May 15, 2019

Washington Babylon Counterpunching Africa

Porkins Policy Radio 5-14-2019 Ken Silverstein

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(Notes From Pearse)

In the first hour, I went solo and talked about some recent developments in the West African nation of Burkina Faso. I started off with the recent hostage rescue operation by French special forces which freed 4 tourists. I talked about the political instability that Burkina Faso has been facing over the past several years. I also talked about the rumors that the hostages were going to be handed over to the Macina Liberation Front in Mali. I spoke about the rise of jihadi groups across West Africa and how much of it unfolded in 2012 with the ouster of Mali’s president Amadou Toumani Toure. I also discussed the role that France continues to play as a colonial overlord in West Africa. I finished off by looking at a recent attack on a church in northern Burkina Faso and how it might link to gold mining in the country, and how this is exploited by groups like the neocons.

In the second hour the founder of Counterpunch and Washington Babylon, Ken Silverstein, joined me. We started off by talking about Ken’s latest media project WashingtonBabylon.com. Ken talked about the structure of the site and the unique way they are approaching both journalism and political reporting. Later we talked extensively about The Intercept and the myriad problems facing the billionaire-funded outlet. Ken talked about the recent scandal where yet a third whistleblower has been sent to jail after cooperating with The Intercept and Jeremy Scahill. Ken talked about his own time at The Intercept and why he ultimately had to walk away. Ken and I trashed Glenn Greenwald and also talked about the theory that The Intercept is, in fact, an intelligence operation to entrap whistleblowers. Later we talked about some of Ken’s reporting looking at the NRA spending scandal and why Wayne LaPierre paid $14,000 in rent for a summer intern. We finished the conversation by looking at the situation in Venezuela. Ken also teased a bombshell story he is writing on Marco Rubio.

Washington Babylon Counterpunching Africa

REFERENCES:

https://www.vox.com/world/2019/5/11/18615959/burkina-faso-raid-french-special-forces-four-hostages-american-south-korean

https://www.france24.com/en/20190511-french-hostages-burkina-faso-soldiers-killed

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-48228353

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macina_Liberation_Front

https://africacenter.org/spotlight/the-complex-and-growing-threat-of

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