With guest co-host Kelley Lane we talk about what we’re observing in real life in the days before the 2020 election, rallies, polls, fearmongering and the extraordinary measures that have been put in place for this election. We talk about our concerns and in a bonus segment about our predictions for outcomes and things that might happen.
Guests: Tim Canova and Kelley Lane tell the story of Tim Canova’s experience running in the Democratic primary against Debbie Wasserman-Schultz in Florida’s 23rd district in 2016 and running again in the general election as an independent in 2018. We also talk about election integrity issues and the upcoming 2020 presidential election.
Guest: Aaron Maté. We talk about OPCW whistleblowers, Jose Bustani and Aaron’s testimony at the UN. We also discuss recent developments in the Russiagate conspiracy and pay tribute to the great Stephen Cohen, prominent scholar, professor and author. There is a bonus segment for patrons about who was behind the pressuring of OPCW and for what purpose. Ep 189EXTRA Relentless Pressure on OPCW feat Aaron Maté
Guest: Aaron Maté. We talk about OPCW whistleblowers, Jose Bustani and Aaron’s testimony at the UN. We also discuss recent developments in the Russiagate conspiracy and pay tribute to the great Stephen Cohen, prominent scholar, professor and author. There is a bonus segment for patrons about who was behind the pressuring of OPCW and for what purpose. Ep 189EXTRA Relentless Pressure on OPCW feat Aaron Maté
Guest: Mohamed Elmaazi. We talk about the Assange extradition hearings, what transpired in weeks 3 and 4 and what procedures lie ahead in this process. Mohamed has been providing continuous coverage of the extradition hearings both last year and this year from the press annex of the different court facilities or from nearby facilities via video link when in person coverage wasn’t possible.
Guest: Alastair Crooke. In a recent article, Alastair said: “Theories of human ‘Progress’ as an upward-trending, linear continuum, inevitably leading to ‘a better human end’, though clothed today as technological ‘miracles’, were never empirical hypotheses. They were always concocted myths, answering to a human need for meaning, yet manipulated ruthlessly in the interests of power.” Alastair argues that these kinds of “struggles” have a long and bloody history. Politics in the United States in 2020 have been configured into a crusade against a “cosmic evil” and we seem to be barreling toward a major crisis from which we must not avert our gaze. We go into detail on these topics and Alastair offers an insider’s view of how we got to this point. There is a bonus segment for patrons, Ep 187EXTRA: Underlying Political and Ideological Battles in 2020, about who the key players are in this epic battle, what their goals are and to what lengths they are willing to take all of this.
Guest: Alastair Crooke. In a recent article, Alastair said: “Theories of human ‘Progress’ as an upward-trending, linear continuum, inevitably leading to ‘a better human end’, though clothed today as technological ‘miracles’, were never empirical hypotheses. They were always concocted myths, answering to a human need for meaning, yet manipulated ruthlessly in the interests of power.” Alastair argues that these kinds of “struggles” have a long and bloody history. Politics in the United States in 2020 have been configured into a crusade against a “cosmic evil” and we seem to be barreling toward a major crisis from which we must not avert our gaze. We go into detail on these topics and Alastair offers an insider’s view of how we got to this point. This is a bonus segment for patrons, Ep 187EXTRA: Underlying Political and Ideological Battles in 2020, about who the key players are in this epic battle, what their goals are and to what lengths they are willing to take all of this.
Guest: Neda Bolourchi. We talk about the recent developments with the JCPOA, withdrawal from Iran deal and how the Trump administration is trying to “have its cake and eat it too”. We discuss the happenings in the UN general assembly and UN Security Council, the news of troop withdrawals from Iraq and a lot more. There is an extra bonus segment for patrons: Ep 186EXTRA Middle East Prospects in the New Cold War Era.
Guest: Neda Bolourchi. We talk about the recent developments with the JCPOA Iran deal and how the Trump administration is trying to “have its cake and eat it too”. We discuss the happenings in the UN general assembly and UN Security Council, the news of troop withdrawals from Iraq and a lot more. This is an extra bonus segment for patrons: Ep 186EXTRA Middle East Prospects in the New Cold War Era.
Guest: Danny Sjursen. We talk about his new book Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War. We talk about the ways that Danny has broken down, categorized and explained the various forms of patriotism and dissent that he sees. He also talks about his own personal evolution in his views of these things. He gives some examples of people in American history who dissented and why that gives him cause for some optimism. One of the people who urged Danny to write this book, Robert Scheer, said: “Sjursen calls for a critical exploration of our allegiances, and suggests a path to a new, more complex notion of patriotism. Equal parts somber and idealistic, this is a story about what it means to be an American in the midst of perpetual war, and what the future of patriotism might look like.” There is an extra bonus segment for patrons: Ep 185EXTRA 9/11 in 2020.
Guest: Danny Sjursen. We talk about his new book Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War. We talk about the ways that Danny has broken down, categorized and explained the various forms of patriotism and dissent that he sees. He also talks about his own personal evolution in his views of these things. He gives some examples of people in American history who dissented and why that gives him cause for some optimism. One of the people who urged Danny to write this book, Robert Scheer, said: “Sjursen calls for a critical exploration of our allegiances, and suggests a path to a new, more complex notion of patriotism. Equal parts somber and idealistic, this is a story about what it means to be an American in the midst of perpetual war, and what the future of patriotism might look like.” This is an extra bonus segment for patrons: Ep 185EXTRA 9/11 in 2020.
Guest: Kevin Gosztola. We focus on week 2 of the Assange Extradition hearings, witness testimony from Eric Lewis, Thomas Durkin, Daniel Ellsberg, John Goetz and Carey Shenkman and Assange’s defense team. We also talked about the password leaked in a book by Luke Harding and David Leigh, the highly problematic Espionage Act and how it, like the Assange case, is political in nature. Kevin has been doing reporting and analysis on the cases of Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange and Wikileaks both on the ground (and now remotely) for the past decade.
Guest: Mohamed Elmaazi. We talk about the Assange extradition hearings that resumed this month in London. Mohamed gives us the highlights of the first week of proceedings with various witnesses and new charges against Assange. He has provided continuous coverage of this case and he is able to give us a sense of what it’s like on the ground in London reporting on these hearings now being conducted with Covid19 special arrangements.
Guest: Bryan MacDonald. We talk about some of the history and the current state of affairs in Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko and his opposition, the recent elections and subsequent protests and whether or not this is a color revolution. Bryan has been to Belarus many times understands the politics in Russia and Eastern Europe. There’s a bonus question for patrons about the alleged poisoning of Alexei Navalny and the information leaked by Lukashenko about that affair. I also add some recent updates on Navalny who posted on Instagram today after several weeks in a medically induced coma. He said that he plans to return to Russia.
Guest: Bryan MacDonald. We talk about some of the history and the current state of affairs in Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko and his opposition, the recent elections and subsequent protests and whether or not this is a color revolution. Bryan has been to Belarus many times understands the politics in Russia and Eastern Europe. This is a bonus question for patrons about the alleged poisoning of Alexei Navalny and the information leaked by Lukashenko about that affair. I also add some recent updates on Navalny who posted on Instagram today after several weeks in a medically induced coma. He said that he plans to return to Russia.