Matthew Hoh, a former Marine and diplomat from the State Department who resigned in protest over the Afghanistan War, joins the show this week.  During our interview, he talks about how the U.S. government is dropping a bomb every 12 minutes. He discusses the military industrial-complex under President Donald Trump, as well as under President Barack Obama. He addresses the ongoing war in Yemen.  Later in the show, Hoh describes what it is like for someone to endure post traumatic stress disorder and outlines the scope of the issue for military veterans, especially those with moral injuries. He also comments on news that NSA whistleblower Reality Winner accepted a plea deal.

S5: Episode 20 - Matthew Hoh

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"Unauthorized Disclosure" is a weekly podcast hosted by Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola. It focuses on issues and topics that are overlooked or pushed aside by the more mainstream media.

The hosts champion adversarial journalism. Guests featured are often rarely heard or unheard voices. Or they are voices who we think can benefit from a space to have conversations, which allow for dissent and the unpacking of unpopular ideas.

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News

News Commentary

You probably know that Kevin Gosztola spends a lot of his time covering the political case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Given that Assange was granted an appeal hearing (the first positive development in a long time), he invited London-based journalist Mohamed Elmaazi on the show. 


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Mohamed covered the latest Assange hearing at the British High Court of Justice for The Dissenter—another reason why it made sense to offer him a platform to share his reporting and analysis of what happened. 


During the episode, Mohamed breaks down the specific legal issues that were at issue and will be part of Assange's limited but important appeal. A particular problem for the United States government is the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.


Mohamed and Kevin highlight why this appeal could finally be an opening for defeating the U.S. government's push to extradite Assange and put a journalist on trial.

US Extradition Of Julian Assange Hits Roadblock—What Now? (w/ Mohamed Elmaazi)


In this free edition of the "Unauthorized Disclosure" weekly podcast, Kevin Gosztola talks with CODEPINK co-founder Medea Benjamin and Ann Wright, a retired Army colonel and former State Department diplomat. 

Medea discusses CODEPINK's actions on Capitol Hill against U.S. support for Israel's war on Gaza. Ann offers an update on efforts to break the siege with the Freedom Flotilla.

Both Medea and Ann respond to the propaganda coming from President Joe Biden's administration that justifies genocidal violence as well as the climate of repression that is intensifying daily. In particular, CODEPINK and other U.S.-based nonprofits face a bill in Congress that would potentially result in their organizations being labeled "terrorism supporters" if passed.

No Peace For US Officials Who Back Israel's Genocide (w/ Ann Wright & Medea Benjamin

For this episode of "Unauthorized Disclosure," Kevin Gosztola speaks with Khawla Nakua, an organizer with the National Writers Union (NWU) and a criminal justice reporter.
Nakua joins the show to discuss a report from NWU called "Red Lines: retaliation in the media industry during the war on Gaza."
The NWU "tracked 44 cases of retaliation that impacted more than 100 media workers, who are disproportionately people of color," according to the report. Retaliation has particularly impacted media workers of Middle Eastern or North African descent.
Nakua describes the different types of retaliation that media workers have endured during Israel's assault on Gaza and addresses the intense climate of censorship. Various examples of retaliation mentioned in the report are highlighted throughout the conversation.


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Retaliation Against Media Workers In The War On Gaza: Interview With Khawla Nakua

Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola interview Cuban journalist Liz Oliva Fernández about two documentaries that cover United States policy toward Cuba.

Liz, who worked with Belly of the Beast on the films, obtained a visa to travel to the U.S. and confront the very politicians, who are behind the embargo and other measures that disproportionately impact Black Cubans. She spent time in Washington, D.C., and New Jersey, where she spoke to a number of everyday Americans about their attitudes toward Cuba.

The first film, "Hardliner on the Hudson," premieres on May 13. It covers corrupt Senator Bob Menendez and his instrumental role in shaping the U.S. agenda against Cuba. The second film, "Uphill on the Hill," examines the "political interests" that have led President Joe Biden to "embrace Trump's economic war on Cuba." It premieres on May 20.

Both films will be available on the Belly of the Beast's YouTube channel.

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Cuban Journalist Liz Oliva Fernández: How Biden Embraced Trump's War On Cuba

On this week's "Unauthorized Disclosure," Kevin Gosztola interviews Greek economist and author Yanis Varoufakis about his new book, "Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism." 

Yanis argues that "Big Tech has replaced capitalism's twin pillars—markets and profit—with its platforms and [cloud] rents. With every click and scroll, we labor like serfs to increase its power." 

Later in the show, Yanis outlines the impact this economic transformation has had or may have on geopolitics. He discusses China, the only country with cloud capital capable of rivaling the United States, and what the rivalry between China and the U.S. may mean for the Global South. 

*This is the free edition of the "Unauthorized Disclosure" podcast. For full episodes and access to exclusive content, subscribe to the podcast at thedissenter.org/#/portal/signup

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S5: Episode 20 - Matthew Hoh

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