In this two-part series investigative journalist Mohamed Elmaazi joins us from London. Mohamed has been working on what is potentially one of the most explosive international scandals in recent years. Hacked documents have exposed a secretive “charity” think tank, the Institute for Statecraft, which is funded by the British Foreign Office, the US State Department, NATO, Facebook, a neoconservative foundation and others. Mohamed located their London office in a neo-gothic mansion, Two Temple Place, and later accompanied a British MP on an unwelcome visit. One of the Institute for Statecraft’s projects, The Integrity Initiative, possibly a front for military intelligence, is a covert propaganda network of politicians, journalists, academics, researchers and military officers engaged in smearing political leaders and interfering in the affairs of other allied governments.
Mohamed Elmaazi is a journalist with experience in human rights law, with degrees from American University in Cairo and SOAS. He contributes to Open Democracy, The Canary, the Grayzone and The Real News Network. FOLLOW Mohamed on Twitter at @MElmaazi.
Around the Empire is independent media and you can support it at Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire or at aroundtheempire.com.
FOLLOW @aroundtheempire. Follow Joanne Leon at @joanneleon. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, Google Play, YouTube, Facebook.
Recorded on December 22, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
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In this two-part series investigative journalist Mohamed Elmaazi joins us from London. Mohamed has been working on what is potentially one of the most explosive international scandals in recent years. Hacked documents have exposed a secretive “charity” think tank, the Institute for Statecraft, which is funded by the British Foreign Office, the US State Department, NATO, Facebook, a neoconservative foundation and others. Mohamed located their London office in a neo-gothic mansion, Two Temple Place, and later accompanied a British MP on an unwelcome visit. One of the Institute for Statecraft’s projects, The Integrity Initiative, possibly a front for military intelligence, is a covert propaganda network of politicians, journalists, academics, researchers and military officers engaged in smearing political leaders and interfering in the affairs of other allied governments.
Mohamed Elmaazi is a journalist with experience in human rights law, with degrees from American University in Cairo and SOAS. He contributes to Open Democracy, The Canary, the Grayzone and The Real News Network. FOLLOW Mohamed on Twitter at @MElmaazi.
Around the Empire is independent media and you can support it at Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire or at aroundtheempire.com.
FOLLOW @aroundtheempire. Follow Joanne Leon at @joanneleon. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, Google Play, YouTube, Facebook.
Recorded on December 22, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
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Elijah Magnier returns to the show. He is currently in Beirut enroute to Damascus. We discuss Trump’s announcement of a rapid withdrawal from Syria, the prospect of a Turkish invasion of Kurdish and US-occupied areas in Syria, and the situation this creates for the Kurds, who, even if Trump reneges on his order, are now confronted with a crisis of confidence in long term American occupation. We also discuss Russia’s consequential change in the rules of engagement with Israel and Syria, and a possible Middle East summit.
Elijah is a veteran war correspondent, a terrorism/counterterrorism analyst specializing in the Europe and the Middle East, especially Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Sudan and Libya. FOLLOW Elijah at @ejmalrai and find his work at ejmagnier.com. Support him by using the Paypal link at the bottom of every page on his website.
Around the Empire is independent media and you can support it at Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire or at aroundtheempire.com.
FOLLOW @aroundtheempire. Follow Joanne Leon at @joanneleon. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, Google Play, YouTube, Facebook.
Recorded on December 20, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
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A wide-ranging discussion with author and policy analyst Patrick Eddington about his service in the CIA during the Bush 41 and Bill Clinton eras, the Gulf War, Russiagate, the failure to change course at the end of the Cold War and about the unsustainability of and America’s incompatibility with empire.
Patrick Eddington is a policy analyst in homeland security and civil liberties at the Cato Institute. He was an advisor to Rep. Rush Holt of New Jersey and he’s an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Georgetown University’s Center for Security Studies. Eddington was a military imagery analyst at the CIA’s National Photographic Interpretation Center from 1988 to 1996 with assignments that included monitoring the breakup of the former Soviet Union and providing military assessments to policymakers on Iraqi and Iranian conventional forces.
Eddington resigned from the CIA in 1996 after working on a book titled (Gassed in the Gulf: The Inside Story of the Pentagon-CIA Cover-up of Gulf War Syndrome) and he also wrote a 2011 memoir titled Long Strange Journey about his years in the CIA. He has been published at many outlets and has opinion pieces at the CATO Institute, Just Security and other sites. Find his work and links to his articles and events at the CATO Institute and at his blog, PatrickEddington.com. FOLLOW him on Twitter at @PGEddington.
Around the Empire is independent media and you can support it at Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire or at aroundtheempire.com.
FOLLOW @aroundtheempire. Follow Joanne Leon at @joanneleon. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, Google Play, YouTube, Facebook.
Recorded on December 11, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
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Joanne Leon and investigative journalist and historian Gareth Porter discuss “The Permanent War Complex” and how it developed in stages to the point where we have defense and intelligence mega-contractors helping to drive perpetual wars around the globe. Eisenhower’s nightmare has now come true. We also talk about recent machinations in the case of Julian Assange and Wikileaks.
Gareth Porter specializes in covering issues related to U.S. wars and interventions. He is the winner of the 2012 Gellhorn Prize for Journalism who has covered U.S. policy toward Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Syria for Inter Press Service from 2004 to 2014, and his stories were widely republished on other news sites. Since then he has published stories and columns at Truthdig, American Conservative, Foreign Policy, Consortium News, Truthout, antiwar.com The Nation and Middle East Eye.
He is the author of five books, including three books on Vietnam and the U.S. war in Indochina. His latest book, Manufactured Crisis: The Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Scare, reveals the true story of the Iran nuclear issue that has been hidden and distorted by government propaganda and complete lack of media scrutiny. FOLLOW Gareth on Twitter at @GarethPorter.
Around the Empire is independent media and you can support it at Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire or at aroundtheempire.com.
FOLLOW @aroundtheempire. Follow Joanne Leon at @joanneleon. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, Google Play, YouTube, Facebook.
Recorded on December 4, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
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Friends of the show Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter join Joanne Leon for a special two-part series on the Khashoggi Affair, which symbolizes a much bigger geopolitical crisis and battle. Roundtable format, released in two separate episodes in the coming week for our listeners or available in advance, in full for patrons.
Kyle Anzalone is the host of the Foreign Policy Focus podcast and the editor-in-chief of ImmersionNews.com. He also writes the Daily News Roundup at Libertarian Institute.
Will Porter is a freelance journalist with a focus on US foreign policy and conflicts abroad. His work can be found at the Libertarian Institute, Antiwar.com and Consortium News
We are independent media and we rely on your contributions. Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire Donations: aroundtheempire.com.
FOLLOW @aroundtheempire. Follow Joanne Leon at @joanneleon. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, Google Play, YouTube, Facebook.
Recorded on November 23 and 24, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
Fair Use Act Disclaimer. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
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Friends of the show Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter join Joanne Leon for a special two-part series on the Khashoggi Affair, which symbolizes a much bigger geopolitical crisis and battle. Roundtable format, released in two separate episodes in the coming week for our listeners or available in advance, in full for patrons.
Kyle Anzalone is the host of the Foreign Policy Focus podcast and the editor-in-chief of ImmersionNews.com. He also writes the Daily News Roundup at Libertarian Institute.
Will Porter is a freelance journalist with a focus on US foreign policy and conflicts abroad. His work can be found at the Libertarian Institute, Antiwar.com and Consortium News
We are independent media and we rely on your contributions. Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire Donations: aroundtheempire.com.
FOLLOW @aroundtheempire. Follow Joanne Leon at @joanneleon. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, Google Play, YouTube, Facebook.
Recorded on November 23 and 24, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
Fair Use Act Disclaimer. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
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Middle East expert Joshua Landis returns to the show to discuss the recent summit in Istanbul, Europe’s move to join the Astana process, the war in Syria, the Khashoggi Affair and the forces aligning against the current US foreign policy in the MidEast.
Professor Landis is the Director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. He spent much of his childhood in Saudi Arabia and Lebanon, and later lived in several other countries in the Middle East including Syria and Turkey. He is a frequent interview guest in numerous media outlets in the United States and abroad. You can find his work at his blog, Syria Comment. FOLLOW him on Twitter at @joshua_landis and on Facebook.
Around the Empire is independent media and you can support it at Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire or at aroundtheempire.com.
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Recorded on November 1, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
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Major Danny Sjursen joins the show to talk about about the war in Afghanistan, an unsustainable quagmire for which no more blood and treasure should be sacrificed. We also talk about the magical American soldier myth and the empire denial syndrome.
Major Danny Sjursen is a US Army strategist and former history instructor at West Point. He served tours with reconnaissance units in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has written a memoir and critical analysis of the Iraq War, Ghostriders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge. He’s the co-host of the podcast Fortress on a Hill, and his articles are published frequently at numerous websites including The Nation, Truthdig, TomDispatch and antiwar.com. FOLLOW Danny Sjursen on Twitter at @skepticalvet and support his work at patreon.com/fortressonahill.
We are independent media and we rely on your contributions. Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire Donations: aroundtheempire.com.
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Recorded on October 31, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
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Tom Secker joins the show for this two-part series as we compare and contrast two movies: War Machine and Charlie Wilson’s War. We talk about Afghanistan, wars, history, geopolitics, movies, the involvement of the national security state in the entertainment industry and more. A great conversation that is interesting and informative, both serious and light-hearted at varying times and is packaged into two episodes (available in full in advance for patrons).
Tom Secker is a writer, researcher and podcast host from Northern England, who specialises in the intelligence services, Hollywood and the history of terrorism. He hosts the ClandesTime podcast and is the author of two books, including National Security Cinema: The Shocking New Evidence of Government Control in Hollywood. Find his work and ways to support that work at spyculture.com and patreon.com/tomsecker.
We are independent media and we rely on your contributions. Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire Donations: aroundtheempire.com.
FOLLOW @aroundtheempire. Follow Joanne Leon at @joanneleon. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, Google Play, YouTube, Facebook.
Recorded on October 18, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
Fair Use Act Disclaimer. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
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Tom Secker joins the show for this two-part series as we compare and contrast two movies: War Machine and Charlie Wilson’s War. We talk about Afghanistan, wars, history, geopolitics, movies, the involvement of the national security state in the entertainment industry and more. A great conversation that is interesting and informative, both serious and light-hearted at varying times and is packaged into two episodes (available in full in advance for patrons).
Tom Secker is a writer, researcher and podcast host from Northern England, who specialises in the intelligence services, Hollywood and the history of terrorism. He hosts the ClandesTime podcast and is the author of two books, including National Security Cinema: The Shocking New Evidence of Government Control in Hollywood. Find his work and ways to support that work at spyculture.com and patreon.com/tomsecker.
We are independent media and we rely on your contributions. Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire Donations: aroundtheempire.com.
FOLLOW @aroundtheempire. Follow Joanne Leon at @joanneleon. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, Google Play, YouTube, Facebook.
Recorded on October 18, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
Fair Use Act Disclaimer. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
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Syrian analyst Ehsani returns to the show to talk about the latest developments in the Syrian war, with a focus on the Idlib deal, Turkey’s role in the war, perspectives from Syrians, and the prospects for recovery.
Ehsani is a Syrian American originally from Aleppo. You can find his social media analysis and discussion about Syria on Twitter at @ehsani22. He has also written for the Syria Comment blog under the pseudonym, “Ehsani”.
We are independent media and we rely on your contributions. Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire Donations: aroundtheempire.com.
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Recorded on October 2, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
Photo: By Jamen Schahoud at the English language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Friends of the show Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter join Joanne Leon for a special three-part series on the Rise and Fall of John Brennan, done in a roundtable format and released in three separate episodes in the coming week for our listeners or available in advance, in full for patrons.
Kyle Anzalone is the host of the Foreign Policy Focus podcast and the editor-in-chief of ImmersionNews.com. He also writes the Daily News Roundup at Libertarian Institute.
Will Porter is a freelance journalist with a focus on US foreign policy and conflicts abroad. His work can be found at the Libertarian Institute, Antiwar.com and Consortium News
In American political life, few officials have weathered as many storms as former CIA director John Brennan. With a career marred by a virtually endless series of scandals, Brennan’s ability to maneuver himself within institutions of power has served him exceptionally well both inside and outside of government.
Brennan’s decades-long tenure at the CIA presents a microcosmic portrait of US foreign policy since the fall of the Soviet Union—a true exemplar of the American role in a “unipolar” world.
His name has become synonymous with torture, regime change, targeted assassinations, drones, spying, the arming of foreign militias and now, in the era of Trump, politicized intelligence.
But that may have finally come to an end. The recent revocation of Brennan’s security clearance could represent the final nail in a coffin that, until now, has simply refused to stay shut.
Join us in this 3 part series reviewing Brennan’s career at the CIA, the litany of scandals tied to his name, as well as what could come next for the retired intelligence officer.
Support Kyle at https://www.patreon.com/ForeignPolicyFocus. Support Will at patreon.com/WKPJournalist.
We are independent media and we rely on your contributions. Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire Donations: aroundtheempire.com.
FOLLOW @aroundtheempire. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, YouTube, Facebook.
This discussion was recorded in two sessions: August 24 and 31, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
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Friends of the show Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter join Joanne Leon for a special three-part series on the Rise and Fall of John Brennan, done in a roundtable format and released in three separate episodes in the coming week for our listeners or available in advance, in full for patrons.
Kyle Anzalone is the host of the Foreign Policy Focus podcast and the editor-in-chief of ImmersionNews.com. He also writes the Daily News Roundup at Libertarian Institute.
Will Porter is a freelance journalist with a focus on US foreign policy and conflicts abroad. His work can be found at the Libertarian Institute, Antiwar.com and Consortium News
In American political life, few officials have weathered as many storms as former CIA director John Brennan. With a career marred by a virtually endless series of scandals, Brennan’s ability to maneuver himself within institutions of power has served him exceptionally well both inside and outside of government.
Brennan’s decades-long tenure at the CIA presents a microcosmic portrait of US foreign policy since the fall of the Soviet Union—a true exemplar of the American role in a “unipolar” world.
His name has become synonymous with torture, regime change, targeted assassinations, drones, spying, the arming of foreign militias and now, in the era of Trump, politicized intelligence.
But that may have finally come to an end. The recent revocation of Brennan’s security clearance could represent the final nail in a coffin that, until now, has simply refused to stay shut.
Join us in this 3 part series reviewing Brennan’s career at the CIA, the litany of scandals tied to his name, as well as what could come next for the retired intelligence officer.
Support Kyle at https://www.patreon.com/ForeignPolicyFocus. Support Will at patreon.com/WKPJournalist.
We are independent media and we rely on your contributions. Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire Donations: aroundtheempire.com.
FOLLOW @aroundtheempire. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, YouTube, Facebook.
This discussion was recorded in two sessions: August 24 and 31, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
Reference Links:
Friends of the show Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter join Joanne Leon for a special three-part series on the Rise and Fall of John Brennan, done in a roundtable format and released in three separate episodes in the coming week for our listeners or available in advance, in full for patrons.
Kyle Anzalone is the host of the Foreign Policy Focus podcast and the editor-in-chief of ImmersionNews.com. He also writes the Daily News Roundup at Libertarian Institute.
Will Porter is a freelance journalist with a focus on US foreign policy and conflicts abroad. His work can be found at the Libertarian Institute, Antiwar.com and Consortium News
In American political life, few officials have weathered as many storms as former CIA director John Brennan. With a career marred by a virtually endless series of scandals, Brennan’s ability to maneuver himself within institutions of power has served him exceptionally well both inside and outside of government.
Brennan’s decades-long tenure at the CIA presents a microcosmic portrait of US foreign policy since the fall of the Soviet Union—a true exemplar of the American role in a “unipolar” world.
His name has become synonymous with torture, regime change, targeted assassinations, drones, spying, the arming of foreign militias and now, in the era of Trump, politicized intelligence.
But that may have finally come to an end. The recent revocation of Brennan’s security clearance could represent the final nail in a coffin that, until now, has simply refused to stay shut.
Join us in this 3 part series reviewing Brennan’s career at the CIA, the litany of scandals tied to his name, as well as what could come next for the retired intelligence officer.
Support Kyle at https://www.patreon.com/ForeignPolicyFocus. Support Will at patreon.com/WKPJournalist.
We are independent media and we rely on your contributions. Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire Donations: aroundtheempire.com.
FOLLOW @aroundtheempire. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, YouTube, Facebook.
This discussion was recorded in two sessions: August 24 and 31, 2018.
Music by Fluorescent Grey.
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Elijah Magnier returns to the show for an update and insight on the political situation in Iraq where the prime minister selection process (also a proxy battle of sorts between the US and Iran) is still ongoing. See Around the Empire Episode 56 for our first conversation on this topic. We also talk about the stalled operation in Idlib and the power players involved.
Elijah is a veteran war correspondent, a terrorism/counterterrorism analyst specializing in the Europe and the Middle East, especially Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Sudan and Libya. He recently left Iraq and is speaking to us today from Lebanon.
Follow Elijah at @ejmalrai and find his work at ejmagnier.com. Support him by using the Paypal link at the bottom of every page on his website.
We are independent media and we rely on your contributions. Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire Donations: aroundtheempire.com.
FOLLOW @aroundtheempire. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, YouTube, Facebook.
Recorded on September 14, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
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Roving journalist Michael Tracey joins the show for a discussion about the McCain Holy Week, as he called it, and what it tells us about the state of the American empire.
Tracey is a journalist who has been published by numerous media organizations including The Young Turks, Rolling Stone, The New Republic, VICE, The Intercept. The Nation, Reason, American Conservative and New York Daily News.
FOLLOW @mtracey on Twitter and find his work on Medium and on his website.
We are independent media and we rely on your contributions. Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire Donations: aroundtheempire.com.
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Recorded on September 2, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
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Yemeni journalist and filmmaker Nasser Arrabyee speaks to us from Sanaa about the war in Yemen. In 2015, a CENTCOM commander told a US Senator that he did not know Saudi Arabia’s goals and objectives in its war on Yemen and therefore could not assess the chances of success. More than three years later, Nasser Arrabyee helps us explore the answers to those questions. We talk about the US-backed Saudi and UAE coalition’s mission in Yemen, the Yemeni Resistance and Iran’s involvement. Arrabyee updates us on the situation in Hodeidah and we discuss the recent AP report on the Saudi/UAE cooperation with al Qaeda.
Arrabyee has produced four documentaries about the war in Yemen and has been published by numerous media outlets including the New York Times, Bloomberg and Foreign Policy. FOLLOW @narrabyee on Twitter and find his work at his website yemen-now.com.
We are independent media and we rely on your contributions. Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire Donations: aroundtheempire.com.
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Recorded on August 16, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
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Analyst and writer Tom Luongo returns to the show to talk about the economic and geopolitical implications of the current hybrid war between the US and Turkey and the broader war around it. We discuss the collapse of the Turkish Lira, dollar-denominated debt, how currency wars work, and the inertia of markets and traders. We also delve into the geopolitical lead up to this crisis -- Turkey’s role in the Syrian war and a failed coup -- both of which led to realignments and new allies that might result in an unusual rescue. Will Turkey employ a Russian formula for surviving sanctions and currency crises? Will it lead to an exit from NATO? Or will the old guard, Cold Warrior foreign policy establishment bring a defiant Erdogan back into the fold one more time?
Tom is former research chemist and a current staunch libertarian. His speciality is markets analysis informed by geopolitics. Tom currently publishes his blog, Gold Goats ‘n Guns along with a monthly investment newsletter focused on geopolitics, commodities and cryptocurrencies. His work is also featured regularly on sites like Zerohedge, Strategic Culture Foundation and Investing.com. FOLLOW Tom @TFL1728. Find his work at Gold, Goats ‘n Guns, Steemit and on YouTube.
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Recorded on August 14, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
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We continue our discussion with Dr. Isa Blumi, speaking to us from Sweden, about the war in Yemen including the battle for Hodeidah, the development of Horn of Africa and Red Sea coast and the bigger picture this war reveals. We discuss the underlying existential battles between Gulf States, the political factions in the United States they’re aligned with, and the western imperial and corporate powers at work in the region. Dr. Blumi expertly analyzes and advises on how to read the western media coverage and propaganda on Yemen and the old “divide and rule” exploitation tactics that are employed.
Dr. Blumi is an historian, an author and an Associate Professor at Stockholm University. His recent book Destroying Yemen: What Chaos in Arabia Tells Us about the World tells the story of the wars in Yemen but also “ultimately tells an even larger story of today’s political economy of global capitalism, development, and the war on terror as disparate actors intersect in Arabia.” FOLLOW Isa Blumi @IsaBlumi and find his latest book at UCPress.edu.
We are independent media and we rely on your contributions. Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire Donations: aroundtheempire.com
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Recorded on July 31, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
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Our guest, journalist and analyst Pepe Escobar, speaks to us from Bangkok about the new Great Game in Eurasia and why the critical military and geopolitical situation requires that the US resume relations with Russia despite the massive forces working against that.
Escobar is the correspondent-at-large for Asia Times and a frequent contributor to websites, TV and radio shows ranging from the US to East Asia. Born in Brazil, he's been a foreign correspondent since 1985, and has lived in London, Paris, Milan, Los Angeles, Washington, Bangkok and Hong Kong.
FOLLOW Pepe Escobar on Facebook and find his work at Asia Times.
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Recorded on July 26, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
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Dan and Joanne talk with Jim Kavanagh about the summit between American President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki and the anticipated attempt to strike a MidEast grand bargain.
Jim is editor and writer at The Polemicist. His work is also published at CounterPunch, Greanville Post and he’s a frequent guest on the Loud and Clear radio show.
Follow Jim at @ThePolemicist_ . Find his work at polemicist.net.
We are independent media and we rely on your contributions. Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire Donations: aroundtheempire.com
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Recorded on July 12, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
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Dan and Joanne talk with writer and analyst Peter Lee (aka @chinahand) about the escalation between the United States and China. We also discuss the broader East Asian region including Japan, Taiwan and Korea.
Peter has decades of experience in East Asia both as a businessman and as a writer. He produces Newsbud’s “China Watch” and is published at Asia Times, CounterPunch at his own blog, China Matters. Follow Peter at @chinahand.
We are independent media and we rely on your contributions. Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire Donations: aroundtheempire.com
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Recorded on July 6, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
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Joanne talks with Elizabeth Lea Vos about the immunity deal for Wikileaks founder and editor Julian Assange -- a deal that was scuttled by James Comey via Sen. Mark Warner in the Spring of 2017. We also discuss the independent analysis on the transmission of documents published by Guccifer2.
Elizabeth is the Editor-In-Chief of @DisobedientNews. Follow her at @ElizabethLeaVos and find her work at disobedientmedia.com. She also is an organizer of monthly #Unity4J vigils which advocate for the restoration of Julian Assange’s rights to communication with the outside world and ultimately for his release. The next vigil is scheduled for the weekend of July 7-8, 2018. Details at Unity4J.com and @Unity4J.
We are independent media and we rely on your contributions. Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire Donations: aroundtheempire.com
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Recorded on July 3, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
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Dan and Joanne talk with Sharmine Narwani about the Southern Front -- US-backed rebels based in southern Syria -- and their affiliation with al Qaeda. We also discuss how the Syrian war is like an irregular world war and how it played a role in accelerating a global shift in power.
Sharmine is a commentator and analyst of Mideast geopolitics based in Beirut, speaking to us today from the United States. She is a former senior associate at St. Antony's College, Oxford University and has been published by a wide variety of publications, including the New York Times, the Guardian, Asia Times Online, al Akhbar English, Al Jazeera and RT.
Follow Sharmine @snarwani and find her work at her website mideastshuffle.com
We are independent media and we rely on your contributions. Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire Donations: aroundtheempire.com
Find all of our work at our website aroundtheempire.com
Follow @aroundtheempire. Follow Dan & Joanne: @USEmpireShow, @joanneleon
Please subscribe/follow us on iTunes, YouTube, Facebook.
Recorded on June 28, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.
Reference Links:
Are al-Qaeda Affiliates Fighting Alongside U.S. Rebels in Syria’s South?, Sharmine Narwani, The American Conservative