Podcasts about patriotic dissent america

Scott interviews Danny Sjursen and gets his reaction to the Taliban victory in Afghanistan. Sjursen thinks the Taliban's campaign to take control of the country may soon be studied in war colleges. He also thinks that Scott's book Fool's Errand should be studied at war colleges, or at least books just as critical of the wars. Sjursen then talks about how this is a tough time for veterans, but that that isn't a reason to hold back criticism of the war. That the idea that being antiwar implies a hatred of the troops is ridiculous and convenient for those in power.  Lastly, Sjursen reflects on the counterinsurgency mission he took part in Afghanistan. Discussed on the show: The Hunt for Red October Redeployment by Phil Klay  “American Purpose After the Fall of Kabul” (New Yorker) Curb Your Enthusiasm clip  The Operators by Michael Hastings  War Machine  Reign of Terror by Spencer Ackerman  Danny Sjursen is a retired U.S. army major and former history instructor at West Point. He is the author of Ghost Riders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge, Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War and A True History of the United States: Indigenous Genocide, Racialized Slavery, Hyper-Capitalism, Militarist Imperialism and Other Overlooked Aspects of American Exceptionalism. Follow him on Twitter @SkepticalVet. This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee and Listen and Think Audio. Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

Scott interviews Danny Sjursen and gets his reaction to the Taliban victory in Afghanistan. Sjursen thinks the Taliban's campaign to take control of the country may soon be studied in war colleges. He also thinks that Scott's book Fool's Errand should be studied at war colleges, or at least books just as critical of the wars. Sjursen then talks about how this is a tough time for veterans, but that that isn't a reason to hold back criticism of the war. That the idea that being antiwar implies a hatred of the troops is ridiculous and convenient for those in power.  Lastly, Sjursen reflects on the counterinsurgency mission he took part in Afghanistan. Discussed on the show: The Hunt for Red October Redeployment by Phil Klay  “American Purpose After the Fall of Kabul” (New Yorker) Curb Your Enthusiasm clip  The Operators by Michael Hastings  War Machine  Reign of Terror by Spencer Ackerman  Danny Sjursen is a retired U.S. army major and former history instructor at West Point. He is the author of Ghost Riders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge, Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War and A True History of the United States: Indigenous Genocide, Racialized Slavery, Hyper-Capitalism, Militarist Imperialism and Other Overlooked Aspects of American Exceptionalism. Follow him on Twitter @SkepticalVet. This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee and Listen and Think Audio. Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

Three times Nobel Peace Prize nominated peace activist Kathy Kelly and anti war veteran and author Danny Sjursen discuss Afghanistan, what the war was about, what the war was not about, why Biden's statements on the terrorist "threats" in other countries & on the Kabul blast were troubling. And they debunk the disingenuous media narrative about women's rights and human rights. Kathy Kelly, a peace activist and author, made over two dozen trips to Afghanistan from 2010 – 2019, living with Afghan Peace Volunteers in a working class neighborhood in Kabul. She and her companions in various peace team delegations believe that where you stand determines what you see. Kelly lived with families in Baghdad throughout the 2003 Shock and Awe invasion and during the first weeks of the U.S. occupation. Kelly is now campaigning for an international treaty to ban weaponized drones. Danny Sjursen is an anti-war veteran; the director of @mediaeisenhower (EMN); Senior Fellow at @CIPolicy; contributing editor at @Antiwarcom. He was recently selected as the 2019 Lannan Foundation cultural freedom fellow. He is the author of a memoir and critical analysis of the Iraq War, Ghostriders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge; Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War; and A True History of the United States: Indigenous Genocide, Racialized Slavery, Hyper-Capitalism, Militarist Imperialism and Other Overlooked Aspects of American Exceptionalism He is a member of several activist organizations, including Veterans for Peace and About Face: Veterans against the War. Follow him on Twitter at @SkepticalVet.

On Conflicts of Interest #144, retired Army Major and Afghan War vet Danny Sjursen returns to the show to discuss Biden's declared end to the Afghan War. Danny explains how the war has changed under the current administration. He attempts to tackle the tough question: “Is the war actually ending?” Danny and Kyle break down the factions in the Biden administration resisting the president's push to end the war. Danny compares Biden's struggle to that of Obama and Trump, who both attempted to limit or end the war but were unable to do so – at least in part – because their employees undermined their efforts.  Danny discusses how the Afghan War is evolving. He breaks down the country's ethnic groups and explains why there is no way to partition the country. Danny tells some stories from his experience in Afghanistan and why our nation-building effort has failed.  Danny debunks key points being made by the hawks to justify the continued occupation and bombing of Afghanistan. Danny looks at the human rights abuses and war crimes of the US and Afghan militaries. Using his own experiences in Afghanistan, Danny explains why the US cannot improve the lives of Afghans with troops or bombs.  Danny concludes the show by discussing how his fellow veterans have reacted to the end of the war. While there is a wide range of opinion, Danny argues the vet community is actually MORE against the war than American civilians.  Danny Sjursen is a retired U.S. Army officer, the director of the Eisenhower Media Network (EMN), a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy (CIP), contributing editor at Antiwar.com, and co-hosts the podcast “Fortress on a Hill.” His work has appeared in the NY Times, LA Times, The Nation, The Hill, Salon, The American Conservative, and Mother Jones, among other publications. He served combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and taught history at West Point. He is the author of three books, Ghostriders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge, Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War, and most recently A True History of the United States. Follow him on Twitter @SkepticalVet. Odysee Rumble  Donate LBRY Credits bTTEiLoteVdMbLS7YqDVSZyjEY1eMgW7CP Donate Bitcoin 36PP4kT28jjUZcL44dXDonFwrVVDHntsrk Donate Bitcoin Cash Qp6gznu4xm97cj7j9vqepqxcfuctq2exvvqu7aamz6 Patreon Subscribe Star YouTube Facebook  Twitter  MeWe Apple Podcast  Amazon Music Google Podcasts Spotify Support Our Sponsor Visit Paloma Verde and use code PEACE for 25% off our CBD

On Conflicts of Interest #144, retired Army Major and Afghan War vet Danny Sjursen returns to the show to discuss Biden's declared end to the Afghan War. Danny explains how the war has changed under the current administration. He attempts to tackle the tough question: “Is the war actually ending?” Danny and Kyle break down the factions in the Biden administration resisting the president's push to end the war. Danny compares Biden's struggle to that of Obama and Trump, who both attempted to limit or end the war but were unable to do so – at least in part – because their employees undermined their efforts.  Danny discusses how the Afghan War is evolving. He breaks down the country's ethnic groups and explains why there is no way to partition the country. Danny tells some stories from his experience in Afghanistan and why our nation-building effort has failed.  Danny debunks key points being made by the hawks to justify the continued occupation and bombing of Afghanistan. Danny looks at the human rights abuses and war crimes of the US and Afghan militaries. Using his own experiences in Afghanistan, Danny explains why the US cannot improve the lives of Afghans with troops or bombs.  Danny concludes the show by discussing how his fellow veterans have reacted to the end of the war. While there is a wide range of opinion, Danny argues the vet community is actually MORE against the war than American civilians.  Danny Sjursen is a retired U.S. Army officer, the director of the Eisenhower Media Network (EMN), a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy (CIP), contributing editor at Antiwar.com, and co-hosts the podcast “Fortress on a Hill.” His work has appeared in the NY Times, LA Times, The Nation, The Hill, Salon, The American Conservative, and Mother Jones, among other publications. He served combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and taught history at West Point. He is the author of three books, Ghostriders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge, Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War, and most recently A True History of the United States. Follow him on Twitter @SkepticalVet. Odysee Rumble  Donate LBRY Credits bTTEiLoteVdMbLS7YqDVSZyjEY1eMgW7CP Donate Bitcoin 36PP4kT28jjUZcL44dXDonFwrVVDHntsrk Donate Bitcoin Cash Qp6gznu4xm97cj7j9vqepqxcfuctq2exvvqu7aamz6 Patreon Subscribe Star YouTube Facebook  Twitter  MeWe Apple Podcast  Amazon Music Google Podcasts Spotify Support Our Sponsor Visit Paloma Verde and use code PEACE for 25% off our CBD

Danny Sjursen is a retired U.S. Army officer, contributing editor at Antiwar.com, senior fellow at the Center for International Policy (CIP), and director of the Eisenhower Media Network (EMN). His work has appeared in the NY Times, LA Times, The Nation, Huff Post, The Hill, Salon, The American Conservative, Mother Jones, ScheerPost and Tom Dispatch, among other publications. He served combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and later taught history at West Point. He is the author of a memoir and critical analysis of the Iraq War, "Ghostriders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge" and "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War." Along with fellow vet Chris "Henri" Henriksen, he co-hosts the podcast "Fortress on a Hill." Follow him on Twitter @SkepticalVet He lives with his two sons in Lawrence, KS. __

Scott talks to Danny Sjursen about U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, which at the moment the Biden administration appears poised to follow through with. Sjursen is concerned about the response from the mainstream media and both party establishments—Republicans claim pulling out of Afghanistan makes America look weak; Democrats fear that pulling out will make Biden look weak politically. With this kind of bipartisan consensus, it's extremely difficult to get things done that the establishment doesn't like. (But it's also a sure sign that the right thing to do is the exact opposite of whatever they both agree on.) All our time in Afghanistan, Sjursen says, hasn't helped the people of that country, and it certainly hasn't made Americans any safer. Discussed on the show: "Spare Us an Afghan Threequel, Joe: Don't Get Pulled Back In!" (Antiwar.com) "Truman As The BUTCHER of ASIA" (History News Network) "The Man Who Would Be King (1975)" (IMDb) An Enemy We Created: The Myth of the Taliban-Al Qaeda Merger in Afghanistan Danny Sjursen is a retired U.S. army major and former history instructor at West Point. He is the author of Ghost Riders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge, Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War and A True History of the United States: Indigenous Genocide, Racialized Slavery, Hyper-Capitalism, Militarist Imperialism and Other Overlooked Aspects of American Exceptionalism. Follow him on Twitter @SkepticalVet. This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee; Zippix Toothpicks and Listen and Think Audio. Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG. https://youtu.be/f2LvrlBxSIY

Scott talks to Danny Sjursen about U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, which at the moment the Biden administration appears poised to follow through with. Sjursen is concerned about the response from the mainstream media and both party establishments—Republicans claim pulling out of Afghanistan makes America look weak; Democrats fear that pulling out will make Biden look weak politically. With this kind of bipartisan consensus, it's extremely difficult to get things done that the establishment doesn't like. (But it's also a sure sign that the right thing to do is the exact opposite of whatever they both agree on.) All our time in Afghanistan, Sjursen says, hasn't helped the people of that country, and it certainly hasn't made Americans any safer. Discussed on the show: "Spare Us an Afghan Threequel, Joe: Don't Get Pulled Back In!" (Antiwar.com) "Truman As The BUTCHER of ASIA" (History News Network) "The Man Who Would Be King (1975)" (IMDb) An Enemy We Created: The Myth of the Taliban-Al Qaeda Merger in Afghanistan Danny Sjursen is a retired U.S. army major and former history instructor at West Point. He is the author of Ghost Riders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge, Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War and A True History of the United States: Indigenous Genocide, Racialized Slavery, Hyper-Capitalism, Militarist Imperialism and Other Overlooked Aspects of American Exceptionalism. Follow him on Twitter @SkepticalVet. This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee; Zippix Toothpicks and Listen and Think Audio. Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG. https://youtu.be/f2LvrlBxSIY

Armistice Day November 11, 2020 Daniel 'Danny' Sjursen is a retired Major in the US Army, a graduate and history teacher at Westpoint and a combat veteran from deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. His wartime experiences and discoveries about the true history of the US military role in the world led him to do an intellectual and spiritual “About Face.” He is now a regular contributor to antiwar.com, Truthdig, The Nation, Tom Dispatch, The Huffington Post, and The Hill. His work has also appeared in Harper's, The LA Times, and Buzz Feed. His latest book "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War" offers a new, more complex notion of patriotism. Danny co-hosts the progressive veterans' podcast “Fortress on a Hill.” (Twitter @SkepticalVet). He gives us new perspectives on these challenging times of political turmoil. -- See the video at: PeoplePoweredPlanet.com -- Music by: „World Citizen“ Jahcoustix feat. Shaggy courtesy of Dominik Haas, Telefonica and EoM Also, check out the film on World Citizen #1 Garry Davis at: www.theworldismycountry.com

Reuters reports that Haitian security forces apprehended more men today believed to have killed President Moïse at his home on Wednesday. Ajamu Baraka, former VP Candidate for the Green Party, joins us to discuss the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise. New reports indicate that the First Lady is still alive in a Miami hospital and more suspects involved in the attack have been apprehended.Taylor Hudak, journalist and editor of Activism Munich, and co-founder of Action for Assange joins us to discuss the Assange case. The High Court of Justice in the United Kingdom agreed this week to hear the United States government's appeal in the extradition case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on "limited grounds." Assange's partner Stella Moris said that the High Court rejected the efforts of the US government to "second guess the magistrates' conclusions on medical and expert evidence."Dr. Yolandra Hancock, board-certified pediatrician and obesity medicine specialist, joins us to discuss covid. President Joe Biden expressed increased concerns about coronavirus's delta variant and said door-to-door visits and visits to places of worship will happen this summer in an attempt to reach Americans who have not yet been vaccinated.Ray McGovern, former CIA analyst and co-founder of Veteran Intelligence, joins us to talk about this week's Anti-war.com article that declared Wednesday's New York Times article by David Sanger on Russian hackers to be a "big nothing-burger."James Carey, editor/co-owner at Geopoliticsalert.com, and Miko Peled, author and activist, come together to discuss Palestine. Palestinians, unable to reunite with their families, see no reward in ending the Israeli Citizenship Law.Danny Sjursen, retired US Army Major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War," joins us to talk about rocket attacks on US military bases in Syria and Iraq and the Katyusha's rockets that landed near the US embassy in Baghdad's highly fortified Green Zone.Martin Sieff, senior fellow at the American University in Moscow, joins us to discuss a report that says the founder of Blackwater had a $10 billion plan to develop weapons and create a private army in Ukraine.Nino Pagliccia, activist and writer, joins us to talk about Venezuela and Latin America. He discusses an Orinoco Tribune article that analyzes the real role of the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Venezuela. The article makes the case that these NGOs focus their activity to the "strategic and political control of society, to what euphemistically in the United States is called regime change."

Jim Kavanagh, writer at thepolemicist.net and Counter Punch, and the author of "The American Farce Unravels: Shreds of January 6th," joins us to discuss the criminal investigation into former President Trump's business practices. The New York Attorney General has announced that her office is involved in an in-depth investigation into the former president's business empire.Ted Rall, political cartoonist and syndicated columnist, joins us to discuss Israel. Congresswoman Rashid Tlaib (D-MI) has confronted President Biden over his unconditional support for Israel. Also, Representative Gregory Meeks (D-NY), the Chair of the powerful Foreign Affairs Committee, has reversed his push to pause arms sales to Israel.Mark Sleboda, Moscow-based international relations security analyst, joins us to discuss Ukraine. The US-assisted overthrow of the democratically elected Ukrainian government in 2014 has created a failed state that is heavily influenced by pro-Nazi ultra-nationalist groups. The US' actions in Eastern Europe achieved the opposite of what its regime-change propaganda claims.Alaa Hammouda, Rotary Peace Fellow and human rights activist, joins us to discuss Yemen. Leaders of the Ansar Allah resistance movement in Yemen have stated that they are eager to import their strategies and battlefield knowledge to the Palestinians. Alaa talks about growing support for the Palestinians in the Middle East and beyond.Danny Sjursen, retired US Army Major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War," joins us to discuss his latest article, "The Russian Bounty Story Is a Deadly Example of Fake News." Danny points out the "dangers of escalating tensions between two of the world's greatest nuclear powers and the flagrant disregard for facts many Democrats and corporate media outlets have exhibited in their rhetoric regarding Russia."Journalist and author Caleb Maupin joins us to discuss China. China continues to exhibit technological prowess as they land a Mars rover, launch a new ocean observation satellite, and break ground on a new nuclear energy project with Russia.Dr. Linwood Tauheed, associate professor of Economics at the University of Missouri- Kansas City, joins us to discuss the US economy. Dr. Tauheed discusses Google's announcement of new privacy features for Android phones, without mentioning a limitation on ad tracking. Marjorie Cohn, professor of law at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, California, and a former president of the National Lawyers Guild, joins us to discuss her latest article. Marjorie argues that the US is complicit in Israel's crimes in Gaza. She also argues that the Palestinians have a lawful right to resist the occupation.

Guest: Danny Sjursen. We talk about reasons for the 2011 regime change in Libya, the complex power struggle and foreign intervention that has ensued ever since and the importance of that story in understanding everything else in the Sahel areas of Africa and the broader region. We also discuss the 21st century American-enabled version of the French and British empires, European influence in African countries and how military operations in Africa are largely hidden from the citizens of the NATO countries who are driving them.  In a recent article, Sjursen wrote about the impact: Conflicts are catalyzed, authoritarianism accelerated, human rights go to hell-in-a-hand-basket, and the cycle runs on repeat like a skipping (non-) strategy record. Generally, at least in Franco-America’s African adventures, it’s all done so secretly, sleazily, and – because hidden from the pesky public’s peepers – almost silently. Only sometimes the most wretched walking evidences of criminal complicity have a nasty habit of dying on us, and, for a moment the conspirators stand exposed. That’s when the linguistic-apologia indecency starts. In a bonus question we talk about NATO, how its priorities are set and how its mini-empires are sustained.  Major Danny Sjursen, USA (ret.) is prolific writer and speaker and a leading expert voice among veterans. He is a Director of the Eisenhower Media Network, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, contributing editor at Antiwar.com, the co-host of the Fortress on a Hill podcast and the author of two books:  Ghostriders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge, his new book Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War.  FOLLOW @SkepticalVet, SUBSCRIBE to the Fortress on a Hill podcast and buy his book Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War published by Heyday. Around the Empire aroundtheempire.com is listener supported, independent media. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on Rokfin rokfin.com/aroundtheempire, Patreon patreon.com/aroundtheempire, Paypal paypal.me/aroundtheempirepod, YouTube youtube.com/aroundtheempire, Spotify, iTunes, iHeart, Google Podcasts FOLLOW @aroundtheempire and @joanneleon.   Recorded on April 29, 2021. Music by Fluorescent Grey. Reference Links: Our ‘Dear Friend’ Deby Is Dead – Yea, About That…, Danny Sjursen Deby’s Death, Chad’s Crisis, and the Ghosts of Libyan Fiascoes Past, Danny Sjursen New Hillary Emails Reveal Propaganda, Executions, Coveting Libyan Oil and Gold, Brad Hoff (2016) State Department FOIA Archives, Clinton email December release  

Last week, President Joe Biden announced he will be pulling U.S. troops out of Afghanistan on Sept. 11, 2021, seemingly ending the longest war in U.S. history. But what does that really mean? What happens to Afghanistan next? How can we possibly make reparations for the destruction we've wrought, and will we do anything to address the machinations of a military-industrial complex that continually drives us into more wars around the globe? In the first segment of this week's “Marc Steiner Show,” we dive into these and other vital questions with Matthew Hoh, disabled Marine combat veteran, senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, and member of the Eisenhower Media Initiative, and Danny Sjursen, retired Army major who served in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, director of the Eisenhower Media Network, and author of multiple books, including “Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War.”Then, the Saudi-led war and the war-induced famine in Yemen is the greatest humanitarian crisis in the world today—a crisis in which the United States continues to be complicit. In our second segment, Marc speaks with Iman Saleh, one of the Yemeni-Americans with the Yemeni Liberation Movement who began a hunger strike on March 29 to demand an end to the Saudi-led and U.S.-backed blockade of Yemen. As of this publication, Saleh has not eaten for 23 days.Tune in for new episodes of The Marc Steiner Show every Tuesday on TRNN.

Last week, President Joe Biden announced he will be pulling U.S. troops out of Afghanistan on Sept. 11, 2021, seemingly ending the longest war in U.S. history. But what does that really mean? What happens to Afghanistan next? How can we possibly make reparations for the destruction we've wrought, and will we do anything to address the machinations of a military-industrial complex that continually drives us into more wars around the globe? In the first segment of this week's “Marc Steiner Show,” we dive into these and other vital questions with Matthew Hoh, disabled Marine combat veteran, senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, and member of the Eisenhower Media Initiative, and Danny Sjursen, retired Army major who served in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, director of the Eisenhower Media Network, and author of multiple books, including “Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War.”Then, the Saudi-led war and the war-induced famine in Yemen is the greatest humanitarian crisis in the world today—a crisis in which the United States continues to be complicit. In our second segment, Marc speaks with Iman Saleh, one of the Yemeni-Americans with the Yemeni Liberation Movement who began a hunger strike on March 29 to demand an end to the Saudi-led and U.S.-backed blockade of Yemen. As of this publication, Saleh has not eaten for 23 days.Tune in for new episodes of The Marc Steiner Show every Tuesday on TRNN.

Ted Rall, political cartoonist and syndicated columnist, joins us to discuss Representative Maxine Waters' statements on the Derek Chauvin trial. Representative Waters recently made several statements regarding the potential outcome of the trial. The presiding judge in the trial has stated that her apparent call to action could be interpreted by the defense in a manner that could trigger an appeal. Also, as Representative Waters is a named plaintiff in a lawsuit against former President Donald Trump regarding the controversial January 6th event at the Capitol, law professor Jonathan Turley argues that it could also affect that case.KJ Noh, peace activist, writer and teacher, joins us to discuss US foreign policy towards China and Russia. A US House of Representatives bill condemning China for actions taken regarding Hong Kong passed by the near-unanimous vote of 418-1. Opponents argue that this is simply a manifestation of the hegemonic American exceptionalist attitude on Capitol Hill. Also, China is learning from the US and EU's methods of besieging the Russian Federation. Laith Marouf, broadcaster and journalist based in Beirut, Lebanon, joins us to discuss Iran. Iran has made its demands clear from the beginning of the negotiations to reinstate the nuclear agreement. The Biden administration is working to change and adjust the agreement, but failure to meet Iran's clear and legally defensible demands will certainly doom any chances for a successful resolution.Dan Lazare, investigative journalist and author of America's Undeclared War, joins us to discuss the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project. Both German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas have made assertive statements indicating that they intend to complete the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Maas stated that "I am skeptical that halting the Nord Stream 2 project would lead to a de-escalation by Moscow -- in fact, it could have the opposite effect."Danny Sjursen, retired US Army Major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War," joins us to discuss his latest article, "America's Intel Vampires Can't See Themselves in the Mirror: DNI's Hypocritical and Self-Awareness-Absent Annual Threat Assessment." Sjursen reviews the latest DNI threat assessment and argues that it is simply one of many "vacuously vague bureaucratic reports peddling in platitudes."Caleb Maupin, journalist and political analyst, joins us to discuss war profiteering and Biden foreign policy. Former Raytheon board member and current US Defense Secretary Loyd Austin has already directed $2.6 billion dollars to his former company. Also, the Biden administration's incoherent foreign policy is creating potential disasters in every corner of the globe. Julie Varughese, solidarity network coordinator for the Black Alliance Committee for Peace, joins us to discuss Afghanistan. An article in Consortium News by Patrick Lawrence reviews the claims that the Biden team is leaving Afghanistan against current and historical data that argues otherwise. Lawrence says that no US politician dares to challenge the administration's policy and that "Exceptionalism and universalism are the third rails in the U.S.: any public figure who questions either will suffer a kind of political electrocution."Dr. Linwood Tauheed, associate professor of economics at the University of Missouri- Kansas City, joins us to discuss domestic policy. Recent studies show that the US could house all homeless persons for approximately $10 billion dollars per year, or roughly the cost of one aircraft carrier. Dr. Tauheed discusses the need to address structural economic problems versus wasting money on the US war machine.

Gary Flowers, radio talk show host and public policy analyst, joins us to discuss the digital-industrial complex. Amazon Web Services signed a massive contract with the CIA and is hiring former intelligence operatives to help run their online empire. Eisenhower could not have foreseen a massive digital industry dominated by intelligence services when he warned the world about the military-industrial complex. We discuss the ramifications of an internet dominated by US intelligence agencies and propaganda. Also, Consortium News has a Youtube video removed regarding election and voting problems.Immigration attorney Carlos Castaneda joins us to discuss Biden's immigration policy. President Biden is making a number of changes to President Trump's immigration policies. However, he has reneged on his promise to make changes on day one, and immigration advocates worry that he may return to the difficult days of the Obama administration. Also, he has lifted the pandemic ban on green cards that the Trump administration instituted last spring.John Burris, civil rights attorney, joins us to discuss the police killing of Elijah McClain. An independent investigation found that the Aurora, Colorado police had no legitimate reason to detain and physically attack the mentally challenged youth in 2019. McClain was stopped while walking, and was not suspected of violating any law. A police investigation exonerated all officers involved, although the physically frail young man was unarmed and begged for his life before being choked to death.Dr. Ranjeet Brar, British physician and National Health Service worker, returns to discuss COVID in the UK. Recent surveys indicate that 15.3% of England's population has had COVID as of mid-January. Will this number of people, along with the vaccine, help to slow the infection rate in the future? Also, the Sputnik V vaccine is being considered in the UK because it is easy to transport and store.Danny Sjursen, US Army Major retired and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War" joins us to discuss his latest article about Iraq. Sjursen argues that the muddled mission and US troop presence are creating the conditions for the current crisis. He also talks about the recent rocket attacks on US facilities and how they affect US relations with Iran. Mark Sleboda, Moscow-based international relations and security analyst, joins us to discuss Armenia. Armenia is experiencing significant political problems, as the military has called for the prime minister to resign. The prime minister called the demand and coup attempt and dismissed Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, colonel-general Onik Gasparyan. The prime minister invited his supporters to gather at the Republic Square in Yerevan and pledged to address the nation soon.Ray McGovern, former CIA analyst and co-founder of the Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, joins us to discuss Alexei Navalny and US Sanctions. Ray argues that warmongers in the media and other entities are in fear that Biden's reentry into the START treaty could portend a thaw in US-Russia relations. However, he says that the harsh rhetoric against Russia will continue "in order to justify obscenely high levels of funding for "defense" against an "aggressive" Russia. " Also, Amnesty International strips Alexei Navalny of his "prisoner of conscience" status due to his history of hateful rhetoric. KJ Noh, peace activist, writer and teacher, joins us to discuss China. William Burns, nominee for CIA chief, is pushing the anti-China position as he answers Senate questions during his nomination hearing. Burns says that he sees competition with China - and countering its “adversarial, predatory” leadership as part of his principal mission. Also, Chinese President Xi is announcing that he has achieved victory in his work to campaign rural poverty.

Dr. Colin Campbell, a Washington, DC, news correspondent, joins us to discuss the Biden administration's crackdown on domestic terrorism. Civil Libertarians are aghast at the recent revelation that intelligence agencies have been purchasing smartphone location data from private companies without first obtaining a warrant, a practice that has been occurring for several years. Also, the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act was introduced in the US House of Representatives with bipartisan sponsors. If approved, this new legislative package would establish offices within the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and the Justice Department to allegedly combat domestic terrorism.David Schultz, author and professor of political science and law at Hamline University, joins us to discuss US domestic politics. House Democrats have moved forward with plans to impeach former US President Donald Trump as Republican members work to navigate a political minefield. Additionally, Senate Republicans are already showing signs they will be a strong opposition party, as they have universally panned the Biden administration's COVID-19 relief package and are unwilling to agree on the basic rules of engagement in the evenly divided upper chamber. Danny Sjursen, a retired US Army major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War," joins us to discuss his latest article. In his latest Consortium News article, Sjursen argues US President Joe Biden has a unique challenge because he "inherits a global war — and burgeoning new Cold War — spanning four continents and a military mired in active operations in dozens of countries, combat in some 14 of them, and bombing in at least seven." Sjursen asserts Biden is likely to worsen relations with Russia and maintain the status quo with most other conflicts. Mark Sleboda, a Moscow-based international relations and security analyst, returns to discuss recent US meddling in Russian protests. The Russian government is requiring an explanation after the US embassy in Moscow published "the itineraries of protests" scheduled to take place at Russian cities. Moscow argues that the West's involvement in the Navalny protests indicate a "profound crisis of ideology." Sleboda talks about how the US is working to undermine the integrity of other sovereign governments even in the midst of a dangerous internal political crisis.Scott Ritter, a former United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq, returns to discuss the Iran nuclear deal. The head of Israel's Mossad intelligence service is scheduled to meet with Biden and deliver Israel's expectations for any return to the 2015 nuclear agreement. The question of how much influence Israel holds over Biden's Iran policy will play out shortly, as the Iranians are indicating they have no intention of renegotiating the deal. KJ Noh, peace activist, writer and teacher, returns to discuss China. Relations between the US and China have been extremely tense in light of Washington's promises of military support for Taipei. Taiwan recently reported that a number of Chinese warplanes entered the corner of their airspace on Saturday, as the US rushed another aircraft carrier to the area. Also, the US is moving to spend another military fortune in space as officials make the case for extending their aggressive stance towards China into space. Joe Lauria, the editor-in-chief of Consortium News, joins us to discuss his article about Russiagate. Lauria argues "Russiagate is poised to be used again against Russia, Trump and Trump voters. The latter are way more than ‘deplorable' now. They are ‘cult members' and a threat." Lauria sees the Russiagate operation as a useful tool that the Democrats and intelligence agencies will use to attack their enemies and deny responsibility for the myriad of disasters for which they share blame. James Carey, editor and co-owner of Geopolitics Alert, joins us to discuss Yemen. In what is considered the deadliest strike since early September, officials are reporting that Saudi airstrikes against a Houthi convoy in the central Maarib Province killed at least 34 fighters. The Biden administration has vowed to halt support for the military operation, which has created the worst humanitarian crisis on Earth. Also, Carey discusses US military hardware corporation Raytheon and the company's connection to the disastrous war in Yemen.

On COI#58, Maj. Danny Sjursen, USA (ret.) joins Kyle Anzalone to explains Ethiopia, Mali, and Biden's foreign policy team. Danny gives a brief history of Ethiopia and explains how the country's conflicts with its neighbors. Danny explains how the Ethiopian Prime Minister won the peace prize, then use the prize to further his war efforts. He also breaks down Ethiopia's internal politics and the recent civil war (plus the ongoing insurgency.) Danny and Kyle discuss the civil war in Mali and the French intervention. Post-Libyan War France has been fighting jihadists groups throughout the Sahel region. In recent weeks, five French soldiers have died. France is now looking to exit West Africa. Danny and Kyle examine the neocons and humanitarian interventionists that are coming to power in the Biden administration and how they could expand America's War on Terror. Danny Sjursen is a retired US Army officer, senior fellow at the Center for International Policy (CIP), contributing editor at Antiwar.com, and director of the new Eisenhower Media Network (EMN). His work has appeared in the NY Times, LA Times, The Nation, Huff Post, The Hill, Salon, The American Conservative, Mother Jones, Scheer Post and Tom Dispatch, among other publications. He served combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and later taught history at West Point. He is the author of a memoir and critical analysis of the Iraq War, Ghostriders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge and Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War. Along with fellow vet Chris "Henri" Henriksen, he co-hosts the podcast “Fortress on a Hill.” Follow him on Twitter @SkepticalVet and on his website for media requests and past publications. Danny's Website Subscribe Star - Conflicts of Interest  YouTube – Conflicts of Interest Facebook – Conflicts of Interest Twitter – Conflicts of Interest Apple Podcast – Conflicts of Interest Support Our Sponsor Visit Paloma Verde and use code PEACE for 25% off our CBD

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has vowed to impeach US President Donald Trump less than two weeks before he leaves office.Dr. Clarence Lusane, author, activist and political science professor at Howard University, returns to talk about the aftermath of last week's Capitol Hill breach of the congressional complex. Pelosi has vowed to impeach Trump, as Republican members of Congress struggle with a response. Also, Sens. Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) have called for the president to resign.Niko House, political activist, independent journalist and podcaster, returns to The Critical Hour to discuss the recent spate of online social media bans. Trump has been permanently banned from Twitter, as have his lawyer Sidney Powell and recently the pardoned Michael Flynn. Also, Edward Snowden has released a statement warning that this move sets a dangerous precedent.Danny Sjursen, retired US Army major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War," joins us to discuss his recent article on US President-elect Joe Biden's selection of Victoria Nuland as undersecretary of state for political affairs. In the article, Sjursen reviews a number of the Biden nominees and explains how the selection of this group demonstrates the hawkish nature of the Biden foreign policy worldviewElisabeth Myers, lawyer, former editor-in-chief of Inside Arabia and democracy lead for Democrats Abroad, joins us to discuss the Trump administration's plan to designate the Houthi movement in Yemen as a terrorist organization. After almost six years of the worst humanitarian crisis on earth, humanitarian groups and international diplomats are concerned that this could complicate efforts to broker a peace agreement. Many political analysts believe that this is another effort to complicate potential moves by the Biden administration to mediate an end to the conflict. Nick Davies, peace activist and author of "Blood on Our Hands, the American Invasion and Destruction of Iraq," joins us to discuss new domestic terrorism legislation proposed by the incoming Biden administration. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has written a document outlining its opposition to proposed legislation that will allegedly address instances of domestic terrorism. Civil liberties advocates have compared the timing and introduction of this legislation to the Patriot Act being rolled out immediately after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Jareth Copus, author of "Ukraine: Forever a Pawn," joins us to discuss Biden's past dealings in Ukraine and his proposed foreign policy team. Copus utilizes his expertise on the eastern European nation to evaluate whether the anti-Russian hawks in the incoming Biden administration are likely to adjust course. Also, he discusses recent nominee Victoria Nuland and her contributions to the 2014 Maidan coup.KJ Noh, peace activist, writer and teacher, joins us to discuss China. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said over the weekend that he was lifting the US' "self-imposed restrictions" on contacts between its officials and their Taiwanese counterparts, which is likely to further strain relations between Washington and Beijing in the final days of the Trump administration. This announcement seems designed to complicate foreign policy matters for the incoming Biden team. Ray McGovern, former CIA analyst and co-founder of the Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, joins us to discuss the latest on WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange. "UK judge Vanessa Baraitser justified CIA spying on Julian Assange by citing a falsehood-filled CNN report," according to a recent article in The Grayzone. Her judgment demonstrates the incestuous relationship between the media and the state. Also, Biden has selected William Burns, president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, to head the CIA.

Ray McGovern, former CIA analyst and co-founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, joins us to discuss a recent Washington Post article in which the authors claim that Russian intelligence personnel have been involved in an ingenious hack against US government websites and cybersecurity firms. The article paradoxically argues that the hacks were brilliant and almost undetectable but goes on to give every minute detail of the operation. Our crew also discusses the story's conspicuous financial aspect, as one of the principal companies that was named as a target made a fortune in stock transactions days before the story was released.Caleb Maupin, journalist and political analyst, joins us to talk about the growing concern that US President-elect Joe Biden is building a political team chock full of notorious Wall Street operatives. Reports show that Biden has grown his transition team by adding 18-year Goldman Sachs employee Eric Goldstein; Monica Maher, vice president for cyber threat intelligence at Goldman; and Josh Zoffer, who was formerly an engagement manager at McKinsey and now works at private equity firm Cove Hill Partners.Niko House, political activist, independent journalist and YouTube star, returns to The Critical Hour to discuss the raging civil war in the Democratic Party. YouTube star Jimmy Dore has ignited an intra-party firestorm by arguing that progressive members of the US House of Representatives should threaten not to support House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in her bid to remain leader of the chamber unless she promises to bring "Medicare for All" to a vote.Danny Sjursen, retired US Army major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War," returns to discuss the violence and devastation in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Sjursen has written an outstanding piece about the violence in which he outlines the ethnic conflicts and other critical issues at the core of the struggle.Kevin Gosztola, managing editor of Shadowproof.com returns to discuss the plight of WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange. In light of the recent plea from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for US President Donald Trump to pardon Edward Snowden, we discuss the importance of adding Assange's name to the list of those who deserve to be relieved of the US/EU empire's extralegal assault on whistleblowers. Also, we discuss a report that Hollywood star Pamela Anderson has reached out to the president to request clemency for Assange.Ted Rall, political cartoonist and syndicated columnist, joins us to discuss dramatic proposed changes and additions to tech laws in the European Union. While these changes may appear just and warranted on the surface, below the surface lie a number of troubling proposals that could increase censorship and make it more difficult to remove sanctions from identified adversaries.Dr. Gerald Horne, professor of history at the University of Houston, author, historian and researcher, joins us to discuss reports that the incoming Biden administration is considering relaxing some of the draconian US sanctions on Cuba, which were tightened by the Trump administration. Additionally, we talk about the opportunity available for the new administration to reset relations with the island nation and treat it in a just manner. Dr. Kenneth Surin, professor emeritus of literature and professor of religion and critical theory at Duke University; and Dr. Colin Cambell, Washington, DC, senior news correspondent, join us to discuss Surin's brilliant article in CounterPunch, titled "The Brexit Blame Game." Surin adds clarity to the confusing situation when he states, "Both the UK and the EU are engaged in a game of brinkmanship, amounting to a kind of shadow theater — neither wants to shoulder the blame for the UK's exit from the EU without a trade deal between the two."

Jim Kavanagh, Writer at The Polemicist and CounterPunch, joins us to discuss the lawsuits that the president's campaign filed. On Thursday, judges in Georgia and Michigan dismissed two of the suits. Daniel Lazare, investigative journalist and author of "The Velvet Coup," discusses recent statements from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. On Wednesday, Rouhani said in a televised Iranian Cabinet meeting that his country is prepared for a complicated relationship with the US regardless of who wins the presidential election. He also said the US should respect Iran and return to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal. "We want to be respected, not subject to sanctions," Rouhani said, according to Al-Monitor. "No matter who wins the US election … what we want is for the US to return to law … to return to international and multilateral accords."Laith Marouf, broadcaster and journalist based in Beirut, Lebanon, joins us to discuss a potential Biden administration's goals for Syria. "According to a report from Asharq Al-Awsat, a senior Biden advisor met with a group of Syrians to go over what a Biden administration's Syria policy would look like," Antiwar.com reported Tuesday. "The advisor said Biden would keep a US military presence in northeast Syria to counter Russia and keep reconstruction funds from the country unless 'meaningful' political reform occurs."Shane Stranahan, co-host of Radio Sputnik's Fault Lines, discusses the legalization of marijuana in several US states and other changes in drug laws. "Voters in various states across the country approved a series of statewide ballot proposals on Election Day legalizing the use and distribution of marijuana for either medical or adult-use purposes," The Hill reported Wednesday. Also, the Associated Press reported that samed day, "In a first in the nation, Oregon has rejected charging drug users with criminal offenses, with voters passing a ballot measure that decriminalizes possession of heroin, methamphetamine, LSD, oxycodone, and other hard drugs."Ray McGovern, Former CIA analyst and co-founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, joins us to discuss US online censorship. "Anonymous officials told The Washington Post that the US undertook a cyber operation within the last two weeks against Iran," Antiwar.com reported Tuesday. "US Cyber Command Chief Gen. Paul Nakasone issued a statement late Tuesday night that said the US took action against 'adversaries' to prevent election interference," the outlet noted.Mark Sleboda, Moscow-based international relations and security analyst, joins us to discuss the latest in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin met with religious leaders Wednesday and said that Moscow is doing everything it can to bring the conflict to an end.Danny Sjursen, retired US Army Major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War," joins us to discuss Latin America resisting the US. "Iran's foreign minister began his trip to Latin America in Venezuela, where he arrived on Wednesday to promote a strategic alliance," Telesur reported Tuesday. In addition to Venezuela, the trip includes stops in Cuba and Bolivia. Meanwhile, over at Venezuelanalysis.com, "Steve Ellner argues that average Venezuelans understand that US sanctions hurt them and should be resisted."Ajamu Baraka, former US vice-presidential candidate for the Green Party, joins us to discuss Kenn Orphan's Thursday article at CounterPunch about the root of the current problems in America. Orphan argues that "Donald Trump was never the real problem. He was and is the rancid product of a centuries-long experiment in racist colonial settler imperialism, first born on the continent, then later exported to the entire world."

Greg Palast, Investigative Reporter, and Jon Jeter, Journalist and Author, join us to discuss the events surrounding today's Presidential election. President Trump's campaign has set up two "war rooms" at the White House complex for election night. Meanwhile, Joe Biden visits his son's grave and makes a final appearance in Pennsylvania. Jim Kavanaugh, Writer at thepolemicist.net and "CounterPunch" and the author of Over the Rainbow: Paths of Resistance after George Floyd, joins us to discuss the previously secret portions of the Mueller report that show prosecutors investigated Julian Assange, WikiLeaks, and Roger Stone for the hacking of Democratic National Committee servers as well as for possible campaign finance violations, but ultimately chose not to charge them.Caleb Maupin, Journalist and Political Analyst, joins us to discuss an anti-war.com story that talks about President Donald Trump and Joe Biden having in common an "admiration for the U.S. empire and their plans to keep the war machine going."Nick Davies, author of Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War, joins us to discuss how the election of Luis Arce in Bolivia last month reversed a bold and nasty U.S.-led coup in Latin America. The article warns to "expect an orgy of U.S. subterfuge."Dr. Jack Rasmus, Professor of Economics at Saint Mary's College in California, joins us to discuss his article "Why the Record Voter Turn-out May Not Matter." Dr. Rasmus reports that what may determine the election outcome on November 3 may not be the number of people who actually vote. Instead, the U.S. may decide the election based on how many votes are counted.Danny Haiphong, Author and Contributor to the Black Agenda Report, joins us to discuss Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's televised address Tuesday. In his speech, he mocked the U.S. elections, saying that sitting President Trump says this is the most-rigged U.S. election throughout history," and that his "opponent says Trump intends to cheat widely." Dan Lazare, Investigative Journalist and Author of America's Undeclared War, joins us to discuss a "Mint Press News article," which reports that former Bolivian president Evo Morales plans to return to Bolivia. "Earlier this week, "a Bolivian court threw out terrorism charges leveled by Jeanine Añez's coup government against Morales."James Carey, Editor and Co-Owner at Geopoliticsalert.com, joins us to talk about Yemen's concerns that Israel is taking an increasingly public role in their country. According to an article in Mint Press, "Israel's ambitions in their country don't end at the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, and rumors are circulating that land grabs reminiscent of those in Palestine could soon hit Yemen's shores."

Journalist and political analyst Caleb Maupin joins us to discuss Glenn Greenwald's resignation from the Intercept. Greenwald, a journalist, constitutional lawyer, and one of the three co-founding editors of The Intercept, quit after the media outlet censored his latest article.Today is panel day. We are joined by former CIA analyst and co-founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity Ray McGovern and Dan Lazare, Author of The Velvet Coup: The Constitution, the Supreme Court and the Decline of American Democracy, The Frozen Republic: How the Constitution is Paralyzing Democracy, and America's Undeclared War: What's Killing Our Cities and How We Can Stop It. They talk about an analysis piece in the Washington Post stating journalists should treat the leaked emails allegedly recovered from Hunter Biden's laptop as a foreign disinformation campaign, even if the claim lacks evidence. Also, the mainstream media and the social media titans work hard to suppress damaging information about former VP Joe Biden.Dr. Linwood Tauheed, Associate professor of Economics, and Dr. Gerald Horne, author, historian, researcher, and Professor of History at the University of Houston, TX, join us for our next panel. They discuss the bitterly divided Senate confirmation hearing of Amy Coney Barrett as the 115th justice to the Supreme Court on Monday. Consumer confidence decreased in October, as households saw the jobs recovery from the pandemic slowing, and the electoral college race tightened.For our next panel, Danny Sjursen, US Army Major Retired and Author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War" and former U.N. Weapons Inspector Scott Ritter, discuss a recent New York Times article suggesting that Joe Biden may return to a Monroe Doctrine style policy towards Central and South America. They will also explore the military's focus shifting from the Middle East to Russia and China, which means that U.S. soldiers and materiel will continue to be in places they shouldn't.For our final panel, Political Cartoonist and Syndicated Columnist Ted Rall and Retired U.S. Diplomat and former GOP Senate Foreign Policy Adviser Jim Jatras, join us to discuss Julian Assange's WikiLeaks organization. Ten years ago last week, WikiLeaks published an exposé of U.S. government wrongdoing. Meanwhile, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, Sundar Pichai of Google, and Jack Dorsey of Twitter came under fire in a Senate hearing for online censorship.

Alexander Mercouris, editor-in-chief of The Duran, joins us for the first two segments to talk about the materials that Bobulinski provided to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. A spokesperson for Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), who chairs the committee, told The Daily Caller "that what had been reviewed so far turned out to be legitimate, and that the committee hadn't come across any evidence to suggest the content is false."Dr. Linwood Tauheed, associate professor of economics at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, joins us to talk about the jobs recovery in the US. "Consumer confidence decreased in October, the Conference Board announced on Tuesday, as households saw the job recovery from the pandemic slowing," the Washington Examiner reported. Meanwhile, as rent debt climbs to $7 billion, economists are warning that the US is heading for another housing crisis.Margaret Kimberley, editor and senior columnist at Black Agenda Report and author of "Prejudential: Black America and the Presidents," joins us to discuss the disturbing indications in a recent New York Times article suggesting that if elected, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden may return to a Central and South American "campaign to unseat progressive leaders that ended in the jailing of Brazilian president Lula da Silva, the impeachment of his successor Dilma Rousseff, and the rise of the far-right authoritarian Jair Bolsonaro," as MintPress News reported Wednesday.Niko House, political activist, independent journalist and podcaster, joins us to discuss whether US President Donald Trump can pull out a surprise victory or Biden will hold on to his lead. "A week before Election Day, Biden's lead remains stable at around 8ppt, as Electoral College projections still favor Biden, but the race is tightening in some key swing states," FXStreet reported Tuesday. Ted Rall, political cartoonist and syndicated columnist, joins us to discuss the issue of tech censorship. In a Senate hearing Wednesday, several senators "cited Twitter's decision to censor a damning New York Post article reporting on damaging emails purported to be from Hunter Biden, the son of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden," Adonis Huffman wrote in a Wednesday editorial for Fox News. He noted that the hearing featured "CEOS Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, Sundar Pichai of Google and Jack Dorsey of Twitter coming under fire by both Democrats and Republicans."Danny Sjursen, retired US Army major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War," weighs in on the story about Congress appropriating $23.1 billion for the Pentagon's secretive Military Intelligence Program. Sjursen says in a Monday piece for Antiwar.com that the Department of Defense "waits until after the fiscal year to admit how many tax dollars unknowingly funded missions the taxpayers aren't allowed to know about."Nick Davies, author of "Blood on Our Hands: The American Invasion and Destruction of Iraq," joins us to discuss a Thursday article for CovertAction Magazine he co-wrote with Medea Benjamin. The piece argues, "No matter which instrument of regime change the US has deployed, these US interventions have not made life better for the people in any of those countries."

Alexander Mercouris, editor-in-chief of The Duran, joins us to discuss what writer Matt Taibbi calls a "major underreported scandal" involving Hunter Biden's emails. Last week's "decision by Twitter and Facebook to block access to a New York Post story about a cache of emails reportedly belonging to Democratic nominee Joe Biden's son Hunter, with Twitter going so far as to lock the 200-year-old newspaper out of its own account for over a week," backfired and has became bigger news than the alleged Biden scandal itself. Danny Sjursen, retired US Army major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War," joins us to discuss details surrounding the Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire. According to a Monday RT article, "Armenia and Azerbaijan have accused each other of violating a Monday truce in Nagorno-Karabakh, with heavy artillery fire. ... The Defense Ministry in Baku said that Yerevan's forces had 'violated the new humanitarian ceasefire' by shelling its positions in several locations."Margaret Flowers, pediatrician, health reform activist and co-director at Popular Resistance, reports on the new COVID-19 outbreak in the White House. The recent infections of Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff and four other top aides raise "new questions about the Trump administration's cavalier approach to the worst health crisis in a century," the New York Times reported Sunday.Our hosts talk to a Sudanese businessman about the secret history of Israel's relationship with Sudan and the current move towards normalization between the two countries.Dr. Gerald Horne, professor of history at the University of Houston, author, historian and researcher, joins us to discuss a Reuters article providing analysis that "jails with health care overseen by private companies incur higher death rates on average than those with care handled by government agencies. The story of a Georgia jail that hired Corizon Health Inc. reveals the hidden cost of privatized inmate health care." Teri Mattson, contributor at Code Pink, joins us to discuss remarks President-Elect of Bolivia Luis Arce recently made to newspaper La Razon, condemning Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) Luis Almagro. Are said Almagro “should resign, for moral and ethical reasons,” adding that he believes Almagro “interfered, violated Bolivian regulations, and those of any international body observing an electoral process; he interfered in internal affairs.”Nicolas Davies, peace activist and author of "Blood on Our Hands: The American Invasion and Destruction of Iraq" joins us to discuss a Sunday report br Press TV which said, "Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mekdad has censured the United States and its European allies for taking ‘unilateral and coercive' measures against his country, particularly at the time of the coronavirus pandemic." According to the outlet, "the Syrian official said the UN bodies and international organizations active in the humanitarian sector, the WHO [World Health Organization] in particular, should demonstrate the reality of the restrictive measures against Syria and their impact on securing the basic needs of the Syrian people."Laith Marouf, broadcaster and journalist based in Beirut, Lebanon, weighs in on Libya's ceasefire deal. On Friday, the United Nations announced that "the warring factions in Libya have agreed to a 'permanent' ceasefire following talks," reported Middle East Eye. According to the agreement, announced by Stephanie Williams, head of the UN Support Mission in Libya, all foreign fighters and mercenaries must leave Libya within three months – by January 23. The country has been in a state of unrest since the overthrow of former ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

In early September, the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation projected that the US COVID-19 death toll could reach 410,000 by the end of the year in the most likely scenario. The current death toll has surpassed 216,000, according to Johns Hopkins University. A Tuesday Washington Post headline read: "Coronavirus cases are rising in the US, sparking worries the next big wave has begun." The subhead noted, "40 states have seen a week-to-week increase in infections." What does this mean going forward?On Tuesday, we spoke with Chris Hedges about his recent Consortium News piece entitled "Trump's Barrett Nomination Another Step Toward Christian Totalitarianism." Now, we address the question: is there a "dark money operation" powering a Republican takeover of the US judiciary, as Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) said on Tuesday?Dr. Martin Luther King once told us that the US is “the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today.” Nelson Mandela told us that "the attitude of the United States of America is a threat to world peace." Our next guest Danny Haiphong wrote a Saturday piece for the American Herald Tribune, entitled "US Is the Top Human Rights Violator in the World, and It's Not Even Close." In it, he says, "Few things are more politicized and distorted in the United States than the subject of human rights." What comes next?"The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Trump administration to end the 2020 Census count now, concluding a contentious legal battle over the once-in-a-decade household count despite fears of an undercount that would fall hardest on minority groups," the Washington Post reported Tuesday. Two questions immediately come to mind: what does this mean, and what does it signal? "Bloomberg published a story on Wednesday that cited anonymous sources who said President Trump is looking to withdraw hundreds of US troops from Somalia, a war the administration has significantly escalated since 2017," Antiwar.com reported Tuesday. What are we to make of this?"Expert testimony highlighted the political nature of the case against [WikiLeaks co-founder Julian] Assange, the US government's lack of evidence for alleged harm caused, and urgent humanitarian concerns related to Assange's physical and mental health," Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said in an October 9 release. "RSF also documented extensive barriers to open justice, which marred proceedings. The extradition decision is expected on 4 January 2021." What comes next?It has been said that military leaders tend to train and prepare for the last war. Is the US military learning the wrong lessons from the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh?"As the Taliban launched an offensive over the weekend to take areas of Afghanistan's southern Helmand province, there were hundreds of casualties amid some of the most intense urban fighting since Afghan peace talks began last month," NPR reported Tuesday. How did this happen?Guests:Dr. Yolandra Hancock - Board-certified physician and obesity medicine specialist Ray Baker - Political analyst and host of the podcast Public Agenda Danny Haiphong - Author and contributor to Black Agenda ReportDr. Linwood Tauheed - Associate professor of economics at the University of Missouri-Kansas CityDaniel McAdams - Executive director of the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and ProsperityNeil Clark - Journalist and broadcasterDanny Sjursen - Retired US Army major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War"Marvin Weinbaum - Director for the Middle East Institute's Center for Pakistan and Afghanistan Studies

Despite seemingly torpedoing talks on a stimulus relief bill in a Tuesday tweet, the president "began backtracking on Tuesday night, saying on Twitter that he would sign a stand-alone bill to send Americans $1,200 stimulus checks," the New York Times reported Wednesday. "On Wednesday morning, he urged [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi to 'move fast' on the proposal." What are we to make of this?California prosecutors announced Monday that they would reopen the case of 22-year-old Oscar Grant, an unarmed Black man who was shot and killed by a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) officer in 2009 at the Fruitvale BART station in Oakland. What are the details?A Tuesday headline in the New York Times read: "Trump's Return from Walter Reed Leaves White House in Disarray as Infections Jolt West Wing." The subhead noted,"The West Wing was mostly empty, cleared of aides who were sick or told to work from home, and staff in the White House residence were in full personal protective equipment." COVID-19 appears to be running through the White House like Sherman's March to the Sea. The Kremlin issued a new appeal for an end to hostilities in and around Nagorno-Karabakh on Tuesday after Moscow's foreign intelligence chief said the mountain enclave could become a launch pad for Islamist militants to enter Russia," Reuters reported Tuesday. Remember early on in this conflict, when we were wondering how big of a problem this could become? A very good article ran Wednesday in AntiWar.com, entitled “Washington as Wannabe Dictatress of the World: Targeting Newly Democratic Sudan.” It opens, "The Trump administration apparently sees America as dictatress of the world, which John Quincy Adams warned against two centuries ago. The people of Sudan are emerging from decades of dictatorship, but the Trump administration is treating the country as a puppet state." Is this dictate of the Trump administration a new approach, or is it America being America?"Reps. Tulsi Gabbard & Thomas Massie Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Defending the Free Press & Call For Charges Against Julian Assange To Be Dropped," read the headline of an October 2 news release from Gabbard's office. What are we to make of this, and what are the chances of success?"On Monday, at the UN Security Council, the US, the UK, France, and allies blocked testimony from a former director-general of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)," Antiwar.com reported Tuesday. "Jose Bustani is a Brazilian diplomat and was the first director-general of the OPCW, which was formed in 1997." Why did this happen?"In his first visit to Miami in more than a year, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Monday attacked President Donald Trump's hard-line policies in the Americas, saying his opponent's tough talk and steep sanctions have only entrenched Cuba's communist government," the Miami Herald reported Monday. Is Biden's policy any different than Trump's?Guests:Dr. Linwood Tauheed - Associate professor of economics at the University of Missouri-Kansas CityJohn Burris - Civil rights attorneyDr. Yolandra Hancock - Board-certified pediatrician and obesity specialistDanny Sjursen - Retired US Army major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War"Dr. Gerald Horne - Professor of history at the University of Houston, author, historian and researcherNiko House - Political activist, independent journalist and podcasterPiers Robinson - Co-director of the Organization for Propaganda StudiesCharles Simmons - Attorney, international fellow at Columbia University, professor emeritus of journalism at Eastern Michigan University and co-director of the Hush House Museum & Cultural Center in Detroit, Michigan

Suzanne Gordon- Veteran Healthcare Policy Institute Senior Policy Analyst and her work expands over three decades reporting on Healthcare Programs Workers, Policy, and Authored two books titled The Battle for Veteran's Healthcare and Wounds of War. Danny Sjursen- West Point Graduate Major retired from the U.S Army in 2019 after serving multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and Authored two books titled:  Ghostriders of Baghdad Soldiers, Civilians and the Myth of the Surge and his newest Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War.Discussion: Discharge Status and its impact on Veteran's Healthcare and Benefits.Discharge Status Categories: There are six different discharges from the Military: Honorable, Under Honorable Conditions(General),  Uncharacterized, Other than Honorable(OTH), Bad Conduct,  and Dishonorable.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin met Wednesday to discuss an economic-relief deal, and although they did not reach a final deal, Pelosi says, “Secretary Mnuchin and I had an extensive conversation and we found areas where we are seeking further clarification. How will this affect the American people?There's a very disturbing article in Common Dreams entitled, “Life in Supermax for the Crime of 'Merely Doing Journalism'? UK Court Told Assange Likely to Be Sent to Notorious US Prison” – it opens with Julian Assange would likely be incarcerated in what is arguably America's most notorious super-maximum security prison if he is extradited to the U.S. from the U.K. and convicted of charges resulting from his journalism, a British court heard Tuesday. What are we to make of this?Just 24 hours after refusing to condemn white supremacists during the first 2020 general election debate, President Donald Trump late Wednesday launched a racist attack on refugees from Somalia and other nations and parroted an unfounded right-wing claim about Rep. Ilhan Omar, sparking "lock her up!" chants from his Minnesota supporters.There's a great piece in AntiWar.com entitled Discredited Russian Bounty Story Exposes Media's Role in Status Quo, written by our next guest. He reports that the military says they can't find evidence to support it, yet the New York Times and others have not repudiated the reports or issued corrections. It is an old journalistic trope: no one reads the correction … or the retraction. No matter how serious the error or profound the implications of the misreporting. It's one thing to just get it wrong. It's another to intentionally mislead or just a flat out lie. What's going on here with this propaganda machine?Venezuela's foreign currency revenues—almost all of which come from crude oil sales—have plunged by 99 percent since 2014, Nicolas Maduro said, blaming most of the losses on the “persecution and criminal blockade” of Venezuela's oil exports. This while the US announced new sanctions on Syria, part of Washington's effort to prevent the reconstruction of the Arab country after nine years of war. Since sanctions don't work what's the US objective here and what can be done? Opposition figure blames Russian president for alleged poisoning as Kremin accuses Navalny of colluding with CIA. - Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny told a German magazine he believed President Vladimir Putin was behind his suspected poisoning, but said he was not afraid and would return to Russia to resume campaigning. Russia's presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov today said Moscow has information that Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny is collaborating with the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). What are we to make of this? The former FBI director acknowledges under questioning that the agency's process for conducting surveillance on a former Trump campaign adviser was 'sloppy' and 'embarrassing.' What else did he say?Amazon and Big Tech cozy up to Biden camp with cash and connections - Amazon appears to have taken an early lead making in-roads with the Biden camp, according to data gathered by Reuters. Joining Amazon, Alphabet's Google and Microsoft are among the top five contributors to Joe Biden's candidate campaign committee in the 2020 cycle, according to data from OpenSecrets, a website which tracks money in politics and campaign finance records. Companies make political contributions usually with the expectation of a return. What's the game here?GUESTS: Jack Rasmus, Economist, Professor in the Economics and Political Science departments at St. Mary's College in California.Dan Lazare, Investigative Journalist, Author of America's Undeclared WarBill Fletcher Jr.,- former president of TransAfrica Forum, writer, trade unionist, and Executive Editor of GlobalAfricanWorker.comDanny Sjursen, US Army Major Retired & Author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War"Niko House, Political Activist, Independent Journalist, PodcasterMark Sleboda, Moscow based international relations security analystRay McGovern, Former CIA analyst and co-founder Veteran Intelligence Professionals for PeaceChris Garaffa, Web Developer and Technologist

We understand that the State of Florida is not Congress. We also understand the concept of federalism: the powers that are not reserved to the national government rest with the states. But states cannot enact legislation that violates the US Constitution."More than fifty former world leaders have signed a letter released [Sunday] in support of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, or Nuclear Ban Treaty," NuclearBan.US said Monday. How will this affect all nations?"The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has jolted the Trump campaign, offering the president a new message to seize on in the final weeks of his reelection pursuit," The Hill reported Tuesday. Can this work? Common Dreams reported Monday that a MoveOn.org petition "calling for her seat not to be filled until after the inauguration of the next president in January of 2021 has already received nearly 1.1 million signatures as organizers spent Monday tearing up the phone lines of the US Senate."So it looks like the US is using its forces to ping Russian forces and see what type of response it gets. Reporting Tuesday on recent US air and sea maneuvers near Russia's borders, Antiwar.com noted, "From the North, from the South, from the East and West US war planes are simultaneously being directed against Russian defenses to probe their effectiveness and score political points." What are we to make of this?"Funding any weapons program with a stopgap is unusual. $1.6 billion for two submarines may seem a quibble, but it is part of a $109.8 billion weapons program, which is expected to yield 12 submarines that won't begin patrols until the 2030s," Antiwar.com reported Monday about a recent funding bill from the House of Representatives. "In a world where nuclear submarines are less and less of an issue, this expensive of a program is very controversial, which is why the Navy is pushing so hard to save it. ""The coronavirus pandemic has fractured global relationships. But as director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, [John] Nkengasong has helped to steer Africa's 54 countries into an alliance praised as responding better than some richer countries, including the United States," the Associated Press reported Tuesday. How big of a breakthrough is this for countries on the continent? "Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday that Tehran has no plans of renegotiating the 2015 nuclear deal, stressing that Washington must return to the accord 'without condition,'" Middle East Eye reported Monday. What are we to make of these statements? Guests:Dr. Emmitt Riley - Political scientist and assistant professor of Africana studies at DePauw UniversityKathy Kelly - American peace activist, one of the founding member of Voices in the Wilderness and co-coordinator of Voices for Creative NonviolenceGreg Palast - Investigative reporterDr. Greg Carr - Attorney; associate professor of Africana studies and chair of the Department of Afro-American Studies at Howard University; and adjunct faculty at the Howard School of LawScott Ritter - Former UN weapons inspector in Iraq Margaret Kimberley - Editor and senior columnist at Black Agenda Report and author of "Prejudential: Black America and the Presidents"Netfa Freeman - Host of Voices With Vision on WPFW 89.3 FM, Pan-Africanist and internationalist organizerDanny Sjursen - Retired US Army major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War"

Biden made news on Thursday when he told Stars and Stripes that he supports a sustained U.S. military footprint of up to 1,500-2,000 on the ground — primarily for special operations against ISIS and other terror threats — in the war that began after the 9/11 terrorist attacks 19 years ago." These forever wars have to end ... but here's the problem, we still have to worry about terrorism," he said. What does that mean for America if Biden wins the election?The development of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany should not be linked to the case of Alexey Navalny, the Kremlin said on Wednesday, amid bristling tensions between the two countries. Will the US and EU Hawks be successful in stopping this economic project?Belarus investigators have officially charged a protest leader with incitement to undermine national security, the Investigative Committee said in a statement on Wednesday. Is this government abuse or reasonable action to protect the legitimate government?Chinese President Xi Jinping met via video link with top European leaders on September 14 to shore up relations that are under significant pressure from an increasingly belligerent United States.Will the EU ignore US pressure and act on their own economic interests?Conservative MPs have reacted angrily to an intervention by Joe Biden, the US Democratic presidential candidate, in the UK Brexit talks, accusing him of ignorance of the Northern Ireland peace process. What are the underlying issues that VP Biden missed with his comments?Speaking at an event hosted by the RAND Corporation, US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper called for an increase in funding for Navy shipbuilding. In the speech, Esper said he wants the Navy to have “over 350” ships. Is this a good idea for a country that is mired in pandemic and economic disaster?The United States said on Wednesday it plans to impose sanctions on those who violate a U.N. arms embargo on Iran, which Washington says will now stay in place instead of expiring in October as agreed under a 2015 nuclear deal. Will this plan isolate the United States economically and diplomatically from the EU?For our last segment, Retired Major Danny Sjursen joins us to argue that The election season timing of the latest Mideast peace deals is hardly coincidental and that the road show is less about scoring regional "peace" than partisan points.Guests:Scott Ritter, Former UN weapons Inspector in Iraq Alexander Mercouris, Editor in Chief at theduran.com & host of "The Duran" on Youtube.Mark Sleboda, Moscow based international relations security analystBrad Blankenship, Prague-based American journalist, political analyst, and free-lance reporterDan Lazare, Investigative Journalist, Author of America's Undeclared WarCaleb Maupin, Journalist and Political AnalystRay McGovern, Former CIA analyst and co-founder Veteran Intelligence Professionals for PeaceDanny Sjursen, US Army Major Retired & Author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War"

It's here folks!!  Danny's new book is out first thing tomorrow.  You can find it right here at Heyday Books.  For this episode, Danny and I broke down the book […]

A three-judge panel on the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled on Wednesday that the NSA surveillance program that gathered phone metadata from Americans according to Section 215 of the Patriot Act was illegal. What are we to make of this?Back in June, the Washington Post reported, "Forces of Libya's UN-backed government seized control of the last remaining western stronghold of militia commander Khalifa Hifter ... dealing a major setback to his ambitions to wrest control of the country." On Thursday, the Post reported that "infighting within the government now threatens to unravel it and plunge the country into the next chapter of chaos.""Human rights advocates the world over condemned the Trump administration on Wednesday for imposing sanctions on two top officials at the International Criminal Court — just the latest act of retaliation for the Hague-based ICC's ongoing investigation into war crimes allegedly committed by US forces and others in Afghanistan during the so-called War on Terror," Common Dreams reported Wednesday. What is the inside story?"[Venezuelan] Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said on Twitter that a letter had been sent to UN chief Antonio Guterres and EU top diplomat Joseph Borrell, outlining 'the broad electoral guarantees agreed for the upcoming parliamentary elections,' and inviting them to send observers," AFP reported Thursday. What does this say about Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the US lackey Juan Guaido and the ongoing attempts by the US to overthrow the democratically elected president of a foreign and sovereign country?Our next guest Danny Sjursen has a great piece in Antiwar.com entitled "NATO's ‘Unified Front' at Breaking Point," wherein he describes "increasingly frequent – and exceedingly awkward – tensions between several of Washington's core North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies. Indeed, from South America to East Asia, NATO members stand divided over many critical foreign policy issues of the moment." What's going on here?"Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko promoted hardline loyalists to top posts in his security apparatus on Thursday in an effort to strengthen his grip on the former Soviet republic after weeks of mass protests and strikes," Reuters reported Thursday. Is this odd or wrong? "Pressure mounted on German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday to reconsider the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which will take gas from Russia to Germany, after she said Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny had been poisoned with a Soviet-style nerve agent," Reuters reported Thursday. What are we to make of this? "It is a felony under North Carolina law to vote more than once or 'induce' others to do so, but that didn't stop President Donald Trump from openly encouraging residents of the state to attempt to cast two ballots in the November election in an interview with a local reporter Wednesday," Common Dreams reported Thursday. What was the pushback?Guests:Ray McGovern - Former CIA analyst and co-founder Veteran Intelligence Professionals for PeaceLaith Marouf - Broadcaster and journalist based in Beirut, LebanonElisabeth Myers - Lawyer, former editor-in-chief of Inside Arabia and democracy lead for Democrats AbroadLeo Flores - Latin America Coordinator for Code PinkDanny Sjursen - Retired US Army major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War"Daniel Lazare - Investigative journalist and author of "The Velvet Coup"Caleb Maupin - Journalist and political analystTalib Karim - Former aide to members of Congress and CEO of Abe Legal, a platform for helping families and businesses survive the COVID-19 pandemic

The Trump administration is upping the ante in its confrontation with China in the waterways of the South China Sea."Since late January, American B-1B and B-52 bombers, usually operating in pairs, have flown about 20 missions over key waterways, including the South China Sea, the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan," Reuters reported Tuesday. What is the endgame here?On Monday, US President Donald Trump defended Kyle Rittenhouse, the suspect in the shootings last week in Kenosha, Wisconsin, as having acted in self-defense. The president said, "We're looking at all of it. That was an interesting situation. You saw the same tape as I saw," adding that it appeared Rittenhouse was "very violently attacked" by demonstrators. There seem to be a number of problems with this statement. How should we interpret this?Stella Moris, WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange's partner, "says he is in 'a lot of pain' and 'a lot thinner' after she visited him in Belmarsh prison with their two children for the first time in six months," the Daily Mail reported on August 25. What's going on in his world?There's a health crisis and civil unrest in the US, and 57.3 million workers have filed for unemployment over the past five months, according to US Labor Department numbers. Meanwhile, Congress sits out, failing to provide more relief while the country faces its largest-ever eviction crisis, activists say. What are we to make of this?"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel has held secret talks with several Arab countries to normalize their relations, a day before Israel's first commercial flight to the United Arab Emirates (UAE)," Xinhua News Agency reported Monday. "'There are many more unpublicized meetings with Arab and Muslim leaders,' Netanyahu said during joint remarks in Jerusalem alongside US President Donald Trump's senior advisor Jared Kushner and national security advisor Robert O'Brien." What's the long-term objective of these meetings and agreements?Our next guest Marshall Auerback co-authored a Monday piece in CounterPunch entitled "The Rotten Alliance of Liberals and Neocons Will Likely Shape US Foreign Policy for Years to Come." What does this mean for the US and the world going forward?A Monday op-ed in Politico was entitled "Take It From Eastern Europe: Now Is Not the Time to Go Soft on Russia," with the subheadline saying, "Vladimir Putin continues to undermine liberal democracy in Europe and beyond. America should not turn its back on that threat."Our last story will be a discussion of the Tuesday Antiwar.com article "America's Expeditionary Kleptocracy: A Banana Republic and Its Banana Wars." We are joined by its author, retired US Army Major Danny Sjursen. GuestsKJ Noh - Peace activist, writer and teacherMargaret Kimberley - Editor and senior columnist at Black Agenda Report and author of "Prejudential: Black America and the Presidents"Karen Kwiatkowski - Retired US Air Force lieutenant colonel, anti-war activist and farmerDanny Haiphong - Author and contributor to Black Agenda ReportCharles Simmons - Attorney, international fellow at Columbia University, professor emeritus of journalism at Eastern Michigan University and co-director of the Hush House Museum & Cultural Center in Detroit, MichiganMarshall Auerback - Market analyst and research associate at the Levy Economics Institute at Bard College Mark Sleboda, Moscow - based International Relations and Security AnalystDanny Sjursen - Retired US Army major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War"

As the US deals with the federal government's failure to renew pandemic relief, the social unrest appears to be taking a turn for the worse. Is this in any way related to the economic troubles? If so, are these one-time occurrences, and what can be done to calm the violence?The Washington Post recently ran a column by notorious pro-war neoconservative Max Boot praising the so-called "A Team" of foreign policy advisers surrounding Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. Is this Biden team a rerun of the group of foreign policy advisers to former US President George W. Bush that the Post once described as a “dream team?” In what is clearly a very strange move, "[t]he US government has blacklisted several Russian scientific institutes, including the Russian Defense Ministry's 48th Central Research Institute, which has worked with other non-military medical centers to develop and test the world's first COVID-19 vaccine," Ben Norton wrote for the Strategic Culture Foundation on Saturday Meanwhile, Ted Galen Carpenter wrote in The American Conservative on Friday, "A dangerous vehicle collision between US and Russian soldiers in Northeastern Syria on Aug. 24 highlights the fragility of the relationship and the broader test of wills between the two major powers." What are we to make of this?"One of President Trump's top medical advisers is urging the White House to embrace a controversial 'herd immunity' strategy to combat the pandemic, which would entail allowing the coronavirus to spread through most of the population to quickly build resistance to the virus, while taking steps to protect those in nursing homes and other vulnerable populations, according to five people familiar with the discussions," the Washington Post reported Monday. Meanwhile, the New York Times reported Sunday: "It took more than three months for the United States to reach one million coronavirus cases after reporting its first confirmed infection, but less than a third of that time to notch the latest million-case leap. On Sunday, the United States hit yet another milestone, with six million reported cases, according to a New York Times database." Will "herd immunity" work?Our next guest, Andrei Nekrasov, is a film director, writer and producer who believed the story of Bill Browder and the Magnitsky Act and set out to create a documentary film about it. His project was welcomed by Browder and his associates, so much so that Browder agreed to work with Nekrasov in the making of the film. Strangely, half way through the project Nekrasov began to realize that Browder's story was inconsistent with the facts. He approached Browder, only to be admonished and attacked as a Russian propagandist. Nekrasov finished the documentary, and you can now find it at MagnitskyAct.com.Neoconservatives Jacob Nagel and Mark Dubowitz of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies argued in a Monday op-ed in Newsweek, "The Trump administration must continue its maximum pressure campaign, while building safeguards to prevent a return to the fatally flawed nuclear agreements of the past." Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported on August 14, "US threats of legal action and sanctions forced Greek shipowners to surrender Iranian fuel to the US government in recent days, people familiar with the confiscation said." Additionally, RT reported Friday, "Tehran has poked fun at Mike Pompeo after the top US diplomat set a deadline to ‘snap back' sanctions on Iran under JCPOA, which he branded a 'foolish' deal, and despite the UN Security Council refusal to back the US initiative.""The COVID-19 pandemic exploded in New York City over four months ago and, so far, it has claimed 18,979 lives and infected 225,713 people," City Limits reported on August 25. "Still, on top of the fear of catching the disease, ending up in the hospital or even dying, what terrifies people ... is hunger. An estimated 2 million New Yorkers are struggling to afford their groceries." Meanwhile, The Hill reported Sunday, "The odds are rising that any deal on a fifth coronavirus relief package will be tied to legislation to prevent an October 2 government shutdown." What does this mean for the US going forward? "Zhang Yiming's plan to sell the US operations of his short-video app TikTok to avoid a shutdown was thrown into jeopardy after China asserted authority over a deal already under scrutiny by the Trump administration," Bloomberg reported Monday. "Beijing on Friday added uncertainty to already thorny negotiations over the sale of ByteDance Ltd.'s prized asset, claiming the ability to block a sale to foreign suitors Microsoft Corp. or Oracle Corp. with tighter restrictions on artificial intelligence exports." Meanwhile, Mark J. Valencia wrote in a Monday op-ed for the South China Morning Post, "With more tit-for-tat rhetoric and military posturing, China and the United States seem to be heading towards a showdown in the South China Sea." Can war be avoided?Guests:Gary Flowers - Public policy analystDanny Sjursen - Retired US Army major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War"Mark Sleboda - Moscow-based international relations and security analystMargaret Flowers - Pediatrician, health reform activist and co-director at Popular ResistanceAndrei Nekrasov - Film director, writer and producerAlexander Mercouris - Editor-in-chief of The Duran Daniel Lazare - Investigative journalist and author of "The Velvet Coup"Ted Rall - Political cartoonist and syndicated columnist

On this edition of The Critical Hour, co-hosts Dr. Wilmer Leon and Garland Nixon talk to Professor David Schultz about the incidents leading people to believe US President Donald Trump is violating the Hatch Act It is alleged that the president and his campaign are using government facilities - and not just buildings - to further his political purposes, thereby violating the Hatch Act. What are we to make of this? Two people were killed and one wounded in shootings in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday night during protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake. How is this going to impact Wisconsin and the rest of the US?A Tuesday headline in the Washington Post read: "Universities sound alarm as coronavirus cases emerge just days into classes — 530 at one campus." The article noted, "More than 500 cases at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Nearly 160 at the University of Missouri in Columbia. Dozens at the University of Southern California. Colleges and universities that brought students back to campus are expressing alarm about coronavirus infections emerging as classes have barely started, raising the possibility everyone could be sent home.""Walt Kelly's Pogo remarked that 'We have met the enemy, and he is us,'" Melvin Goodman writes in a Wednesday piece for CounterPunch. "In terms of election interference, historically the United States has been the enemy abroad, and now we are the enemy at home. There is more than 70 years of evidence of US election interference abroad; the current interference at home is far more threatening." How do other countries perceive the US?Our next guest Danny Sjursen has a great piece in in Antiwar.com entitled "Lebanon: Inconvenient Truths About Syria, Iran, Hezbollah, and the Shia ‘Street,'" wherein he writes, “There's been a lot of nonsense passing as truth in post-blast Lebanon reporting. Most centers around alarmism about Hezbollah's nefarious influence, the West's 'opportunity' to destroy it, and the supposed struggle with Russia, China, and Iran for paternalist-preeminence in a country that isn't ours (or theirs) to preside over in the first place.""Hundreds of young Libyans protested in Tripoli for a third consecutive day to decry deteriorating living conditions and corruption amid a heavy security presence," AFP reported Wednesday. "Voicing anger at extended shortages of power, water and fuel in the oil-rich North African country, the demonstrators, including teenagers and children, marched through the capital again on Tuesday and converged on Martyrs' Square." Is anyone hearing them? "Is US President Donald Trump practicing the 'art of the deal' on China by trying to scare it into making major concessions on trade to avoid being decoupled from the global financial system?" Anthony Rowley writes in a Monday op-ed for the South China Morning Post.A great article ran Monday in MintPress News, entitled "The Biden Campaign Walks Back its Attack on BDS… Sort Of." Kathryn Shihadah writes, "Linda Sarsour, a prominent Palestinian American activist, got the cold shoulder from the Biden campaign last week, followed by a sotto voce apology – but an elephant lingers in the room with the initials BDS." What will this mean for the election?GuestsDavid Schultz - Professor of political science at Hamline University and author of "Presidential Swing States: Why Only Ten Matter"Dr. Colin Campbell - Washington, DC, senior news correspondentDr. Jehan "Gigi" El-Bayoumi - Professor of medicine and founding director of the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences' Rodman InstituteNiko House - Political activist, independent journalist and podcasterDanny Sjursen - Retired US Army major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War"Laith Marouf - Broadcaster and journalist based in Beirut, LebanonDr. Linwood Tauheed - EconomistMiko Peled - Author and activist

On this edition of The Critical Hour, co-hosts Dr. Wilmer Leon and Garland Nixon talk to Ray Baker about the happenings at the opening night of the Republican National Convention on Monday.Former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the convention that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris' (D-CA) vision for America is socialism, which has failed everywhere it's been applied. She also argued that the UN is "a place where dictators, murderers and thieves denounce America and then put their hands out and demand that we pay their bills." What are we to make of this?The killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others seemed to have been overtaken in the public consciousness by COVID-19, party conventions, and the resumption of professional sports, but protests have ignited again in the wake of the Sunday incident in which unarmed Black man Jacob Blake was shot multiple times in the back by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, with his three young children present. On Friday night, police in Lafayette, Louisiana, shot and killed Trayford Pellerin, a 31-year-old Black man, outside a convenience store. Tuesday marks three months since Floyd was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota. How does this keep happening?"President Donald Trump's reelection campaign announced Sunday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will address this week's Republican National Convention," Common Dreams reported Monday. This is raising concerns from a few fronts, the outlet noted, as "it's unprecedented for the nation's top diplomat to participate in this type of political event and because he will reportedly speak from 'an undisclosed location' in Jerusalem while he's there on official travel." How will this play out?"Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday thanked ally Iran for helping the South American country overcome US sanctions on its oil industry and floated the idea of purchasing missiles from the country," Reuters reported Monday. How was this decision made?"China's banking and insurance regulator has declared the United States' financial sanctions on Hong Kong organizations and officials accused of eroding the city's autonomy as 'lacking legality,'" the South China Morning Post reported Sunday. Is this condemnation justified?A very interesting op-ed ran recently in Consortium News, entitled "Trump's Choice for Germany," wherein Radio Sputnik's own John Kiriakou writes, "The adage that even a broken clock is right twice a day is true. Donald Trump has made a positively inspired choice to be the next US ambassador to Germany. Col. Douglas Macgregor, US Army, retired, is the president's choice to downsize the US military presence in Germany. Doug Macgregor is the right person to do the job." Why?"On Sunday, President Trump released a 50-point agenda for his second term that says the president will 'stop endless war' and bring US troops 'home,'" Antiwar.com reported Monday. "The plan also pledges that the US will 'maintain' military strength and says the US will 'wipe out' global terrorists that threaten Americans. The Democratic Party released its 2020 platform this month, which uses similar language to President Trump's agenda and calls for ending 'forever wars.'" What are we to make of this?Reporting on Belarus detaining two opposition leaders, Reuters noted Tuesday: "Olga Kovalkova and Siarhei Dyleuski were brought to separate courts where they were each jailed for 10 days. Kovalkova is the main representative still in Belarus of opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, and Dyleuski has led strikes at Minsk's flagship tractor factory."Guests:Ray Baker - Political analyst and host of the podcast Public Agenda Dr. Emmit Riley - Political scientist and assistant professor of Africana studies at DePauw UniversityAriel Gold - Co-founder of Code PinkRobert Fantina - Journalist and Palestine activistKJ Noh - Peace activist, writer and teacherDanny Sjursen - Retired US Army major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War"Margaret Kimberley - Editor and senior columnist at Black Agenda Report and author of "Prejudential: Black America and the Presidents"Mark Sleboda - Moscow-based international relations and security analyst

On this edition of The Critical Hour, co-hosts Dr. Wilmer Leon and Garland Nixon talk to Attorney John Burris about Jacob Blake, a Black man from Wisconsin who was shot multiple times in the back by police with his kids present."Two Wisconsin police officers were on leave Monday as state authorities investigate why an African American man was shot multiple times in the back as he entered the driver's side door of an SUV, officials said" CNN reported Monday. "The man's three children - 3, 5 and 8 - were in the car, a family attorney said. Identified by the governor as Jacob Blake, the man is in serious condition and fighting for his life." Where should we be focusing our analysis right now?The New York Times reported Monday, "After Coronavirus cases surged in June and July, the number of new reported cases in the US began to level off, then drop, though the infection rate remains one of the world's highest." Is this an accurate statement?"Tennessee protesters will face harsh penalties, including losing the right to vote, as punishment for participating in protests under a law enacted by the Tennessee GOP-dominant General Assembly," Common Dreams reported on Saturday. "Right-wing Governor Bill Lee quietly signed off on the bill Thursday, AP reported." How concerned should we be about Americans' First Amendment right to peaceably assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances?There's a great piece in The Grayzone by Aaron Mate entitled "Crushing US Sanctions Devastate Syria's People and Post-War Reconstruction." It's an interview with leading Syria scholar Joshua Landis on how "crippling US sanctions are devastating Syria's people and hindering post-war reconstruction." International journalist Caleb Maupin gives his thoughts on this controversial issue.There's a piece at Antiwar.com entitled "Catapulting Russian-Meddling Propaganda," whose subhead reads, "The New York Times is leading the full-court press to improve on what it regards as Special Counsel Robert Mueller's weak-kneed effort to blame the Russians for giving us Donald Trump." What are we to make of this article?"Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says US demand for Iran sanctions is ‘completely unreasonable,'" read a Saturday headline in the South China Morning Post. The outlet reported, "On Thursday, the US formally asked the UN to trigger the 'snapback,' a mechanism under the 2015 nuclear accord that allows a participant to restore pre-2015 sanctions on Iran, on the grounds that Tehran has significantly violated the agreement." What are we to make of this?The South China Morning Post reported Saturday that "on Friday the USS Ronald Reagan and its carrier strike group returned to the South China Sea for a series of air defense exercises after a joint drill with Japan. The US Navy also sent a destroyer, the USS Mustin, through the Taiwan Strait following the exercise with Japan in what America said was a demonstration of its commitment to a 'free and open Indo-Pacific.'" The People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command, which covers the Taiwan Strait, said after the Mustin's passage that the military was monitoring US activity and was on “high alert” to protect China's territorial integrity and sovereignty, the Post noted."In the wake of the deadly port explosion in Beirut, Lebanon on August 4, many in Yemen are hoping that the world, and the United States and Saudi-led Coalition, in particular, will have gained a renewed sense of urgency in working to avoid a similar disaster off the coast of Yemen in the heavily traveled Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the worlds' busiest international shipping lanes," MintPress News reported on August 21. "There, the FSO Safer sits roughly 25 miles northwest of Yemen's port city of Hodeida, not only threatening the poorest country in the Middle East but also posing a very real threat to all countries bordering the Red Sea and to international navigation in general." Is this hope a reality?GUESTSJohn Burris - Civil rights attorneyDr. Yolandra Hancock - Physician David Schultz - Professor of political science at Hamline University and author of "Presidential Swing States: Why Only Ten Matter"Caleb Maupin - Journalist and political analystRay McGovern - Former CIA analyst and co-founder Veteran Intelligence Professionals for PeaceScott Ritter - Former UN weapons inspector in Iraq Danny Sjursen - Retired US Army major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War"Elisabeth Myers - Lawyer, former editor-in-chief of Inside Arabia and democracy lead for Democrats Abroad

“A sprawling report released Tuesday by a Republican-controlled Senate panel that spent three years investigating Russia's 2016 election interference laid out an extensive web of contacts between Trump campaign advisers and Russian government officials and other Russians, including some with ties to the country's intelligence services,” the Times reported. Are the accusations accurate?The Democrats kicked off their virtual nominating convention on Monday night. The evening was long on denunciations of US President Donald Trump and short on policy initiatives. What are we to make of this?"The global chip and smartphone industries are bracing for serious disruption after the United States launched tougher sanctions against Huawei that some say could mean 'death' for the company," the Financial Times reported Tuesday. What's going on here?We've been discussing the election in Belarus for the past week or so. On Tuesday, the Financial Times and other sources reported that German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin had discussed the Belarusian election over the phone. Merkel's office said in a statement that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko should initiate a dialogue with the opposition. Is this significant, and why should it matter?"A massive explosion on August 4 devastated Lebanon's capital Beirut, killing more than 150 people, wounding thousands, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless, and ravaging a sizable chunk of the city," The Grayzone reported on August 13. What are the top 10 myths about Lebanon and its conflicts?Google, Facebook, Twitter and other major tech companies are increasing censorship on their platforms, using the excuse of protecting their users to do so. What are we to make of this?"The Trump regime is taking Huawei, TikTok and WeChat, three accomplished Chinese technology and social media companies, straight to the wall now, either banning them from the US market or, in the TikTok case, forcing its owner to sell its US assets to an American company," Patrick Lawrence wrote in Consortium News on Monday. "On Saturday President Donald Trump announced that there's more of this coming." How concerned should we be?US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement is spraying detained immigrants in California with HDQ Neutral, a dangerous, industrial-strength, disinfectant chemical, activists told The Independent last week. Will anyone be held accountable?Guests:Mark Sleboda - Moscow based international relations security analystDr. Clarence Lusane - Author, professor and activistDanny Haiphong - Author and contributor to the Black Agenda ReportDaniel Lazare - Investigative journalist and author of "The Velvet Coup"Danny Sjursen - Retired US Army major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War"Dave Lindorff - JournalistNiko House - Political Activist, Independent Journalist, PodcasterPatrick Lawrence, Writer, commentator, correspondent

Midwestern states such as "Missouri, Montana and Oklahoma are among those witnessing the largest percentage surge of infections over the past week, while, adjusted for population, the number of new cases in Florida, Mississippi and Alabama still outpaced all other states," the Washington Post reported Monday. How do we interpret this data, as we are now in August, and we were told early in the process that cases would drop in the summer like the flu?It's starting already. A Tuesday headline from the Washington Post read: "Michigan ballots tangled in mail delays in advance of Tuesday primary." The article noted, "Mail problems marred the delivery of absentee ballots in Michigan in the run-up to Tuesday's primary in the state, testing election administrators and ramping up fears of political pressure on the US Postal Service just three months before November 3. Across the state, where polls opened Tuesday at 7 a.m., some voters reported not receiving their absentee ballots." What are we to make of this?"Demonstrators who gathered again Sunday outside the home of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti called on the city to cancel rents for people finding it hard to make ends meet as the coronavirus pandemic ravages California's economy," the Associated Press reported Sunday. Meanwhile, a July 30 headline at NOLA.com read: "Under 'evictions = death' sign, protesters block entrances to New Orleans courthouse." What's next?"Tens of thousands of supporters of President Alexander Lukashenko's top election rival on Thursday rallied in the Belarusian capital Minsk despite an increasing crackdown on the opposition," AFP reported last week. What signal does this send in the region? "The United States continues to grapple with the reckoning spurred by George Floyd's death in Minneapolis, as Congress investigates how the Department of Homeland Security [DHS] tracked journalists and protesters amid unrest in Portland, Oregon," the Washington Post reported Tuesday. Last week we discussed the Post's report that DHS' Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) had compiled and distributed “intelligence reports” on journalists and protesters in Portland. Now the House Intelligence Committee is opening an investigation and demanding answers from DHS. What are we to make of this? "The Census Bureau announced late Monday that door-knocking and other field activities for the 2020 Census will cease a month earlier than planned," the Washington Post reported Monday. "The agency had given indications last week that field activities would cease September 30 instead of October 31, to submit the population count to the president by December 31." The census is a process mandated in the Constitution. How concerned should we be about this issue? On Tuesday, retired US Army Major Danny Sjursen, author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War," published an op-ed at AntiWar.com entitled “I Was Wrong: Congress Isn't Cowardly; It's Evil!" The subheading read: "Blocking withdrawal from a hopeless Afghan War opposed even by its veterans, counts as criminally heinous – and par for the congressional course." Our next guest will discuss neo-Nazis in Ukraine, their history and their political influence. "Nationalism has always been a feature across Europe's political spectrum but there has been a recent boom in voter support for right-wing and populist parties," the BBC reported in November 2019. Jareth Copus, author of "Ukraine: Forever a Pawn," joins the show to discuss this phenomenon. GUESTSMargaret Flowers - Pediatrician and health reform activist, co-director at Popular ResistanceDr. Clarence Lusane - Author, professor and activistTalib Karim - Former aide to members of Congress and CEO of Abe Legal, a platform for helping families and businesses survive the pandemicAlexander Mercouris - Editor-in-chief of The Duran Rob Kall - Publisher of OpEdNews.com and author of "Bottom Up Revolution: Mastering the Emerging World of Connectivity"Carlos Castaneda - Immigration lawyerDanny Sjursen - Retired US Army major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War"Jareth Copus - Author of "Ukraine: Forever a Pawn"