Loud & Clear

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Peter Kuznick, a professor of history and director of the Nuclear Studies Institute at American University and the co-author with Oliver Stone of the book and TV show “The Untold History of the United States,” and Alexander Mercouris, the editor-in-chief of The Duran.President Trump went to Paris over the weekend to attend a commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the end of the first World War. By the time he left France on Monday, he was being scorned from several quarters. As U.S. relations with its European allies have dramatically shifted during the past two years, French President Emmanuel Macron and other European leaders have introduced the idea of the creation of a “European Army.” Tuesday’s weekly series is False Profits—A Weekly Look at Wall Street and Corporate Capitalism with Daniel Sankey. Financial policy analyst Daniel Sankey joins the show. Midterm elections were held a week ago today, but more than a doze

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Dr. Gerald Horne, a professor of history at the University of Houston and author of “Blows Against the Empire: U.S. Imperialism in Crisis,” and Dr. Alex Vitale, an associate professor of sociology at Brooklyn College and author of “The End of Policing.”Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions took a parting shot at communities affected by police violence and civil libertarians on his way out the door when he severely limited the ability of federal law enforcement officials to use court enforced agreements, or consent decrees, to overhaul local police departments accused of abuses and civil rights violations. Friday is Loud & Clear’s regular segment on the midterms, today taking a look at the just-completed political races around the country and some of the marquee races still yet to be decided. Jacqueline Luqman, the co-editor-in-chief of Luqman Nation, which hosts a livestream every Thursday night at 9:00 p.m. on Facebook,

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Julie Hurwitz, a civil rights attorney and partner at the law firm Goodman, Hurwitz and James, and Dan Kovalik, a human rights and labor lawyer and the author of the new book “The Plot to Control the World: How the US Spent Billions to Change the Outcome of Elections Around the World.”Jeff Sessions is out as Attorney General after a long period of tension with Donald Trump. Brian reviews the ultra right-wing policies that earned him the ire of so many millions of people across the country, and considers what his replacement by acting Attorney General Whitaker means for the future of the Mueller investigation. Thursday’s weekly series “Criminal Injustice” is about the most egregious conduct of our courts and prosecutors and how justice is denied to so many people in this country. Paul Wright, the founder and executive director of the Human Rights Defense Center and editor of Prison Legal News (PLN), and Kevin Gosztola, a writer for Shadowproof.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Jacqueline Luqman, the co-editor-in-chief of Luqman Nation; Loud & Clear co-host John Kiriakou; Florida activist Juliana Musheyev; and Josh Hovey, communications director of the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol.Results from the midterms have been rolling in, and this first hour is what happened at the polls last night. First, the hosts talk about the federal races for Congress. The Democrats won the House and the Republicans strengthened their lead in the Senate. How will this affect the nation when those new congresspeople get into office? What will the 2020 map look like? Then the hosts move into state races, where there were several tight races for governor. Last will be a few of the many important amendments and ballot measures that voters weighed in on last night, including a few states legalizing medical or recreational marijuana and the felony disenfranchisement law in Florida. Less than 24 hours after polls closed in the

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers, the co-directors of Popular Resistance, and from Philadelphia by Dave Lindorff, an investigative reporter, a columnist for CounterPunch, and a contributor to Businessweek, The Nation, Extra! and Salon.com.Today millions of people across the country are lining up to vote in crucial local, state and federal elections, as well as a number of important referendums. What is at stake in the midterm election, and how will it affect the direction of the country? Tuesday’s weekly series is False Profits—A Weekly Look at Wall Street and Corporate Capitalism with Daniel Sankey. Financial policy analyst Daniel Sankey joins the show. On the eve of the midterm election, Facebook announced that it had conducted another round of account deletions. How have social media purges and constant stories about foreign interference impacted the political climate leading up to polling day? Brian speaks with Daniel Lazare, a journalist a

The US reimposed sanctions on Iranian oil today that had been lifted under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The sanctions have already caused serious inflation and there are fears that products like medicine and food could become scarce. Eight countries have been temporarily exempted from the sanctions so their major oil purchases from Iran can continue, but the U.S. regime change push continues at full speed.Monday’s regular segment Technology Rules with Chris Garaffa is a weekly guide on how monopoly corporations and the national surveillance state are threatening cherished freedoms, civil rights and civil liberties. Web developer and technologist Chris Garaffa joins the show. Tomorrow is Election Day as tens of millions of people prepare to go to the polls to vote in a variety of federal, state and local elections. But if there’s a change of party control in either the House or the Senate, will the politics of this country really shift? Brian and John speak with Dave Lindorff, an investigative reporter, a colum

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Max Blumenthal, a journalist and bestselling author whose latest book is “The 51 Day War: Ruin and Resistance in Gaza,” the senior editor of Grayzone Project, and co-host of the podcast “Moderate Rebels.”National Security Advisor John Bolton gave a fiery speech in Miami yesterday declaring the existence of a “troika of tyranny” in Latin America — Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. Bolton also pledged support for far-right Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, who made several bold announcements yesterday. Since the election Bolsonaro said that he would move Brazil’s embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, he would merge the Environment and Agriculture Ministries, threatening the Amazon, and he would name former president Luis Ignacio Lula da Silva’s prosecutor as the new Minister of Justice. Friday is Loud & Clear’s regular segment on the midterms, taking a look at political races around the country in the runup to midterm electi

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Juan José Gutiérrez, the executive director of the Full Rights for Immigrants Coalition, and Isabel Garcia, co-founder of Coalición de Derechos Humanos.With less than a week left before the midterm election, Donald Trump has announced that he would be sending up to 15,000 soldiers to the U.S.-Mexico border. Meanwhile Republicans released an overtly racist campaign ad yesterday showing an undocumented migrant who was convicted of killing two policemen saying with a smile that he would soon escape and kill more people and then blaming Democrats for the deaths. Thursday’s weekly series “Criminal Injustice” is about the most egregious conduct of our courts and prosecutors and how justice is denied to so many people in this country. Paul Wright, the founder and executive director of the Human Rights Defense Center and editor of Prison Legal News (PLN), and Kevin Gosztola, a writer for Shadowproof.com and co-host of the podcast Una

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Gareth Porter, a historian, investigative journalist, and analyst specializing in U.S. national security policy, and the author of “Manufactured Crisis: The Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Scare.”Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called today for all participants in the Yemen war to begin a ceasefire within 30 days. The two said that within 30 days they wanted all parties to engage in peace talks that would be led by UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths. No venue for talks has yet been announced. Wednesday’s regular segment, Beyond Nuclear, is about nuclear issues, including weapons, energy, waste, and the future of nuclear technology in the United States. Kevin Kamps, the Radioactive Waste Watchdog at the organization Beyond Nuclear, and Sputnik news analyst and producer Nicole Roussell, join the show. President Trump and his advisors are pushing ahead with his theory that he can revoke birth

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Dan Kovalik, a Pittsburgh human rights and labor lawyer, and the author of the new book “The Plot to Control the World,” and Eugene Puryear, the host of the Sputnik News show By Any Means Necessary. Funeral services were held today for the victims of the anti-Semitic massacre at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh as the city and the country mourns the loss of life in this brazen terror attack carried out by a white supremacist. Donald Trump is also on his way to the city, as he continues to face criticism over the impact of his rhetoric on the political climate in the country. Tuesday’s weekly series is False Profits—A Weekly Look at Wall Street and Corporate Capitalism with Daniel Sankey. Financial policy analyst Daniel Sankey joins the show. President Trump said in an HBO documentary that will be broadcast Sunday that he would seek to end birthright citizenship by executive order, that is automatic American citizenship f

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by João Rodrigues, a longtime political activist in Brazil, and Aline Piva, a journalist and a member of Brazilians for Democracy and Social Justice.Far-right populist Jair Bolsonaro won the presidency of Brazil yesterday with 55 percent of valid votes cast. Thirty percent of Brazilians cast blank ballots. Bolsonaro is seen as a populist and has been compared to Donald Trump and to Philippines President Duterte. He also has spoken warmly of Brazil’s 1964-1985 military dictatorship and said recently that he would have served in Hitler’s army if he had had the chance. Monday’s regular segment Technology Rules with Chris Garaffa is a weekly guide on how monopoly corporations and the national surveillance state are threatening cherished freedoms, civil rights and civil liberties. Web developer and technologist Chris Garaffa joins the show. Robert Bowers walked into the Tree of Life Synagogue on Saturday in Pittsburgh and opened fire

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Max Blumenthal, a journalist, the senior editor of Grayzone Project, co-host of the podcast “Moderate Rebels,” and bestselling author whose latest book is “The 51 Day War: Ruin and Resistance in Gaza.”This month, Facebook and Twitter deleted the accounts of hundreds of users, including man alternative media sites. Most of those purged were popular sites that scrutinized police brutality and US interventionism, like The Free Thought Project and Cop Block. Max Blumenthal has written a major article exposing the neoconservative cadres, they are former government officials and now affiliated with DC think tanks, which are playing a dominant role in the new cenersoship of alternative media. Friday is Loud & Clear’s regular segment on the midterms, taking a look at political races around the country in the runup to midterm elections in November. Jacqueline Luqman, the co-editor-in-chief of Luqman Nation, which hosts a livestrea

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by New York by Jim Kavanagh, the editor of thepolemecist.net, and from Virginia by Joe Lauria, the editor of Consortium News.Even more pipe bombs were found this morning, this time addressed to former Vice President Joe Biden and to actor Robert DeNiro, both critics of Donald Trump. Yesterday, bombs were sent to Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, two members of Congress, former CIA director John Brennan, former Attorney General Eric Holder, and CNN. The bomber is clearly targeting opponents of President Trump. But the president’s only response so far is to blame the media for not treating him fairly and for inciting hatred in the country. Thursday’s weekly series “Criminal Injustice” is about the most egregious conduct of our courts and prosecutors and how justice is denied to so many people in this country. Paul Wright, the founder and executive director of the Human Rights Defense Center and editor of Prison Legal News (P

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Dr. Gerald Horne, a professor of history at the University of Houston and author of many books, including “Blows Against the Empire: U.S. Imperialism in Crisis.”Explosive packages were sent to Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and former Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz today and to billionaire Democratic Party donor George Soros over the weekend. None of them detonated and no one was injured. Why are incidents like this so common in the United States? The hosts look at the issue of political polarization, factional struggles among political elites and their impact on the larger population and the history and the role violence has played during periods of political turmoil and indeed within the foundational structures of what became the United States. Wednesday’s regular segment, Beyond Nuclear, is about nuclear issues, including weapons, energy, waste, and the future of nuclear technology in the Unit

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Professor Mohammad Marandi, an expert on American studies and postcolonial literature who teaches at the University of Tehran.Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan said today that the Turkish government had strong and convincing evidence that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in a “premeditated and savage murder” at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. He also called for Saudi Arabia to extradite the 15 Saudis implicated in the case for trial in Turkey. Meanwhile, it is being widely reported that Khashoggi’s body was buried in the garden of the Saudi Consul General’s house. Tuesday’s weekly series is False Profits—A Weekly Look at Wall Street and Corporate Capitalism with Daniel Sankey. Financial policy analyst Daniel Sankey joins the show. Americans have caught lottery fever. The multi-state Mega Millions lottery jackpot stands at more than $1.6 billion. But what happens to the money that the states keep? Is it put to good u

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Mark Sleboda, an international relations and security analyst, and Jude Woodward, author of the new book “The US vs China: Asia's new Cold War?”President Trump announced over the weekend that he would withdraw the United States from the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, or INF, a decades-old agreement signed in 1987 between President Ronald Reagan and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Trump said that Russia had not honored the agreement, but NATO allies expressed shock at the announcement and said that they were not consulted. Monday’s regular segment Technology Rules with Chris Garaffa is a weekly guide on how monopoly corporations and the national surveillance state are threatening cherished freedoms, civil rights and civil liberties. Web developer and technologist Chris Garaffa joins the show. Thousands of Central American migrants have entered southern Mexico on their way to the United States, despite Presid

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Cindy Sheehan, an anti-war activist and journalist whose son Casey was killed during the Iraq War, and Bonnie Caracciolo, publisher of the blog “Vietnam: My War Too.” Cindy and Bonnie are the co-organizers of the Women’s March on the Pentagon.The 2018 Women’s March on the Pentagon takes place on Sunday following a day of workshops in response to the continuing course of US military aggression and spending and to put an anti-war agenda back in the political spotlight. Marchers are calling for an end to wars abroad, the closure of foreign bases, and deep cuts to the military budget. Friday is Loud & Clear’s regular segment on the midterms, taking a look at political races around the country in the runup to midterm elections in November. Jacqueline Luqman, the co-editor-in-chief of Luqman Nation, which hosts a livestream every Thursday night at 9:00 p.m. on Facebook, joins the show. A massive caravan of 3,000 Honduran migran

A private American company hired by the government of the United Arab Emirates has sent former US special forces soldiers to Yemen as mercenaries to carry out assassinations of political and religious figures there, according to a Buzzfeed investigation. The killings began in 2015 and, so far, dozens of people have been assassinated. Brian and John speak with Mark Sleboda, an international relations and security analyst. New video in the police shooting of Ricardo "Ricky" Hayes, an autistic 18 year old in Chicago, was recently released.The footage contradicts the police assertion that Hayes was armed, and is related to a lawsuit filed on behalf of Hayes. Kofi Ademola, an activist and organizer with the Black Lives Matter movement, joins the show. Taliban gunmen this morning assassinated several leaders of the regional government in Kandahar in the country’s south. Press reports indicate that the governor, provincial military leader, and intelligence director of Kandahar Province were killed when their own bod

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Paul Cox, a Vietnam veteran and a member of Veterans for Peace, who focuses on advocating for compensation for victims of Agent Orange, and Marjorie Cohn, professor emerita at Thomas Jefferson School of Law and the former president of the National Lawyers Guild.Secretary of Defense James Mattis is in Vietnam to discuss the biggest ever US cleanup of contamination left by the defoliant Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. The project will cost $390 million and will begin early next year. A $110 million cleanup at Danang Airport has already been completed. Wednesday’s regular segment, Beyond Nuclear, is about nuclear issues, including weapons, energy, waste, and the future of nuclear technology in the United States. Kevin Kamps, the Radioactive Waste Watchdog at the organization Beyond Nuclear, and Sputnik news analyst and producer Nicole Roussell, join the show. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo flew to Ankara today to discuss th

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Anoa Changa, director of political advocacy and a managing editor of Progressive Army, and host of the show The Way With Anoa, and Ted Rall, an award-winning editorial cartoonist and columnist whose work is at rall.com.New reports from the Federal Election Commission show that Donald Trump has already raised over $100 million for his 2020 re-election campaign, a number unmatched in decades. Meanwhile, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren has all but declared her intention to run for president. More than two years ahead of time, the race for the presidency is already well underway. Tuesday’s weekly series is False Profits—A Weekly Look at Wall Street and Corporate Capitalism with Daniel Sankey. Financial policy analyst Daniel Sankey joins the show. Last month a US Border Patrol supervisor in Texas was charged with murdering four women and attempting to murder a fifth. He’ll be tried on capital murder charges. This alleged crime