Monthly Archives: February 2013

2/27/13 Jeffrey Carr

Jeffrey Carr, founder and CEO of Taia Global Inc., discusses why information security (InfoSec) companies are quick to blame China – often with little evidence – for hacking/espionage operations; Mandiant’s weak case against Chinese hacker group “A.P.T. Number 12″ for infiltrating the New York Times; and why critical thinking leads to the truth more often than the “gut feelings” of experts.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:20 — 7.2MB)

2/26/13 Flynt and Hillary Mann Leverett

Flynt and Hillary Mann Leverett, authors of Going to Tehran: Why the United States Must Come to Terms with the Islamic Republic of Iran, discuss the obstacles to successful P5+1 talks; why the US still refuses to accept the Iranian government’s legitimacy – even after 33+ years; why the Obama administration’s Iran “containment” policy isn’t sustainable; how Iran’s “participatory Islamist” style of government and defiant foreign policy are inspiring people across the Middle East – and scaring the US and Israel; the US’s support for radical Sunni Salafists in Libya and Syria, in an effort to counter Iran’s influence; and how the neoconservatives staved off an MEK-al-Qaeda prisoner swap (and closer Iran relations) after 9/11.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:00:28 — 13.8MB)

2/26/13 Trevor Timm

Trevor Timm of the Electronic Frontier Foundation discusses how the Freedom of the Press Foundation provides a fundraising medium for investigative journalism projects and controversial media organizations like WikiLeaks; the opposition to police surveillance drones in the US; the ominous Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) bill; and Google’s record on information sharing and privacy.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:56 — 5.9MB)

2/25/13 Yousaf Butt

Yousaf Butt, Research Professor and Scientist-in-residence at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation, discusses his article “Iran centrifuge magnet story technically questionable;” why the mainstream media continues to publish David Albright’s false and misleading anti-Iran stories; the IAEA’s duty to help – not obstruct – Iran with technical challenges in the production of civilian nuclear energy; and why countries that refuse to give up their nuclear programs (N. Korea) fare better than those that acquiesce (Libya).

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 37:24 — 8.6MB)

The Antiwar Comic: Not That Kind of Three Way

This is one of my favorite images that Roberto drew for the comic.  Barack Obama, NATO warrior!

For more comics visit:

The Pentagon Made F-35 Performance Tests Easier

Because “it’s too heavy and slow.”

Via Laurence M. Vance:

“The Pentagon’s pursuit of the Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter jet has been a heartbreaking one. If you’re a tax payer, the program’s estimated $1 trillion price tag probably breaks your heart a little bit. If you’re an aviation enthusiast, the constant whittling away of the do-it-all aircraft’s features, which in many cases actually amounts to adding weight and taking away maneuverability, must hurt a little bit, too.

“If you’re just an everyday American, though, you should be downright shattered that after a decade and a fortune spent, the F-35 will actually be more vulnerable than the aircraft it’s replacing. At this point, the Pentagon is literally rewriting its rulebook so that the dumbed-down super jet will pass muster.

Oh, but don’t worry because actually the engine is a complete piece of shit which literally cracks under pressure, and so the whole damn F-35 project has been suspended.

In other new-fighter jet-ripoff news, earlier this week an F-22 test pilot was vindicated from the Air Force’s previous accusations that he was at fault for getting killed in a crash caused by their faulty oxygen system. (The family still can’t believe the government would betray one of their own.)

Oh, but don’t worry. The U.S. government is paying Lockheed 7 billion more to fix the F-22s up real good for you (no word on whether they’ll finally just let these pilots have a tank and a hose like everyone else).

And at least we can take heart that the F-22s are completely useless in the 7 wars we’re currently fighting. For now they wait for the never-ending Cold War to finally get hot.

‘Moral Injury’ in the Terror War

Apparently “Kill! Kill! Kill! Blood Makes the Grass Grow!” is not working well enough anymore at destroying the consciences of young American G.I.s

Well I guess we need to find a better way to help normal people deal with the psychopathic acts the government hired them to commit.

You know, or stop getting into evil imperial wars all the time.

2/22/13 Philip Weiss

Mondoweiss blogger Philip Weiss discusses the outcome of Israel’s election; Netanyahu’s strange coalition of centrists and right-wingers; the liberal American Zionists who have faith that Obama and/or the EU can make Israel’s government more moderate; why apartheid means the end of the Jewish Israeli state; the mainstream media’s newfound ability to question and criticize Israel; and how Chuck Hagel’s confirmation hearings have drawn needed attention to the Israel lobby.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:20 — 6.7MB)

2/22/13 Christian Stork

Christian Stork, a journalist with WhoWhatWhy, discusses his article “The Saga of Barrett Brown: Inside Anonymous And The War On Secrecy;” the federal criminal charges against Brown (who has been jailed since September 2012) that could amount to a life sentence; Brown’s research effort (ProjectPM) to crowdsource the 75,000+ Anonymous-procured emails from private security/intelligence contractor HBGary; and the law firms and front groups paid to damage the reputations of activists and journalists.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:05 — 10.1MB)

2/22/13 Andy Worthington

Andy Worthington, author of The Guantanamo Files, discusses the US’s very low standards for kidnapping and torturing suspects in the War on Terror; the continuing “colossal miscarriages of justice” for innocent victims; the Spanish courts taking action after the US failed to hold anyone accountable; the political cowardice preventing the release of Guantanamo prisoners cleared by Obama’s task force; and why indefinite detention without trial is the hallmark of dictatorships, not democracies.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:10 — 7.8MB)

2/22/13 Patrick Cockburn

Patrick Cockburn, journalist with The Independent, discusses how the civil war in Syria is inspiring Iraq’s restive Sunni population; why Baghdad still has nonfunctional sewers and electricity even though billions of dollars have been spent; the Sunni protestors who are denied government representation and jobs; and the scant media coverage on Iraq after the US withdrawal.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:47 — 6.8MB)

Poor Babies

NYT: Drone Pilots Are Found to Get Stress Disorders Much as Those in Combat Do

“In the first study of its kind, researchers with the Defense Department have found that pilots of drone aircraft experience mental health problems like depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress at the same rate as pilots of manned aircraft who are deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.”

More.