Ted Rall, political cartoonist and syndicated columnist, joins us to discuss Representative Maxine Waters' statements on the Derek Chauvin trial. Representative Waters recently made several statements regarding the potential outcome of the trial. The presiding judge in the trial has stated that her apparent call to action could be interpreted by the defense in a manner that could trigger an appeal. Also, as Representative Waters is a named plaintiff in a lawsuit against former President Donald Trump regarding the controversial January 6th event at the Capitol, law professor Jonathan Turley argues that it could also affect that case.
KJ Noh, peace activist, writer and teacher, joins us to discuss US foreign policy towards China and Russia. A US House of Representatives bill condemning China for actions taken regarding Hong Kong passed by the near-unanimous vote of 418-1. Opponents argue that this is simply a manifestation of the hegemonic American exceptionalist attitude on Capitol Hill. Also, China is learning from the US and EU's methods of besieging the Russian Federation.
Laith Marouf, broadcaster and journalist based in Beirut, Lebanon, joins us to discuss Iran. Iran has made its demands clear from the beginning of the negotiations to reinstate the nuclear agreement. The Biden administration is working to change and adjust the agreement, but failure to meet Iran's clear and legally defensible demands will certainly doom any chances for a successful resolution.
Dan Lazare, investigative journalist and author of America's Undeclared War, joins us to discuss the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project. Both German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas have made assertive statements indicating that they intend to complete the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Maas stated that "I am skeptical that halting the Nord Stream 2 project would lead to a de-escalation by Moscow -- in fact, it could have the opposite effect."
Danny Sjursen, retired US Army Major and author of "Patriotic Dissent: America in the Age of Endless War," joins us to discuss his latest article, "America’s Intel Vampires Can’t See Themselves in the Mirror: DNI’s Hypocritical and Self-Awareness-Absent Annual Threat Assessment." Sjursen reviews the latest DNI threat assessment and argues that it is simply one of many "vacuously vague bureaucratic reports peddling in platitudes."
Caleb Maupin, journalist and political analyst, joins us to discuss war profiteering and Biden foreign policy. Former Raytheon board member and current US Defense Secretary Loyd Austin has already directed $2.6 billion dollars to his former company. Also, the Biden administration's incoherent foreign policy is creating potential disasters in every corner of the globe.
Julie Varughese, solidarity network coordinator for the Black Alliance for Peace, joins us to discuss Afghanistan. An article in Consortium News by Patrick Lawrence reviews the claims that the Biden team is leaving Afghanistan against current and historical data that argues otherwise. Lawrence says that no US politician dares to challenge the administration's policy and that "Exceptionalism and universalism are the third rails in the U.S.: any public figure who questions either will suffer a kind of political electrocution."
Dr. Linwood Tauheed, associate professor of economics at the University of Missouri- Kansas City, joins us to discuss domestic policy. Recent studies show that the US could house all homeless persons for approximately $10 billion dollars per year, or roughly the cost of one aircraft carrier. Dr. Tauheed discusses the need to address structural economic problems versus wasting money on the US war machine.
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