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Send us a textWelcome back to the Ones Ready Podcast—where we take the dumpster fire that is the Pentagon's latest news and roast it to perfection. Here's your daily dose of WTF is happening in the military:
Clearing the FOG with co-hosts Margaret Flowers and Kevin Zeese
The Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) launched the next phase of the Zone of Peace campaign, the creation of the US/NATO Out of Our Americas Network. Clearing the FOG speaks with Austin Cole of the BAP Haiti/Americas Team about the network, which debuted on February 21, the anniversary of the assassinations of Malcolm X and Augusto Sandino. Cole explains the origin of the term "Our Americas (Nuestra Americas)" and why that framing is necessary for the decolonization of our continents. He also describes current US aggression in the Americas, how our struggles are connected, and what the network will do to build a stronger popular movement for our collective liberation. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.
In this episode of the Foreign Area Officer Podcast Lt Col (R) Duilia Mora Turner, the first Air Force FAO on the show, shares insights into her post-retirement work at Florida International University, where she is pursuing a Ph.D. focusing on women's leadership in Latin American militaries. The conversation delves deeply into the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) program, covering its origins, implementation, and global impact. Dui recounts her experiences developing the WPS program at SOUTHCOM, emphasizing the importance of including women's perspectives in security and defense strategies. She also discusses her background, from growing up in Brazil to her career in the U.S. Air Force, and her transition to academia. This episode sheds light on the vital role of women in peace and security initiatives and highlights Dewey's contributions to this field.
Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey officially assumes duties as the new commander of U.S. Southern Command, making history as the first Black commander of SOUTHCOM since its inception more than six decades ago. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey officially assumes duties as the new commander of U.S. Southern Command, making history as the first Black commander of SOUTHCOM since its inception more than six decades ago. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In this episode, CODEPINK's Krys Cerisier reflects on current events in Latin America, including Peru, Venezuela, and Haiti. We are joined by Clau O'Brien Moscoso from the Black Alliance for Peace's Haiti Americas team and a writer for Black Agenda Report, who helps us explore and understand the recent coup attempts in Peru and Venezuela, and intervention in Haiti, as well as the role of international bodies such as SOUTHCOM and NATO. In the second half of the show, Krys talks to Leonardo Flores from the Venezuela Solidarity Network to discuss the Venezuelan elections.
Links 1. CIMSEC author page of Wilder Alejandro Sanchez.2. Second Floor Strategies.3. “Hospital Ships: A Vital Asset for SOUTHCOM and South American Navies,” by Wilder Alejandro Sanchez, CIMSEC, January 24, 2023.4. “TIAR 21: Maritime Security, the TIAR, and IUU Fishing in the Western Hemisphere,” by Wilder Alejandro Sanchez, CIMSEC, October 16, 2020. 5. Twitter: @W_Alex_Sanchez.
Links 1. CIMSEC author page of Wilder Alejandro Sanchez.2. Second Floor Strategies.3. “Hospital Ships: A Vital Asset for SOUTHCOM and South American Navies,” by Wilder Alejandro Sanchez, CIMSEC, January 24, 2023.4. “TIAR 21: Maritime Security, the TIAR, and IUU Fishing in the Western Hemisphere,” by Wilder Alejandro Sanchez, CIMSEC, October 16, 2020. 5. Twitter: @W_Alex_Sanchez.
For episode 164, we welcomed Steve Stratton to the show! Steve started his military career at the White House Communications Agency supporting the needs of President's Ford and Carter, Vice President's Rockefeller and Mondale and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. His work took him around the world introducing him to new cultures, ways of thinking, and the various agencies tasked with projecting and protecting American interests abroad. The jump to the US Secret Service was an easy transition but after several years and an election campaign, Steve left for the commercial sector. Steve was awarded his Green Beret in 1986. From the 80's through 2000 he deployed with 20th Special Forces on counter-drug and training missions in the SOUTHCOM region. His civilian contractor time includes support for USCENTCOM, USSOCOM, and several intelligence agencies. Today he is retired but advising cyber security companies that support the warfighter and intelligence community. When he is not writing, you can find him mountain biking, trout fishing, or hunting in Colorado. His first novel, Shadow Tier, was named a 2023 Bronze Medal winner by the Military Writers Society of America. This book was a part of the Spear Talk book club! In our discussion we covered what it was like working in the White House with the United States Secret Service, how traveling the world for work shaped his views and appreciation for various cultures, time as a Green Beret, his Shadow Tier series and why the character of "Lance Bear Wolf" is necessary, and so much more! #thriller #greenberet #whitehouse Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Admiral James Stavridis, a retired four-star admiral in the U.S. Navy and former commander of NATO and SOUTHCOM, and award-winning author Elliot Ackerman, contributor at The Atlantic and veteran of the U.S. Marines, join the podcast to discuss their new novel, “2054,” which explores where the United States could find itself in the middle of this century. “2054” is a sequel to New York Times bestseller “2034.”
//The Wire//2200Z March 13, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: U.S. DEPLOYS MARINES TO EMBASSY IN HAITI. HOUSE PASSES FOREIGN TECH BILL.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Haiti: The situation continues to deteriorate as U.S. forces deploy to the region to secure the U.S. Embassy. Marines from SOUTHCOM's Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team (FAST) have deployed to increase defenses around the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince. American citizens in the region continue to be urged to evacuate following the continuation of violence throughout the country. AC: As Haiti has been a common destination for international aid groups and NGOs, the number of Americans in Haiti on any given day has fluctuated following the downward spiral since the 2010 earthquake. Consequently, though the situation has been tense for decades, the recent escalation of violence has caught many aid workers largely unaware, who now face the logistical challenges of transportation in a rapidly deteriorating situation.-HomeFront-USA: This morning the House passed H.R. 7521, a bill allegedly to restrict the influence of foreign media platforms in the United States. The bill now heads to the Senate for a vote.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: Gaining traction as the “TikTok ban bill”, critics have argued that the CCP influence and control of TikTok is debatable. But perhaps more indirectly, critics argue that this bill allows the United States government more leeway in restricting foreign media, and is a slippery slope on the path to potentially restricting more platforms than just TikTok. Specifically, the language of the bill allows the U.S executive branch to shut down any to shut down any “unacceptable risk to national security” that is owned by a foreign entity. However, in a classic continuation of changing definitions to suit political needs, the definition of what a “foreign adversary” is appears to not just be defined in the document itself, but also can be determined by the President of the United States, who (per the text of this bill as it stands) can designate any entity as “foreign”. Though more legal analysis is needed regarding the specific wording, this vague and confusing wording that does not rule out potentially nefarious use is likely by design.For those thinking that a simple VPN could be used to bypass such archaic legislative actions, the wide-blanket nature of the wording directly links even ISPs themselves to foreign entities. Per page 3, line 24 of the proposed bill, internet service providers are also targeted by this legislation for allowing foreign adversary content to be hosted on websites they route traffic to. Depending on the interpretation of this text, the implications will almost certainly be vastly more wide-ranging than just affecting TikTok.In any case, the truly bipartisan effort to pass this bill, along with the overwhelming media and special interest group support for this bill, is likely cause for concern in its own right.Analyst: S2A1//END REPORT//
Welcome to another inspiring episode of "Wake Up With Patti Katter," where we dive deep into the stories of those who have turned their challenges into opportunities for growth and success. Today, we're honored to have Steve Stratton join us—a man whose life reads like an adventure novel, yet it's all true. From his early days at the White House Communications Agency, supporting some of the most significant political figures in recent history, to earning the prestigious Green Beret and embarking on critical missions across the globe, Steve's journey is nothing short of extraordinary. But his story doesn't end there. Transitioning into the civilian sector, Steve has become a sought-after advisor in cybersecurity, all while carving out a new path as an acclaimed author. His debut novel, "Shadow Tier," not only showcases his literary talent but also earned him a 2023 Bronze Medal from the Military Writers Society of America. In this episode, Steve shares with us the trials he's faced, the lessons learned, and how he continues to overcome challenges with resilience and triumph. Join us as we explore the remarkable life of Steve Stratton, a true testament to the spirit of perseverance and the power of storytelling. Steve's official bio: Steve Stratton started his military career at the White House Communications Agency supporting the needs of President's Ford and Carter, Vice President's Rockefeller and Mondale and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. His work took him around the world introducing him to new cultures, ways of thinking, and the various agencies tasked with projecting and protecting American interests abroad. The jump to the US Secret Service was an easy transition but after several years and an election campaign, Steve left for the commercial sector. Steve was awarded his Green Beret in 1986. From the 80's through 2000 he deployed with 20th Special Forces on counter-drug and training missions in the SOUTHCOM region. His civilian contractor time includes support for USCENTCOM, USSOCOM, and several intelligence agencies. Today he is retired but advising cyber security companies that support the warfighter and intelligence community. When he is not writing, you can find him mountain biking, trout fishing, or hunting in Colorado. His first novel, Shadow Tier, was named a 2023 Bronze Medal winner by the Military Writers Society of America. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wakeupwithpattikatter/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wakeupwithpattikatter/support
SOUTHCOM's podcast talks to U.S. Ambassador Jean Manes about the command's Women, Peace, and Security Program, amplifying the initiative's importance and successes in advance of a book launch scheduled for Oct. 29 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Resolution 1325." (By U.S. Southern Command Public Affairs; hosted by Rich Crusan; produced by John Ciccarelli)
Clearing the FOG with co-hosts Margaret Flowers and Kevin Zeese
On January 7, Adolfo Macias, known as "Fito", a leader of an Ecuadorian drug cartel, escaped from prison, which sparked uprisings across the country. In response, President Daniel Noboa declared a national state of emergency and decreed that the country is in a state of internal conflict, listing 20 gangs as terrorist groups. Clearing the FOG spoke with Alex Main of the Center for Economic Policy and Research about the conditions that have led to growing poverty, insecurity and violence in Ecuador. Main explains how the United States is exploiting the current situation to justify sending US weapons and military personnel to to the country, which has raised concerns about violations of Ecuador's sovereignty and human rights abuses. He also discusses the upcoming elections in Venezuela and the devastating impact of US economic blockades. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.
On today's episode, Mike and Kyle interview Chris Alvarez and Matt McGuire of Green Ops training. Talking about LPVO and the passion behind instructing. This is a great episode to listen to and also tap into the Green Ops training. **Disclaimer** There is no video of the episode, for the exception of a few* snippets of b-roll. Enjoy the Audio! Chris Alvarez is a 20-year veteran of the United States Army. Retiring as a Master Sergeant in 2016. He is Special Forces, Ranger, Pathfinder, Jumpmaster and Military-Freefall qualified. During his service he completed five operational deployments to the CENTCOM and SOUTHCOM areas of operation. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisalvarez580/ Matt McGuire is a United States Marine Corps veteran. Prior to the Marine Corps Matt worked for 2 years as a Martial Arts instructor for a school aged martial arts program and as a student, training in Muay Thai, Boxing, Kali Escrima and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Matt started shooting competitively in 2011 and through 2013 competed in USPSA, IDPA and 3 Gun. Matt is also a Modern Samurai Project endorsed Red Dot Pistol Instructor. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/Czya4wXL8S6/ Green Ops is a veteran owned and operated consulting company that has been offering specialized firearms & security training since 2005. We provide on-site training classes in the Northern Virginia area, South Central Texas and mobile training to your location. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greenopsinc/ Be sure to visit our websites: www.SOLGW.com www.GreenDragonTrading.co Spotify for Podcasters: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/solgw-podcast --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/solgw-podcast/message
Steve Stratton started his military career at the White House Communications Agency supporting the needs of Presidents Ford and Carter, Vice Presidents Rockefeller and Mondale and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. His work took him around the world introducing him to new cultures, ways of thinking, and the various agencies tasked with projecting and protecting American interests abroad. The jump to the US Secret Service was an easy transition but after several years and an election campaign, Steve left for the commercial sector. Steve was awarded his Green Beret in 1986. From the 80's through 2000 he deployed with 20th Special Forces on counter-drug and training missions in the SOUTHCOM region. His civilian contractor time includes support for USCENTCOM, USSOCOM, and several intelligence agencies. Today he is retired but advising cyber security companies that support the warfighter and intelligence community. When he is not writing, you can find him mountain biking, trout fishing, or hunting in Colorado. Find more here: https://www.stevenstrattonusa.com/ Follow for more: jeffclarkofficial.com or... IG @officialJSClark FB @officialJSClark Twitter @officialJSClark Full Episodes at: YouTube.com @jeffclarkofficial ApplePodcasts.com/CourseofAction Spotify.com/Course of Action
Most Americans now recognize the serious threat the People's Republic of China (PRC) poses to the United States. But many may not be aware of the comprehensive campaign Beijing is implementing in Latin America to advance the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) interests, undermine the United States, and put our homeland at risk.What is China doing in our hemisphere? Why does it matter? How is the United States responding? And what more can be done?FDD's Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP) hosts a conversation with Commander of U.S. Southern Command General Laura J. Richardson. As the Commander of SOUTHCOM, she is responsible for U.S. contingency planning, operations, and security cooperation in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. The conversation will be moderated by CMPP Senior Director Bradley Bowman.
Steve Stratton started his military career at the White House Communications Agency supporting the needs of Presidents Ford and Carter, Vice Presidents Rockefeller and Mondale, and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. His work took him around the world introducing him to new cultures, ways of thinking, and the various agencies tasked with projecting and protecting American interests abroad. The jump to the US Secret Service was an easy transition but after several years and an election campaign, Steve left for the commercial sector. Steve was awarded his Green Beret in 1986. From the 80's through 2000, he deployed with 20th Special Forces on counter-drug and training missions in the SOUTHCOM region. His civilian contractor time includes support for USCENTCOM, USSOCOM, and several intelligence agencies. Today he is retired but advising cyber security companies that support the warfighter and intelligence community. When he is not writing, you can find him mountain biking, trout fishing, or hunting in Colorado. Find Steve at: www.stevenstrattonusa.com IG: @stevestrattonusa X:@strattonbooks Shadow Sanction ‘Brining war back to the war on drugs' Lance Bear Wolf and his black-budget Shadow Tier operators must stop the rebirth of The French Connection and its terror funding connection to the Taliban. By any means necessary. When the resurgent Sinaloa cartel attacks Wolf and his wife, Elle Parker, on the Crow Indian reservation, the safety of his people becomes Job One—until the president of the United States orders Shadow Tier to stop the Taliban's opium trade. The president's underlying message: The drug war is a failure. Fix this now, or your black funding disappears. Torn between saving his people and the president's demands for direct action, Wolf sends Shadow Tier's Bravo Squadron to Afghanistan to infiltrate the Taliban drug organization. He sends Kieran Kennedy, his executive officer, to stand up and train a new international Charlie Squadron in the U.K. While Wolf bends the rules to protect the reservation on the home front, the squadrons track opium with a mysterious United Nations connection out of Afghanistan to a new “French Connection” in Marseilles, France. The teams identify a likely distribution hub and its leadership. But going deeper will take initiative and innovation. Kennedy takes the dangerous decision to operate in the open … as a drug cartel. The operation yields results, but there is a piece missing. Parker and Kennedy believe a government contractor providing logistics flights into and out of the war zones is involved. Plans are made by the fake cartel for a large shipment of heroin to go to the mafia in New York City, where wholesale arrests will be made if all goes as planned. As the data pours in from three continents, the heroin network unfolds and things to do not go as planned. The takedown of a multi-national drug production, shipment, and sales operation is unlike any operation Shadow Tier has attempted. For the president, it's a no-fail mission or his administration is doomed. For Shadow Tier, it's time to bring the war back into the war on drugs. Special Operations Warrior Foundation Should a Special Forces Operator parent make the ultimate sacrifice, Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF) will be by the side of their surviving spouse and children. Our commitment is to ensure every child of fallen Special Operations Personnel receives a college education. As of November 2020, our expanded program eligibility now includes children of ALL Medal of Honor recipients as well. Visit the Special Operations Warrior Foundation Donate to SOWF here. Don't forget to check out Blood Red Ivory on Amazon or where ever books are sold. Ty Benhoff two coming soon. Thanks to Crush Limbo for the music. Tripecoh Media LLC. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thatscriminaljs/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thatscriminaljs/support
We discuss the consequences of living in denial for the decades past. What problems do we now face in the United States on the Southern Border? What is the main driving force behind it? Who is responsible? What kind of responses are we seeing at the federal level? Also, what role do elected representatives play? What talking points do they present to the public in front of the cameras? Do any of them even matter? And, what is the real reason behind the cultural decay and increased crime rate in your town and city? We ask the questions. Contact and Support - https://www.subscribestar.com/dynamic-independence SOUTHCOM's Posture Statement to Congress https://www.southcom.mil/Media/Special-Coverage/SOUTHCOMs-2022-Posture-Statement-to-Congress/
The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Marine Corps Maj Max Nauta discusses his Master's thesis from the US Army Command and General Staff College entitled: Multinational Operations in Strategic Competition: Leveraging the Inherent Informational Aspects through Culture and Narrative. Strategic competitors have significantly increased their influence in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) in ways that jeopardize US influence and threaten democratic governance. The People's Republic of China (PRC) and Russia do this by exploiting the ambiguity of gray zone activities, such as predatory, opaque lending practices and the spreading of disinformation. US Forces, Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) builds resiliency against these gray zone activities through transparency, which it promotes through cooperation activities to strengthen partnerships and build trust in LAC. SOUTHCOM accomplished this, in part, through Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Southern Command (SPMAGTF-SC), whose mission was to conduct mutually beneficial engagements with partner nations (PN) to address shared challenges in the region. SPMAGTF-SC 15, 16, and 17 were US-only task forces. SPMAGTF-SC 18, however, became the first multinational task force. SPMAGTF-SC 19 grew on this by integrating ten PN officers from Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Belize, and the Dominican Republic. The author found that integrating PN officers into SPMAGTF-SC 18 and 19 exponentially strengthened partnerships in LAC at a relatively insignificant cost. This paper examines the degree to which integrating PN officers into SPMAGTF-SC 18 and 19 strengthened partnerships, and then compares those findings with theories on narrative and culture. In conclusion, the author presents the concept of a shared regional narrative and illuminates asymmetric characteristics of strategic competition in LAC. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #37 Bill Vivian on MCDP 1-4 Competing #89 Ajit Mann and Paul Cobaugh on Narrative #137 Vic Garcia and Mike Berger on Information Operations and Intelligence #151 Daniel Runde on Chinese Soft Power #148 Kalev Leetaru on GDELT Video Presentation: Multinational Operations in Strategic Competition: Leveraging the IIA through Culture and Narrative The Village by Bing West The Role of Information in U.S. Concepts for Strategic Competition. A RAND study by Chris Paul, Michael Schwille, Michael Vasseur, Elizabeth Bartels, and Ryan Bauer Artificial Intelligence Basics: A Non-Technical Introduction by Tom Taulli Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bio: Major Maxwell Nauta grew up in Chester Country, Pennsylvania, graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, and commissioned in the United States Marine Corps on March 18, 2011. After Officer Candidate School, he attended The Basic School, Infantry Officer Course, and Light Armored Reconnaissance Leaders Course. In January 2012 he reported to 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance (LAR) Battalion, MCAGCC, 29 Palms, CA, where he served as an LAR Platoon Commander from February 2012 to June 2013. In April 2012 Maj Nauta deployed as the senior Infantry Marine to New Zealand for the six-week joint, multinational exercise, Exercise Alam Halfa. From December 2012 to June 2013 he and his platoon independently deployed to Okinawa, Japan reporting to 3rd Combat Assault Battalion under the Unit Deployment Program. In June, he and his LAR platoon deployed to the Republic of Korea to participate in Exercise Ssang Yong 13, forming a multination LAR platoon with Australian Cavalry Soldiers. Upon returning from Okinawa, Japan, Maj Nauta served as the Assistant Operations Officer for 3rd LAR Battalion until March 2014 when he augmented into the Selected Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR). In the SMCR, Maj Nauta first reported to Company C, 4th LAR Battalion, Salt Lake City, Utah serving as a Platoon Commander from March 2014 to March 2015. He then transferred to Headquarters Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 453 (CLB-453) in Aurora, Colorado, serving as the Headquarters Company Executive Officer until attending Supply Officers Course at Camp Johnson, North Carolina in August 2015. In January 2016, Maj Nauta activated to serve as the Supply Officer for Special Purpose Marine-Air Ground Task Force – Southern Command (SPMAGTF-SC) 16, deploying to Honduras. Upon re-deployment in January 2017 he served as the Current Operations Officer, CLB-453. In January 2018, Maj Nauta activated to serve as the Liaison Officer to the U.S. Embassy in Honduras for SPMAGTF-SC 18. In March 2019, he reactivated as the Key Leadership Engagement Coordinator for SPMAGTF-SC 19, deploying throughout the Southern Command area of responsibility. In preparation for this final SPMAGTF-SC deployment he attended the Civil Affairs Officers Course in March 2019. Upon completion of SPMAGTF-SC 19 in February, 2019, he transferred to U. S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe and Africa (MARFOREUR/AF) and activated as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) serving as a Logistics Planner, G-4 and the Prepositioning Officer, MARFOREUR/AF. In October, 2021, he deactivated and was hired by Valiant Integrated Services as a Program Analysit in support of Africa Future Operations, G-35, MARFOREUR/AF. Maj Nauta is participating in U.S. Army Command and General Staff College's Information Advantage Scholars Program and is expected to transfer to Marine Corps Information Operations Center upon graduation. Maj Nauta's awards and decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three Gold Stars in lieu of fourth award. His formal education includes Infantry Officer Course, Light Armored Reconnaissance Leaders Course, Supply Officer Course, and Civil Affairs Officer Course and Expeditionary Warfare School. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
On August 4th, General Laura J. Richardson, U.S. Army, 32nd Commander of the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) sat down with Dr. Kathleen McInnis, Director of the CSIS Smart Women, Smart Power Initiative, and Kari Bingen, Director of the CSIS Aerospace Security Project for a discussion on her priorities within the SOUTHCOM Area of Responsibility (AOR), which includes parts of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Additionally, General Richardson discussed how SOUTHCOM is approaching challenges facing this strategic region, including the People's Republic of China's growing presence and influence; counternarcotics operations; maritime domain awareness; space; and more.
The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Marine Corps LtCol Dennis Katolin, who is the Commanding Officer of Marine Wing Communications Squadron 28 (MWCS-28), discusses his squadron's Standard Operating Procedures for Information Maneuver. Our wide ranging conversation covers emerging talent and integration requirements, communications-related contributions to the outcomes of the information warfighting function, and early lessons learned related to the Ukraine War. Research Question: Dennis Katolin suggests an interested student; Power projection, cultural paradigms, and legal shifts that inhibit full appreciation and adaptation into the information space. Analogous to the cultural shift in the military at the dawning of flight. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #38 Lori Reynolds on Operations in the Information Environment #95 LtGen Matthew Glavy on MCDP 8 Information #132 Brian Russell on OIE Truths #59 Mark Moffett on Societies, Identity, and Belonging LtCol Dennis Katolin The Nature of Information - Information is instantaneous by LtCol Dennis W. Katolin Information Defined – A Whole of Force Approach by LtCol Dennis W. Katolin Military Ethics by Dennis Katolin Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-152 Guest Bio: Lieutenant Colonel Dennis Katolin is the Commanding Officer of Marine Wing Control Squadron 28 (MWCS-28). Lieutenant Colonel Dennis Katolin graduated from Truman State University in 2002 and was commissioned that same year. Lieutenant Colonel Katolin reported to The Basic School in January 2003, and upon completion, attended the Communications and Information Systems Officer Course, graduating in 2003. In January 2004, Lieutenant Colonel Katolin moved to MCAGCC 29 Palms and reported to 3rd LAR Battalion to serve as the S-6A until May 2004. He then became the S-6 for 1st Battalion, 7th Marines and was the Communications Platoon Commander. In September, 2004, Lieutenant Colonel Katolin deployed with 1/7 to Al Qaim, Iraq (along the Iraq/Syrian border) and again in 2006. After returning from Iraq in October of 2006, Lieutenant Colonel Katolin executed orders to Second Fleet Command in Norfolk, Virginia to serve as the Marine C4 Officer on the N-6 staff. He was also designated as the Joint C4 planner as Second Fleet was becoming a Joint Task Force (JTF SOUTH) for SOUTHCOM. In the summer of 2009, Lieutenant Colonel Katolin reported to EWS and later attended the Advanced Communication Officers Course (ACOC) 2010. After EWS, he reported to 9th Communication Battalion where he assumed command of C Company and, in May, 2011, became the Commanding Officer of B Company which deployed to Afghanistan and facilitated communications for the I MEF (FWD) CE for RC(SW). Upon returning from Afghanistan, Lieutenant Colonel Katolin reported to I MEF G-6 as the Assistant Operations Officer, where he was the primary C4 planner for I MEB and supported Pacific Horizon 2012, Dawn Blitz 13.1 and 13.2, coordinating with the MEF staff as well as ESG-3. After serving on the MEB staff, Lieutenant Colonel Katolin received orders to serve as a Faculty Advisor at Expeditionary Warfare School from 2013 to 2016. He was the course director for the MCMAP program, ethics, amphibious C4, and Communications Occupational Field Exercise modules of instruction. He received the Elihu Rose Award for teaching excellence in 2016. In 2016, Lieutenant Colonel Katolin was assigned to 9th Communication Battalion and served as the Operations Officer. He planned 5 Battalion level exercises in support of the I MEF Commanding General and also provided C4 detachments for MEB level exercises Pacific Horizons, Dawn Blitz, and Native Fury. He planned the reorganization of the Battalion in accordance with HQMC's Force Modernization 2025 as well as established the first Defensive Cyber Operations cadre organic to I MEF. In 2018-2019, Lieutenant Colonel Katolin attended the School of Advanced Warfighting. His last assignment was as the MAGTF Planner assigned to the Plans and Strategy Division for the Deputy Commandant for Information. Lieutenant Colonel Katolin is a 3rd Degree Black Belt Martial Arts Instructor Trainer in MCMAP and was a winner of the Commandant's Innovation Challenge in 2017 for writing a proposed doctrinal publication on ethics. Lieutenant Colonel Katolin's personal decorations include the Meritorious Services Medal w/gold star, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal w/gold star, and the Combat Action Ribbon. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
In May of 2023, SOUTHCOM's Command Senior Enlisted Leader, Command Sergeant Major Jones, Co-hosted the Senior Enlisted Leader - Women Peace and Security seminar entitled “Military Women United with a Common Purpose Leading Changes into the 21st Century. In this iteration, with the Colombian Joint Command Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of Defense of the Colombian Military Forces, CSM Consuelo Diaz in Santa Marta, Colombia. Stay tuned for Part 2 - in Spanish and Portuguese. Produced & Edited by Frieda Garcia Castellanos
Từ ngày 17-20/04/2023, ngoại trưởng Nga Serguei Lavrov đã đến thăm 4 nước châu Mỹ Latinh Brazil, Nicaragua, Venezuela và Cuba. Nhiều nhà quan sát nhận định, hơn 30 năm sau khi Chiến Tranh Lạnh kết thúc, Nam Mỹ lại trở thành địa bàn tranh giành ảnh hưởng giữa Nga và Mỹ. Chuyến công du này của Serguei Lavrov này là sự tiếp nối một chiến dịch tấn công ngoại giao được Nga bắt đầu từ châu Phi ngay ngày hôm sau chiến tranh Ukraina bùng phát. Tháng 7/2022, Serguei Lavrov đến bày tỏ lý lẽ của Nga tại Ai Cập, Congo-Brazzaville, Ouganda và Ethiopia. Tháng Giêng năm 2023, ông đến Nam Phi, Eswatini, Angola, Erythrea, và tháng 2/2023 là Mali, Mauritanie và Sudan.Nga – Nam Mỹ : Mối quan hệ truyền thống lâu đờiỞ Nam Mỹ, bang giao giữa Nga với toàn bộ các nước trong khu vực đã có từ thời Sa hoàng. Do vậy, theo Stephane Witkowski, chủ tịch Hội đồng định hướng chiến lược, Viện Nghiên cứu về châu Mỹ Latinh (IHEAL), chuyến công du Nam Mỹ của ông Lavrov còn là một phần trong chính sách truyền thống của Nga đối với khu vực. Dưới thời Liên Xô, Matxcơva có bang giao với 18 nước châu Mỹ Latinh trong những năm 1980.Ảnh hưởng của Nga trong khu vực càng được củng cố khi Vladimir Putin lên cầm quyền vào năm 2000. Như một sự ngẫu nhiên của lịch trình, phe tả tại nhiều nước Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia hay Venezuela… lần lượt lên lãnh đạo đất nước. Vladimir Putin và Dmitri Medvedev cùng các đồng nhiệm Nam Mỹ đã có những chuyến thăm viếng lẫn nhau, ký kết nhiều thỏa thuận kinh tế, kỹ thuật và quân sự.Trên kênh truyền hình France 24, ông Stephane Witkowski lưu ý thêm rằng các thỏa thuận thương mại giữa Nga với các nước trong khu vực liên quan đến mọi lĩnh vực, và được thực hiện ở ba cấp độ:« Một mặt, có những thỏa thuận song phương với một số nước nhất định, bao gồm cả trong lĩnh vực y tế, quân sự, hợp tác trên tất cả các lĩnh vực. Cấp độ thứ hai chính là hậu thuẫn các đồng minh truyền thống Cuba, Nicaragua và Venezuela, nhưng ở phía sau còn có cả một sự liên kết rộng lớn hơn với toàn bộ cộng đồng châu Mỹ Latinh, còn được gọi là CELAC. Ở đây có một thỏa thuận hợp tác chính trị giữa Nga với toàn bộ các nước sẽ đến Bruxelles tham dự cuộc họp thượng đỉnh với Liên Hiệp Châu Âu trong tháng 7/2023 ».Trong bối cảnh phe tả trở lại cầm quyền, Maxtcơva muốn « hất cẳng » Washington ngay trên chính « sân sau » của Mỹ, duy trì ảnh hưởng trước đà tiến của Bắc Kinh trong khu vực, và tìm cách có được sự hậu thuẫn ngoại giao của khối. Trên bàn cờ Nam Mỹ này, mở rộng hợp tác quân sự là « vũ khí lợi hại » nhất của Nga tại một khu vực mà tâm lý « chống Mỹ » vẫn luôn ngự trị tại nhiều nước.Theo một báo cáo từ Evan Ellis, chuyên gia chính thuộc US Army War College, trình nộp cho Tiểu ban Bán cầu Tây, trực thuộc Ủy ban Đối ngoại của Hạ Viện Mỹ, hồi tháng 7/2022, bên cạnh Venezuela, Cuba và Nicaragua, các nước châu Mỹ Latinh là những nước sở hữu nhiều vũ khí thời Liên Xô nhất và sau này là Nga, từ trực thăng quân sự Mi-17, trực thăng tấn công Mi-35, oanh tạc cơ Su-22, cho đến chiến đấu cơ Mig-29 và nhiều loại trang thiết bị quân sự khác như xe tăng, tên lửa địa-không… Trong số các khách hàng lớn, có thể kể các nước Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Mêhicô, Uruguay và Achentina.Bán vũ khí : Mỹ muốn cạnh tranh với Nga tại « sân sau nhà mình » Phải chăng đây còn là một trong số lý do chính của chuyến công du Nam Mỹ của ngoại trưởng Nga Serguei Lavrov ? Bởi vì có một chi tiết rất ít được giới truyền thông cũng như giới chuyên gia phương Tây đề cập đến, hoặc chỉ được nhắc thoáng qua, nhưng được trang mạng World Socialist Web Site (viết tắt là WSWS), một trang mạng nổi tiếng chống chủ nghĩa đế quốc (đặc biệt là Mỹ và phương Tây) nhắc đến trong một bài viết đăng hồi tháng Giêng năm 2023.Theo đó, bà Laura Richardson, tướng của Mỹ và là lãnh đạo Bộ chỉ huy phía Nam của Mỹ (SouthCom) trong một diễn đàn trực tuyến do tổ chức cố vấn về địa chính trị Atlantic Council đóng trụ sở tại Washington tổ chức, có tuyên bố là Lầu Năm Góc đang thuyết phục nhiều chính phủ châu Mỹ Latinh « cung cấp » cho Ukraina những thiết bị quân sự do Nga sản xuất, đổi lại những nước này có thể thay chúng bằng thiết bị của Mỹ. Nếu như Hoa Kỳ từ chối nêu tên những nước nào họ đang đàm phán, thì Lầu Năm Góc theo dõi sát sao dòng vũ khí của Nga nhập khẩu trong khu vực. Đây cũng chính là nguồn gốc của bản báo cáo do ông Evan Ellis thực hiện như đề cập ở trên.Trang mạng này đưa ra hai lý do để giải thích vì sao Mỹ thúc bách các nước Nam Mỹ hỗ trợ quân sự Ukraina. Thứ nhất, số vũ khí Nga/Xô tồn kho này hoàn toàn giống với những loại vũ khí mà quân đội Ukraina đã có và quen sử dụng, và như vậy có thể triển hai tức thì. Trái với những tuyên bố ồn ào của phương Tây, các loại xe tăng chiến đấu M1 Abrams của Mỹ hay Leopard 2 của Đức đòi hỏi nhiều thời gian để huấn luyện.Thứ hai, Washington còn có những mục tiêu khác ở Nam Mỹ : Loại trừ Nga với tư cách là một đối thủ cạnh tranh, tái lập thế độc quyền của Lầu Năm Góc trong việc cung cấp vũ khí, và như vậy trong dài hạn điều đó sẽ cho phép Mỹ gầy dựng lại tầm ảnh hưởng chính trị tại một khu vực thường xuyên có đảo chính quân sự.Tăng cường bán vũ khí cũng đồng nghĩa với việc sẽ có nhiều cố vấn quân sự Mỹ hơn trên thực địa và số sĩ quan được gởi đến Mỹ để đào tạo cũng sẽ nhiều hơn. Điều đó cũng sẽ củng cố các mối quan hệ giữa giới quân nhân, sâu rộng hơn so với các mối quan hệ hiện có giữa các nhà ngoại giao hay dân biểu. Trong bài phát biểu này, tướng Laura xem các chiến dịch của Nga trong vùng Nam Mỹ như là một mối đe dọa nghiêm trọng cho các lợi ích của Washington.Hiện tại ý định này của Mỹ và các đồng minh vấp phải sự phản đối của các nước Nam Mỹ. Đa số các nước tuy bỏ phiếu lên án hành động Nga xâm lược Ukraina, nhưng lại từ chối áp dụng các biện pháp trừng phạt do phương Tây áp đặt, từ chối giao vũ khí Liên Xô cũ kỹ cho Ukraina khi nhắc lại lập trường trung lập trong cuộc xung đột.Trong bối cảnh này, việc chọn bốn nước Brazil, Venezuela, Nicaragua và Cuba không phải là một sự ngẫu nhiên. Caracas, Managua và La Habana là những đồng minh lâu đời của Matxcơva. Cũng giống như Nga, ba nước Nam Mỹ này còn là đối tượng bị Mỹ trừng phạt từ nhiều năm qua. Chính tại những nước này mà ông Lavrov đã mạnh mẽ chỉ trích thế bá quyền của Mỹ.Lavrov thăm đồng minh nhưng cũng cảnh cáo MỹMặc dù rất ít nội dung các cuộc gặp được công bố, nhưng những phát biểu của ông Lavrov tại những nơi ông đi qua cho thấy rõ mối quan tâm mới của Nga đối với khu vực khi đưa kịch bản đối đầu với Mỹ là một ưu tiên trong bối cảnh cuộc chiến Ukraina. Tại Venezuela, ông Lavrov tuyên bố tin tưởng rằng Nam Mỹ sẽ trở thành « một trong những cột trụ » cho một trật tự thế giới mới, chống lại các chính sách thực dân của Mỹ, và cam kết hỗ trợ những nước nào trong khối CELAC bị xem là đi ngược lại với lợi ích của Hoa Kỳ.Đồng thời, ông tuyên bố Nga ủng hộ đề xuất của tổng thống Lula thúc đẩy khối BRICS ngừng trao đổi mậu dịch bằng đồng đô la. Những tuyên bố mà nhà nghiên cứu Benjamin Gedan, giám đốc chương trình châu Mỹ Latinh tại Trung tâm Wilson, khi trả lời trang mạng Miami Herald, đánh giá là chỉ để « chọc tức », và nhắc nhở Hoa Kỳ rằng « Nga có thể quấy rối Mỹ ở các nước láng giềng như là một cách để ngăn cản Washington can dự vào khu vực lân cận của Matxcơva ».Dù vậy, theo quan sát của Christophe Ventura, giám đốc nghiên cứu, chuyên gia về Nam Mỹ thuộc Viện Quan hệ Quốc tế và Chiến lược (IRIS), tại bốn nước ông Lavrov đi qua, ý nghĩa chính trị là không giống nhau. Trên đài RFI, ông phân tích :« Ông Lavrov đến thăm Brazil, trước hết là nhằm củng cố các mối quan hệ kinh tế, chìa khóa trong mối quan hệ giữa Brazil và Nga, nhất là vào giai đoạn mở cửa hậu Covid-19 cùng với cuộc chiến tại Ukraina. Vấn đề ở đây là phải bảo đảm rằng Brazil vẫn có thể tiếp cận nguồn phân bón mà Nga xuất khẩu cho nước này, một nguồn cung thiết yếu cho ngành nông nghiệp và cả nền công nghiệp thực phẩm của Brazil.Đương nhiên, chuyến thăm này đã được lên lịch trình từ lâu. Ngoài trao đổi kinh tế, đúng là còn có vấn đề chiến tranh Ukraina (…) Những gì mà ông Lavrov muốn tìm kiếm ở Brazil chính là không muốn cực đoan hóa lập trường của Brazil về hồ sơ Ukraina, bởi vì lập trường của Brasilia là lên án Matxcơva vì hành động xâm lược này, nhưng không áp dụng các biện pháp trừng phạt Nga. Do vậy, ông Lavrov sẽ không tìm cách thay đổi lập trường của Brazil trong hồ sơ này. Về phần Nicaragua, tại Liên Hiệp Quốc, nước này cùng với Bắc Triều Tiên, Erythrea, Belarus, Mali và Syria đã bỏ phiếu ủng hộ Nga. Còn Venezuela lại tỏ ra im lặng trên bình diện quốc tế trong các cuộc bỏ phiếu ở Liên Hiệp Quốc. Nước này lượn lờ giữa sự trung thành với Matxcơva và ý định nối lại quan hệ về lâu dài với Washington, nhất là trong bối cảnh khủng hoảng Ukraina và khủng hoảng năng lượng toàn cầu. »Cuba đồng minh thân thiết của Nga, kẻ thù sát cạnh MỹCuba – đồng minh lâu đời nhất của Matxcơva – đã điểm dừng chân sau cùng của ngoại trưởng Nga. Đây là lần thứ 8 ông đến thăm La Habana. Hai nước có mối quan hệ chặt chẽ quân sự, kinh tế và tài chính từ nhiều năm qua. Janette Habel, nhà chính trị học, chuyên gia về châu Mỹ Latinh, trên TV5 nhắc lại Nga năm trong số hiếm hoi các nước đã giúp Cuba lách các biện pháp trừng phạt. Quốc gia này đang trải qua một cuộc khủng hoảng kinh tế, nhân đạo và xã hội nghiêm trọng. Do vậy, sự hậu thuẫn của Nga là một « nguồn ủng hộ tuyệt đối thiết yếu » cho chế độ Cuba.Nếu như nhiều nhà quan sát đánh giá là chuyến đi của Lavrov là nhằm chứng tỏ Nga không bị cô lập, thì bà Janette Habel còn cho rằng ông đến thăm Cuba lúc này không phải là chuyện tình cờ. Cuba sắp nắm giữ chức chủ tịch luân phiên nhóm các nước phi liên kết, quy tụ 77 nước, ra đời trong thời kỳ Chiến Tranh Lạnh, mà Trung Quốc cũng có tham gia. Matxcơva chuẩn bị địa bàn để các nước này nhân các kỳ họp lớn có những tuyên bố ủng hộ Nga và bác bỏ các mọi trừng phạt nhắm vào Matxcơva.Nhìn từ toàn cảnh này, nhà chính trị học Janette Habel kết luận : « Đây là lần đầu tiên người ta có thể nói Liên Hiệp Châu Âu, Hoa Kỳ ở một phía và bên kia là tuyệt đại đa số những nước tìm cách củng cố một mặt trận bất chấp những bất đồng có thể có. Điều gì sẽ xảy ra, chưa ai biết được, nhưng đây thật sự là một sự thay đổi, một sự biến đổi của thế giới, biến động về tương quan địa chính trị thế giới. »
Hey everybody this is the TCP and I am John Stamp, Tiger-dog has ditched me tonight. It is really nice out and he is laying outside under a tree. Only one announcement tonight. Ty Benhoff 2 is a wrap. I'm thinking of a couple tentative titles, the one I'm leaning on right now is Overmatch. Don't know, the hardest part of this whole writing thing is A: coming up with a title and B reducing 100,000 words to a blurb on the back cover. It's a work in progress, and now I'm editing, which is not my favorite part, but the big lift is over. Hopefully Overmatch, or whatever I end up calling the second Ty Benhoff novel is heading your way before fall. We'll see. Oh, and like I kind of hinted at over time, Billy West did in fact steal the show from Ty. She turned out to be pretty awesome, a good contrast to Ty. She might need her own book at some point. At the least I need to figure out how to make her a recurring character. I'll figure it out. Anyway, continued thanks for the reviews and comments of not only That's Criminal but the books as well. And yes I have gotten the message that many of you would like to see Alex and Charlie from Brother's Keeper back, and yes I've been working on it. I just haven't nailed down the right plot yet. A sequel to Brother's Keeper isn't a no. It's a, to be determined at this point. Stay tuned. Alright. Tonight, I get to talk to Steve Stratton, Author of Shadow Tier, A Lance Bear Wolf Thriller Steve Stratton is a veteran of the United States Army and former member of the Secret Service. He started his military career at the White House Communications Agency supporting the needs of Presidents Ford and Carter, Vice Presidents Rockefeller and Mondale and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. His work took him around the world introducing him to new cultures, ways of thinking, and the various agencies tasked with projecting and protecting American interests abroad. The jump to the US Secret Service was an easy transition but after several years and an election campaign, Steve left for the commercial sector. Steve was awarded his Green Beret in 1986. From the 80's through 2000 he deployed with 20th Special Forces on counter-drug and training missions in the SOUTHCOM region. His civilian contractor time includes support for USCENTCOM, USSOCOM, and several intelligence agencies. Today he develops cyber security products that support the warfighter and intelligence community. When he is not working, you can find him mountain biking, trout fishing, or hunting in Colorado. Find Steve on Instagram @stevestrattonusa and on his website at https://stevenstrattonusa.com Thanks to Crush Limbo for the music Tripecoh Media LLC. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thatscriminaljs/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thatscriminaljs/support
Steve Stratton started his military career at the White House Communications Agency supporting the needs of Presidents Ford and Carter, Vice Presidents Rockefeller and Mondale and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. His work took him around the world introducing him to new cultures, ways of thinking, and the various agencies tasked with projecting and protecting American interests abroad. The jump to the US Secret Service was an easy transition but after several years and an election campaign, Steve left for the commercial sector. Steve was awarded his Green Beret in 1986. From the 80's through 2000 he deployed with 20th Special Forces on counter-drug and training missions in the SOUTHCOM region. His civilian contractor time includes support for USCENTCOM, USSOCOM, and several intelligence agencies. Today he develops cyber security products that support the warfighter and intelligence community. When he is not working, You can find him mountain biking, trout fishing, or hunting in Colorado. More: www.stevenstrattonusa.com For video versions of this podcast, subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs-Nar9LNe20138AiPyP8 Mark Stevens' website: https://www.writermarkstevens.com/ Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/
MG James P. Isenhower III & CSM Michael C. Williams, Command Team for “Old Ironsides” the 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, sit down with SMA Tilley for a look inside of America's Tank Division. Their explosive conversation captures the history, capabilities, and the world renown firepower for one of the most recognizable divisions in the world. 1st Armored Division “Old Ironsides” 1st Armored Division – America's Tank Division, is an active component, U.S. Army, armored division located at Fort Bliss, Texas, consisting of approximately 17,000 highly-trained Soldiers and with a lethal mix of combat capabilities, including tanks, artillery, attack helicopters, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, transport helicopters and robust sustainment capabilities. Also known as “Old Ironsides,” the 1st Armored Division is commanded by an Army, two-star general, and consists of the division headquarters element, three Armored Brigade Combat Teams, a Combat Aviation Brigade, a Divisional Artillery Brigade; a Division Sustainment Brigade and other separate battalions and units. For more information visit https://home.army.mil/bliss/index.php/units-tenants/1st-armored-division America's Tank Division routinely conducts operations in support of U.S. military geographic combatant commands including AFRICOM, CENTCOM, EUCOM, INDOPACOM and SOUTHCOM areas of operation and is currently supporting missions in 20 countries on five continents. Your Next Mission® is a program initiative of the American Freedom Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to serving our Veterans and Families. Your Next Mission® video podcast with host 12th SMA (R) Jack L. Tilley features insightful conversation with subject matter experts from the military and civilian communities. It's a place where we can have frank and honest conversation, tackle the tough questions, share stories, and have some fun along the way. Want to watch more of our video podcast? Please scroll through our video library right here on YouTube at @yournextmission . You will have access to stories of Veterasn, Soldiers, Servicemembers, Non-Profits, Leaders, at every level to include live videos shot on location. Or visit our website at yournextmission.org for more information. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/yournextmission/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/yournextmission/support
Steve Stratton, former Special Forces and member of the White House Communications Agency joins the show to talk counter-drug operations, cartels, real-world events that influence fiction writing, and of course, his first novel Shadow Tier. Steve Stratton started his military career at the White House Communications Agency supporting the needs of President's Ford and Carter, Vice President's Rockefeller and Mondale and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. His work took him around the world introducing him to new cultures, ways of thinking, and the various agencies tasked with projecting and protecting American interests abroad. Steve was awarded his Green Beret in 1986. From the 80's through 2000 he deployed with 20th Special Forces on counter-drug and training missions in the SOUTHCOM region. His civilian contractor time includes support for USCENTCOM, USSOCOM, and several intelligence agencies. Today he develops cyber security products that support the warfighter and intelligence community. Find out more about Steve, and his book Shadow Tier, at www.stevenstrattonusa.com Follow for more: jeffclarkofficial.com or... IG @officialJSClark FB @officialJSClark Twitter @officialJSClark Full Episodes at: YouTube.com @jeffclarkofficial ApplePodcasts.com/CourseofAction Spotify.com
This is Part II of our interview with Ana Velasco Ugalde. Here, our hosts ask some burning questions that put Ana in the hot seat for a few minutes. Listen to her keep her cool as we find even more reasons to stay the course together. We can't wait to have her back on our upcoming WPS Workshop, supported by SOUTHCOM at the IADC on March 8-10. Stay tuned!
Many Americans recognize the threat emanating from the People's Republic of China. But some may assume that Beijing's malign activities are relegated to the Indo-Pacific. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, Beijing is increasingly active in Latin America — right here in our own hemisphere. What are Beijing and other adversaries up to in this region? Why do these activities matter? How should we respond? U.S. Army General Laura Richardson is a leader, soldier, aviator, and combat veteran. She has commanded an assault helicopter battalion in Iraq, served as military aide to the Vice President, and led the Army component of U.S. Northern Command. Now, she is the Commander of U.S. Southern Command, the first woman to serve in that position. SOUTHCOM is one of the Pentagon's six geographic commands and is responsible for U.S. contingency planning, operations, and security cooperation in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. She joins guest host Bradley Bowman, Senior Director of FDD's Center on Military and Political Power, to discuss.
Many Americans recognize the threat emanating from the People's Republic of China. But some may assume that Beijing's malign activities are relegated to the Indo-Pacific. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, Beijing is increasingly active in Latin America — right here in our own hemisphere. What are Beijing and other adversaries up to in this region? Why do these activities matter? How should we respond? U.S. Army General Laura Richardson is a leader, soldier, aviator, and combat veteran. She has commanded an assault helicopter battalion in Iraq, served as military aide to the Vice President, and led the Army component of U.S. Northern Command. Now, she is the Commander of U.S. Southern Command, the first woman to serve in that position. SOUTHCOM is one of the Pentagon's six geographic commands and is responsible for U.S. contingency planning, operations, and security cooperation in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. She joins guest host Bradley Bowman, Senior Director of FDD's Center on Military and Political Power, to discuss.
Episode 373 with Steve Stratton! Wow, thank you ALL for the support of The Protectors Podcast TM! We not only talk to a great author but we also get into the craft of penning a thriller. A big thanks to my awesome cohost Eric Bishop (author of The Body Man) as well! This episode supported by Ranger Point Precision. About: Steve Stratton started his military career at the White House Communications Agency. His work took him around the world introducing him to new cultures, ways of thinking, and the various agencies tasked with projecting and protecting American interests abroad. The jump to the US Secret Service was an easy transition but after several years and an election campaign, Steve left for the commercial sector.Steve was awarded his Green Beret in 1986. From the 80's through 2000 he deployed with 20th Special Forces on counter-drug and training missions in the SOUTHCOM region. His civilian contractor time includes support for USCENTCOM, USSOCOM, and several intelligence agencies. Today he develops cyber security products that support the warfighter and intelligence community.This episode brought to you by Ranger Point Precisionhttps://www.rangerpointprecision.com/ Support the show
Châu Mỹ Latinh, một ông khổng lồ khác của thế giới, Hoa Kỳ, sau 15 năm ngó lơ, chợt nhận ra đang bị mất dần ảnh hưởng tại nơi được cho là « sân sau » của mình. Những nỗ lực gần đây của chính quyền Biden nhằm tái tạo niềm tin đối với các nước trong khu vực nay vấp phải một sự cạnh tranh khốc liệt từ đối thủ thế kỷ : Trung Quốc. Một số chuyên gia tại Pháp bi quan cho rằng, sự trở lại của Mỹ vào lúc này dường như đã muộn màng. Châu Mỹ Latinh : « Xa Thượng Đế, Gần Hoa Kỳ » Ảnh hưởng của Hoa Kỳ tại châu Mỹ Latinh đã bị mất, mà bằng chứng cụ thể là việc tổng thống Mêhicô, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (còn được gọi tắt là AMLO) đã tẩy chay thượng đỉnh các nước châu Mỹ do tổng thống Joe Biden tổ chức ở Los Angeles hồi tuần đầu tháng Sáu năm nay. Ông chỉ trích mạnh mẽ đồng nhiệm Mỹ đã không mời Nicaragua, Cuba và Venezuela với lý do nhân quyền. Theo quan điểm của báo Pháp L'Opinion, giống như phần còn lại của thế giới, hình thức quản trị của Mỹ không còn làm cho các nước láng giềng mơ đến nữa. Một nghiên cứu của đại học Vanderbilt, thực hiện hồi tháng 11/2021 tại 22 quốc gia châu Mỹ Latinh, cho thấy tình trạng xói mòn các giá trị dân chủ, khi chỉ nhận được 61% sự ủng hộ thay vì 68% trong năm 2010. Tại những đồng minh truyền thống, uy tín của Mỹ dao động từ 77% như tại Colombia xuống còn 62% ở Chi-lê, theo như một thăm dò của Morning Consult. Với diện tích rộng gần 20 triệu km² và gần 650 triệu dân, châu Mỹ Latinh bao gồm Nam Mỹ, các nước vùng biển Caribê và Trung Mỹ, được ví như là một bức tranh mầu đa dạng về sắc tộc, ngôn ngữ, văn hóa, chính trị. Giầu tài nguyên khoáng sản, tiểu lục địa này từng là một trong những đầu tầu tăng trưởng kinh tế toàn cầu vào đầu thế kỷ XXI, và hiện nắm giữ một kỷ lục buồn – khu vực bất bình đẳng nhất thế giới – từ lâu luôn sống dưới chiếc bóng nặng nề của Mỹ. Cựu tổng thống Mêhicô, Porfirio Diaz (1830 – 1915) từng nhận xét như sau về vị trí của đất nước : « Tuy xa Thượng Đế, mà gần Hoa Kỳ ». Một nhận định có thể áp dụng cho phần còn lại của cả khu vực : Sân sau, lệ thuộc,… Thế nên, ngay từ những năm 1960, các nước châu Mỹ Latinh đã tìm cách thoát dần khỏi sự bảo hộ của Mỹ, tập hợp lại trong nhiều tổ chức khu vực để bảo vệ tốt hơn các lợi ích của mình. Một loạt các định chế ra đời : Từ Hiệp hội tự do mậu dịch châu Mỹ Latinh (1960), Cộng đồng dãy Andes (1969), Liên minh Thái Bình Dương (2012) cho đến Thị trường chung Nam Mỹ - Mercosur, Cộng đồng các quốc gia châu Mỹ Latinh và vùng Caribê vì sự hội nhập và phát triển – Celac, Liên minh Bolivar các nước châu Mỹ Latinh – Alba hay như Thỏa thuận tự do mậu dịch Bắc Mỹ - Alena (2018) sau trở thành Thỏa thuận Canada – Hoa Kỳ – Mêhicô… Một chiếc kính vạn hoa minh chứng cùng lúc mong mỏi và sự bất lực hợp nhất của châu Mỹ Latinh, theo như nhận xét của bà Sabine Jansen, giáo sư CNAM, tổng biên tập tạp chí Questions Internationales. « Hòn đảo ngoại vi » của Mỹ, « mồi ngon » của Trung Quốc ? Mặt khác, cũng theo vị giáo sư này, châu Mỹ Latinh – « hòn đảo ngoại vi » như thuật ngữ địa chính trị của Halford Mackinder – đã dần bị Hoa Kỳ bỏ lơ ngay từ khi Chiến Tranh Lạnh kết thúc vào những năm 1990. Trên đài RFI, giáo sư Sabine Jansen giải thích : « Quả thật từ cuối chiến tranh lạnh, đã có một dạng bỏ rơi và xu hướng này còn trầm trọng hơn sau vụ khủng bố năm 2001, do Mỹ tập trung nhiều vào vùng Trung Đông. Rồi kể từ năm 2011, người ta còn thấy có một sự chuyển trục sang châu Á, để rồi sau cùng châu Mỹ Latinh thật sự trở thành một kiểu sân sau bị bỏ lơ trong một quãng thời gian dài. Tình trạng này còn nghiêm trọng hơn dưới thời Donald Trump. Ngày nay, người ta nhận thấy rõ là có một nỗ lực từ Joe Biden để tìm cách quay lại, làm chủ trở lại tình hình. Nhiều quan chức Mỹ tỏ ra lo lắng, kể cả giới chức quân sự, cho an ninh quốc gia và nhất là bởi vì Hoa Kỳ đang lao vào một cuộc đọ sức lớn với Trung Quốc. Nước Mỹ chợt nhận ra rằng họ đang phó mặc tiểu lục địa này, chỉ cách nhà mình có hai bước, cho Trung Quốc thao túng. » Hai bề giáp đại dương là Thái Bình Dương và Đại Tây Dương, ngoại trừ một số nước nằm sâu trong lục địa, rất nhiều nước tại châu Mỹ Latinh dễ dàng kết nối với thế giới. Nguồn tài nguyên khoáng sản dồi dào, đặc biệt là về nước ngọt và cây rừng, đã biến vùng tiểu lục địa này thành « miếng mồi » ngon rất được nhiều nước thèm muốn, nhất là Trung Quốc. Trong vòng hai thập niên qua, Trung Quốc – quốc gia tiêu thụ lớn các khoáng sản dãy núi Andes, dầu khí Nam Mỹ và nguồn tài nguyên nông nghiệp bao la của Achentina và Brazil – đã dần bắt rễ tại khu vực mà không làm Hoa Kỳ mảy may bận tâm. Theo ước tính, trao đổi mậu dịch giữa Trung Quốc và châu Mỹ Latinh đã tăng vọt từ 18 tỷ đô la trong năm 2003 lên 450 tỷ vào năm 2021. Bắc Kinh trở thành đối tác hàng đầu của Brazil, Chilê, Pêru và Uruguay. Sự quan tâm của Trung Quốc đối với khu vực không chỉ dừng ở thương mại và khai thác các nguồn tài nguyên khoáng sản, mà còn cả trên bình diện ngoại giao. Theo số liệu từ Council on Foreign Relations – Hội đồng Đối ngoại cung cấp, chủ tịch Trung Quốc Tập Cận Bình đã 11 lần đến thăm khu vực kể từ khi ông lên cầm quyền năm 2013. Trong khi đó, Hoa Kỳ làm điều ngược lại, nếu tính số ngày tổng thống Mỹ Obama đến châu Á, cao hơn nhiều so với số lần đến châu Mỹ Latinh. Nhật báo Công giáo La Croix (29/05/2022) lưu ý thêm rằng đã có 21 nước trong khu vực tham gia dự án « Những con đường tơ lụa mới » của Bắc Kinh và nhất là những năm gần đây nhiều nước Trung Mỹ như Nicaragua và Panama đã ngừng công nhận Đài Loan. Sự thức tỉnh muộn màng của Mỹ Trước đà ảnh hưởng của Bắc Kinh ngày càng lớn tại khu vực, đô đốc Craig Faller, lãnh đạo bộ chỉ huy phía nam (Southcom), phụ trách vùng châu Mỹ Latinh trong phiên điều trần trước Thượng Viện Hoa Kỳ hồi năm 2021 đã gióng chuông báo động : « Hoa Kỳ đang mất các lợi thế của mình tại vùng bán cầu này và cần hành động ngay tức thì để đảo ngược tình thế. » Trong bối cảnh này, đối với tổng thống Mỹ Joe Biden, làm thế nào chống lại đà đi lên của Trung Quốc tại châu Mỹ Latinh là điều khẩn cấp. Washington lo ngại trước việc cả những đồng minh quan trọng của Mỹ như Colombia hay Chilê không kháng cự được sức cám dỗ từ Bắc Kinh. Những nước này đã mở rộng cửa đón các nhà đầu tư Trung Quốc trong nhiều lĩnh vực như năng lượng, giao thông… Thế nên, tại Thượng đỉnh các nước châu Mỹ, chủ nhân Nhà Trắng đã thông báo một chương trình « Đối tác Châu Mỹ vì sự thịnh vượng kinh tế ». Theo Nhà Trắng, mục tiêu của chương trình là tái kích hoạt các định chế khu vực như Ngân hàng Phát triển toàn châu Mỹ, nhằm khuyến khích các đầu tư tư nhân, kích thích tăng trưởng kinh tế xanh và chống tham nhũng, nhưng cùng lúc tăng cường trao đổi thương mại. Tuy nhiên, đối với Olivier Compagnon, giáo sư Lịch sử Đương đại thuộc Viện Nghiên Cứu Châu Mỹ Latinh, đây lại là một sự thức tỉnh khá muộn màng từ Washington. Trong chuyên mục Tranh luận Địa chính trị đài RFI, ông phân tích : « Ngày nay chúng ta có cảm giác là Washington đang thức tỉnh, vì những cân nhắc địa chính trị, nghĩa là trong khuôn khổ cuộc đối đầu toàn diện với Trung Quốc, nhưng cùng lúc cũng vì những cân nhắc đôi khi mang tính thực dụng hơn vì còn có nhiều thách thức khác. Đừng quên rằng ngày nay còn có vấn đề liltium, một thách thức chiến lược cho những năm sắp tới. Tam giác lithium gồm Chi-lê, Bolivia và Achentina là một trong những thách thức lớn trong nửa thế kỷ còn lại trên phương diện khai thác. Đúng là ở đây có một thiện chí tái chinh phục vị thế nhưng rủi thay dường như đã bị thua xa. » Cho vay : Vũ khí chiến thuật của Bắc Kinh Quan sát này không được giáo sư Isabelle Vagnoux, chuyên gia về Hoa Kỳ trường đại học Aix – Marseilles trong cùng chương trình của RFI tán đồng khi cho rằng Mỹ vẫn có những lợi thế nhất định là nằm trên cùng châu lục và cũng là thị trường gần gũi nhất của tiểu lục địa, nhất là trong bối cảnh Washington đang nỗ lực tái di dời nhà xưởng về trong nước hay các nước lân cận. Điều này không chỉ tạo công ăn việc làm cho người dân Mỹ và nhiều nước khác trong vùng, mà còn giúp bình ổn vấn đề di dân và an ninh khu vực. Dù vậy, Sabine Jansen, tổng biên tập tạp chí Questions Internationales tỏ ra bi quan khi kết luận rằng Hoa Kỳ đã phần nào chậm bước so với Trung Quốc tại bán cầu nam của châu lục. Trên làn sóng RFI, bà nhắc lại : « Đúng là hơi bị muộn. Trung Quốc đã cho một số nước châu Mỹ Latinh vay đến 180 tỷ đô la. Colombia, đồng minh của Mỹ, cũng đã cho Bắc Kinh thầu nhiều hợp đồng lớn như dự án tầu điện ngầm ở Bogota. Ngay cả những nước được cho là vùng an toàn của Mỹ, sự hiện diện của Mỹ vẫn còn đó, nhưng đang chứng kiến sự ảnh hưởng, sự hiện diện của Trung Quốc có ở khắp các cảng biển lớn của châu Mỹ Latinh. Tôi nghĩ rằng, Trung Quốc đã đặt ra một số nền móng vững chắc để bảo vệ và họ sẽ không dễ gì ra đi như thế ! » Đương nhiên, ý đồ này của Mỹ đã bị Trung Quốc lên tiếng « dằn mặt ». Khi ngoại trưởng Mỹ Anthony Blinken có vòng công du Nam Mỹ hồi tháng 10/2021, tờ Hoàn Cầu Thời Báo, cơ quan ngôn luận của chế độ Bắc Kinh đã có bài bình luận giọng điệu răn đe : « Việc Hoa Kỳ ra sức thu hút các nền kinh tế khu vực chỉ vì lợi ích địa chính trị của mình là không thích hợp ». Bài viết ngạo mạn nhắc rằng Trung Quốc giờ đã là đối tác thương mại hàng đầu của nhiều nước Nam Mỹ như Brazil, Chilê và Pêru từ nhiều năm qua, và nước này sắp trở thành một đối tác mới với Achentina. Nhưng nhà nghiên cứu của Pháp Emmanuel Veron, chuyên gia về Trung Quốc đương đại tại Inalco trong một nghiên cứu cũng nhắc thêm rằng Bắc Kinh sử dụng « nợ vay như là một vũ khí chiến thuật nhằm khẳng định chiến lược đa dạng hóa nguồn cung khoáng sản và nông nghiệp và để làm đối trọng với các cường quốc đối thủ, đi đầu là Hoa Kỳ. »
In our latest Women Peace and Security podcast episode, we interview the Squadron Commander of Engineer, Evelyn Smith Orostica, of the Chilean Air Force.
The United States Southern Command's (USSOUTHCOM) is responsible for providing contingency planning, operations, and security cooperation for Central and South America, and the Caribbean. USSOUTHCOM is one of the eleven unified combatant commands in the Department of Defense. While regional security is an important aspect of its mission, climate change is having an affect on its area of responsibility. Climate change is impacting our national security and the security of our partners and allies. USSOUTHCOM's area of responsibility faces increased demand for humanitarian and disaster relief assistance during a hurricane season that could see a record number of storms. This comes as several Central and South American countries face a drought. Former U.S. Ambassador to Paraguay, Leslie Bassett moderates a discussion with the commander of USSOUTHCOM, GEN. Laura Richardson who underlines the effort being made to help combat climate change in the region. Series: "Institute of the Americas" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 38163]
The United States Southern Command's (USSOUTHCOM) is responsible for providing contingency planning, operations, and security cooperation for Central and South America, and the Caribbean. USSOUTHCOM is one of the eleven unified combatant commands in the Department of Defense. While regional security is an important aspect of its mission, climate change is having an affect on its area of responsibility. Climate change is impacting our national security and the security of our partners and allies. USSOUTHCOM's area of responsibility faces increased demand for humanitarian and disaster relief assistance during a hurricane season that could see a record number of storms. This comes as several Central and South American countries face a drought. Former U.S. Ambassador to Paraguay, Leslie Bassett moderates a discussion with the commander of USSOUTHCOM, GEN. Laura Richardson who underlines the effort being made to help combat climate change in the region. Series: "Institute of the Americas" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 38163]
The United States Southern Command's (USSOUTHCOM) is responsible for providing contingency planning, operations, and security cooperation for Central and South America, and the Caribbean. USSOUTHCOM is one of the eleven unified combatant commands in the Department of Defense. While regional security is an important aspect of its mission, climate change is having an affect on its area of responsibility. Climate change is impacting our national security and the security of our partners and allies. USSOUTHCOM's area of responsibility faces increased demand for humanitarian and disaster relief assistance during a hurricane season that could see a record number of storms. This comes as several Central and South American countries face a drought. Former U.S. Ambassador to Paraguay, Leslie Bassett moderates a discussion with the commander of USSOUTHCOM, GEN. Laura Richardson who underlines the effort being made to help combat climate change in the region. Series: "Institute of the Americas" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 38163]
The United States Southern Command's (USSOUTHCOM) is responsible for providing contingency planning, operations, and security cooperation for Central and South America, and the Caribbean. USSOUTHCOM is one of the eleven unified combatant commands in the Department of Defense. While regional security is an important aspect of its mission, climate change is having an affect on its area of responsibility. Climate change is impacting our national security and the security of our partners and allies. USSOUTHCOM's area of responsibility faces increased demand for humanitarian and disaster relief assistance during a hurricane season that could see a record number of storms. This comes as several Central and South American countries face a drought. Former U.S. Ambassador to Paraguay, Leslie Bassett moderates a discussion with the commander of USSOUTHCOM, GEN. Laura Richardson who underlines the effort being made to help combat climate change in the region. Series: "Institute of the Americas" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 38163]
The United States Southern Command's (USSOUTHCOM) is responsible for providing contingency planning, operations, and security cooperation for Central and South America, and the Caribbean. USSOUTHCOM is one of the eleven unified combatant commands in the Department of Defense. While regional security is an important aspect of its mission, climate change is having an affect on its area of responsibility. Climate change is impacting our national security and the security of our partners and allies. USSOUTHCOM's area of responsibility faces increased demand for humanitarian and disaster relief assistance during a hurricane season that could see a record number of storms. This comes as several Central and South American countries face a drought. Former U.S. Ambassador to Paraguay, Leslie Bassett moderates a discussion with the commander of USSOUTHCOM, GEN. Laura Richardson who underlines the effort being made to help combat climate change in the region. Series: "Institute of the Americas" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 38163]
The United States Southern Command's (USSOUTHCOM) is responsible for providing contingency planning, operations, and security cooperation for Central and South America, and the Caribbean. USSOUTHCOM is one of the eleven unified combatant commands in the Department of Defense. While regional security is an important aspect of its mission, climate change is having an affect on its area of responsibility. Climate change is impacting our national security and the security of our partners and allies. USSOUTHCOM's area of responsibility faces increased demand for humanitarian and disaster relief assistance during a hurricane season that could see a record number of storms. This comes as several Central and South American countries face a drought. Former U.S. Ambassador to Paraguay, Leslie Bassett moderates a discussion with the commander of USSOUTHCOM, GEN. Laura Richardson who underlines the effort being made to help combat climate change in the region. Series: "Institute of the Americas" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 38163]
The United States Southern Command's (USSOUTHCOM) is responsible for providing contingency planning, operations, and security cooperation for Central and South America, and the Caribbean. USSOUTHCOM is one of the eleven unified combatant commands in the Department of Defense. While regional security is an important aspect of its mission, climate change is having an affect on its area of responsibility. Climate change is impacting our national security and the security of our partners and allies. USSOUTHCOM's area of responsibility faces increased demand for humanitarian and disaster relief assistance during a hurricane season that could see a record number of storms. This comes as several Central and South American countries face a drought. Former U.S. Ambassador to Paraguay, Leslie Bassett moderates a discussion with the commander of USSOUTHCOM, GEN. Laura Richardson who underlines the effort being made to help combat climate change in the region. Series: "Institute of the Americas" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 38163]
Steve Stratton, former Special Forces and member of the White House Communications Agency joins the show to talk counter-drug operations, cartels, real-world events that influence fiction writing, and of course, his first novel Shadow Tier.Steve Stratton started his military career at the White House Communications Agency supporting the needs of President's Ford and Carter, Vice President's Rockefeller and Mondale and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. His work took him around the world introducing him to new cultures, ways of thinking, and the various agencies tasked with projecting and protecting American interests abroad. Steve was awarded his Green Beret in 1986. From the 80's through 2000 he deployed with 20th Special Forces on counter-drug and training missions in the SOUTHCOM region. His civilian contractor time includes support for USCENTCOM, USSOCOM, and several intelligence agencies. Today he develops cyber security products that support the warfighter and intelligence community.Find out more about Steve, and his book Shadow Tier, at www.stevenstrattonusa.comFollow for more: jeffclarkofficial.com or... IG @officialJSClark FB @officialJSClark Twitter @officialJSClark Full Episodes at: YouTube.com @jeffclarkofficial ApplePodcasts.com/CourseofAction Spotify.com
In our latest Women Peace and Security podcast episode, we interview Col. Gladys Ruiz Pecci, Vice Minister of National Defense in Paraguay.
CW4 Daniel T. Archer entered the Army in October of 2001 as an airframe electrician technician. Following Basic Training, AIT and Enlisted Green Platoon, he was assigned to the Fco 1st BN 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) . In October of 2002, CW4 Archer was selected to attend Warrant Officer Candidate School and Army Initial Entry Rotorcraft Training at Fort Rucker Alabama. CW4 selected Apache Longbows as his airframe of choice out of flight school.After Flight school CW4 Archer was assigned to Renegade Troop, 4/3 ACR. In early 2005, CW4 deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom and flew AH64Ds primarily over the Baghdad and Mosul areas of operation, culminating in 598 Combat flight hours in the AH64D. In 2006 CW4 Archer PCS'd to South Korea to serve as a company Instructor Pilot in the Longbow. In 2008 he was assigned to the 204th MI BN as a C-12U pilot.In 2009 CW4 Archer Assessed and was selected for training at 4th BN 1st CIG. During his time in 2nd BN CW4 Archer held many jobs to include Company Standardization Pilot, BN Standardization Pilot and Senior Warrant Officer. CW4 Archer has accumulated over 6800 flight hours, 2500+combat flight hours, 1200+ imminent danger hours and has deployed overseas 27 times, 25 times with 1st CIG over the last 12 years in the organization. CW4 Archer holds 8 different type ratings and is an FAA Pilot Examiner Designee.CW4 Archer deployed in support of SOUTHCOM, CENTCOM, PACOM, EUCOM, and AFRICOM, participated in multiple Operations to include IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, INHERIANT RESOLVE, and numerous classified contingency missions directed by the National Command Authority.Masada Tactical The premier self protection training company, combining Israeli tactics and American disciplines.Combat Iron Apparel
This week in the studio with me. A retired Sergeant Major with a combined 29 years of professional service to both the United States Marine Corp and The United States Army. Serving in numerous position ranging from a Scout Sniper to National Security Agency Access operations Officer. He has also conducted operations with SOUTHCOM, CENTCOM, AFRICOM, EUCOM, SOCOM, AND THE FAMED SPECIAL MISSIONS UNIT. His life took a turn after he lost two teammates in a one month time period to suicide. My guest decided that after not being able to make sense of these losses, that it was time to be an example and get help. Fast Forward to life after 2 Stellate Ganglion Blocks and being a team member with the Military Special Operations Family Collabrative, a group that enables the success of SOF Warriors and Families through collabrative health and well being research and programs. He's here to tell his story of successes and failures, It is my honor to introduce Erick Miyares.
In our latest Women Peace and Security podcast, we talk with Peruvian Col. Lourdes Barriga Abarca -- one of the Peruvian Army's first-ever females to attain the rank of colonel -- about her 25-year career of breaking barriers and the importance of integrating women in security roles.
Photo: "Guatemalan Soldiers of the Guatemalan Mountain Brigade prepare to rapel down a tree at the Beyond the Horizon Opening Ceremony in San Marcos, Guatemala, on April 7, 2016 as a part of Beyond the Horizon 2016 Guatemala. Task Force Red Wolf and Army South conducts Humanitarian Civil Assistance Training to include tactical-level construction projects and Medical Readiness Training Exercises providing medical access and building schools in Guatemala with the Guatemalan Government and nongovernmental agencies from 05MAR16 to 18JUN16 in order to improve the mission readiness of US Forces and to provide a lasting benefit to the people of Guatemala. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Ronquel Robinson/Released)" #NewWorldReport: SOUTHCOM vs Russia and PRC. Latin American Research Professor Evan Ellis, U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute. @revanellis LA. https://www.southcom.mil/Media/Special-Coverage/SOUTHCOMs-2022-Posture-Statement-to-Congress/#/?currentVideo=28216
Photo: Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) Research Associate Brian Wood and student Marine Corps Capt. Clayton Jarolimek are working to assess the communications utility of CubeSat technologies recently deployed by U.S. Southern Command. #NewWorldReport: SOUTHCOM warns. Senadora Maria Fernanda Cabal. @MariaFdaCabal (on leave) Joseph Humire @JMHumire @SecureFreeSoc https://www.securefreesociety.org Ernesto Araujo, former Foreign Minister of Brazil. https://www.southcom.mil/Media/Special-Coverage/SOUTHCOMs-2022-Posture-Statement-to-Congress/#/?currentVideo=28216
This episode was recorded in English. In 2017, Congress passed the Women, Peace and Security Act that called for the United States to be a global leader in promoting meaningful participation of women in conflict prevention, management and resolution. It is at the Combatant Commands, namely SOUTHCOM, where the WPS Program is crafted to suit the needs of the United States and Partner Nations. Our host for this episode is Major Tahina Montoya, an Air Force Reserves Intelligence Officer and former IADC staff member. Our guest is LtCol Duilia Turner. LtCol Turner is an Air Force Foreign Area Officer and Chief of the Women, Peace and Security Program at SOUTHCOM. She is also a host in the WPS Breaking Barriers podcast. CIDcast Producer/Audio Editor: Frieda Garcia Castellanos External Relations Officer: Capt Durango Vazquez (Mex)
In this episode, U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Turner, Chief of the SOUTHCOM Women, Peace and Security Program, talks with two senior enlisted leaders in the Colombia Army, Command Sgt. Maj. Consuelo Diaz and Command Sgt. Maj. Glidiam Olaya. (Part 1)
In this episode, U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Turner, Chief of the SOUTHCOM Women, Peace and Security Program, talks with two senior enlisted leaders in the Colombia Army, Command Sgt. Maj. Consuelo Diaz and Command Sgt. Maj. Glidiam Olaya. (Part 2)
In mid-January, a top Russian official did not rule out military deployments to Cuba and Venezuela if tensions with the U.S. and NATO over Ukraine continue to escalate. U.S. government officials have dismissed the statements as hyperbole and stated that if Russia did move in that direction, the U.S. would move “decisively” to deal with it. But what does decisive action look like? Intentionally it is a word that attempts to say a lot without saying anything. Stacey Casas from CTG's SOUTHCOM team is joining us to discuss how seriously we should take this ominous threat.
In this episode you will hear Dr. Sears describe how Navy Medical Personnel are able to provide quality medical care while at sea, often with limited resources and direct support. She provides some examples of challenging cases she faced as a General Medical Officer aboard the USS McKee. Dr. Sears explains why sub-specialty surgeons such as herself are important in accomplishing the military medical mission across the globe in humanitarian and operational roles. CAPT Sears had the unique opportunity to Command the Military Treatment Facility aboard the Navy Hospital Ship- USNS COMFORT. She provides a behind the scenes look at some of the capabilities of this vessel and how it is used during war and peacetime. Dr. Sears served as the Command Surgeon of the 7th Fleet during the start of the Covid-19 pandemics and talks about some of the unique challenges faced by the Navy balancing public health and operational readiness. She continued her strategic role managing COVID-19 as SOUTHCOM surgeon. Dr. Sears talks about dealing with post-partum depression as well as a very personal impact of suicide within her immediate family and provides some examples of how she maintained resilience during these tough times. CAPT Sears currently serves as the Command Surgeon of SOUTHCOM. CAPT (Dr.) Sears shares many insights and lessons learned over a distinguished career and provides some valuable advice for all listeners. You don't want to miss this episode! Find out more about Dr. Sears at wardocspodcast.com/guest-bios and visit our webpage and become part of Team WarDocs at wardocspodcast.com. Please take a moment to follow/subscribe, rate and review WarDocs on your preferred Podcast Platform. Follow Us on Social Media Twitter: @wardocspodcast Facebook: WarDocs Podcast Instagram: @wardocspodcast
Steve Stratton started his Army career at the White House Communications Agency supporting the communications needs of President's Ford and Carter, Vice President's Rockefeller and Mondale and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. His work took him around the world introducing him to new cultures, ways of thinking, and the various agencies tasked with projecting and protecting American interests abroad. The jump from WHCA to the US Secret Service was an easy transition but after several years and election campaign Steve left for the commercial sector. Steve was awarded his Green Beret in 1986. From the 80's through 2000 he deployed counter-drug and training missions in the SOUTHCOM region. During this time his civilian work included supporting CENTCOM, SOCOM, and DIA. Today he develops cyber security products that support the DOD and Intelligence Community. https://stevenstrattonusa.com Today's Sponsors:
Dr. Murphy retired in 2021 and most recently served on Active Duty as the Deputy Surgeon General of the Air Force. In this episode Dr. Murphy shares stories about growing up in a family of Irish Cops and his journey to the Air Force Academy and then becoming an Air Force Pediatrician. He talks about the importance of military pediatricians and their unique mission around the globe both in combat and in garrison. He touches on the unique mission of Air Force Medicine and provides anecdotes from time spent as a pediatrician as well as a Flight Surgeon taking care of families and military pilots (“adolescents at heart”). He explains some of the unique challenges of being a staff officer at the Pentagon, but shares how rewarding it can be to make significant positive changes for the entire healthcare system such as developing and implementing TRICARE for Life. He was able to leverage his experiences at the National War College to provide leadership with Joint Combatant Commands at SOUTHCOM and the Pacific Air Force. He shares many insights and lessons learned over a 40-year career. You don't want to miss this episode! Find out more about Dr. Murphy at wardocspodcast.com/guest-bios and visit our webpage and become part of Team WarDocs at wardocspodcast.com. Please take a moment to follow/subscribe, rate and review WarDocs on your preferred Podcast venue.
Host Jon Olson talks with retired US Army Lieutenant General Joseph DiSalvo, the former Deputy Commander of U.S. Southern Command. They discuss the current state of affairs for SOUTHCOM, regional challenges, and opportunities in the region in support of American national security interests. This episode originally aired on Sept. 15th 2021.
Photo: Southcom with multinational forces in amphibious landing during UNITAS LXII #NewWorldReport: SOUTHCOM along the watchtowers. Professor Evan Ellis @revanellis, Latin American Research U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute. https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/2718065/southcom-commander-nominee-us-must-remain-partner-of-choice-in-western-hemisphe/
Photo: Loading sisal in Haiti #NewWorldReport: What can Southcom do for abandoned Haiti? Senadora Maria Fernanda Cabal. @MariaFdaCabal (on leave); Joseph Humire @JMHumire @SecureFreeSoc https://www.securefreesociety.org https://www.southcom.mil/News/PressReleases/Article/2811605/southcom-to-host-change-of-command-ceremony-oct-29/
In this episode, U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Turner, Chief of the SOUTHCOM Women, Peace and Security Program, talks with Div. Inspector Naissa Pierre of the Haitian National Police. Pierre was the first female Haitian graduate of the U.S Coast Guard Academy and the first international cadet at any U.S. service academy to achieve the highest cadet position, Regimental Commander. She currently serves as Liaison Officer, Cabinet of the Director General of the National Police of Haiti.
Host Jon Olson talks with retired US Army Lieutenant General Joseph DiSalvo, the former Deputy Commander of U.S. Southern Command. They discuss the current state of affairs for SOUTHCOM, regional challenges, and opportunities in the region in support of American national security interests.
In this episode, USAF Lt. Col. Turner, Chief of the SOUTHCOM Women, Peace and Security Program, interviews Major Auditor Natalia Vazquez, the first chief of the Gender Office for Argentina's armed forces, about breaking barriers during her career and the integration of women in the military. Interview is in Spanish.
In this episode of "Two the Point," Benjamin Gedan speaks with Liliana Ayalde, former U.S. ambassador to Brazil and former civilian deputy to the commander and foreign policy adviser at the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). They discuss the confirmation of Lieutenant General Laura Richardson as the next commander of the U.S. Southern Command, the first woman to hold that post, and SOUTHCOM's priorities under the Biden administration.
In this episode of By Any Means Necessary, hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman are joined by Dr. Mike Pappas, a family medicine physician, activist, and frequent contributor to LeftVoice.org to discuss the Biden administration's recommendation of a booster shot for the COVID-19 and whether these vaccines are effective against variants, the extreme disparity in vaccine availability between rich and poor countries, why public health systems are so dependent on vaccination, and how the gutting of public health systems and capitalist neoliberal regimes have exacerbated the COVID-19 crisis.In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by John Ross, the senior fellow at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at the Renmin University of China and author of the new book, “China's Great Road: Lessons for Marxist Theory and Socialist Practices” to discuss China's recent push for redistribution of wealth, the gulf in responses between US and Chinese economic elite to income inequality, and the development of common prosperity in China and how China's socialist system can facilitate that.In the third segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Anthony Rogers Wright, Director of Environmental Justice with New York Lawyers for the Public Interest to discuss the legacy of white supremacy in environmentalism and its manifestation at the Sierra Club, how anglocentrism obfuscates the culpability of the Global North in the climate crisis, and how white-led environmental activism tends to only target the symptoms, rather than the structural root causes, of climate change.Later in the show, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Dr. Jemima Pierre, Haiti/Americas Coordinator for the Black Alliance for Peace to discuss the racism that US imperialism and occupation are founded upon and how that, combined with US hubris, contributed to the rapid fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, the intrinsic connection between imperialism, racism, and capitalism, the cooperation of Caribbean governments in military exercises with US Southern Command, and the disgusting contradictions and disparity supported by so-called “humanitarian” imperialism in Haiti.
In this episode, Lt Col Turner, Chief of the SOUTHCOM WPS Program, interviews Bolivian General Gina Reque Teran. General Reque Teran, the first female army general in Bolivia and first female general in South America to command combat troops, shares experiences from her 35-year career.
Covid-19 has crippled Cuba's already fragile economy. The Cuban government points its fingers at the US while many Cubans point their fingers at their own government. Jasmine Woolley of CTG's SOUTHCOM joins us today to break down how Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel's assumption of the role of Communist Party Leader will affect Cuba's relationship with the US, as well as how it will affect Cuba's response to the label of a failed state.
With the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, Haiti finds itself in the center every major news outlet's breaking story, as well as in the middle of a devastating political, economic, and societal crisis. Jasmine Woolley from CTG's SOUTHCOM team joins us to discuss the recent updates on the assassination of President Moïse, as well as provide background on the larger context surrounding the crises in Haiti.
In our latest Women Peace and Security podcast, we talk with Suriname Minister of Defense Krishna Mathoera about her 30-year career in security and her contributions to integrating women in security roles.
Brazilian Lt. Gen. David Almeida Alcoforado, Deputy Director for United States Southern Command's Strategy, Policy, and Plans Directorate, talks about the importance of partnership and his role in translating U.S. National Security and National Military Strategies into the Command's Strategy and Campaign Plan as well as country-specific, theater security cooperation activities and engagements. (By U.S. Southern Command Public Affairs; hosted and produced by Rich Crusan)
Amb. Jean Manes interviews Lt. Cmdr. Alma Pinelo, the Acting Vice Commandant of the Belize Coast Guard, about her career and serving as a woman in a high-profile security position.
Military Appreciation Month: Sgt First Class Derrick Randle, US Army – Operations NCO in charge SouthCom
Amb. Jean Manes interviews Brazilian Lt. Col. Ivana Mara about UN peacekeeping operations around the world and the importance of women in those missions.
U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Regina Sabric, SOUTHCOM's Deputy Reserve Director of Operations and a fighter pilot, highlights the importance of observing and celebrating the contributions and successes of women in history and provides a message for women thinking about their futures. (By U.S. Southern Command Public Affairs; hosted and produced by Rich Crusan)
Amb. Jean Manes interviews Commodore Antonnette Wemyss-Gorman of the Jamaican Defence Force. Wemyss-Gorman, who serves as Force Executive Officer, is a pioneer service woman in the Jamaica Defence Force, being the first female officer to attain a Flag rank. In her role, Wemyss-Gorman provides force development guidance in support of the transformation vision of the Chief of Defence Staff.
Colombian Brig. Gen. Erik Rodriguez, leader of U.S. Southern Command's Exercises and Coalition Affairs Directorate, describes how SOUTHCOM's Humanitarian Assistance Program has provided millions of dollars in COVID-19 assistance in 28 nations and discusses the critical role multinational partnerships play in regional security, especially in countering transnational criminal organizations. (By U.S. Southern Command Public Affairs; hosted and produced by Rich Crusan)
El General de Brigada Erik Rodriguez, del Ejército de Colombia, que actualmente ejerce como líder en la Dirección de Ejercicios y Asuntos de Coalición del Comando Sur de los EE.UU., describe como el Programa de Asistencia Humanitaria ha contribuido millones de dólares para apoyar los esfuerzos de 28 naciones contra el COVID-19 y conversa sobre el rol crítico que juegan los esfuerzos multinacionales en la seguridad regional, especialmente en los esfuerzos contra el crimen organizado trasnacional. Colombian Brig. Gen. Erik Rodriguez, leader of U.S. Southern Command's Exercises and Coalition Affairs Directorate, describes how SOUTHCOM's Humanitarian Assistance Program has provided millions of dollars in COVID-19 assistance in 28 nations and discusses the critical role multinational partnerships play in regional security, especially in countering transnational criminal organizations. (By U.S. Southern Command Public Affairs; hosted and produced by Rich Crusan)
Lt. Col. Sam Hayes, the Inter-agency Coordinator for the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade, hosts a discussion with members of the Civil Affairs regiment surrounding the Civil Affairs role at the tactical level in the great power competition in different global regions. They touch on embassy work, combining Military Information Support Operations with Civil Affairs capabilities, and the importance of civil society organizations. 1st Sgt. Enrique Hernandez is an active duty Non-Commissioned Officer serving as a Company First Sergeant in 96th Civil Affairs Battalion (SO) (A). He has deployed to numerous countries within the SOUTHCOM and CENTCOM AORs.Maj. J. David Thompson is an active duty U.S. Army Civil Affairs Major assigned to 96th Civil Affairs Battalion (SO)(A). He has a number of deployments to the Middle East and Southwest Asia. David has a Juris Doctorate from Washington and Lee University School of Law. He also holds a BS in Economics and MBA in Leadership from Liberty University. Outside the military, he's worked at the UN Refugee Agency, Department of Defense, and Physicians for Human Rights – Israel.1st Sgt. Richard Bisbal is an active-duty member in U.S. Army Civil Affairs. Serving in the 95th CA BDE (SO) (A). He has served in MEDCOM, the 98th CA BN, and 95th CA BDE with various deployments South America. 1SG Bisbal has a Bachelor's degree in Health Care Management from Trident University in California, and a Master of Arts Degree in Strategic Security Studies from National Defense University in Washington, D.C.Maj. Mike Casiano is an active-duty U.S. Army Civil Affairs Officer serving in the 95th CA BDE (SO) (A). He has served in 1st Armored Division, the 98th CA BN, and 1SFC (A) with various deployments across the Middle East and South America. Mike has multiple degrees to include a Master of Arts Degree in Public Policy: International Affairs from Liberty University, a Master of Military Arts and Science Degree in Military Operations from the US Army Command and General Staff College, and a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in International Management from the University of Texas at San Antonio.Capt. Christina Plumley is an active duty U.S. Army Civil Affairs officer serving in E Company, 97th Civil Affairs Battalion (SO)(A). She has recent experience in Southeast Asia as the Theater Civil Military Support Element Deputy Operations Chief. She previously served with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, supporting and executing multinational military exercises across Europe. She holds a Bachelor's of Science in International Relations and French from the United States Military Academy.Capt. Paul Kuemmerlein is an active-duty U.S. Army Civil Affairs officer serving in Fox Co, 83d Civil Affairs Battalion. Paul deployed to Guyana from AUG-DEC 2020 where he led his CA Team ISO synchronized SOF efforts and interagency collaboration with DOS and host-nation counter-COVID efforts. A NOV 2019 Graduate of the U.S. Army JFK Special Warfare Center and School, Paul’s pre-SOF career in Transportation and Logistics included assignments in Korea (Camps Walkers & Henry) and Fort Hood, TX.Lt. Col. Sam Hayes is an active-duty U.S. Army Civil Affairs officer serving at the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (SO) (A). He has served with the 82nd Airborne Division, the 96th Civil Affairs Battalion, 82nd Civil Affairs Battalion, USAJFK Special Warfare Center and School, USCAPOC(A), and NATO with various deployment across the Middle East and Africa. Sam has multiple degrees to include a Masters of Art in Information Warfare and Political Strategy from Naval Postgraduate School and a Ph.D. in Organizational Management with a specialization in Leadership from Capella University.
U.S. Ambassador Jean Manes, Civilian Deputy to the Commander, U.S. Southern Command, describes how IUU Fishing is about human rights, the environment, food sustainability, sovereignty, and security.
In this segment of By Any Means Necessary, hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman are joined by Erica Caines, founder of Liberation Through Reading and member of the Black Alliance for Peace, to discuss her new article on Hood Communist, “The Caribbean Diaspora Has A SOUTHCOM Problem,” Joe Biden's troubling support for Jovenel Moise as he continues to maintain his grip on power in Haiti after his term's expiration, and how Vice President Kamala Harris weaponizes her identity in support of US imperialist objectives.
In this episode of By Any Means Necessary, hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman are joined by Brianna Griffith, host and producer of People's Republic Radio, to discuss the dangerous conditions facing millions of people amid the ongoing blackouts in Texas, how the crisis is playing out in different cities across the state, and why the power grid in Texas was uniquely unprepared for this moment.In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Rudolf Okonkwo, a Nigerian American writer, journalist and host of the satirical Dr. Damages Show on IrokopostTV, to discuss the new court ruling which paves the way for Nigerians impacted by decades of Shell oil spills to sue the multinational corporation in the UK and why the impending global shift to renewable energy makes getting concessions a matter of urgency for Shell's victims.In the third segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Erica Caines, founder of Liberation Through Reading and member of the Black Alliance for Peace, to discuss her new article on Hood Communist, “The Caribbean Diaspora Has A SOUTHCOM Problem,” Joe Biden's troubling support for Jovenel Moise as he continues to maintain his grip on power in Haiti after his term's expiration, and how Vice President Kamala Harris weaponizes her identity in support of US imperialist objectives.Later in the show, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Ajamu Baraka, National Organizer of the Black Alliance for Peace, to discuss the “realignment” of the corporate duopoly taking place amid the fight for the GOP, the “fawning” corporate media coverage of President Joe Biden, and the “non-stop assault on sovereignty” which characterizes US foreign policy regardless of which party is in power.
Amb. Jean Manes interviews Lt. Col. J. McLean, the most senior woman in the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force. She also serves as Director of Strategic Initiatives and Gender Advisor. She is an advocate for military women, gender equality and public procurement reform.
SOUTHCOM's podcast talks to U.S. Ambassador Jean Manes about the command's Women, Peace, and Security Program, amplifying the initiative's importance and successes in advance of a book launch scheduled for Oct. 29 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Resolution 1325." (By U.S. Southern Command Public Affairs; hosted by Rich Crusan; produced by John Ciccarelli)
The U.S. Southern Command, SOUTHCOM, is one of six geographic combatant commands. It’s responsible for planning, operations and security cooperation in Central America, South America, and most of the Caribbean. It’s a joint command including military and civilian personnel from the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marine Corps, the Coast Guard, and several federal agencies. Its mission is to deter aggressors, defeat threats, respond to crises, and work with allied and partner nations to defend the U.S. homeland and America’s national interests. The SOUTHCOM Commander, Admiral Craig S. Faller, is a Naval Academy graduate who served as Commander of the John C. Stennis Strike Group / Carrier Strike Group 3 in support of Operations New Dawn (in Iraq) and Enduring Freedom (in Afghanistan). He has also served as the Director of Operations (J3) in U.S. Central Command, and as the Chief of Navy Legislative Affairs, which is where he worked with Bradley Bowman, senior director of FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP). Both join FDD Foreign Podicy host Cliff May for a discussion of the challenges and threats posed by America’s enemies and adversaries in this vital region.
The U.S. Southern Command, SOUTHCOM, is one of six geographic combatant commands. It's responsible for planning, operations and security cooperation in Central America, South America, and most of the Caribbean. It's a joint command including military and civilian personnel from the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marine Corps, the Coast Guard, and several federal agencies. Its mission is to deter aggressors, defeat threats, respond to crises, and work with allied and partner nations to defend the U.S. homeland and America's national interests. The SOUTHCOM Commander, Admiral Craig S. Faller, is a Naval Academy graduate who served as Commander of the John C. Stennis Strike Group / Carrier Strike Group 3 in support of Operations New Dawn (in Iraq) and Enduring Freedom (in Afghanistan). He has also served as the Director of Operations (J3) in U.S. Central Command, and as the Chief of Navy Legislative Affairs, which is where he worked with Bradley Bowman, senior director of FDD's Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP). Both join FDD Foreign Podicy host Cliff May for a discussion of the challenges and threats posed by America's enemies and adversaries in this vital region.
On this episode of By Any Means Necessary hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman are joined by Katie Miernicki, an organizer with the Philadelphia Liberation Center, to discuss the Philadelphia City Council considering banning “crowd control” weapons such as rubber bullets, tear gas and pepper spray, the violent police repression of protesters after the murder of George Floyd that led to demands to end the use of these weapons, the civil action lawsuit against the city's police department filed by 150 litigants that also contributed to pushing for the possible ban, and how the rise in armed civilians acting against the struggle for justice with police complicates efforts in the streets.In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Kim Ives, editor of the English Section of Haiti Liberte, to discuss the Trump Administration extending preferential duty treatment for goods produced in the Caribbean Basin under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA), the connection between the loss of jobs in the US South and the exploitation of Caribbean workers by the US garment industry, how the deal involves the US imperialist assault on Venezuela, the growing influence of the US military through its Southern Command - or Southcom - in the region, and the establishment of an electoral commission formed by Washington-backed Haitian president Jovenel Moise in Haiti.Sean and Jacquie are joined in the third segment by Abayomi Azikiwe, the editor of the Pan-African News Wire, to discuss the protests around and dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Nigeria, persistent issues of police brutality in the country and how people are rejecting President Mohammadu Buhari's newly organized Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) squad, for fears they may replicate the abuses of SARS.In the final segment Jacquie and Sean and joined by Dr. Dave Ragland, the Co-Executive Director of the Truth Telling Project, and Director of the Grassroots Reparations Campaign, to talk about religious politics and Trump SCOTUS pick, Amy Comey Barrett, the need for reparations and a liberatory faith and how US capitalism has been undemocratic and biased towards the wealthy from the very beginning of this country.
In the inaugural episode, the SOUTHCOM Podcast talks with Navy Rear Adm. Larry Watkins about the command's enhanced counter narcotics operations and the threat of illicit trafficking in Latin America and the Caribbean. (By U.S. Southern Command Public Affairs; hosted by Rich Crusan; produced by John Ciccarelli)
Admiral Tidd and Ambassador Ayalde discuss playing the US military and diplomatic tracks in the region, shifting the focus from drugs to global criminal networks, partnering with Colombia, the challenge of Brazil, and re-engaging with Ecuador.
President Trump Receives a Briefing on SOUTHCOM Enhanced Counternarcotics Operations July 10, 2020 --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ushistory/message
George W. Buck Republican Candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, Florida’s 13th District Veteran and Firefighter (Ret), Professor/Author, He is a pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, pro- business conservative who has demonstrated energetic leadership, clarity of vision and a passion for service. George is a proven servant-leader who will represent our 13th District and will lead in unifying Washington. George's "boots on the ground" vision and interaction, holds the trust of personal and professional relationships at many levels of Pinellas, Local, State, and Federal as well as international officials. This brief summary shows, George knows the impact of outside forces that can affect our local communities and what it takes to build strong, resilient economies. The start of his history of service began in small town in Eastern Long Island, New York. Following a tradition of public service in the firefighting community, starting with his Great Grandfather, Great Uncle, and Father. His son is carrying on this tradition as a professional firefighter. George's service to the community began as a junior firefighter at the age of 14! His fire service career spans military and civilian firefighter. Starting as volunteer, then joined the U.S. Army, trained and served as a crash rescue firefighter, with the elite 101st Airborne Division. Honorably discharged, George then joined the U.S Air Force Reserves, again, as a firefighter. After 3 years with the USAF, he enlisted into the Florida National Guard cross trained as an operational intelligence analyst (during the Persian Gulf War era). After active duty military service, pursued the family tradition of public service as a First Responder. His service ended upon a duty related injury, but not his desire to help educate and train others. As an educator at Saint Petersburg College, he took over the fire science program, developed, wrote and implemented the first emergency management degree program in the State of Florida. Obtaining a federal grant, he designed, developed and implemented the first training center in the nation for preparing first responders in the event of terrorist attacks, called "The National Terrorism Preparedness Institute", still in operation today. He joined the staff in 1994, living in St Petersburg for 25 years. At University of South Florida College of Public health, became an assistant professor, teaching Ideology of National and International Terrorism, taking on additional duties with the Center of Disaster Management and Humanitarian Action. He additionally served as co-founder for "The Center for Biological Terrorism Defense." He also designed, wrote and implemented a master’s level certificate program in Emergency Management, first in Florida. After his career in academia, He transitioned to consulting in the field of emergency/ terrorism management. During this time, he authored and published six books on these subjects, many still being used today in the education system. George has used his cumulative experience to manage catastrophic events such as the Indian Ocean Tsunami, being one of the first four Americans on the ground in Banda Acha to establish relief operations of the largest disaster in world history. Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Frances, terrorist attacks domestic and international. Drawing from these experiences, assisted in policy development at the Local, State, Federal and International levels, such as the United Nations. He has worked many projects with Department of State, Department of Defense, and The State of Florida and municipalities; Florida National Guard, FEMA, SOCOM, SOUTHCOM, NORTHCOM, and a wide array of local state and federal political officials, demonstrating in times of crisis he can be counted on for knowledge and expertise. GEORGE KNOWS HIS WAY IN THE POLITICAL WORLD - AND WILL USE IT FOR THE BETTERMENT OF PINELLAS COUNTY! George is a 25 Year Resident of Pinellas County Address: PO Box 7081 St Petersburg, Fl 33734 727-823-6970 Website: www.georgebuckjr.com gbuck@gerogebuckjr.com
Former NSA TAO Officer, and the Chief of Outreach at the Army Cyber Institute at West Point, Dr. Michael Klipstein appears on this week's episode of Task Force 7 Radio to discuss why Information Operations are so easy to conduct by Nation States and how they have become so dangerous to the National Security of the United States. Host George Rettas and Dr. Klipstein discuss why Cyber Security has become one of the top National Security issues that most western countries face, how the United States has taken a stand of Defending Forward and what that means in terms of U.S. Cyber policy. Dr. Klipstein talks about how the Russian Government has excelled at Information Operations, what lessons they have taken from China's long term strategy; how hostilities via the Internet are creating new norms across the globe; how SouthCom is approaching Cyber Security Operations; and how the United States and its allies should be sharing intelligence information.
A Coast Guard couple explains why SOUTHCOM should be headed by a Coast Guard admiral. Read more at https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2019/june/coast-guard-should-helm-southcom
Former NSA TAO Officer, and the Chief of Outreach at the Army Cyber Institute at West Point, Dr. Michael Klipstein appears on this week's episode of Task Force 7 Radio to discuss why Information Operations are so easy to conduct by Nation States and how they have become so dangerous to the National Security of the United States. Host George Rettas and Dr. Klipstein discuss why Cyber Security has become one of the top National Security issues that most western countries face, how the United States has taken a stand of Defending Forward and what that means in terms of U.S. Cyber policy. Dr. Klipstein talks about how the Russian Government has excelled at Information Operations, what lessons they have taken from China's long term strategy; how hostilities via the Internet are creating new norms across the globe; how SouthCom is approaching Cyber Security Operations; and how the United States and its allies should be sharing intelligence information.
The US-China trade war escalated sharply Monday as Beijing said it would raise tariffs on $60 billion in American goods, defying warnings from US President Donald Trump and sparking a global market sell-off. China's ministry of finance said it was increasing levies on goods ranging from liquefied natural gas to frozen spinach and toothpaste, in “response to US unilateralism and trade protectionism” — its characterization of the Trump administration's move last Friday to increase tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports to 25%. What does this mean going forward in this international game of chicken, since neither side seems to be blinking? (Are there tariffs on chicken?)US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo crashed a meeting of European foreign ministers in Brussels Monday to push for a united transatlantic front against Tehran and its nuclear program. But he failed to bend attitudes among leaders who fear the United States and Iran are inching toward war. The meeting comes amid increased tensions between the US and Iran, and as European leaders look to preserve the Iran nuclear deal. After the Brussels talks, Pompeo will continue to Sochi, Russia, Tuesday. There he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, as planned. Why is the US continuing to swat at this hornets' nest?Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido has formally requested the support of US military forces in the ongoing political and humanitarian crisis, a letter published by his representative Carlos Vecchio said today. What's happening on the ground right now? How is this being interpreted and received? GUESTS:Ivan Eland — Senior fellow at the Independent Institute and director of the Independent Institute's Center on Peace & Liberty. Linwood Tauheed — Associate professor of economics at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Jefferson Morley — Journalist and editor who has worked in Washington journalism for over 30 years, 15 of which were spent as an editor and reporter at The Washington Post. The author of "The Ghost: The Secret Life of CIA Spymaster James Jesus Angleton" and "Our Man in Mexico: Winston Scott and the Hidden History of the CIA," Morley has written about intelligence, the military and politics for Salon, The Atlantic and The Intercept, among others.Dr. Marvin Weinbaum — Scholar-in-residence and director of the Middle East Institute's Center for Pakistan and Afghanistan Studies. Teri Mattson — Campaign To End US And Canadian Sanctions Against Venezuela.
We knew it was coming, and now it's here: A coup is in progress in Venezuela. In this follow up episode to CD176 (Target Venezuela: Regime Change in Progress), learn additional backstory and details about the recent events in Venezuela, including the proclamation by Juan Guaido that he is now the President of Venezuela and all of the efforts being made by the Trump administration to get this regime change to stick. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Click here to contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536 Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD186: National Endowment for Democracy CD176: Target Venezuela: Regime Change in Progress Sound Clip Sources Hearing: U.S. Africa and Southern Command Operations, Senate Armed Service Committee, C-SPAN, February 7, 2019. Witnesses: Admiral Craig Fuller - U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) Commander Sound Clips: 16:10 Fuller While Russia and Cuba and China prop up the Maduro dictatorship, the reminder of the world is united. SOUTHCOM is supporting diplomatic efforts and we are prepared to protect U.S. personal and diplomatic facilities, if necessary. 53:44 Sen. Rick Scott In the Venezuelan military, have you -- have you seen any cracking from the standpoint, what we've been doing over the last -- especially the last two weeks, has any thing changed? Fuller - Certainly, there's been readiness aspects of their military that we watch very closely. It's a degraded force, but it is still a force that remains loyal to Maduro, and that makes it dangerous. We're looking for signs of those cracking, and we can talk in the closed session on some more details in trends we're seeing. 1:00:00 Sen. Tom Cotton (AR) - He said earlier Cuban guards completely surround the Maduro government. Does that mean that Maduro is dependent on the Cuban security and intelligence forces for his continuation in office? Fuller - Senator, I think it's a good sense of where the loyalty of the Venezuelan people are that to his immediate security forces made up of Cubans. Cotton - So the men that surround Maduro, like our Secret Service, are Cubans not Venezuelans. Fuller - That's my understanding and assessment. 1:01:54 Fuller - I would also mention that the presence of China, China has not been helpful in a diplomatic way. I will leave that to the diplomats. China is there and involved in cyber in ways that are absolutely not helpful to the democratic outcome. 1:18:47 Sen Tim Kaine (VA) - If the world wants to see a democracy versus a dictatorship challenge Venezuela is just like the perfect test case for circa 2019, what do democracies care for an what dictatorships care for, Venezuela government of Maduro is supported by Russia, Cuba, and Iran. And they are enabling him to do all kinds of horrible things economically and in violation of human rights. The interim government, which has a constitutional claim in the vacancy of a president, the speaker of the legislative assembly becomes interim president supported by the United States and the EU. You really can see what the difference between democracy and the aspirations of democratic governments and dictatorship and what they care about very clearly int eh Venezuela circumstance now. Here's the reality, we are dealing with regional institutions like the OAS, every nation has one vote. The U.S. has a hard time to get the UA asked firmly come out against the Maduro government because many Caribbean nations still support the Maduro government. They've been bribed to do so with low-price oil. But it's very hard for us to do something like this on our won and when a principal regional institution like the LAS is not completely with us it's hard to put the appropriate pressure on. Interview: Mnuchin says Trump's economic plan is working and 'we're not going back to socialism', CNBC, February 6, 2019. 00:58:37 Steven Mnuchin : I’ve always watched the stock market a lot. I’ve been in the investment business since I graduated from Yale and I’ve tended to watch the stock market every day since then... As the President talked about last night, his economic program is working. We’re not going back to socialism. We’re going on an economic plan for America that works. 2019 State of the Union Address: Trump appeals for unity to end political gridlock, February 5, 2019. 2019 State of the Union Address: Trump Praises the Venezuela Coup, February 5, 2019. 1:05:28 President Donald Trump - Two weeks ago, the United States officially recognized the legitimate government of Venezuela, and its new interim President, Juan Guaido. We stand with the Venezuelan people in their noble quest for freedom -- and we condemn the brutality of the Maduro regime, whose socialist policies have turned that nation from being the wealthiest in South America into a state of abject poverty and despair. Here, in the United States, we are alarmed by new calls to adopt socialism in our country. America was founded on liberty and independence --- not government coercion, domination, and control. We are born free, and we will stay free. Tonight, we renew our resolve that America will never be a socialist country. Interview: President Trump on "Face the Nation," CBS News, February 3, 2019. 00:42:58 MARGARET BRENNAN: What would make you use the U.S. military in Venezuela? What's the national security interest? PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well I don't want to say that. But certainly it's something that's on the- it's an option. MARGARET BRENNAN: Would you personally negotiate with Nicolás Maduro to convince him to exit. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well he is requested a meeting and I've turned it down because we're very far along in the process. You have a young and energetic gentleman but you have other people within that same group that have been very very - if you talk about democracy - it's really democracy in action. MARGARET BRENNAN: When did he request a meeting? PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We're going to see what happened. A number of months ago he wanted to meet. Interview: National Security Adviser Ambassador John Bolton, interviewed by Hugh Hewitt, Hugh Hewitt Book Club, February 1, 2019. Transcript Sound Clips: 01:20:23 Hugh Hewitt: There are reports of Venezuela shipping gold to the United Arab Emirates. The UAE is a very close ally of ours. Have you asked the UAE to sequester that gold? John Bolton: Let me just say this. We’re obviously aware of those reports consistent with what we did on Monday against PDVSA, the state-owned oil monopoly where we imposed crippling sanctions. Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury Secretary, is implementing them as we speak. We’re also looking at cutting off other streams of revenue and assets for the Maduro mafia, and that certainly includes gold. And we’ve already taken some steps to neutralize gold that’s been out of the country used as collateral for bank loans. We’ve frozen, and our friends in Europe, have frozen a substantial amount of that. We want to try and do the same here. We’re on top of it. That’s really all I can say at the moment. Council Session: Political Situation in Venezuela, Atlantic Council, January 30, 2019. Witnesses: Ed Royce - Former Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Carlos Alfredo Vecchio - Voluntad Popular Co-Founder, Interim Venezuelan Charge d’Affaires to the U.S. Julio Borges - Former President for the National Assembly of Venezuela David O’Sullivan - European Union Ambassador to the United States Sound Clips: 11:30 Carlos Alfredo Vecchio (via translator): What do we want to do? What is what we are asking the international community to support us with? First, to put an end to the usurpation of power by Nicolas Maduro. We cannot resolve the political and economic and social crisis as long as the dictatorship is in place. And this is something that we have to make clear. That is my priority, is to put an end to that and to help orchestrate international support to put an end to Maduro's dictatorship. 13:30 Carlos Alfredo Vecchio (via translator): Just to make very clear, I mean, from an economic point of view, we believe in an open market, an open economy. We believe in the private sector, we believe in the international and the national sectors, though, often, of course, our main source of revenue is the oil sector. So that would be a key element to recover our country, and we need to open that market. We need to increase our oil production. 39:15 David O’Sullivan: I think we absolutely share the same objective here. The European Union has always believed that the situation in Venezuela is unsustainable. We did not accept the results of the so-called elections last year. We declined collectively to attend the inauguration. And we are wholly supportive of the efforts of the National Assembly and Guaido to restore true democracy and free and fair elections. 48:00 Representative Ed Royce (CA): And a few years ago when the people in Venezuela elected the National Assembly, over two-thirds opposition to Maduro, he doubled down by asking China to bring the ZTE Corporation in and do a social credit system inside Venezuela on the same basis that it's done in China, which means that you now need that card in order to get food or medicine or your pension or your basic services. 48:30 Representative Ed Royce (CA): The fact that this ZTE-type arrangement exists in Venezuela, and now it exists in North Korea, and there's one other country where they have a contract—they're putting it in the Republic of Iran—this represents a new challenge to democracies. 1:15:00 Carlos Alfredo Vecchio: Just to make very clear, I mean, from an economic point of view, we believe in an open market, an open economy. We believe in the private sector, we believe in the international and the national sectors, though, often, of course, our main source of revenue is the oil sector. So that would be a key element to recover our country, and we need to open that market. We need to increase our oil production. 1:23:30 Carlos Alfredo Vecchio: Those agreements that has not been recognized by an international examiner, who has been illegal, we will not recognize illegal agreements. The rest, yes, we will comply with that. And let me send a clear message. For example, the only way that bond holders will not get paid, if Maduro remains in power. Nobody will complain with them. And China has to understand that, and Russia has to understand that. Discussion: Political Situation in Venezuela, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), January 29, 2019. Witnesses: Gustavo Tarre - George Washington University, CSIS Americas Program member, Designated Venezuelan Ambassador to the Organization of American States (appointed by Juan Guaido William Brownfield - Former US Ambassador to Venezuela, Chile, and Columbia during the George W. Bush administration and Obama administration Michael Matera - Center for Strategic & International Studies, America’s Program Director Sound Clips: 3:30 Michael Matera: In what is shaping up to be a very unstable and potentially explosive situation in Venezuela, the leading authoritarian nations of the world have stood by Maduro. Russia, Iran, Turkey, China, and Cuba, among a few others, have stated their continued recognition of Maduro. The future of Venezuela is turning more clearly than ever into a proxy struggle between the authoritarian regimes and the democratic nations. Venezuela could easily become the active front on which this struggle is defined. 8:15 Gustavo Tarre: Not only because his knowledge of Venezuela— Madea Benjamin: Not easy because you are here representing a coup. You are totally illegitimate. Nobody elected Juan Guaido, and nobody legitimate appointed you. You are taking Venezuela down the path of a civil war— Unknown Male Speaker: Excuse me. Excuse me, ma’am. Madea Benjamin: How dare you go to a civil war? What kind of patriot are you that allow yourself to be manipulated— Unknown Male Speaker: Out. Get out. Madea Benjamin: —by Donald Trump, John Bolton, and now Elliott Abrams, the ultra hawk. It is a very dangerous situation. We need negotiations, which is why we should be supporting Mexico and Uruguay in their call for negotiations. You don't follow the coup collaborators, like this man right here. Say no to coup. Unknown Male Speaker: See ‘ya. Ambassador— Madea Benjamin: We’re in the 21st century. 1:08:50 William Brownfield: What is the Cuban interest? It's 50,000 barrels of oil a day to an energy-starved nation. What is the Chinese approach? It is very much an economic approach, which is to say there are raw materials of great importance to the Chinese economy that are located in Venezuela, and they have a long-term economic interest in having access to them, driven by economics. Russia is more complicated. They do not need oil. They are, in fact, one of the three largest oil producers in the world right now, who produce more than their national need. It is geostrategic politics. I would offer everyone two thoughts—because I have taken this question from excellent representatives of the media over the last week with some frequency—first, don't listen that closely to the words that you hear from the governments of China or Russia. See if they put another billion or two or three billion investment into Venezuela. Money talks, and I have not seen evidence of that, which suggests that they, too, are pausing and taking a look at what happens. And second, if I could be Russia-specific briefly, I would note, and we all realize this, that over the last 10 years or so, Russia annexed the Crimea, and the Western democracies criticized and protested. Russia created two new republics—one in South Ossetia, the other in North Georgia, I believe—and the Western world protested. Russia at least supported, and I would argue actually infiltrated, large numbers of security personnel into the two easternmost provinces of Ukraine, and the Western world criticized. But at the end of the day, geography and history determined the Crimea is still under Russian control, South Ossetia and North Georgia still exist as independent states, and Russian influence is still quite visible in and whatever the other province is called. All right. That is geographic reality. We are now in the Western Hemisphere. If Brazil and Colombia and Argentina and Canada and the United States take a position, those same geographic realities will, in fact, move in the other direction. Of course we must listen to the Russian and Chinese governments—they are two of perhaps the three most important governments in the world—but we're entitled to use our brains as we calculate what they are saying and how we respond to it. 1:16:30 William Brownfield: What if Maduro hangs on yet once again, which by the way, ladies and gentlemen, is not inconceivable; it's happened before. We had not quite this much of a conversation, but in 2017 some sensed that things might be happening, and they did not happen. Is it possible again? Of course, it is. That is why we talk about a strategy, an international community strategy with two elements: one element being focused on the Maduro de _____(00:35) esta, the removal of that government, and that strategic component is not eliminated until someone new has moved into Miraflores Palace; and the second, related but separate element of planning for the day after. Hearing: Hearing to Consider Worldwide Threats, Select Committee on Intelligence, U.S. Senate, January 29, 2019. C-SPAN Report Video Witnesses: Dan Coats - Director of National Intelligence Christopher Wray - FBI Director Gina Haspel - CIA Director Lt. General Robert Ashley - Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Director General Paul Nakasone - National Security Agency Director Sound Clips: 1:11:00 Senator Marco Rubio (FL): We know they have openly and repeatedly, at least Maduro has, invited the Russians and Putin to establish either a rotational or a permanent presence somewhere in Venezuela, thereby creating a Russian military presence in the Western Hemisphere. In fact, they flew, about three weeks ago or a month ago, two Russian nuclear-capable bombers into the Caribbean Sea. 1:12:15 Senator Marco Rubio (FL): Is it not in the national interest of the United States of America that the Maduro regime fall and be replaced by a democratic and more responsible government? 1:15:15 Lieutenant General Robert Ashley: The reference you made to the Tu-160 Blackjacks that flew those strategic bombers, third iteration of that—first time was in '08, and then '14, and we've seen it again. As far as presence on the ground, we can talk a little bit more detail in a closed session about where we see Russia and China going with that greater instability. But in the open press, what you've seen thus far really is nothing more than just vocal support that's coming out of Moscow and that's coming out of China as well, but there is relationship there. From the military standpoint in the way of training, lots of Venezuelan officers go to Russia for training, and there's a reciprocal relationship for equipping them as well. 1:16:00 Senator Angus King (ME): In light of Senator Rubio's comments, I'd just like to note of caution, he listed refugee flows, human rights abuses, and corruption. There are lots of countries in the world that meet that description, and our right or responsibility to generate regime change in a situation like that, I think, is a slippery slope. And I have some real caution about what our vital interests are and whether it's our right or responsibility to take action to try to change the government of another sovereign country. That same description would have led us into a much more active involvement in Syria, for example, five or six years ago, other parts of the country. I just wanted to note that. Fox Business Video: John Bolton on Regime Change in Venezuela, Iraqi Christian HRC, Twitter, January 28, 2019. White House Daily Briefing: Trump Administration sanctions against Venezuela's state-owned oil company, January 28, 2019. Speakers: Steve Mnuchin - Treasury Secretary John Bolton - National Security Advisor Sound Clips: 1:26 John Bolton: As you know, on January the 23rd, President Trump officially recognized the president of the Venezuela National Assembly, Juan Guaido, as the interim president of Venezuela. Venezuela's National Assembly invoked Article 233 of the country's constitution to declare Nicolas Maduro illegitimate. This action was a statement that the people of Venezuela have had enough of oppression, corruption, and economic hardship. Since then, 21 other governments in the region and across the world have joined the United States in recognizing Guaido as Venezuela's interim president. 3:53 John Bolton: I reiterate that the United States will hold Venezuelan security forces responsible for the safety of all U.S. diplomatic personnel, the National Assembly, and President Guido. Any violence against these groups would signify a grave assault on the rule of law and will be met with a significant response. 4:24 Steven Mnuchin: Today Treasury took action against Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, PDVSA, to help prevent the further diversion of Venezuela’s assets by former President Maduro. 5:21 Steven Mnuchin: The path to sanctions relief for PDVSA is through the expeditious transfer of control to the interim president or a subsequent democratically elected government who is committed to taking concrete and meaningful actions to combat corruption. 5:40 Steven Mnuchin: Today OFAC also issued a number of general licenses that authorize certain transactions and activities with PDVSA for limited periods of time to minimize any immediate disruptions and support of ongoing humanitarian efforts. 6:00 Steven Mnuchin: Citgo assets in the United States will be able to continue to operate provided that any funds that would otherwise go to PDVSA instead will go into a blocked account in the United States. 6:10 Steven Mnuchin: Refineries in the United States have already been taking steps to reduce the reliance on imports from Venezuela. Those imports have fallen substantially in recent months. We have also issued general licenses to ensure that certain European and Caribbean countries can make an orderly transition. 6:20 Steven Mnuchin: We continue to call on all of our allies and partners to join the United States in recognizing Interim President Guaido in blocking Maduro from being able to access PDVSA funds. 7:10 Reporter: Is there any circumstance under which American forces would get involved? John Bolton: Well, the president has made it very clear on this matter that all options are on the table. 7:43 Steven Mnuchin: But effective immediately, any purchases of Venezuelan oil by U.S. entities, money will have to go into blocked accounts. Now, I've been in touch with many of the refineries. There is a significant amount of oil that's at sea that's already been paid for. That oil will continue to come to the United States. If the people in Venezuela want to continue to sell us oil, as long as that money goes into blocked accounts, we'll continue to take it. Otherwise, we will not be buying it. And again, we have issued general licenses, so the refineries in the United States can continue to operate. 9:06 Steven Mnuchin: The purpose of sanctions is to change behavior. So when there is a recognition that PDVSA is the property of the rightful rulers, the rightful leaders, the president, then, indeed, that money will be available to Guaido. 9:52 John Bolton: And the authoritarian regime of Chavez and Maduro has allowed penetration by adversaries of the United States, not least of which is Cuba. Some call the country now Cubazuela, reflecting the grip that Cuba’s military and security forces have on the Maduro regime. We think that’s a strategic significant threat to the United States, and there are others as well, including Iran’s interest in Venezuelan’s uranium deposits. 15:56 Steven Mnuchin: We're dealing with Venezuelan oil that is a rather modest part of our overall supply. Again, we're a net exporter of energy. We are particularly concerned that there were a handful of refineries that had a dependence on Venezuelan oil. I think they read the tea leaves. They reduced that dependence significantly along the way. Most of them have in the neighborhood of 10% or less of their dependent on Venezuelan oil. So, I don't expect that people will see an impact on the gas pumps. 17:10 Steven Mnuchin: I’m sure many of our friends in the Middle East will be happy to make up the supply as we push down Venezuela’s supply. Meeting: Secretary Pompeo Speaks at U.N. Security Council Meeting on Venezuela, January 26, 2019. Speaker: Mike Pompeo - Secretary of State Sound Clips: 2:20 Mike Pompeo: Let’s be crystal clear: The foreign power meddling in Venezuela today is Cuba. Cuba has directly made matters worse and the United States and our partners are the true friends of the Venezuelan people. 16:40 Mike Pompeo: Such scenes of misery are now the norm in Venezuela, where millions of children are suffering from malnutrition and starvation, thanks to a socialist experiment that caused the economy to collapse. 20:24 Mike Pompeo: And now it’s time for every other nation to pick a side. No more delays. No more games. Either you stand with the forces of freedom or you’re in league with Maduro and his mayhem... But no regime has done more to sustain the nightmarish condition of the Venezuelan people than the regime in Havana. For years, Cuban security and intelligence thugs, invited into Venezuela by Maduro himself and those around him, have sustained this illegitimate rule. They have trained Maduro’s security and intelligence henchmen in Cuba’s own worst practices. Cuba’s interior ministry even provides former President Maduro’s personal security... Some countries have publicly taken former President Maduro’s side. China, Russia, Syria, and Iran are just four of them. Just this morning, we tried to find a way for this council to speak in one voice in support of the Venezuelan people and our democratic ideals through a presidential statement not this council. But our Russian and Chinese colleagues refused to let this move forward. It’s not a surprise that those that rule without democracy in their own countries are trying to prop up Maduro while he is in dire straights. Meeting: U.N. Security Council Meeting on the Situation in Venezuela, January 26, 2019. Speakers: Jorge Arreaza - Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elliott Abrams - U.S. Special Envoy to Venezuela Sound Clips: 00:10 Jorge Arreaza: So 2002 is a direct precedent to what is happening. They were behind the coup d’etat. They weren’t as much in the vanguard or in advance as this time. They recognized Carmona, the dictator for the 72 hours that it lasted... It was on the 22nd, where Vice President Pence basically in a tweet gave a green light for a coup d’etat in Venezuela. As Under Secretary General said the interim President is self proclaimed. There was no ceremony. It was self proclamation by a member of Parliament at a public rally, at a peaceful public rally, one of many that there have been over the past years... If one of you can tell me in which article and which provision of the United Nations charter you can find the legal basis for self proclamation who wasn’t elected by anyone as President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, then we can open a discussion on the legal aspects, but I don’t think that will happen... At last we have a chance to speak. We have a written text but before that I wanted to share some thoughts with you. Indeed, we can even thank Mr. Mike Pompeo because in the face of failure at the Organization of American States on the 24th of January, they didn’t have enough weight to impose a resolution, well they convened a meeting of the Security Council. In fact, we - President Maduro - thought of appealing to this body not only to debate the case of Venezuela but rather the blatant and gross intervention, and mechanisms of interference by the United States in our country. In this case, the United States is not behind the coup d’etat, it is in advance in the vanguard of the coup d’etat. It is dictating the orders not only to the Venezuelan opposition but also to the satellite governments in the region, and it seems it Europe and in other parts of the world. 31:47 Elliot Abrams: I can not respond to every attack that was made on every country here. The insults that were made by calling many countries here “satellites”. In fact, it was interesting that every single country that was attacked - or criticized - was a democracy. Every single one that you criticized was a democracy... Today there is a satellite present here and it is Venezuela, which is unfortunately has become a satellite of Cuba and Russia... The regime is hiding behind, and it’s spokesman is hiding behind, the laws and constitution of Venezuela. Hearing: Defense Department Nominations, Senate Armed Services Committee, January 25, 2019. Witness: Vice Admiral Craig Faller - US Southern Command Commander Sound Clips: 1:37:00 Senator Bill Nelson (FL): What do you think that is the proper role of SouthCom in supporting the Venezuelan people now, in this time of exceptional chaos? Craig Faller: Senator, the Southern Command is focused on supporting our partners—Brazil, Columbia, those that have been most affected by the migrants, the spillover of some one-million-plus in Columbia. Recently, visited Columbia was the secretary of defense. President Duque is keenly aware and sharply focused on all his security challenges, and this is at the top of that list. As a result of the Columbian government's request, we intend to deploy the hospital ship Comfort—it will be underway shortly. It was delayed because of the hurricane—to the region to help our partners offset some of the impacts of this, particularly with the medical care that's been required and the strain that's placed on the resources. Fox Business Video: Vice President Mike Pence Tweet about US recognizing Guaido as Venezuelan President, Twitter, January 23, 2019. 00:33:32 Vice President Mike Pence: Today, freedom broke out in Venezuela with the recognition of a new interim president in Juan Guaido, a courageous man who stepped forward, the President of the National Assembly who took the oath of office, and I couldn’t be more proud that at President Trump’s direction, the United States of America became the first country in the world to recognize President Guaido, and now many other nations join us as well. Video: Vice President Mike Pence Tweet about Venezuela, Twitter, January 22, 2019. Vice President Mike Pence: Hola. I’m Mike Pence, the Vice President of the United States, and on behalf of President Donald Trump and all the American people, let me express the unwavering support of the United States as you - the people of Venezuela - raise your voices in a call for freedom. Nicholas Maduro is a dictator with no legitimate claim to power. He’s never won the Presidency in a free and fair election and he’s maintained his grip on power by imprisoning anyone who dares to oppose him. The United States joins with all freedom loving nations in recognizing the National Assembly as the last vestige of democracy in your country, for it’s the only body elected by you, the people. As such, the United States supports the courageous decision by Juan Guaido, the President of your National Assembly, to assert that body’s constitutional powers, declare Maduro a usurper, and call for the establishment of a transitional government. As you make your voices heard tomorrow, on behalf of the American people, we say to all the good people of Venezuela, estamos con ustedes. We are with you. We stand with you and we will stay with you until democracy is restored and you reclaim your birthright of libertad. Muchas gracias y vayan con Dios. Hearing: Foreign Policy in the Western Hemisphere, House Foreign Affairs Committee, July 11, 2018. Witnesses: Kenneth Merten - Deputy Assistant secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Sarah-Ann Lynch - USAID Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean Sound Clips: 27:30 Chairman Ed Royce (CA): And meanwhile, despite sitting on the world's largest oil reserves, Venezuelan oil production has fallen by half in the last few years. Venezuela in the meantime has been sending several hundred thousand barrels of oil every day to China as repayment on the tens of billions of dollars it has borrowed. And more recently, China's development bank announced a new quarter-billion dollar investment to shore up Venezuela's struggling oil production. Video: You're Welcome, Duane Johnson, Moana, YouTube, November 28, 2019. Hearing: The Collapse of the Rule of Law in Venezuela, Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, July 19, 2017. Witness: Luis Almagro - Secretary General of the Organization of American States Sound Clips: 07:15 Senator Marco Rubio: I also know this, and I do not speak for the president, but I’ve certainly spoken to the president, and I will only reiterate what he has already said, and I’ve been saying this now for a number of days: it is my—I have 100% confidence that if democracy is destroyed once and for all in Venezuela on the 30th in terms of the Maduro regime, the president of the U.S. is prepared to act unilaterally in a significant and swift way. And that is not a threat; that is the reporting of the truth. Hearing: Full Committee Hearing Venezuela: Options for U.S. Policy, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, March 2, 2017. Witnesses: Dr. David Smilde - Professor at Tulane University & NYT writer Dr. Shannon O’Neil - Council on Foreign Relations Former equity analyst at Indosuez Capital and Credit Lyonnais Securities Member of the Board of Directors at Rassini, an multinational auto parts manufacturers that make parts for US auto companies Senior advisor for Latin America at Macro Advisory Partners, a multinational consulting firm founded in 2013 Mark Feierstein - Center for Strategic and International Studies Senior Advisor to the Albright Stonbridge Group CLS Strategies GBA Strategies Special assistant to President Obama and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs Former Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean at USAID Worked in State Dept and USAID in Clinton Administration Former principal at Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, an international political consulting firm Sound Clips: 21:53 Shannon O’Neil: Multilateral initiatives are perhaps more important and potentially more fruitful as a means to influence Venezuela. This will mean working behind the scenes to galvanize opposition and condemnation for the Maduro regime. This’ll be more effective than U.S. efforts alone as it will be much harder for the Venezuelan government to dismiss the criticisms and the actions of its South American neighbors as imperialist overreach. And such a coalition is much more possible today than in any time in the recent past, due both to the accelerating repression and the breaking of the last democratic norms in Venezuela, and due to the very different stances of South America’s recently elected leaders, particularly in Peru, in Brazil, and in Argentina. 41:12 Senator Bob Menendez: I’m pleased to have led a bipartisan and bicameral letter of my colleagues, urging the administration to take actions against the administration, and I look forward for a continuing engagement. But I hope we can work together to hold human-rights violators and drug traffickers, send a clear message, “If you’re going to violate rights of others inside of Venezuela, know that you’re next. Know that you’re next.” And while the Maduro regime may have sanctioned me and forbidden my entry into Venezuela, it will not stop me from pursuing this issue. Video Compilation: Either With Us or With the Terrorists - President George W. Bush, YouTube, May 26, 2013 Additional Reading Article: How Washington funded the counterrevolution in Venezuela by Tim Gill and Rebecca Hansen, The Nation, February 8, 2019. Statement: Pelosi statement on the situation in Venezuela, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, February 8, 2019. Article: Venezuela says plan from Miami delivered weapons for use by enemies of Maduro by Tim Johnson, McClatchy DC, February 7, 2019. Article: Senators fail to reach deal on recognizing Venezuela's Guaido, aide says by Daniel Flatley, Bloomberg, February 7, 2019. Article: Bipartisan Venezuela legislation fizzles over use of military force by Leigh Ann Caldwell and Josh Lederman, NBC News, February 6, 2019. Article: Spotify podcast acquisitions will bring a lot of money into tiny industry by Taylor Telford, The Washington Post, February 6, 2019. Article: Spotify technology S.A. announces financial results for fourth quarter 2018, Spotify Investors, February 6, 2019. Article: Trump's Venezuela envoy to testify to U.S. House panel amid crisis by Patricia Zengerle and Arshad Mohammed, Reuters, February 6, 2019. Article: Russia starts to worry Maduro's grip is slipping in Venezuela, The Moscow Times, February 6, 2019. Article: French, German farmers destroy crops after GMOs found in BAyer seeds by Sybille de La Hamaide, Reuters, February 6, 2019. Article: Venezuela opposition will name new Citgo board this week: WSJ, Reuters, February 6, 2019. Article: How the neocons captured Donald Trump by Brian D'Haeseleer, The Washington Post, February 5, 2019. Article: Lima group warns against Venezuela military intervention, France 24, February 5, 2019. Article: Maduro's allies: Who backs the Venezuelan regime? by Rocio Cara Labrador, Council on Foreign Relations, February 5, 2019. Article: What does it mean for the United States to recognize Juan Guaido as Venezuela's President? by Scott R. Anderson, Lawfare, February 1, 2019. Article: Venezuela opposition leader outlines plan to revive nation by Ryan Dube and Kejal Vyas, The Wall Street Journal, January 31, 2019. Article: Elliott Abrams, Trump's pick to bring "democracy" to Venezuela, has spent his life crushing democracy by John Schwarz, The Intercept, January 30, 2019. Article: U.S. push to oust Venezuela's Maduro marks first shot in plan to reshape Latin America by Jessica Donati, Vivian Salama, and Ian Talley, The Wall Street Journal, January 30, 2019. Article: The real reason why those foreign powers are so interested in Venezuela by Melik Kaylan, Forbes, January 29, 2019. Article: How Citgo, a U.S. oil company, became Venezuela's lifeline by Adam Taylor, The Washington Post, January 29, 2019. Article: US diplomat convicted over Iran-Contra appointed special envoy for Venezuela by Julian Borger, The Guardian, January 26, 2019. Tweet: America stands by the people of #Venezuela... Nancy Pelosi, Twitter, January 24, 2019. Article: Russia warns U.S. not to intervene in Venezuela as military backs Maduro by Ana Vanessa Herrero and Neil MacFarquhar, The New York Times, January 24, 2019. Tweet: The citizens of Venezuela have suffered for too long at... Donald J. Trump, January 23, 2019. Tweet: Today @POTUS announced the U.S. officially recognizes Juan Guaido as... Vice President Mike Pence, January 23, 2019. Tweet: .@POTUS & the US stand w/ the Venezuelan peopl eas they seek to regain their liberty from... Vice President Mike Pence, January 22, 2019. Article: Brazil's Bolsonaro pledges action to 'restore democracy' in Venezuela, Reuters, January 17, 2019. Article: Venezuela is in crisis. So how did Maduro secure a second term? by Ana Vanessa Herrero and Megan Specia, The New York Times, January 10, 2019. Article: Lima group says it won't recognize Maduro's new term as president of Venezuela by Jim Wyss, Miami Herald, January 4, 2019. Article: Trump taps ex-Boeing executive Patrick Shanahan as acting Defense Secretary by Darko Janjevic, DW, December 23, 2018. Article: Russia sends 2 nuclear-capable bombers to Venezuela by Vladimir Isachenkov, Navy Times, December 10, 2018. Article: Russia signs $6 billion investment deals with Venezuela, Maduro says, The Moscow Times, December 7, 2018. Press Release: Rubio, Van Hollen urge administration to investigate ZTE business with Venezuelan government, Marco Rubio Newsroom, November 28, 2018. Article: How ZTE helps Venezuela create China-style social control by Angus Berwick, Reuters, November 14, 2018. Article: Trump administration tightens sanctions gains Cuba, Venezuela by Courtney McBride, The Wall Street Journal, November 1, 2018. Article: Canada's Rusoro Mining reaches $1.3B deal with Venezuela by Cecilia Jamasmie, Mining.com, October 12, 2018. Article: Rusoro Mining has received a settlement proposal from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Rusoro Mining News, October 11, 2018. Article: Venezuela hands China more oil peresence, but no mention of new funds by Ben Blanchard and Alexandra Ulmer, Reuters, September 14, 2018. Article: Trump administration discussed coup plans with rebel Venezuelan officers by Ernesto Londono and Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, September 8, 2018. Article: A record-breaking market doesn't matter to most Americans by Helaine Olen, The Washington Post, August 22, 2018. Article: The politics of food in Venezuela by Ana Felicien, Christina Schiavoni, and Liccia Romero, Monthly Review, June 1, 2018.html) by William Neuman and Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, May 20, 2018. Article: Regional leaders call on Venezuela to suspend 'illegitimate' election by Eli Meixler, Time, May 15, 2018. Article: [Venezuela election won by Maduro amid widespread disillusionment](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/20/world/americas/venezuela-election. Article: US media ignore - and applaud - economic war on Venezuela by Gregory Shupak, Common Dreams, March 22, 2018. Article: Rusoro mining wins key U.S. court ruling confirming arbitration award, Rusoro Mining News, March 14, 2018. Article: Venezuela's Maduro calls for 'mega-election' that could cement his power by Rachelle Krygier, The Washington Post, February 22, 2018. Article: Venezuela opposition will boycott election, and Maduro tightens his hold by Ana Vanessa Herrero and Kirk Semple, The New York Times, February 21, 2018. Article: Venezuela launches virtual currency, hoping to resuscitate economy by Kirk Semple and Nathaniel Popper, The New York Times, February 20, 2018. Tweet: The world would support the Armed Forces in #Venezuela if they decide to... Marco Rubio, February 9, 2018. Article: Few challengers in sight, Venezuela sets April 22 for presidential vote by Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, February 7, 2018. Briefing: Background briefing on the Secretary's travel to Austin, Texas; Mexico City, Mexico; San Carlos Bariloche, Argentina; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Lima, Peru; Bogota, Colombia; and Kingston, Jamaica, Senior State Department Officials, U.S. Department of State, January 29, 2018. Article: Venezuela calls for early elections, and Maduro aims to retain control by Kirk Semple, The New York Times, January 23, 2018. Article: Tired of regional critics, Venezuela looks to Russia and China by Ernesto Londono, The New York Times, December 27, 2017. Article: Venezuela puts up roadblock for opposition in next presidential vote by Ana Vanessa Herrero, The New York Times, December 20, 2017. Article: As Venezuela opposition shuns vote, leader's party tightens grip on power by Kirk Semple, The New York Times, December 10, 2017. Article: Putin extends lifeline to cash-strapped Venezuela by Patrick Gillespie, CNN Business, November 15, 2017. Article: Venezuela's two legislatures duel, but only one has ammunition by Kirk Semple, The New York Times, November 3, 2017. Advisory: Reports from financial institutions are critical to stopping, deterring, and preventing the proceeds tied to suspected Venezuelan public corruption from moving through the U.S. financial system, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, September 20, 2017. Article: White House raises pressure on Venezuela with new financial sanctions by Clifford Krauss, The New York Times, August 25, 2017. Article: Venezuela's new, powerful assembly takes over legislature's duties by Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, August 18, 2017. Report: Vladimir's Venezuela - leveraging loans to Caracas, Moscow snaps up oil assets by Marianna Parraga and Alexandra Ulmer, Reuters, August 11, 2017. Article: Trump says military is 'locked and loaded' and North Korea will 'regret' threats by Peter Baker, The New York Times, August 11, 2017. Article: Venezuela's new assembly members share a goal: Stifle dissent by Nicholas Casey and Ana Vanessa Herrero, The New York Times, August 3, 2017. Article: Venezuela vote marred by violence, including candidate's death by Nicholas Casey, Patricia Torres, and Ana Vanessa Herrero, The New York Times, July 30, 2017. Article: Goldman buys $2.8 billion worth of Venezuelan bonds, and an uproar begins by Landon Thomas Jr., The New York Times, May 30, 2017. Article: Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela President, calls for a rewrite of the constitution by Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, May 1, 2017. Article: Venezuela says it will leave pro-democracy organization by Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, April 26, 2017. Article: Crisis-ridden Venezuela gave $500k to Trump inauguration by Patrick Gillespie and Flora Charner, CNN Money, April 20, 2017. Article: Venezuelan court revises ruling that nullified legislature by Nicholas Casey and Patricia Torres, The New York Times, April 1, 2017. Article: As criticism mounts, Venezuela asks high court revisit power grab by Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, March 31, 2017. Article: Venezuela muzzles legislature, moving closer to one-man rule by Nicholas Casey and Patricia Torres, The New York Times, March 30, 2017. Article: An actual American war criminal may become our second-ranking diplomat by Eric Alterman, The Nation, February 2, 2017. Article: What happened when Venezuela outlawed its own currency by Jeremy Ashkenas and Quoctrung Bui, The New York Times, December 30, 2016. Article: Venezuela: three opposition lawmakers resign in concession to Maduro, Reuters, November 15, 2016. Article: Venezuelan lawmakers vote to put President Nicolas Maduro on trial by Ana Vanessa Herrero and Elisabeth Malkin, The New York Times, October 25, 2016. Article: Venezuelan electoral panel halts effort to recall President Nicolas Maduro by Patricia Torres and Elisabeth Malkin, The New York Times, October 21 2016. Article: Venezuela's supreme court consolidates Nicolas Maduro's power by Elisabeth Malkin and Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, October 12, 2016. Article: O.A.S. issues rebuke to Venezuela citing threats to democracy by Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, May 31, 2016. Article: Venezuela panel clears the way for a process to oust Nicolas Maduro by Patricia Torres and Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, April 26, 2016. Article: Venezuela's court deals another blow to opposition lawmakers by Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, April 12, 2016. Article: In power struggle, Venezuela's high court declares parliament in contempt by Mery Mogollon and Chris Kraul, Los Angeles Times, January 11, 2016. Article: Venezuela: Court held lawmakers in contempt by Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, January 11, 2016. Article: Venezuela opposition takes reins of assembly as tensions rise by William Neuman and Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, January 5, 2016. Article: 9 opposition candidates barred from Venezuela's December ballot by William Neuman, The New York Times, August 23, 2015. Article: Venezuelan court rejects challenge to Presidential election results by William Neuman, The New York Times, August 7, 2013. Article: Kerry encourages Venezuela recount by William Neuman, The New York Times, April 17, 2013. Report: Study mission of the Carter Center in 2013 Presidential elections in Venezuela, The Carter Center, April 14, 2013. Article: Venezuela coup linked to Bush team by Ed Vulliamy, The Guardian, April 21, 2002. Article: Uprising in Venezuela: The government; Venezuela's chief forced to resign; civilian installed by Juan Forero, The New York Times, April 13, 2002. Article: 12 years of tortured truth on El Salvador by Guy Gugliotta and Douglas Farrah, The Washington Post, March 21, 1993. Article: Bush pardons Weinberger, 5 others in Iran-Contra;Act called cover-up by Robert Jackson and Ronald J. Ostrow, The Los Angeles Times, December 25, 1992. Article: Elliot Abrams admits his guild on 2 counts in Contra cover-up by David Johnston, The New York Times, October 8, 1991. Article: Aide says U.S. planes carried contra arms, Archives, The New York Times, August 15, 1987. Resources Bio: Elliot Abrams, Council on Foreign Affairs National Endowment for Democracy: Elliott Abrams, Council on Foreign Relations Community Suggestions See more Community Suggestions HERE. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)
Admiral Jim Stavridis & Ambassador Bill Brownfield discuss their partnership, their efforts to stop the flow of cocaine to the US, the rescue of US hostages, the transformation of Colombia and the situation in Venezuela.
Ready For Takeoff - Turn Your Aviation Passion Into A Career
Paul Strickland entered the Air Force in 1983, graduating with honors from OCS. Paul has had a distinguished and successful Air Force career logging over 3,900 hours in military aircraft including the A-10, F-5 and F-16. Paul served with various squadrons in the US, Europe, and Korea, flying combat missions during Operation Deny Flight over Bosnia, Operation Northern Watch over Iraq, and supporting Operation ALLIED FORCE over Kosovo as operations director, Combined Air Ops Center in Italy. In 1991, “Sticky” was named to the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron “Thunderbirds” as the #4, Slot pilot, Instructor Pilot, Flight Examiner, and Safety officer. While with the Thunderbirds, he logged over 160+ air shows throughout the United States and two overseas tours, flying in 11 European countries (and the first ever USAF demonstration in Hungary and Poland), and seven South American countries. “Sticky” commanded the 4th Fighter Squadron “Fuujins”, the 388 Ops Support Squadron “Raptors”, and the 8th Ops Group “Wolfpack” at Kunsan, Korea before serving with the Joint Staff, Pentagon as the Chief, Joint Operations Division, SOUTHCOM, until his retirement in 2006. “Sticky” is currently a pilot with Southwest Airlines.
Dr. Joshua Esposito is an instructor at Southern New Hampshire University and a staff historian for the United States Southern Command in Miami, Florida. Here he talks about his research and teaching interests, his experiences in graduate school, and the career path that took him to SOUTHCOM. Dr. Esposito can be reached at j.esposito@snhu.edu. Rob Denning can be reached at snhuhistory@gmail.com or r.denning@snhu.edu. Follow us on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/FilibusterHist.
The Attorney General and the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security are the most powerful domestic law enforcement officers in the United States government. In this episode, hear critical highlights from the confirmation hearings of President Trump's nominees for those jobs: Senator Jeff Sessions for Attorney General and General John Kelly for Secretary of DHS. Please support Congressional Dish: Click here to contribute with PayPal or Bitcoin Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Mail Contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North #4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD098: USA Freedom Act: Privatization of the Patriot Act Sound Clip Sources Hearing: Attorney General Nomination, Senate Committee on the Judicary, January 10, 2017 Watch on C-SPAN Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Timestamps & Transcripts Part 1 1:12:10 Senator Chuck Grassley: During the course of the presidential campaign, you made a number of statements about the investigation of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, relating to her handling of sensitive emails and regarding certain actions of the Clinton Foundation. You weren’t alone in that criticism—I was certainly critical in the same way, as were millions of Americans, on those matters—but now you’ve been nominated to serve as Attorney General. In light of those comments that you made, some have expressed concern about whether you can approach the Clinton matter impartially in both fact and appearance. How do you plan to address those concerns? Jeff Sessions Mr. Chairman, it was a highly contentious campaign. I, like a lot of people, made comments about the issues in that campaign with regard to Secretary Clinton, and some of the comments I made, I do believe that that could place my objectivity in question. I’ve given that thought. I believe the proper thing for me to do would be to recuse myself from any questions involving those kind of investigations that involve Secretary Clinton that were raised during the campaign or could be otherwise connected to it. Sen. Grassley: Okay. I think it’s—let me emphasize, then, with a followup question. To be very clear, you intend to recuse yourself from both the Clinton email investigation, any matters involving the Clinton Foundation, if there are any. Sessions: Yes 1:22:55 Senator Diane Feinstein: Appearing on the TV show 60 Minutes, the president-elect said that the issue of same-sex marriage was “already settled. It’s law. It was settled in the Supreme Court. It’s done, and I’m fine with that.” Do you agree that the issue of same-sex marriage is settled law? Jeff Sessions: Supreme Court has ruled on that. The dissents dissented vigorously, but it was five to four, and five justices on the Supreme Court—a majority of the court—have established the definition of marriage for the entire United States of America, and I will follow that decision. 1:30:05 Senator Orrin Hatch: In the 108th Congress, you introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 77, expressing the sense of the Congress that federal obscenity laws should be vigorously enforced throughout the United States. It passed the Senate unanimously—it pleased it, too. In fact, it is the only resolution on this subject ever passed by either the Senate or the House. Now, Senator Sessions, with your permission I want to share with you that resolution adopted last year by the Utah legislature outlining why pornography should be viewed as a public health problem, as well as some of the latest research into the harms of obscenity. Is it still your view that federal laws prohibiting adult obscenity should be vigorously enhanced? Jeff Sessions: Mr. Chairman, those laws are clear, and they are being prosecuted today and should be—continue to be effectively and vigorously prosecuted in the cases that are appropriate. Sen. Hatch: In making this a priority for the Justice Department, would you consider reestablishing a specific unit dedicated to prosecuting this category of crime? Sessions: So, that unit has been disbanded—I’m not sure I knew that, but it was a part of the Department of Justice for a long time, and I would consider that. 1:49:40 Senator Patrick Leahy: Do you agree with the president-elect, the United States can or should deny entry to all members of a particular religion? Jeff Sessions: Senator Leahy, I believe the president-elect has, subsequent to that statement, made clear that he believes the focus should be on individuals coming from countries that have history of terrorism, and he’s also indicated that his policy, and what he suggests, is strong vetting of people from those countries before they’re admitted to the United States. 1:55:35 Senator Lindsey Graham: What’s your view of Obama’s administration’s interpretation of the Wire Act law to allow online video poker, or poker gambling? Jeff Sessions: Senator Graham, I was shocked at the memorandum, I guess the enforcement memorandum, that the Department of Justice issued with regard to the Wire Act and criticized it. Apparently, there is some justification or argument that can be made to support the Department of Justice’s position, but I did oppose it when it happened, and it seemed to me to be an unusual— Graham: Would you revisit it? Sessions: I would revisit it, and I would make a decision about it based on careful study. 2:12:55 Senator Dick Durbin: Senator Graham asked this question, and I listened to your answer when he asked you what would happen to those 800,000 currently protected by President Obama’s executive order, known as DACA, who cannot be deported for two years—it’s renewable—and can work for two years, and you said, let Congress pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill. You opposed the only bipartisan effort that we’ve had on the Senate floor in modern memory. And what’s going to happen to those 800,000, if you revoke that order and they are subject to deportation tomorrow, what is going to happen to them? What is the humane, legal answer to that? Jeff Sessions: Well, the first thing I would say is that my response to Senator Graham dealt with whose responsibility this is. I had a responsibility as a member of this body to express my view and vote as I believed was correct on dealing with issues of immigration. That’s not the attorney general’s role; the attorney general’s role is to enforce the law. And as you know, Senator Durbin, we’re not able financially or any other way to seek out and remove everybody that’s in the country illegally. President Trump has indicated that criminal aliens, like President Obama indicated, certainly are the top group of people, and so I would think that the best thing for us to do—and I would urge colleagues that we understand this—let’s fix this system. And then we can work together, after this lawlessness has been ended, and then we can ask the American people and enter into a dialogue about how to compassionately treat people who’ve been here a long time. Durbin: That does not answer the question about 800,000 who would be left in the lurch, whose lives would be ruined while you’re waiting on Congress for a bill that you opposed. Sessions: Well, I thought it did answer it pretty closely about what you asked, and I understand your concerns. 2:31:10 Senator Sheldon Whitehouse: As a question of law, does waterboarding constitute torture? Jeff Sessions: Well, there was a dispute about that when we had the torture definition in our law. The Department of Justice memorandum concluded that it did not necessarily prohibit that, but Congress has taken an action now that makes is absolutely improper and illegal to use waterboarding or any other form of torture in the United States by our military and by all our other departments and agencies. 2:54:50 Senator Amy Klobuchar: If you could just explain your views of the Voting Rights Act moving forward and what would happen in terms of enforcement if you were attorney general. Jeff Sessions: The Voting Rights Act that passed in 1965 was one of the most important acts to deal with racial difficulties that we face, and it changed the whole course of history, particularly in the South. There was a clear finding that there were discriminatory activities in the South that a number of states were systematically denying individuals the right to vote. And you go back into the history, you can see it plainly: actions and rules and procedures were adopted in a number of states, with the specific purpose of blocking African Americans from voting, and it was just wrong, and the Voting Rights Act confronted that. And it, in effect, targeted certain states and required any, even the most minor, changes in voting procedure, like moving a precinct across— Klobuchar: So, how would you approach this going forward? For instance, the Fifth Circuit’s decision that the Texas voter ID law discriminates against minority voters, that was written by a Bush appointee, do you agree with that decision? How would you handle this moving forward? Sessions: Well, I have not studied that. There’s going to be a debate about it, courts are ruling on it now, and that is a voter ID and whether or not that is an improper restriction on voting that adversely impacts disproportionately minority citizens. So that’s a matter that’s got to be decided. On the surface of it, it doesn’t appear to me to be that. I have publicly said I think voter ID laws properly drafted are okay, but as attorney general it’ll be my duty to study the facts in more depth to analyze the law, but fundamentally, that can be decided by Congress and the courts. 3:10:33 Senator Ben Sasse: This administration has made the case regularly that they need to exercise prosecutorial discretion because of limited resources—and, obviously, there aren’t infinite resources in the world—so what are some proper instances, in your view, when an administration might not enforce a law? Jeff Sessions:Well, critics of the immigration enforcement, the DAPA and the DACA laws, said that the prosecutorial-discretion argument went too far. It basically just eliminated the laws from the books. Secondly, with regard to that, the president’s executive—well, the order came from homeland security, not from the Department of Justice, but homeland security’s order not only said we’re not going to force the law, with regard to certain large classifications of people, but those people who’d not been given legal status under the laws of the United States were given photo IDs, work authorization, and social security numbers, and the right to participate in these government programs that would appear to be contrary to existing law. So that would, to me, suggest an overreach. Part 2 1:19:12 Senator Patrick Leahy: Would you use our federal resources to investigate and prosecute sick people who are using marijuana in accordance with their state laws even though it might violate federal law? Jeff Sessions: Well, I won’t commit to never enforcing federal law, Senator Leahy, but absolutely it’s a problem of resources for the federal government. The Department of Justice under Lynch and Holder set forth some policies that they thought were appropriate to define what cases should be prosecuted in states that have legalized, at least in some fashion, some parts of marijuana. Leahy: Do you agree with those guidelines? Sessions: I think some of them are truly valuable in evaluating cases, but fundamentally, the criticism I think that was legitimate is that they may not have been followed. Using good judgment about how to handle these cases will be a responsibility of mine. I know it won’t be an easy decision, but I will try to do my duty in a fair and just way. 1:25:13 Senator Mike Lee: Are there separation-of-powers concerns arising out of the Department of Justice’s current approach to state marijuana laws? Jeff Sessions: Well, I think one obvious concern is that the United States Congress has made the possession of marijuana, in every state, and distribution of it an illegal act. If that’s something is not desired any longer, Congress should pass a law to change the rule. It’s not so much the attorney general’s job to decide what laws to enforce; we should do our job and enforce laws effectively as we’re able. 1:48:18 Senator Dianne Feinstein: Thanks very much, Mr. Chairman. Just to begin, I would like to ask unanimous consent that all statements and written testimony sent to the committee concerning Senator Sessions be made part of the record, and I have some testimonies and letters. Chairman: Without objection, so ordered. Feinstein: Thank you very much. Senator Sessions, when I was a small child, it was during World War II, and my father took me to a racetrack south of San Francisco called Tanforan, and it had become a detention camp for Japanese American citizens, and during the length of World War II, well, thousands of families were held in this compound. And we checked with CRS that says no Japanese American was ever convicted of any sabotage against the United States during that period of time. Senator Lee, Senator Cruz, and I have tried together to enact a bill to assure that no American citizen or lawful permanent resident detained in the United States can be held indefinitely without charge or trial, pursuant to authorization of military force. So, here’s the question: do you believe that the government can, pursuant to a general authorization to use military force, indefinitely detain Americans in the United States without charge or trial? Jeff Sessions: Senator Feinstein, that’s an important question. Classically, the answer is yes. Classically, if you captured a German soldier, they could be held until the war ended. That was done, I’m sure, at the Civil War and most wars since. Feinstein: I’m talking about Americans. Sessions: I hear you. So, then, the question is, we’re in a war like we have now that’s gone on multiple years, and I would think the principal of law certainly would appear to be valid, but as reality dawns on us and wars might be even longer, it’s on us to discuss those issues. So I respect your willingness to think about that and what we should do, but in general I do believe, as Senator Graham has argued forcefully for many years, that we are in a war, and when members who—unlike the Japanese who were never proven to be associated with a military regime like the Japanese government, these individuals would have to be proven to be connected to a designated enemy of the United States. So I’ve probably explained more than I should, but that’s basically the arguments and the issues we’re facing. I respect your concerns, and I’m sure they will continue to be debated in the future. Feinstein: Well, let me just say a few things about that. I’ve served on the intelligence committee for fifteen years. I read all of it. I think I know as much as anybody about what’s happening in the United States, and this is not—these are Americans that we’re talking about. They can be picked up and detained and held without charge— Sessions: You’re talking about Americans. Feinstein: —of trial indefinitely. And that should not be the case. Sessions: Well, I understand your point, and a citizen of the United States has certain important rights. They cannot be abrogated. It is absolutely so. They cannot be detained without undergoing a habeas review, and the government surely has to prove that they are indeed connected sufficiently with an enemy action against the United States, so they couldn’t be detained. Feinstein: Well, I appreciate that. 1:52:32 Senator Dianne Feinstein: You were one of nine senators to vote against the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005. It prohibited the imposition of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment of any person in the custody or control of U.S. personnel. You also voted against an amendment sponsored by Senator McCain in the 2016 Defense Authorization bill to limit interrogations to the techniques provided by the army field manual, which does not include waterboarding. Do you agree that the CIA’s former enhanced interrogation techniques, including waterboarding, are prohibited by this provision of law as now codified at 42 U.S.C. 2000dd? Jeff Sessions: It does appear to be clear that on the last act and McCain amendment would prohibit waterboarding. Feinstein:And you would enforce that. Sessions: I would enforce the law, yes. Feinstein: Thank you very much. 1:56:50 Senator John Kennedy: My name is John Kennedy. That’s really my name. 2:01:33 Senator John Kennedy: When a radical Islamic terrorist drives a truck into a group of people and kills them, we’re told that we should not judge all Muslims by the act of a few. And I agree with that. Don’t you think the same rule ought to apply when one or two law enforcement officers make a mistake? Don’t you think that same rule ought to apply to all the other 99.9 percent law enforcement officials out there who just get up every day and go to work and try to protect us? Jeff Sessions: Well, I really do. And I think those of us in high public office do need to be cautious about demeaning whole departments and whole groups of people, because within those, most any department you can find in America, surely most of the people are just wonderful public servants trying to do the right thing. So when we say these things, we can increase risk for them, we can make it harder for them to have relationships with the constituents where they’re serving, and actually result in an increase in crime and ineffectiveness in law enforcement. So, boy, these issues are—we can’t miss these issues. Kennedy: No. Part 3 3:20 Senator Sheldon Whitehouse: Does a secular attorney have anything to fear from an Attorney General Sessions in the Department of Justice? Jeff Sessions: Well, no, and I used that word in the ninety-thousand-foot level of a little concern I have that we as a nation, I believe, are reaching a level in which truth is not sufficiently respected, that the very ideal, the idea, of truth is not believed to be real, and that all of life is just a matter of your perspective and my perspective, which I think is contrary to the American heritage. So that’s just a kind of a criticism of mine, but we are not a theocracy, nobody should be required to believe anything. I share Thomas Jefferson’s words on the Memorial over here—I swear eternal hostility over any domination of the mind of man—and I think we should respect people’s views and not demand any kind of religious test for holding office. Whitehouse: And a secular person has just as good a claim to understanding the truth as a person who is religious, correct? Sessions: Well, I’m not sure. In what method? Is it less objectively committed to— Whitehouse: In the methods that an attorney would bring to bear a case. Sessions: Well, let me just say we’re going to treat anybody with different views fairly and objectively. 59:04 Senator Chris Coons: We worked together to restore funding to the federal public defender service when it was cut by sequestration, and I think that’s because we both agreed that outcomes are more fair when there’s effective representation on both sides. One of the amendments I offered to that immigration bill would have provided counsel to children who were applying for refugee status because they were fleeing violence in their home countries, in U.S. immigration proceedings. Is that something you would support? Jeff Sessions: Senator Coons, as I understand it, that is the law, that you cannot provide lawyers to illegal entrants into the country, and I don’t believe it makes a distinguished—it distinguishes between minors and adults, but I may be wrong about that. I presume that’s why you’ve offered legislation to that effect to change established law, but in general I do not believe we can afford nor should we undertake to provide free lawyers for everybody that enters the country unlawfully. I think that would be a massive undertaking. So you’re talking about children specifically, I understand that. Coons: Specifically doesn’t matter... Sessions: And I think that’s a matter that Congress would need to decide what to do about. 1:02:25 Jeff Sessions: I would not favor a registry of Muslims in the United States—no, I would not—and I think we should avoid surveillance of religious institutions unless there’s a basis to believe that a dangerous or threatening illegal activity could be carried on there. 1:28:03 Senator Lindsey Graham: Let’s talk about the law of war. I think you were asked by Senator Feinstein about the indefinite detention. Hamdi v. Rumsfeld—this is Sandra Day O’Connor’s quote: There is no bar to this nation’s holding one of its own citizens as an enemy combatant—that case involved a U.S. citizen that was captured in Afghanistan and was held as an enemy combatant. Are you familiar with that case? Jeff Sessions: Generally, yes. Not as familiar as you, but I know you’ve studied at great depth. Graham: Well, this has been a military law. This is sort of part of what I did. Do your constitutional rights as a U.S. citizen stop at the nation’s shores, or do they follow you wherever you go? Sessions: Well, you have certain rights wherever you go. Graham: So if you go to Paris, you don’t give up your Fourth Amendment right against illegal search and seizure. Could the FBI break into your hotel room in Paris and, basically, search your room without a warrant? Sessions:I don’t believe— Graham :No, they can’t. Your constitutional rights attach to you. So, to the people who say, well, he was in Afghanistan—that doesn’t matter. What the court is telling us, no American citizen has a constitutional right to join the enemy at a time of war. In Ray Quirin—that case involved German saboteurs who landed in Long Island. Are you familiar with this? Sessions: I’m very familiar with that case. I have read it. Graham: They were German saboteurs and had American-citizen contacts in the United States. They were all seized by the FBI and tried by the military. So, what I would tell Senator Feinstein and my other colleagues—the law is well settled here, that a United States citizen in other wars have been held as enemy combatants when the evidence suggests they collaborated with the enemy. Under the current law, if you’re suspected of being an enemy combatant, within a certain period of time—sixty days, I think—the government has to present you to a federal judge and prove by preponderance of the evidence that you’re a member of the organization they claim you to be a member of. Are you familiar with that—your habeas rights? Sessions: Correct, yes. Graham: So, as to how long an enemy combatant can be held, traditionally under the law of war, people are taken off the battlefield until the war is over or they’re no longer a danger. Does that make sense to you? Sessions: It does make sense, and that is my understanding of the traditional law of war. Graham: And the law of war is designed to, like, win the war. The laws around the law of war are designed to deal with conflicts and to take people off the battlefield—you can kill or capture them—and there’s no requirement like domestic criminal law, at a certain point in time they have to be presented for trial, because the goal of the law of war is to protect the nation and make sure you win the war. So when you capture somebody who’s been adjudicated a member of the enemy force, there is no concept in military law or the law of war that you have to release them in an arbitrary date because that would make no sense. So, all I’m saying is that I think you’re on solid ground and this idea of an American citizen being an enemy combatant is part of the history of the law of war, and I am very willing to work with my colleagues and make sure that indefinite detention is reasonably applied and that we can find due process rights that don’t exist in traditional law of war because this is a war without end. When do you think this war will be over? Do you think we’ll know when it’s over? Sessions: I’ve asked a number of witnesses in armed services about that, and it’s pretty clear we’re talking about decades before we have a complete alteration of this spasm in the Middle East that just seems to have legs and will continue for some time. That’s most likely what would happen. Graham: You’re about to embark on a very important job at an important time, and here’s what my suggestion would be: that we work with the Congress to come up with a legal regime that recognizes that gathering intelligence is the most important activity against radical Islam. The goal is to find out what they know. Do you agree with that? Sessions: That is a critical goal. Graham:And I have found that under military law and military intelligence gathering, no manual I’ve ever read suggested that reading Miranda rights is the best way to gather information. As a matter of fact, I’ve been involved in this business for 33 years, and if a commander came to me as a J.A.G. and said, we just captured somebody on the battlefield—you name the battlefield—they want their rights read to them, I would tell them they’re not entitled to Miranda rights. They’re entitled to Geneva Convention treatment, they’re entitled to humane treatment, they’re entitled to all the things that go with the Geneva Convention because the court has ruled that enemy combatants are subject to Geneva Convention protections. So, I just want to let you know, from my point of view, that we’re at war; I’m encouraged to hear that the new attorney general recognizes the difference between fighting a crime and fighting a war and that the next time we capture bin Laden’s son-in-law—if he’s got any more—I hope we don’t read him his Miranda rights in two weeks. I hope we keep him, humanely, as long as necessary to interrogate him to find out what the enemy may be up to. Does that make sense to you? Sessions:Well, it does. We didn’t give Miranda warnings to German and Japanese prisoners we captured, and it’s never been part of the—so they’re being detained and they’re subject to being interrogated properly and lawfully any time, any day, and they’re not entitled to a lawyer, and so forth. Graham: Right. And Miranda didn’t exist back in World War II, but it does now, but the law of the Hamdi case says this is very important, that you do not have to read an enemy combatant the Miranda rights. They do have a right to counsel in a habeas pursuit— Sessions: In a habeas corpus, you’re correct. Graham: —to see if the government got it right; you can hold them as long as it’s necessary for intelligence gathering; and you can try them in Article III course, you can try them in military commissions. As attorney general of the United States, would you accept that military commissions could be the proper venue under certain circumstances for terrorists? Sessions: Yes. Graham: Thank you. Hearing: Nomination of General John F. Kelly, USMC (Ret.) to be Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Government Affairs, January 10, 2017. Watch on C-SPAN Timestamps & Transcripts 1:37:18 Senator Kamala Harris: I’d like to ask you a few questions, starting with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, also known as DACA. Hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients around the country are afraid right now for what this incoming administration might do to them and also what it might do to their unauthorized family members. In order to receive DACA, these young people submitted extensive paperwork to the federal government, including detailed information regarding themselves and their loved ones. They also had to qualify, as you know, for the program; and in qualifying, each person’s case was reviewed and determined on a case-by-case basis: the young person must have not been convicted of a felony or a significant misdemeanor or three or more misdemeanors; the young person must also not be deemed to pose a threat to national security or public safety; the young person must currently be in school, have graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school, have obtained a general-education development certificate, also known as GED, and/or have been honorably discharged as a veteran of the Coast Guard or armed forces of the United States. Among other things, DACA applicants must submit proof of identity, proof of time and admission in the United States, proof of relevant student school completion or military status, and biometric information. As part of the DACA application process, we conduct biometric and biographic background checks against a variety of databases maintained by DHS and other federal agencies. If a DACA applicant knowingly makes a misrepresentation or fails to disclose facts in an effort to obtain DACA, it is a felony, and the applicant will be treated as an immigration-enforcement priority to the fullest extent permitted by law and be subject to criminal prosecution and/or removal from the United States. This means, obviously, that applicants to DACA know that if they’re not giving us the whole truth about their story, they’re putting a target on their own backs. At the time, the Department of Homeland Security assure them that it would follow its long-standing practice of not using such information for law-enforcement purposes except in very limited circumstances. These young people are now worried that the information that they provided in good faith to our government may now be used to track them down and lead to their removal. So my question is, do you agree that under DACA, and those young people have relied—by hundreds of thousands of them have relied—on our representations, do you agree with that, that we would not use this information against them? General John Kelly: The entire development of immigration policy is ongoing right now in terms of the upcoming administration. I have not been involved in those discussions. If confirmed, I know I will be involved in those discussions. I think there’s a big spectrum of people who need to be dealt with in terms of deportation— Harris: I’m speaking specifically about DACA.General Kelly: —and those categories would be prioritized. I would guess—I’m not part of the process right now—I would guess that this category might not be the highest priority for removal. I promise you, Senator, that I will be involved in the discussion. 1:45:00 Senator Rand Paul: We have on the books, and we passed about five years ago, a law that says that an American citizen can be indefinitely detained—not an American citizen overseas, not someone captured in Syria on a battlefield. Someone captured in the United States and accused of terrorism—accused of terrorism—can be kept indefinitely. They could be sent to Guantanamo Bay, but they could be sent to a variety of places. It’s never been used—and this president has said he wouldn’t use it, but he signed it anyway, much to the chagrin of some of us—but it is on the books. And I guess my question to you would be, do you think we can adequately arrest people in our country who are somehow a threat to our homeland security? Do you think the Constitution could be good enough, that due process in our courts of law in our country would work? Or would you think there’re going to have to be times when we’re just going to have to detain people without trial? General John Kelly: I’m pretty committed to the Constitution. I was not aware of the law—it surprises me—but I think we have enough laws to help us out in that regard. Paul: A couple of years ago they decided they’d use license plate screeners, and, apparently, they’re very rapid and they can collect hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands, of license plates an hour. But they decided they would go to a gun show, and why this particularly concerns me is you could also conceive the people at a gun show as exercising some sort of freedom of speech or some sort of ideological belief by being at a gun show, not just wanting to buy a gun, but actually defending their Second Amendment right to buy a gun. What alarms me is that if we’re going to scan license plates at a gun show, that we might go to a pro-life rally or a pro-abortion rally, depending on who’s in charge. I don’t want the government scanning people’s license plates. I don’t want them covering and getting all of our data just so we can possibly be safe some day from something. I want the individual to be protected, but I’m not against Homeland Security going after individuals and digging as deep as you want with the proper process. So what I would ask you is your opinion on how do we defend the country? Can we do it with the traditions of looking at individuals for whom we have suspicion, or are we going to have to collect all of this data and give up our privacy in the process? General Kelly: Senator, I would go with the traditional route. The scanning of the license plates, I mean, may be a reason—I can’t think of one right now. I’m not for the mass collection of data on people. I’d go the other way. Paul: And this is an amazing amount of information we can look at. If you had all the information of everyone’s Visa purchases in the country, there’s no end. But realize that this is a big part of what your job is, is people are going to be coming to you saying, protect us; we want to be safe, but at the same time, what are we willing to give up? Can we keep what we actually believe and what we are as a people, the freedom that you are committed to as a soldier? And I hope you’ll keep that in mind. General Kelly: Sir. Paul: Thank you. 2:15:08 General John Kelly: My law-enforcement friends tell me that in the case of drugs that come in—frankly, I’m not arguing for legalization for marijuana here; I’m just saying that the only drugs I’ve really ever concerned myself with at SouthCom were the three hard drugs. All the marijuana flow that we saw was coming from some of the Caribbean islands, south. So I’d just focus on the hard drugs. Hearing: Is the Department of Justice Adequately Protecting the Public from the Impact of State Recreational Marijuana Legalization?, Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, April 05, 2016. Watch on YouTube Senate Session: Republican Senators on Surveillance Bill Reauthorization, May 15, 2015. Jeff Sessions speaks at 28:18 Senate Session: Jeff Sessions Mocks Karl Rove, June 21, 2013. Additional Reading Article: 10 Things You Didn't Know about Gen. John Kelly by Sara Clarke, US News, January 17, 2017. Article: 10 things to know about Sen. Jeff Sessions, Donald Trump's pick for Attorney General by Amber Phillips, The Washington Post, January 10, 2017. Article: Sessions failed to disclose oil interests as required, ethics experts say by Tom Hamburger, The Washington Post, January 9, 2017. Article: Trump picks retired General John Kelly to lead Homeland Security, report says by Ben Jacobs and Spencer Ackerman, The Guardian, December 7, 2016. Article: Bowe Bergdahl, Facing Desertion Trial, Asks Obama for Pardon by Charlie Savage, New York Times, December 2, 2016. Webpage: State Marijuana Laws in 2016 Map, Governing the States and Localities, November 11, 2016. Article: Gutting Habeas Corpus by Liliana Segura, The Intercept, May 4, 2016. Press Release: Senators Introduce Restoration of America's Wire Act, Senator Dianne Feinstein, June 24, 2015. Article: The Destruction of Defendant's Rights by Lincoln Caplan, The New Yorker, June 21, 2015. Commentary: The Wire Act Ñ Don't Fix What Isn't Broken by John Pappas, Roll Call, March 18, 2015. Article: Department Of Justice Flip-Flops On Internet Gambling by Nathan Vardi, Forbes, December 23, 2011. Article: Holder accused of neglecting porn by Josh Gerstein, Politico, April 16, 2011. Article: American Lawbreaking by Tim Wu, Slate, October 15, 2007. Justice Dept. Memo May 5, 2005. Supreme Court Opinion: Hamdi vs Rumsfeld by Justice O'Connor, Supreme Court, June 28, 2004. References Legal Dictionary at Cornell University: Habeas Corpus U.S. Code: Production and transportation of obscene matters for sale or distribution Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations
Cutting Through the Matrix with Alan Watt Podcast (.xml Format)
--{ Lucky? -- Off Miami, SOUTHCOM's Fleet Was On its Feet: "SOUTHCOM to the Rescue as Haitians Suffer, Fleet was Ready, 'fore the Quake, to Go in as a Buffer, Practicing for Future Hurricane, the Fleet was on Standby To Sail Saviours to Haiti (Brings Tears into the Eye,) H.A.A.R.P. was Playing Merrily Right Up into the Quake, At the End it Ceased Completely, Says Tokyo, Goodness Sake! Standing Wave's a Powerful Weapon, Goes Almost Undetected, And Government Pulls Out Experts So Opinion is Deflected, Mightier than A-Bomb, Causing Quakes, Floods, Famine, Drought, Best of All, it is Deniable, the People Left in Doubt" © Alan Watt }-- Meeting of 1937-8 RIIA-CFR, Internationalism, Saving Soviet Union at all costs - Public Fed Ideas, Culture, Music - Thesis-Antithesis-Synthesis - Bank Collapses "No-one Saw Coming". Practice Exercises for Attacks on Sept. 11 2001 and 7-7 London Bombings - Disaster Rehearsal Exercise for Haitian Earthquake beforehand - Tectonic Weaponry, HAARP Pulse and Aerial Spraying, UN Weather Warfare Treaty - Guilt by Preponderance of Evidence - Induction Magnetometer to Measure Frequency Activity. War on Terror as "Crusade" - Bible Passages on UK Sniper Gunsights. Association for "Voluntary" Sterilization. Interdependence (Complete Dependence) - 2012 UN Earth Summit in Brazil, Sustainability and "Green" Economy. Brzezinski's "Grand Chessboard", Urged on Afghanistanis against Russia in "Holy War", Organization of Revolts / Revolutions - India and Pakistan. Presentation of "Conspiracy Theories" in Fictional Manner / Entertainment - Cognitive Dissonance - Ulterior Reasons for Public "Disclosure". Sickness, Disability and Death from Tamiflu Drug. (See http://www.cuttingthroughthematrix.com for article links.) *Title/Poem and Dialogue Copyrighted Alan Watt - Jan. 21, 2010 (Exempting Music, Literary Quotes, and Callers' Comments)
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