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Foreign Policy Focus

Foreign Policy Focus is a podcast hosted by me, Kyle! It covers current events overseas and how those events affect you at home. While US military operations in the Middle East seem like they are on the other side of the world, they have real impacts on the everyday lives of Americans. Wars are the most costly of all US government actions and politicians use them to strip away rights of Americans. Knowing what your government is doing around the globe will give you insight into what they are doing at home.
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Now displaying: October, 2018

Foreign Policy Focus is a podcast hosted by me, Kyle! It covers current events overseas and how those events affect you at home. While US military operations in the Middle East seem like they are on the other side of the world, they have real impacts on the everyday lives of Americans. Wars are the most costly of all US government actions and politicians use them to strip away rights of Americans. Knowing what your government is doing around the globe will give you insight into what they are doing at home.

Oct 31, 2018

On FPF #265, I discuss President Trump deploying troops to the southern border to assist in preventing migrants from entering the US. I explain why it is a mistake to treat the migrants as invaders. 

I update the Syrian War. The American mission in continues to kill civilians and fail to retake the remaining territory from ISIS. 

Links

FPF #223 - Brian Saady

Oct 29, 2018

On FPF #264, I discuss some new casualty numbers for the War on Yemen. The media has long cited a UN estimate that said 10,000 people have died. However, that estimate stopped counting deaths over a year ago. The 10,000 number has helped mask the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Yemen. The new reports suggest there have been 70,000 - 80,000 deaths from violence and 130 children under five die every day.

Links

Patrick Cockburn on Yemen's death toll

Scott Horton Show - Martha Mundy 

FPF #254 - South China Sea 

 

Oct 26, 2018

On FPF #263, I discuss the nuclear arms relationship between the US and Russia. NSA John Bolton appears determined to pull the US out of the INF Treaty. Bolton played a role in the withdraw from a nuclear treaty with Russia as a member of the Bush Administration. Vice President Mike Pence added to the nuclear buildup hype by refusing to rule out putting nuclear weapons in space. 

Links

John Glaser and Eric Gomez - INF Treaty

Glenn Greenwald - MSM hides UAE influence

FPF #262

Tim Shorrock - Korean Peace

 

Oct 24, 2018

On FPF #262, I discuss the US relationship with Russia and China. In a move supported by NSA John Bolton, Trump suggested the US will withdraw from the INF Treaty. The President also called for an increase in the US nuclear arsenal. 

Secretary of State Pompeo is warning against China's 'Belt and Road' loans. The Congress is passing legislation to open a new US agency dedicated to counter the Chinese loans. The US also sailed two warships through the Taiwan Strait. 

Links

FPF #207 - Brian Saady on Colombia 

 

Oct 22, 2018

On FPF #261, I discuss important news events around the world. Social networks continue to go after independent media outlets. John Kiriakou explains why whistleblowers are so rare. I look at an article by Max Blumenthal on Nikki Haley's speech to CNP. In Afghanistan, an attack nearly killed the Commander of US Forces just days before elections were held. Over 30 people were killed during the election.  

Links

Scott Horton Show - Gareth Porter

Scott Horton Show - Saudi Lobby

Max Blumenthal - Nikki Haley

John Kikakou - Whistleblowing 

Oct 19, 2018

On FPF #260, I explain how the war on drugs impacts US foreign policy and countries around the world. Prohibition is proven to be a failed policy that leads to black market violence. In some countries, the black market created by drug prohibition is so massive it can corrupt and destabilize the entire political and justice systems. 

I also discuss Korean Peace, Syria, and Africa. 

Links

Moon of Alabama on Korean Peace 

Oct 17, 2018

On FPF #259, Will Porter joins the show to cover the Turkish/Russian agreement that has delayed the Syrian offensive of rebel-held Idlib. The agreement had a deadline for all rebels to be out of the buffer zone by October 15th. The deadline has passed, but Russia, Syria, and Turkey continue to work towards implementing the agreed steps. Will explains why he is optimistic about recent developments in Syria. 

We also discuss Nikki Haley and Yemen. 

Will Porter is a freelance journalist with a focus on Mideast Affairs and US foreign policy. His work can be found at Libertarian Institute, AntiWar.com, and Consortium News 

Links

Buzzfeed - American Mercenaries in Yemen

Moderate Rebels - Ali al-Ahmed

Oct 15, 2018

On FPF #258, I discuss how some close US allies have terrible human rights records. Recently, Egypt imprisoned a girl for discussing being sexually harassed in public, Israel has detained an American student for supporting BDS, and the UAE has held a UK researcher in solitary confinement for five months. Many of these countries are committing long-term atrocities, such as Turkey's persecution of the Kurds, the Saudi led genocide in Yemen, and the Ukrainian government's deep ties with neo-Nazis. 

I also discuss an article by Gareth Porter on the Internet Research Agency's limited impact on the 2016 election. 

Links

Gareth Porter on Russiagate

Oct 12, 2018

On FPF #257, I discuss the resignation of US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley. Haley has used her platform at the UN to promote violence. I highlight some of Haley's worst statements as Ambassador to the UN, including the Great Return March Protests, allegations of Iranian support for the Houthi, and lies about Assad using chemical weapons. 

Links

Caitlin Johnstone on Nikki Haley's resignation

Justin Raimondo - Goodbye Haley 

Oct 10, 2018

On FPF #256, I discuss new Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's foreign policy. I explain how Kavanaugh's positions on presidential war powers are dangerous. Kavanaugh supports the Patriot Act, ignoring international treaties, and federal officials violating American's Constitutional rights. 

I also update Iran, Afghanistan, and Korean Peace. 

Links

Brett Kavanaugh on Presidental war powers

Common Dreams - Kavanagun's war powers record

Oct 5, 2018

On FPF #255, I discuss two articles by The Weekly Standard Editorial Board. The first article calls for the US to return to the Bush Doctrine. The editors believe that the US needs to very hawkish policy with Iran. The second article celebrates Trump's reversal on his desire to remove troops from Syria. The writers suggest an important role for the US troops in Syria is to combat Iran. 

I argue a return to the Bush Doctrine would be a disaster and US troops should return home from Syria. 

Links

Return to the Bush Doctrine?

Trump Rethinks Syria

Oct 3, 2018

On FPF #254, I discuss a close call between US and Chinese Navy ships. The US ship was conducting a 'freedom of navigation' mission in waters claimed by China. The Chinese ship carried out maneuvers that brought it very close to the US ship. I review the history of the US and Chinese tensions over the region. I explain how similar operations for the US turned deadly. 

Links

Moderate Rebels - Idlib 

Oct 1, 2018

On FPF #253, I discuss how Trump has hurt US influence by leaving the Iran Nuke Deal. The deal prevented Iran from making nuclear weapons and opened Europe to Iranian markets. Trump left the agreement even though all parties agreed Iran was following the agreement. Leaving the deal has caused US allied to spur US sanctions on Iran. 

Links

SHS - Phil Giraldi

SHS - Trita Parsi

 

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