Around The Empire

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

Reference Links:

1. Ep 34 An End to the Syrian War feat Ehsani (9/20/17)
2. Ep 45 Ghouta, Afrin and Eastern Syria feat Ehsani (3/27/18)

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:

1. President Trump's Claims of No Collusion are Hogwash, New York Times, John Brennan
2. William H. McRaven: Revoke my security clearance, too, Mr. President, Washington Post
3. Scores of ex-spies join in rebuking Trump over security clearances, Politico
4. The Seven Deadly Sins of John Brennan, Micah Zenko, Foreign Policy
5. Confront and Conceal (book), David Sanger
6. Gates to National Security Team on Osama Raid: 'Shut the F--- Up', Daniel Halper, Weekly Standard
7. Exclusive: Did White House "spin" tip a covert op?, Mark Hosenball, Reuters
8. Who Bombed Khobar Towers? Anatomy of a Crooked Terrorism Investigation, Gareth Porter, Truthout
9. Brennan-led secret raids may have led to Benghazi retaliation, book claims, FoxNews
10. The media are misleading the public on Syria, Stephen Kinzer, Boston Globe
11. US Special Forces sabotage White House policy gone disastrously wrong with covert ops in Syria, SOFREP, Jack Murphy
12. Secret Kill List Tests Obama's Principles New York Times, Jo Becker, Scott Shane
13. A Spymaster Steps Out of the Shadows, New York Times Magazine, Mattathias Schwartz

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:

1. President Trump's Claims of No Collusion are Hogwash, New York Times, John Brennan
2. William H. McRaven: Revoke my security clearance, too, Mr. President, Washington Post
3. Scores of ex-spies join in rebuking Trump over security clearances, Politico
4. The Seven Deadly Sins of John Brennan, Micah Zenko, Foreign Policy
5. Confront and Conceal (book), David Sanger
6. Gates to National Security Team on Osama Raid: 'Shut the F--- Up', Daniel Halper, Weekly Standard
7. Exclusive: Did White House "spin" tip a covert op?, Mark Hosenball, Reuters
8. Who Bombed Khobar Towers? Anatomy of a Crooked Terrorism Investigation, Gareth Porter, Truthout
9. Brennan-led secret raids may have led to Benghazi retaliation, book claims, FoxNews
10. The media are misleading the public on Syria, Stephen Kinzer, Boston Globe
11. US Special Forces sabotage White House policy gone disastrously wrong with covert ops in Syria, SOFREP, Jack Murphy
12. Secret Kill List Tests Obama's Principles New York Times, Jo Becker, Scott Shane
13. A Spymaster Steps Out of the Shadows, New York Times Magazine, Mattathias Schwartz

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:

1. President Trump's Claims of No Collusion are Hogwash, New York Times, John Brennan
2. William H. McRaven: Revoke my security clearance, too, Mr. President, Washington Post
3. Scores of ex-spies join in rebuking Trump over security clearances, Politico
4. The Seven Deadly Sins of John Brennan, Micah Zenko, Foreign Policy
5. Confront and Conceal (book), David Sanger
6. Gates to National Security Team on Osama Raid: 'Shut the F--- Up', Daniel Halper, Weekly Standard
7. Exclusive: Did White House "spin" tip a covert op?, Mark Hosenball, Reuters
8. Who Bombed Khobar Towers? Anatomy of a Crooked Terrorism Investigation, Gareth Porter, Truthout
9. Brennan-led secret raids may have led to Benghazi retaliation, book claims, FoxNews
10. The media are misleading the public on Syria, Stephen Kinzer, Boston Globe
11. US Special Forces sabotage White House policy gone disastrously wrong with covert ops in Syria, SOFREP, Jack Murphy
12. Secret Kill List Tests Obama's Principles New York Times, Jo Becker, Scott Shane
13. A Spymaster Steps Out of the Shadows, New York Times Magazine, Mattathias Schwartz

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.

Reference Links:

1. A Weak and Divided Iraq is Stumbling Towards an Unbalanced Future (6/8/18), Elijah Magnier
2. The US Forces in Al-Tanf are Beleaguered on both the Syrian and Iraqi Sides. Tehran is Challenging Washington in Iraq Abadi is No Longer the Agreed Favourite Candidate (7/23/18), Elijah Magnier
3. Which War for Mesopotamia? Iraq Must Choose Between Iran and the US (8/21/18) , Elijah Magnier
4. Faleh Al-Fayyad is the Official Anti-US PM Candidate in Iraq, While the US is Trying to Hit Iran Below the Belt (8/31/18), Elijah Magnier
5. The US Horse Fell at the First Jump in Iraq (9/4/18), Elijah Magnier
6. The USA Oblivious to the Rise of a Resistance Movement in Response to Its Interference in Iraqi Elections (9/5/18), Elijah Magnier
7. A Wake-Up Call to the US in Baghdad: Will Haidar Abadi Become the Mohammad Morsi of Iraq? (9/7/18), Elijah Magnier
8. Haidar Abadi Has Fallen With the Burned Walls of the Iranian Consulate in Basra (9/10/18), Elijah Magnier
9. The Liberation of Idlib: Turkey is in the Way, With Russia Slowing Down (9/14/18), Elijah Magnier
10. Syria - The Rationale Behind The Delay Of Idleb's Liberation, Moon of Alabama
11. Can Erdogan intimidate Assad into backing off Idlib?, Amberin Zaman, Al Monitor
12. "Turkey reinforces military in Syria's Idlib after ceasefire call fails", Orhan Coskun, Reuters
13. Turkish Strategy in Northern Syria Military Operations, Turkish-Backed Groups and Idlib Issue, SouthFront
14. "Notorious Terrorist Commander Eliminated By Syrian Troops In Idlib", Muraselon/The Syria Reporters

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.

FOLLOW @aroundtheempire. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, YouTube, Facebook.

Recorded on September 2, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.

Reference Links:

1. John McCain Was Not An Anecdote, Michael Tracey
2. Funeral For A Dying Doctrine, Michael Tracey
3. John McCain's Funeral Was the Biggest Resistance Meeting Yet, Susan Glasser, The New Yorker
4. Washington Mourns John McCain – And Its Own Demise Under Trump, Tim Alberta, Politico Magazine
5. John McCain: The View from the Middle East, As'ad AbuKhalil, Consortium News

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.

FOLLOW @aroundtheempire. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, YouTube, Facebook.

Recorded on August 16, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.

Reference Links:

1. Senate Armed Services Committee Hearing (3/26/15) exchange between Sen. Gillibrand and Gen. Lloyd Austin (at 2:16:46)
2. America Is Committing War Crimes and Doesn't Even Know Why, Micah Zenko, Foreign Policy
3. The toll of wars in the Middle East, WHYY Radio Times, Marty Moss-Coane
4. Why is Saudi halting oil shipments through the Red Sea?, Stephen Kalin, Rania El Gamal, Reuters
5. Yemen: US allies don't defeat al-Qaida but pay it to go away, AP
6. Inside the UAE's war on al-Qaeda in Yemen, Bel Trew, The Independent
7. After dozens of children die, Trump administration faces mounting pressure over Yemen war, Missy Ryan, Washington Post

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.

We are independent media and we rely on your contributions. Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire Donations: aroundtheempire.com

FOLLOW @aroundtheempire. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW us on iTunes, YouTube, Facebook.

Recorded on August 14, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.

Reference Links:

1. Lira Collapse To Jump The Mediterranean, Tom Luongo, ZeroHedge
2. BRICTS: Turkey Is Getting Off The US Reservation, Tom Luongo, ZeroHedge
3. Five Pillars of Debt Default, Tom Luongo, Gold, Goats n Guns
4. Turkey's president: US waging economic war against Turkey, Associated Press
5. Losing Faith Fast, Istanbul Merchants Throw in Towel on the Lira, Bloomberg
6. Erdogan: How Turkey Sees the Crisis With the U.S., New York Times Op-Ed

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

FOLLOW @aroundtheempire. Follow Dan & Joanne: @USEmpireShow, @joanneleon. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW us on iTunes, YouTube, Facebook.

Recorded on July 31, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.

Reference Links:

1. Destroying Yemen: What Chaos in Arabia Tells Us about the World, Isa Blumi, UC Press
2. UAE talks up diplomacy as Congress curtails US involvement in Yemen war, Jack Detsch, Middle East Monitor
3. China probing emerging UAE reserves, Daniel J. Graeber, UPI
4. Why is Saudi halting oil shipments through the Red Sea?, Stephen Kalin, Rania El Gamal, Reuters
5. Yemen: US allies don't defeat al-Qaida but pay it to go away, AP

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.

We are independent media and we rely on your contributions. Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire Donations: aroundtheempire.com

FOLLOW @aroundtheempire. Follow Dan & Joanne: @USEmpireShow, @joanneleon. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW us on iTunes, YouTube, Facebook.

Recorded on July 26, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey.

Reference Links:

1. Here's the real reason the US must talk to Russia, Pepe Escobar, Asia Times
2. Losing Military Supremacy: The Myopia of American Strategic Planning, Andrei Martyanov