On COI #210, Scott Horton joins Kyle Anzalone to discuss Biden’s first year as president.
Scott breaks down Biden’s Afghanistan policy. Biden critically took the most important step of removing US troops from the long battered country. However, Biden played the role of a sore loser and waged an economic war on the Afghans. Now, Afghans are beginning to starve to death as Biden keeps billions of dollars in Kabul government funds frozen.
Scott also discusses Biden’s Russia policy. Biden has walked to the brink with Moscow with his public rhetoric, though in private conversations with Putin he is relenting. The administration, however, fails to understand Russia’s desires for Ukraine, creating a potential miscalculation.
On Conflicts of Interest #209, Kyle Anzalone discusses the lasting impacts of America’s wars in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
The coming winter in Afghanistan is expected to bring extreme hunger – and even death – to millions of Afghan children. The cause of the acute starvation facing Afghan children is America’s economic war. Pressure is starting to mount on Biden to make some move to reduce the suffering in Afghanistan. However, Biden has remained willing to starve children to punish the Taliban. The American people are largely unaware of the Afghans’ suffering because, since the withdrawal, major news has ceased coverage of Afghanistan.
Five million Iraqi children have been orphaned by America’s three decades of warfare. Many of the parentless children live in poverty and are lucky if they are able to find work. The violence and instability created by Bush’s overthrow of Saddam has led to fighting by various actors throughout the country.
The NYT reported on the Pentagon’s slaughter of Syrian civilians. The reporters sifted through more than 1,000 pages of documents on airstrikes in Iraq and Syria from 2014-2018. The documents show the military has little care for the civilians it kills and never holds anyone responsible for war crimes.
Saudi Arabia recently bombed the airport in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. The strike damaged communications equipment. The airport has reopened but ill-functioning equipment is causing dangerous situations with flights. The UN is calling on the Saudi-backed government of Yemen to allow the equipment to be flown in.
On the final COI of 2021, Kyle Anzalone discusses Biden’s phone call with Putin, the 2022 NDAA, and recent news about Israel’s oppression of Palestinians.
On COI #207, Kyle Anzalone and Connor Freeman update the JCPOA talks’ recent developments and the Russians’ security proposals presented to Washington.
Kyle discusses the Russians pulling 10,000 troops off the border with Ukraine and sending them back to their bases. This is potentially a show of goodwill before the upcoming talks with the U.S. next month. Kyle and Connor then cover some recent escalations that do not necessarily bode well for substantive diplomacy like the Americans flying spy planes over Ukraine not far from the separatist Donbas region. There is also talk of a U.S.-Ukraine intelligence partnership eyeing Moscow.
Kyle also covers the latest news on the new Cold War with China. It turns out that the Americans’ diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics is a “farce.” Also, using the Taiwan issue as a pretext, the U.S. and Japan are reportedly planning for war with China. Connor then talks about where things stand with the Iran deal.
Connor argues that the Iranians have the upper hand and have been largely successful by not making concessions, remaining steadfast, and demanding the lifting of all sanctions as well as the JCPOA’s full implementation. For all the tough talk and empty rhetoric from Tel Aviv, Washington, the Europeans, etc. it seems based on news reports and statements from the EU coordinator, the Iranian diplomats, and the Russian lead negotiator that Tehran’s demands and proposals have been accepted and, on their terms, things are moving forward. Connor and Kyle then talk American domestic politics, Middle East politics, and what Israel would demand in the case of a U.S. return to the Iran deal.
On COI #206, Kyle Anzalone breaks down recent developments in Libya. The election – planned for December 24th – has been called off. The Western states say they will still recognize the interim government. However, the government will likely face increasing legitimacy challenges. Migrants, attempting to flee to Europe, continue to drown off Libya’s coast.
Kyle updates the investigation into the assassination of Haiti’s President Moise. In July, several gunmen killed Moise. His wife gave an interview to the NYT suggesting her husband was murdered for investigating Haiti’s corrupt elite.
Kyle discusses Operation Whistling Pig. Whistling Pig was created by Jeffery Rambo, a CBP agent. The operation spied on journalists and attempted to use US mainstream journalists in psyops.
Kyle talks about the LAPD killing a 14-year-old girl in a department store dressing room.
On COI #203, Kyle Anzalone joins Joanne Leon interviewing Teodrose Fikremrium. Teodrose, an Ethiopian, discusses the recent history leading up to the recent conflict. He gives his take on various important developments in Ethiopia, including the start of the war. Teodrose, Joanne, and Kyle break down the risk to Ethiopia from Biden’s team of humanitarian interventionists.
