US News Biden says he will implement a ban on unvaccinated Americans from accessing domestic air travel if medical experts approve the plan. [Link] The LAPD releases the footage of the killing of 14-year-old Valentina Orellana-Peralta. Orellana-Peralta was killed when a bullet went through the wall of her dressing room. The cop who shot her was armed with a rifle and put himself in position to take the shot over officers who had handguns. [Link] A record 122,000 migrant children were taken into US custody without their parents in 2021. [Link] Pentagon 169 Marines have been expelled from...
UAE
Salafis Throwing Bombs: How American and British Planners Partnered With Al-Qaeda Affiliated Groups At the Start of the Syrian Civil War
Introduction In the mainstream view, al-Qaeda did not play a role in the Syria conflict until Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi dispatched his deputy, Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, to Syria in August 2011 to establish a wing of the group there, called Jabhat al-Nusra, or the Nusra Front. Additionally, al-Qaeda allegedly did not carry out any military operations until December 2011 and did not announce its establishment until January 2012. However, there is evidence that al-Qaeda affiliated militants were involved in the Syrian conflict much earlier. Saudi intelligence...
News Roundup 10/29/21
US News Kevin Gosztola breaks down day two of Assange’s extradition appeal. [Link] China FBI Director Chris Wray says US businesses need to work with the FBI to prevent China from becoming the world’s only superpower by stealing US business information. [Link] China called Taiwan’s announcement that US troops were deployed to the island a “provocation.” [Link] Taiwan’s defense minister says his government should look inward for defense. [Link] Middle East An Israeli representative has an office at CENTCOM. [Link] The US sanctioned three men in Lebanon, including a member of parliament....
Trump Fires Sec Def in Post-Election Pentagon Shake Up
On Conflicts of Interest #32, Kyle covers the recent personnel changes at the Pentagon. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper was expected to resign but was first fired by Trump. Other staff leaving their post includes the acting Secretary for policy. The changes are fueling conspiracy in the anti-Trump crowd. The US announced a massive $23 billion weapon sales to the UAE. The sales include F-35s, armed drones, and bombs. Experts are looking at Biden's likely China policy and believe he will continue the aggression from the Trump years. Especially in the South China Sea, where the US challenges...
Israel Demands F-35s As Part Of $8 Billion Military Aid Package
With the United States set to use the peace treaty as a chance to sell F-35 warplanes to the United Arab Emirates, Israel has been pushing for a bunch of free U.S. equipment based on pledges for a region-wide qualitative edge. On Wednesday, Israel offered its first list of demands. The way Israel envisions this going down, they’ll get some $8 billion in equipment, mostly advanced U.S.-made aircraft. This would include an entire squadron of F-35s, the very plane that was supposedly the cause of all this. While Israel was previously objecting to the sales to the UAE as threatening their...
Lockheed Could Be the Big Winner in the Israel-UAE Agreement
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...
Will the Israel-UAE Deal Lead to More Arm Sales?
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 –...
Did Trump Make Peace Between Israel and the UAE?
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...
Trump’s Top Priority: Weapon Sales
On FPF #506, I discuss Trump's obsession with helping the arms industry. The Pentagon announced that it plans to spend $135 million bailing out small arms makers, the Senate is trying to allocate $10 million for nuclear weapons testing, and the US will acquire the six F-35s that were first sold to Turkey. The massive spending on weapons comes as millions of Americans are out of work. Trump is also trying to make it easier to sell drones to Saudi Arabia and the UAE by reinterpreting an international missile control agreement.
5 Years of US/Saudi War Made Yemen Susceptible to Coronavirus Crisis guest Joanne Leon
Joanne Leon returns to FPF to discuss the five year anniversary of the US/Saudi war on Yemen. The anniversary has received almost no media coverage in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak. Ironically, the five years of war in Yemen has created the world's worst humanitarian crisis - making Yemen one of the most likely to be devastated by a coronavirus. The US/Saudi/UAE/UK bombing campaign has intentionally targeted the civilian in fracture of Yemen. Now - before coronavirus even reaches Yemen - 24 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and millions of children are at risk...
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