capitol in January. “What if they set up their own little government, what would it be like to live inside it?” Padnos asks of the insurrectionists. He warns that the U.S. "started down the road…to have a similar outcome as Syria is having now.”

TESTO DELL'ARTICOLO ➜ http://www.bastabugie.it/it/articoli.php?id=6526ALL'ISLAM PIACE L'EUROPA E... VUOLE CONQUISTARLA A TUTTI I COSTI di Mauro FaverzaniUna cosa è certa. All'islam l'Europa piace. Al punto da farne spesso campo per la jihad. Presente e futura. Lo confermano le cronache dei giorni scorsi.In Spagna l'intelligence della Polizia Nazionale, in collaborazione con l'Europol, è riuscita a smantellare una banda dedita al finanziamento del terrorismo camuffato da donazioni per i bambini orfani siriani: il denaro, in realtà, è stato raccolto presso la moschea Abu-Bakr di Madrid, seconda per importanza nella capitale, e poi in gran parte inviato all'ong al-Bashaer, legata all'organizzazione jihadista Yeish-al-islam ovvero «Esercito dell'islam», a sua volta collegata al Fronte al-Nusra, in Siria. I soldi finivano così in una scuola di addestramento per futuri mujaheddin gestita dalle milizie di al-Qaeda, dove effettivamente i minori c'erano, sì, ma per imparare ad usar le armi, con cui emulare e vendicare i loro padri caduti in combattimento.Il giudice del Tribunale nazionale, Joaquín Gadea, ha pertanto spedito in galera, con le pesanti accuse d'appartenere ad un'organizzazione terroristica e d'averne finanziato l'attività, Mohamed Hatem Rohaibani, tesoriere dell'Ucide-Unione delle Comunità islamiche di Spagna, che, con le circa 800 realtà religiose aderenti, fa parte della Cie-Commissione Islamica di Spagna, entrambi organismi retti da Ayman Adlbi, già arrestato e poi rilasciato nell'ambito delle stesse indagini, in attesa d'esser chiamato a testimoniare assieme ad un altro individuo, di cui sono state diffuse al momento soltanto le iniziali, M.S.B.K.LE STRATEGIE ISLAMISTEIn effetti, molti sono i gruppi jihadisti, che, in un groviglio quasi inestricabile di sigle, proseguono le azioni terroristiche in Siria, beneficiando delle campagne di reclutamento e dei canali di finanziamento tessuti in Europa, ora nel mirino dei servizi d'intelligence di tutto il mondo. I più importanti sono tre, tutti sunniti: al primo posto si mantiene saldamente al-Qaeda, seguita dall'Isis e dalle milizie di Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, composte per lo più da siriani decisi a riconquistare una fetta del Paese, per imporvi la sharia.In un'intervista pubblicata sul settimanale L'Express il ministro francese per la cittadinanza, Marlène Schiappa, ha sollevato il caso dei 2,5 milioni di finanziamento inviati dalla giunta municipale di Strasburgo all'associazione islamica Millî Görűs, evocando pericolose prossimità ideologiche tra il sindaco, Jeanne Barseghian, esponente della lista EELV-Europa Ecologia I Verdi, e l'islam politico. Il contributo, destinato alla costruzione di un grande centro religioso comprendente la moschea, è permesso dalla legge francese, che non applica il principio di «laïcité» in tre dipartimenti della regione del Grande Est, di cui Strasburgo è capoluogo. Ciò detto, va anche aggiunto che l'associazione Millî Görűs si trova attualmente nel mirino del ministero dell'Interno francese, per il fatto d'essersi rifiutata di firmare la Carta sul rispetto dei valori della Repubblica e del principio di laicità (con annessi appositi corsi di formazione), imposta a tutti i soggetti morali pubblici e privati, specialmente se beneficiari di fondi pubblici. E c'è un precedente: i soldi dati dal sindaco di Grenoble, Eric Piolle, pure dell'EELV¸ al CCIF-Collettivo contro l'islamofobia in Francia, sorto nel 2003 e disciolto l'anno scorso con apposito decreto del consiglio dei ministri, poiché ritenuto dal ministro dell'Interno, Gérald Darmanin, «un'officina islamista operante contro la Repubblica».DANTE CENSURATOTutto ciò appartiene, del resto, a quella sorta di «cultura dell'annullamento» e di sottomissione ideologica all'islam, di cui è preda parte dell'Occidente e dell'Europa in particolare, come hanno confermato anche le recenti celebrazioni per i 700 anni dalla morte di Dante Alighieri.In Italia han fatto clamore le sconcertanti critiche rivolte dal giornalista tedesco Arno Widmann al Poeta, pubblicate dal quotidiano Frankfurter Rundschau, critiche smontate da un altro tedesco, Eike Schmidt, direttore delle Gallerie degli Uffizi di Firenze, per il quale le affermazioni del suo connazionale denoterebbero «una totale ignoranza dell'argomento. Widmann è un personaggio di forte vis polemica, che ha sempre fatto parlare di sé grazie a teorie volutamente provocatorie oppure, talvolta, di complotto. La sua opinione non coincide affatto con l'opinione generale su Dante in Germania, non rappresenta nemmeno una corrente di pensiero». Peccato che abbia trovato spazio però su di un giornale regionale autorevole e con una tiratura di oltre 180 mila copie.Ma c'è di peggio: come la traduzione fiamminga "islamofila" della Divina Commedia, curata da Lies Lavrijsen, diffusa in Belgio ed in Olanda, epurata da qualsiasi riferimento a Maometto. Non stupisce che, in Italia, la notizia sia stata riferita in modo asettico dal quotidiano della Cei Avvenire, che, guardandosi bene dal difendere l'originale del testo sfregiato ed il relativo autore, si limita a commentare come «la posizione di Dante nei confronti della cultura arabo-musulmana» sia «molto complessa». Solo l'europarlamentare Silvia Sardone della Lega ha espresso su Facebook, in modo esplicito, il proprio sdegno: «Purtroppo in Europa invece di celebrare il Poeta si arriva a censurarlo - ha scritto - Per i buonisti di oggi bisogna cancellare persino la storia della letteratura. Dante, per qualcuno, è razzista, islamofobo e poco inclusivo. Ma ci rendiamo conto?». Già, ci rendiamo conto? Titolo originale: Europa, campo per la jihad dell'islamFonte: Radio Roma Libera, 29 marzo 2021Pubblicato su BastaBugie n. 710

In the 10th year of Prophethood the Messenger (SAW) approached visiting tribes, calling them to Islam and asking for their support (nusrah) until Allah gave him victory. Some tribes outright rejected him whilst others placed conditions on their offer of support. What was the response of the Messenger (SAW) to these conditional offers and did the support include a request to seize power as some argue?

A Missão de Investigação das Nações Unidas para a Síria apresentou, esta quinta-feira, um relatório “sobre dez anos de crimes de guerra” no país, levados a cabo por todas as facções, com a ajuda da “negligência internacional”. “Não há inocentes nesta guerra” a não ser os civis, disse à RFI o presidente da missão, Paulo Pinheiro, numa entrevista que pode ouvir no programa CONVIDADO. Esta quinta-feira, a Missão de Investigação das Nações Unidas para a Síria apresentou um relatório sobre “dez anos de crimes de guerra” no país, levados a cabo por todas as facções e com a ajuda da “negligência internacional”. "É preciso dizer que não há inocentes nesta guerra: tanto do lado das forças do governo sírio e dos países a ele aliados, como da parte dos grupos armados, dos grupos terroristas, como dos estados-membros que sustentaram, por exemplo, o armamento e o apoio financeiro a esses grupos armados", disse à RFI Paulo Pinheiro, presidente da Missão de Investigação das Nações Unidas para a Síria. O responsável sublinhou, porém, que os únicos inocentes são mesmo os civis: "Os únicos inocentes são as crianças, mulheres, os idosos, as famílias tomadas no meio desse conflito." Este é o 33.º relatório da missão de investigação e vai ser apresentado perante o Conselho de Direitos Humanos da ONU no dia 11 de Março, pouco antes da data que assinala os dez anos do conflito sírio. O documento explica que a guerra obrigou metade da população do país a abandonar a sua casa, aponta a extrema pobreza que atinge seis em cada dez cidadãos e conclui que desde Março de 2011 a população sofreu abusos que em alguns casos constituem crimes de guerra, contra a humanidade e outros delitos internacionais, incluindo o genocídio no caso da comunidade yazidi. "Os crimes são todas as violações de direitos humanos, como por exemplo a detenção arbitrária ao lado do uso sistemático da tortura, o que eleva ao nível de crime contra a humanidade", precisou Paulo Pinheiro, enumerando também os "ataques insdiscriminados à população", os ataques a escolas, locais de culto, hospitais, monumentos e cidades históricas como Palmira e os cercos às populações impedindo a passagem da ajuda humanitária. Quanto à comunidade yazidi, Paulo Pinheiro contou-nos que não teve dúvidas que "o tratamento das mulheres escravas e o tráfico de mulheres yazidis do Iraque para a Síria pelo Estado Islâmico constituiram um crime de genocídio". O relatório da ONU explica que o regime de Bashar al Assad, assim como a Rússia aliada, bombardearam indiscriminadamente alvos civis, incluindo hospitais, instalações médicas, escolas e tendas de refugiados. Os civis foram também os alvos do grupo radical Estado Islâmico, de milícias curdas, da aliança islâmica Hayat Tharir al Sham (a antiga Frente al Nusra) e da coligação apoiada pelos Estados Unidos. "Todos esses crimes contra a humanidade, as violações dos direitos humanos continuaram a ser feitos com total impunidade lamentavelmente por causa da divisão entre os cinco membros permanentes que não permitiram levar o caso da Síria ao Tribunal Penal Internacional", sublinhou Paulo Pinheiro. A ONU fala, ainda, em 38 ataques com armas químicas, 32 dos quais pelas forças governamentais sírias e um pelo grupo Estado Islâmico. O relatório enumera, também,  as execuções e mutilações de soldados, ataques, ameaças e assassínios de jornalistas e de pessoas que resistiram às imposições dos diferentes grupos. Dos 22 milhões de pessoas que habitavam a Síria antes da guerra, mais de 11,5 milhões estão deslocados e cinco milhões estão refugiados noutros países. O relatório termina com um novo pedido de cessar-fogo permanente, sob a supervisão do Conselho de Segurança das Nações Unidas, e defende processos judiciais sobre crimes cometidos no país.

https://www.amazon.com/Nusra-Sahin/e/B087TZD27S?ref_=dbs_p_ebk_r00_abau_000000https://multidimensionalcollective.co.uk/https://www.facebook.com/groups/multidimensionalcollective

Nusra Sahin joins TruthSeekah in this episode of The TruthSeekah podcast as they discuss her new book and global meditations Multidimensional Consciousness And The New Earth.Nusra writes in the flow for as long as she remembers. She has been using meditative writing techniques for around 20 years. She has developed her unique writing style where she connects with the cosmic consciousness and starts her creations on a particular subject. She states that her technique is not channelling; it is an interactive, creative and conscious expression of the cosmic intelligence hidden within. She harnesses the power of conscious expression in her spiritual practices and holds sessions to share her techniques.She shares the principles of “Multidimensional Consciousness” and introduces its quantum field she has created in her debut book Multidimensional Consciousness and The New Earth. She emphasises the significance of conscious dreaming where humanity is going through a challenging transformation. The act of dreaming is the leadership in an era where the transition from “old” to “new” is taking place in consciousness.TruthSeekah's New Book Spirit Realm: Angels Demons, Spirits and the Sovereignty of God (Foreword by Jordan Maxwell) https://amzn.to/31g9ydRTruthSeekahs Guided Meditation | The Throneroom Visualization https://www.TruthSeekah.com/MeditationsHelp Keep The TruthSeekah Podcast On The Air!⭐️ Become A Patron And Support TruthSeekah

Nusra Sahin joins TruthSeekah in this episode of The TruthSeekah podcast as they discuss her new book and global meditations Multidimensional Consciousness And The New Earth.Nusra writes in the flow for as long as she remembers. She has been using meditative writing techniques for around 20 years. She has developed her unique writing style where she connects with the cosmic consciousness and starts her creations on a particular subject. She states that her technique is not channelling; it is an interactive, creative and conscious expression of the cosmic intelligence hidden within. She harnesses the power of conscious expression in her spiritual practices and holds sessions to share her techniques.She shares the principles of “Multidimensional Consciousness” and introduces its quantum field she has created in her debut book Multidimensional Consciousness and The New Earth. She emphasises the significance of conscious dreaming where humanity is going through a challenging transformation. The act of dreaming is the leadership in an era where the transition from “old” to “new” is taking place in consciousness.TruthSeekah's New Book Spirit Realm: Angels Demons, Spirits and the Sovereignty of God (Foreword by Jordan Maxwell) https://amzn.to/31g9ydRTruthSeekahs Guided Meditation | The Throneroom Visualization https://www.TruthSeekah.com/MeditationsHelp Keep The TruthSeekah Podcast On The Air!⭐️ Become A Patron And Support TruthSeekah

Currently Free on Amazon for next 2 days get your copy NOW!!https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B087JTFLX8/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Four years ago, when Donald Trump was elected President, many of you were shocked. Many wondered, “Where did we go wrong?” Today, I interview author and journalist Max Blumenthal about his book Management of Savagery. Max painstakingly details the foreign policy decisions made during the cold war in the 1970s, and maps the ripple effects of these decisions that has lead us to this path of regime change wars, empire, Islamophobia and bloodstained episodes of blowback.Excerpt from Management of SavageryIsrael’s ISIS ConnectionWhile Washington’s Gulf-funded think tank experts spun out public relations for the allies of Al Qaeda, ISIS found defenders in Israel. At the Likud Party-linked Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, its director Efraim Inbar promoted the IslamicState in Syria as a boon to Israel’s strategic deterrence. In an op-ed entitled “The Destruction of Islamic State Is a Strategic Mistake,” Inbar argued, “The West should seek the further weakening of Islamic State, but not its destruction.”Instead, he insisted, it should exploit ISIS as a “useful tool” in the fight against Israel’s true enemy, Iran and its proxy, Hezbollah, which operates on Israeli frontiers from southern Lebanon. “A weak IS is, counterintuitively, preferable to a destroyed IS,” Inbar concluded. Inbar went on to argue for prolonging the conflict in Syria for as long as possible on the grounds that extended sectarian bloodshed would produce “positive change.”As bracing as it might have been, Inbar’s argument provided a perfect distillation of the Israeli government’s position on the Syrian civil war. “In Syria, if the choice is between Iran and the Islamic State, I choose the Islamic State,” Israel’s former defense minister, Moshe Ya’alon, bluntly stated in 2016. Eager to see an Iranian ally weakened from within and without, the Israeli army occasionally bombed in support of the rebels operating around the southern city of Quneitra and attacked Damascus several times.The end goal of the Israelis was to establish a buffer zone between itself and Hezbollah, with Sunni Islamists, including Al Qaeda affiliates, acting as its proxies. A rebel commander revealed to the US news outlet Al-Monitor,“The battle to capture Quneitra on Sept. 27 [2014] was preceded by coordination and communications between Abu Dardaa, a leader of Jabhat al-Nusra [Al Qaeda], and the Israeli army to pave the way for the attack.” Benjamin Netanyahu greeting injured Rebel FighterThe Israeli military-intelligence apparatus even funded its own unit of the Free Syrian Army, the Golan Knights. “Israel stood by our side in a heroic way,” Moatasem al-Golani, a spokesman for the Golan Knights, told the Wall Street Journal,“We wouldn’t have survived without Israel’s assistance.” In 2016, Israel established a liaison unit to support the efforts of the rebels in southern Syria, according to journalist Nour Samaha, “facilitating cross-border travel for residents into Israel, regular deliveries of food, clothing, construction equipment and educational materials, airstrikes on pro-government positions and the establishment of an Israeli-backed opposition faction in rebel-held southern Syria.”When journalist Bryan Bender visited top Israeli military officials in the occupied Golan Heights, he heard unapologetic arguments for supporting Al Qaeda and ISIS against the Syrian government, Iran and Hezbollah. “If I can be frank, the radical axis headed by Iran is more risky than the global jihad one,” said Army Brigadier General Ram Yavne, the head of the IDF’s Strategic Division. “It is much more knowledgeable, stronger, with a bigger arsenal.” When Bender asked another Israeli official if the United States should allow ISIS to maintain its caliphate in eastern Syria, he replied, “Why not?”While Israeli military honchos took satisfaction from the bloodshed of Syria’s civil war, ISIS commanders tiptoed around the Israeli military. During a public forum in Israel, the ever-candid former minister of defense, Ya’alon, revealed that an ISIS cell operating alongside the rebels in southern Syria had accidentally launched a mortar into Israeli-controlled territory. “On most occasions, firing comes from regions under the control of the regime,” Ya’alon commented. “But once the firing came from ISIS positions—and it immediately apologized.”Pushed by Israeli media to clarify his statement about ISIS formally apologizing to Israel—an open admission of an Israeli backchannel to the jihadists—Ya’alon refused further comment.In Washington, meanwhile, top officials in the Obama administration, including Hillary Clinton, kept their complaints about the channels of state support to ISIS and other jihadist rebel factions confined to private discussions. There was a lot to lose in venting their frustrations in public, including the massive donations their own political operations received from the very same sources.When Hillary Clinton left the State Department in late 2013, she immediately joined the board of the Clinton Foundation. The New York-based nonprofit touted its charitable good works around the world, from making AIDS medication more affordable to “working toward a world where more girls and women can achieve full participation in all aspects of life.” At the same time, the Clinton Foundation raked in between $10 and $25 million from the government of Saudi Arabia, and as much as $5 million from a front group called “Friends of Saudi Arabia.” Tens of millions more flowed into the Clinton foundation coffers from Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.All along, Clinton knew that the major donors to her family’s vehicle for charity and influence peddling—a key platform for her forthcoming presidential campaign—were propping up ISIS and Al Qaeda in Syria. In a 2014 email to her longtime political confidant John Podesta, Clinton singled out Qatar and Saudi Arabia as the principal benefactors of the Islamic State. “While this military/para-military operation is moving forward,” she wrote, citing Western and US intelligence sources, “we need to use our diplomatic and more traditional intelligence assets to bring pressure on the governments of Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which are providing clandestine financial and logistic support to ISIL and other radical Sunni groups in the region.”Vice President Joseph Biden was even more explicit. Discussing the challenges facing America in Syria, he stated, “Our biggest problem is our allies.” Singling out Turkey and Saudi Arabia, Biden complained at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government in October 2014, “They were so determined to take down Assad and essentially have a proxy Sunni–Shia war; what did they do? They poured hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of tons of weapons into anyone who would fight against Assad. Except that the people who were being supplied were Al-Nusra and Al Qaeda and the extremist elements of jihadis coming from other parts of the world.”Biden’s candid comments were immediately labeled as a “gaffe” by the Washington Post’s Adam Taylor, who grumbled about the “worrying habit of lumping al-Qaeda’s al-Nusra Front in with Islamic State.” For daring to give credence to what was already widely known, Biden was forced to embark on the equivalent of an international apology tour the same month, issuing “a formal clarification” to Turkey’s Erdoğan and thanking Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister for his country’s supposed cooperation in the fight against ISIS. After Biden’s pathetic retreat, scarcely anyone in Washington, whether in government, the world of think tank experts, or in the press corps, dared to openly confront America’s core Middle Eastern allies for their backing of Al Qaeda and ISIS.Besides Saudi Arabia and Qatar, there was ample evidence that Turkey was taking a lead role in fueling Islamist militancy in Syria’s north. A leaked 2015 report from the Turkish Gendarmerie General Command found that lorries filled with heavy weapons had been sent by the Turkish intelligence services to resupply al-Nusra. “The trucks were carrying weapons and supplies to the al-Qaeda terror organization,” the report read. The government of Turkish president Erdoğan promptly banned all media coverage of the scandal and placed the soldiers who carried out the searches on trial for espionage.A twenty-nine-year-old Lebanese American named Serena Shim had been reporting on these developments on the Turkish border for Press TV, the Iranian government’s English language channel. She was among the first correspondents to cover the transfer of arms from the Incirlik US air base in Turkey to insurgents in Syria. Her sister, Fatmeh, told local media in her hometown of Detroit, Michigan, that Shim “caught [Turkish intelligence] bringing ISIS high-ranked members into Syria from Turkey into camps, which are supposed to be Syrian refugee camps.” Shim began to fear for her life, complaining that Turkish intelligence considered her a spy. “I’m hoping that nothing is going to happen, that it’s going to blow over,” she told Press TV, the Iranian network, on October 18.Turkey-backed FSA capture the city of Afrin in Syria.One day later, Shim died in a car accident. The story of her death was buried, with no acknowledgement from Reporters Without Borders or the Committee to Protect Journalists. American media scarcely covered it at all. Press TV said the car that she died in and its driver had disappeared. Her family never accepted the official version of events and has pressed in vain for an investigation….If you enjoyed this excerpt:Max Blumenthal is the host of the show Moderate Rebels and also the editor of The Gray Zone. Get full access to Historic.ly at historicly.substack.com/subscribe

Despite the recent support for Turkey's policies in northern Syria by the U.S., Russian Today (RT) is reporting that Turkey is giving American anti-aircraft weapons to the al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra). Listen to Clarion Project's Editor Meira Svirsky and Clarion's Arab Affairs Analyst and Shillman Fellow Ran Meir discuss these and other developments having to do with the U.S. in the Middle East.

Amerika’nın IŞİD Lideri Bağdadi’yi Türkiye’ye haber vermeden ve Türkiye denetimindeki bir bölgede öldürmesi Ankara-IŞİD ilişkileri sorularını yeniden gündeme getirdi.Başkan Obama’nın eski Suriye Özel Temsilcisi Brett McGurk, Washington Post gazetesine yazdığı makalede bu konudaki soru işaretlerini açıkça dile getirdi. Kobane’den başlayan bu ilişki günümüzde hangi noktada bilinmiyor ancak ABD’nin operasyonu sadece Kürtlerle işbirliği içinde gerçekleştirmesi, bu konuda Ankara’ya güven sorunu olduğunu açıkça ortaya koydu.Konu gündemde kalırsa Ankara’ nın başını ağrıtmaya devam edecek gibi görünüyor, özellikle de Amerikan Kongresi’nde.... Fehim Taştekin ile bu hafta Bağdadi Operasyonu ve muhtemel sonuçlarını konuştuk:“IŞİD lideri Ebu Bekir el Bağdadi’ye yönelik operasyonda Türkiye’nin dahlinin sadece Amerikalıların Türk hava sahasını kullanacağına dair bildirimle sınırlı tutulması birçok açıdan Ankara’nın işini zorlaştıracak sonuçlar içeriyor. Her şeyden önce Türkiye, sınıra 5 km mesafede kendi gözetleme alanında IŞİD liderini görmemek ya da görmezlikten gelmekle suçlanacaktır.IŞİD’le sadece mecbur kaldığı için gösterilen baştan savma mücadele ve geçmişteki netameli, dolaylı ya da dolaysız ilişkiler dikkate alındığında bu, Türkiye’nin “IŞİD’le mücadele eden biziz” söylemini açığa düşüren bir durumdur. İdlib’i kontrol eden Heyet Tahrir el Şam bile Bağdadi’nin bölgeye intikal ettiğini öğrenip peşine düşmüşken, hatta bir başarısız operasyona imza atmışken bölgede ciddi bir faaliyet içinde bulunan “MİT neden bilmiyor” sorusundan iktidar kaçamaz. Operasyonda istihbarat kaynağı olarak iki yer öne çıkıyor: Suriye Demokratik Güçleri (SDG) ve Irak muhaberatı. Operasyon İncirlik’ten değil bölgeye 6-7 kat daha uzaktaki Erbil’den yapılması da ABD’nin hiçbir şekilde bilgi sızdırmak istemediğine ve bu işin kredisini Türkiye ile paylaşmak istemediğini gösteriyor. Zamanlama çok kritik. Türkiye’nin terör örgütü sayıp ezmeye çalıştığı SDG, iki NATO müttefikinin arasına girip ABD ile operasyon ortaklığı yapıyor. Irak’ın yardımı anlaşılır bir şey. Sonuçta IŞİD’in doğum evi orası ve Irak yönetimi yakalanmış IŞİD’lilerden aldığı bilgilerle kaçınılmaz olarak bu işin ortağı. Suriyeli Kürtlerin elindeki saha unsurlarının topladığı bilgiler ise bu işi tamamlanmasında ikinci kritik halka. Burada Türkiye yok. ABD, Türkiye’ye yani müttefikine güvenmediğini göstermiş oluyor. Bu konuda güvensizlik 2013’te başladı ve büyüyerek bugünlere geldi. ABD aynı zamanda bu hareket tarzıyla Türkiye’nin hedefine koyduğu Mazlum Kobani şahsındaki Kürtlere güvenilir ortak muamelesi yapmış oldu. Önümüzdeki süreçte bu operasyon, uluslararası toplumun İdlib’e ve Türkiye’nin Fırat’ın batısındaki rolüne de yaklaşımları etkileyecektir. Bağdadi operasyonu, Türkiye’nin IŞİD’le iştigaline dair soru işaretleri artıracaktır. Bu süreç ister istemez Suriye Milli Ordusu ve İdlib’deki diğer örgütlerle ilgili gündemi de öne çekecektir. Türkiye El Kaide, IŞİD ve Nusra unsurlarını da barındıran bu cihadi-selefi grupları himaye eden çizgisiyle başına büyük belalar açmış oldu. Fırat’ın doğusunda Rus planı yürür, Kürtler Şam’la belli düzeyde uzlaşmaya varır da çatışma potansiyeli eritilirse sıra Fırat’ın doğusundaki selefi-cihatçı bakiyeye gelecektir. Türkiye’nin işi hiç kolay olmayacaktır.”

Fehim Taştekin ile iki hafta boyunca Irak ve Suriye Kürdistan’ında dolaştık, yetkililer ve halkla görüştük. Taştekin yıllardır bölgeye gidip gelen bir isim. Türkiye’nin önemli bölge uzmanlarından biri. Kendisiyle son siyasi gelişmeleri ve Rojava izlnenimlerini konuştuk...“Rojava’nın ya da Kuzey Suriye’nin üç farklı dönemine tanıklık ettim. Başlangıçta ne yapmak istedikleri ya da kimin adına hareket ettiklerine dair şüphelerle vardı. ABD ve Türkiye dahil Suriye’ye vekalet düzeniyle müdahale edenler Kürtlerin Esad yönetimiyle işbirliği içinde hareket ettiğini savurup ‘rejimle bağlarını kopar, ÖSO ile birlikte savaşa katıl’ diye şart koşuyorlardı. Ancak Kürtler ÖSO, Nusra ve son olarak IŞİD’in saldırılarına karşı koyarken bu sayede bölgenin halklarıyla ortaklık zeminini yakaladı ve bunun üzerine demokratik özerkliğin sütunlarını dikti. Artık kendilerini ispat etmişlerdi. IŞİD’e karşı ABD ile ortaklık ve Arap bölgelerine doğru genişleme orijinal planları değiştirdi. Kanton sistemi Rojava-Kuzey Suriye Demokratik Federasyonu’na dönüştü. Bu sahanın yeni realitesi ve sosyolojiye göre bir güncellemeydi. Kürdistan’ın batı kıskına atfen kullanılan Rojava ismi de Araplar ve diğer halkları sistemin içine almak için terk edildi. Bu yerele yönelik bir esneklikti. Sonra Rakka ve Deyr el Zor da çemberin içine girince Kuzey ve Doğu Suriye Demokratik Özerk Yönetimi kullanımı tercih edildi. Bu da hem yereldeki realiteye hitap eden hem de olası müzakerelerde Suriye devletinin toptan reddiyesini önlemeye dönük bir esneklikti. Şimdi özerklik modelinin önünde bu genişlemenin getirdiği çok sayıda meydan okuma var. Araplarla Kürtlerin ortaklığı ne kadar kalıcı olacak? Elbette siyasal ve toplumsal alanlarda bir dönüşüm dinamiği uç veriyor ama bunlar iyimser olmak için yeterli değil. Çünkü bozucu faktörler çok. Bunun yanı sıra ortaklığın sürmesine temin eden dış faktörler de Kürtlerin gelecek tasavvurları için mutlak garanti sunmuyor. Barış ve yeniden inşa döneminin önünde ciddi engeller varIŞİD’le savaş biterken yeniden inşa ve barış sürecinde Kürtlerin ya da daha genel ifadeyle özerk yönetimin önünde gerçek sorunlar birikiyor. Yerelde kadroların ısrarlı bir şekilde siyasal ve toplumsal örgütlenmeye ağır verdikleri görülüyor. Bu konuda bir yılgınlığa rastlamıyoruz. Fırat’ın doğusundaki en etkileyici boyut bence bu. Yani kültürel kodlar, aşiret ilişkileri ve devletle olan derin bağların varlığını sürdürdüğü çelişkili alanlarda ‘demokratik özerklik’ espirisi üzerinden katılımı ve çeşitliliği artırmaya dönük çalışmalar hala canlı. Yine de ‘fakat’ diyerek bazı şerhler düşme gereği duyuyoruz. Büyük ve zorlu bir coğrafya. Güvenlik birimlerinin kapasitesiyle ilgili belki sorun yok, insanlar günlük yaşamlarında güven hissini kaybetmiş değil. Buna karşın kurumsallaşmada ciddi açmazlar var. Mesela mülklerin gaspı ve yolsuzluk vakıalarının yaşandığına dair konuşmalara denk geldik. Sorunlara karşı duyarlılık var olan sorunların çözümüne yetmiyor. Kararları uygulayacak kolluk gücü ve aksi durumlarda yaptırım gücü gerekiyor. Bazı sorunlar eskiden miras ve yönetim bunlara dokunmak ya da dokunmamak arasında bocalıyor. Bundan sonra ikinci büyük meydan okuma rantın ve gelirlerin dağılımıyla ilgili olarak kendini gösterecektir. Görüştüğümüz temsilciler bu konularda hassasiyetlerini dile getirdiler. Ama zor meseleler. Mülkler, varlığın bölüşümü ve adalet dağıtımı gibi alanlarda sorun çözücü ve adil bir mekanizma tesis edilemezse demokratik özerkliğin yaslandığı halkların kardeşliği espirisi açığa düşer. İşte o zaman bozucu faktörler devreye girer. Kürtleri aşan ve çözümü tıkayan faktörler devreye giriyorMülkler, petrolün paylaşımı ve yolsuzluklar gibi konular yönetimin kendi kapasite alanında olan zorluklar. Bunun dışında özerk yönetim birimlerini aşan realiteler var. Mesela Türkiye-ABD ve ABD-Rusya arasındaki pazarlıkların doğrudan yansımaları olacaktır ki bu yereldeki iradeyi aşıyor. Bunun yanı sıra Şam’la müzakere en önemli çıkış yolu ama onun önünde ABD ve Türkiye engeli beliriyor. Kilitlenmeyi aşacak şey Şam’ın Fırat’ın doğusundaki realiteye denk düşen cesur bir yaklaşım sergilemesidir. Şam ise elindeki kartları tüketmeden bunu yapmak istemiyor. İdlib badiresini atlatırsa Suriye devleti önümüzdeki süreçte Kürtlerin pozisyonunu zayıflatacak müdahale kanallarını denemesi muhtemeldir. Bu yüzden de Eldar Halil’in sözünü ettiği 2025’e kadar çözümün beklenmemesi yönündeki öngörüsü bana da gerçekçi geliyor. Elbette akşamdan sabaha dengeler değişiyor ve yarın kendimizi bambaşka şeylerden bahsederken bulabiliriz.”

Bashir Mohammad came to Istanbul, Turkey as a Syrian refugee. He’d defected from Jabhat al-Nusra an offshoot of Al Qaeda. He was broken and traumatised after witnessing his fellow muslims torturing and killing other muslims. Whilst in Turkey his wife fell sick and he turned to a relative who had once sent him videos of radical Islamic preachers for help. The relative was now living in Canada and shocked Bashir by confessing that he’d become a Christian! He asked Bashir to put the phone next to his wife’s ear so he could pray for her. At first Bashir refused but finally he became so desperate to help her that he gave in. His wife’s health improved. Suddenly Bashir was willing to entertain a sacrilegious thought. He asked his cousin to recommend a Christian preacher who could tell him more about the religion. Fortunately Eimad Brim, a missionary with an evangelical group based in Jordan called the Good Shepherd agreed to meet with him. Eimad Brim risked his life to bring the Gospel to Bashir Mohammad a former terrorist who now meets with other Christians to pray and worship a God who changed his life forever.Everyday disciples like Eimad and Ananias risk everything to share the Gospel. People like this need our support and prayers but they aren’t superheroes. While we don’t risk our lives in sharing the Gospel with others, sometimes it takes a lot of guts. We need to draw on stories like Ananias’ and Bashir’s, and be willing to give our time and risk our reputation to share the Gospel with others. (Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/24/world/middleeast/the-jihadi-who- turned-to-jesus.html). DBQuestionsWhy was Ananias willing to visit Saul?How can we be supporting our brothers and sisters who risk everything to share the Gospel with others?PrayerGod of Grace, thank you so much for the courage of Ananias and people like him who take risks to share the Gospel. Help us to see people in our ‘frontlines’ who need to hear about you. Please help to follow your lead when you send us. Amen!


Ahmet S. Yayla, Ph.D. is co-author of the just released book, ISIS Defectors: Inside Stories of the Terrorist Caliphate. He is Deputy Director of the International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism (ICSVE) and is also Adjunct Professor of Criminology, Law and Society at George Mason University. He formerly served as Professor and the Chair of the Sociology Department at Harran University in Turkey. He is the former Chief of Counterterrorism and Operations Division for the Turkish National Police with a 20-year career interviewing terrorists. His work was primarily concerned with terrorist and related activities of ISIS, al-Qaeda, al-Nusra, Hezbollah, the PKK, and other global terrorist organizations and he was responsible for several successful operations against the above-listed terrorist organizations. Dr. Yayla designed and administered counter-terrorism and intelligence activities and operations for precautionary measures in the city of Şanlıurfa, located at the Turkish-Syrian border and at the borders of the current ongoing war-zone in Syria. Dr. Yayla’s research mainly focuses on terrorism, radicalization, countering violence extremism (CVE) and the Middle East. He has earned his master’s and Ph.D. degrees on the subject of terrorism and radicalization at the University of North Texas. He has authored and co-authored several articles and books on the subject of terrorism and violence including First Responders’ Guide to Professionally Interacting with Muslim Communities: Law Enforcement, Emergency and Fire Fighters, Understanding and Responding to Terrorism: A Complete Model to Deal with Terrorism and Terrorism: A Global Perspective.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Ambassador Peter Ford, the former British Ambassador to Syria, and Mark Sleboda, an international affairs and security analyst.The presidents of Russia, Iran, and Turkey met in Tehran today to discuss next steps in the Syrian province of Idlib, the Syrian rebels’ last stronghold and home to thousands of terrorists. Russia and Iran have provided vital support to the government of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, but Turkey is fearful that a major assault on Idlib will result in a refugee crisis on its southern border. Friday is Loud & Clear’s regular segment on the midterms, taking a look at political races around the country in the runup to midterm elections in November. Jacqueline and Abdus Luqman, the co-editors-in-chief of Luqman Nation, which hosts a livestream every Thursday night at 9:00 p.m. on Facebook, join the show. This afternoon at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus, President Obama delivered a speech that he called the "State of our Democracy.” It was a clear beginning to his campaigning for Democrats during the midterms, and it focused on voter turnout. He also pushed back hard against President Trump, calling him a symptom or the country’s problems, not the disease. If Trump as president is a symptom, does Obama include himself as a part the disease? Brian and John speak with Daniel Lazare, a journalist and author of three books--”The Frozen Republic,” “The Velvet Coup,” and “America's Undeclared War.” Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right frontrunner in Brazil’s presidential election, was stabbed in the stomach and seriously injured last night during a campaign rally. His assailant was caught. Bolsonaro has courted controversy by equating homosexuality with pedophilia and by saying that a congresswoman with whom he had a conflict was “too ugly to be raped.” Pepe Escobar, a writer and political analyst, joins the show. Senator Bernie Sanders announced a new bill yesterday called the Stop BEZOS Act, which would require companies to pay for any vital social programs that that their employees use because they’re paid so little. This is after Amazon became the world’s second company to be valued at over $1 trillion this week despite paying its workers little and eliminating as many jobs as possible. While Amazon and Jeff Bezos earn more and more, they actually eliminate peoples’ jobs and basic incomes. Dr. Jack Rasmus, a professor of economics at Saint Mary's College of California, author of “Central Bankers at the End of Their Ropes: Monetary Policy and the Coming Depression,” and at jackrasmus.com, joins the show. Apple plans to create an online tool for police to formally request data about its users and to assemble a team to train police about what data can and cannot be obtained from the company. We’ll look at what this means for privacy. Professor Bryan Ford, who leads the Decentralized/Distributed Systems lab at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), joins the show.It’s Friday! So it’s time for the week’s worst and most misleading headlines. Brian and John speak with Steve Patt, an independent journalist whose critiques of the mainstream media have been a feature of his blog Left I on the News and on twitter @leftiblog.

Il Parlamento Europeo boccia la direttiva sul copyrightStamane, giovedì 5 luglio, il Parlamento Europeo in seduta plenaria a Strasburgo ha respinto la nuova direttiva sul copyright, la serie di regole per aggiornare le leggi sulla tutela del diritto d’autore in Europa, in seguito al vivace dibattito degli ultimi mesi hanno prevalso i dubbi sulle certezze dei promotori. Le nuove normative saranno cosi riviste a settembre, quando saranno rinegoziate fra Parlamento, Commissione e Consiglio europeo. La battaglia non è dunque finita. Per fortuna, perché gli effetti saranno cruciali per tutti gli utenti di Internet in Europa e oltre . La direttiva respinta intendeva aggiornare le regole sul diritto d’autore nell’Unione Europea, ferme al 2001. Alcuni articoli sono scritti in modo vago e potrebbero dare adito a interpretazioni da parte degli stati membri; lo scontro era soprattutto su due articoli, l’11 e il 13. Per la maggioranza potrebbero avere conseguenze pericolose per la libera circolazione delle informazioni , mentre per altri sono la soluzione adeguata per tutelare i produttori dei contenuti.Salisbury: la saga-farsa del Novichok continuaSabato 30 giugno, un uomo e una donna di nazionalita' britannica hanno perso i sensi nella cittadina britannica di Amesbury, a 12 km da Salisbury. L'uomo,Charlie Rowley, sulla quarantina, era un noto tossicodipendente da eroina.Tuttavia, ad informare della vicenda, le autorita' ci hanno pensato solo ieri, mercoledi' 4 luglio. Mentre il neo appuntato Capo delle Operazioni speciali Anti Terrorismo Neil Basu mostra un po' di cautela, a fare un immediato collegamento con la vicenda di Sergey e Yulia Skripal ci pensano sia il laboratorio militare di Porton Down, a pochi chilometri dall’accaduto, e che parla subito del gas Novichok, sia la stampa britannica mainstream, sia le autorita' governative, nella persona del Ministro dell'interno Sajid Javid , che si è espresso in questi termini: "la vicenda segue il barbaro attacco di Salisbury". L'ex ambasciatore britannico, Craig Murray, ironizza: “Tutto questo avviene proprio in un momento in cui i media sono costretti a mostrare, loro malgrado, in occasione dei mondiali, che la Russia è un paese interessante e civile come tanti altri”. Normale insomma.L’ex presidente dell’Ecuador, Rafael Correa, incriminato per sequestro di persona.Il procuratore generale di Ecuador ha spiccato un mandato di cattura per l’arresto di Rafael Correa, ex presidente dal 2007 al 2017, chiedendo l’intervento dell’Interpol. Accusa: associazione criminale e sequestro di un avversario politico. Correa, che vive ora in Belgio con la famiglia, respinge le accuse definendole una farsa. Correa diede rifugio, nella sua ambasciata di Londra, a Julian Assange. Il suo successore, Lenin Moreno, ha appena siglato un patto di sicurezza con gli Stati Uniti. E ha definito Assange un hacker, restringendo le sue libertà. Per ora non lo ha consegnato alla polizia inglese, consapevole della probabile protesta popolare in Ecuador e nel mondo interoSiria: l’esercito di Bashar avanza. Iran e Austria dialogano. Continua l'avanzata dell'esercito siriano, che ieri, mercoledi' 4 luglio, ha inflitto una pesante sconfitta nei confronti di Jabhat al-Nusra nel territorio ad est di Daraa. I terroristi hanno sofferto perdite in termine di combattenti uccisi, rifugi ed equipaggiamenti distrutti. Nel frattempo, in quel di Vienna, nell'ambito di una conferenza stampa congiunta col Cancelliere austriaco Sebastian Kurz, Il presidente iraniano Hassan Rouhani ha ribadito"Teheran sara' al fianco della Siria fino alla completa eliminazione del terrorismo. Il futuro della Siria sarà deciso dal popolo siriano. L'Iran, "assieme a Russia e Turchia" ha continuato Rouhani, continuera' gli sforzi diplomatici dei colloqui di Astana' per trovare una soluzione alla crisi". Il presidente iraniano ha inoltre sottolineato come Daesh ed altre organizzazioni teroristiche siano state sconfitte nonostante il supporto dato loro da USA ed Israele. La soluzione alla crisi siriana era proprio al centro dei colloqui di ieri fra Austria ed Iran. USA: invasione militare del Venezuela? La Associated Press ha rivelato ieri, mercoledi' 4 luglio, presunte dichiarazioni del presidente americano Donald Trump rilasciate nell'agosto dell'anno scorso circa una invasione militare del Venezuela. La rivelazione, non casualmente fatta filtrare con grande ritardo, è tuttavia anonima. Secondo l'agenzia sia l'allora Segretario di stato Rex Tillerson, che il consulente per la sicurezza McMaster, partecipanti all'incontro segreto alla Casa Bianca, sarebbe stati d’accordo nel fermare il progetto. Eppure dichiarazioni pubbliche successive dello stesso Tillerson, compiacenti verso un colpo di Stato militare a Caracas, dimostrarono esattamente il contrario. Il nuovo segretario di stato Mike Pompeo, sta collocato su questa lunghezza d’onda. A maggio di quest'anno, infatti ha discusso con la Colombia del presidente Santos - neo entrata in cooperazione con laNATO - l'ipotesi di un fronte comune contro il Venezuela di Maduro. La casa Bianca si rifiuta di commentare le indiscrezioni. Mentre il portavoce del consiglio Nazionale per la Sicurezza ribadisce che gli USA considereranno tutte opzioni per restaurare democrazia e stabilita' in Venezuela.

Il Parlamento Europeo boccia la direttiva sul copyrightStamane, giovedì 5 luglio, il Parlamento Europeo in seduta plenaria a Strasburgo ha respinto la nuova direttiva sul copyright, la serie di regole per aggiornare le leggi sulla tutela del diritto d’autore in Europa, in seguito al vivace dibattito degli ultimi mesi hanno prevalso i dubbi sulle certezze dei promotori. Le nuove normative saranno cosi riviste a settembre, quando saranno rinegoziate fra Parlamento, Commissione e Consiglio europeo. La battaglia non è dunque finita. Per fortuna, perché gli effetti saranno cruciali per tutti gli utenti di Internet in Europa e oltre . La direttiva respinta intendeva aggiornare le regole sul diritto d’autore nell’Unione Europea, ferme al 2001. Alcuni articoli sono scritti in modo vago e potrebbero dare adito a interpretazioni da parte degli stati membri; lo scontro era soprattutto su due articoli, l’11 e il 13. Per la maggioranza potrebbero avere conseguenze pericolose per la libera circolazione delle informazioni , mentre per altri sono la soluzione adeguata per tutelare i produttori dei contenuti.Salisbury: la saga-farsa del Novichok continuaSabato 30 giugno, un uomo e una donna di nazionalita' britannica hanno perso i sensi nella cittadina britannica di Amesbury, a 12 km da Salisbury. L'uomo,Charlie Rowley, sulla quarantina, era un noto tossicodipendente da eroina.Tuttavia, ad informare della vicenda, le autorita' ci hanno pensato solo ieri, mercoledi' 4 luglio. Mentre il neo appuntato Capo delle Operazioni speciali Anti Terrorismo Neil Basu mostra un po' di cautela, a fare un immediato collegamento con la vicenda di Sergey e Yulia Skripal ci pensano sia il laboratorio militare di Porton Down, a pochi chilometri dall’accaduto, e che parla subito del gas Novichok, sia la stampa britannica mainstream, sia le autorita' governative, nella persona del Ministro dell'interno Sajid Javid , che si è espresso in questi termini: "la vicenda segue il barbaro attacco di Salisbury". L'ex ambasciatore britannico, Craig Murray, ironizza: “Tutto questo avviene proprio in un momento in cui i media sono costretti a mostrare, loro malgrado, in occasione dei mondiali, che la Russia è un paese interessante e civile come tanti altri”. Normale insomma.L’ex presidente dell’Ecuador, Rafael Correa, incriminato per sequestro di persona.Il procuratore generale di Ecuador ha spiccato un mandato di cattura per l’arresto di Rafael Correa, ex presidente dal 2007 al 2017, chiedendo l’intervento dell’Interpol. Accusa: associazione criminale e sequestro di un avversario politico. Correa, che vive ora in Belgio con la famiglia, respinge le accuse definendole una farsa. Correa diede rifugio, nella sua ambasciata di Londra, a Julian Assange. Il suo successore, Lenin Moreno, ha appena siglato un patto di sicurezza con gli Stati Uniti. E ha definito Assange un hacker, restringendo le sue libertà. Per ora non lo ha consegnato alla polizia inglese, consapevole della probabile protesta popolare in Ecuador e nel mondo interoSiria: l’esercito di Bashar avanza. Iran e Austria dialogano. Continua l'avanzata dell'esercito siriano, che ieri, mercoledi' 4 luglio, ha inflitto una pesante sconfitta nei confronti di Jabhat al-Nusra nel territorio ad est di Daraa. I terroristi hanno sofferto perdite in termine di combattenti uccisi, rifugi ed equipaggiamenti distrutti. Nel frattempo, in quel di Vienna, nell'ambito di una conferenza stampa congiunta col Cancelliere austriaco Sebastian Kurz, Il presidente iraniano Hassan Rouhani ha ribadito"Teheran sara' al fianco della Siria fino alla completa eliminazione del terrorismo. Il futuro della Siria sarà deciso dal popolo siriano. L'Iran, "assieme a Russia e Turchia" ha continuato Rouhani, continuera' gli sforzi diplomatici dei colloqui di Astana' per trovare una soluzione alla crisi". Il presidente iraniano ha inoltre sottolineato come Daesh ed altre organizzazioni teroristiche siano state sconfitte nonostante il supporto dato loro da USA ed Israele. La soluzione alla crisi siriana era proprio al centro dei colloqui di ieri fra Austria ed Iran. USA: invasione militare del Venezuela? La Associated Press ha rivelato ieri, mercoledi' 4 luglio, presunte dichiarazioni del presidente americano Donald Trump rilasciate nell'agosto dell'anno scorso circa una invasione militare del Venezuela. La rivelazione, non casualmente fatta filtrare con grande ritardo, è tuttavia anonima. Secondo l'agenzia sia l'allora Segretario di stato Rex Tillerson, che il consulente per la sicurezza McMaster, partecipanti all'incontro segreto alla Casa Bianca, sarebbe stati d’accordo nel fermare il progetto. Eppure dichiarazioni pubbliche successive dello stesso Tillerson, compiacenti verso un colpo di Stato militare a Caracas, dimostrarono esattamente il contrario. Il nuovo segretario di stato Mike Pompeo, sta collocato su questa lunghezza d’onda. A maggio di quest'anno, infatti ha discusso con la Colombia del presidente Santos - neo entrata in cooperazione con laNATO - l'ipotesi di un fronte comune contro il Venezuela di Maduro. La casa Bianca si rifiuta di commentare le indiscrezioni. Mentre il portavoce del consiglio Nazionale per la Sicurezza ribadisce che gli USA considereranno tutte opzioni per restaurare democrazia e stabilita' in Venezuela.

Italia propone, Europa incerta "Si è conclusa la riunione informale sul tema migrazione a Bruxelles e rientriamo a Roma decisamente soddisfatti. Abbiamo impresso la giusta direzione al dibattito in corso. Ci rivediamo giovedì al Consiglio Europeo." Questo il tweet del primo Ministro italiano Giuseppe Conte a seguito del summit straordinario sulle politiche migratorie di 16 leaders europei svoltosi ieri domenica 24 giugno. "Qualora possibile vogliamo trovare soluzioni europee" ha dichiarato la cancelliera tedesca "se non siamo tutti insieme, dobbiamo radunare coloro che sono interessati a uno sforzo comune e stringeremo accordi bilaterali o trilaterali. Non possiamo sempre aspettare di essere tutti e 28 d'accordo". Presenti fra gli altri i paesi in prima linea sul fronte sbarchi, ovvero Italia, Grecia e Spagna. Chiaramente, sono diverse le motivazioni che soggiaciono sotto le azioni politiche dei rispettivi paesi: dallo scongiurare spaccature interne come nel caso della coalizione di governo tedesca, al rifiuto di accettare quote migratorie, come nel caso dell'Ungheria che, non a caso, ha boicottato l'incontro di ieri. Ma e' altrettanto chiaro che la linea assertiva di Conte si sta facendo strada e sta trovando consenso. La Francia di Macron, che da ex potenza coloniale riscuote l'85% delle riserve monetarie di molti paesi africani, dovra' mettere da parte l'ipocrisia. I dieci punti stilati dal neo premier italiano sottolineano una volta di piu' l'urgenza di superare gli accordi di Dublino, che gettano tutta la responsabilita' sul primo paese di arrivo dei profughi, e di iniziare le politiche di accoglienza e distribuzione con hotspots direttamente nei paesi interessati, soprattutto in Africa ma non solo. Sul piatto delle riforme, anche gli accordi di Schengen. Pronta nuova provocazione in Siria... L'organizzazione terroristica Jabhat al-Nusra starebbe preparando una provocazione antirussa in Siria, insieme all'agenzia di stampa di un Paese mediorientale. La notizia e' stata resa nota dal Centro russo per la riconciliazione in Siria, informato a riguardo dagli abitanti di Idlib. Le immagini dei tagliagole impegnati nel salvataggio dei civili e nella ricostruzione delle infrastrutture, in realta' gia' distrutte nel corso di precendenti combattimenti, servirebbero a diffondere la falsa notizia di un attacco dell'aviazione russa e siriana in provincia di Idlib. "Impossibile prevenire simili provocazioni", afferma il presidente siriano, Bashar al-Assad ai microfoni dell'emittente russa Ntv. "Non hanno nulla a che vedere con la realta', sono frutto della loro immaginazione e dell'immaginazione dei loro mass media", spiega il leader siriano. Chi siano "loro", poi, lo dice chiaramente: “Il progetto della guerra in Siria e' stato sviluppato da alcuni Paesi occidentali, in primis dagli Stati Uniti, dalla Francia e dal Regno Unito". Damasco non permettera' che questi Paesi contribuiscano alla ricostruzione del Paese. "Quando gli Stati europei parlano di aiuti, in realta' stanno cercando nuove fonti di guadagno", spiega Assad. Intanto, pero', non abbassa la guardia: “I terroristi gia' sconfitti di Daesh e di Jabhat al-Nusra potrebbero tornare con un nuovo nome, poiche' l'Occidente se ne serve per raggiungere i suoi scopi". Di questo è convinto il presidente siriano. … E in Transnistria Con 64 voti favorevoli, 14 contrari e 83 astensioni , l'Assemblea generale delle Nazioni Unite ha adottato, venerdi' 22 giugno, la risoluzione proposta dalla Moldova sul ritiro del contingente russo dalla Transnistria. Mentre Bucarest ha accolto con favore l'esito del voto, Mosca teme che la "mossa propagandistica" del governo di Chisinau possa ostacolare il gia' fragile processo di riconciliazione tra Moldova e Transnistria. Non solo. Rischia di danneggiare seriamente anche i rapporti tra Mosca e Chisinau, aggiunge il presidente moldavo, Igor Dodon, che vede nel documento un tentativo deliberato di esacerbare la situazione. Ma il premier moldavo, Pavel Filip, non arretra di un solo passo: “Continueremo a sollevare la questione all'Onu finche' l'ultimo soldato russo non avra' abbandonato la Transnistria". Paese che si e' pronunciato contro il ritiro delle truppe russe. La loro presenza, infatti, e' regolata da trattati, al fine di garantire la pace e la sicurezza sul territorio. Aumenta la produzione petrolifera I Paesi Opec+ hanno concordato di aumentare la produzione petrolifera. Nel precedente accordo datato dicembre 2016, nell'ottica di un aumento del prezzo del greggio, si era ridotta l'estrazione di 1,8 milioni di barili al giorno. Tuttavia, anche a causa della politica statunitense nei confronti dell'Iran e del Venezuela, in 18 mesi la produzione petrolifera è calata di 2,8 milioni di barili al giorno, provocando cosi' un aumento dei prezzi giudicato eccessivo. Russia e Arabia Saudita, all'incontro di sabato scorso a Vienna, per evitare una destabilizzazone del mercato, hanno così proposto di ritornare ai limiti di riferimento, aumentando la produzione di 1 milione di barili al giorno a partire dal 1° luglio. Gli effetti dell'incontro gia' si fanno sentire, tanto che lunedi' il prezzo del greggio ha registrato una prima flessione. Gli esperti russi, intanto, annunciano la comparsa di una nuova organizzazione con la partecipazione di Mosca, la quale, come fa sapere il ministro saudita Khalid Al-Falih, e' gia' stata invitata a unirsi all'Opec come membro associato. Avanzano gli yemeniti sui sauditi Un nuovo lancio di missili Burkan H2 da parte del movimento yemenita Ansar Allah ha colto di sorpresa i cieli sopra Ryihad, nella notte di domenica 24 giugno, provocando, secondo l'emittente yemenita Al Masirah, danni materiali a diversi siti governativi, compreso il Ministero della Difesa saudita. Nel frattempo, in seguito all'offensiva saudita di larga scala lanciata il 13 giugno, l'esercito yemenita, assieme agli Houthi di Ansar Allah, ha ripreso il controllo dell'aeroporto della provincia orientale di Houdeidah ed e'riuscito ad allestire in poco tempo migliaia di esemplari di droni a produzione locale, piccoli, veloci e senza pilota. Nel confronto a terra del 21 giugno, sono riuscite a tenere testa alla controparte nemica facendo uso di vecchi fucili britannici lunghi 1.20m ed uccidendo 18 soldati.Ma sabato 23 giugno e' stato il porto sul mar Rosso ad essere protagonista di un feroce attacco della coalizione a guida occidentale-saudita, con la benedizione del Segretario di Stato americano Mike Pompeo e la presenza in loco di servizi segreti francesi, come rivela Le Figaro. Mentre i britannici, dalle Nazioni unite, chiedono, come parte del "processo di pace", la rimozione delle forze di Ansar Allah dal territorio. Come osservano alcuni analisti, a preoccupare l'Occidente non e' tanto l'influenza iraniana su Sanaa, quanto l'idea di uno Yemen genuinamente indipendente - che e' quello che gli houthi rappresentano - nonche' i crescenti investimenti cinesi nel petrolio yemenita. San Pietroburgo: la magia delle vele scarlatte

Italia propone, Europa incerta "Si è conclusa la riunione informale sul tema migrazione a Bruxelles e rientriamo a Roma decisamente soddisfatti. Abbiamo impresso la giusta direzione al dibattito in corso. Ci rivediamo giovedì al Consiglio Europeo." Questo il tweet del primo Ministro italiano Giuseppe Conte a seguito del summit straordinario sulle politiche migratorie di 16 leaders europei svoltosi ieri domenica 24 giugno. "Qualora possibile vogliamo trovare soluzioni europee" ha dichiarato la cancelliera tedesca "se non siamo tutti insieme, dobbiamo radunare coloro che sono interessati a uno sforzo comune e stringeremo accordi bilaterali o trilaterali. Non possiamo sempre aspettare di essere tutti e 28 d'accordo". Presenti fra gli altri i paesi in prima linea sul fronte sbarchi, ovvero Italia, Grecia e Spagna. Chiaramente, sono diverse le motivazioni che soggiaciono sotto le azioni politiche dei rispettivi paesi: dallo scongiurare spaccature interne come nel caso della coalizione di governo tedesca, al rifiuto di accettare quote migratorie, come nel caso dell'Ungheria che, non a caso, ha boicottato l'incontro di ieri. Ma e' altrettanto chiaro che la linea assertiva di Conte si sta facendo strada e sta trovando consenso. La Francia di Macron, che da ex potenza coloniale riscuote l'85% delle riserve monetarie di molti paesi africani, dovra' mettere da parte l'ipocrisia. I dieci punti stilati dal neo premier italiano sottolineano una volta di piu' l'urgenza di superare gli accordi di Dublino, che gettano tutta la responsabilita' sul primo paese di arrivo dei profughi, e di iniziare le politiche di accoglienza e distribuzione con hotspots direttamente nei paesi interessati, soprattutto in Africa ma non solo. Sul piatto delle riforme, anche gli accordi di Schengen. Pronta nuova provocazione in Siria... L'organizzazione terroristica Jabhat al-Nusra starebbe preparando una provocazione antirussa in Siria, insieme all'agenzia di stampa di un Paese mediorientale. La notizia e' stata resa nota dal Centro russo per la riconciliazione in Siria, informato a riguardo dagli abitanti di Idlib. Le immagini dei tagliagole impegnati nel salvataggio dei civili e nella ricostruzione delle infrastrutture, in realta' gia' distrutte nel corso di precendenti combattimenti, servirebbero a diffondere la falsa notizia di un attacco dell'aviazione russa e siriana in provincia di Idlib. "Impossibile prevenire simili provocazioni", afferma il presidente siriano, Bashar al-Assad ai microfoni dell'emittente russa Ntv. "Non hanno nulla a che vedere con la realta', sono frutto della loro immaginazione e dell'immaginazione dei loro mass media", spiega il leader siriano. Chi siano "loro", poi, lo dice chiaramente: “Il progetto della guerra in Siria e' stato sviluppato da alcuni Paesi occidentali, in primis dagli Stati Uniti, dalla Francia e dal Regno Unito". Damasco non permettera' che questi Paesi contribuiscano alla ricostruzione del Paese. "Quando gli Stati europei parlano di aiuti, in realta' stanno cercando nuove fonti di guadagno", spiega Assad. Intanto, pero', non abbassa la guardia: “I terroristi gia' sconfitti di Daesh e di Jabhat al-Nusra potrebbero tornare con un nuovo nome, poiche' l'Occidente se ne serve per raggiungere i suoi scopi". Di questo è convinto il presidente siriano. … E in Transnistria Con 64 voti favorevoli, 14 contrari e 83 astensioni , l'Assemblea generale delle Nazioni Unite ha adottato, venerdi' 22 giugno, la risoluzione proposta dalla Moldova sul ritiro del contingente russo dalla Transnistria. Mentre Bucarest ha accolto con favore l'esito del voto, Mosca teme che la "mossa propagandistica" del governo di Chisinau possa ostacolare il gia' fragile processo di riconciliazione tra Moldova e Transnistria. Non solo. Rischia di danneggiare seriamente anche i rapporti tra Mosca e Chisinau, aggiunge il presidente moldavo, Igor Dodon, che vede nel documento un tentativo deliberato di esacerbare la situazione. Ma il premier moldavo, Pavel Filip, non arretra di un solo passo: “Continueremo a sollevare la questione all'Onu finche' l'ultimo soldato russo non avra' abbandonato la Transnistria". Paese che si e' pronunciato contro il ritiro delle truppe russe. La loro presenza, infatti, e' regolata da trattati, al fine di garantire la pace e la sicurezza sul territorio. Aumenta la produzione petrolifera I Paesi Opec+ hanno concordato di aumentare la produzione petrolifera. Nel precedente accordo datato dicembre 2016, nell'ottica di un aumento del prezzo del greggio, si era ridotta l'estrazione di 1,8 milioni di barili al giorno. Tuttavia, anche a causa della politica statunitense nei confronti dell'Iran e del Venezuela, in 18 mesi la produzione petrolifera è calata di 2,8 milioni di barili al giorno, provocando cosi' un aumento dei prezzi giudicato eccessivo. Russia e Arabia Saudita, all'incontro di sabato scorso a Vienna, per evitare una destabilizzazone del mercato, hanno così proposto di ritornare ai limiti di riferimento, aumentando la produzione di 1 milione di barili al giorno a partire dal 1° luglio. Gli effetti dell'incontro gia' si fanno sentire, tanto che lunedi' il prezzo del greggio ha registrato una prima flessione. Gli esperti russi, intanto, annunciano la comparsa di una nuova organizzazione con la partecipazione di Mosca, la quale, come fa sapere il ministro saudita Khalid Al-Falih, e' gia' stata invitata a unirsi all'Opec come membro associato. Avanzano gli yemeniti sui sauditi Un nuovo lancio di missili Burkan H2 da parte del movimento yemenita Ansar Allah ha colto di sorpresa i cieli sopra Ryihad, nella notte di domenica 24 giugno, provocando, secondo l'emittente yemenita Al Masirah, danni materiali a diversi siti governativi, compreso il Ministero della Difesa saudita. Nel frattempo, in seguito all'offensiva saudita di larga scala lanciata il 13 giugno, l'esercito yemenita, assieme agli Houthi di Ansar Allah, ha ripreso il controllo dell'aeroporto della provincia orientale di Houdeidah ed e'riuscito ad allestire in poco tempo migliaia di esemplari di droni a produzione locale, piccoli, veloci e senza pilota. Nel confronto a terra del 21 giugno, sono riuscite a tenere testa alla controparte nemica facendo uso di vecchi fucili britannici lunghi 1.20m ed uccidendo 18 soldati.Ma sabato 23 giugno e' stato il porto sul mar Rosso ad essere protagonista di un feroce attacco della coalizione a guida occidentale-saudita, con la benedizione del Segretario di Stato americano Mike Pompeo e la presenza in loco di servizi segreti francesi, come rivela Le Figaro. Mentre i britannici, dalle Nazioni unite, chiedono, come parte del "processo di pace", la rimozione delle forze di Ansar Allah dal territorio. Come osservano alcuni analisti, a preoccupare l'Occidente non e' tanto l'influenza iraniana su Sanaa, quanto l'idea di uno Yemen genuinamente indipendente - che e' quello che gli houthi rappresentano - nonche' i crescenti investimenti cinesi nel petrolio yemenita. San Pietroburgo: la magia delle vele scarlatte

Information obtained from Wikipedia and the Official Matthew Schrier website. Matthew B. Schrier is a Jewish American (former) photographer who escaped from al Qaeda. Schrier is from Deer Park, New York, and attended Hofstra University, where he was an English major who also studied film production. He entered Syria with the help of the Free Syrian Army. Schrier captured images of FSA rebels fighting forces of the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. In late December 2012, Schrier was captured by Jabhat al-Nusra, the Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria. He was among a collection of kidnapped American journalists held by Syrian jihadis. He strategically converted to Islam in March 2013 as a survival tactic to get better treatment, a tactic that ended up working.  In July 2013 Schrier became the first westerner to ever escape from al Qaeda.  His story has been covered by multiple media outlets and publications such as: National Geographic, 60 Minutes, the New York Times, FOX News, and CNN. Since returning home, Matthew has devoted himself to working with the US Military to educate American troops about survival after capture by extremists. His book "The Dawn Prayer (Or How to Survive in a Secret Syrian Terrorist Prison): A Memoir" was released April 2018. www.matthewschrier.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/themichaelcalderinshow/message

Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola interview Jana Nakhal, who is a member of the central committee of the Lebanese Communist Party and an independent researcher. Nakhal recently traveled to Afrin in northwest Syria, which was recently occupied by Takfiri fighters backed by the Turkish army. They have looted, raped women, and targeted and killed Kurdish inhabitants, as well as others. In this interview, Khalek asks Nakhal to describe what she witnessed on her trip to Syria. She talks about how the Takfiri fighters are ex-ISIS or ex-Nusra fighters mobilizing under the banner of the Free Syrian Army. They hate the Kurds. She addresses the silence throughout the world as mass killing and destruction takes place in Afrin with the support of Turkish armed forces. Later in the interview, she outlines the position of the Lebanese Communist Party on Syria and speaks about her identity as someone who was born in Syria and how the LCP has no love for the Syrian regime, which has targeted, tortured, and killed LCP members.

The downing of a Russian warplane over Syria is further proof, if any were still needed, that news of the end of the protracted war there is premature. It also underscores the changing nature of the conflict, and its turn in a dangerous new direction. It's been confirmed, Major Roman Filipov's Su-25 fighter was brought down by a MANPAD, or portable anti-aircraft missile system, reportedly fired by members of Jabhat al-Nusra. It's a sophisticated piece of equipment not easily gotten, so just where it came from, and how al-Nusra ended up with it are the burning questions of the moment. John Helmer is a long-time, Moscow-based journalist, author, and essayist whose website, Dances with Bears is the only Russian-based news bureau “independent of single national or commercial ties.” He's also a former political science professor who's served as an advisor to governments on three continents, and regularly lectures on Russian topics. Helmer's book titles include: ‘Uncovering Russia,' ‘Urbanman: The Psychology of Urban Survival,' ‘Bringing the War Home: The American Soldier in Vietnam and After,' and ‘Drugs and Minority Oppression', among others. John Helmer in the first half. And; the Victoria Film Festival continues this week through Sunday, when it will feature Canadian director, Stephen Campanelli's 'Indian Horse'. The full-length feature recently took the Calgary Film Festival's Audience Award for Narrative Feature, and was named the People's Choice winner at last year's Vancouver International Film Festival. It's an adaptation of the Richard Wagamese's widely acclaimed novel about Ojibway boy, Saul Indian Horse's abduction into Canada's residential school system. Campanelli is a long-time Hollywood camera operator, working within legendary actor/director and producer, Clint Eastwood's rarefied filmmaking circle. Among others, he's collaborated with Eastwood on the films: 'Million Dollar Baby'. 'Gran Torino', 'Sully', and their latest, and 21st collaboration, '15:17 to Paris'. Indian Horse is his second film in the director's chair, following 2015's 'Momentum'. Stephen Campanelli and breaking the tormented silence of Canada's residential school survivors. And; Victoria-based greentrepreneur and horticulturalist extraordinaire, Christina Nikolic will be here at the bottom of the hour with the Left Coast Events Bulletin bringing us up to speed with some of the good things going on in and around our town in the coming week. But first, John Helmer and the deadly consequences of America's anti-Russia campaigns. Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Thursday between 11-Noon Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca.  He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.ca/

In this episode, we seek to gain a better understanding of what drives certain young Muslim men living in Western societies to risk it all in traveling to Syria to fight the Assad regime. I talk with Amer Deghayes, a Libyan born British foreign fighter who traveled to Syria in 2013, ultimately ending up with the jihadist rebel group Jabhat al Nusra. We cover a lot of ground, including the reasons that compelled him to fight, his role in the conflict now, and his assessment of the reality in Idlib province today. Please support this podcast by contributing here: www.patreon.com/channeltherage

On August 2nd, President Trump signed a new law that passed Congress with the overwhelming support of both political parties, which imposes sanctions on three countries: Russia, North Korea, and Iran. In this episode, we examine the new sanctions and the big-picture motivations behind them. In the process, we jump down the rabbit hole of the U.S. involvement in the 2014 regime change in Ukraine. Please support Congressional Dish: Click here to contribute using credit card, debit card, PayPal, or Bitcoin Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Mail Contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North #4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD041: Why Attack Syria? CD067: What Do We Want In Ukraine? CD068: Ukraine Aid Bill CD108: Regime Change CD150: Pivot to North Korea Episode Outline H.R. 3364: Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act Title I: Iran Sanctions Gives the Executive Branch additional power to block property or exclude from the United States both companies and people who materially contribute to Iran's ballistic missile program. Orders the President to enact sanctions that block property and financial transactions for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard-Corps Quds Force and it's affiliates starting 90 days after enactment, which is November 1, 2017. Orders the President to block property and prohibit from the United States any person or company that materially contributes to the transfer to Iran any battle tanks, armored combat vehicles, artillery systems, combat planes, attack helicopters, warships, missiles, or parts of those items. Sanctions prohibiting travel to the United States and financial transactions are exempted for humanitarian purposes. The President can waive the sanctions for two 180-day periods by notifying Congress. Title II: Russia Sanctions Subtitle A: Sanction related to terrorism and illicit financing Sense of Congress "It is the sense of Congress that the President should continue to uphold and seek unity with European and other key partners on sanctions implemented against the Russian Federation, which have been effective and instrumental in countering Russian aggression in Ukraine" Part 1: Trump Report Orders the President to submit reports outlining his reasons to Congress before terminating or waiving sanctions relating to Russia, Ukraine, and Syria The President can not terminate or waive the sanctions on Russia, Ukraine, and Syria within 30 days of submitting his report unless a branch of Congress passes a resolution to allow it. Part 2: Sanctions on Russia Makes state-owned companies in the rail, metals, and mining sectors subject to sanctions. Limits financial loans to Russian industries. Prohibits the transfer of goods & services (except banking) that support new Russian deepwater oil drilling, Arctic offshore drilling, or shale projects. Russians need to be have a 33% share or more in the company for the sanctions to apply. Forces the President to enact sanctions in situations when it was previously optional. Gives the President the option to enact sanctions on companies and individuals who provide materials to Russia for energy export pipelines valued at $1 million or more. Forces the President to block property and deny visas to anyone who provides the government of Syria financial, material, or technical support for getting almost any kind of weapon. The sanctions do not apply to products for Russia that are for space launches. Subtitle B: Countering Russian Influence in Europe and Eurasia Appropriates $250 million for a "Countering Russian Influence Fund" which will be used for "protecting critical infrastructure and electoral mechanisms" for members of NATO, the European Union, and "countries that are participating in the enlargement process of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or the European Union, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Macedonia, Moldova, Kosovo, Serbia, and Ukraine." The money can also be used to information distribution. There is a list of nongovernmental & international organizations eligible to receive the money. The Secretary of State will work with the Ukrainian government to increase the amount of energy produced in Ukraine. This will "include strategies for market liberalization" including survey work need to "help attract qualified investment into exploration and development of areas with untapped resources in Ukraine." The plan will also support the implementation of a new gas law "including pricing, tariff structure, and legal regulatory implementation." and "privatization of government owned energy companies." American tax money is contributing $50 million for this effort from the 2014 Ukraine aid law and $30 million more from this law. The money will be available until August 2022. Title III: North Korea Sanctions Subtitle A: Sanctions to enforce and implement United Nations Security Council sanctions against North Korea Expands existing mandatory sanctions to include anyone who provides North Korea with any weapons or war service, aviation fuel, or insurance or registration for aircraft or vessels. Also expands sanctions to include anyone who gets minerals, including gold, titanium ore, vanadium ore, copper, silver, nickel, zinc, or rare earth minerals from North Korea. Expand optional sanctions to include anyone who purchases above-the-U.N.-limited amounts of coal, iron, textiles, money, metals, gems, oil, gas, food, or fishing rights from North Korea. Also sanctions anyone who hires North Korean workers, conducts transactions for the North Korean transportation, mining, energy, or banking industries, or participates in online commerce, including online gambling, provided by the government of North Korea. Prohibits North Korean ships from entering US waters. Additional Reading Article: Iran could quit nuclear deal in 'hours' if new U.S. sanctions imposed: Rouhani, Reuters, August 15, 2017. Article: The Nation is reviewing a story casting doubt on Russian hack of DNC by Erik Wemple, The Washington Post, August 15, 2017. Article: Iranian Parliament, Facing U.S. Sanctions, Votes to Raise Military Spending by Thomas Erdbrink, The New York Times, August 13, 2017. Article: A New Report Raises Big Questions About Last Year's DNC Hack by Patrick Lawrence, The Nation, August 9, 2017. Article: North Korea's missile tests by Joshua Berlinger, CNN, August 7, 2017. Article: Iran Says New U.S. Sanctions Violate Nuclear Deal by Rick Gladstone, The New York Times, August 1, 2017. Article: Iran Reports Successful Launch of Missile as U.S. Considers New Sanctions by Thomas Erdbrink, The New York Times, July 27, 2017. Article: Trump Ends Covert Aid to Syrian Rebels Trying to Topple Assad by David E. Sanger, Eric Schmitt and Ben Hubbard, The New York Times, July 19, 2017. Article: Trump Recertifies Iran Nuclear Deal, but Only Reluctantly by Peter Baker, The New York Times, July 17, 2017. Article: Russians targeted election systems in 21 states, but didn't change any results, officials say by Joseph Tanfani, Los Angeles Times, June 21, 2017. Article: Top-Secret NSA Report Details Russian Hacking Effort Days Before 2016 Election by Matthew Cole, Richard Esposito, Sam Biddle and Ryan Grim, The Intercept, June 5, 2017. Article: The $110 billion arms deal to Saudi Arabia is fake news by Bruce Riedel, Brookings, June 5, 2017. Article: Iran Nuclear Deal Will Remain for Now, White House Signals by Gardiner Harris and David E. Sanger, The New York Times, May 17, 2017. Report: Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent US Elections, National Intelligence Council, January 6, 2017. Article: Obama Strikes Back at Russia for Election Hacking by David E. Sanger, The New York Times, December 29, 2016. Article: Murphy leads CT delegation in official overseas travel by Ana Radelat, The CT Mirror, March 13, 2015. Article: Major Study Finds The US Is An Oligarchy by Zachary Davies Boren, Business Insider, April 16, 2014. Article: Ukraine wins IMF lifeline as Russia faces growth slump by Natalia Zinets and Elizabeth Piper, Reuters, March 27, 2014. Article: Ukraine orders Crimea troop withdrawal as Russia seizes naval base by Marie-Louise Gumuchian and Victoria Butenko, CNN, March 25, 2014. Article: Defense Ministry: 50% Of Ukrainian Troops in Crimea Defect to Russia, Ukrainian News Agency, March 24, 2014. Article: European Union signs landmark association agreement with Ukraine by Adrian Croft, Reuters, March 21, 2014. Article: Crimea applies to be part of Russian Federation after vote to leave Ukraine by Luke Harding and Shaun Walker, The Guardian, March 17, 2014. Article: The February Revolution, The Economist, February 27, 2014. Article: Ukrainian MPs vote to oust President Yanukovych, BBC News, February 22, 2014. Article: Ukraine: Yulila Tymoshenko released as country lurches towards split by Conal Urquhart, The Guardian, February 22, 2014. Transcript: Ukraine Crisis: Transcript of leaked Nuland-Pyatt call, BBC, February 7, 2014. Article: Putin: Russia to buy $15 billion in Ukraine bonds by Vladimir Isachenkov and Maria Danilova, USA Today, December 17, 2013. Article: EU suspends trade talks with Ukraine, crowds rally against govt, Reuters, December 15, 2013. Article: Senators McCain, Murphy join massive Ukraine anti-government protest, threaten sanctions, Fox News, December 15, 2013. Article: Ukraine parliament rejects proposed laws to release Tymoshenko by Richard Balmforth and Pavel Polityuk, Reuters, November 21, 2013. Article: Ukraine suspends talks on EU trade pact as Putin wins tug of war by Ian Traynor and Oksana Grytsenko, The Guardian, November 21, 2013. Article: Ukraine signs $10 billion shale gas deal with Chevron by Pavel Polityuk and Richard Balmforth, Reuters, November 5, 2013. Article: Exclusive - EU, IMF coordinate on Ukraine as Russia threat looms by Luke Baker and Justyna Pawlak, Reuters, October 31, 2013. Press Release: Statement by IMF Mission to Ukraine, International Monetary Fund, October 31, 2013. Article: Ukraine's EU trade deal will be catastrophic, says Russia by Shaun Walker, The Guardian, September 22, 2013. Article: U.S. Repeals Propaganda Ban, Spreads Government-Made News to Americans by John Hudson, ForeignPolicy.com, July 14, 2013. Article: Ukrainian tycoon Firtash takes over bank Nadra, Reuters, May 4, 2011. References GovTrack: H.R. 3364: Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act Overview House Vote Senate Vote GovTrack: H.R. 4152: Support for the Sovereignty, Integrity, Democracy, and Economic Stability of Ukraine Act of 2014 Overview GovTrack: H.R. 5859: Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014 IMF Report: Ukraine 2012 Article IV Consultation CSPAN Video: Iran's Response to U.S. Sanctions, July 18, 2017. CSPAN Video: British Prime Minister Camerson Question Time, December 18, 2013. CSPAN: Victoria Nuland Profile CSPAN: Anne W. Patterson Profile Executive Orders Executive Order 13757: Taking Additional Steps to Address the National Emergency With Respect to Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities, December 28, 2016 Annex to Executive Order 13757 Executive Order 13694: Blocking the Property of Certain Persons Engaging in Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities, April 1, 2015 Executive Order 13685: Blocking Property of Certain Persons and Prohibiting Certain Transactions With Respect to the Crimea Region in Ukraine, December 19, 2014 Executive Order 13662: Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Ukraine, March 20, 2014 Executive Order 13661: Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Ukraine, March 16, 2014 Executive Order 13660: Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Ukraine, March 6, 2014 Visual References Image source Sound Clip Sources House Debate: House Debate on Russia, Iran and North Korea Sanctions, July 25, 2017. Timestamps & Transcripts 1500 Rep. Pete Sessions (TX): The bill that was passed by the Senate risked giving Russian energy firms a competitive advantage across the globe by inadvertently denying American companies access to neutral third-party energy markets where there would simply be a small or diminished Russian presence. The bill before us today prevents Russia from being able to weaponize these sanctions against U.S. energy firms. And I want to thank Chairman Royce for his hard work on this issue. I also want to ensure that we have an understanding of the definition of the word controlling in Section 223(d) of H.R. 3364. For purposes of clarification and legislative intent, the term controlling means the power to direct, determine, or resolve fundamental, operational, and financial decisions of an oil project through the ownership of a majority of the voting interests of the oil project. 1515 Rep. Tim Ryan (OH): What’s happening with these sanctions here in the targeting of Russian gas pipelines—their number one export—I think is entirely appropriate. The Nord Stream 2, which carries gas from Russia through the Baltics to Germany—and I know Germany isn’t happy about it, but this is something that we have to do. And the point I want to make is we have to address this issue in a comprehensive way. We must continue to focus on how we get our gas here in the United States, our natural gas, to Europe, to our allies, so they’re not so dependent on Russia. We’ve got to have the sanctions, but we’ve also got to be shipping liquid natural gas to some of these allies of ours so they’re not so dependent on the Russians, which is part and parcel of this entire approach. Senate Session: "Skinny Repeal" vote down, July 27, 2017. Transcript Sen. Chuck Schumer (NY): Mr. President, and last year we know the United States was victim of an attack by a foreign power on the very foundation of this dear democracy: the right of the people to a free and fair election. The consensus view of 17 agencies is that Mr. Putin interfered in the 2016 election. Hearing: North Korea Policy, Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific and International Cyber Security, July 25, 2017. Witnesses Bruce Klingner: Senior Research Fellow of the Heritage Foundation Leon Sigal: Director of Northeast Asia Cooperative Security Project at the Social Science Research Council (SSRSC) Susan Thornton: Acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Screenshot: No other Senators in the room Timestamps & Transcripts 3:48 Sen. Cory Gardner (CO): Last Congress, I lead the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act, which passed the Senate by a vote of 96 to nothing. This legislation was the first stand-alone legislation in Congress regarding North Korea to impose mandatory sanctions on the regime’s proliferation activities, human-rights violations, and malicious cyber behavior. According to recent analysis from the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, North Korea’s sanctions have more than doubled since that legislation came into effect on February 18, 2016. Prior to that date, North Korea ranked 8th behind Ukraine, Russia, Iran, Iraq, the Balkans, Syria, Sudan, and Zimbabwe. Even with the 130% sanctions increase after the legislation passed this Congress, North Korea is today still only the 5th most sanctioned country by the United States. 21:22 Sen. Cory Gardner: Could you talk a little bit about the timing of the travel ban? Susan Thornton: Yeah. So, we believe that within the coming week we will publish a notice in the Federal Register, outlining the period of consultation and what we’re proposing, which is a general travel restriction, that will be in the Federal Register for a 30-day comment period. And the proposal is to, I think as you know, make U.S. passports not valid for travel into North Korea unless you get—an application is made for a one-time trip, and you get a license or sort of a permission to make that trip. And so that’ll be in the Federal Register for 30 days. Gardner: Is that trip allowable under a humanitarian exemption? Is that the purpose of that allow— Thornton: Right, right. For the subsequent appl— you’d have to make an in-person application for a trip to— Gardner: And are we encouraging other nations to do the same, and have others made the same decision? Thornton: We have encouraged other people to make decisions about restricting travel and other—because tourism is obviously also a resource for the regime that we would like to see diminished. I don’t think so far there are other people that have pursued this but this will be sort of the initial one, and we will keep talking to others about that. 1:12:32 Leon Sigal: A policy of maximum pressure and engagement can only succeed if nuclear diplomacy is soon resumed and the North’s security concerns are addressed. We must not lose sight of the fact that it’s North Korea that we need to persuade, not China, and that means taking account of North Korea’s strategy. During the Cold War, Kim Il Sung played China off against the Soviet Union to maintain his freedom of maneuver. In 1988, anticipating the collapse of the Soviet Union, he reached out to improve relations with the United States, South Korea, and Japan in order to avoid overdependence on China. That has been the Kims’ objective ever since. From Pyongyang’s vantage point, that aim was the basis of the 1994 Agreed Framework and the September 2005 six-party joint statement. For Washington, obviously, suspension of Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs was the point of those agreements, which succeeded for a time in shuttering the North’s production of fissile material and stopping the test launches of medium- and longer-range missiles. Both agreements collapsed, however, when Washington did little to implement its commitment to improve relations, and, of course, Pyongyang reneged on denuclearization. That past is prologue. Now there are indications that a suspension of North Korean missile and nuclear testing and fissile material production may again prove negotiable. In return for a suspension of its production of plutonium and enriched uranium, the Trading with the Enemy Act sanctions imposed before the nuclear issue arose could be relaxed for yet a third time, and energy assistance unilaterally halted by South Korea in 2008 could be resumed. An agreement will require addressing Pyongyang’s security needs, including adjusting our joint exercises with South Korea, for instance by suspending flights of nuclear-capable B-52 bombers into Korean airspace. Those flights were only resumed, I want to remind you, to reassure our allies in the aftermath of the North’s nuclear tests. If those tests are suspended, B-52 flights can be, too, without any sacrifice of deterrence. North Korea’s well aware of the reach of U.S. ICBMs and SLBMs, which, by the way, were recently test launched to remind them. The U.S. can also continue to bolster, rotate, and exercise forces in the region so conventional deterrence will remain robust. The chances of persuading North Korea to go beyond another temporary suspension to dismantle its nuclear missile programs, however, are slim without firm commitments from Washington and Seoul to move toward political and economic normalization; engage in a peace process to end the Korean War; and negotiate security arrangements, among them a nuclear-weapons-free zone that would provide a multilateral legal framework for denuclearization. In that context, President Trump’s willingness to hold out the prospect of a summit with Kim Jong-un would also be a significant inducement. 1:23:06 Sen. Ed Markey (MA): We “convinced” Qaddafi to give up his nuclear-weapon program, we “convinced” Saddam Hussein to give up his nuclear-weapon program, and then subsequently we participated in a process that led to their deaths. Emergency Meeting: U.N. Security Council Meeting on North Korea Sanctions, August 5, 2017. Timestamps & Transcripts 3:47 Nikki Haley (US Ambassador): This resolution is the single largest economic sanctions package ever leveled against the North Korean regime. The price the North Korean leadership will pay for its continued nuclear and missile development will be the loss of 1/3 of its exports and hard currency. This is the most stringent set of sanctions on any country in a generation. 6:30 Matthew John Rycroft (British Ambassador to the U.N.): Make no mistake: as North Korea’s missile capabilities advance, so too does their contempt and disregard for this security council. We must meet this belligerence with clear, unequivocal condemnation and with clear, unequivocal consequences. Today, Mr. President, we have banned North Korean exports of coal, iron ore, lead, and seafood. These are the lifeline exports that sustain Kim Jong-un’s deadly aspirations. In simple terms, should the North Korean regime continue its reckless pursuit of an illegal missile program and a deadly nuclear program, they will have vastly less [unclear]. We’ve also capped the number of foreign workers from North Korea. Every year, DPRK sends thousands of ordinary workers overseas. They often endure poor conditions and long hours, and their toil serves to provide critical foreign currency for North Korean government coffers. This is undoubtedly a form of modern slavery, and today we have taken the first step to ending it. The world will now monitor and curtail work authorizations for these desperate ex-patriots. 28:11 Vasily Nebenzya (Russian Ambassador): We share the feeling of neighboring states in the region. The ballistic missiles, which were launched without warning from North Korea, pose a major risk to marine and air transit in the region as well as to the lives of ordinary civilians. We call upon the North Korean government to end the banned programs and to return to the NPT, nonproliferation regime, and the IAEA oversights as well as to join the Chemical Weapons Convention. All must understand that progress towards denuclearization of the Korean peninsula will be difficult so long as the DPRK perceives a direct threat to its own security, for that is how the North Koreans view the military buildup in the region, which takes on the forms of frequent, wide-ranging exercises in maneuvers of the U.S. and allies as they deploy strategic bombers, naval forces, and aircraft carriers to the region. Another destabilizing factor in the region is the scaling up in North Korea of the THAAD, the U.S. antimissile defense elements. We repeatedly noted not only this constitutes an irritant, but this also undermines the overall military balance in the region and calls into question the security of neighboring states. We would like to hope that the U.S. secretary of state’s assurances were sincere, that the U.S. is not seeking to dismantle the existing DPRK situation or to forcibly unite the peninsula or militarily intervene in the country. However, we are concerned that our proposed, our paragraph in the draft resolution was not supported. The possible military misadventures by any side are liable to cause a disaster for regional and global stability. Discussion: Senator John McCain on Ukraine, December 19, 2013. Witness Frederick Kempe: President & CEO of the Atlantic Council Transcripts Frederick Kempe: Russian president, Vladimir Putin, on Tuesday said he had agreed to loan Ukraine $15 billion and cut the price of critical natural gas supplies. Ukraine’s Prime Minister Azarov called the deal historic. In Brussels a draft EU document, reported this morning by the Wall Street Journal, indicated Ukraine could have gained even more from the West, though with different conditions and perhaps not as plainly put. Had it signed the EU pact, it might have had $26 billion of loans and grants from the EU over the next seven years, and if it had also agreed to the IMF package. While the Ukraine pivots economically eastward, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians continue to pivot westward, standing together in protest for their continued desire to be part of a Europe, whole and free. And it’s in that context that we welcome back a great friend of the Atlantic Council, Senator John McCain, who visited these protestors over the weekend with Senator Chris Murphy, and continues to play a consistent and leading and principled role in supporting democratic change both in Eastern Europe and around the world and thinking through what role the United States should be playing in these challenging times. Sen. John McCain (AZ): If Ukraine’s political crisis persists or deepens, which is a real possibility, we must support creative Ukrainian efforts to resolve it. Senator Murphy and I heard a few such ideas last weekend. From holding early elections, as the opposition is now demanding, to the institution of a technocratic government, with a mandate to make the difficult reforms required for Ukraine’s long-term economic health and sustainable development. Sen. John McCain (AZ): And eventually, a Ukrainian president, either this one or a future one, will be prepared to accept the fundamental choices facing the country, which is this: while there are real short-term costs to the political and economic reforms required for IMF assistance and EU integration, and while President Putin will likely add to these costs by retaliating against Ukraine’s economy, the long-term benefits for Ukraine in taking these tough steps are far greater and almost limitless. This decision cannot be born by one person alone in Ukraine, nor should it be. It must be shared, both the risks and the rewards, by all Ukrainians, especially the opposition and business elite. It must also be shared by the EU, the IMF, and the United States. YouTube: Victoria Nuland call with the US Ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt, February 7, 2017. Click here to see the full transcript Transcripts Victoria Nuland: What do you think? Geoffrey Pyatt: I think we’re in play. The Klitschko piece is obviously the complicated electron here, especially the announcement of him as deputy prime minister. And you’ve seen some of my notes on the troubles in the marriage right now, so we’re trying to get a read really fast on where he is on this stuff. But I think your argument to him, which you’ll need to make, I think that’s the next phone call you’ll want to set up, is exactly the one you made to Yats. And I’m glad you sort of put him on the spot on where he fits in this scenario, and I’m very glad he said what he said in response. Nuland: Good. So, I don’t think Klitsch should go into the government. I don’t think it’s necessary, I don’t think it’s a good idea. Pyatt: Yeah, I mean, I guess. In terms of him not going into the government, just let him sort of stay out and do his political homework and stuff. I’m just thinking in terms of sort of the process moving ahead, we want to keep the moderate Democrats together. The problem is going to be Tyahnybok and his guys, and I’m sure that’s part of what Yanukovych is calculating on all of this. I kind of— Nuland: I think Yats is the guy who’s got the economic experience, the governing experience. What he needs is Klitsch and Tyahnybok on the outside. He needs to be talking to them four times a week, you know? I just think Klitsch going in—he’s going to be at that level working for Yatsenyuk; it’s just not going to work. Victoria Nuland: Can’t remember if I told you this or if I only told Washington this, that when I talked to Jeff Feltman this morning, he had a new name for the U.N. guy, Robert Serry. Did I write you that this morning? Geoffrey Pyatt: Yeah. Yeah, I saw that. Nuland: Okay. He’s not gotten both Serry and Ban Ki-moon to agree that Serry could come in Monday or Tuesday. Pyatt: Okay. Nuland: So that would be great, I think, to help glue this thing and have the U.N. help glue it, and, you know, fuck the EU. Pyatt: No, exactly. And I think we’ve got to do something to make it stick together because you can be pretty sure that if it does start to gain altitude, the Russians will be working behind the scenes to try to torpedo it. Geoffrey Pyatt: I think we want to try to get somebody with an international personality to come out here and help to midwife this thing. And then the other issue is some kind of out reach to Yanukovych, but we probably regroup on that tomorrow as we see how things start to fall into place. Victoria Nuland: So, on that piece, Geoff, when I wrote the note, Sullivan’s come back to me VFR, saying, you need Biden, and I said, probably tomorrow for an “atta-boy” and to get the deets to stick. Pyatt: Okay. Nuland: So, Biden’s willing. Pyatt: Okay, great. Thanks. Briefing: State Department Daily Briefing, February 6, 2014 Witness Jen Psaki: State Department Spokesperson Timestamps & Transcripts 0:19 Male Reporter: Can you say whether you—if this call is a recording of an authentic conversation between Assistant Secretary Nuland and Ambassador Pyatt? Jen Psaki: Well, I’m not going to confirm or outline details. I understand there are a lot of reports out there, and there’s a recording out there, but I’m not going to confirm a private diplomatic conversation. Reporter: So you are not saying that you believe this is a—you think this is not authentic? You think this is a— Psaki: It’s not an accusation I’m making. I’m just not going to confirm the specifics of it. Reporter: Well, you can’t even say whether there was a—that this call—you believe that this call, you believe that this recording is a recording of a real telephone call? Psaki: I didn’t say it was inauthentic. I think we can leave it at that. Reporter: Okay, so, you’re allowing the fact that it is authentic. Psaki: Yes. Reporter: “Yes,” okay. Psaki: Do you have a question about it? 7:40 Female Reporter: This was two top U.S. officials that are on the ground, discussing a plan that they have to broker a future government and bringing officials from the U.N. to kind of seal the deal. This is more than the U.S. trying to make suggestions; this is the U.S. midwifing the process Hearing: Ukraine Anti-Government Protests, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, January 15, 2014. Witnesses Zbigniew Brzezinski Carter’s National Security Advisor 77-81 Center for Strategic & International Studies, counselor & Trustee Thomas Melia: Deputy Assistant Secretary for Human Rights & Labor at the Department of State Victoria Nuland: Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Timestamps & Transcripts 32:27 Thomas Melia: Our approach to Ukraine complements that of our EU partners and what they sought in their association agreement, a Ukraine that is more responsive to its citizens, that offers its people opportunities that a growing free-market economy would provide based on the rule of law. 34:19 Victoria Nuland: The point that we have made repeatedly to Russia, and that I certainly made on my trip to Russia between two trips to Ukraine in December, was that a Ukraine that is economically stable and prosperous should be no threat to Russia, that this is not a zero-sum game that we are playing here, and that, in fact, the same benefits that the EU was offering to Ukraine—benefits of association and economic integration—are also available to a Russia that wants to take the same market opening and democratic reform steps that Ukraine has already taken, 18 pieces of legislation having already been completed. 58:43 Senator John McCain (AZ): This is a country that wants to be European. They don’t want to be Russian. That’s what this is all about. 59:52 Senator John McCain (AZ): I’m somewhat taken aback by your, “well, it’s sort of up to the Ukrainian people.” We ought to be assisting morally the Ukrainian people for seeking what we want everybody on this earth to have, and so it’s not just up to the Ukrainian people. They cry out for our assistance. Panel: Internet and Democracy, Aspen Ideas Festival, June 26, 2017. Witnesses Ory Rinat: White House Interim Chief Digital Officer Farhad Majoo: New York Times Correspondent Transcripts Ory Rinat: What drives social engagement? What drives Internet engagement? It’s shares. And that’s not a social-media thing; that’s back to forwarding chain emails. It’s when people share, that’s the source of engagement. And what drives people to share? It’s anger. It’s sadness. It’s inspiration. It’s really rare; it happens, but it’s rare that somebody says, wow, I just read an objective, fascinating piece that represents both sides; let me share it on Facebook. That’s not what people share. And so what happens is we’ve incentivized, as a society, sensationalism in journalism. I was giving an example earlier: during the transition, there was an article in a publication that should not be named that said something along the lines of, Trump transition website lifts passages from nonprofit group. Okay. Doesn’t sound that great. Couple of paragraphs in, they mention that the website actually sourced and cited the nonprofit. Couple of paragraphs later, they quote the CO of the nonprofit saying it was okay. Couple of paragraphs later, they quote a lawyer saying even if it wasn’t okay, even if they didn’t have permission, and even if they didn’t cite it, it was probably still legal. But that headline was so sensationalized, and people want to click on something that makes them angry, and so everybody just needs to take a breath, and it’s not the Internet’s fault. Farhad Manjoo: Well, it’s the Internet ad model’s fault, right? It’s the fact that those sites—Facebook, every news site you can think of—is getting paid based on clicks. So is sort of the fundamental fix here some other business model for online news and everything else? Ory Rinat: Sure, I just can’t think of one. Farhad Manjoo: Right. Panel: U.S. Global Leadership, The Aspen Institute, August 4, 2017. Witnesses Nick Burns: Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Bush) Condoleezza Rice: Former National Security Advisor (Bush) Tom Donilon: Former National Security Advisor (Obama) Stephen Hadley: Former National Security Advisor (Bush) Susan Rice: National Security Advisor Timestamps & Transcripts 9:00 Condoleezza Rice: The liberal order was born, it was an idea, designed after World War II, when people looked out at the world that they had inherited after World War I and said, let’s not do that again. And it had two important elements, and it had one important fact. One element was they really believed that the international economy did not have to be a zero-sum game. It could be competitive, but it could be a growing economy and a positive-sum game, so my gains were not your losses, and that’s why they wanted to have free trade, and they wanted to have a comparative advantage among countries. And as you said, they set up institutions to do it, an International Monetary Fund and exchange rates, a World Bank eventually starting as a European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, which would rebuild economies and actually would become a source of capital for countries coming out of colonialism. And in some ways the most remarkable one, the general agreement on tariffs and trade, which was not a set of trade agreements but rules of the road to level the playing field so that the international economy could grow. So it was by its very nature supposed to get us away from conflict in the international system. They hated the fact that there’d been beggar-thy-neighbor trading policies and competition over resources. It was violent. So they weren’t going to do that again. Then, the important fact: they were going to try to create the democratic peace where they could, so they rebuilt Germany as a democracy, Japan as a democracy, and it was all going to be protected by American military power. And so that was the liberal order. 12:00 Condoleezza Rice: It is being challenged by Russia because Russia unfortunately doesn’t really have a foot in the economic side and, therefore, uses its military power for its respect. But it’s also being challenged by the four horsemen of the Apocalypse—populism, nativism, isolationism, and protectionism—and they tend to run together. And so one of the questions that we ought to be asking is not just the challenge to the liberal order from transnational terrorism or cyber warfare or from big powers like Russia and China but how do we deal with the fact that it does seem that there are those who believe that they were left behind by the global order, and they’re fighting back. They found people who will give them an answer as to why they didn’t succeed. Populists always have an answer: it’s the other—the Chinese; the illegal immigrants; if you’re from the Left, the big banks. And, oh, by the way, the other this time around is not just taking your jobs; the other is dangerous—so refugees and immigrants—and so I think the challenge is this time not just one that we foreign-policy people can understand but one that has to go internally to these societies and see what’s happening. That’s why I’m glad for the Aspen Strategy Group, that we are having this wonderful session that _____(01:30) will help to lead, because this is a really big challenge from the inside and from the out. And, yes, I’m worried that the liberal order might not survive it. 31:00 Condoleezza Rice: Leading differently obviously means finding a role for others—that’s very important—but it also means—and I know we can’t retire from this role, but there is a weariness among the American people, and we can’t ignore it. We can’t as foreign-policy people simply say, look, we’ve had to get back there and lead. We have to say, we’re going to lead because it’s in our interests, it’s with our values, and our allies have to appreciate it, right? And they have to be a part of it. That’s my point. I think we really haven’t gotten from the allies. What we get mostly from the allies is criticism for not leading, because the only thing the world hates more than unilateral American leadership is no American leadership, but we do need our allies to step up, and some of them have. On Minsk, for instance, the Germans stepped up to try and settle the Ukrainian circumstances. But let’s not underestimate outside of foreign-policy leads, the degree to which the American people are asking questions about how much more we can do. Unknown Speaker: Well, this is a good transition point to Russia. Let me just frame it this way: since Putin’s invasion and annexation of Crimea, 20 of the 28 allies have raised their defense spending, and they feel the threat. And I would even say right now, Merkel is leading NATO, not so much the United States; she’s leading NATO on this. So, Condi, you studied the Russians and the Soviets your life; we’ve got a dilemma here. Putin attacked our election and tried to discredit our democracy. We know he did that. Putin annexed Crimea. He still has troops in the Donbass and Eastern Ukraine, dividing that country. He has been a malevolent force in Syria. So, what’s the strategy for President Trump here? How does he respond to this? And we saw this extraordinary situation where the president was essentially repudiated by the Republicans in Congress on this big vote in the Senate and House to sanction Russia. If you were to give advice to him, what would it be? Not to put you on the spot too much. Rice: Well, thanks. Well, the first advice I would give is, be sure you know who Vladimir Putin is, right? And Vladimir Putin is someone who likes to humiliate, someone who likes to dominate, and someone who essentially understands power. And so don’t go into a room with Vladimir Putin unless you are in a pretty powerful position, and that means when you go to talk to Vladimir Putin, first let’s continue the policy that the Obama administration began, maybe even accelerate the policy of putting forces, at least on a rotating basis but possibly on a permanent basis, in places like Poland and the Baltic states so that you say to him, this far and no further. Secondly, I like raising the defense budget as a signal to the Russians. Third, I think you have to say to the Russians, we know you did it on the electoral process; we will, at a time of our choosing, by means of our choosing, we will deal with it, but we have confidence in our electoral system, so don’t think that you’re undermining American confidence by what you’re doing, because he feeds on the sense that he’s succeeding in undermining our confidence. And the final thing I’d say to him is, stop flying your planes so close to our ships and aircraft; somebody’s going to get shot down, because once you’ve established the kind of ground rules with Vladimir Putin, now you can talk about possible areas of cooperation. By the way, there’s one other thing I’d do: I’d arm the Ukrainians. I think that you have got to raise the cost to the Russians of what they’re doing in Ukraine, and it’s not on the front pages anymore, but in Eastern Ukraine, people are dying every day because of those little Russian green men, the Russian separatists, who, with Russian military training and Russian military intelligence and Russian military capability, are making a mess of Eastern Ukraine and making it impossible for Kiev to govern the country. And so I think it’s time to arm them. 33:30 Nick Burns: I think President Obama actually put in place a lot of what Condi’s saying. Is there bipartisan agreement on this tough policy? Susan Rice: I think there’s certainly bipartisan agreement on the steps that Condi described that we characterized as the European Response Initiative, where we got NATO with our leadership to put in those four countries, the three Baltics, plus Poland, a continuous, rotating, augmented presence and _____(00:26) deployed not only personnel but equipment, and we have reversed the trend of the downsizing of our presence in Europe, and that’s vitally important. 36:00 Tom Donilon: It’s important to recognize some of the fundamentals here, right, which is that we are in an actively hostile posture with the Russians right now. And it’s not just in Europe; it’s in Syria, it’s in Afghanistan, it’s in Syria, and it was in our own elections, and it’ll be in the European elections going through the next year as well, and it’ll probably be in our elections 2018 and 2020 unless we act to prevent it. So, we’re in, I think, in an actively hostile posture with the Russians, coming from their side. 40:00 Stephen Hadley: We’re putting battalions—we, NATO—putting battalions in the three Baltic states and in Poland and in Bucharest. Battalions are 1200 people, 1500 people. Russia is going to have an exercise in Belarus that newspaper reports suggest maybe up to 100,000 people and 8,000 tanks—I think I’ve got that number right— Unknown Speaker: This month. Hadley: —more tanks than Germany, France, and U.K. have combined. And we have to be careful that we don’t get in this very confrontational, rhetorical position with Russia and not have the resources to back it up. 58:00 Condoleezza Rice: Democracy promotion—democracy support, I like to call it—is not just the morally right thing to do, but, actually, democracies don’t fight each other. They don’t send their 10-year-olds as child soldiers. They don’t traffic their women into the sex trade. They don’t attack their neighbors. They don’t harbor terrorists. And so democracies are kind of good for the world, and so when you talk about American interests and you say you’re not sure that we ought to promote democracy, I’m not sure you’ve got a clear concept, or a clear grasp, on what constitutes American interests. Speech: Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton National Security Address, Council of Foreign Relations, November 19, 2015. Transcript Hillary Clinton: So we need to move simultaneously toward a political solution to the civil war that paves the way for a new government with new leadership and to encourage more Syrians to take on ISIS as well. To support them, we should immediately deploy the special operations force President Obama has already authorized and be prepared to deploy more as more Syrians get into the fight, and we should retool and ramp up our efforts to support and equip viable Syrian opposition units. Our increased support should go hand in hand with increased support from our Arab and European partners, including Special Forces who can contribute to the fight on the ground. We should also work with the coalition and the neighbors to impose no-fly zones that will stop Assad from slaughtering civilians and the opposition from the air. Hearing: U.S. Policy and Russian Involvement in Syria, House Foreign Affairs Committee, November 4, 2015. Witnesses Anne W. Patterson: Assistant Secretary Department of State, Near Eastern Affairs Transcript Rep. David Cicilline (RI): Who are we talking about when we’re speaking about moderate opposition, and do they, in fact, include elements of al-Qaeda and al-Nusra and other more extremist groups? Anne Patterson: Well, let me take the civilian moderate opposition, too, and that’s the assistance figure that you’re referring to, and that is groups within Syria and groups that live in Turkey and Lebanon and other places; and what that project is designed to do is to keep these people, not only alive physically, but also keep them viable for a future Syria, because we have managed to, even areas under control of ISIL—I won’t mention them—but we have managed to provide money to city councils, to health clinics, to teachers and policemen so these people can still provide public services and form the basis for a new Syria. So that’s—a good portion of that money goes into efforts like that. There’s also the opposition on the ground, and I think they’ve sort of gotten a bum rap in this hearing because I think they are more extensive than it’s generally recognized, particularly in the south, and they, yes, of course, in the north, some of these individuals have affiliated with Nusra because there was nowhere else to go. Anne Patterson: Moscow has cynically tried to claim that its strikes are focused on terrorists, but so far eighty-five to ninety percent of Syrian strikes have hit the moderate Syrian opposition, and they have killed civilians in the process. Despite our urging, Moscow has yet to stop the Assad regime’s horrific practice of barrel bombing the Syrian people, so we know that Russia’s primary intent is to preserve the regime. Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations

Kamran Bokhari and Jacob L. Shapiro discuss where IS came from, the history and politics of radical Islam, and what happens if IS is defeated in Raqqa. Sign up for free updates on topics like this! Go here: hubs.ly/H06mXwR0 TRANSCRIPT: JS: Hello, my name is Jacob Shapiro, I'm broadcasting today from Avignon, in the south of France. I'm joined by Kamran Bokhari, who I believe is in Washington, D.C. Is that right Kamran? KB: Yes I am. JS: I'm joined by Kamran Bokhari who is our senior analyst and who focuses on the Middle East, and we're going to be talking a little bit about ISIS. Thanks for joining us Kamran. KB: Pleasure to be here. JS: So, Kamran, I thought instead of talking about every single battle and every single report that seems to indicate ISIS is imminently falling, we might take a broader look at the subject for our listeners. So, how about we just start with a rather broad question – tell me about how ISIS started. How did ISIS come to be in the middle of Syria and Iraq? KB: Well if you recall, Jacob, this happened in the wake of regime change, or regime collapse, in Iraq, when the United States invaded Iraq in 2003, toppled the Saddam government and has since been unable to form a viable state. And it was not just the lack of a state, but it also brought to the fore forces that were until then very much contained under the autocratic leadership of the Baathist regime. And so what we had was the disenfranchisement of the Sunnis, the rise of the Shiites and of course the rise of the Kurds, in the form of regional autonomy. ISIS did not exist, in fact, there were hardly any Islamist groups of any shade in Iraq, but in war, especially when you have the sectarian problem in the Middle East where the Sunnis and the Shia are struggling with one another – yes, the Sunni government came down, but it's not like the Shiites were able to establish their own government. There was a window of opportunity in which the founders of ISIS, particularly Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who founded what used to be called al-Qaida in Iraq, laid the foundation for ISIS. And as the years rolled on, ISIS continued to gain strength from the conflict that was brewing. It was a complex conflict. There were Shiites fighting Shiites, Shiites fighting Sunnis, Sunnis fighting Kurds and Sunnis fighting the United States. So in that complex warlike scenario, that's where we find the birth of ISIS. JS: Yes, well, as usual in the Middle East, everybody is fighting everybody and it's all complicated. But so there's a lot there to unpack. So how about we start with this: You mentioned that the original name of ISIS was al-Qaida in Iraq and you also said that ISIS began, or really, its generation point came in 2003 after the U.S. invasion of Iraq. How about we go back a little step further, and can you talk about the relationship between al-Qaida and between ISIS and what the relationship was and how it's developed? KB: If we go back to the aftermath of 9/11 and after the United States invaded Afghanistan and destroyed the infrastructure of al-Qaida, disrupted its operations, forcing al-Qaida, the original organization, to disperse and relocate largely in northwestern Pakistan. Al-Qaida had basically very little power projection capability at that point. I'm talking between 2001 and 2003. And at that point in time, it seemed like al-Qaida's purpose for staging the 9/11 attacks, which was to bait the United States into militarily acting in a very large way in the Middle East, in the heart of the Muslim world, that didn't succeed. The United States sent in a small force, largely special operations forces and intelligence operatives and later NATO forces came in, but originally it was Afghan forces on the ground who toppled the Taliban regime. That didn't produce the kind of effect that al-Qaida was hoping for. But then when the United States invaded Iraq, that was an opportunity. But al-Qaida didn't have any horses in this race. Al-Qaida could not reach Iraq. But Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who ran his own jihadist training camp in Afghanistan pre-9/11, was able to make his way from Afghanistan between 2001, and by the time the United States invaded Iraq in the spring of 2003, he had set up his shop in the Sunni areas in northern Iraq. And he was able to take advantage of that vacuum that was created with the fall of the Saddam regime and he began an insurgency. But at that point in time his group used to be called something like Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad and it wasn't even called al-Qaida. But this individual and this outfit were on the ground, al-Qaida was at a distance. Both needed each other. Zarqawi's outfit was not getting the kind of coverage or the kind of support, financially or otherwise, because it was an unknown quantity. Al-Qaida was a brand at the time and therefore it was a marriage of convenience. Bin Laden and Zawahiri and al-Qaida, the original organization, or what was left of it, did not have the ability to act in Iraq. These guys were acting, so they formed an alliance and Zarqawi became the leader of what became the al-Qaida branch in Iraq. And that's sort of where these guys started to work together. Operationally, Zarqawi was his own guy, he didn't have to report on a daily basis, he did what he thought was right and he was essentially following strategic guidance from Bin Laden and the top leadership, to the extent that he cared to do that. But it was an arrangement that worked for a while. But effectively, Zarqawi became more and more powerful and at one point, he didn't really need to report back. He never rebelled, in his lifetime, he was killed in 2006, and by that time his group was institutionalized to the point where his successors were able to take the group to the next level. And as the years rolled on, until the United States in 2007-2008 were able to get the Sunnis to turn against Zarqawi and his al-Qaida in Iraq, these guys had put down quite a bit of roots inside the country. And therefore, I think that's where the foundation was laid. Now, everything that's happened since is sort of building upon this foundation. JS: Well if I can – I'll stop you there and I'll just say, one of the interesting things that you're saying is that Zarqawi wasn't in Iraq. But you also said that one of al-Qaida's original goals was to draw the United States into the Middle East. Another of al-Qaida's goals was to try and demonstrate to much of the Islamic world, especially the Arab world, that all of these secular dictatorships, or dictatorships that had been propped up by the West, had no legitimacy. They thought if they could bring the United States in and if they could show the people of the Middle East that their regimes had no legitimacy that there would be some kind of popular revolt. So they didn't – they weren't able to bring the United States into the Middle East right away, but the fact that Zarqawi was able to get himself to Iraq and found there a very fertile ground for recruits indicates that perhaps Bin Laden, and al-Qaida in general, had a much better assessment of the level of discontent in that part of the world than anybody else. Would you agree with that characterization? KB: I would, but I would also say that this wasn't sort of – this was one of those things that they, al-Qaida, the original organization led by Bin Laden, intended to do, but had it not been for Zarqawi and his efforts and his ability to implant himself in Iraq at a time when the United States was going to war in that country, I don't think we would've come this far. So there's a bit of luck if you think from al-Qaida's point of view. Now obviously, ever since, al-Qaida has taken sort of the backseat, and now ISIS as we know it, or the Islamic State, it's essentially a different organization. It has its roots in al-Qaida, in many ways it took al-Qaida's original view and ideas and really operationalized them in a way that al-Qaida could not because of the lack of capability and the fact that Bin Laden and his top associates traded away day-to-day operational control for physical security of the leadership of the movement, they thought if the leadership was killed then al-Qaida would collapse, and therefore, the price was that you allow these groups to operate on their own. Now they didn't think that al-Qaida in Iraq would become not just an independent organization but one that would eclipse al-Qaida itself. JS: That's true, too, but you made another interesting point that I want to take you back to, which is that you mentioned that Zarqawi was the right man in the right place at the right time. That's an important point because when we're dealing with geopolitics and especially when we're dealing with state actors, the role of the individual, generally speaking, is not that important. We put less emphasis on the individual. Maybe with a sub-state actor it has a little bit of difference. But I guess the question I would pose to you then, is, was it really Zarqawi that was that special or was there going to be a Zarqawi anyway? And was the situation going to mushroom into that anyway, or did it really require someone who had that connection to al-Qaida, who had that experience, who had that training, who had that world view, who knew how to operationalize it, who knew how to put it together, to go to Iraq and to take advantage of the situation? Or would it have been, when the United States went in and when things started going wrong in Iraq, that this kind of movement would've sort of organically sprouted up anyway? KB: I think that this was bound to happen. If it was not Zarqawi it could've been someone else, because in reality, Zarqawi the personality could only do so much unless the ground realities allowed for it, and there were enabling factors, the disenfranchisement of the Sunnis, created a lot of leaders. Back in the day, I'm talking 2003 to 2005-6 I remember that Zarqawi was just one of many militia leaders, one of many factions. At the time, the group had yet to distinguish itself. So there were no shortage of outfits and organizations. I think probably what did make a bit of a difference was the fact that this individual had experience in running training camps, in running an organization going back to the late '90s and I think that experience came in handy. But it's not that Zarqawi was so important to all of this. Now, the insurgency may have taken a different route, but the fact that there is a Shiite-Sunni struggle going on at the time, that didn't require Zarqawi. That was going on independent of any personality per se. And so I think that the ground was fertile. It required an individual and an outfit that had the experience. If you fast-forward just a little bit to 2012, and when the Syrian uprising morphed into a full-scale civil war, again it was Zarqawi's outfit – because of its experience – that was able to take advantage of the vacuum that was created in eastern Syria and was able to take over places like Raqqa and Deir el-Zour and the oil fields. And it became the biggest militia and really eclipsed the rebels who started the war. So I think there's something to be said about institutionalization. I'm not a big fan of personalities, I think that there were many others, and the fact that Zarqawi only lived for three years as the leader and we are now in year 14 of this entity, says a lot. I mean, there are a lot of leaders who had come by and taken over the same group and really moved on, so you know, there's institutionalization and there are ground realities that sustain these type of entities. JS: I want to talk about the sectarian part of all this and I also want to fast forward to the present day, but before we do that I want to ask you one more question that goes back a little bit and sets the stage, which is that, so we have now identified that there was a fertile ground there for recruitment for Zarqawi and for these other heads of militias to recruit for al-Qaida, to recruit for the general mission and this may be an impossible question for you to answer, but we specialize in impossible questions, so when do you think this moment in the Muslim world started happening? When did the discontent get to such an extent that people were so upset that they would be open to this kind of ideology? When did it start to move away from secular nationalism or any of the other things that were peoples' identifying political ideology, particularly Arab nationalism too – when did it go from that to Islam being one of the major things, and this radical version of Islam being something that could be used as a tool to create these organizations? KB: I think if I had to put my finger on a date, I would say right after the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, in which Egypt, Syria and Jordan suffered a major defeat at the hands of Israel. And I think that was sort of the turning point. But having said that, I will also point out that these are not, sort of, on-and-off switches. Things are taking shape in parallel. So a new movement is operating parallel to an older movement and at some point the new movement overtakes the pre-existing movement, in terms of its popular appeal. I think that the crisis essentially allowed, the devastating defeat of the Arab states really allowed for the Islamists to come out and say, what have the secularists given to this region, to the people of this region, to the Arabs, to the Muslims? And they were able to really craft a narrative, or take an existing narrative to the next level and say, it is because we have left the ideas that made us great in the past. We have abandoned that, that has led us to this kind of lull, and if we were to go back to Islam, then this region can regain its lost glory. I think that's the really turning point, but groups, if you were to measure Islamism in the form of groups, I would say that by the mid-'70s, these groups had started to come out, and I think by the end of the 1970s, Islamism had exploded onto the scene. We had the revolution in Iran, albeit a Shiite Islamist regime took over from the monarchy of the shah, but nonetheless, it had a real impact, a psychological impact on the majority Sunni Islamists. There was also the taking over of the Kaaba in 1979 in November by radical Salafis trying to overthrow the Saudi regime, and then I think that really the incubator that really took Islamism to the next level, was the war against the Soviets in Afghanistan that allowed for different Islamists from different parts of the Arab Muslim world to come together and have a shared experience for a decade and really become battle hardened and not just ideologically advance themselves, but acquire capabilities that make political change a bit more, if you will, realizable. JS: Would you say that though – I mean, yes, so Afghanistan was that ground where they all met, but I'm struck by the fact that most of the examples you use are Arab. Would you describe radical Islam and this particular strain of jihadism as an Arab phenomenon or a Muslim phenomenon? KB: I would say it's an Arab phenomenon. One of the things to note is that Egypt is the cradle of all ideologies that have spread across the Arab Muslim world. Secularism in the Arab world began in Egypt. Islamism, in the form of the Muslim Brotherhood ideology, began in Egypt. Jihadism, what later was made transnational by al-Qaida and more recently by ISIS, has its roots in Egypt. So definitely it is – and then of course the Salafism of Saudi Arabia and its input into the making of this broader phenomenon. So yes, there is no doubt that it is an Arab ideology at its core, at its root. That doesn't mean that it doesn't take other shapes, though the Chechens have Islamism in a different direction and have emerged as leaders, for lack of a better term, in the Caucasus region. We have Central Asian jihadists, Southeast Asia has their own jihadists. But really, jihadism and the entire Islamist project is very much Arab at its core. JS: It also seems to be very Sunni. So you brought up Iran a little earlier, but I guess we could talk about Hezbollah and I guess we could talk about some of these groups, but how do you account for the fact that the majority of these groups are Sunni? Is there something within Sunni Islam or within their particular interpretation of Sunni Islam that leads to this kind of ideology? Is it really just that the political and geographic circumstances in countries that were Sunni and were Arab were bad enough and were the right mix of things that it really wasn't anything embedded within Sunni Islam itself? It was just that there was a situation in those countries and Sunni Islam was the religion that they practiced and therefore that was how it got manifested? So how do you – and I know we're going to talk about sectarianism a little more because it's so important, especially for the rise of ISIS, particularly in Iraq, but how do you account for the fact that most of these groups when we talk about them are all Sunni? KB: So I think that the easy way to understand this is simply that Sunnis have always been the majority sect in Islam. And the overwhelming majority. Even today, there aren't real good, if you will, we don't have a reliable census that we can say – OK, you know what, this is how many percentage of Shiites and Sunnis per country. But it's fair to say, I would say, that a good 80 percent of the Arab Muslim world is Sunni. Therefore, you know, the ideology of jihadism or any other ideology that came before, has always been dominated by the Sunnis. And so it's demography, it's sectarian demography, but it's also geography. If you look at the history of the expansion of Islam, and how over time, it gets factionalized and geography imposes its limits, and creates problems and leads to the rise of new regimes and new ideas, it becomes very clear that it's not something inherent in Sunni Islam, necessarily. Yes, there is this crisis of what does it mean to be a Muslim in the here and now in a collective sense. And the Muslim world has not seen, has not really come far beyond the old imperial age, that for the rest of the world, is now a good – you know it's in its second century, that was 200 years ago that the rest of the world, or the Western world in particular, really left the imperial form of governance for a modern nation-state based on a secular order and a commitment to self-determination and democracy. I think that evolution has not occurred in the Muslim world and therefore there is this crisis. But I don't think it's necessarily something in Sunni Islam. If Shiites had been the majority, in a counterfactual reality, I think we'd be facing the same problems. JS: I think I agree with you, but I'll play devil's advocate for a second, which is to say that I think you're right generally and this is not so much a Muslim issue especially in the Middle East, but it goes beyond the Middle East. But Iran is the Islamic Republic, right? You talked about the Iranian Revolution and Iran is really the center of Shiite Islam in the world. And we could say that there is a much more mature political, or at least a much more mature idea, about what the relationship is supposed to be between politics and between religion in Iran. It's not necessarily all settled. There are obviously large disagreements within Iran itself, but we might say that Turkey is another example that is fighting through this right now. It's not stable, but there's a much, much more mature sense of what that relationship is between politics and religion. So how do you account for a country like Iran, which went through its own turmoil and it has its own pressure, or a country like Turkey, which is currently doing it right now, how do you account for those countries developing the way they're developing versus the Arab world, which is essentially cannibalizing itself right now? KB: So there are a number of factors with it. The first one is that Sunni Islam has been preoccupied for, you know, over a millennia with orthodoxy. Orthodoxy has been its obsession. What are the boundaries of justifiable behavior and thought? That's what Sunni Islam – and I think that there is a certain logic here, that if you are the majority, you're not worried about existential issues. You're worried about the, you know, legitimacy, authenticity in terms of religious ideas. And so I think that is something that the Sunnis have been preoccupied for a very long time. And, therefore, they were not open to experimentation, for a lack of a better term, or to, you know, what the noted Iranian philosopher Abdolkarim Soroush will call “extra-religious ideas,” in other words moving beyond the religious text and borrowing from other civilizations. Not to say that that did not happen, but I think that by and large, that kind of borrowing or attempt to borrow from other civilizations and advance your social and political discourse, that's something that the Shiites were much more open to from the very beginning. I mean, for them, it wasn't the orthodoxy. It was much more about the sect itself. Being a minority, you know, issues of survival, that force you to innovate and force you to look beyond, if you will, your own belief. And so I think that the Shiites have had a head start in social, political and economic development. And keep in mind, it's not just Shiites. It's the idea that, we have to keep in mind that there is Iran. Persian nationalism is also at play here. So it's the interplay between the Persian ethno-linguistic civilization that flourished for a very long time, predating Islam. So, I think that when we look at Iran, its Islamism – the Islamic Republic – is a blend of a lot of ideas that are not necessarily Islamic in origin. So I think that's why you have Iran looking very different and far more healthy than the Arab world. And jumping over to Turkey, I think Turkey – although a Sunni power – does not come from the orthodox core, i.e. Arab core of Islam. I mean, the Turks came from Central Asia. And they went from Central Asia to Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) and they set up shop over there. And before they did that, I'd like to add, they were in Europe (in Eastern Europe) and they were a European power well before they became a Middle Eastern power. And the Islam that is practiced over in Turkey is very different, or at least was very different. There has been a lot of blending and spillover of Salafism and these jihadi ideas and Islamic ideas, even in Turkey. But by and large, Turkey has had a different trajectory. And then, of course, secularism. And here I don't mean just Atatürk – Mustafa Kemal – the founder of the modern Republic. He didn't come out of nowhere. What he instituted, the Westernization of Turkey, the Europeanization of the Ottoman Empire and the building of the Turkish Republic along European lines, that didn't happen all of a sudden. It was built on the reforms that Sultan Mahmud II, (the Ottoman Emperor in the early 19th century), something he began and borrowed from Europe. So, you have very different trajectories here. And, of course, the geography of this region – I mean anybody who controls the Anatolian plateau, and anybody who is headquartered in Persia, is very secure. It's a strategic location from which you can build civilizations. The Arab world, if you go back to history, the Arabs really lost power and leadership of Islam, I would say, by the late 800s, mid-800s. They had lost the leadership of Islam because Turkic and Persianate dominions began to emerge and challenge the Arabs for leadership over Islam. And I'm not talking Shiite Islam, I'm talking Sunni Islam. JS: This is all interesting, and we're going a little bit over time, but I think it's worth it because this is an interesting conversation. I'd also just like to point out to our listeners that we didn't exactly plan this little divergence in the conversation. You can already see one of the reasons we appreciate Kamran, because he's a veritable encyclopedia for everything that has happened in the Muslim world ever. But one thing I want to ask you that is based on that, I want to take it a little away from what we were talking about before and then come back to ISIS to finish it of, is that I'm currently in southern France for some meetings, and for some conferences and for some other things, and obviously one of the main issues here and throughout most of Europe is the migration issue. You have, I wouldn't say a large number, it's a large enough number that the European Union is not able to organize itself to bring them in, in absolute terms it's not a huge number. But there are Muslim immigrants to Europe who are looking to find a place to live and to start a new life. And one of the concerns, especially here, especially in other places in Europe, is that they won't be able to assimilate, that they'll want to have their own culture, their own sense of law, and what is right and wrong, and that this presents a major challenge for the nation-states of Europe. Because how do they integrate them in? They don't want to just turn them away, but they don't want to lose the basic facts of their national identity. So you're talking about especially Sunni Islam and about the concern with orthodoxy and all these other things. I know that for instance in Jewish religion there is a rule in the religious text that is the law of the land is the law. It's supposed to supersede religious law. So, I've thrown a bunch of different issues at you off the cuff when I bring all those things up, what do you think about the migration crisis in general, and what do the things that we've talked about relating to Islam here say about the ability of Muslims who are coming to Europe or who are coming to the United States to assimilate? Do you think that Islam presents a major optical for them, or do you view those Muslims as any other group that has emigrated from one place to another and has to go through certain growing pains but will eventually assimilate? KB: I think it's a bit of the latter. But there are concerns, and I do have concerns that there are issues. And it's not because of Islam. Islam is what you make of it, if we are to borrow from Reza Aslan, the prominent author of the book on Jesus recently, and he now has a show on CNN. But really, I do think that Islam inherently is not something that prevents assimilation. I mean, we've seen this before, and I've just talked about how Persians and Turkic peoples and others, Chechens, took Islam in their own direction. I think that that's very much possible. But the question is, what is the geopolitics that we're dealing with when we talk about migration from the Middle East, particularly Syria, to Europe? In places like France, particularly, where there is sort of this if you will pre-existing strong, secular tendency and this desire by French people to have those who come to their country embrace that secularism with the same fervor. I think that's going to create some problems, and then of course, economic issues. So, there will be a lot of Syrian refugees for whom these issues are not really important. Because for them the first thing is, how do I get my family to safety? How can I escape war, get to a place where we're not going to be killed, and then of course, we have opportunities of livelihood. But I think that while they do that, a good chunk of them are still concerned about losing their religion in the process. And when that happens, and then you have this overarching, if you will, dynamic of ISIS and political Islam that these people can't ignore, then you're looking at a real recipe for conflict in these countries. And therefore, I think that the European states are justified in their fear. I don't buy the idea that this has something to do with religion, but I think that it's the geopolitical expression of religion that is the problem, and how immigrants are going to be welcomed or not, and how they see secularism. We say that there has to be moderation on the part of those who come from these areas, there has to be Islamist moderation. But I think at the same time that that's only possible if the European states also have a role to play in this. If they expect that these people will just say, oh you know what, I'm French now, and that's the way to go, I don't think that's going to happen. So there has to be a bit of give and take on both sides. And that give and take in the current geopolitical climate is really not possible where you're having terrorist attacks, there's the ISIS threat that's not going away, and economies are not doing well, there's not enough money to go around, and people are worried about losing their jobs to immigrants. And so in this atmosphere I think we're looking more at conflict rather than the ability to assimilate. JS: I'm afraid I agree with all of that. But to get us out of here, the question, and I'll take us back, we started all of this by talking about ISIS, and we sort of wandered around the Islamic world, even stepped our foot a little bit into Europe. I think one of the points we wanted to make in this podcast was that there's a lot of talk about the Islamic State is about to collapse. People have been saying the Islamic State is about to collapse for well over a year, a year and a half now. It's true that the Islamic State is facing a lot of pressure, a lot more pressure than it has previously on a lot of its borders. But I think the issue that you're really driving at here is that this isn't about one group, and it isn't just about a group in a particular state. It's really about a broader phenomenon, and it's a game of Whack-a-Mole. Sure, you might be able to hit the Islamic State and you might even be able to dislodge them out of Raqqa. It'll take a lot of casualties, but maybe you'll be able to get rid of the caliphate in that way. But the general ground, the fertile ground that Zarqawi came to after 2001 and was able to build this group into what it is today, I think what you're saying is that the ground is still fertile. The basic problems that we're talking about have not been resolved and perhaps have even been exacerbated because there's even less opportunity than there was before. Is that an accurate characterization of what you think? KB: Absolutely. I totally agree with you Jacob. I think that what we have to keep in mind is that we've been here before. So the predecessor organizations of ISIS, or IS, they were defeated at one point in time. But then they came back. And I'll give you a very clear example. In 2008, a large segment of Iraqi Sunnis had turned their guns away from fighting U.S. soldiers to fighting al-Qaida in Iraq, the predecessor to ISIS. And that group had been weakened. It wasn't completely uprooted, but it had been sufficiently weakened, and we saw respite. If you go back to between 2008 and 2011, the frequency of bombings had dropped, and things were looking better. But this group came out of the woodwork in 2011 when the United States left Iraq and the Shiite-dominated government basically double-crossed the Sunnis. They did not want to share power with the Sunnis fearing that the Sunnis had decades of experience, and if we let our guard down, it'll only be a matter of time before this Shiite-dominated republic falls, even before it's taking root. And so, that allowed for ISIS to come out. And then, on top of that, you had the Syrian civil war emerge and that created far more time and space for ISIS. And so, I think moving forward, if ISIS at the time, the predecessor of ISIS, which was muck weaker, much smaller, was able to revive itself in very difficult circumstances, I think that now they have far more opportunity to revive themselves, because that war that was confined to Iraq is now expanded. It's in Yemen, it's spilling over into Turkey, we see it playing out in Egypt and North Africa, and Syria is a mess. So, I think that maybe ISIS will be decimated as we know it today. Maybe the remnants of ISIS will form a new group that will eclipse ISIS of today, some other organization. We mustn't forget that al-Qaida is still there in Syria. And it's changed a few names, it used to be Jabhat al-Nusra, then Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, and now they have a new coalition in Idlib. There are plenty of forces to take this caliphate project and take it to the next level, because the underlying political problems are still there, Shiite-Sunni conflict is still there, both in Syria and Iraq and the wider region, Iran and Saudi Arabia are at each other's throats, and there is no viable political-economic model that we're seeing in the Arab world. So, this hollowing out of the Arab world that you've written about, I mean that is not going away. And I suspect that the problem that we're dealing with, which we today call ISIS, will be with us, but with a different name in the years to come. JS: Well, thanks Kamran, and thanks for staying overtime a little bit with us to talk about this issue. I know it's a complicated one, and it's a really important one. So, I'm glad we were able to talk about it in some depth. Once again, I'm Jacob Shapiro, I'm the director of analysis for Geopolitical Futures. I was just talking with Kamran Bokhari, he is a senior analyst at Geopolitical Futures. We'll be doing another podcast next week. Please feel free to send us feedback on these podcasts by emailing us at comments@geopoliticalfutures.com, and for analysis on how ISIS is going to develop, and how all the things we have talked about are going to develop over time, you can check out our analysis in GeopoliticalFutures.com. Thanks.

As the battle for Mosul continues, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter co-chairs a meeting of the anti-Daesh coalition in France. But these are the powers that fragmented Iraq in the first place. Syrian government forces continue their drive to liberate the eastern part of Aleppo from the opposition forces including al-Nusra and like-minded groups, as Russia says it is not considering a new truce. This comes after the UN said it was opening an inquiry into war crimes committed by Syria and Russia -- but is that just a western ploy for push for their intervention? Becker speaks to Syrian journalist Alaa Ebrahim who joins him from Damascus. Venezuela is on edge as supporters of President Nicolas Maduro have been rallying to stop possible right-wing attempts at a coup against the United Socialist Party government. This came after the recall referendum against Maduro was put on hold amid allegations of widespread fraud on the part of the right-wing opposition. Becker speaks to Dr. Francisco Dominguez about what's ahead for Venezuela.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by political cartoonist and writer Ted Rall to preview tonight's presidential debate. With election day now just under three weeks away, what will the candidates say about immigration, foreign policy, and the economy? Will tonight’s debate be another empty media circus for the two most unpopular candidates in a very long time?The United States bombed Houthi positions after accusing the movement, which controls Yemen’s capital, of firing missiles at an American warship off the coast of the country -- but now the Pentagon has admitted that they are not sure that any missiles were ever launched by the Houthis. Mark Sleboda, international security and affairs analyst, discusses what may have taken place.While the Syrian government is preparing to liberate eastern Aleppo from the last of the terrorist forces in the city such as al-Nusra, Hillary Clinton has said removing Bashar al-Assad from power is her number one priority in Syria, and over the weekend a “no bombing zone” was discussed in London. What would this entail and who would stand to benefit? Kevork Almassian, a Syrian journalist originally from Aleppo, joins Becker.

With just two days left before the planned creation of a Russian-U.S. joint implementation group in the war on Daesh and Nusra in Syria, the Americans have done the unthinkable. Not only did they break the ceasefire they had allegedly agreed to last Friday; they targeted positions of the Syrian Army in Daesh-besieged Deir ez-Zor. The troops defending the city there were not even involved in the war against the U.S.'s "moderate" jihadis in other areas of the country. Now, 62 Syrian soldiers...

With just two days left before the planned creation of a Russian-U.S. joint implementation group in the war on Daesh and Nusra in Syria, the Americans have done the unthinkable. Not only did they break the ceasefire they had allegedly agreed to last Friday; they targeted positions of the Syrian Army in Daesh-besieged Deir ez-Zor. The troops defending the city there were not even involved in the war against the U.S.'s "moderate" jihadis in other areas of the country. Now, 62 Syrian soldiers...

With just two days left before the planned creation of a Russian-U.S. joint implementation group in the war on Daesh and Nusra in Syria, the Americans have done the unthinkable. Not only did they break the ceasefire they had allegedly agreed to last Friday; they targeted positions of the Syrian Army in Daesh-besieged Deir ez-Zor. The troops defending the city there were not even involved in the war against the U.S.'s "moderate" jihadis in other areas of the country. Now, 62 Syrian soldiers...

The landmark agreement was reached by Russia and the United States last week, but with some rebel factions refusing to accept the ceasefire, will fighting continue to rage in parts of the country? Will the U.S. and Russia team up in the fight against al-Nusra at the conclusion of the week, and is the agreement the most realistic prospect for a solution to the Syrian war yet? Yesterday, Sputnik released an exclusive story on research conducted by Dr. Robert Epstein that shows that Google is using search suggestions to manipulate the election in favor of Hillary Clinton. Becker is joined by Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, founder of the Partnership For Civil Justice Fund (PCJF) to talk about the research and what it means for democracy in the United States. The National Football League season kicked off on Sunday, with more players joining in protest of the national anthem. Becker talks with Gerald Horne, the John J. and Rebecca Moores Chair of History and African American Studies at the University of Houston, about the anthem’s history and its racist content, and if this unprecedented display of protest is bound to grow.

NJOHSP Intelligence Analyst Jenna Raymond speaks to Dr. Barak Mendelsohn, a professor of Political Science at Haverford College and a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, about al-Qa'ida and its affiliates in Episode 30 of Intelligence. Unclassified.

1-Profondo Nero, la storia del carbone colombiano importato in Italia. In dieci anni oltre 3mila morti. L'inchiesta di Re Common. Il racconto della figlia di una delle vittime (Maira Mendez Barboza) e del coordinatore della ong PAX (Rodrigo Rojas)...2-Siria. “Chi combatte contro il regime è dalla nostra parte, anche gli islamisti di al-Nusra, che voi occidentali considerate dei terroristi”. A Esteri un cittadino siriano della provincia di Idlib (Nour Hallak). 3-Il femminicidio in Messico. Non solo Ciudad Juarez. Lo scrittore Sergio Gonzalez Rodriguez ospite del Festival dei Diritti Umani (Falvia Mosca Goretta).4-Diario cubano: produttività e organizzazione del lavoro nel sistema socialista (Marcello Lorrai). 5-Enciclopedia della mondialità. TTIP in profonda crisi. L'accordo commerciale tra Europa e Stati Uniti potrebbe addirittura saltare (Alfredo Somoza)

1-Profondo Nero, la storia del carbone colombiano importato in Italia. In dieci anni oltre 3mila morti. L'inchiesta di Re Common. Il racconto della figlia di una delle vittime (Maira Mendez Barboza) e del coordinatore della ong PAX (Rodrigo Rojas)...2-Siria. “Chi combatte contro il regime è dalla nostra parte, anche gli islamisti di al-Nusra, che voi occidentali considerate dei terroristi”. A Esteri un cittadino siriano della provincia di Idlib (Nour Hallak). 3-Il femminicidio in Messico. Non solo Ciudad Juarez. Lo scrittore Sergio Gonzalez Rodriguez ospite del Festival dei Diritti Umani (Falvia Mosca Goretta).4-Diario cubano: produttività e organizzazione del lavoro nel sistema socialista (Marcello Lorrai). 5-Enciclopedia della mondialità. TTIP in profonda crisi. L'accordo commerciale tra Europa e Stati Uniti potrebbe addirittura saltare (Alfredo Somoza)

1-Profondo Nero, la storia del carbone colombiano importato in Italia. In dieci anni oltre 3mila morti. L'inchiesta di Re Common. Il racconto della figlia di una delle vittime (Maira Mendez Barboza) e del coordinatore della ong PAX (Rodrigo Rojas)...2-Siria. “Chi combatte contro il regime è dalla nostra parte, anche gli islamisti di al-Nusra, che voi occidentali considerate dei terroristi”. A Esteri un cittadino siriano della provincia di Idlib (Nour Hallak). 3-Il femminicidio in Messico. Non solo Ciudad Juarez. Lo scrittore Sergio Gonzalez Rodriguez ospite del Festival dei Diritti Umani (Falvia Mosca Goretta).4-Diario cubano: produttività e organizzazione del lavoro nel sistema socialista (Marcello Lorrai). 5-Enciclopedia della mondialità. TTIP in profonda crisi. L'accordo commerciale tra Europa e Stati Uniti potrebbe addirittura saltare (Alfredo Somoza)

Vera Mironova, a research fellow at the Belfer Center’s International Security Program and the Woman and Public Policy Program, explains the cascading series of choices people face when war descends on their communities. Her surveys of frontline fighters in Syria and Ukraine help paint a picture of not just why they choose to fight, but also whom they fight for.

A new report by the Pulitzer-winning veteran journalist Seymour Hersh says the Joint Chiefs of Staff has indirectly supported Bashar al-Assad in an effort to help him defeat jihadist groups. Hersh reports the Joint Chiefs sent intelligence via Russia, Germany and Israel on the understanding it would be transmitted to help Assad push back Jabhat al-Nusra and the Islamic State. Hersh also claims the military even undermined a U.S. effort to arm Syrian rebels in a bid to prove it was serious about helping Assad fight their common enemies. Hersh says the Joint Chiefsâ?? maneuvering was rooted in several concerns, including the U.S. arming of unvetted Syrian rebels with jihadist ties, a belief the administration was overly focused on confronting Assadâ??s ally in Moscow, and anger the White House was unwilling to challenge Turkey and Saudi Arabia over their support of extremist groups in Syria.

Charles Lister comes back on the show for an in-depth discussion on jihadism in Syria. Some of the topics covered include: Islamism and jihadism in Syria prior to the 2011 uprising The entrance and evolution of Jabhat al-Nusra, Ahrar al-Sham, and Jaysh al-Islam into what became the Syrian war Why foreign fighters came into the Syrian conflict Why the Islamic State of Iraq decided to enter the war in April 2013 and what it was up to prior to the fitness in January 2014 What the growth of ISIS and later IS meant for the other extreme factions – JN, Ahrar, and JI. Links: The Syrian Jihad | Hurst Publishers Brookings Doha Center | Brookings Institution Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) | Twitter This episode also features an updated #SocialMedia segment, covering postings from November 11-20. Thanks to Haakon Jahr and Raihan Kadir for supporting the podcast. You can support the show, and get some cool rewards, by checking out the show’s Patreon page. The podcast is produced by Karl Morand. If you have feedback you can email podcast@jihadology.net, or find us on Twitter: @JihadPod.

Will McCants comes on the show to talk about jihadi governance. The conversation is based on a chapter in his new book The ISIS Apocalypse: The History, Strategy, and Doomsday Vision of the Islamic State. Aaron and Will discussed numerous cases of jihadi groups attempts to govern, including the Islamic State of Iraq, al-Shabab, AQAP, AQIM, Jabhat al-Nusra, and the Islamic State. This episode also features a Primary Sources segment covering releases from August 14-September 19 and a #SocialMedia segment on postings from October 7-13. Links: The ISIS Apocalypse: The History, Strategy, and Doomsday Vision of the Islamic State: William McCants William McCants | Brookings Institution Will McCants (@will_mccants) | Twitter Thanks to Raihan Kadir and Kaspars Gasuns for supporting the podcast. If you’d like to support the show check out our Patreon page! You can help the podcast and get rewards like access to bonus content, being thanked in the show notes, and more. The podcast is produced by Karl Morand. If you have feedback you can email podcast@jihadology.net, or find us on Twitter: @JihadPod.

Evan, from 'Price of Liberty' blog (Tumblr/Google), discuss the massive cluster-fuck that has become the Syrian War. Iran, Iraq, Russia, Hezbollah, Turkey, U.S., France, PKK, al-Nusra, ISIS, al-Qaeda, Bashar al-Assad…it's all on the table. You can watch the full episode here: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/74578545

North Caucasus Caucus comes on the show to talk about his recent research trip to Turkey. He and Aaron discussed the evolution of Turkish governmental policy towards jihadis, Turks’ role in jihadi groups and IS in Syria and Turkey, Turkey’s arrest campaign against Jabhat al-Nusra and IS, and more. This episode also features a #SocialMedia segment covering jihadi social media posts from August 17th to August 31st. We’re working on a special series on the state of Jihadi Studies, and we need some help from listeners. We’ve conducted interviews with many of the top scholars in the field, and we need some people to volunteer to help transcribe the interviews. If you’re interested in helping please email podcast@jihadology.net Thanks! The podcast is produced by Karl Morand. If you have feedback you can email podcast@jihadology.net, or find us on Twitter: @JihadPod.

This week on “Unauthorized Disclosure,” Patrick Strickland, who is an independent journalist and contributor to The Electronic Intifada and Al Jazeera English, talks to us from Beirut, Lebanon. He discusses his reporting on the Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria, a Palestinian refugee camp which has been under siege. He talks to us about the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon. Strickland also describes how ISIS and Jabhat al Nusra are taking over some of these camps with Palestinian refugees. In the second half, during the discussion part of the show, hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola highlight the refugee crisis in Europe and, separately, how President Barack Obama’s administration has fought to continue detaining refugee mothers and children from Central America. We also talk about North Dakota becoming the first state, where drones can be weaponized with tear gas or tasers, the FBI setting up a cell phone surveillance system in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and the latest appalling aspects of the Obama administration’s effort to keep a gravely ill Guantanamo prisoner detained indefinitely.

Earlier this week the UN Security Council did something it's never done before: it held a meeting specifically focusing on violence directed against LGBT people. The council called two witnesses, both of whom are gay men caught up in the conflict in the Middle East. The first witness was an Iraqi who spoke to the Council by phone. He spoke anonymously and from an undiclosed location because he was marked for death by ISIS. The second witness was Subhi Nahas, a gay Syrian refugee now living in the USA. A day after addressing the Security Council, Subhi spoke with me.    The episode you are about to hear is in two parts. First, you'll hear Subhi's story and how he fled Syria once Al Qaeda's affiliate, Jabat al-Nusra, took over his town. Next, you will hear from Neil Grungras, the founder of the Organization for Refuge, Asylum and Migration, which happens to employ Subhi. Neil helps put the situation of LGBT refugees and asylum seekers in a broader global context.    This is a powerful episode, and a profound reminder that marginalized communities deserve our support. 

Charles Lister comes on the show to discuss a wide range of topics related to the current situation in Syria: The background and evolution of Jaysh al-Fatah What Jaysh al-Fatah has meant to rebel and Jabhat al-Nusra victories in Syria The recent formation of a Jaysh al-Fatah branch in the south and what the southern front in the war currently looks like How the regime, Iran, and Hizballah have reacted to the changing military dynamics on the ground The recent fighting between the Kurds and the Islamic State in northern al-Raqqah governorate Links: Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) on Twitter Aaron Y. Zelin (@azelin) on Twitter Charles’ forthcoming book “The Syrian Jihad: Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State and the Evolution of an Insurgency,” which comes out on September 24 The show is produced by Karl Morand. If you have any feedback you can email podcast@jihadology.net or find us on Twitter: @JihadPod

It looks increasingly likely that the United States will expand its military operations against ISIS to Syria. Mark speak with William McCants of the Brookings Institution about the prospects and pitfalls of a US-led international military campaign against the Islamic State in Syria. They also discuss the role of another Islamist rebel group, al Nusra, in Syria's conflict and what might befall about 40 UN Peacekeepers in the Golan who were abducted by this group. Have a listen! 

By Phil Greaves; Global Research, July 13, 2013 Recent reports within mainstream media are pushing the theory that divisions are forming within the various camps of opposition militants in Syria, while also making attempts to highlight the disparity between the supposed “moderate” rebel forces of the “FSA” – which does not exist beyond a small cadre of defectors with no autonomy inside Syria – and the Al Qaeda affiliated militia of Jabhat al Nusra, (JaN) or the Islamic state of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), while also whitewashing the presence of the larger Salafist brigades that fight alongside them, predominantly Ahrar al-Sham (SIF). To comprehend these alleged divisions, it is fundamental to understand what exactly the “FSA”, or “Supreme Military Council” consists of. In short, these Western-backed outfits and the oft-referenced “spokesmen” that carry them hold no value inside Syria, or any amount of authority among the plethora of militia fighting on the ground. This has been the case since day one of the Syrian crisis. The “FSA” was a retroactive PR stunt implemented by the West and the GCC to uphold a facade of “moderation”, and bolster the false image of militants fighting for “freedom and democracy”. In reality, the FSA represents a branding exercise; enabling foreign powers to rally behind disparate groups of militants – often led by extremists – to undertake their desired use and mask the true identity of what are, by western legal standards, “terrorists”. When the media refer to the “FSA”, at best it is lazy journalism, at worst it is disingenuous and designed to mislead the reader – otherwise known as propaganda. Yet the “FSA”, or “SMC” seem to have a new lease of life within the media. Furthermore, General Salim Idriss has been at the forefront of recent media campaigns to persuade foreign powers to increase military aid to the rebels (including a photo-op with renowned peace advocate John McCain); rebels that Idriss, nor any other commander in the “SMC” or “FSA” have any control over. I posited the theory in early May that the US and its GCC partners (now minus the deposed Qatari Emir) were attempting to marginalize the very militants they fomented, sponsored and armed in order to build a new “moderate” force under their control that is agreeable to the public, and the many European and American Parliamentarians and Congressman that have expressed concern about the “rising” influence of radicals among the militants they are indirectly supporting. Recent attempts to purport divisions could be construed as part of this “re-branding” policy. In a Reuters report titled “New front opens in Syria as rebels say Al Qaeda attack means war” we learn that a “Commander” from the Supreme Military Council was assassinated by ISIS’ Emir: Sheikh Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Whether this is even true remains to be seen; several prominent analysts have cast doubt on the report, claiming it may be a psy-op on the FSA’s behalf; presumably in order to marginalize Baghdadi and the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham militants that follow him. These artificial divisions bear hallmarks to recent reports and recent analysis covering the supposed “split” between the Syrian wing of Al Qaeda, otherwise known as Jabhat al Nusra (JaN), and the Iraqi wing of Al Qaeda, otherwise known as the Islamic state of Iraq (ISI). When Baghdadi, the Emir of ISI retroactively announced the “merger” of these groups and declared the militia should now be addressed as the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham, a spat broke out between him and Jabhat al-Nusra Emir Abu Mohammed al-Jolani. The following analysis and reports covering the dispute were blown out of all proportion and have continued in this vain ever since. Again, actual divisions on the ground between ISI and JaN were minimal and did not affect either tactical, nor ideological cooperation and kinship. ISI and JaN are one and the same, in both a tactical and ideological sense, there are slight differences in their outlook for a possible future Syria, but crucially, both the tactical relationship and core ideologies remain untouched and unified. Furthermore, JaN was concieved through ISI funding and logistic cooperation. Journalists and analysts suggesting these groups are separate do not understand their mutual ideology, or they are being purposefully misleading to suit an agenda – that agenda seems to be to highlight ISI as the “bad rebels”, this could be to allow space for the “good rebels” under JaN’s leadership – which are predominantly led by Syrians and not foreigners, therefore more likely to win “hearts and minds” – to join the “moderate” brigades under the SMC command. The first paragraph of the Reuters report fulfills the false narrative that the “FSA” represents a larger force than that of “Islamists”: (NB: Reuters lazy wording not mine.) Rivalries have been growing between the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and the Islamists, whose smaller but more effective forces control most of the rebel-held parts of northern Syria more than two years after pro-democracy protests became an uprising. One has to wonder how the supposed “Islamists” which, according to Reuters are a smaller force than the “FSA” can possibly hold more territory than the Western-backed moderates. Again, Reuters is pushing a false narrative upon its readers to uphold the image that the majority of “rebels” fighting inside Syria are moderate secularists under the command of the “FSA”, or “Supreme Military Council”. The truth of the matter has always been that Jabhat al Nusra – who are one and the same as Al Qaeda in Iraq with slightly different outlooks for their respective homelands – along with the more populist, and larger in number Salafi militia, such as Ahrar al-Sham, who operate under the umbrella group the Syrian Islamic Front (SIF), represent the vast majority of opposition fighters in Syria. These groups have close links, and it is likely that fighters often interchange depending on expertise, experience and geographical requirements. Since the onset they have cooperated closely with logistics and paramilitary operations. Supposed “secular” opposition forces in Syria simply do not exist; under the “FSA” command or anywhere else. There are many smaller groups that espouse an inclusive, and indeed, moderate outlook for a future Syria. These groups have in the majority been rampant with criminality, infighting, and a lack of funds. Leaving disillusioned fighters with the option of joining the better organised and funded Salafi brigades; which have consistently received funding and arms from both state and non-state actors in the Gulf. The “FSA” commander quoted in the Reuters piece claims: “we are going to wipe the floor with them”. Presumably this is aimed at Baghdadi and his fellow ideologues, or as Reuters labels them: “Islamists”. Again, we are supposed to buy the theory that the FSA is in a position to strike anyone militarily inside Syria – let alone a commander of one of the strongest opposition groups operating. At this moment in time, the “FSA” as a fighting force could possibly be at its weakest since its artificial inception. Recent reports have suggested there are up to 6,000 foreign militants fighting against the government in Syria. It is likely that the vast majority of foreigners have joined the more radical outfits such as ISIS, for the same reasons as mentioned above, but can also be explained by the public sectarian tone being applied to the conflict, and calls to the regions Sunni community to engage in “Holy War” against the Syrian state from influential clerics such as Yusuf Qaradawi. Recent political developments also shed light on the “re-branding” of the Syrian opposition. The Emir of Qatar’s unexpected departure from the throne – to be replaced by his son – may have been an indicator as to Qatar’s failures in leading the Syrian insurgency. It is common knowledge that Saudi Arabia have been given the “Syria File”. A fact that is portrayed with no irony by western analysts; who manage to conveniently whitewash exactly which state actor is delegating the “files” – could it be “Mother”? This handing over of the baton was solidified with the departure of SNC Prime Minister Ghassan Hitto – a Muslim Brotherhood member chosen by Qatar in attempts to consolidate the Muslim Brotherhood’s hold on the SNC. Hitto was replaced by Ahmed al-Jarba, an influential tribal figure with close links to the Saudi Monarchy. Reports on the ground in Syria have also suggested that the rebels weapons flow – including such basics as ammunition – have come to an almost standstill. And several rebel commanders have relayed their frustration at the lack of promised US weapons. Recent developments in the US Congress have also given Obama the back-door he was looking for, at least to buy himself more time until a more suitable fighting force is able to undertake the task at hand – if such force ever materializes. Direct US arms supplies – or, to be precise; the official funding for arms supplies – have been blocked by Congress until the administration can determine exactly which rebel groups it intends to arm, and what exactly the administration intends to achieve from what seem to be futile efforts to validate the now almost two-year covert policy of arming the rebels, and achieving nothing but bloodshed and destruction – of course, it would be ridiculous to suggest that was the plan? US allies in the region will undoubtedly be working under their own terms with regard to their destructive policies in Syria, to some extent. Contrary to the Saud monarchies renewed efforts to wrest control of the insurgency; recent developments on the ground, along with Russia’s steadfast support and mass public opinion against supporting the extremist dominated rebels; the Syrian Army have kept the insurgency at bay whilst they choose their strategic victories. Homs is about to become the latest “rebel stronghold” to fall, as rebels announced this morning another “tactical retreat”. One imagines the rebel siege being laid upon 2 million civilians – a war-crime that Western “diplomats” seem reluctant to “intervene” on, or indeed make any mention of – in government controlled Western Aleppo will be the Syrian military’s next priority. The Saudis through their new puppet al-Jarba have promised a huge influx of “game-changing” weapons, but without a massive influx of military hardware, and indeed, trained fighters to use them, it appears the trajectory of the conflict will remain in the Syrian military’s favour. What the various actors supporting the insurgency are willing to do to change that trajectory in the short-term, if anything substantial, remains to be seen. There are at least three interested and powerful parties whose objectives can be served by allowing the Syrian conflict to drag on for years to come; yet none of them necessarily want to see Assad fall. Phil Greaves is a UK based writer/analyst, focusing on UK/US Foreign Policy and conflict analysis in the Middle East post WWII. http://notthemsmdotcom.wordpress.com.

welcome to Syria The Truth, our episode title for today is: Qatar: US Proxy in America’s Terror War in Syria By Phil Greaves. Global Research, July 01, 2013 A recent report in the New York Times (NYT) claims, through trusted “sources”, that Qatar began weapons shipments to opposition militants in Syria at the same time they “increased” support for Al Qaeda linked militants fighting Colonel Gaddafi in Libya in 2011. Gaddafi was ousted (murdered) in October 2011; one must assume that any “increase” in Qatari efforts to arm the militants in Libya were delivered long in advance of Gaddafi’s ouster, meaning the synonymous shipments to “rebels” in Syria also commenced well before October 2011. This information again sheds further light on a timeline of events in Syria that have been purposefully obscured within mainstream media to suit certain actors agendas, and to enable the false and misleading narrative of “Assad killing peaceful protesters” to become dominant in the discourse surrounding the Syrian conflict. As was revealed earlier this year – known by many for much longer – it has been Qatar at the forefront of efforts to arm and fund the insurgency in Syria. As the resilience of the Assad regime and the Syrian Army prolonged the Syrian conflict far beyond the timeframe the backers of the insurgency foresaw; more and more evidence has become available as to the exact nature of this US-led proxy-war, and the ideologies of the militants fighting it. In turn, timelines have constantly been altered, misinformed and manipulated to suit the desired narratives of actors who claim to be on the side of “freedom and democracy”. In sum, previous to the aforementioned NYT article, there had been no reports – in mainstream press at least – of any arms shipments or covert state activity against Syria before “early 2012″. Now that timeline has once again been revised, to at least the same time of an “increase” of Qatari covert policy in Libya; which would have necessarily come before the fall of Gaddafi in October 2011. The latest “revelation” in the NYT seems to be an intentional leak, designed to pass responsibility for the extremist dominated insurgency currently destroying Syria, onto Qatar’s doorstep. Considering the timing of this report, and several others in recent mainstream media that have pointed the finger at Qatar being the main sponsor of the Syrian insurgency, it also begs the question: was there more to the Qatari Emir’s, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (and his trusted and longtime Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani’s) recent departure and handover of power to his son Tamim than meets the eye? A slap on the wrist from the US for Qatar’s destructive foreign policy maybe? Who knows, it seems most knowledgable Middle East analysts really have no clue as to why the Emir chose to suddenly step down and relinquish power. If there is one message coming from this unprecedented handover in the Western press it is this: “what goes on in Qatar, stays in Qatar”. The NYT cites a “Western diplomat” (anonymous of course) who states that Qatar: “punch immensely above their weight,… They keep everyone off-balance by not being in anyone’s pocket… Their influence comes partly from being unpredictable,” Again, this seems to be a desired caveat to remove culpability from Western actors, and is highly likely the same “source” that provided the leak on Qatar’s covert actions. What is counterintuitive to the theory that Qatar acts of its own accord in such instance; is the fact that Qatar’s military and intelligence apparatus is entirely built and run by the United States. Qatar and the US have held an intimate relationship on all things military since the early 90′s. Qatar is also the Forward Operations center of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), and the US Combined Air Operation Center (CAOC). The US enjoys the luxury of the use of three airbases in the tiny nation of Qatar, one of which (Al Udeid) is the prime location of Qatari arms flights to Syria. Considering this close military relationship; it would be foolish to believe the United States would be unaware of Qatari covert activity, particularly when one also considers the broad and global spying and SIGINT powers we now all know the Pentagon, and US government have at their disposal. It should also be noted that Doha acts as a primary base in the region for US diplomacy, as the Taliban can happily attest to. Furthermore – as covered extensively in a previous article – once Gulf covert arms shipments to Syrian “rebels” became public knowledge, the Obama administration made distinct efforts in the media to portray the CIA as the key “coordinator” and oversight of the shipments to allay concerns of weapons ending up in the “wrong hands”. The US, through the CIA has been using its logistic, diplomatic, and military power to bypass international laws and help to organise a multi-national covert arms supply chain to “rebels” in Syria. Furthermore, in a recent interview for The National Interest given by renowned former US National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski, – a declared advocate of the US policy of arming Osama Bin-Laden and fellow ideologues in the Afghan-Soviet war of the 80′s – went as far as to openly admit the joint US-Saudi-Qatari policy of orchestrating the Syrian crisis, but refrained from revealing an explicit timeline: (my emphasis) In late 2011 there are outbreaks in Syria produced by a drought and abetted by two well-known autocracies in the Middle East: Qatar and Saudi Arabia. He [Obama] all of a sudden announces that Assad has to go—without, apparently, any real preparation for making that happen. Then in the spring of 2012, the election year here, the CIA under General Petraeus, according to The New York Times of March 24th of this year, a very revealing article, mounts a large-scale effort to assist the Qataris and the Saudis and link them somehow with the Turks in that effort. Was this a strategic position? Yet contrary to this long-revealed policy, the NYT claims: “The United States has little leverage over Qatar on the Syria issue because it needs the Qataris’ help on other fronts.” For the NYT to claim the US has no control of arms shipments from a key ally is disingenuous at best, outright propaganda at worst. Moreover, the CIA has been in direct “consultation” with Qatar on arms shipments, and who exactly those arms should be sent to, (vetted “moderates” of course!!) as Qatari officials stated in this Reuters article from May this year: (my emphasis) “There’s an operations room in the Emir’s diwan (office complex), with representatives from every ministry sitting in that room, deciding how much money to allocate for Syria’s aid,” the Qatari official said. There’s a lot of consultation with the CIA, and they help Qatar with buying and moving the weapons into Syria, but just as consultants,” Are we seriously supposed to believe that Qatar, a tiny resource-rich nation that is totally dependent on US militarism and diplomatic protection is acting of its own accord, without any US assistance, right under the US military’s nose? The NYT report goes on to state: (my emphasis) “Qatar’s covert efforts to back the Syrian rebels began at the same time that it was increasing its support for opposition fighters in Libya trying to overthrow the government of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi…The Obama administration quietly blessed the shipments to Libya of machine guns, automatic rifles, mortars and ammunition, but American officials later grew concerned as evidence grew that Qatar was giving the weapons to Islamic militants there.” The Obama administration was fully aware of who Qatar were arming, and sending special forces to fight alongside in Libya. It was exactly the same variety of militants and extremist ideologues that are currently waging war upon the Syrian State. Islamic radicals had used Benghazi as a base since the very start of the Libyan “revolution”, and the US knew they formed the core of the militia Qatar were shipping arms to in efforts to oust Gaddafi. The Obama administration’s concern of MANPADS falling into the “wrong hands” (a la Afghanistan) is belied by Obama’s tacit approval of his Gulf allies’ policy of allowing tonnes of arms, explosives and military materiel to extremist dominated militia. A few MANPADS simply increases the likelihood of blowback upon a civilian target, and the consequent exposure; which is the Obama administration’s major concern. As the NYT report states, one of the shipments of MANPADS that has entered Syria, came from the very same former Gaddafi stockpiles of Eastern bloc weapons looted by Qatari backed militants in Libya. In summary, the current media leaks on arms shipments to Syria can be construed as the Obama administration attempting to build plausible deniability. The constant revision of the Syrian timeline also points to the retroactive smoke-screen being applied to US-led covert policies that have already been exposed. Indeed, this tactic of using client states to gain deniability of US aggression is nothing new. The policy has provided the United States with the ultimate get-out-clause through decades of subversion and aggression upon sovereign nations. If – as is the current trajectory in Syria – the militants that the United States ad its clients foment, fund and arm, become an uncontrollable monster and fail to achieve the desired short-term objectives; the US can simply disassociate and point the finger to one of its lesser allies, on this occasion, that finger seems to point directly at the former Emir of Qatar. One wonders if in twenty years time US “diplomats” will portray the same vacant regret for their role in the creation of Jabhat al Nusra and fellow ideologues; as they do now for their role in the creation of Al Qaeda itself. As the United States continues its divisive and destructive policies to desperately cling to hegemony; the mantra of “lessons have been learned” is more hollow than ever. Phil Greaves is a UK based writer/analyst, focusing on UK/US Foreign Policy and conflict analysis in the Middle East post WWII. Thats All every body, thanks for listening. Goodnight and goodbye

We interview some guy named Noam Chomsky (extended interview coming next week), get to the bottom of why we broke up with Rolling Stone, and scrutinize the thrilling PBS interview of former al-Nusra/al-Qaeda leader-turned-very-handsome-man Abu Mohammed al-Jolani. Katie taps her beard-crit background, while we both investigate the two most important questions of our time: which four goateed male celebrities combined look like one PBS interviewer Martin Smith, and why do I keep thinking Smith is British? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices