Anthony Gregory discusses his article “Are You Libertarian Enough?” and
gives Antiwar Radio co-host Zooey Greif a libertarian litmus test.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:20 — 4.7MB)
Monthly Archives: March 2012
Antiwar Radio: Trita Parsi
Trita Parsi, founder and president of the National Iranian American Council, discusses how Iranian sanctions block peaceful diplomatic solutions, making war more likely; the “risk premium” in oil prices, exacerbated by hawkish foreign policy, that hurts Iranians and Americans alike; the daunting resources and time commitment required to eliminate Iran’s nuclear program through invasion and war; the media’s increasingly conflicted narrative on the Iran “threat;” and why the Obama administration is amenable to a deal centered on Iran’s re-implementation of the NPT’s Additional Protocol.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:33 — 4.5MB)
Antiwar Radio: John Glaser
John Glaser, Assistant Editor at Antiwar.com, discusses his article “Mali Coup Has US Interventionism Written All Over It;” the coup leader’s extensive recent training in the US; how the Libyan intervention prompted the Mali coup and a crackdown on the Tuareg rebellion (allegedly linked to al-Qaeda); the endless supply of humanitarian justifications to intervene in Africa (like the anti-Kony campaign); and how the US tosses money around to influence African dictators and block Chinese economic expansion.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:38 — 6.8MB)
Antiwar Radio: Muhammad Sahimi
Muhammad Sahimi, Professor of chemical engineering and political columnist for PBS’s Tehran Bureau, discusses his article on the IAEA chief, “Yukiya Amano: Minion of the Empire;” the former IAEA officials accusing Amano of a pro-Western bias on Iran; how Amano has fallen into the “Cheney trap” by relying on a small group of advisors and eliminating dissent within the IAEA; and the latest bogus allegations that Iran “refuses to cooperate” with the IAEA’s attempt to inspect the Parchin facility.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:01 — 4.4MB)
Antiwar Radio: John Horgan
John Horgan, former senior writer at Scientific American, discusses his new book The End of War; why war is a solvable scientific problem, not the inevitable result of resource struggles, religious differences, or biological imperatives; the near-abolition of slavery, another ancient barbaric practice; preventing war by fighting militarism first, and working for social and economic justice second; and the reason why men take up arms, at the behest of chickenhawks, to fight people on the other side of the world.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:30 — 5.6MB)
Antiwar Radio: Eric Margolis
Eric Margolis, internationally syndicated columnist and author of War at the Top of the World and American Raj, discusses his article “The Dangerous Mess in Syria Grows Murkier;” the foreign forces instigating regime change by supporting Syria’s rebellion; why fractured Arab nations – which are mostly colonial relics – can’t be made whole again; how Republican warmongering has finally gone too far, alienating the electorate and damaging the party; and the US’s waning international influence, evidenced by India’s refusal to abide by sanctions on Iran’s oil exports.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:03 — 4.6MB)
Antiwar Radio: Jason Leopold
Jason Leopold, lead investigative reporter of Truthout and author of News Junkie, discusses his article “DHS Turns Over Occupy Wall Street Documents to Truthout;” using FOIA to pry public records from secretive government agencies; internal DHS concerns about spying on protesters exercising their First Amendment rights; and coordination between DHS and local law enforcement on OWS infiltration and camp closures.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:17 — 4.4MB)
Antiwar Radio: Marcy Wheeler
Blogger Marcy Wheeler discusses possible evidence that Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales didn’t commit the Afghan massacre by himself; the surprising WSJ article that sympathetically tells the massacre story from an Afghan’s perspective; James Risen and the NY Times’ honest accounting of Iran’s nonexistent nuclear weapons program; how the Obama administration is re-doing “total information awareness” and getting away with it; and how the National Counterterroism Center (NCTC) – the same agency that flubbed the underwear bomber case – is using bureaucratic word games to grant itself unlimited access to data on Americans.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:37 — 6.3MB)
Antiwar Radio: Dina Rasor
Dina Rasor, founder of the Project on Military Procurement (now called the Project on Government Oversight, or POGO), discusses her article “Lockheed: The Ultimate Pay-to-Play Contractor;” how the crony weapons-procurement process guarantees cooperative generals lucrative post-retirement jobs with defense contractors; why nearly every military officer above colonel is a corrupt sellout; the Lockheed Corporation’s purchase of General Dynamics Corporation’s jet fighter division in 1993 (to clear things up); and why the F-35 fighter is a perfect example of “more bucks less bang.”
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:02 — 5.5MB)
Antiwar Radio: James Bamford
James Bamford, author of The Shadow Factory: The Ultra-Secret NSA from 9/11 to the Eavesdropping on America, discusses his article “The NSA Is Building the Country’s Biggest Spy Center (Watch What You Say)” and his follow-up response to NSA chief Gen. Keith Alexander’s testimony to Congress; details on the immense new Utah data center; the NSA’s many telecom switch eavesdropping posts, extending far beyond the AT&T San Francisco facility revealed in 2006; whistleblower William Binney’s warning that the US is nearly “a turnkey totalitarian state;” and the NSA’s enhanced encryption-cracking abilities.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:28 — 7.9MB)
Antiwar Radio: Dimi Reider
Israeli journalist Dimi Reider discusses his article “Israeli-Iranian solidarity exchange sweeps Facebook;” how a simple friendly gesture got Israelis and Iranians talking about peace; bypassing the mainstream media’s filter with Facebook, where real people can express themselves directly; and the Israeli peace movement’s influence (or lack thereof) on Bibi Netanyahu.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:30 — 2.2MB)
Antiwar Radio: Lawrence Wittner
Lawrence Wittner, Professor of History at the State University of New York/Albany, discusses his article “Try a Little Nuclear Sanity;” the “SANE” legislation introduced by Congressman Edward Markey that would cut the budget and scope of the US nuclear weapons program; how Russia is threatened by “missile defense,” that supposedly exists to protect Europe from Iran but actually gives the US an unanswerable first-strike capability; why the Cold War military budget and mindset persist even though the USSR was dissolved over 20 years ago; and the unspoken Ronald Reagan/liberal agreement on nuclear disarmament.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:04 — 4.6MB)
Antiwar Radio: Kelley B. Vlahos
Kelley B. Vlahos, featured Antiwar.com columnist and contributing editor for The American Conservative magazine, discusses the periodic, ritualistic exercise of claiming progress in the Afghanistan War, wherein US generals tell bland lies to Congress and nobody asks follow-up questions; the 300,000+ member Afghan army that is always right around the corner from competency; the end of patriotic breast-beating pro-war fervor in the military and government; and why congressional staffers would more ably question the war effort than the stuffed shirt Representatives who just want camera face-time.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 17:59 — 4.1MB)
Antiwar Radio: Kevin Zeese
Kevin Zeese, Executive Director of VotersForPeace and Co-Chair of Come Home America, discusses his article “Dismissal Is the Only Option in Bradley Manning Case;” the prosecution’s withholding of government damage-assessment reports, which could help disprove Manning’s “aiding the enemy” charge; statements from President Obama and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey (last paragraph) that bolster an “unlawful command influence” defense; and whether Judge Col. Denise Lind will rule fairly, resisting the government pressure and bribes that accompany cases of this magnitude.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:58 — 4.6MB)
Antiwar Radio: Barbara Slavin
Barbara Slavin, author of Bitter Friends, Bosom Enemies: Iran, the U.S. and the Twisted Path to Confrontation, discusses her article “Subtle Signs Obama Diplomacy May Work on Iran;” who was really at fault for Iran’s failed uranium fuel-swap deal in 2009; growing concern with Iran’s 20% enrichment process that yields medical isotopes and a “breakout” capability; and why the Treasury Department’s investigation of MEK shills like Edward Rendell may be Obama’s way of reaching out to Iran.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:55 — 2.0MB)