Foreign Policy Focus

On FPF #126, I discuss three states were Hillary Clinton played a large role in the direction of the country's future while she was Secretary of State. In Honduras, Hillary Clinton gave legitimacy to a military coup and helped elected a leader against the will of the Honduran people. A recent election stoled by a president supported by Hillary Clinton lead to protests. The protesters are being suppressed by forces trained by the US. In Yemen, a one-man election organized by Hillary Clinton set off a chain of events leading to civil war and famine. Recent fighting has lead to the split of the Houthi/Salah alliance and the death of the former president of Yemen Salah. In Libya, Hillary Clinton pushed for war against the Libyan leader Gaddafi. The death of Gaddafi led to a failed state in Libya. Competing government in Liyba are weaponizing rape and salves are openly sold. 

On FPF #125, I explain the recurring failure of US foreign policy through the lens of the massacre in Bariire. In the missions that lead to the massacre, the SEALs allied themselves with former al-Shabaab fighters and used a translator know for giving false information. The SEALs failed to understand the local politics and warring tribes complicated the situation on the ground. In the end, the mission ended in a massacre, and a terror attack in October is possible blowback. These are just a few of the several reasons this mission, like all COIN operations, failed. Daily Beast Article. 

On FPF #124, I discuss North Korea's recent missile test and events around Africa. I give the details and some analysis of Nort Korea's missile test. I also discuss the reaction from world leaders. I examine the situation In Zimbabwe, a new president has been sworn in after the coup. I look at a new Kenyan president being sworn in. I also update Egypt's Saini massacre, Marcon's trip to West Africa and Nigeria. 

On FPF #123, I smackdown two articles published in the New York Times. The first article I take on is Thomas Freidman's love letter to MBS. I explain how Freidman is so enchanted by MBS he ignores MBS's crimes. The second article examines if anyone is committing war crimes in Yemen. In this article, the NYT hides Saudi and US war crimes in Yemen. 

Will Porter returns to Foreign Policy Focus to cover the fall of ISIS. This episode is the second in a two-part series on the rise and fall of ISIS, the first show can be found here. In this part of the series, Will details how the US and Russia became involved in Syria. Will covers the liberation of Mosul and Raqqa. Will explains how the War against ISIS has impacted the Syrian Civil War. Will also gives analysis on what to expect now that the caliphate is dead. 

Articles 

• Starvation in Mosul [Link]
• 40,000 Casualties in Mosul [Link] 
• New York Times - The Uncounted [Link]
• Kurdish withdraw from Kirkuk [Link] 
• AirWars' Casualty Figures for Raqqa [Link] 

On FPF #121, I guide you through foreign policy discussions at Thanksgiving dinner. I identify the important players in ongoing wars. I debunk common myths people believe about US wars. I also give talking points to help you simply explain complex geopolitics issues. 

On FPF #120, I look at the 60 Minutes segment on Yemen. The segment was one of the first times the crisis and war in Yemen has gained MSM attention. The 60 Minutes crew was denied access to Yemen by Saudi Arabia. The segment has several problems that I address. I also update Lebanon, Turkey, and Zimbabwe.

Articles 

• Trump threatens to close the PLO. [Link]
• More US troops are dying in war zones for the first time in six years. [Link]
• A Marine killed a Japanese citizen in a car crash. [Link]
• US warship collides with Japanese tugboat. [Link]
• Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe refuses to step down as president. [Link] 
• Turkey’s president pulls Turkish troops from NATO exercises in Norway. [Link]
• Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hariri made it to France on Saturday. [Link]
• The Iraqi Kurdish government announce their support for a united Iraq. [Link]
• 130 children die every day in Yemen. [Link]
• Saudi Arabia blocks ’60 Minutes’ from entering Yemen [Link]

On FPF #119, I discuss the coup to remove Robert Mugabe as president of Zimbabwe. The military commander behind the coup has insisted that this is not a coup. The former Vice President is poised to take power as the 93-year-old Mugabe is ousted. The AU and UN have said they are looking for a peaceful transition of power. I also update the imprisonment of Lebanon's Prime Minister, the Afghan opium market, and North Korea. 

Articles 

• China will send a high-level envoy to North Korea. [Link] 
• South Korea says the US needs their consent before attacking North Korea. [Link] 
• Saudi Arabia may be planning to replace Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri with his brother Bahaa. Bahaa made statement condemning Iran and Hezbollah. [Link]
• Islamic State snipers are using US weapons and equipment. [Link]
• Dan McAdams explains how the US plans to influence Hungarian elections. [Link]
• Center for Strategic and International Studies has been pushing the idea of putting THAAD missiles in South Korea. THAAS missiles are made by a top donor of CSIS, Lockheed Martian. [Link]
• African countries are attempting to peacefully transition President Mugabe from power. [Link]
• Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hariri plans to leave Saudi Arabia Saturday for France. [Link]
• Afghanistan 2017 opium crop sets records of land use and weight produced. The anti-opium effort destroyed a record amount of opium. [Link]
• Inspector general report finds US troops were informally told to ignore child sex abuse. [Link]

FPF#118, I look at the future of the Syrian Civil War. Al-Qaeda continues to control territory in Idlib Syria. Israel is threatening to attack Iranian or Hezbollah targets in Syria. Turkey is threatening to attack the Syrian Kurds. Assad restated his goal to control all of Syria. The US plans to stay to prevent any future ISIS 2.0 from popping up. I also update North Korea, Yemen, Libya, and Zimbabwe. 

Articles 

• A Green Beret was killed in Mali by two Navy SEALs after the Green Beret uncovered the SEALs stealing money. [Link]
• A breakaway region of Somalia, Somaliland, held presidential elections Monday. [Link]
• A North Korean soldier defected to South Korea. The soldier was hit by gunfire from North Koreans as he fled. [Link] 
• North Korea sends a letter to the UN about US aggression. [Link] 
• Israel will destroy a Palestinian village and displace 300 people. [Link]
• BBC documents the deal cut between the US/SDF and ISIS. The deal allowed IS fighters, including foreign fighters, to escape the city of Raqqa. EHSANI22 claims IS allowed the SDF to take the Omar oil fields in exchange. [Link] [Link] 
• Saudi Arabia continues to block ports and airports in Northern Yemen. [Link] 
• House passes a non-binding resolution that declares the US role in Saudi’s war against Yemen is unauthorized. [Link]
• House votes 366-30 on a nonbinding resolution against supporting Saudi’s war in Yemen. [Link]
• The ‘groundbreaking’ Atlantic article showing a conversation between WikiLeaks and Donald Trump Jr. was unethically edited. [Link]
• 23 European countries sign an agreement to spend more on military and promote European military integration. [Link]
• CNN exposes the slave trade in Libya. [Link] 
• In Libya, militants are cutting water to cities to negotiate with the governments. [Link] 
• Tanks of entered the capital city of Zimbabwe. Reports suggest that the military may attempt to remove the 93-year-old President Mugabe from power. [Link] The military declared they had control of the capital city but were not carrying out a coup. [Link]
• In Syria, 53 people were killed in a market by airstrikes. Russia likely carried out the strikes. [Link] 
• Turkish President Erdogan suggests Turkey may attack the Syrian Kurds. [Link] 
• Russia’s Foreign Minister said Russia has not ensured Iranian backed forces will leave Syria. [Link] 
• Iraq/Iran earthquake death toll now at 530. [Link]
• Saudi Arabia bombed the airport in Yemen. The destruction of the airport will make it more difficult to get starving people food. [Link]

On FPF #117, I discuss Trump's trip to Asia. In South Korea, Trump pushed missile defense and weapon sales. In the Philippines, Trump met with Putin and pushed for more weapon sales. Trump rounded out the trip in the Philippines. I also update Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Africa. 

Articles 

• A Marine drill instructor was given ten years in prison for abusing recruits. The drill instructor targeted three Muslim recruits. [Link]
• The debt from US wars after 9/11 will cost taxpayers $8 trillion in interest. [Link]
• Trump tells the Vietnam leader his country should buy more weapons from the US. Trump also said he would mediate the South China Sea dispute. [Link]
• Trump suggests the US may remove some sanctions on Russia. Trump also said he might become friends with Kim Jung Un. [Link]
• The State Department will give $750,000 to Hungarian media. [Link]
• The US has spent $5.6 trillion on conflict since 2001. [Link]
• The US carried out three drone strikes against IS and al-Shabaab targets over the weekend. [Link]
• The ISIS group in Somalia has grown to over 200 fighters. [Link]
• West African jihad is starting with a desire to protect cattle. [Link]
• Lebanese sources say Lebanon’s Prime Minister is being held under house arrest in Saudi Arabia. [Link]
• The Afghan Maj. Gen. in charge of operations in the Helmond Province said “It’s with the Marines’ support and cooperation that we’ve reached this level…If they leave again, things will 100% be reversed.” [Link]
• The US claims the missile fired from Yemen at Saudi Arabia is Iranian made. [Link]
• The UN warns the Saudi blockade of Yemen will kill millions of people. [Link]