On FPF #440, I cover all the breaking news from Iraq, including Iran's missile attack on the al-Asad Airbase in Iraq. The attack was a response to the US assassination of Soleimani. The assassination has provoked moves by several actors. US and allies are moving troops in and out of Iraq. The Iraqi government voted to kick Americans out of Iraq. Trump took to Twitter to make several threats of what would happen if Iran responded by harming American interests.
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Around the Empire - Elijah Magnier
Soleimani Update
Kenya
Libya
Sahel
Scott Horton returns to Foreign Policy Focus to cover the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Quds Force. Scott discusses the importance of Soleimani and why his killing could spark more conflict in the Middle East. He then debunks the claims coming out of the Trump admin that Soleimani killed 100s of Americans and Iran was behind 9/11. Kyle and Scott review key points of the Iraq War to explain how Iran - and Soleimani - became so influential in Iraq.
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On FPF #438, I talk about the torture of Chelsea Manning. Chelsea heroically leaked to Wikileaks the Afghan war logs, Iraq War documents, and State Department cables that revealed US war crimes. Chelsea was given 35 years for liberating the documents. She spent the first two years of her sentence mostly in solitary confinement.
After allowing Chelsea to rot in prison for seven years, Obama finally granted her clemency at the end term. However, the Trump Administration is aggressively attempting to turn journalism into a crime by prosecuting Julian Assange for publishing the documents Manning gave to him. Chelsea was ordered to testify in Assange's case, but she has ignored the Grand Jury and refused to testify. As a punishment, she has been thrown in jail without charges. She has now spent most of 2019 behind bars, and 2020 looks like more of the same. The UN Special Rapporteur for Torture just released a report showing Manning prison stay is tantamount to torture.
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On FPF #437, I discuss Iraqi protesters breaking into the US Embassy in Baghdad. The protesters took to the street outside of the embassy in response to US airstrikes on an Iraqi militia. The US claims the strikes targeted an Iranian backed militia that had attacked an Iraqi military base. However, the US has not provided any evidence for this claim. The Iraqi government has called the strike a breach of their sovereignty. I explain how this will likely power Iran.
On FPF #436, I do the second half of my end of year wrap up. I continue to ask if American foreign policy has made Americans safer. I look at the wars in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, and Libya. In all cases, the wars led by the war party are making us less safe.
On FPF #435, I discuss how Trump's foreign policy has been unsuccessful and made Americans less safe in 2019. I break down Trump's 2019 policy in Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran. Trump has moved the world away from arms control and towards more war.
On FPF #434, I update the most important news of the last week. I discuss Kim's upcoming end of year deadline and what could happen if the US fails to engage North Korea in meaningful talks. Trump signed the 2020 NDAA this week. The bill will sanction European energy projects like the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. In Libya, regional powers continue to escalate the civil war.
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I invited Sam Jacobs on the show to discuss the dark history of the ATF. Sam has a recent article covers the ATF gun-walking operations know as 'Fast and Furious.' Sam explains how the program provided arms to deadly cartels. The weapons were used to kill many Mexicans and a US border agent. Sam covers the ATF murders a Ruby Ridge. During the standoff, AFT's incompetence and blood lust led to a 14-year old boy and an innocent woman to be gunned down.
Sam Jacobs is the lead writer and chief historian at Ammo.com. Work from Ammo.com's Resistance Library has been featured by USA Today, Reason, Bloomberg's Business Week, Zero Hedge, The Guardian, and National Review as well as many other prominent news and alt-news publications.
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On FPF #432, I explain my view that the Democrats' case for impeaching Trump is very weak. The House passed two articles of impeachment this week, although House leadership is now preventing those from going to the Senate. While everyone is distracted with these potential minor crimes committed by Trump, there are major news stories breaking around the world. I cover several of those stories in the second half of the show. Many of those stories are about actual serious crimes Trump is committing.
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NDAA
Korea
South America
Europe
India
Middle East
Africa
Mike Maharrey returns to FPF to discuss Defend the Guard. Defend the Guard is a bill introduced at the state level that prevents the federal government from using National Guard troops in undeclared forever wars. The movement is growing as more states will consider the bill in 2020. Mike explains how you can help bring Defend the Guard to your state.
Mike Maharrey is the author of Our Last Hope. He is the host of the Thoughts from Maharrey Head podcast and the Friday Gold Wrap. Mike is the managing editor at Schiff Gold and the communications director at The Tenth Amendment Center.
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On FPF #430, I discuss the 2020 NDAA. The bill is filled with funding and approval for more war. An earlier version of the bill actually provided some limitations on the president's war-making powers. However, it was stripped out during the conference committee. I break down my own article about the 2020 NDAA on the show.
On FPF #429, I discuss the Afghanistan Papers. The large cache of documents were released by the Washington Post via FOIA. The papers show the successive White House administrations and Pentagon generals knew the Afghan War was unwinnable but continued to send Americans to Afghanistan to kill and be killed.
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On this Foreign Policy Focus and Around the Empire swap cast, Kyle and Joanne discuss the Democrats' efforts to impeach Trump over Russiagate. Statements by Nancy Pelosi and witnesses in the impeachment hearings show the blob's real aim to prevent Trump from adopting a more realistic foreign policy towards Russia. The hosts also cover Attorney General Barr's interview about the FBI IG report on the investigation into Trump's campaign. Barr explains why the media's coverage of the report is misleading and the Durham report could reveal the intelligence community's role in the origin of Russiagate.
On FPF #427, I explain how the shooting at the US base in Flordia was a part of the war the US is fighting in the Middle East. The shooter was a Saudi officer who was training at the base. Before the shooting, the Saudi posted about American crimes against Muslims being the motivation for his attack. While in the US, this will be presented as an act of terror only preventable by killing more Muslims in the Middle East, the reality is more war in the Middle East will only create more terror attacks in the US.
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Mexican Cartels
Shootings
NATO
Ukraine
North Korea
GCC
Iran
Iraq
Syria
Yemen
On FPF #427, I explain how the shooting at the US base in Flordia was a part of the war the US is fighting in the Middle East. The shooter was a Saudi officer who was training at the base. Before the shooting, the Saudi posted about American crimes against Muslims being the motivation for his attack. While in the US, this will be presented as an act of terror only preventable by killing more Muslims in the Middle East, the reality is more war in the Middle East will only create more terror attacks in the US.
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Mexican Cartels
Shootings
NATO
Ukraine
North Korea
GCC
Iran
Iraq
Syria
Yemen
On FPF #426, I review the recently released on Amazon movie, The Report. The movie tells the story of the CIA torture program after 9/11 and Daniel Jones' effort put together a report on the program. The movie is well done and generally gets the narrative correct. I breakdown some of the best and worst themes in the movie.
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The New York Times publishes drawings by CIA torture victim Abu Zubaydah of the abuse inflicted on him. [Link]
On FPF #425, I explain why NATO should be dissolved. NATO leaders are meeting in London and there are plenty of issues among the members. Turkey is recently purchased Russian made air defense systems and is refusing to sign off on defense plans unless other countries label the Syrian Kurdish militia as a terror group. France is accusing Turkey of using terror proxy groups against the Kurds in Syria. The French president recently called NATO brain dead, identifying the alliance lacks an enemy. Trump said he would not be surprised if Franch leaves NATO and is threatening sanctions on Franch. Trump is also frustrated that many member states are making no progress in meeting the NATO target of spending 2% on defense.
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NATO/New Cold War
Latin America
Afghanistan
Israel
Syria
Yemen
Scott Horton returns to the show to discuss the turmoil in Iraq. The prime minister resigned over the weekend as government forces have now killed over 400 protesters since October 1st. Scott explains how the Iraq War removed Saddam from power helping to expand Iranian influence in Iraq. After the defeat of Saddam, the US installed an extremely corrupt government led by the Shia. Scott breaks down who the main figures in Iraqi politics are and their ties with Iran.
Scott Horton is the host of the Scott Horton Show, the director of the Libertarian Insitute, the editorial director of Antiwar.com, and the author of Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan.
On FPF #423, I break down an Oliver Stone tweet saying the US should develop a more diplomatic relationship with Russia. I look at some of the reasons, so many Americans reflexively oppose the US strengthening ties with our nuclear rival. I take on some establishment lies that created the dangerous situation we are now in with Russia and explain Trump has been more aggressive against Russia than Obama.
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War Crimes
Bolivia
UK
China
Afghanistan
Iraq
Libya
Joanne Leon returns to the show to cover the second week of the impeachment hearings. Joanne explains that some of those who testified did so to push the establishment's narrative on Ukraine and Russia. Fiona Hill, as one example, attempted to the line that Ukraine did not interfere in the 2016 election and Russia did. Other deep state actors pushed the importance of Ukraine joining NATO and the US continuing military aid to Ukraine.
Joanne breaks down the testimony of Ambassador Sondland. While his opening statement produced several headlines claiming a "bombshell," she explains that it was again another dud. Joanne and Kyle also discuss Tulsi's highlights from the recent DNC debate.
Joanne Leon is the host of the Around the Empire podcast.
On FPF #421, I discuss Trump getting Iran and Israel wrong. Trump continues the failed maximum pressure campaign against Iran. The Iranian people are suffering but their leaders remain firmly in place. The US continues to place more sanctions on Iran and Iran responds by moving away from more commitments outlined in the defunct JCPOA. The US is now looking to exploit protests in Iran in an attempt to weaken the leadership.
Like Trump's Iran policy, Trump has been wrong on Israel from the start. Trump has already taken major steps moving the US embassy and recognizing the Golan Heights as Israel territory. Now, the Trump administration has changed the US position on Israeli settlements. The settlements clearly violate international law - and for the past four decades, the US has agreed - now the US says that isn't the case. The move is being seen as a boon to Netanyahu, who is in a power struggle, and to legitimize any Israel decision to annex parts of the West Bank.
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Ukraine
Bolivia
NK
Afghanistan
Israel
Iran
Syria
Libya
Joanne Leon returns to FPF to discuss the first public impeachment hearing. Joanne gives a break down of Kent and Taylor's testimony. Joanne explains the MSM headline of bombshell revelations are simply wrong. While the hearing were meant to focus on Trump's alleged quid pro quo, it was Trump's idea of withholding military aid to Ukraine that created so much concern among career bureaucrats.
Joanne Leon is the host of the Around the Empire podcast.
On FPF #419, I discuss all the money the US is wasting on war. The Watson Institute has an update on the cost of war project; the US has spent $6.4 trillion since 2001 on the Terror Wars. The wars have been a complete failure, took thousands of American lives, hundreds of thousands of lives of innocent civilians, made the world a less safe place, and spread the Osama bin Laden ideology. We must end the wars to save money and lives.
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Terror Wars
Bolivia
North Korea
Afghanistan
Syria
Iraq
Israel
Yemen
DRC
On FPF #418, I discuss the events in Bolivia that led to Morales' resignation. Mainstream sources and groups claim Morales deserved to be removed from power after violating term limits and rigging a recent election. I explain the alternative narrative that Morales was removed by a military and police coup. I cover ties coup leaders have with the US.
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Bolivia
Afghanistan
Israel
Will Porter returns to Foreign Policy Focus to discuss his recent work on Assange, Syria, and Yemen. Kyle and Will talk about the dangers of Assange's condition and solitary confinement. Will explains how the formerly US-backed Syrian rebels are now committing crimes against the Syrian Kurds. Will looks at some of the recent developments in Yemen, including more US weapons arriving.
Will Porter is a staff writer at RT. He has published articles at Consortium News, Antiwar.com, and the Libertarian Institute.
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