Loud & Clear

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by former CIA analyst and political activist Ray McGovern.The warfare among different factions of the political establishment in the aftermath of the firing of FBI director James Comey continues, as acting director Andrew McCabe took Comey’s seat at a Senate Intelligence hearing on Russia.The final debate in Iran’s presidential election campaign will take place today. President Hassan Rouhani has come out swinging in recent days as he hopes for re-election next week. What’s at stake in this landmark election for the country, the region and the world? Brian is joined by Massoud Shadjareh, the co-founder of the Islamic Human Rights Commission.The Arctic Council has been holding its summit in Alaska in which Rex Tillerson was present along with Russian foreign minister Lavrov. As the climate changes, is the Arctic a new site of geopolitical tension? Greg Mello, co-founder of the Los Alamos Study Group, joins the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by former NSA analyst turned whistleblower William Binney and editorial cartoonist Ted Rall.In a dramatic move, President Trump has unexpectedlyfired FBI director James Comey, prompting Democrats to change their tune about Comey and rush to his defense, accusing the administration of a cover-up. What’s really going on?Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday in Washington. Will there be U.S.-Russia cooperation over "de-escalation zones" in Syria?Kevin Zeese, co-director of Popular Resistance, joins the show. Turkey has reacted angrily to the news that the Trump administration has agreed to provide heavy weapons to the Kurdish forces fighting in Syria. How much more stress can the U.S.-Turkey relationship take? Journalist Ben Norton joins Brian to discuss.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Hyun Lee of the Solidarity Committee for Democracy and Peace in Korea. Moon Jae-in has won the presidential election in South Korea in a historic win that is set to change the relationship with the North. But what will his victory mean for the plans of the Trump administration?Is President Trump about to escalate the war in Afghanistan? Reports suggest Trump could be considering thousands of additional troops for Afghanistan as NATO’s Jens Stoltenberg arrives in London to ask the UK to commit more forces. Activist David Swanson of WarIsACrime.Org joins the show.Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov is in Washington today for talks with his counterpart Rex Tillerson. The two are set to discuss “de-escalation zones” in Syria as the anti-Russia witch hunt continues in Washington. Dmitry Babich, independent political analyst, joins Brian.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Steve Hedley, the senior assistant General Secretary of Britain's Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers Union (RMT).Emmanuel Macron has marched to victory in the French election, trouncing the far-right’s Marine Le Pen. The EU establishment breathes a sigh of relief as the French voters chose a pro-EU, neo-liberal capitalist banker over Le Pen. Absent a left wing choice a huge number of French voters abstained. As violent right-wing opposition protests continue in Venezuela, a bill has been proposed in the U.S. Senate seeking $20 million for regime change efforts. But President Maduro and the Bolivarian revolution are also mobilizing their base of support. Dr. Francisco Dominguez, professor at Middlesex University, joins the show.Today is Victory Day in Russia and the former republics of the Soviet Union, celebrating 72 years since the victory over fascism. But the post-World War Two political order is now being shaken at its foundations. Mark S

On today's episode of Loud & Clear Brian is joined for the full hour today to by activist Will Griffin, Korea Policy Institute fellow Simone Chun, and writer Bruce Gagnon.South Korea holds its first presidential election since the impeachment of conservative Park Geun-hye tomorrow. Who are the candidates and what are they saying about peace on the Korean peninsula? Will any of them aim to forge a more diplomatic relationship with the North? And as the U.S. THAAD missile system is deployed, what are the candidates saying about the South Korean relationship with the United States? This election will have profound consequences for Korea, the region and the whole world.

In today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by independent journalist Denis Rogatyuk. The run-off to determine the next President of France takes place on Sunday. Will it be the former banker Macron or National Front's Marine Le Pen, and how high are the stakes for the future of Europe?Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has set a timeline for the overhaul of the country’s pacifist constitution as tensions heat up in the region. Author and writer Patrick Lawrence joins the show. President Trump met with the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Washington this week as the White House has said moving its embassy to Israel to Jerusalem is a serious prospect. Palestinian solidarity activist Joe Catron speaks with Brian about the importance of the visit and if any progress has really been made toward the peace process resuming.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Arab Barghouti, the son of Marwan Barghouti who is leading the hunger strike of Palestinian prisoners.Marwan Barghouti is often referred to as the “Nelson Mandela of Palestine”. In this exclusive interview, his son discusses the importance of the ongoing hunger strike in Israeli jails and the fight for dignity for all Palestinians.Peace talks aimed at ending Syria’s six year war were cut short when the group representing the so-called armed opposition walked out on the first day. This came as Vladimir Putin and President Erdogan have said de-escalation zones in Syria have been discussed with Donald Trump and the Syrian government. Brian speaks with Alexander Mercouris, Editor-in-Chief of The Duran.Congress is expected to pass a spending bill this week that Democrats are flaunting as a victory over Trump, but the country’s budget director disagrees. Does the bill have much at all in common with Trump’s proposed ‘America First’ budget?Dean Baker,

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Massoud Shadjareh, co-founder of the Islamic Human Rights Commission.Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is meeting with Donald Trump today, shortly after Hamas announced its new charter which calls for a Palestinian state with 1967 borders and disassociated itself from the Muslim Brotherhood.Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with Donald Trump over the phone yesterday in the first communication between the two leaders since Trump launched a cruise missile strike on Syria. Where are Russia’s relations with the west heading? Brian is joined by independent political commentator Dmitry Babich.Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has announced the convening of a constituent assembly to the fury of the country’s right-wing opposition. Will this be a turning point for the country’s Bolivarian Revolution? Political analyst and author Arnold August joins the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by geopolitical analyst and author Catherine Shakdam. Turkish airstrikes on the Kurdish YPG militia has deepened the rift between Turkey and the United States. Meanwhile, fighting rages between opposition groups in Eastern Ghouta and near the de-facto capital of ISIS -- Raqqa.German Chancellor Angela Merkel is in Sochi today where she will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. As tensions between the West and Russia remain high, will the two leaders be able to make any progress? Geopolitical analyst Rainer Rothfuss joins Brian to discuss the significance of the talks. May Day demonstrations and protests took place across the United States yesterday. We bring you assessments from the frontlines of the struggle, with Juan Jose Gutierrez of the Full Rights for Immigrants Coalition and Preston Wood of the ANSWER Coalition.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by activist, educator and authorBill Ayers; by Juan Jose Gutierrez, the executive director of the Full Rights for Immigrants Coalition; and by Nathalie Hrizi, editor of the magazine “Breaking the Chains: A Socialist Perspective on Women’s Liberation.”Today is May Day, or International Workers’ Day,which is marked around the world as a day to celebrate the achievements of the labor movement and to continue the fight for social justice. In many countries, it’s an official holiday. Here in the United States, where the holiday began, the memory of the day’s origins has long been suppressed by the powers that be. But on the first May Day under the Trump administration, a resurgence of both the workers’ movement and the immigrant rights movement looks set to hit the streets today in huge numbers.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Anoa Changa, host of the weekly radio show The Way With Anoa; political activist Kevin Akin; Yahne Ndgo from the Ubuntu Nation project; and Walter Smolarek, Sputnik news analyst and Loud & Clear producer. Tomorrow marks 100 days since Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. Even before he was inaugurated, a new wave of protest swept the country against his proposed policies and the campaign of bigotry that he ran. This people’s movement has grown since he took office as he has attempted to usher in racist immigration orders and put forward a pro-corporate and anti-worker agenda, as well as accelerating U.S. aggression through his foreign policy.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by journalist Ben Norton. The entire U.S. Senate was summoned to the White House for a briefing on Korea yesterday afternoon, fueling speculation that Trump could be getting ready to attack North Korea, as the U.S. and South Korea said the THAAD missile system would be operational within days.Donald Trump has released a tax plan that proposes sharp cuts for businesses and those who return overseas corporate profits to the U.S. But what does his tax plan mean for working people in the U.S? Daniel Sankey, financial policy analyst, joins the show. The semi-annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, begins today in Manila and is a milestone in President Rodrigo Duterte's controversial presidency. Bernadette Ellorin, the chairperson of BAYAN, joins Brian to discuss the significance of the summit.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Alexander Mercouris, editor-in-chief of The Duran. The UK’s Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has said that Prime Minister Theresa May would be willing to initiate a nuclear war -- the so-called first strike policy. The comments provoked fury both at home and abroad as the general election approaches.The leaders of the House Oversight Committee announced that they believe former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn broke the law in receiving payments from foreign governments. What’s behind this attempt to re energize the anti-Russia witch hunt?Ray McGovern, former CIA analyst and activist, joins Brian. New revelations from Edward Snowden shows that the U.S. operated three NSA offices out of Japan which helped to greatly expand Washington’s global surveillance network.William Binney, former NSA technical director turned whistle blower, joins the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Kathy Kelly, co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Non-Violence, who recently returned from Afghanistan.Secretary of Defence James Mattis made an unannouncedvisit to Afghanistan on Monday. The visit came on the heels of Donald Trump dropping the largest non-nuclear bomb on the country and the Taliban stepping up its attacks across the country -- is a serious U.S. escalation on the horizon?As the U.S. sends aircraft carrier USS Vinson and a accompanying “armada” of vessels toward the Korean Peninsula ahead of another important holiday in the North, Xi Jinping has urged restraint in a phone call with Donald Trump. Brian speaks with Will Griffin, an organizer with U.S.-based Stop THAAD in Korea and US Militarism in Asia and & Pacific, andKevin Zeese, co-director of Popular Resistance.Venezuela’s opposition openly calls for an economic war against the government of Nicolas Maduro as deadly right-wing protests continue around the country, but la

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by by Ramona Africa, minister of communication for the MOVE organization; by activist and scholar Dr. Anthony Monteiro; and by Noelle Hanrahan of Prison Radio.Today is the 63rd birthday of Mumia Abu-Jamal, perhaps the most well known of the political prisoners currently being held in the United States. Mumia is also in court today, as his supporters will take to the streets in Philadelphia. His lifetime of struggle, beginning with his membership in the Black Panther Party, has been an inspiration for generations of activists, and his case has been taken up by those seeking social justice across the world. But Mumia is far from the only political prisoner being held in U.S. prisons today. We’ll discuss this for the full hour today.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by show producer Walter Smolarek. The first round of France’s presidential electiontakes place this weekend, with the chance that the traditionally mainstream parties will be brushed aside by voters as candidates from the far-right and radical left soar in the polls.Peace negotiations between the National Democratic Front and the government of the Philippines are set to continue in the near future in Oslo, but with a ceasefire now off the table what are the prospects for lasting peace coming to the country after almost half a century of war? Brian is joined by Edre Olalia, Legal Consultant of the Peace Negotiating Panel of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in the peace negotiations and President of the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers. Bernie Sanders has joined the new chair of the DNC Tom Perez for a unity tour across the U.S., but is the Democratic Party actually serious about transforming itself into a progressive organi

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Massoud Shadjareh, the executive director is the Islamic Human Rights Commission, as well as by Jeremy Kuzmarov, professor of history at the University of Tulsa.Donald Trump apprears to be setting the stage for new sanctions on Iran despite Secretary of State Rex Tillerson telling Congress that Iran is in compliance with the Iran nuclear arms deal. Donald Trump was lying last week when he announced that he was sending an Armada toward the Korean peninsula. What are the politics behind the sabre rattling and war threats? Mark Sleboda, international affairs and security analyst, joins the show. Rex Tillerson attended the U.S.-Saudi CEO Summit yesterday a day after Secretary of Defence James Mattis visited the country. Is an even cozier relationship developing between the U.S. and the Saudi monarchy under the Trump administration? Alberto Garcia Watson, former senior correspondent for HispanTV, speaks with Brian.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Steve Hedley, the Senior Assistant General Secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers Union (RMT) in Britain.British Prime Minister Theresa May has announced a snap general election to be held on June 8th, with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn welcoming the move. With Brexit, a second Scottish independence referendum, and the possibility of a coup against Corbyn looming, this election is crucial to the future of the UK.Palestinian prisoners have launched the largest mass hunger strike ever in Israeli jails, as more than 1,600 have so far announced that they are taking part and Israel rules out talks with the hunger strikers. Brian is joined by independent filmmaker and journalist Dan Cohen. Defence Secretary James Mattis was in Saudi Arabia yesterday on the first leg of a trip to the region on the heels of National Security Advisor HR McMaster’s trip to Afghanistan and Pakistan. What do Trump’s generals have in mind for the Middle East? L

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by author and analyst Patrick Lawrence. Vice President Mike Pence is in Japan after visiting the demilitarized zone along the border between North and South Korea and announcing that the era of “strategic patience” is over. Is a new Korean War on the horizon?Turkey has narrowly voted yes in a referendum to vastly expand the powers of President Erdogan, but as the opposition alleges fraud and protests mount will Erdogan be able to consolidate his victory? Güney Işıkara, political analyst and PhD student in economics at the New School for Social Research, joins Brian.The European Union and China begin a three day summit today. These talks have taken on heightened significance ahead of the UK’s exit from the EU and the global pushback against neo-liberal trade deals. China expert Keith Bennett joins the show to examine the significance of the summit.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Ann Wright, a retired U.S. Army Colonel and former U.S. State Department official, who resigned in protest of the invasion of Iraq; as well as by Cindy Sheehan, legendary anti-war activist.Donald Trump has unleashed a wave of aggressive foreign policy moves in recent weeks. From the Tomahawk missile strikes against Syria to the dropping of the largest non-nuclear bomb on Afghanistan, and moving what he called an ‘Armada’ toward the Korean peninsula, the Trump administration is signalling that it is ready for war -- globally. This contrasts sharply with his isolationist message on the campaign trail. Are Trump’s beloved generals fully in the driver’s seat when it comes to his administration’s foreign policy?