This week my guest is journalist Paul Dobson of Venezuelanalysis. We had a wide ranging discussion on Venezuela, its current political and economic situation, and western media distortions. First, we covered the recent terrorist attack on President Maduro’s life on August 4th. We touched on the right-wing media operations out of Miami, which supported this terrorist act, as well as the role of ultra right-wing activists in Venezuela and Colombia. Paul and I discussed the arrest of opposition politician Juan Requesens in connection with the attack. We also talked about the alleged role that former National Assembly President Julio Borges played in Bogota. Paul also mentions the shadowy Osman Delgado Tabosky, who has been named by the Venezuelan government as a financier of the attack.
In the second hour Paul and I discussed the current economic problems in Venezuela. Paul talked about the devastating effects that U.S. sanctions are having on the Venezuelan people. Then we talked about the lack of specialized medicine due to sanctions on major financial institutions such as Citibank. We also addressed the reasons why Venezuelans must wait in line for gasoline despite being an oil rich nation. We explained how organizations like the IMF and World Bank are waiting to swoop in to exert total control of the economy through the use of loans and bailouts. Finally, we closed out by talking about Venezuela’s vibrant democratic process and the ways in which the western media continues to present a false narrative of its electoral system.
Tom Secker of Spy Culture joins me to discuss the season 7 premiere of Homeland. We start off by giving a quick recap of the previous season which saw a faction of the deep state attempt to assassinate President Elect Elibazeth Keane. Tom and I then dive into this season, which breaks with Homeland protocol, and picks up 52 days after the events of season 6. We talk about where we are: President Keane locking up the supposed coup plotters, Carrie trying to expose her overreach, and Brett O’Keefe trying to “tell the truth.” We discuss our general thoughts on this griping first episode and discuss why we are excited for the season progression. We then move onto one of the main themes of this season, the various characters defense and love of the state. Tom and I look at Carrie and Saul and how they represent the “good” CIA trying to restore democracy and civil liberties. We talk about the clever way show runner Alex Gansa and the CIA have inserted this idea without even mentioning the agency once. Tom and I also talk about my favorite character Brett O’Keefe, also known as Alex Jones. Later on we explore the real world parallels that Homeland is introducing including: fractured political state, the threat of an omnipresent deep state after the president, and how Homeland mimics the way families are being torn apart by Trump’s America.
In the second hour Tom and I talk about the interesting mention of 4chan by O’Keefe. I also talk about my theory that they are obliquely referencing Qanon in this episode. We then move onto the climactic scene where coup plotter General McClendon is assassinated inside a federal prison. Tom and I theorize as to who was behind this. I lay out my theory that this may have been a third unknown actor, most likely the Russians. Tom and I finish off by touching on a very revealing interview Alex Gansa gave to Variety. We talk about Gansa’s comments that the CIA is working with the New York Times and the Washington Post, as well as his own reference to the deep state going after Trump. I round out the episode by going off about the recent cornstarch anthrax letter that was sent to Donald Trump Jr. I talk about Jack Posobiec’s idiotic comments and lack of historical knowledge about the government orchestrated 2001 Anthrax attacks, as well as Julian Assange’s claims that he received a letter with white powder.
Michael Swanson, the author of The War State, joins me for an in-depth discussion of the Ken Burns and Lynn Novick Vietnam documentary series. I begin the conversation by discussing my own fascination with the Vietnam War. I talk about the influence my father has had on my understanding of the war, touching on his experiences with the army when he was drafted in 1969. Michael and I then dive into the film itself. We look at some of the serious flaws and aspects that the we felt were left out with the film including the CIA and drug trafficking. Michael and I dive deeper into the bizarre narrative that Burns and Novick craft, whereby the politicians and military leaders are never shown actually making policy decisions, but instead are shown as making bad choices with good intentions. Michael and I explore this concept in some depth and offer up our own reasons for why the Vietnam war was not started “in good faith by decent men.” Michael and I also critique the way in which the Gulf of Tonkin Incident is handled in the film. We explain how the film avoids admitting that the whole incident was made up and instead repeats an outright lie.
In the second hour Michael and I talk about some of the government talking heads that appear in film such as: John Negroponte, Leslie Gelb, Rufus Philips, and Donald Gregg. We explore their backgrounds and the destructive impact they had on the Vietnamese people. I talk with Michael about the Phoenix Program which is only briefly touched on in the whole series. We explore why Burns and Novick lay most of the blame of the Phoenix Program at the feet of the Vietnamese. Michael also elaborates on this by talking about the negative portrayal of the Vietnamese through out the film. We pay particular attention to North Vietnamese leader Le Duan and South Vietnamese leader Ngo Dinh Diem. Michael and I also discuss the documentaries skewed version of the assassination of Diem, and how yet again the CIA is almost completely airbrushed out of it. Michael and I touch on Lucien Conein’s integral role in the assassination as well as heroin trafficking. We also discuss the CIA’s war in Laos and discuss the overarching agenda behind the film. Michael and I also talk about the impact of Vietnam and its parallels with the Iraq and Afghan War.
Keelan Balderson of WideShut.co.uk joins me again to discuss the latest developments in the Manchester Bombing case. We begin by briefly discussing how the bombing has evolved as a news story, and they way it is being perceived in the U.K. We then move onto the latest developments in the actual investigation. Keelan and I talk about the authorities back and forth narrative of this being a lone wolf attack or part of a larger plot. We talk about the police recently stating that there could have been multiple people who knew Salman Abedi was going to bomb the arena. The two of point out how this is yet another change in direction after the authorities released over a dozen people suspected of being involved in the attack. Keelan also gives us the latest details coming out of Libya. He talks about the claims being made by the RADA militia that Salman’s brother Hashem has confessed to buying the parts for the bomb while in Manchester visiting. We also touch on the claims that Salman Abedi was sent to a bomb making school in Libya by his father. Keelan and I again touch in the deep connections that Abedi had to British intelligence, and ponder if the Libyans are attempting to hide these details. Next we take a look at claims made by the bizarre “NGO” Quilliam, which stated that Abedi learned how to make construct the bomb from a YouTube video. Keelan also touches on the stranger claim by Qulliam that the chemical TATP was used in the bomb. We point out that this is yet another in a long series of claims which have sought to connect Manchester to 7/7. We also look at a recent David Shayler interview where he asserted that Salman’s father Ramadan is the infamous “Tunworth” who was tasked by MI6 with trying to assassinate Gaddafi. We also touch on the fact that Abedi met twice with a convicted Libyan terrorist in prison in the U.K.
In the second hour we take a closer look at the two recent inquests into the victims and Abedi’s deaths. Keelan first explains what an inquest entails, and what we can except to learn from them. Keelan tells us all about this new diagram of the bomb blast which contains a series of interesting new claims. We explore why the diagram does not show where Abedi’s body was discovered, and the inclusion of more victims. Keelan also points to the diagrams revelation that a CCTV camera appears to have been pointed exactly where Abedi set of the bomb. The two of us ask the question as to whether this footage will show Abedi detonating the device, or if we will ever even see the footage. Keelan and I also talk about some of the other CCTV images that have come out in recent weeks and speculate as to what they might represent. We end the conversation by exploring the notion that Manchester is part of a larger Gladio style operation happening predominantly in Europe. We talk about the rise of the right wing and attacks like the one at the Finsbury Park Mosque and how this relates to a new Gladio. Keelan and I also ponder what might be next.
Tom Secker joins me to wrap up our series of episodes focusing on the sixth season of Homeland. We begin by discussing our thoughts on seeing Dar Adal behind bars (I was quite upset about this). We then move onto some of the major . We discuss what the overarching goals are for the CIA. Ideas and moments in the final two episodes. Tom and I discuss the significance of the show talking about the infamous Office of Policy Coordination and its role in the attempted assassination against the President Elect. We explore why the agency would want the show to mention this. Tom and I also dissect Saul’s assertion that they are fighting back against a CIA engineered coup. Tom talk’s about how this is an oft used plot device in CIA sponsored media. The agency has long glorified the violent revolution orchestrated by themselves. Tom and I ponder if this is one of the goals of this season. We also talk about how this season of Homeland has managed to mimic our current political system better than any other show to date. We touch on the fact that Donald Trump reversed course on all his promises at the same time that the fictional Homeland president does a similar reversal. We also touch on this seasons continued use of the concept of a deep state, and the idea that the CIA are the good guys fighting against it.
In the second hour Tom and I discuss the recent admission by Alex Jones’ lawyer that he is in fact nothing more than a performance artist. We talk about how in some ways this mimics the Brett O’Keefe character on Homeland. Tom and I talk about the impact that this will have on both the alt-media and politics in general. We touch on the idea that there is a reshuffling going on within sectors of the right-wing mainstream and alternative media. I finish off the episode by talking about the recent passing of Will Grigg, his legacy, and how we can help out his family.
Porkins Policy Review 