Conflicts of Interest
COI #159: The People Who Were Right About Afghanistan
by Kyle Anzalone | Sep 7, 2021
On COI #159, Kevin Gosztola joins Kyle Anzalone to discuss the people who were right about the Afghan War all along, among them Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who cast the sole ‘no’ vote against the 2001 authorization to attack Afghanistan. Lee correctly predicted that...
COI #158: Afghan Kids Killed By US Bomb, Pentagon Claims “Success”
by Kyle Anzalone | Sep 5, 2021
On COI #158, Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter update the aftermath of a US drone strike in Kabul that killed at least 10 Afghan civilians, most of them children. While the Pentagon claims it struck a car carrying Islamic State explosives, and that secondary blasts caused...
COI #157: Biden Puts Israel First
by Kyle Anzalone | Sep 3, 2021
On COI #157, Connor Freeman – writer at the Libertarian Institute – returns to the show to discuss Biden’s Israel policy. Biden entered office with a prime opportunity to revive the Iran nuclear deal, but has instead caved to the demands of Tel Aviv. Now the deal is...
COI Bonus #2: FedEx/Police Partnership and Fake Stories From Afghanistan
by Kyle Anzalone | Sep 1, 2021
On the second COI bonus show, Kyle Anzalone and Patrick MacFarlane discuss a new police partnership with FedEx that allows cops to use drug dogs in the company’s facilities, leading to constitutionally questionable raids. Will Porter joins Kyle and Pat to discuss news...
COI #156: The Occupation of Afghanistan Is Over, Biden Vows to Continue Bombing
by Kyle Anzalone | Aug 31, 2021
On COI #156, Kyle Anzalone discusses the departure of the last US soldiers in Afghanistan. After 20 years, the occupation has finally ended. However, the US war in Afghanistan may not be over as Biden has vowed to continue drone strikes in the country. The latest...
COI #155: US Bombs Afghanistan, Claims to Target ISIS, Wipes Out a Family
by Kyle Anzalone | Aug 29, 2021
On COI #155, Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter update the situation in Afghanistan, including the aftermath of a deadly suicide bombing outside the Kabul airport on August 26. President Joe Biden authorized two separate retaliatory drone strikes on what the government...
COI #154: The War State Spins Lies to Exploit Tragedy at Kabul Airport
by Kyle Anzalone | Aug 26, 2021
Connor Freeman – writer at the Libertarian Institute – returns to the show to discuss the dual suicide bombing at the Kabul airport. As of the recording, at least 60 Afghans and 13 American soldiers were killed in the blasts. ISIS-K – a group of mostly non-Afghans...
COI #153: Despite All-Out Media Effort, Americans Still Support Afghan Withdrawal
by Kyle Anzalone | Aug 24, 2021
On COI #153, Kyle Anzalone updates events in Afghanistan. The Pentagon and State Department are working to remove some privileged Afghans and Americans from Afghanistan. The US claims it has evacuated tens of thousands so far, but it is still unclear how many will be...
COI Bonus Ep: End the Damn Wars guest Magnus Panvidya
by Kyle Anzalone | Aug 23, 2021
On the first-ever Conflicts of Interest bonus episode, Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter sit down with Magnus Panvidya to discuss the ‘End The Damn Wars’ project, an effort to unite anti-war voices across the political spectrum and organize street actions opposing US...
COI #152: Vaccine Passports, Mask Mandates & Booster Shots
by Kyle Anzalone | Aug 22, 2021
On COI #152, Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter discuss the state of the US Covid regime. An increasing number of federal agencies, state and local governments are requiring employees to be vaccinated. The mandates are not limited to government employees as an increasing...
COI #151: Hawks’ Boast of Obsessive Anti-China Paranoia as Basis for Policy
by Kyle Anzalone | Aug 20, 2021
On COI #151, Kyle Anzalone explains how Biden’s China policy is being formed by officials who boast about being Sino-paranoid. Biden’s new Air Force Secretary said he was “obsessed” with China and was hoping to “scare” the CCP. The delusions of key Biden officials is...
Conflicts of Interest #150: Scott Horton on the End of a Fool’s Errand
by Kyle Anzalone | Aug 17, 2021
On COI #150 the great Scott Horton returns to the show to discuss the collapse of America’s sockpuppet government in Kabul. Scott explains how he seemed to be one of the only Afghan War analysts to correctly predict how quickly – and mostly bloodlessly – the Afghan...
COI #149: Taliban Overruns Kabul, Dealing Fatal Blow to the US-Built Government
by Kyle Anzalone | Aug 16, 2021
Major territorial gains that began in provincial centers earlier this month came to a head on August 15, with the militant group waltzing into the national capital and seizing the city, encountering virtually no resistance from government forces in the process. With...
COI #148: After 2 Decades of War & Nation Building, the Afghan State Is Crumbling
by Kyle Anzalone | Aug 13, 2021
On COI #148, Kyle breaks down some of the latest developments in Afghanistan. The Taliban continue their offensive, seizing major Afghan cities like Kandahar, Ghazni, and Harat. In response, the US is planning to reduce the staff at its embassy and possibly abandon it...
COI #147: American Leaders Weaponize the ‘Chinese Boogeyman’ for Political Gain
by Kyle Anzalone | Aug 11, 2021
On COI #147, Dave DeCamp – News Editor at Antiwar.com – returns to the show to discuss how American pols increasingly use China as a political weapon. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently warned that the US must pass a massive infrastructure spending bill or...
COI #146: Afghan Capitals Fall to Taliban as Pentagon Threatens to Ramp Up Bombing
by Kyle Anzalone | Aug 9, 2021
On COI #146, Kyle and Will break down Twitter's latest attempt to root out what it calls 'misinformation,' with the platform announcing a new partnership with Reuters and the Associated Press to 'fact check' information on the site. The two newswires are among the...
Articles
Trump To Ramp Up Programs ‘To Build Democracy’ in Cuba
by Kyle Anzalone | Jul 1, 2025
President Donald Trump ordered his administration to ramp up efforts to bring down the government in Cuba. The policy calls for tightening sanctions and programs. President Donald Trump issued the memo to his administration on Monday that instructed the strengthening...
Top Netanyahu Ally Visits the White House Regularly
by Kyle Anzalone | Jul 1, 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will make his third trip to the US since President Donald Trump returned to the White House next week. In preparation for the summit, Netanyahu’s closest adviser, Ron Dermer, is visiting the White House. A White House...
Trump Lifts Sanctions on Syria After Former Al-Qaeda Leader’s Takeover
by Kyle Anzalone | Jun 30, 2025
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday that removed sanctions on Syria following the fall of the government led by Bashar al-Assad. In December, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the founder of al-Qaeda’s Syria affiliate, seized control of Damascus late last...
Ukraine, Eastern European NATO Countries to Leave Anti-Landmine Treaty
by Kyle Anzalone | Jun 30, 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree to remove Kiev from the international treaty that outlaws the use of anti-personnel landmines. Ukraine has used outlawed landmines throughout the conflict in violation of the pact.
Senate Votes Down War Powers Resolution Aiming to Rein In Trump Striking Iran
by Kyle Anzalone | Jun 29, 2025
The upper chamber in Congress rejected a War Powers Resolution that would have required the president to get approval from the legislature before striking Iran. Last week, Donald Trump ordered the bombing of three nuclear sites in the Islamic Republic.
Israeli Soldiers Ordered to Fire on Aid-Seekers in Gaza
by Kyle Anzalone | Jun 29, 2025
Israeli soldiers speaking with Haaretz say they received orders to fire on desperate Palestinians attempting to reach aid distribution sites in Gaza. Over 550 Palestinians have been killed trying to get aid in the past month.
Sen. Mike Lee Introduces Bill to Remove US From NATO
by Kyle Anzalone | Jun 26, 2025
Senator Mike Lee introduced a bill to remove the US from the North Atlantic alliance, arguing that the collective defence pact is not within US national security interests.
Symbolic Iran Missile Attack on US Base Required ‘Largest Patriot Missile Engagement’ To Repel
by Kyle Anzalone | Jun 26, 2025
Even after Tehran informed Washington that Iran would execute a symbolic retaliatory strike on the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the US military had to engage in its largest battle using Patriot missiles to date to repel the attack. On Monday, Iran fired 19 ballistic...
Israel Suspends Aid Deliveries in Gaza
by Kyle Anzalone | Jun 26, 2025
Israel announced that no aid would enter Gaza for at least two days, claiming that Hamas had seized some shipments. While Palestinians deny the aid was diverted, some Israeli ministers are calling for shipments to be ended entirely. On Wednesday, Israeli Prime...
Iran Takes Another Step Towards Cutting Ties with International Nuclear Watchdog
by Kyle Anzalone | Jun 25, 2025
The Iranian parliament took one more step toward suspending cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Tehran is moving to sever the relationship with the nuclear watchdog group after Israel and the US launched an aggressive war against Iran.
NATO Agrees to Double Minimum Defense Spending Level to 5% of GDP
by Kyle Anzalone | Jun 25, 2025
At the annual NATO summit, members of the alliance agreed to increase the minimum defense spending to 5% by 2035. The current minimum is 2% of GDP, a number that several states do not reach.
UK Will Send Ukraine Nearly $100 Million in Missiles Paid For With Seized Russian Assets
by Kyle Anzalone | Jun 25, 2025
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a new military package for Ukraine that will be paid for using interest generated from frozen Russian assets. London plans to send 350 air defense missiles to Kiev worth just under $100 million. Speaking at the annual...
News Roundup
Over 1 Million Somali Children Near Starvation as Pentagon Plans New Troop Deployment
by Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter | Mar 16, 2022
The Pentagon wants to send troops back into Somalia on a permanent basis just 14 months after they were ordered to leave. The push for a new deployment comes as the African nation faces a serious drought.
Top Polish Official Wants Armed NATO ‘Peace Mission’ for Ukraine
by Will Porter | Mar 15, 2022
Poland’s deputy prime minister and the head of the country’s ruling party has urged for a “peace mission” in Ukraine led by the NATO bloc, proposing an operation geared toward humanitarian aid but backed up by “armed forces.”
UK Supreme Court Rejects Assange Extradition Appeal
by Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter | Mar 15, 2022
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has lost an appeal to block his extradition to the United States, with the UK’s Supreme Court outright refusing to hear the petition. Some legal options remain open to him, however.
Zelensky Presses Biden to Step Up Russia Sanctions
by Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter | Mar 14, 2022
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is again pushing the United States to take a more aggressive stance against Russia, urging his US counterpart to completely isolate the Russian economy after earlier demanding he impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine. In his latest...
Western Neo-Nazis Respond to Azov’s Call to Arms
by Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter | Mar 14, 2022
White nationalist and neo-Nazi militants are flocking to Ukraine to help repel a Russian invasion following a plea for foreign volunteers from President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to a report in the Washington Post. Thousands of fighters have already arrived, many...
News Roundup 3/15/2022
by Kyle Anzalone | Mar 14, 2022
US News The UK Supreme Court denies Julian Assange’s request to appeal his extradition to the US. [Link] While at a black site, Ammar al-Baluchi was used by the CIA to train people to torture. Baluchi was slammed into a wall for over two hours so agents could be...
White House Says China Will Pay a Price for Supporting Russia
by Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter | Mar 13, 2022
China will face major “consequences” should it help Russia evade an ever-growing raft of American sanctions, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan has warned, just a day before he’s set to meet with Beijing’s top diplomat in Rome. Sullivan’s warning on...
News Roundup 3/14/2022
by Kyle Anzalone | Mar 13, 2022
Russia National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan says the US will respond if China helps Russia avoid sanctions. [Link] Sullivan says the US will respond to Russia over the killing of an American journalist in Ukraine. [Link] Sullivan warned Russia that NATO would...
News Roundup 3/11/2022
by Kyle Anzalone | Mar 11, 2022
US News Biden will extend masking on public transportation for another month. [Link] The US plans to continue talks with Maduro. [Link] Russia Meta Platforms is allowing users to call for violence against Russians and Russian soldiers in discussions about the invasion...
While Condemning Putin, Biden Lavishes Dictators with US-Made Weapons
by Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter | Mar 11, 2022
The US weapons sector had a good day on Thursday, with Senator Rand Paul’s effort to block a $2 billion weapons sale to Egypt rejected in the upper chamber as President Joe Biden doles out ‘major non-NATO ally’ designations to other repressive states.
Pentagon Report Blames Poor Leadership, ‘Culture of Complacency’ for Deadly 2020 Attack in Kenya
by Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter | Mar 10, 2022
The Department of Defense has issued two reviews of the 2020 al-Shabaab attack on the Camp Simba military base in Kenya that killed three Americans. The reports name poor leadership, inadequate training and a “culture of complacency” as the leading causes that allowed...
News Roundup 3/10/2022
by Kyle Anzalone | Mar 10, 2022
US News The US donated 3.8 million AstraZeneca covid vaccines to Mexico. [Link] Venezuela released two Americans. [Link] Russia NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says that a “new normal” is forcing NATO to rethink its long-term plans. [Link] The White House...
Massive Spending Bill to Hike Pentagon Budget & Grow US Arsenal
by Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter | Mar 10, 2022
Congress has passed a sprawling $1.5 trillion spending bill that will fund the government through the end of the fiscal year, proposing a significant boost for the military budget and a $14 billion aid package for Ukraine.
US Destroyer Stuck in Port Due to Unvaxxed Commander
by Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter | Mar 9, 2022
An advanced US Navy warship is unable to sail because its commanding officer has refused to be vaccinated against Covid-19, according to a Pentagon court filing, creating a legal standoff which higher-ups have deemed a “manifest national security concern.”
News Roundup 3/9/2022
by Kyle Anzalone | Mar 8, 2022
US News The Pentagon announces it will close its massive jet fuel tanks at Red Hill, Hawaii. [Link] Russia The Pentagon downplays the chances of Polish warplanes being transferred to Ukraine. [Link] The US is concerned about Russia gaining control over Ukrainian...
US, UK Ban Russian Energy as Ukraine Invasion Sparks Trade War
by Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter | Mar 8, 2022
US President Joe Biden has signed an executive order banning imports of Russian energy, a move matched by UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss soon after – both aiming to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. During a Tuesday press briefing, Biden said his new...
