Around The Empire

Guest: Hunter DeRensis. Hunter describes the US foreign policy establishment, or "The "Blob", as a "self-anointed mandarin class or, if you prefer, deep state, that has largely operated unmolested until the advent of Trump now appears to believe that it can foil, or even subvert, the policies of a president it deems unfit for office, a development that should worry Democrats and Republicans alike." We talk about William Taylor, an old Cold warrior member of "The Blob" and discuss how they are driving the impeachment effort. We also talk about the anonymous op-ed published in the NYT last year and a new book by the same anonymous author, titled "The Warning" published this month. Lastly, I ask Hunter to speculate on who that anonymous author might be and he gives us his theory and the reasoning behind it.

Hunter DeRensis is a foreign policy reporter for The National Interest and a contributor to The American Conservative and the Libertarian Institute.

FOLLOW @HunterDeRensis and find his work at the The National Interest.

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.

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Recorded on October 28, 2019. Music by Fluorescent Grey.

Reference Links:

1. The Blob Strikes Back, Hunter DeRensis, National Interest
2. A Warning: Why Should Anyone Trust Anonymous?, Hunter DeRensis, National Interest

Guest: Shireen Al-Adeimi. We discussed the recent attacks on Saudi oil facilities and the battle in Najran, near the Saudi-Yemen border. Shireen then lays out some history on the wars in recent decades in Yemen, both civil wars and foreign interventions, and offers important insights on how the Saudi-United Arab Emirates coalition backed by the US and other western powers, does not even have a coherent objective anymore. Further, the Saudis and Emiratis are fighting against each other in a proxy war. Lastly we talk about Samantha Power's new memoir in which she omits any mention of the war in Yemen or her role in the Obama administration's decision to support and sustain it.

"Shireen Al-Adeimi is an assistant professor of education at Michigan State University. Having lived through two civil wars in her country of birth, Yemen, she has played an active role in raising awareness about the U.S.-supported, Saudi-led war on Yemen since 2015. Through her work, she aims to encourage political action among fellow Americans to bring about an end to U.S. intervention in Yemen."

FOLLOW Shireen on Twitter @shireen818. Find her work on the In These Times website.

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.

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Recorded on October 3, 2019. Music by Fluorescent Grey.

Reference Links:

1. The U.S.-Backed Coalition Can't Agree on Why It's Bombing Yemen, Shireen Al-Adeimi
2. How Dare Samantha Power Scrub the Yemen War From Her Memoir, Shireen Al-Adeimi
3. Yemeni Alliance Committee on Facebook

Guest: Margaret Kimberley. On this Halloween special episode, we discuss the prospects for a "ghoulish rematch" in 2020 between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. We mainly focus on Hillary Clinton, recent events and various signs that she is considering making another run for president and why that would be a disaster.

FOLLOW Margaret on Twitter @freedomrideblog Find her work at the Black Agenda Report.

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.

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Recorded on October 29, 2019. Music by Fluorescent Grey.

Reference Links:

1. Freedom Rider: The Return of Hillary Clinton, Margaret Kimberley, Black Agenda Report
2. Wasserman Schultz, Democrats did not tilt 2016 primary in Clinton's favor, judicial panel rules, Sun-Sentinel
3. Event: How Propaganda Manufactures Consent by Big Apple Coffee Party featuring Max Blumenthal, Margaret Kimberley, Aaron Mate, Lee Camp

Guest: Ahsan Butt. We discuss the history of Kashmir and the current situation after India stripped the Jammu & Kashmir regions of their limited autonomy status to bring it under the direct control of the Indian government. Also we talked about Prime Minister Modi's history and his relationship with American officials and politicians and why India is considered an important geopolitical balance to China. We discuss Tulsi Gabbard's support for Modi and lastly about the obstacles to ending the war in Afghanistan.

Ahsan Butt is an Associate Professor at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University and a non-resident fellow at the Stimson Center. He generally work on issues of ethnicity and nationalism, security, international order, and South Asia and he is the author of the book: Secession and Security: Explaining State Strategy Against Separatists

FOLLOW @ahsanib, find his book on Amazon or at the OAOPEN Library, or visit his website.

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 September 25, 2019. Music by Fluorescent Grey.

Reference Links:

1. Book: Secession and Security: Explaining State Strategy Against Separatists, Ahsan I. Butt, Amazon, Download
2. Ahsan Butt's website, Twitter page
3. India just pulled Jammu and Kashmir's autonomy. Here's why that is a big deal for this contested region, Ahsan Butt, Washington Post
4. The Caravan: All in the Family: The American Sangh's affair with Tulsi Gabbard

Swapcast with Foreign Policy Focus podcast host Kyle Anzalone, on the withdrawal of US troops from northern Syria and the Kurds/SDF new partnership with Syria with Russia as the guarantor.

The Turkish military continues with its "Operation Peace Spring" invasion along with its "rebel" fighter allies, some of whom are jihadis formerly backed by the US-led coalition. President Trump ordered the withdrawal of US forces from Syria with the exception of Al Tanf. It remains to be seen how much, if not all of that territory will be reclaimed by the Syrian state. Syrian government forces are moving rapidly into some parts of northeast Syria that had been under the control of the Kurdish-led, US-backed SDF forces. They aim to regain control of all of their territory, which might result in direct fighting between Syrian and Turkish forces.

Meanwhile the American foreign policy "Borg" (as retired Col. Pat Lang calls it or "the Blob" as President Obama called it, or the War Party as I sometimes call it) is engaged in a total freak out which Kyle and I will describe in more detail. The events of the past few days are momentous for a number of different reasons that are just as complicated and multi-faceted as this war in Syria itself.

FOLLOW Kyle on Twitter: @Kyaaale. SUBSCRIBE to the Foreign Policy Focus podcast at the Libertarian Institute.

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.

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Recorded on October 14, 2019. Music by Fluorescent Grey.

Reference Links:

1. If We Have to Choose Between Compromise and Genocide, We Will Choose Our People, Mazloum Abdi (SDF Commander), Foreign Policy
2. "This is our reward?": After 4 years fighting ISIS, Syrian Kurds face uncertain future as US pivots to Turkey, Defense Post, January 2019
3. Democrats, Republicans to seek reversal of Trump Syria pullback, AFP

Guest: Isa Blumi. We discuss the war in Yemen, the recent attacks on Saudi oil facilities, the ground operation in Najran, some recent, perhaps game changing statements by Saudi crown prince Mohammad bin Salman, and other comments made by the Saudi energy minister and by Russian and Iranian officials at the Valdai conference. Isa talks about what he describes in his book as the "shifting causal factor behind the ongoing violence in Yemen", the need for resources, the coalition infighting and the worsening predicament of the Saudi Kingdom and their frenemies in the Gulf. At the root of it is a fragmenting, collapsing empire and global financial interests plundering the world.

Dr. Isa Blumi is an historian, an author and an Associate Professor at Stockholm University. His very prescient book, titled 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.

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 October 4, 2019. Music by Fluorescent Grey.

Reference Links:

1. Destroying Yemen: What Chaos in Arabia Tells Us about the World, Isa Blumi, UC Press
2. Around the Empire: Ep 55 Imperial War, Gulf State Rivalry, Resources and Resistance in Yemen feat Isa Blumi
3. Around the Empire: Ep 64 Yemen War Big Picture & Media Narrative feat Isa Blumi

Guest: Elijah Magnier. We discuss the uprising and protests across Iraq that turned violent this week, with over a hundred deaths and thousands of injuries.

Elijah's sources within the office of the Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi told him that the protests were planned during the summer months and the demands of the people are legitimate. The current prime minister inherited a corrupt system and a country struggling to recover from devastating war, sanctions and billions of dollars in debt. The protests coincide with an assassination attempt on the leader of the Iranian Quds force, Qasem Soleimani and PM Mahdi's office said the objective now seems to be about creating chaos in Iraq and Iran and possibly a coup d'état / regime change carried out by military or encouraged by foreign forces, Saudi Arabia and the US.

Elijah Magnier is a veteran war correspondent and political analyst with over 35 years of experience covering the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

FOLLOW Elijah Magnier @ejmalrai. Read and support his work at ejmagnier.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 October 6, 2019. Music by Fluorescent Grey.

Reference Links:

1. THE US-IRAN SILENT WAR IS TRANSFORMED INTO AN "IRAQ UPRISING", Elijah Magnier
2. Around the Empire: Ep 68 Iraq Politics & Stalled Idlib Op in Syria feat Elijah Magnier
3. Around the Empire: Ep 122 Brink of War: Israel and Hezbollah feat Elijah Magnier
4. The Post-Saddam Hussein Settlement in Iraq Is on the Brink of Collapse, Patrick Cockburn
5. Iran-US Tensions Threaten Fragile Iraqi Stability, Amid Army Dismissal, Patrick Cockburn

Guest: Lucy Komisar. A deep dive into the story behind the "Magnitsky Hoax". Lucy tells the story of Bill Browder, Hermitage (his hedge fund) and how he managed to create a massive political weapon called the Magnitsky Act to protect himself and his benefactors and to use against others. The story also involves shell companies, tax havens, money laundering, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Robert Maxwell, Gazprom, HSBC, Natalia Veselnitskaya, the Trump Tower meeting, the resurgence of the Cold War with Russia, Russiagate, the Mueller Report, and more.

Lucy Komisar is a New York City-based journalist with a long history of investigating offshore banks and corporate secrecy and abuses. One of her current long term projects is the investigation of the Browder/Magnitsky hoax.

FOLLOW Lucy on Twitter @LucyKomisar where there is lively and active participation in this investigative work and find her work at her website TheKomisarScoop.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 September 24th and 27th, 2019. Music by Fluorescent Grey.

Reference Links:

1. The Komisar Scoop
2. The Man Behind the Magnitsky Act, 100Reporters, Lucy Komisar
3. The BBC and the European Court get the Magnitsky story wrong, Lucy Komisar
4. The Man Behind the Magnitsky Act: Did Bill Browder's Tax Troubles in Russia Color Push for Sanctions?, Lucy Komisar
5. Documentary: The Magnitsky Act: Behind the Scenes, Andrei Nekrasov

Timestamps:

2:00 Intro, Lucy's background, how she met Bill Browder, investigating money laundering, Khodorkovsky, Avisma, Browder, Yukos, Peter Bond, Russia

9:00 The Magnitsky Hoax, how Browder/Magnitsky ties into other things like Russiagate, resurgence of the Cold War, Robert Maxwell, etc.

11:30 Bill Browder background, Robert Maxwell, Salomon Brothers, telecom Peter Star, Edmond Safra, IMF funds, Beny Steinmetz, Hermitage hedge fund, Mossack Fonseca, Ziff Brothers

16:30 Offshore shell companies, fall of USSR, "shock therapy", shares/vouchers, Cyprus, Gazprom, Russia-Cyprus double taxation treaties, fraud, Kalmykia region in Russia, Browder tax evasion

23:45 Sergei Magnitsky (Browder's accountant) investigated 2006, Browder lost Russian visa 2005, Putin, 2007 Browder companies docs seized, Firestone Duncan, Browder says companies stolen

31:00 Magnitsky interrogated 2008, prepares to flee, arrested & imprisoned, HSBC (trustee for Hermitage fund), tax refund fraud, Renaissance, Prevezon, OCCRP, Browder media stenographers, Rimma Starova blew the whistle, Russian reporter Oleg Lurie met Magnitsky in prison, Magnitsky doesn't mention abuse to Lurie or human rights orgs, Browder doesn't mention to US House Human Rights Committee, Magnitsky dies in prison in Nov 2009 poor medical treatment, Russian authorities investigate and report terrible prison conditions, medical neglect

46:00 Russia still pursuing Browder for tax evasion, Jonathan Winer worked for John Kerry's State Dept and later APCO, Khodorkovsky also client of APCO, Winer helps Browder craft a new story & strategy ("Magnitsky Hoax") of Magnitsky murder, forgeries, used by media and govt for The Magnitsky Act, in his fraudulent document Browder names new culprits

54:30 Browder and Magnitsky Act help advance US anti-Russia foreign policy, OCCRP (Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project) helps Browder create docs, Magnitsky Act includes a section protecting Khodorkovsky

1:01:00 Documentary "The Magnitsky Act: Behind the Scenes" debunks Browder's story, banned from broadcast

1:03:00 Ken Dilanian's May 2016 reporting on Magnitsky and Browder was killed by NBC, Robert Otto State Dept emails leaked

1:11:45 Trump Tower meeting, Natalia Veselnitskaya, Rob Goldstone, Prevezon case, Russiagate narrative, Fusion GPS, Glenn Simpson

1:32:30 Trump-Russia investigation, The Mueller Report repeats Browder's Magnitsky hoax story

1:43:00 in 2016 Browder found guilty in Russian court and new embezzlement charges filed as a result of his tax refund fraud

1:51:00 Complexity of tax havens, shell companies, money laundering, purpose of Global Magnitsky Acts campaign as a political weapon

Guest: Nasser Arrabyee. Speaking to us from Yemen, Nasser describes the recent drone attacks by the Yemen armed forces (led by the Houthis) on the Saudi oil facilities in Abqaiq and Khurais. We discussed the fact that there have been numerous other, progressively advanced, retaliatory strikes by Yemen on Saudi Arabia in recent months and over the past few years. Further, we talk about the five year bombardment and blockade of Yemen by Saudi Arabia (with the critical assistance of the United States) and how the number of casualties has been grossly understated.

Nasser Arrabyee is a journalist and filmmaker based in Sanaa, Yemen. He 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 Nasser Arrabyee on Twitter @narrabyee.

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 September 17, 2019. Music by Fluorescent Grey.

Reference Links:

1. 9/14/19 video statement from spokesman for Yemen/Houthi armed forces about the drone attack on Saudi oil facilities. Translation by Nasser Arrabyee
2. Yemen's Houthis say Aramco plants still a target, Reuters
3. Scott Horton Show: 9/9/19 Nasser Arrabyee on the Ongoing War in Yemen
4. Damage At Saudi Oil Plant Points To Well Targeted Swarm Attack, Moon of Alabama
5. The Secret of Yemen's War? We Can End It, NYT, Martin Griffiths (UN Special Envoy for Yemen)
6. Yemen Houthi drones, missiles defy years of Saudi air strikes, Reuters

Guest: Aaron Maté. We talk about the latest Russiagate "bombshell" story that revealed the identity and Washington, DC area location of a Kremlin spy, Oleg Smolenkov, and claimed that he provided intelligence proving that Vladimir Putin ordered an election influence operation favoring Donald Trump. Also we discuss the machinations of former CIA DirectorJohn Brennan, the Barr and Durham investigation of the investigators and the political ramifications of Russiagate overall.

Aaron is the host of the Pushback With Aaron Maté show at the Grayzone and a contributing writer at The Nation.

FOLLOW Aaron on Twitter @aaronjmate, subscribe to his show Pushback with Aaron Maté at the Grayzone channel on YouTube and support him at Patreon.

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 September 15, 2019. Music by Fluorescent Grey.

Reference Links:

1. Exclusive: US extracted top spy from inside Russia in 2017, CNN, Jim Sciutto
2. C.I.A. Informant Extracted From Russia Had Sent Secrets to U.S. for Decades, NYT, David Sanger
3. Possible Russian spy for CIA now living in Washington area, NBC, Ken Dilanian
4. CIA slams CNN's 'misguided' and 'simply false' reporting on alleged CIA spy's extraction from Kremlin, Fox News, Gregg Re
5. Kremlin says reported U.S. spy in Russian president's office was fired years ago, Reuters
6. Loud and Clear radio show 9/10/19