On Conflicts of Interest #13, Kyle and Will break down newly unsealed FBI docs showing the bureau feared repercussions for its legally and factually challenged investigation into the 2016 Trump campaign.

Lebanon’s newly installed acting prime minister, Mustapha Adib, has stepped down after less than a month as negotiations to fill a new cabinet hit major obstacles.

National security officials in the Trump administration drew up plans to drop 80 nuclear weapons on North Korea in the event of an attack, according to Bob Woodward’s new book, Rage.

Links

• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
• Facebook – Conflicts of Interest
• Twitter – Conflicts of Interest
• Apple Podcast – Conflicts of Interest

Support Our Sponsor

Visit Paloma Verde and use code PEACE for 25% off our CBD!!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast (kyle): Play in new window | Download

On Conflicts of Interest #12, Kyle and Will break down the grand jury verdict on the Breonna Taylor murder, resulting in no charges directly linked to her death for any of the officers involved.

A new report shows that the Pentagon handed $1 billion meant for coronavirus preparedness directly to arms dealers, who spent it on projects unrelated to the pandemic.

A major fuel shortage in Yemen caused by a Saudi blockade is impacting the country’s already-battered healthcare sector as the war there drags on.

Julian Assange’s extradition hearings continue, with testimony this week focused on the publisher’s mental health.

Links

• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
• Facebook – Conflicts of Interest
• Twitter – Conflicts of Interest
• Apple Podcast – Conflicts of Interest

Support Our Sponsor

Visit Paloma Verde and use code PEACE for 25% off our CBD!!

Podcast (kyle): Play in new window | Download

Podcast (kyle): Play in new window | Download

On Conflicts #10 Kyle and Will break down new US demands on Russia before it will agree to extend the New START Treaty, a new US deployment in Syria, and Washington’s attempt to revive UN sanctions on Iran.

Qatar is set to become the US’s latest “major non-NATO ally,” allowing it greater access to American weapons, but could the move hint at any bigger deals to come?

A throwaway line in a recent NBC story suggests US intelligence has been helping Ukrainian fighters launch attacks on Russian troops in Crimea. Moscow has demanded an explanation, but the US has offered none.

Links

• Gilbert Doctorow on Stephen Cohen
• Stephen Cohen takes down Max Boot
• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
• Facebook – Conflicts of Interest
• Twitter – Conflicts of Interest
• Apple Podcast – Conflicts of Interest

Support Our Sponsor

Visit Paloma Verde and use code PEACE for 25% off our CBD!!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

On COI#9, Kyle is solo as the show was struck with tech issues. Kyle covers an allegation published in Politico that Iran was planning to assassinate the US ambassador. The report was quickly debunked by South African intelligence.

However, Trump is not opposed to assassinations as he wanted to take out the leader of Syria in 2017. Kyle explains how killing Assad would have been a boon to the jihadists.

The Assange extradition hearing continues with the heroic Daniel Ellsberg taking the stand. Ellsberg explained the importance of WikiLeaks and Julian Assange.

Links

• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
• Facebook – Conflicts of Interest
• Twitter – Conflicts of Interest
• Apple Podcast – Conflicts of Interest
• FPF – False Flags in Syria

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast (kyle): Play in new window | Download

On Conflicts of Interest #8, Will and Kyle discuss CENTCOM commander Frank McKenzie’s recent statement on the New York Times’s “Russian bounties” story, saying he’d seen no evidence to support the assertion. 

Negotiating teams from the Afghan government and the Taliban have met in Qatar for long-awaited peace talks, just as President Donald Trump nominated William Ruger, an Afghan war skeptic, for the ambassador position.

The Venezuelan government has charged an American citizen for terrorism and arms trafficking, accusing him of plotting sabotage on energy facilities, but citing little evidence.

US officials are increasingly concerned that they could face war crimes charges linked to US arms sales to Saudi Arabia, who has used American weapons to commit atrocities in Yemen for more than five years.

Links

• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
• Facebook – Conflicts of Interest
• Twitter – Conflicts of Interest
• Apple Podcast – Conflicts of Interest

Podcast (kyle): Play in new window | Download

On Conflicts of Interest #7, Kyle and Will break down a federal judge’s order to Saudi Arabia to arrange for some two dozen current and former officials to testify about their potential knowledge, or involvement in, the 9/11 plot. 

Julian Assange’s extradition hearing was postponed until Monday after a Covid scare on the prosecution side. The lawyer’s test ultimately came back negative.

Tensions between China and Taiwan spiked last week after Beijing sent aircraft into Taiwanese airspace two days in a row as the breakaway state carried out live-fire missile drills.

The Trump administration brokered a normalization deal between Israel and Bahrain, a move Palestinian leadership slammed as a stab in the back.

Links

• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
• Facebook – Conflicts of Interest
• Twitter – Conflicts of Interest
• Apple Podcast – Conflicts of Interest
• 28 Pages Explained
• SHS – Clive Smith

Podcast (kyle): Play in new window | Download

On Conflicts of Interest #6, Kyle and Will outline the legacy of the September 11 attacks on their 19th anniversary, including years of war, torture, and mass surveillance carried out in their wake.

The Pentagon has awarded a $13.3 billion contract to Northrop Grumman to develop the next-generation ICBM, the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent, part of a 30-year and $1 trillion nuclear modernization project.

The Portland City Council has passed a sweeping ban on facial recognition technology, including for the police and private agencies, joining a growing list of cities to prohibit the controversial tech.

Links

• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
• Facebook – Conflicts of Interest
• Twitter – Conflicts of Interest
• Apple Podcast – Conflicts of Interest

Podcast (kyle): Play in new window | Download

On Conflicts of Interest #5, Will and Kyle break down the DOJ’s case against two ‘Boogaloo Boys’ charged for conspiring with Hamas. Entrapment or foiled terrorist plot?

President Trump went on a tear against top Pentagon brass during a Monday press conference, accusing them of war profiteering for the arms industry.

Julian Assange’s extradition trial has resumed, as the publisher remains imprisoned and the US pushes ahead with a 17-count indictment for espionage.

Links

• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
• Facebook – Conflicts of Interest
• Twitter – Conflicts of Interest
• Apple Podcast – Conflicts of Interest

Podcast (kyle): Play in new window | Download

An unverified hit piece by Jeffery Goldberg in the Atlantic accused Donald Trump of trash talking US troops. Despite its flimsy sourcing, the Libertarian Party ran with the story to score political points against the president. Kyle and Will explain the problems with their messaging.

Julian Assange’s extradition hearing is set to resume on Monday, as the US presses ahead with its war on journalism. While Assange’s case looks bleak, a recent US court ruling on the NSA mass surveillance provides some reason for optimism, effectively vindicating Edward Snowden’s historic leak in 2013.

New York may soon step up police enforcement of social distancing rules with a NYPD task force, as Governor Andrew Cuomo refuses to allow restaurants to reopen, despite the economic devastation brought by the continued shutdowns.

Links

• NYT on Covid Testing
• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
• Facebook – Conflicts of Interest
• Twitter – Conflicts of Interest
• Apple Podcast – Conflicts of Interest
• Jonathan Cook – Assange
• Nozomi Hayase – Assange

Podcast (kyle): Play in new window | Download

The US has ramped up its war on the International Criminal Court, adding a lead ICC prosecutor and her top aide to a sanctions blacklist over their effort to probe allegations of American war crimes in Afghanistan.

Moscow is again on trial on the world stage, accused of poisoning a leading opposition figure, Alexey Navalny, but there are reasons for skepticism. Will and Kyle break down the arguments on both sides.

The Israeli blockade on Gaza – tightened over the summer amid claims of Palestinian incendiary balloon attacks – may soon loosen after Hamas and Tel Aviv came to a deescalation agreement mediated by Qatar.

Links

• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
• Facebook – Conflicts of Interest
• Twitter – Conflicts of Interest
• Apple Podcast – Conflicts of Interest
• Scott Horton Show – Ramzy Baroud
• FPF – Skripals 

Podcast (kyle): Play in new window | Download

The US State Department has called to formalize a NATO-like alliance between itself, Japan, Australia and India, currently known as the “Quad.” The Deputy Secretary of State, Stephen Biegun, said he would like the new alliance to serve as a bulwark against Beijing, potentially creating a mutual defense pact akin to the North Atlantic Treaty. Kyle and Will discuss the risks in emboldening regional states to take a harder line against China.

A run-in between an American and Russian patrols in Northeast Syria resulted in at least 4 injured US troops, the Pentagon has claimed, accusing Moscow of dangerous and provocative behavior. Russia, for its part, says Washington knew its patrol route and that the American vehicles blocked their path. The case has underscored the dangers of the illegal American presence in Syria, risking an escalation of tensions between the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals. Another vehicle collision involving a US military vehicle occurred in South Korea last week to much less fanfare, despite killing four local civilians.

A New York Times report claims the Taliban fired rockets at two US bases in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, citing anonymous US officials, however, the militant group has denied the charge. Will and Kyle break down the accusation and examine the likelihood the story is true.

Links

• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
• Facebook – Conflicts of Interest
• Twitter – Conflicts of Interest
• Apple Podcast – Conflicts of Interest

Podcast (kyle): Play in new window | Download

Hosts Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter introduce the debut episode of Conflicts of Interest, a new video show covering news and world affairs that will stream live on YouTube three days a week. Kyle and Will break down Senator Rand Paul’s speech at the Republican National Convention, where he tried to sell Donald Trump as the anti-war candidate and a criminal justice reformer. An upcoming troop drawdown in Iraq could help to make Rand’s case.

Rising tension over the South China Sea came to a head this week after the Pentagon flew a pair of spy planes near Chinese territory, prompting a missile test from Beijing and an exchange of harsh words. Will and Kyle give the latest on the story, and provide an update on ongoing strife over the presidential election in Belarus, where Washington and European allies have pressured incumbent Alexander Lukashenko to come to terms with his opposition.

Links

• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
• Facebook – Conflicts of Interest
• Twitter – Conflicts of Interest
• Scott Horton Show – Gilbert Doctorow
• FPF #538 – Kenosha

Podcast (kyle): Play in new window | Download

Will Porter returns for the final episode of Foreign Policy Focus to discuss the shootings and civil unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin. First, a Kenosha police officer shot Jacob Blake in the back seven times while attempting an arrest, leaving him paralyzed. The shooting ignited protests at the Kenosha courthouse that led to riots in other areas of the city. On the third night of unrest, 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse shot three people during a confrontation, killing two. He has since been arrested, while both shootings continue to fuel intense debate and division.

Links

• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
• Facebook – Conflicts of Interest
• Twitter – Conflicts of Interest
• Will Porter – Kenosha violence

Podcast (kyle): Play in new window | Download

On FPF #537, I discuss both parties claiming they will end the endless wars, but neither is serious about actually doing it. Americans keep voting for the president who promises to be less interventionist. However, after taking office, Bush, Obama, and now Trump have expanded wars rather than ending them. Our wars are the most destructive and wasteful part of the US empire. It makes us all poorer and leaves a wake of destruction overseas. 

Links

• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
• Facebook – Conflicts of Interest
• Twitter – Conflicts of Interest
• Will Porter – Kenosha violence

Podcast (kyle): Play in new window | Download

On FPF #536, Will Porter returns to the show to discuss Trump’s Iraq policy. Trump ran for president on ending endless wars. However, he has failed to get the US out of a single conflict. He is again saying he would like to bring US troops home from Iraq. His own staff could get in his way, as Secretary of State Pompeo is also demanding Iraq disarm the Shia militias. The election is approaching, and a desperate Trump could see ending the war in Iraq as a path to election victory. 

Link

• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
• Facebook – Conflicts of Interest
• Twitter – Conflicts of Interest

Podcast (kyle): Play in new window | Download

Will Porter returns to FPF to discuss how Lockheed could cash in on the recent deal between Israel and the UAE. Trump administration officials have suggested that after the two countries normalize relations, the US could allow the UAE to buy F-35 fighter jets. While Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has objected, the weapon makers have a powerful lobby in DC and Trump believes arms deals benefit the economy. Trump has also said he would like to extend the Israel/UAE agreement to Saudi Arabia.

Links

• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
• Facebook – Conflicts of Interest
• Twitter – Conflicts of Interest
• Will Porter on Gaza bombing
• Will Porter on snapback sanctions

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

On FPF #534, I cover several important stories in the news. Documents from BlueLeaks expose the government spending thousands on training police in junk sciences. Andy McCarthy writes in the National Review how Kevin Clinesmith’s guilty plead also is an indictment of Rep. Adam Schiff. The US Ambassador to Israel said the new deal with the UAE could open up new arms sales to the UAE. However, Israel expressed concern over sales of the F-35 to the UAE. Israel is hoping to have new deals with Bahrain and Oman. 

Links

• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
• Facebook – Conflicts of Interest
• Twitter – Conflicts of Interest
• The Intercept – TikTok
• The Intercept – Junk Science

Podcast (kyle): Play in new window | Download

Will Porter returns to FPF to discuss Trump’s maximum pressure policy against Iran and Venezuela. Will explains how the US seized four oil tankers that were carrying oil to Venezuela. Iran responded with a lack of concern saying the oil was no longer being carried by Iranian ships.

At the UN, the US pressed for a resolution that would have extended the arms embargo against Iran. The resolution failed with only two votes, the US and the Dominican Republic. Even US allies – France, UK, and Germany – refused to vote for the US resolution. Kyle and Will talk about how Iran is responding to Trump’s aggression. 

Kyle and Will announce the successor show to FPF, Conflicts of Interest. Will is becoming a full-time co-host, and the new show will include a video. Conflicts of Interest is set to launch on August 31st. 

Links

• YouTube – Conflicts of Interest
• Facebook – Conflicts of Interest
• Twitter – Conflicts of Interest

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

On FPF #532, I discuss Trump’s announcement that the US mediated an agreement that will lead to Israel and the UAE normalizing relations. Details on the agreement remain unknown, but both sides are claiming this somehow allows for or prevents the annexation of the West Bank. While it may seem like a breakthrough, both Israel and the UAE have been apart of the US efforts to overthrow Assad in Syria and undermine the government in Iran. I explain that the relationship between the UAE and Israel becoming public will have some pushback and importance. However, I believe the main goal is to help Trump’s presidency. 

Links

• Tulsi on the Marshall Islands
• Woody Johnson IG Report
• US Special Operations in Africa

On FPF #531, Will Porter returns to the show to discuss the ongoing unrest in Lebanon. Protests escalated after government negligence led to a massive explosion at the Bierut Port. The country’s prime minister and his cabinet resigned, although they will remain in place as caretakers until a new government is formed. Will and Kyle also talk about Biden’s VP pick, the US trying to take Syrian oil, and Turkish drone strikes in Iraq. 

Podcast (kyle): Play in new window | Download

On FPF #530, Will Porter returns to the show to discuss the new Russiagate Whistleblower Steven P. Schrage. Schrage is a former student of Stefan Halper and set up the event was Halper first met Carter Page. The Page/Halper meeting is suspected of helping generate the bogus Steele Dossier information that led to a FISA warrant on Carter Page and surveillance of the Trump campaign. Schrage has recorded audio of Halper showing he knew Mike Flynn would be fired as NSA just days before it happened. 

Links

• The Spies Whi Hijacked the world 
• Dangerous Game by Will and Kyle

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

On FPF #529, Will Porter returns to the show to discuss the massive explosion in Beirut. So far, over 150 people have been killed; however many more remain missing. The damage to the port will also significantly harm Lebanon’s economy, doing billions in damage. Will explains that a cache of improperly stored ammonium nitrate caught fire and eventually exploded. While many details – such as how the ammonium nitrate ended up at the port and how the initial fire was stated – remain unknown, hawks are rushing to turn the tragedy into anti-Russia/Iran/Hezbollah propaganda.

Links

• Around the Empire – Elijah Magnier
• Rania Khalik
• LA will cut water to homes
• Chemist on Beirut bombing 
• Pentagon: Beirut bombing was a accident

Podcast (kyle): Play in new window | Download

On FPF #528, I discuss reports that an American company had signed an agreement with the Syrian Kurds to produce oil in Syria. The story was pushed by Secretary of State Pompeo and Senator Graham. However, the Syrian Kurds now say no agreement has been made. The Kurds added that American and Russian companies are competing for the contract. The Syrian government has argued that the Kurds do not have a right to award the contract. 

Links

• ISIS made money on Facebook

Podcast: Play in new window | Download