nile river | Porkins Policy Review

This week I opened up the phone lines and did a call in show. We had friend of the show Jon Gold call in to discuss the recent attacks on Ilhan Omar and the continued exploitation of 9/11 trauma. Jon talked about the recent spate of politicians and media figures invoking 9/11 and the “Never Forget” mantra to score political points. Later Kai called in to talk about the political situation in Sudan. We discussed the recent coup which has removed long time leader Omar al- Bashir, and the grassroots protest movement that fomented this change. Kai and I touched on the lack of overt western interference in Sudan and speculated on what this may mean. We also touched on the politics of water and the importance of the Nile River. Kai also talked about the background role that Israel and the Gulf are playing in Sudan.

Friend of show JG Michael of Parallax Views also called in to discuss Julian Assange and the strange media fascination with the Notre Dame fire. JG and I touched on why we dislike Assange but also fear the repercussions of extraditing him and the threat to journalism that it poses. I rounded out the show by talking with listener Thor in Switzerland. We discussed the role that private finance and corporations are playing in Africa and the negative effect they can have. Thor and I also touched on the concept of micro-financing. I finish the show by answering some listener questions from good friend of the show Curtis.

Download episode 182

Show Notes:

U.S. officially designates Iran’s Revolutionary Guards a terrorist group

Sudan crisis: Protest leaders demand end of ‘deep state’

Saudi Arabia, Israel, US All Sought Bashir’s Ouster: So How Real Was the Sudan Revolution?

Sudan uprising: ‘We hope for a real military coup’

Struggle Over the Nile – Legacy of dispute

Struggle Over the Nile – Tension and suspicion

Struggle over the Nile – Masters no more

UAE welcomes appointment of Al-Burhan new head of Sudan’s transitional military council

Ousted Sudan president Omar al-Bashir imprisoned by military authorities

Security footage shows Julian Assange skateboarding inside Ecuadorian Embassy

Counterpunch Radio – Barrett Brown – Episode 109

Breaking Down the Hacking Case Against Julian Assange

Parallax Views – Ep. 81: Journalist Jenna Orkin on 9/11’s Deadly Dust

Parallax Views – Ep. 82: Bobbie Brown on Modeling, Dating Rock Stars, & Life on Hollywood’s Sunset Strip

Today I am joined by friend of the show Caram Kapp. Caram was last on episode 42 The Homeland Hackers, and returns to discuss the Egyptian uprising six years later. We start off by discussing the basics of the uprising and some of the behind the scenes actors. Caram explains his own experiences as an Egyptian, and as someone who was there on the ground around this time. We touch on the rumors of Western manipulation and how some of these allegations have overshadowed the real life grievances of the Egyptian populace and their reasons for wanting to get rid of Mubarak. Caram and I then move onto the two most important actors of the revolution (The Muslim Brotherhood and the Army) and how they became the ultimate arbiters of the revolution. Caram talks about his time in Cairo just after Brotherhood leader Muhammad Morsi was elected. Caram describes the parallels between Morsi and his brief tenure as president to that of Donald Trump. We talk about similarities in both personality and demeanor, as well as the ways in which Morsi represented “change” and ran on a campaign of making “Egypt Great Again.” Caram and I also discuss the notion that Morsi or those around him were well aware of the realities and influence of the Egyptian military, and understood that they may have been used as a stopgap to put the military back in place.

We expand on this more in the second hour exploring other parallels between Trump, Morsi, and current Egyptian President al-Sisi. Caram and I look at the ways in which al-Sisi and Trump have managed to normalize the military and the police, even when engaging in extreme behavior. Later Caram and I look at some of the recent geopolitical developments in Egypt and how they mirror actions here in the US. We look at the escalating tensions between Sudan and Egypt over the contested Halayeb Triangle and how this mimics Trump’s rhetoric against Mexico. Caram and I also discuss the current state of Egyptian media which like the revolution has returned right back to where it started. Caram and I finish off by looking at where Egypt may be headed and why it has lost influence within the Arab world, and has become one of the forgotten aspects of the Arab Spring.