Medea Benjamin & Jeffrey Alexander Sterling

Medea Benjamin joins the show to talk about her recent trip to Ukraine and why it's so dangerous to call for diplomacy and a cease fire. Not only has Medea (and others calling for negotiations) been smeared and had her talks canceled, she was threatened by a "protestor" who took her phone as she attempted to film him. Even worse, the protestor physically attacked by a 70 year old member of Veterans for Peace who tried to help her retrieve her phone and then had to be rushed to the emergency room with a dislocated shoulder.

Then Jeffrey Alexander Sterling, an American lawyer and former CIA employee who was arrested, charged, and convicted of violating the Espionage Act, talks about the fate of Julian Assange.

Medea Benjamin is the co-founder of the women-led peace group CODEPINK. She is also co-founder of the human rights group Global Exchange, the Peace in Ukraine Coalition, Unfreeze Afghanistan (which advocates for returning the $7 billion of Afghan funds frozen in U.S. banks), ACERE: The Alliance for Cuba Engagement and Respect, and the Nobel Peace Prize for Cuban Doctors Campaign.

Medea has been an advocate for social justice for 50 years. Described as "one of America's most committed -- and most effective -- fighters for human rights" by New York Newsday, and "one of the high profile leaders of the peace movement" by the Los Angeles Times, she was one of 1,000 exemplary women from 140 countries nominated to receive the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the millions of women who do the essential work of peace worldwide.

She is the author of ten books, including Drone Warfare: Killing by Remote Control, Kingdom of the Unjust: Behind the U.S.-Saudi Connection, and Inside Iran: The Real History and Politics of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Her most recent book, coauthored with Nicolas J.S. Davies, is War in Ukraine: Making Sense of a Senseless Conflict.

Her articles appear regularly in outlets such as The Hill, Salon, CommonDreams and The Progressive. Her twitter handle is @medeabenjamin.

Learn more about the Peace in Ukraine initiative and join as an individual or as an organziation at - http://www.peaceinukraine.org/

Learn more about Code Pink's work along with info on contacting your local representatives regarding upcoming policy decisions at - https://www.codepink.org/

Jeffrey Sterling is a former CIA case officer turned whistleblower who was wrongfully convicted, on no evidence, of violating the Espionage Act for which he was sentenced to federal prison. His memoir Unwanted Spy chronicles his experience with race not only within the CIA but also in America. He is currently part of the progressive RootsAction team.

Link to Jeffrey's book "Unwanted Spy" -

https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/jeffrey-sterling/unwanted-spy/9781568585581/?lens=bold-type-books

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