Kenneth Walker clearly had no idea that the men who murdered his girlfriend were members of his local security force.
For weeks they called her a “suspect” to dehumanize her — every single member of local TV news surely went along with this as they always do — and charged Walker with attempted murder, charges which were only dropped due to public outcry.
Max Blumenthal discusses the outrageous treatment of Julian Assange during his time at the Ecuadorian embassy in London over the last few years, and since his arrest last year. Blumenthal has reported on the extensive spying Assange was subjected to at the embassy, and on the scandalous connection between the Sheldon Adelson-backed security firm, UC Global, and an espionage campaign overseen by the CIA that attempted to illegally gather information on Assange, and possibly even kidnap him from the embassy. UC Global CEO David Morales has since been charged with leading this illicit spy operation. Scott and Blumenthal also discuss the devastating aftermath of the “Russiagate” narrative, which has seen President Trump move toward a tougher stance on Russia, withdrawing from several nuclear treaties and supporting the expansion of U.S. and UN forces right up to Russia’s border. The mainstream media in America has been almost totally silent on both their role in pushing the phony “Russiagate” hoax, and also on the dangerous precedent of Assange’s persecution.
Discussed on the show:
“‘The American friends’: New court files expose Sheldon Adelson’s security team in US spy operation against Julian Assange” (The Grayzone)
Scott interviews James Bradley about the growing threat of war with China, evinced by political rhetoric, public sentiment, and media coverage. The thing is, Scott and Bradley agree, this threat has no real basis in any bellicosity on China’s part. It is mainly the result of powerful interest groups who stand to gain from hostilities, and the rabble rousers who exploit a natural need in the American people to find a scapegoat for domestic problems. The problem, of course, is that an actual conflict with China would be nothing short of catastrophic for both countries, and likely for the rest of the world as well. Scott insists that there is simply no way to fight conventional wars between nuclear-armed countries. A small consolation is to be found in President Trump, who, despite his belligerent rhetoric, has actually not been as hawkish as his predecessors.
Scott talks to Gareth Porter about the decades-long attempt by neoconservative war hawks in the U.S. to link the Iranian government to terrorist activities, most notably those of al Qaeda in Iraq. This was the supposed justification for the killing of Qasem Soleimani earlier this year, a claim that Porter says is totally unfounded. Allegations that Iran knew about and supported al Qaeda operatives during America’s war on terror have always been tenuous at best, and a recent analysis of documents found in Osama bin Laden’s home prove that clandestine operatives hiding in Iran were doing so without the knowledge of that country’s government, and knowing that they would be captured if discovered. As usual, such claims are simply used by those who want war with Iran for their own purposes.
Discussed on the show:
“Washington’s tall tale of Iranian-Al Qaeda alliance based on questionably sourced book ‘The Exile’” (The Grayzone)
Braden Chapman discusses his time serving in Afghanistan with Australia’s SAS, a special forces unit that worked closely with American troops to go after high profile targets. Chapman has recently come forward with allegations of war crimes by some of his fellow soldiers, a pattern that many others have now supported. The Australian government has made some moves investigating conduct like this, but Chapman says this kind of malfeasance usually goes unpunished.
Discussed on the show:
“Killing Field: Explosive new allegations of Australian special forces war crimes” (YouTube)
Scott talks to Brett Wilkins about Project SHAD, a Cold War era bioweapons test program that exposed thousands of American sailors to chemical and biological weapons. These veterans have been seeking redress for a slew of ailments allegedly caused by exposure to these weapons, but the government continues to evade culpability. Sadly, SHAD is only one of many incidents where the U.S. government deliberately tested dangerous substances on its soldiers, and even on its civilians. On top of such programs, the American military has left behind a wake of chronic health problems and generations of birth defects in places like Vietnam, Iraq, and Pakistan because of the toxic chemicals and heavy metals used to wage its wars.
Discussed on the show:
“Veterans Exposed in Cold War Bioweapons Testing Still Awaiting Answers — and Help” (CounterPunch.org)
Sometimes I joke that the only way for a cop to get in trouble for murder is if he kills his wife while off the clock on a Saturday night. Well that’s wrong. They have a licence to kill their own wives and girlfriends too.
Scott interviews Trevor Timm about a recent U.S. senate vote that would grant the government access to Americans’ browser history without a warrant. This shameful vote is surprising to those who thought that even Washington insiders would have stood up to a civil liberties violation this egregious. Timm and Scott also discuss Julian Assange’s extradition case, which has the potential to set a dangerous precedent not just for iconoclasts exposing scandalous government secrets, but for anyone who does investigative journalism as we know it.
Discussed on the show:
“The US Senate voted to let Trump spy on your search history. But all is not lost” (The Guardian)
Trevor Timm is a co-founder and the executive director of the Freedom of the Press Foundation. He is a journalist, activist, and lawyer whose writing has appeared in the New York Times, The Guardian, USA Today, The Atlantic, and many others. Follow him on Twitter @trevortimm.
Mike Maharrey of the Tenth Amendment Center discusses a recent U.S. Supreme Court case that overturns a Kansas Supreme Court decision concerning a potentially unconstitutional traffic stop. The police officer in the incident in question pulled a car over because his computer showed that the owner had a suspended driver’s license. This was seen as probable cause, even though it’s obviously quite possible that someone other than the owner was driving the car. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled that the officer’s actions did not violate the Fourth Amendment, overturning the Kansas court’s decision that the stop had been unconstitutional. Maharrey laments the tendency, even among some libertarians, to turn to the federal government as a safeguard of liberty. The pattern, he says, is clear: the more you centralize power, the more it will erode our rights.
Mike Maharrey is National Communications Coordinator for the Tenth Amendment Center. He is the author of three books on nullification and hosts the Thoughts from Maharrey Head podcast. Find him on Twitter @mmaharrey10th.
US News A security guard was shot and killed by looters at a St. Louis pawn shop. [Link] The Department of Justice gave the DEA the authority to carry out covert surveillance of the George Floyd protest movement. [Link] One thousand six hundred soldiers are on standby...
I wanted to write down and submit to the Libertarian Institute what I saw today at the protest in downtown Pittsburgh over the George Floyd killing. Some background on me: I am a Libertarian—a minarchist, not an anarchist. I was brought into the movement by the Ron...
Doing his best impression of Bush and Cheney on September 11th, Trump flees in cowardly terror to his underground bunker due to protests and riots outside. As though 1 the protesters had any intention of storming the White House and lynching the president or 2 that...
https://twitter.com/aaronjmate/status/1267190459681603584 Of course. America is already great. Now if only the terrible Russians didn't control all of our minds, then we'd finally be happy!
April 26, 1992. There was a riot on the street, tell me, where were you? I get the feeling the majority of you rioting right now were either too young or not even born yet when that song made its rounds. Didn’t quite have the ability for those events to make their...
Scott interviews James Bradley about the growing threat of war with China, evinced by political rhetoric, public sentiment, and media coverage. The thing is, Scott and Bradley agree, this threat has no real basis in any bellicosity on China's part. It is mainly the...
Scott talks to Gareth Porter about the decades-long attempt by neoconservative war hawks in the U.S. to link the Iranian government to terrorist activities, most notably those of al Qaeda in Iraq. This was the supposed justification for the killing of Qasem Soleimani...
Braden Chapman discusses his time serving in Afghanistan with Australia's SAS, a special forces unit that worked closely with American troops to go after high profile targets. Chapman has recently come forward with allegations of war crimes by some of his fellow...
Scott talks to Brett Wilkins about Project SHAD, a Cold War era bioweapons test program that exposed thousands of American sailors to chemical and biological weapons. These veterans have been seeking redress for a slew of ailments allegedly caused by exposure to these...
56 Minutes PG-13 Donnie Gebert returns to the show to talk about his thoughts on the government and society's response to CV-19. Donnie was on when most of the shutdowns started happening and had some harsh words for China. With more information Donnie's thoughts have...
86 Minutes PG-13 Vin Armani is back to talk about his move from California to Saipan to avoid growing tyranny in response to CV19 by state governors in the lower 48. He also gives his opinion on Rogan's move to Spotify, whether at this point Agorism can free masses of...
61 Minutes Strong Language Pete invited podcaster and comedian Dave Smith to return to the show. They have a discussion about how the U.S. government continues their technocratic growth by now adding medical health to their list of subjects that are beyond question...
61 Minutes PG-13 Joe Lozito was on a NYC train on a Saturday morning in 2012 when he was violently attacked by a knife-wielding spree killer. He survived, but when all of the information came out it became obvious that the attack could've been avoided. Joe tells Pete...
Will Porter returns to the show to discuss the US announcing that it plans to spend China and Russia into oblivion in a new arms race. In recent years the US has been working towards a new Cold War. Will explains how the announcement ties with Trump's foreign policy...
On FPF #495, I discuss the US leaving the Open Skies Treaty. The treaty allows for member states to conduct surveillance flights over each other. The treaty is key to keeping countries informed about each other's military capabilities. Without the treaty in place, war...
US News Senator Rand Paul says no-knock warrants should be abolished. [Link] Sam Jacobs explains how civil asset forfeiture has led to rampant police abuse and policing for profit. [Link] An email from Susan Rice from inauguration day has been released. The email...
On FPF #494, I discuss Trump's decision to fire the State Department Inspector General. At the time the IG was fired, the office was looking into State Department head Mike Pompeo. Pompeo a target because the State Dept continued to push to sell weapons to Saudi...
https://youtu.be/ymzUbhQMfTc Do you get extra rights by getting a job with a group called government? Does getting paid to do an immoral action, justify you performing the immoral action under the guise of "I was just doing what I was told to"? To summarize Professor...
https://youtu.be/NHZY17v4hlc ... my basic motivation for being a libertarian had never been economic but moral. ... While I was convinced that the free market was more efficient and would bring about a far more prosperous world than statism, my major concern was...
... the State is the organization of robbery systematized and writ large. Th e State is the only legal institution in society that acquires its revenue by the use of coercion, by using enough violence and threat of violence on its victims to ensure their paying the...
https://youtu.be/ueilf39-YOo Any statute or administrative regulation necessarily makes actions illegal that are not overt initiations of crimes or torts according to libertarian theory. Every statute or administrative rule is therefore illegitimate and itself...
