Foreign Policy Focus

On FPF #404, I discuss several protests movements and peace talks happening around the world. The US talks with North Korea fell apart. According to the North Koreans, it is because the US isn't offering anything new. The US also spoke with the Taliban in Pakistan. Pakistan is hoping to revive talks to end the Afghan War after Trump declared they were dead. In Ukraine, it appears the new president is looking for a path to peace and says he will enter four-party talks. 

In Hong Kong, the government is enacting emergency powers in an attempt to curb the protest movement. The government banned masks as violent clashes with the government continue. Anti-government protests in Iraq have left over 100 people dead. In Egypt, the dictator al-Sisi continues to round up those who protest against him. So far over 2,000 have been arrested. President Marino in Ecuador has also rounded up hundreds of protesters. The protesters there are demanding he undoes a $2 billion austerity deal. 

Show Notes

• Former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger gets ten years for murdering an unarmed man. [Link]
• Pentagon
• • A Pentagon employee says he was forced out after attempting to expose defense companies overcharging the Pentagon. [Link]
  • The Pentagon has taken over background checks for most security clearance. [Link]
• Customs and Border Patrol is spending $1.2 million on anti-drone systems for the southern border. [Link]
• The brother of Honduras' President is on trial in the US for drug trafficking. [Link]
• Pompeo says the US calls on North Korea to stop provocations in response to the most recent missile test. [Link]
• China displays new weapons at its military parade. The new weapons suggest China has a nuclear triad. [Link]
• Hong Kong may enact other emergency laws that will remove some of the restrictions on force police can use. [Link]
• Turkey says not enough progress has been made to establish safe zone in northeast Syria. [Link

• Iran
• • Iran’s President nearly had a phone call with Trump. However, Trump saying he wanted increased sanctions against Iran caused the call not to happen. [Link]
  • Iran closes two border crossing with Iraq because of the protests in Iraq. [Link]

• Africa
• • Twitter suspended the accounts of several Egyptian activists protesting Egyptian President Sisi. Egypt has arrested over 2,000 protesters. [Link]
  • The US reopened its embassy in Somalia for the first time since 1991. [Link]

On FPF #403, I discuss some of the recent Houthi victories over Saudi Arabia. Saudi has been waging a brutal air and starvation war against Yemen for four years. The Houthi, likely, retaliated by major strikes against Saudi oil facilities. Recently, the Houthis claimed to have captured nearly 2,000 Saudi soldiers. I explain what likely happened in the Houthi successful raid against Saudi forces.

Links

• Caitlin Johnstone - Twitter replies
• Caitlin Johnstone - Twitter editor 
• Scott Horton Show Nasser Arraybee 

On FPF #402, I discuss the impeachment push against Trump. The new impeachment call says Trump tried to leverage US aid to Ukraine to get Ukraine to investigate corruption by Joe Biden's son. Trump has released the transcript of the call showing he did not offer a quid pro quo with Ukraine's president.

While it appears the allegations against Trump are false or overblown, the Ukraine scandal has put Biden's role in the 2014 coup in Ukraine back in the spotlight. Biden was a leader in the Obama White House for the coup that sparked a civil war, empowered white supremacists, caused the people of Crimea to vote to be annexed by Russia, and deepened the divide between NATO and Russia. After the coup, Biden used US aid to pressure the former Ukrainian president to fire a prosecutor that was investigating a company that his son was on the board of. 

Links

• Moon of Alabama - New CW lie
• Jimmy Dore and Aaron Mate 
• The Hill - John Solomon

On FPF #401, I argue that the war on terror is not about stopping and killing terrorists. From Afghanistan to the TSA at your local airport, what the government is doing to "prevent terrorism" is not about stopping the next 9/11. Most Americans still believe the reason why we have to be groped by the TSA and why we must send Americans to Afghanistan to get killed are the required sacrifices to prevent being killed by a radical Muslim. However, the TSA does not prevent terror attacks, and the US war in Afghanistan makes them more likely. The war and the TSA are apart of the establishment's propaganda machine is pushing the US empire. 

On FPF #400, Will Porter returns to the show to breakdown the attack on Saudi oil infrastructure that took half of the Saudi's oil production offline. Will describes the attack and evidence produced by Saudi Arabia. The Houthis have claimed they carried out the attack. However, the US has pointed the finger at Iran. Will and Kyle look at the competing claims and describe why the Houthi are more likely behind the attack. They also explain why either Iran or the Houthi have a reason to attack Saudi Arabia, Trump would be foolish to start a war with Iran, and how the new NSA - Robert O'Brien - could impact the future discussion of war with Iran. 

Links

• Around the Empire - Nasser Arrabyee
• Moon of Alabama 

On FPF #399, Phil Gibson comes on the show to talk about 9/11 and the 'War on Terror.' Kyle and Phil are both young enough to have grown up during the 'War on Terror' and discuss what that experience was like. They look at some of the wars that started since 9/11 and debunk the lies that started the wars. 

Phil Gibson is the host of the Boy Named Pseu Podcast. 

Joanne Leon - host of the Around the Empire podcast - returns to the show to discuss the firing of John Bolton. Kyle and Joanne look at some the wars he attempted to stir up during his time as Trump's NSA. They explain Bolton's legacy will be a war hawk who destroyed arms control deals. Joanne and Kyle examine the list of possible replacements for Bolton. 

Links

• Trump Oval Office press conference on Bolton firing
• Pushback with Aaron Maté: Ex-CIA analyst on why he predicted John Bolton’s firing
• Around the Empire: Ep 111 John Bolton and Escalation With Iran feat Kyle Anzalone
• Washington Post: How clashes with Trump led to John Bolton's firing

Scott Horton returns to FPF to discuss his new book, The Great Ron Paul: The Scott Horton Show Interview 2004-2009. Scott explains why Ron Paul record of standing against the empire makes him the greatest American Hero. Scott's new book shows that Dr. Paul has been right on foreign policy for decades. However, Ron has been largely ignored or smeared by the establishment. Scott and Kyle describe what Congressman Ron Paul has meant to the liberty and antiwar movements. 

Scott Horton is also the author of Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan. He is the Editorial Director at Antiwar.com, runs the Libertarian Insititute and is the host of the Scott Horton Show.

On FPF #396, I discuss Trump's firing of John Bolton. Bolton served as Trump's National Security Adviser for the past year and a half. Bolton used his position to push for more war and destroy nuclear agreements. This should not have come to as a surprise to anyone, Bolton's legacy is starting wars and killing agreements that encourage diplomacy. In the Trump administration, he was influential in ruining the Hanoi summit with North Korea, killing the INF Treaty, starting an economic war against Venezuela, and increasing the maximum pressure campaign against Iran. 

On FPF #395, I discuss Pamela Anderson's defense of Julian Assange on The View. Co-host Meghan McCain smeared Julian Assange as a "cyber-terrorist," who exposed US secrets, and endangered innocent people. In her response, Anderson went on the attack against McCain and the war state. She argued that Wikileaks has not harmed anyone and that the US military harms civilians all around the world. Anderson also debunked other lies about Assange; such as Wikileaks withheld publishing documents about Donald Trump, that Hillary lost the election because of Wikileaks, and that Wikileaks is not a news organization. 

Links

Common Dreams - Pamela Anderson takes on McCain