On Conflicts of Interest #8, Will and Kyle discuss CENTCOM commander Frank McKenzie's recent statement on the New York Times's "Russian bounties" story, saying he'd seen no evidence to support the assertion. 

Negotiating teams from the Afghan government and the Taliban have met in Qatar for long-awaited peace talks, just as President Donald Trump nominated William Ruger, an Afghan war skeptic, for the ambassador position.

The Venezuelan government has charged an American citizen for terrorism and arms trafficking, accusing him of plotting sabotage on energy facilities, but citing little evidence.

US officials are increasingly concerned that they could face war crimes charges linked to US arms sales to Saudi Arabia, who has used American weapons to commit atrocities in Yemen for more than five years.

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On Conflicts of Interest #7, Kyle and Will break down a federal judge's order to Saudi Arabia to arrange for some two dozen current and former officials to testify about their potential knowledge, or involvement in, the 9/11 plot. 

Julian Assange's extradition hearing was postponed until Monday after a Covid scare on the prosecution side. The lawyer's test ultimately came back negative.

Tensions between China and Taiwan spiked last week after Beijing sent aircraft into Taiwanese airspace two days in a row as the breakaway state carried out live-fire missile drills.

The Trump administration brokered a normalization deal between Israel and Bahrain, a move Palestinian leadership slammed as a stab in the back.

Links

• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
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• 28 Pages Explained
• SHS - Clive Smith

 

On Conflicts of Interest #6, Kyle and Will outline the legacy of the September 11 attacks on their 19th anniversary, including years of war, torture, and mass surveillance carried out in their wake. The Pentagon has awarded a $13.3 billion contract to Northrop Grumman to develop the next-generation ICBM, the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent, part of a 30-year and $1 trillion nuclear modernization project. The Portland City Council has passed a sweeping ban on facial recognition technology, including for the police and private agencies, joining a growing list of cities to prohibit the controversial tech.

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On Conflicts of Interest #5, Will and Kyle break down the DOJ's case against two 'Boogaloo Boys' charged for conspiring with Hamas. Entrapment or foiled terrorist plot?

President Trump went on a tear against top Pentagon brass during a Monday press conference, accusing them of war profiteering for the arms industry.

Julian Assange's extradition trial has resumed, as the publisher remains imprisoned and the US pushes ahead with a 17-count indictment for espionage.

Links

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An unverified hit piece by Jeffery Goldberg in the Atlantic accused Donald Trump of trash talking US troops. Despite its flimsy sourcing, the Libertarian Party ran with the story to score political points against the president. Kyle and Will explain the problems with their messaging.

Julian Assange's extradition hearing is set to resume on Monday, as the US presses ahead with its war on journalism. While Assange's case looks bleak, a recent US court ruling on the NSA mass surveillance provides some reason for optimism, effectively vindicating Edward Snowden's historic leak in 2013.

New York may soon step up police enforcement of social distancing rules with a NYPD task force, as Governor Andrew Cuomo refuses to allow restaurants to reopen, despite the economic devastation brought by the continued shutdowns.

Links

• NYT on Covid Testing
• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
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• Jonathan Cook - Assange
• Nozomi Hayase - Assange

The US has ramped up its war on the International Criminal Court, adding a lead ICC prosecutor and her top aide to a sanctions blacklist over their effort to probe allegations of American war crimes in Afghanistan.

Moscow is again on trial on the world stage, accused of poisoning a leading opposition figure, Alexey Navalny, but there are reasons for skepticism. Will and Kyle break down the arguments on both sides.

The Israeli blockade on Gaza – tightened over the summer amid claims of Palestinian incendiary balloon attacks – may soon loosen after Hamas and Tel Aviv came to a deescalation agreement mediated by Qatar.

Links

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• Scott Horton Show - Ramzy Baroud
• FPF - Skripals 

 

The US State Department has called to formalize a NATO-like alliance between itself, Japan, Australia and India, currently known as the "Quad." The Deputy Secretary of State, Stephen Biegun, said he would like the new alliance to serve as a bulwark against Beijing, potentially creating a mutual defense pact akin to the North Atlantic Treaty. Kyle and Will discuss the risks in emboldening regional states to take a harder line against China.

A run-in between an American and Russian patrols in Northeast Syria resulted in at least 4 injured US troops, the Pentagon has claimed, accusing Moscow of dangerous and provocative behavior. Russia, for its part, says Washington knew its patrol route and that the American vehicles blocked their path. The case has underscored the dangers of the illegal American presence in Syria, risking an escalation of tensions between the world's two largest nuclear arsenals. Another vehicle collision involving a US military vehicle occurred in South Korea last week to much less fanfare, despite killing four local civilians.

A New York Times report claims the Taliban fired rockets at two US bases in Afghanistan's Helmand province, citing anonymous US officials, however, the militant group has denied the charge. Will and Kyle break down the accusation and examine the likelihood the story is true.

Links

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Hosts Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter introduce the debut episode of Conflicts of Interest, a new video show covering news and world affairs that will stream live on YouTube three days a week. Kyle and Will break down Senator Rand Paul's speech at the Republican National Convention, where he tried to sell Donald Trump as the anti-war candidate and a criminal justice reformer. An upcoming troop drawdown in Iraq could help to make Rand's case.

Rising tension over the South China Sea came to a head this week after the Pentagon flew a pair of spy planes near Chinese territory, prompting a missile test from Beijing and an exchange of harsh words. Will and Kyle give the latest on the story, and provide an update on ongoing strife over the presidential election in Belarus, where Washington and European allies have pressured incumbent Alexander Lukashenko to come to terms with his opposition.

Links

• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
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• Scott Horton Show - Gilbert Doctorow
• FPF #538 - Kenosha