Loud & Clear

Latest Episodes:

Aleppo is Liberated from Al-Qaeda & Friends as U.S. Government Fumes Dec 14, 2016

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Alexander Mercouris, editor-in-chief of The Duran, to discuss what comes next in Syria's war after Aleppo has been retaken by the Syrian Arab Army.
The surrender of Islamist groups in eastern Aleppo was met with scenes of jubilation in the streets as thousands return home. But the mainstream media is painting a very different picture of what’s taking place - is it to build the pretext for western intervention?
The CIA continues to push its story that Russia hacked e-mails from the Democratic Party to help Donald Trump as President Obama orders an investigation. Brian speaks with NSA whistleblower William Binney about his argument that these were inside leaks, not outside hacks.
U.S. Secretary of Defence Ash Carter was in Israel on Monday to deliver the first two F-35 fighter jets, but the Lockheed Martin company’s stock fell when Donald Trump took to Twitter to say the costs on the program were out of control. Pierre Sprey, who was on the designer team of the F-16, joins the show to discuss why he is opposed to the F-35 program.

Ray McGovern: Russia Election Interference Allegations Don't Add Up Dec 13, 2016

Show notes

The CIA alleged that Russia engaged in hacking
in order to help Donald Trump become the next president, but does the evidence back up the accusations? More than a month after his victory, why is the anti-Russia hysteria still being ramped up by the establishment and Democratic Party?
And were these hacks - a malicious remote attack - or were they really leaks - when information is physically removed and released by an insider?
Five-party coalition talks appear to have failed after Iceland’s Pirate Party has been invited to form the country’s next
government. How does this party of activists and outsiders change Icelandic and European politics, and what comes next in the complicated process to form a government?
Oktavia Hrund, a deputy MP for the Pirate Party, joins the show.
As Aleppo sits on the verge of being fully liberated by the Syrian Army, Daesh launches an attack to retake the ancient city of Palmyra,
sending thousands of reinforcements from Raqqa. Syrian journalist Alaa Ebrahim joins Becker from Damascus to discuss the latest in the battles against Daesh and what's next in Syria's war.

How Cuba Penetrated The CIA Ring In Cuba: Spy v. Spy-hunter Dec 12, 2016

Show notes

Loud & Clear presents a special one-hour special show from Havana with Dr. Eduardo Sagaro a Cuban pediatrician who was recruited by the CIA to report on the health of Fidel Castro, other Cuban leaders, Cuban troops in Angola and health related issues inside of Cuba including the impact of infectious diseases. But during his entire stint as a CIA agent Dr. Sagaro was in fact working as a Cuban double agent working for Cuban intelligence. He was not alone. Many perhaps most of the CIA agents in Cuba at that time were in fact Cuban double agents. Sagaro risked everything to defend the Cuban revolution. When Brian Becker of Loud & Clear asked him: “How did it feel to live as a spy,” Dr. Sagaro responded, “I was not a spy, I was a spy-hunter.” An amazing episode!

Trump Homeland Security Choice: Even More Mass Arrests, Deportations? Dec 09, 2016

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Juan Jose Gutierrez, the director of the Full Rights for Immigrants Coalition, to discuss Donald Trump's pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
Trump has selected retired General John Kelly, a role that would have him oversee the building of Trump’s proposed wall on the Mexico border. What does his selection mean for the struggle for immigrants’ rights?
Trump looked to score a public relations victory this week when he took credit for persuading the Carrier corporation not to outsource 1,100 jobs. Chuck Jones, the President of United Steelworkers 1999 who represents workers at the plant, says this isn’t exactly true.
The fightback against neoliberalism continues in Brazil as the country’s Supreme Court blocks the suspension of the President of the Senate who was accused of embezzlement. Brazilian-British journalist and activist Victor Fraga joins Becker to talk about the latest.

John Pilger: "The Coming War With China" Dec 08, 2016

Show notes

As Donald Trump doubles down on his anti-China rhetoric following President Obama’s so-called pivot to Asia, could a coming escalation between the U.S and China actually lead to a war?
The Syrian Army advances in Aleppo with the vast majority of the city now under its control. Opposition forces in the city all but acknowledged defeat as they propose a 5-day ceasefire - will they ever recover? Brian discusses these developments with Syrian journalist Kevork Almassian.
Fidel Castro was buried over the weekend, but his legacy continues to live on in the Cuban Revolution. Yanela Gonzalez joins the show to look at how the revolution brought about tremendous progress for Cuba’s Black population and the country’s contribution to Africa’s liberation struggles.

Dripping with Hypocrisy: Obama Brags About Eight Years of War Dec 07, 2016

Show notes

President Obama gave his final major National Security speech at Central Command in Tampa, Florida last night in which he outlined his administration’s counterterrorism approach, or as he explained it “how he's worked to keep the American people safe at home and abroad”. But is the Obama legacy of endless war and drone strikes really about keeping Americans safe or about maintaining the dominant position of the U.S. Empire?

Trump Doubles Down on Anti-China Rhetoric After Taiwan Phone Call Dec 06, 2016

Show notes

Donald Trump talks tough against China days after a historic phone call with the President of Taiwan that marked the first direct communication between leaders of the two countries since 1979. Is Trump set to inflame tensions with China further after taking office?
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has resigned after being trounced in a referendum on political reforms. The turbulence in Europe continues with this vote, as well as controversy over the Austrian election and debt relief for Greece. Smolarek talks to John Wight, host of Radio Sputnik's Hard Facts.
Donald Trump said that “almost all” of his cabinet positions will be filled this week. However, his picks so far are starkly at odds with much of the populist rhetoric he campaigned on. Anoa Changa, host of the weekly radio show The Way with Anoa, talks about the significance of Carson's appointment and the administration Trump is building.

Are Miami Cubans As Anti-Castro As Mainstream Media's Portrayal? Dec 05, 2016

Show notes

From the streets of Havana, Cuba, Loud & Clear talks with Andres Gomez, a leader of Cuban-Americans in Miami who have defied the mainstream media's caricature of their community by opposing the US blockade of Cuba. Gomez talks about his discussions with Fidel regarding Cuba's changing approach to the Cuban exile community in Miami; about the terrorist threats that he and others faced in Miami from CIA-backed right wing Cuban groups; about the impact that Fidel Castro had on Cuba and Cubans during the past six decades and about the prospects of U.S.-Cuban relations following Donald Trump's denunciations of Cuba following Fidel's death.
Fidel's initiative to provide free medical scholarships in Cuba for young people from working class communities in the United States is discussed in the second segment with Alexandra Skeeter. Coming from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Alexandra has been in Cuba studying medicine on full scholarship at Cuba's Latin American School of Medicine.
Fidel and Cuba's attitude toward religion and religious organizations is explored in the third segment by Dr. Enrique Aleman of the Quisicuaba Association which operates an inter-denominational outreach program to downtown Havana.

From The Streets Of Havana: "Fidel Is Gone But The Revolution Lives" Dec 02, 2016

Show notes

Guests today include Fernando Gonzalez, one of the Cuban Five who spent more than 15 years in U.S. prisons; Luis Moron of ICAP; Gloria La Riva of the Cuba and Venezuela Solidarity Committee and attorney Julie Felix. La Riva and Felix traveled to Cuba from California to take part in the memorial ceremonies for Fidel.
Our Radio Sputnik team is in Cuba covering the funeral and days of mourning, we will get insight from Cuba on the legacy of this giant of history and the future of the country he led.

Journalist Released from U.S. Prison: The Case of Barrett Brown Dec 01, 2016

Show notes

Journalist Barrett Brown was released from prison earlier this week after spending years in custody. What does his case tell us about the sorry state of press freedoms in the United States?
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has vowed to deport 100,000 migrants next year as she seeks a fourth term in office. But will her new U-Turn be enough to curb the rise of the far-right, or is her new policy itself an expression of anti-immigrant rhetoric and xenophobia being dominant in the mainstream? Salman Shaheen, editor-in-chief of The World Weekly, joins Becker to discuss if immigration is now by far the biggest issue in European politics.
Cuba continues to remember Fidel Castro during a 9-day period of mourning as the world remembers this giant of history. For World AIDS Day, we’ll look at why Cuba has such as low rate of deaths from AIDS and how the small island country was able to eliminate mother-to-baby HIV transmission as part of its revolution in health care. Dr. Helen Yaffe, a professor at the London School of Economics, discusses Cuba's accomplishments in the field of health.

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