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Around The Empire

Around the Empire podcast explores the massive apparatus of the American Empire. In-depth interviews, discussions. Hosted by Joanne Leon.
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Now displaying: August, 2020

Around the Empire podcast explores the massive apparatus of the American Empire. In-depth interviews, discussions. Hosted by Joanne Leon.

Aug 31, 2020

Ep 179 US - China Relations feat Carl Zha

Guest: Carl Zha. We did a follow up discussion about the Hong Kong protests (which we had talked about last summer in Episode 119). Then we had a longer, broad ranging discussion on the rapid deterioration of US-China relations, a new Cold War, the power structure in China, protectionism, globalism, Silicon Valley, the military-intelligence complex and more. There’s a bonus question for patrons about whether we are now in a Cold War with China, the prospect of a hot war between US and China and if that did happen, what would the war look like. Episode 179EXTRA War between US and China.

Carl Zha is an engineer, historian, podcaster, and a Caltech Alum. His podcast, Silk and Steel, is about China, US-China Great Power competition and the history of Empires, past and present.

FOLLOW @carlzha, SUBSCRIBE to his podcast Silk and Steel and listen to his previous podcast, Clash. 

Around the Empire is listener supported, independent media. Pitch in at Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire or paypal.me/aroundtheempirepod. Find all links at aroundtheempire.com

SUBSCRIBE on YouTube. FOLLOW @aroundtheempire and @joanneleon.  SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, Google Play, Facebook or on your preferred podcast app.

Recorded on August 27, 2020. Music by Fluorescent Grey.

Reference Links:

  1. Around the Empire Ep 119 Hong Kong Protests Reality feat Carl Zha
  2. Silk and Steel podcast EP#71-Biking to Xinjiang with Jerry Grey




Aug 27, 2020

Ep 178 Bolivia, Nicaragua and the New Cold War feat Ben Norton

Guest: Ben Norton. We talk about the latest developments in Bolivia, life in Nicaragua, the new Cold War with Russia and China and we wrapped up with a discussion about big picture geopolitics. 

Ben Norton is a journalist, writer, and filmmaker. He is the assistant editor of The Grayzone, and the producer of the Moderate Rebels podcast, which he co-hosts with editor Max Blumenthal. 

FOLLOW @BenjaminNorton  Find his work at The Grayzone and subscribe to his podcast Moderate Rebels

Around the Empire is listener supported, independent media. Pitch in at Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire or paypal.me/aroundtheempirepod. Find all links at aroundtheempire.com

SUBSCRIBE on YouTube. FOLLOW @aroundtheempire and @joanneleon.  SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, Google Play, Facebook or on your preferred podcast app.

Recorded on August 20, 2020. Music by Fluorescent Grey.

Reference Links:

  1. Around the Empire Ep 136 Coup in Bolivia feat Ben Norton



Aug 25, 2020

Ep 177 TDY and War Trafficking feat Doug Valentine

Guest: Doug Valentine. Doug talks about his latest book, “TDY” based on a story told to him by a veteran of the Vietnam war who was sent on a covert mission related to the CIA and military involvement in trafficking. There is also a bonus segment about how and why the CIA uses trafficking for funding of covert operations Ep 177EXTRA TDY and War Trafficking. 

From the book description: 

“This novel by Douglas Valentine, author of the nonfiction bestseller The CIA as Organized Crime, is based on a true story, one told to him by a Vietnam veteran, and barely, yet grippingly, fictionalized here.

“In early 1967, a bored, adventurous photojournalist on an Air Force base in Texas is offered a Temporary Duty (TDY) assignment somewhere overseas. The mission is steeped in secrecy, but Pete is promised a large bonus and hazardous duty pay.  The mission that unfolds is terrifying beyond anything Pete ever imagined.”

Here’s what Oliver Stone said about the book: “I read it in suspense and found the last revelations after the mission even more disturbing.”

Douglas Valentine is an author, investigator, journalist and poet. He’s the author of many other books, including  “The Phoenix Program: America’s Use of Terror in Vietnam,” and “The CIA as Organized Crime: How Illegal Operations Corrupt America and the World.” He is well known for his extensive research and interviews of numerous CIA officers, former CIA director William Colby and others involved in the Phoenix Program. The Phoenix Program was a large operation that involved kidnapping, torture, and assassination. Its goal was the destruction of the Viet Cong insurgency, a political and paramilitary movement that worked against the United States and the US-backed South Vietnamese government during the Vietnam war. 

FOLLOW Doug on Twitter @DougValentine77   Find his work at his website douglasvalentine.com

Around the Empire is listener supported, independent media. Pitch in at Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire or paypal.me/aroundtheempirepod. Find all links at aroundtheempire.com

SUBSCRIBE on YouTube. FOLLOW @aroundtheempire and @joanneleon.  SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, Google Play, Facebook or on your preferred podcast app.

Recorded on August 20, 2020. Music by Fluorescent Grey.

Aug 18, 2020

Ep 176 Financial Crisis in Lebanon feat Ehsani

Guest: Ehsani. We talk about the financial crisis that has been building for years and the structural problems in Lebanon’s economy and banking system that has been in place since the 1990’s. The Beirut explosion and widespread damage brought the broader crisis to a head and exposed how the system is broken. We also talk about the political issues, protests and external interference. There is a bonus question for patrons at the end of the interview on whether this is a push for regime change and which external forces are behind it. 

Ehsani is a Syrian American, born in Lebanon and raised in Aleppo. He has a solid background in finance. Find his analysis and discussion on Twitter at @ehsani22. He has also written for the Syria Comment blog under the pseudonym, “Ehsani”.  

FOLLOW Ehsani on Twitter at @EHSANI22  

Around the Empire is listener supported, independent media. Pitch in at Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire or paypal.me/aroundtheempirepod. Find all links at aroundtheempire.com

SUBSCRIBE on YouTube. FOLLOW @aroundtheempire and @joanneleon.  SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, Google Play, Facebook or on your preferred podcast app.

Recorded on August 18, 2020. Music by Fluorescent Grey.

Reference Links:

  1. Beirut faces rising poverty after blast, Al Jazeera English
  2. Lebanon's economy: Plundered by politics and banking elites | Counting the Cost, Al Jazeera English




Aug 6, 2020

Ep 175 Beirut Explosion feat Elijah Magnier

Guest: Elijah Magnier. We talk about the August 4, 2020 explosion in the Beirut port, details of what happened, political implications, cui bono and more. Elijah has gathered information from Beirut and provided some of that information for the first time in this interview as an exclusive. There is also a bonus question for patrons, Ep 175EXTRA Beirut Explosion and Political Implications where we talk about the possibility of the faction aligned with Trump, Netanyahu and Salman wanting to escalate while they can in anticipation of Trump and Netanyahu being out of power in the near future. 

FOLLOW Elijah  on Twitter @ejmalrai. Find and support his work at ejmagnier.com. There is a “donate” button at the bottom of the page. 

Around the Empire is listener supported, independent media. Pitch in at Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire or paypal.me/aroundtheempirepod. Find all links at aroundtheempire.com

SUBSCRIBE on YouTube. FOLLOW @aroundtheempire and @joanneleon.  SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, Google Play, Facebook or on your preferred podcast app.

Recorded on August 6, 2020. Music by Fluorescent Grey.

Reference Links:

  1. US-ISRAEL MEETING: WHEN IS THE HEZBOLLAH RESPONSE EXPECTED?, Elijah Magnier (7/28/20)
  2. Beirut blast: more than 100 dead and over 5,000 wounded in huge explosion, France24
  3. Will the Beirut explosion lead to political change in Lebanon? | Inside Story, Al Jazeera English
  4. Beirut has suffered a catastrophe that will live long in the memory – and the repeated betrayal of its citizens is a travesty, Robert Fisk
  5. Around the Empire Ep 40 Lebanon Crisis feat. Sonia Mansour Robaey (12/13/17)

 

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