Foreign Policy Focus

On FPF #464, I discuss Chelsea Manning and the US bombing Shia militias in Iraq. Chelsea Manning was imprisoned for a year for refusing to testify in front of a grand jury about leaking documents to WikiLeaks. Manning took the stand for Julian Assange - who the grand jury was empaneled to investigate - and against the unjust grand jury system. Manning attempted suicide before learning she would be released this week. 

A recent attack on an Iraqi base killed two American soldiers and one British soldier. The attack was blamed on "Iranian-backed" Shia militias. However, the US or UK government failed to provide any proof for this claim. The lack of evidence did not stop the US and UK from jointly bombing several Shia militia targets in Iraq. 

On FPF #463, I discuss the political instability caused by two different men claiming to be president. Incumbent Ashraf Ghani and his former Cheif Executive Abdullah Abdullah have both claimed victory in an election that happened in September. They exploit the rampant violence, extortion, and voter fraud that surrounded the election to claim their victory. It appears that Ghani will remain the president recognized by the US. 

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Facial recognition and police body cameras

Will Porter returns to Foreign Policy Focus to discuss the International Criminal Court's inquiry into US war crimes committed in Afghanistan. Will looks at the alleged crimes, like torture, that will be investigated. Kyle updates the situation in Afghanistan a week after the "peace deal" with the Taliban was signed. Will and Kyle review the first week of the agreement. 

Links

• FPF #181 - Trump Attacks Assad
• FPF #244 - False Flags in Syria
• FPF #319 - Final Report on Douma

On FPF #461, I discuss Congress pushing for war more than Trump. A new bill in the House looks to prevent the US from drawing down troops in Africa. Throughout the Trump presidency, Congress has a history of attempting to prevent Trump from drawing down forces or removing sanctions. At the same time, Congress is almost completely ignoring Trump deploying troops and fighting undeclared wars.  

On FPF #460, I discuss the chaotic and dangerous situation unfolding in Idlib, Syria. Turkey is backing the al-Qaeda linked rebels who remain in opposition to the Syrian government. The Syrian Army - along with its Russian ally - are attempting to retake the Idlib Province of Syria. Turkey is invading Syria in an attempt to prevent this from happening. Turkey has asked the US and European allies to get involved and establish a no-fly zone over Idlib. The no-fly zone would result in the US shooting down Russian planes. NATO rejected Turkey's demands. Now Turkey is allowing some of the 3 million refugees - who settled in Turkey during the Syrian War - to cross into Europe. Turkey hopes this will pressure the European powers to act in Syria. 

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Afghan "Peace Deal" has rough start created by US

Will Porter returns to FPF to discuss the peace deal signed by the Taliban and the US government. The deal did not include the Afghan government. It calls for the US to drop troop levels to 8.600 within 135 days and a full withdraw of US forces in 14 months. The deal is rumored to have secret annexes that would allow the US to keep counterterrorism force in Afghanistan. Will and Kyle explain their skepticism of the deal bringing an end to America's longest war and why calling this a peace agreement is misleading.  

Links

• China Expels 3 WSJ Journalists
• Turkey Allows Refugees Into Europe
• Coronavirus Outbreak in Iran
• Riots in India Kill 40

On FPF #458, I discuss Julian Assange's extradition hearing. Assange is being forced to sit in a bulletproof glass box.  Julian is barely able to hear what is going on in the trial, and he is unable to confer or speak with his lawyers to get clarification. He continues to face dehumanizing tactics like repeated strip searches. Assange is unable to get a fair trial because he exposed the crimes of the empire. His court fight is now the fight for a free press.

On FPF #457, I discuss the deep state is rolling out Russiagate for the 2020 election. Now Trump and Bernie have been accused of receiving Russian support in this election cycle. Just like in the first Russiagate, no one has presented evidence of the alleged Russian conspiracy. It seems the goal of the deep state is to hem in the likely candidates of the two major parties. 

On FPF #456, Will Porter returns to the show to discuss the evolving justification for Trump's assassination of Soleimani. Will explains how the Trump admin has now given several reasons that they needed to and had the power to kill Soleimani. Will and Kyle look at the failure of Trump to have appropriate authorization for the strike and the strategic failures of the strike. 

Links

• Abby Martian
• NATO mission in Iraq
• CIA encryption
• Soleimani assassination
• Record military spending

On FPF #455, I discuss the Senate voting on a War Powers bill to constrain Trump's ability to start a war with Iran. Trump has continued on the presidential tradition of killing whoever he wants, and he is unbound by the Constitution. The House will also need to pass the bill. However, Trump has threatened to veto the legislation, and Congress is unlikely to get the needed 2/3 in each house to override it.