On FPF #511, Will Porter returns to the show to discuss Trump's failing Russia policy. During the campaign, Trump made it clear that he would able to get along and make deals with Putin. However, once Trump took office, his policy towards Russia became more and more aggressive. Trump started with expelling diplomats and is now ripping up key arms control agreements over minor disputes. Kyle and Will explain how the president's actions are pushing the US to a new arms race and cold war with Russia.
On FPF #510, John Dangelo returns to the show to discuss being a anti-war war vet. John explains he was a Marine reservist when he was deployed to Afghanistan. His experiences there and reading libertarian/antiwar material led to him to becoming antiwar. We talk about his experiences in the military and as an ER nurse battling Covid.
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Will Porter returns to Foreign Policy Focus to discuss the release of Bolton's new book and the Trump administration's effort to delay its publication. Will and Kyle break down some of the stories told in the book and how Bolton's lies as Trump's National Security Adviser continue to harm peace efforts across the globe. They explain Bolton's long history of lying to start wars and why no one should believe the narratives spun in the memoir.
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On FPF #508, I discuss some of the important news happening around the world. In California, police officers murdered an 18-year-old kid working as a security guard. The State Department approved a $600 million weapon sale to Ukraine. In the UK, a terrorist stabbed three people to death. The UN believes healthcare workers are being targeted in Afghanistan.
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Dave DeCamp joins Foreign Policy Focus to discuss his recent coverage of Steve Bannon and Frank Gaffney's latest efforts to increase tensions with China. Bannon and Gaffney have stated the group Committee for Present Danger: China to further this goal. The Trump administration continues to adopt the group's language showing its influence. Dave debunks their hawkish and absurd claims.
Dave DeCamp is assistant editor at Antiwar.com and a freelance journalist based in Brooklyn NY, focusing on US foreign policy and wars. He is on Twitter at @decampdave.
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On FPF #506, I discuss Trump's obsession with helping the arms industry. The Pentagon announced that it plans to spend $135 million bailing out small arms makers, the Senate is trying to allocate $10 million for nuclear weapons testing, and the US will acquire the six F-35s that were first sold to Turkey. The massive spending on weapons comes as millions of Americans are out of work. Trump is also trying to make it easier to sell drones to Saudi Arabia and the UAE by reinterpreting an international missile control agreement.
On FPF #505, Will returns to the show to discuss efforts to reign in the police. The recent weeks of protests have produced 100s of videos of police murdering and assaulting people. The police have committed these crimes with a very small chance of facing any repercussions. The lawless law-keepers must be restrained if we want to live in a free society. Will and Kyle discuss the new proposed laws and how they can help hold killer cops accountable.
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On FPF #504, I discuss Israel's plan to move forward with annexing portions of the West Bank. Israel's plan is to annex up to 30% - of the most valuable land - this summer. The annexation will cause Palestinian towns within the West Bank to be disconnected from each other. The annexation plan loosely follows Trump's Deal of the Century. However, the deal calls for Israel to halt settlement expansion during annexation, and Netanyahu has made it clear he intends to continue with expansion. The Palestinians are considering several options, including declaring a state.
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We discuss Danny’s experience on the ground at the protests in Kansas City and the broader protest movement, whether this is an insurrection, the idea of calling in the military to act as a police force or worse, and the parallels between current policing practices and counterinsurgency missions.
Major Danny Sjursen is a retired US Army strategist, West Point grad and former history instructor at West Point. He served tours with reconnaissance units in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is the author of a memoir and critical analysis of the Iraq War titled: Ghostriders of Baghdad. His articles are published by numerous media outlets: antiwar.com, The American Conservative, Truthdig, TomDispatch and others.
Joanne Leon is the host of the Around the Empire podcast.
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On FPF #502, Will Porter returns to the show to discuss ongoing George Floyd protests. Will and Kyle break down some of the worst examples of police brutality. Will explains that the protests are now in 100s of American cities and have even spread to Europe. The protest movement is generally about Black Likes Matter, and a popular call is to defund the police.
In Minneapolis, the protests demanded the mayor disband the police department. The mayor refused, but now a veto-proof majority of the city council has a plan to eliminate the police department. Will and Kyle talk about why the people are demanding the plan and how it can be beneficial.
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On FPF #501, I invited great friends of the show Joanne Leon and Will Porter to come on and chat about some of the most important topics covered in the first 500 episodes of the show. We talk about some of the most important narratives the establishment media has gotten wrong, but we got right in our shows and writings.
Joanne Leon is the host of the Around the Empire podcast.
Will Porter is a staff writer at RT. He has articles published at Antiwar.com, Libertarian Institute, and Consortium News.
Scott Horton returns to Foreign Policy Focus for the 500th episode. Scott talks about the lessons and themes of Star Wars. He explains how the failures of the Jedi led to the fall of the Republic and the rise of the Empire. The saga is a warning to Americans about the dangers of empire and endless war. Scott also weighs in on the protests/riots and the destruction of police property.
Scott Horton is the host of the Scott Horton Show and the author of Fool’s Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan. He is the Editorial Director of Antiwar.com and the Managing Director of The Libertarian Institute.
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On FPF #499, Will Porter returns to the show to cover the ongoing protests, riots, and police brutality. The protests started after a police officer slowly murdered George Floyd, while three other helped and watched. The protesters demanded charges for the officers. Police responded to the protests by cracking down on the protests. Some of the protesters started looting and setting buildings on fire. Police have become even more violent, often directing their rage towards small, female peaceful protesters. Will and Kyle discuss the actions of everyone and the need for real criminal justice reform.