Loud & Clear

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Breakthrough in Aleppo: Syrian Army Makes Major Advances Nov 30, 2016

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The Syrian Army and its allies have captured more than a third of the territory held by Islamist forces in the eastern part of the Aleppo in what is being called the biggest setback since 2012 for the opposition to the Syrian government.
The battle lines in France’s presidential election have become clearer after the primary held last weekend by the center-right The Republicans party. President Francois Hollande’s so-called Socialist Party is in dire straights while the danger of the far-right National Front of Marine Le Pen looms. Brian is joined by Eugene Puryear, host of Radio Sputnik's By Any Means Necessary, and Walter Smolarek, producer of Loud & Clear.
The Washington Post reported that news outlets such as RT and Sputnik helped to spread “fake news” during the election. Weeks later, there doesn’t appear to be any letting up in the mainstream media’s campaign against alternative news outlets. Cindy Sheehan, anti-war activist, joins the show to talk about the new McCarythism.

Death of Fidel: World Mourns, U.S. Elites Slander His Legacy Nov 29, 2016

Show notes

Cuba continues to mourn the loss of Fidel Castro as tributes are paid from all corners of the globe, but the corporate media in the United States has spent the last few days slandering him.
Three weeks after the presidential election, the mainstream media continues to attack Russia, alleging that news outlets such as RT and Sputnik helped to spread “fake news” during the election. The new McCarthyism looks set to outlive the election cycle. Becker speaks with Glen Ford, Executive Editor of Black Agenda Report, one of the outlets accused by the Washington Post of spreading "fake news".
Donald Trump appears to be putting together a cabinet of far-right billionaires. Now there is a real tug of war inside the transition team that is fully out in the open. Ted Rall, editorial cartoonist and columnist, joins Becker.

Pentagon and Intelligence Chiefs Seek To Oust NSA Director Nov 22, 2016

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by former CIA analyst and whistleblower John Kiriakou to discuss the latest tension inside the NSA.
The Pentagon and intelligence chiefs are pushing to oust the director of the NSA, but Admiral Michael Rogers is apparently being considered for a post in the Trump administration.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is on his third trip to Latin America since taking office in 2013. With the Trans-Pacific Partnership looking like a no go and Donald Trump coming into office in January, is this the end of the Monroe Doctrine? Patrick Lawrence, writer and columnist, joins Becker to discuss what's next for China-Latin American cooperation.
Vice President-elect Mike Pence said on Sunday that the Trump administration will work on repealing Obamacare “out of the gate”, setting up a confrontation with Congressional Democrats, but even under Obamacare, huge insurance corporations dominate the system. Becker talks to Margaret Flowers, a pediatrician and advocate for single payer health care.

Trump's National Security Team: A Sharp Departure in US Foreign Policy? Nov 21, 2016

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Ray McGovern, former CIA analyst and current political activist and journalist, as well as by editorial cartoonist and writer Ted Rall, whose upcoming book is “Trump: A Graphic Biography”.
Donald Trump has chosen some of the most far right figures in the government and military for top posts in his administration. Jeff Sessions was tapped for Attorney General, Mike Flynn will be National Security Advisor and Mike Pompeo was chosen to be director of the CIA. What do these picks say about the kind of administration Trump is shaping?

Obama, Trump and U.S. Policy Towards Russia Nov 18, 2016

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by journalist and geopolitical analyst Pepe Escobar to discuss President Obama's final trip abroad.
President Obama met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and held a press conference where he talked about the future of U.S.-European relations and his advice to Donald Trump about foreign policy regarding Russia and others.
NSA whistleblower William Binney joins Brian to discuss the resignation of James Clapper as Director of National Intelligence. Under Clapper's watch, a spying apparatus the likes of which the world has never seen was constructed.
The House of Representatives has extended sanctions against Iran for another decade. It is expected that the Senate will also pass the bill and President Obama will sign it before leaving office. Are we on the brink of a renewed round of U.S. aggression against Iran? Phil Wilayto, author of the book “In Defense of Iran: Notes from a U.S. Peace Delegation's Journey Through the Islamic Republic,” discusses what the renewal of the sanctions means for Iran.

Obama in Germany: "Please, Please Let's Not Break Up!!" Nov 17, 2016

Show notes

President Obama is meeting European leaders including German Chancellor Angela Merkel today, and will meet with the leaders of Italy, France and Britain on Friday. Coming as it does following the election of Donald Trump what is the main agenda of Obama in Europe?
Russia and the Syrian Army have launched a major offensive to retake all of Aleppo from Islamist forces while Russian airstrikes in Idlib may represent a new phase in the Syria war. Becker speaks with Syrian journalist Kevork Almassian about what's next in Syria's war.
When Donald Trump takes office on January 20th, he will oversee and control the largest surveillance machine in history. How did this police state get constructed and what kind of powers will Trump have? Joining Becker is former CIA analyst and case officer John Kiriakou.

Vijay Prashad: Trump's Shocking Economic Plans for American Capitalism Nov 16, 2016

Show notes

Trump’s transition team has written a memo outlining his plan for the first 200 days of his presidency. One major area of focus for Trump will be to start renegotiating deals that he is opposed to from his first day in the White House, especially NAFTA.
President Obama arrived in Greece yesterday on his final overseas trip before Donald Trump takes office in January. He will be seeking to reassure Europe and NATO of the enduring bonds between them and the United States. But will his words be enough to calm fears about a shift in U.S. foreign policy? Becker is joined by Sputnik International political analyst Dimitri Babich.
The resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline continues as a day of action saw more than 200 protest across the country Tuesday. Is this part of a new wave of mass protest in the United States? Becker speaks with Kandi Mossett, the Indigenous Environmental Network’s Lead Organizer on the Extreme Energy & Just Transition Campaign.

What Can Trump's Potential Cabinet Tell Us About His Policies? Nov 15, 2016

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined Ben Norton, political staff writer at Salon.com, and by Eugene Puryear, the host of Radio Sputnik’s By Any Means Necessary.
One week has passed since the shock of Donald Trump winning the presidential election. As Trump makes decisions on who he will fill his cabinet with, eyebrows in Washington are already being raised about the appointment of Stephen Bannon as his chief strategist. What will his other cabinet picks indicate about his administration's policies?

Democratic Elites Make Peace With Trump but 100,000 Protest in Streets Nov 11, 2016

Show notes

Just hours after Donald Trump became the President elect, mass protests saw tens of thousands come into the streets all across the country to proclaim that “Trump is not my president”. As Trump met with the President yesterday to plan what Obama says he wants to be a “smooth transition”, will it be anything but that in the streets and in Black, Latino, immigrant, LGBTQ and Muslim communities? With the country deeply polarized, are we now entering into a period of mass resistance to all that Trump represents?

Trump Victory Shocks the U.S. and World: Understanding the Insurgency Nov 10, 2016

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by editorial cartoonist and columnist Ted Rall; Gloria La Riva, 2016 Presidential candidate for the Party for Socialism and Liberation; and Walter Smolarek, producer of Loud & Clear; to discuss the shocking victory of Donald Trump as President-elect of the United States.
As the news that Trump will be the next President and Commander In Chief sinks in, the country and the world continue to react. What does Trump’s victory as someone who entered the race as a complete outsider with no prior political experience mean for both U.S. politics and the world? How did he tap into the disaffection of millions of people by taking on the establishment, and how did it all go so wrong for Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party? Would things have been different in Bernie Sanders had been the Democratic nominee, and will a Trump presidency be ushered in amidst mass protest against his divisive policies?

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