Loud & Clear

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Vijay Prashad on the Arab Spring and the Winter That Followed Oct 11, 2016

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Prashad's book The Death of the Nation and the Future of the Arab Revolution aims to address where the Arab world is heading. In early 2011, uprisings swept across northern Africa and the Middle East. The toppling of the Ben Ali government in Tunisia quickly gave way to mass protests in Egypt that brought about the ouster of the U.S.-backed Hosni Mubarak government after 30 years in power. But the Arab Spring soon turned to winter, as NATO intervened in Libya to topple the Muammar Gaddafi government and the U.S., western and Gulf states armed rebels in Syria.

Afghanistan: No End in Sight to Longest War in U.S. History Oct 07, 2016

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On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by history professors and authors Peter Kuznick and Jeremy Kuzmarov, as well as Brian Terrell, long standing peace activist co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence and Dr. Jacob Diliberto, a researcher at the University of Birmingham and an Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran.
Today marks the 15th anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan by the United States and Britain. The start of what was called Operation Enduring Freedom came less than a month after the attacks of 9/11 and ushered in George W. Bush’s “War on Terror” that led to the U.S. occupation of Iraq starting in March 2003. But today the Taliban that the U.S. removed from power controls more territory in Afghanistan than it did in 2001, and almost 10,000 U.S. troops remain in the country. Will the United States ever actually withdraw from Afghanistan?

A New Snowden? FBI arrests NSA Contractor Oct 06, 2016

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Brian is joined by NSA whistle-blower William Binney to discuss the revelation that an NSA contractor was recently arrested for allegedly taking secret information.
The New York Times revealed that the FBI recently arrested an NSA contractor who was appeared to be preparing to blow the whistle on surveillance activities. Did the U.S. government thwart another Edward Snowden-type situation? This comes on the heels of news that hundreds of millions of Yahoo email accounts have been scanned using a custom made software program in order to comply with demands from the U.S government.
Are we witnessing an unprecedented escalation in Syria? After the U.S. suspended communication with Russia earlier this week, military action against Damascus was back on the table at the White House yesterday. But is Obama likely to take such drastic measures? Brian is joined by Syrian journalist and political analyst Kevork Almassian and by political writer Diana Johnstone.
Finally, Loud & Clear producer Walter Smolarek discusses with Brian the IMF and World Bank annual meetings that begin in Washington, DC tomorrow. This year an atmosphere of gloom hangs over them. As opposition to globalization rises and nationalist sentiments increase, what will policy makers try to accomplish?

VP Candidates Agree on One Thing: More War Oct 05, 2016

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The only Vice Presidential debate before November’s election took place last night, with Tim Kaine and Mike Pence going head to head. What did we learn about the two candidates who represent the right-wing and the ultra-right of the U.S. political spectrum? The sparring focused on the top of the ticket while Pence tried to harden Trump’s war hawk credentials.

VP Debate Tonight: A Duel Between the Right Wing and the Ultra-Right Oct 04, 2016

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The head to head between Tim Kaine and Mike Pence this evening is the only debate between Clinton and Trump's running mates before November’s election. Both will have a right-wing record to defend.
In a shocking result, the people of Colombia voted “no” on a referendum on whether to accept the peace deal between the government and the FARC. What does this mean for a country that has been at war for 52 years? Professor and radio host Mario Murillo joins Becker to explain what happened and what's next for Colombia.
Trade negotiators scrambled yesterday to get talks on the Trans Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) back on track as the 15th round of negotiations started. But with such major opposition on both sides of the Atlantic, are the talks really pointless? Mark Dearn, senior campaign coordinator for War on Want, speaks with Becker about the talks and if they are futile.

Bill Ayers' radical philosophy: The coming revival of socialism Oct 03, 2016

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On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Bill Ayers, author of the new book Demand the Impossible: A Radical Manifesto, for the full hour.
Eight years ago in the run up to the presidential election, Barack Obama faced allegations that was connected to, and was perhaps even friends, with a so-called “domestic terrorist.” This year’s Republican nominee Donald Trump also once suggested that it was none other than Bill Ayers who wrote Obama’s memoir.
Though his life as a member of the Weather Underground in the 1960s and 70s is often discussed, less attention is given to his work as an award-winning educator and his work in curriculum and instruction. He has released over twenty books, many on education but also memoirs and political works. In Demand the Impossible: A Radical Manifesto, Ayers discusses the progressive causes and anti-war activism that he has long been a champion of, and how these movements can lead to a fundamentally different world.

Pentagon Sabotages Ceasefire: Larger Syria Intervention Coming Soon? Sep 30, 2016

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After the breakdown of the ceasefire, Russia says the U.S. failed to separate moderate rebels from terrorists, as the U.S. rattles the saber and alludes to a military intervention.
President Obama will send 600 more U.S. troops to Iraq in the last months of his presidency. 13 years after its murderous invasion of Iraq, over 5,000 troops remain in the country, managing the sectarian bloodletting that the U.S. occupation instigated. Becker speaks with Iraqi-American journalist Raed Jarrar about why Obama is sending more troops into the country while not referring to them as "boots on the ground."
The resistance to the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline continues at Standing Rock as the government intensifies its repression. 21 were arrested this Wednesday during a peaceful protest, but activists are showing no signs of going anywhere despite the brutal tactics from military style law enforcement. Dennis Banks, co-founder of the American Indian Movement in 1968 and 2016 Vice Presidential candidate of the Peace and Freedom Party in California, discusses the protests and history of Standing Rock resistance.

Was Evidence Faked to Blame Russia For Downing of MH17 Civilian Plane? Sep 29, 2016

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On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by former CIA analyst Ray McGovern to react to the Dutch-led investigation into the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 releasing its first report yesterday.
The Joint Investigative Team's conclusion was that a BUK missile delivered from Russia was responsible for the downing of the plane, but should this now be taken as established fact? Or has the Joint Investigative Team been allowed to fabricate evidence?
The Senate has overwhelmingly overturned President Obama’s veto on a bill that would allow U.S. citizens to sue foreign governments for terrorism on U.S. soil. What are the ramifications if 9/11 survivors and family members are soon able to sue Saudi Arabia? Becker is joined by Sam Sacks, co-host of Radio Sputnik's Unanimous Dissent.
Fifteen years have passed since 25,000 people joined the first major anti-war demonstration of the post-9/11 period in Washington, DC just weeks after the attacks. The protest was the first action coordinated by the newly established ANSWER Coalition and inaugurated a new, 21st century anti-war movement. Sarah Sloan of the ANSWER Coalition joins Becker to discuss the importance of the protest and the establishment of the organization.

Voters Turned Away: How "Fair and Free" are U.S. Elections Really? Sep 28, 2016

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Nantina Vgontzas, Sociology PhD student at New York University, and Cassandra Fairbanks, Sputnik News reporter, to discuss if elections in the United States are really as free and fair as the establishment would like to have us believe.
Although the U.S. regularly lectures other countries on the need for fair elections, there are serious flaws in the U.S. voting system that are compounded by inequality. This has serious implications for how people view democracy in the United States - or the lack thereof.
Google has released its new instant messaging app called Allo. The company says it is revolutionary, but Edward Snowden has warned people against using the app. Is Google Allo the perfect tool for the surveillance state? Becker is joined by Professor Bryan Ford, who leads the Decentralized/Distributed Systems lab at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne.
Israel has teamed up with Facebook to monitor what it says are comments on social media that incite violence. But as the arrest of seven journalists from the Shehab News Agency and Quds News Network this week shows, the relationship is really about undermining the Palestinian movement in general, and any kind of criticism of Israel’s apartheid policies.

Trump and Clinton Debate: Can it Get Any Worse? Sep 27, 2016

Show notes

Brian spends the full hour analyzing the first presidential debate with Gloria La Riva, the 2016 Presidential candidate for the Party for Socialism and Liberation; Anoa Changa, host of the weekly progressive talk show The Way with Anoa; and by Bob Schlehuber, producer of Radio Sputnik’s By Any Means Necessary with Eugene Puryear.
More hollow rhetoric last night as two of the wealthiest and most hated people in the country clashed at the presidential debate. Why were only two people allowed on the debate stage? Who runs the show? The exhausting race to the White House continues with more lies and more empty promises.

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