This week Kevin Gosztola joined me to discuss the Trump-Ukraine whistleblower case and the possibility of a presidential impeachment. Kevin started by laying out what we know about the CIA whistleblower in question and what is in his complaint. Kevin described how the whistleblower went through the proper channels, and how this was handled by the Director of National Intelligence. We also discussed the allegations in the complaint and discussed why government employees blow the whistle in the first place. We argued that people who blow the whistle tend to believe very strongly in the construct of government and feel strongly about corruption. We also touched on how this whistleblower, as an employee of the CIA, may have viewed this conversation as an affront to the CIA’s stated goals in Ukraine. Kevin and I also looked at some of the secondary figures named in the complaint like Kurt Volker whose connections to Raytheon and NATO might have more to do with this story than meets the eye. We also discussed the possibility of impeachment and the political nature of impeachment and how this could backfire for the Democrats in the future.
In the first hour, Michael Swanson and Chuck had a unique exchange about the JFK Assassination and its implications regarding current events. Chuck also mentions his new glasses while the evolution of refining knowledge on deep political issues is made plain.
Hour number two revolved around a strange mob hit in the news and a discussion on what the news is not alerting you about. Pearse Redmond makes a few announcements, and Chuck has to say he is sorry.
Tuesdays are always fun, educational, and unexpected on The Ochelli Effect. News, and entertainment factory installed.
This month Associate Professor at Stockholm University Isa Blumi joined me to update the listeners on the dire situation in Yemen. We started off with the ongoing siege of Al Hudaydah. We then moved on to a discussion of the recent media coverage the war in the west. Isa talked about a recent AP article which documented Saudi and Emirati support for Al Qaeda. Isa pointed out how the article fails to mention Qatar’s involvement in Yemen and the political implications behind this omission. We also touched on the abhorrent coverage the recent school bus bombing by Democracy Now. Later we shifted gears for a discussion of Turkey’s role in the region. We talked about the recent elections and economic problems in Turkey. We also touched on the status of the Gulen Movement, NATO-Turkish operations in Syria, and what Erdogan’s next geopolitical will be.
Christoph and I are back! After a long hiatus we have returned with a jam packed episode. In the first segment we discuss the bizarre “bomb plot” to attack the recent MEK Summit in Paris. Then we explore the allegations that this was orchestrated by the Iranian government and the bogus claims by the West and Israel about a network of sleeper cells across Europe. We then turn to a discussion about those swept up in the investigation–including an Iranian diplomat from Austria.
In the second segment Christoph and I break down the recent NATO summit in Brussels. We focus mainly on how this impacts Germany. Trump demanded that NATO countries devote 4% GDP to NATO, also stated that Germany is too close with Russia.
For the third segment we continue discussing Germany. We talk about the rise of the Gulen movement. Christoph explains how this has manifested after the failed coup in Turkey. We also touch on the whereabouts a several key plotters of the coup who are allegedly being protected in Berlin.
In our final segment we take a in-depth look at the recent election in Turkey. We discuss how Erdogan and his coalition partners with in the ultra-nationalist MHP swept the country. The rise of the ultra-nationalism within the Turkey may have a dangerous impact. We discuss MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli’s recent calls for the release of two prominent ultra-nationalist mob bosses, as well as the founder of the Grey Wolves taking a seat in parliament. We finish this segment by touching on recent joint operations between Turkey and U.S. in Northern Syria.
We close out with our traditional “weird terrorism” section. I talk about the return of Afghanistan’s Vice President, Abdul Rashid Dostum, from self imposed exile in Turkey, which resulted from assault and rape charges. Christoph shares an interesting interview of a former U.S. Army sniper who fought alongside the KLA in the 90’s on behalf of a foreign defense ministry.
The Chinese government recently announced a near 10% increase in their military budget for 2018. Chinese state media have defended the decision, saying it is part of a modernization program, calling the increase “proportionate and low.”
The increase is the biggest jump in Chinese military spending in recent years. In 2014, the total was $132 billion, which grew to $145 billion in 2015, $147 billion in 2016 and will reach $175 billion next year. Zhang Yesui, a spokesperson for the first annual session of the 13th NPC, explained that the extra money is not to increase China’s overall military capacity, but to update and modernize their armed forces:
“A large part of the growth of the defense budget is to make up for the low military spending in the past and is mainly used to upgrade equipment and improve the welfare of servicemen and women and the living and training conditions of grassroots troops.”
Sputnik spoke to political analyst Pearse Redmond about the geopolitical struggles that are the underlying reasons for China’s consistently growing military expenditure:
“As China becomes more and more integrated in the global economy it understands that maintaining economic superiority requires more security. In Africa, where China has poured vast sums of money into various projects, they have also been quietly building small military bases and developing relationships with various African military and security forces. For example, in Djibouti, once the exclusive military domain of the US, China now operates a naval base adjacent to the Port of Doraleh, which is west of Djibouti City.”
The Prophets of death and destruction (AKA The Military Industrial Complex AKA The War State) are part of the American economy. Wall Street is in the “News” but the War Of Terror isn’t? Which thing is at the heart of Money matters? How do we put these issues in context? Which industry lets us read the bones, Or Tea Leaves? Prognostication on a Tuesday… along with a few history lessons. Mike Swanson The author of The War State and man behind WallStreetWindow.com takes us further into the Gilded age and moves beyond Jekyll island conspiracy. Gilded Age Financiers Ideas in 2018 involve many devices and methods of placing bets on the future , futures , and future earnings. Plus the nature of a point spread. Michael Swanson does his best to inform Chuck and you about all this and much more. Pearse Redmond From Porkins Policy Radio drops in for the second hour and does his best to tell us where ISIS has gone , and put many Rebels in context as regards the big bad wolf that is in mortal combat with the alleged American way of life we talked about in the first hour under the banner of The War on Terror? A great deal of physical and spiritual capital spent , but is it all an illusion? Listen and find out. PLUS we squeezed a repeat play of Uncle’s Superbowl Report in.
Tom Secker joins me in the first hour to discuss the upcoming Netflix movie about Anders Behring Breivik and the Oslo and Utoya Island attacks. Tom and I talk about why the film is being made now and the state funding it is receiving from the Norwegian government. We then talk about the writer and director of this film Paul Greengrass. Tom explains his career as a government propagandist and focuses on his film United 93. We then talk about the aspects of the attack we anticipate Greengrass and Netflix will leave out of the film. We discuss Breivik’s politics and how they have become adopted by much of the alt and far right in recent times. Tom discusses the notion that the attack may have been intended as a message to far right groups to further embrace this political ideology. We also touch on the idea that this was a Gladio style event, and whether or not Brevik was working for others. Later Tom and I talk about former Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and his current job as Secretary General of NATO. We discuss NATO’s role as it exists today and the power it has. Tom and I finish off by discussing our final episode in our review of House of Cards. I also update the listeners about the return of Porkins Great Game.
In the second hour I rant about the recent political purge in Saudi Arabia and the larger implications of it. I talk about Mohammad bin Salman’s alleged corruption and liberalization campaigns, and how he is using this as a smoke screen for his larger political ambitions. I discuss my thoughts on the forced resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri by the Saudi’s. I talk about how Hariri and Lebanon are being used as a proxy battleground between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Yemen and the famine is also discussed. I finish off by laying out my theory that this is the foreign policy nightmare we can expect from Donald Trump. I also mention the rumors that Trump was bribed directly by Mohammad bin Salman, and how this might explain the recent developments across the middle east.
Keelan Balderson of WideShut.co.uk joins me today for an in depth discussion of the recent terror attacks in Manchester and London. We begin by looking at the initial narrative that the media presented to us and how that quickly began to change within days of the event. Keelan discusses how the narrative had many of the hallmarks of the 7/7 Terror attacks, such as prior knowledge and security monitoring, slipping through the net, and the calls for internal reviews by MI5. Next to take a closer look at Salman Abedi’s family and the claims that they were Libyan refugees. Keelan talks about the Salman’s fathers ties to the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group and the LIFG’s close relationship with both MI5 and MI6. We discuss how the British government has long funded and protected the LIFG and used them time and time again as a proxy force against former Libyan leader Gadaffi. Keelan and I also talk about the fact that as Home Secretary Theresa May signed off on orders allowing LIFG fighters to freely move around the UK and Europe. Keelan and I then move one the bombing itself and focus on several key pieces of evidence that have emerged. We look at the mysterious CCTV footage of Abedi buying tuna fish, almonds, air freshener, and scouring pads, and ask the question: if this the shopping list of a man who thinks he is about to die? The two of us also discuss the blacked out image of Abedi that has made the rounds in the media and again point out that this doesn’t really prove anything. Keelan also dives into the curious admission that the bomb Abedi used may have been equipped with a remote detonator, therefore begging the question of whether Abedi was an unwitting suicide bomber. Keelan and I explore the idea that Abedi could have been part of a much larger plot. We also talk a out several bizarre eyewitness reports, and well as conflicting forensic evidence.
In the second hour Keelan and I address Abedi’s families response to the bombing. We talk about his fathers allusion to this possibly being a false flag, as well his brothers flat out statement that he knew his brother was a terrorist. We then move onto some of the political responses to the attack. Keelan discusses May’s renewed efforts to control the internet with ever increasing draconian laws aimed at preventing this very attack. We also touch on the idea that this attack in many ways mimics Gladio style operations in places such as Italy in the 1970’s. We then move onto the London bridge attack and take a look at the attackers connections to another terrorist group with deep ties to British intelligence, al-Muhajiroun. We then look at how this is effecting the upcoming British election in just a few days. We finish off by looking at how the MSM and alt-media has completely accepted either blow-back or the right-wing narrative that Muslims are all evil. Keelan and I also touch on the recent severing of ties with Qatar by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE, and how this may be playing into the ever evolving narrative of the war on terror.
Today I spoke with Media Roots co-host (and filmmaker behind “A Very Heavy Agenda”) Robbie Martin. Robbie and I talk about the seemingly improbable rise of the Neocons and the impact they are having on the election cycle. We discuss the Neocon love-fest going on right now with Hillary Clinton, as well as their disgust with all things Trump. Later, we explore the DNC leak and throw in a few of our theories about who might have been behind it. We also consider the notion that Putin and Trump are working together. Robbie and I also discuss the sad decline of the Libertarian Party, and Gary Johnson’s embrace of neocons such as Jeb Bush. We close out with an examination of the rumors (speculations) that Bill Clinton is dying and Hillary Clinton is on drugs.
Rounding off this second season we take a look at SALT, the 2010 action thriller starring Angelina Jolie as a CIA officer accused of being a Russian sleeper agent. We chart the development of the film, from its origins as an attempt to recreate the Bourne franchise, through Amy Pascal and Jolie’s conversations about making a female-led spy thriller. SALT is one of the less well known CIA-assisted productions, but along with technical advice from former CIA officer Melissa Boyle Mahle the producers also consulted with the CIA themselves in a video conference. The producers also employed Kurt Wimmer, one of the screenwriters from The Recruit. There is also a very weird story involving one of the extras in the opening sequence in North Korea.
We analyse the mystery of Evelyn Salt’s underwear and then the conversation hones in on Russia, who in 2010 were not on the news agenda, and how this movie predicted the rise of the ‘new Cold War’ that is commonplace in most current spy films and TV shows. The whole notion of a sleeper agent Russian spy ring was risible at the time but before long this exact story hit the news in a big way. We touch on the transhuman disguise that Jolie employs in the film and how this relates both to Argo and to Mission: Impossible, two other CIA-assisted movies. We round off looking back on season 2 of The CIA and Hollywood and suggest a possibility for doing season 3 in a different way.
Porkins Policy Review 