Loud & Clear

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Sputnik News analyst and producer Walter Smolarek.Protesters in Iraq stormed the compound of the U.S. embassy today in response to a series of air strikes carried out by the United States in the country targeting the Kataib Hezbollah militia. The dramatic escalation in tensions over the past few days in Iraq has sparked fears that the US could be headed for a disastrous confrontation with Iran. We’ll discuss that and other key issues in the news.The regular segment Beyond Nuclear looks at nuclear issues, including weapons, energy, waste, and the future of nuclear technology in the United States. Today, the panel looks at the year in nuclear issues. Kevin Kamps, the Radioactive Waste Watchdog at the organization Beyond Nuclear, joins Brian and John. Our panel takes a look at the biggest economic news of the year, including recession fears, trade, strikes and more. Profesor Richard Wolff, a professor of Economics Emeritus at University of Massachusetts, Amherst and founder of the organization Democracy at Work. Prof. Wolff’s latest book is “Understanding Socialism”, joins Brian and John.The panel take a look at the major issues, challenges, and struggles facing women in all aspects of society over the past year. Hannah Dickinson is a professor and organizer with the Geneva Women’s Assembly and Nathalie Hrizi, an educator, a political activist and the editor of the magazine Breaking the Chains, joins the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Max Blumenthal, a bestselling author and journalist, whose latest film is “Killing Gaza.” He is also the senior editor of Grayzone and co-host of the podcast “Moderate Rebels.”In the Week Ahead, the panel looks at the most newsworthy stories of the coming week and what it means for the country and the world. Sputnik News analyst and producer Walter Smolarek, joins the show. As the year comes to an end, where are the whistleblowers who have revealed important wrongdoings by press, the CIA, the Pentagon, and more? Last week we discussed Julian Assange. Today we’ll talk about Chelsea Manning, Jeremy Hammond, Jeffrey Sterling, and Daniel Hale. Where is the coverage of them and what does that say about the corporate-owned media? Brian and John speak with independent journalist Diani Baretto. We continue our segment “Education for Liberation” where we look at the state of education across the country. What’s happening in our schools, colleges, and universities, and what impact does it have on the world around us? Bill Ayers, an activist, educator and the author or co-author of many books, including “About Becoming A Teacher” and “You Can’t Fire the Bad Ones: And 18 Other Myths About Teachers, Teachers Unions, and Public Education”, joins the show. We continue our weekly half hour segment Technology Rules—a weekly guide on how monopoly corporations and the National Surveillance State are threatening cherished freedoms, civil rights and civil liberties. Web developer and technologist Chris Garaffa and Patricia Gorky, a software engineer and technology and security analyst, joins Brian and John.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by independent journalist Diani Baretto and Joe Lauria, the editor-in-chief of Consortium News, founded by the late Robert Parry.As the year comes to an end, where are the whistleblowers who have revealed important wrongdoings by press, the CIA, the Pentagon, and more? Constantly under reported on, Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning are both behind bars for their important work. Where is the coverage of them and what does that say about the corporate-owned media? Friday is Loud & Clear’s weekly hour-long segment The Week in Review, about the week in politics, policy, and international affairs. Today they focus on a new Rachel Maddow critique and a broader Russiagate wrapup, the history of American politics, CIA-funded propaganda and arts, the 2020 race, one positive Sanders piece, Warren’s chameleon-like practices, Biden’s standing, Israel’s Likud election, and the new interviews out with the Navy Seal accusers of Ed Gallagher. Brian and John speak with Jim Kavanagh, editor of thepolemicist.net, and Sputnik News analyst and producer Nicole Roussell. It’s Friday! Today it’s time for the year’s worst and most misleading headlines. Brian and John speak with Steve Patt, an independent journalist whose critiques of the mainstream media have been a feature of his site Left I on the News and on twitter @leftiblog, and Sputnik producer Nicole Roussell.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Lee Camp, a writer, comedian, activist, journalist, host of the television show “Redacted Tonight” on RT America, and author of the new book coming out in January called “Bullet Points & Punch Lines,” which includes more about lost military spending, whose work is at leecamp.com. The US government spent more money on defense and implements of war in 2019 than in any other year in the history of the country. Furthermore, defense spending was more than the defense spending of the next eight largest countries in the world--combined. Congress gave the Pentagon $686.1 billion for 2019. What was that money spent on and what do we have to show for it? And keep in mind that the Pentagon’s request for 2020 is $750 billion. Loud & Clear’s weekly roundtable, In the News, is where the hosts look at the most important ongoing developments of the week and put them into perspective. Sputnik news analyst Nicole Roussell joins the show. Thursday’s weekly series “Criminal Injustice” is about the most egregious conduct of our courts and prosecutors and how justice is denied to so many people in this country. Paul Wright, the founder and executive director of the Human Rights Defense Center and editor of Prison Legal News (PLN), joins the show.A regular Thursday segment deals with the ongoing militarization of space. As the US continues to withdraw from international arms treaties, will the weaponization and militarization of space bring the world closer to catastrophe? Brian and John speak with Prof. Karl Grossman, a full professor of journalism at the State University of New York, College at Old Westbury and the host of a nationally aired television program focused on environmental, energy, and space issues, and with Bruce Gagnon, coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space and a contributor to Foreign Policy In Focus.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Vijay Prashad, the Director of the Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and Chief Editor of LeftWord Books and the author of “The Death of the Nation and the Future of the Arab Revolution” and his most recent publication is “Red Star Over the Third World.”2019 may go down in history as the year of the protest. Demonstrators for political change took to the streets in marches that often turned violent in places as disparate as France, Iraq, Chile, Haiti, Lebanon, and Ecuador. The demands were largely for political and economic reform, and the deaths and injuries coming out of these protests numbered in the tens of thousands. The improvement in relations between North Korea and the United States have stalled, as North Korean leaders have grown frustrated by an increasingly neoconservative foreign policy coming from the US and by a lack of sanctions relief. Washington, meanwhile, is angry that the North Koreans appear unwilling to give up their nuclear weapons program. And the North Koreans are promising a “Christmas present”for Washington. Emanuel Pastreich, founder and director of The Asia Institute, a pan-Asian think tank, and Simone Chun, a fellow at the Korea Policy Institute and a member of the Korean Peace Network, join the show. We’re nearing the end of 2019, but there’s no end in sight for the war in Syria. Turkey crossed the border to attack Syria’s Kurds this year, US troops entered the country, pulled back, and then moved to the oil fields, purportedly to “protect” them. And Syria’s government, with Russian help, worked to take control of the countryside from fundamentalist groups. Meanwhile, thousands and thousands of refugees continued to flee the country. Brian and John speak with Ambassador Peter Ford, the former UK Ambassador to Syria, and Rick Sterling, an investigative journalist and member of the Syria Solidarity Movement. Today’s regular segment that airs every Tuesday is called Women & Society with Dr. Hannah Dickinson. This weekly segment is about the major issues, challenges, and struggles facing women in all aspects of society. Hannah Dickinson, an associate professor at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and an organizer with the Geneva Women’s Assembly; Nathalie Hrizi, an educator, a political activist, and the editor of Breaking the Chains, a women’s magazine; and Loud & Clear producer Nicole Roussell join the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Aaron Maté, a journalist with The Grayzone and The Nation and the host of the show Pushback with Aaron Maté.As the impeachment process continues as the news headliner, another story continues to unfold. US Attorney for the state of Connecticut John Durham confirmed last week that his investigation into the origins of the Russiagate story has turned into a criminal inquiry. Durham has requested that the CIA turn over all of the phone records, emails, and contemporaneous notes of former director John Brennan. The CIA said that it is cooperating, as has Brennan. Durham is known for his dogged pursuit of gangsters and corrupt FBI agents, and he investigated the CIA’s torture program from 2009 to 2012. In this segment, The Week Ahead, the hosts take a look at the most newsworthy stories of the coming week and what it means for the country and the world, including the resignation of Boeing’s CEO, tensions in Korea, death sentences in the trial of the killers of Jamal Khasoggi, and more. Sputnik News analysts and producers of this show Nicole Roussell and Walter Smolarek join the show. At the start of 2019, the White House and the State Department wanted us to believe that Juan Guaidó was the legitimate President of Venezuela. Chosen by Donald Trump, Mike Pence, and John Bolton, Guaidó was a minor opposition figure when he was arbitrarily installed as President and recognized by more than 50 countries. But then something unexpected happened. The Venezuelan economy began to stabilize. The army remained loyal to the legitimate president, Nicolas Maduro, and Guaido watched his support inside and outside the country wane and then disappear. What will 2020 bring? Brian and John speak with Lucas Koerner, an activist and writer for VenezuelAnalysis.com. Monday’s segment “Education for Liberation with Bill Ayers” is where Bill helps us look at the state of education across the country. What’s happening in our schools, colleges, and universities, and what impact does it have on the world around us? Bill Ayers, an activist, educator and the author of the book “Demand the Impossible: A Radical Manifesto,” joins Brian and John. Monday’s regular segment Technology Rules is a weekly guide on how monopoly corporations and the national surveillance state are threatening cherished freedoms, civil rights and civil liberties. Web developer and technologist Chris Garaffa and software engineer and technology and security analyst Patricia Gorky join the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Sputnik News analysts and producers Walter Smolarek and Nicole Roussell. Friday is Loud & Clear’s weekly hour-long segment The Week in Review, about the week in politics, policy, and international affairs. Today they focus on the impeachment of President Trump, the John Durham investigation into the origins of Russiagate, the Democratic debate last night, the UK election and the status of Brexit, and who will be the next Prime Minister of Iraq.Seven Democrats faced off last night in the latest presidential debate as voting in early states approaches. Pete Buttigieg was the target of well-deserved attacks and Joe Biden simply tried to stay out of the way, and yet again many of the key concerns of the American people were not seriously dealt with. Ben Norton, a journalist with Greyzone and co-host of the Moderate Rebels podcast, joins the show. Impeachment has been the big story of the week. But it seems to have ground to a half, as Democrats try to figure out if they want to actually send the articles of impeachment to the Senate for trial or if they want to withhold those articles to accrue some sort of political benefit. Meanwhile, Special Prosecutor John Durham is investigating former CIA Director John Brennan and his role in how the intelligence community assessed allegations that Russia had interfered in the 2016 election. Durham, who announced publicly that his investigation was “criminal” in nature, has asked the CIA to provide him with Brennan’s emails, call logs, and other documents, including notes of his meetings and calls with former FBI Director James Comey. Brian and John speak with Daniel Lazare, a journalist and author of three books--“The Frozen Republic,” “The Velvet Coup,” and “America's Undeclared War.” Wikileaks cofounder Julian Assange testified yesterday via video link in a preliminary hearing relative to his extradition hearing and the judge acknowledged that the extradition hearing itself would now likely take as long as four weeks. Meanwhile, two doctors representing a group called Doctors4Assange and who wanted to wanted to observe Julian’s physical condition, were denied entry into the public gallery. Kevin Gosztola, a writer for Shadowproof.com and co-host of the podcast Unauthorized Disclosure, joins the show. The coup government in Bolivia desperately wants to see President Evo Morales in prison, and has issued an arrest warrant this week seeking to bring him into custody. But today the new government of Argentina, where Morales has received asylum, firmly refused to hand him over. Wyatt Reed, a journalist whose writing can be found at Roanoke Times, Mintpress News, and the Grayzone Project, who just returned from Bolivia, joins Brian and John. It’s Friday! So it’s time for the week’s worst and most misleading headlines. Brian and John speak with Steve Patt, an independent journalist whose critiques of the mainstream media have been a feature of his site Left I on the News and on twitter @leftiblog, andSputnik producer Nicole Roussell.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Ted Rall, an award-winning journalist and editorial cartoonist whose work is at www.rall.com.President Donald Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives last night to the surprise of literally no one. The vote was 230-197 to charge Trump with abuse of power and 229-198 to charge him with obstruction of Congress. Only two Democrats voted no on both measures and one vote yes on one and no on the other. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard voted present on both and later issued a statement saying that Trump should have been censured, but that an impeachment should have focused on his and every other president’s unauthorized use of force overseas. The action will soon move to the Senate, where Trump will go on trial. Democrats will host another presidential debate tonight, this time in Los Angeles. And it’ll be a lot smaller than previous debates, with only seven candidates participating. Tulsi Gabbard, the only candidate with a focus on ending U.S. wars abroad, will not be on stage however. That leaves Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Andrew Yang, and Tom Steyer. Joe Lauria, the editor-in-chief of Consortium News, founded by the late Robert Parry, and the author of the book "How I Lost, By Hillary Clinton,” joins the show. Wikileaks cofounder Julian Assange appeared at a preliminary extradition hearing via video as his UK attorneys argued that the US-UK extradition treaty specifically bars the extradition of defendants accused of political crimes. Today’s hearing was to set guidelines for the formal hearing in February and to identify other relevant legal issues. Meanwhile, Chelsea Manning spent her 32nd birthday on Tuesday still locked up in a jail in Alexandria, VA for refusing to testify before the Assange grand jury. And the notorious federal court for the Eastern District of Virginia ruled yesterday that CIA could seize all profits from Ed Snowden’s new book, saying that it had not been cleared by the Agency’s Publications Review Board. Brian and John speak with Dr. Margaret Flowers, co-coordinator of Popular Resistance at www.popularresistance.org. The House approved the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement today. This massive deal replaces NAFTA, an agreement that went into force in 1994 and has been a lighting rod for criticism by progressive and labor groups. Sputnik News analyst Walter Smolarek joins Brian and John.UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Conservative Party will finally pass a Brexit bill tomorrow that will ensure that the UK will withdraw from the European Union on January 31. What most British voters are not talking about, however, is the fact that what will follow will be at least a year of torturous negotiations over the terms of the departure. Remember the Irish border? Duties and tariffs? Travel to and from the continent? None of those issues have been resolved. Neil Clark, a journalist and broadcaster whose work has appeared in The Guardian, The Week, and Morning Star, joins the show. Thursday’s weekly series “Criminal Injustice” is about the most egregious conduct of our courts and prosecutors and how justice is denied to so many people in this country. Paul Wright, the founder and executive director of the Human Rights Defense Center and editor of Prison Legal News (PLN), and Kevin Gosztola, a writer for Shadowproof.com and co-host of the podcast Unauthorized Disclosure, join the show.A regular Thursday segment deals with the ongoing militarization of space. As the US continues to withdraw from international arms treaties, will the weaponization and militarization of space bring the world closer to catastrophe? Brian and John speak with Prof. Karl Grossman, a full professor of journalism...

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Daniel Lazare, a journalist and author of three books; Jim Kavanagh, the editor of thepolemicist.net; Lee Camp, host of the comedy show “Redacted Tonight” and whose work is at leecamp.com; and Sputnik News analysts Walter Smolarek and Nicole Roussell.The House of Representative is nearing the end of its debate on impeachment, and President Trump will likely be impeached in the next several hours. The battle lines have been drawn strictly along partisan lines, with almost all Democrats supporting impeachment and all Republicans opposing it. Once impeachment is approved, it will be sent to the Senate, where President Trump will stand trial. A two-thirds vote there to convict him his unlikely. Democrats on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees joined Republicans this week to approve a 2020 military budget that includes an appropriation of a record $738 billion and authorization for a Space Force. The defense budget is $22 billion more than last year and even more than what the Pentagon asked for. The measure now goes to both houses of Congress for final approval and must be signed by the President before Friday, when the government is due to run out of money and close. Brian and John speak with Kevin Zeese, co-coordinator of Popular Resistance at popularresistance.org. Prosecutors in Bolivia have issued a warrant for the arrest of former President Evo Morales on charges of sedition and terrorism. But supporters of the process of change his administration led are continuing to fight back against the coup government. Deliberations are now underway to choose Morales’ party’s candidate for the upcoming presidential election. Journalist Wyatt Reed, who is reporting from the site of a rally for MAS, Morales’s political party, joins the show. Wednesday’s regular segment, Beyond Nuclear, is about nuclear issues, including weapons, energy, waste, and the future of nuclear technology in the United States. Kevin Kamps, the Radioactive Waste Watchdog at the organization Beyond Nuclear, and Sputnik news analyst and producer Nicole Roussell, join the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Coleen Rowley, a former FBI special agent who in 2002 was named Time Magazine person of the year along with two other whistleblowers.Ex-Trump aide Rick Gates, the former right-hand man to former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, is to be sentenced today on multiple felony counts of lying to the FBI and conspiracy to commit tax fraud. When Gates originally pled guilty, he agreed to a sentence of 5-6 years in prison. But prosecutors last week said they would have no objection to Gates getting no prison time, and they cited what they called his “extraordinary assistance” in the Mueller investigation. Wikileaks on Saturday released a third batch of documents from the United Nations showing that 20 inspectors who investigated the alleged chemical attack in Douma, Syria, concluded that the final report “did not reflect the team members who were deployed to Syria.” The documents show further that there was no proof that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ordered any chemical attack on Douma. Ambassador Peter Ford, the former UK Ambassador to Syria, joins the show. Newly-released court documents reveal that the Sackler family, the founders of opioid maker Purdue Pharma, quietly transferred $10 billion out of the company and into private trusts over the course of the past 10 years and sent $1 billion of it to overseas accounts. The withdrawals came at a time that the company was accused of fueling the country’s opioid epidemic and at the same time the family was being accused of hiding its wealth overseas as their company enters bankruptcy. Brian and John speak with Ted Rall, an award winning journalist and editorial cartoonist, whose work is at www.rall.com As anti-government demonstrations in France continue to grow, the police are coming under increased scrutiny over their use of tear gas grenades to disperse crowds. France is the only country in Europe to use gas grenades, which explode after being fired and have caused both injuries and deaths. Even the manufacturer, Alsetex, is urging the government to stop using them. Gilbert Mercier, is Editor in Chief of News Junkie Post and the author of “The Orwellian Empire,” joins the show. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper told the press that he supports the United States withdrawing troops from Afghanistan “with or without” a “political agreement” with the Taliban. The United States has been struggling to restart peace talks with the insurgent group after a deal was called off at the last minute earlier this year, but public frustration with the nearly two-decade long occupation is mounting ahead of an election year. Brian Terrell, a long time peace activist and a co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence, joins Brian and John. Today is our weekly series about the biggest economic news of the week with a special new guest -- Prof. Richard Wolff. Professor Wolff, a professor of Economics Emeritus, University of Massachusetts, Amherst and founder of the organization Democracy at Work whose latest book is “Understanding Socialism,” joins the show.Today’s regular segment that airs every Tuesday is called Women & Society with Dr. Hannah Dickinson. This weekly segment is about the major issues, challenges, and struggles facing women in all aspects of society. Hannah Dickinson, an associate professor at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and an organizer with the Geneva Women’s Assembly; Nathalie Hrizi, an educator, a political activist, and the editor of Breaking the Chains, a women’s magazine; and Loud & Clear producer Nicole Roussell join the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Joe Lauria, the editor-in-chief of Consortium News, founded by the late Robert Parry, and the author of the book "How I Lost, By Hillary Clinton."As House Democrats prepare for Wednesday’s impeachment vote, Democrats in the Senate are pushing Republican leaders there to allow testimony from former National Security Advisor John Bolton and Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, among others. Republicans, though, want a straight up or down vote on conviction without calling any witnesses. Meanwhile, a Democratic representative from New Jersey announced over the weekend that he would switch parties and vote no on impeachment. Former FBI Director James Comey said in an interview yesterday on Fox News Sunday that he had been “overconfident” when he had defended the FBI’s use of the FISA court to investigate former Trump campaign advisor Carter Page. This admission comes just days after Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz found what he called 17 significant errors and omissions by the FBI’s investigative teams when applying for a FISA warrant on Page. Jim Kavanagh, the editor of thepolemicist.net, joins the show. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said today that he would ask members of parliament to vote on his Brexit bill on Friday. This is the legislation that would enable the UK to leave the European Union on January 31. Johnson won a landslide victory in national elections last week and has a commanding majority in parliament. Brian and John speak with Alexander Mercouris, the editor-in-chief of The Duran, and journalist Andy Brennan. Boeing shares traded lower today amid reports that the airplane manufacturing giant was considering scrapping altogether production of the 737 Max-8 jet after it failed to meet its own deadline for FAA recertification. Two 737 Max-8 crashes over the past 13 months have resulted in the deaths of 346 people. Steve Keen, the author of “Debunking Economics” and the world’s first crowdfunded economist whose work is at patreon.com/ProfSteveKeen, joins the show. Monday’s segment “Education for Liberation with Bill Ayers” is where Bill helps us look at the state of education across the country. What’s happening in our schools, colleges, and universities, and what impact does it have on the world around us? Bill Ayers, an activist, educator and the author of the book “Demand the Impossible: A Radical Manifesto,” joins Brian and John. In this segment, The Week Ahead, the hosts take a look at the most newsworthy stories of the coming week and what it means for the country and the world, including impeachment and the 2020 election. Sputnik News analysts and producers of this show Nicole Roussell and Walter Smolarek join the show.Monday’s regular segment Technology Rules is a weekly guide on how monopoly corporations and the national surveillance state are threatening cherished freedoms, civil rights and civil liberties. Web developer and technologist Chris Garaffa and software engineer and technology and security analyst Patricia Gorky join the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Neil Clark, a journalist and broadcaster whose work has appeared in The Guardian, The Week, and Morning Star.UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party won British elections yesterday in the biggest landslide since 1987, guaranteeing that Brexit takes place on his terms next month. Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said that he would not head the party in the next elections, but he has not yet set a resignation date. Meanwhile, the Scottish National Party won broadly, perhaps enough to push another referendum on Scottish independence. The House Judiciary Committee this morning voted 23-17 in a party-line vote to impeach President Trump. The two articles of impeachment now go to the floor of the House, and the entire body will vote on impeachment on Wednesday. Ted Rall, an award-winning editorial cartoonist and columnist whose work is at www.rall.com, joins the show. Earlier this week we told you about secret Pentagon documents uncovered by the Washington Post that show that the Defense Department, the CIA, and other federal agencies have lied consistently over the past 18 years about US military progress in Afghanistan. While the government was telling the American people that we were winning the war in Afghanistan, the truth was that we were losing, and in fact, we weren’t even sure who the enemy was. Brian and John speak with Peter Kuznick, a professor of history and director of the Nuclear Studies Institute at American University and the co-author with Oliver Stone of the book and hit Showtime television series “The Untold History of the United States.” Israel appears headed toward a record third election in the past year after neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor his chief challenger, Benny Ganz, were able to form governments. The new election has been set for March 2. But this time, Netanyahu will have to campaign as a defendant in three criminal cases related to abuse of power and bribery. Miko Peled, the author of “The General’s Son - A Journey of an Israeli in Palestine,” and of "Injustice: The Story of the Holy Land Foundation Five,” joins the show. It’s Friday! So it’s time for the week’s worst and most misleading headlines. Brian and John speak with Steve Patt, an independent journalist whose critiques of the mainstream media have been a feature of his site Left I on the News and on twitter @leftiblog, and Sputnik producer Nicole Roussell. Friday is Loud & Clear’s weekly hour-long segment The Week in Review, about the week in politics, policy, and international affairs. Today they focus on the impeachment hearings,US-China tensions and the UK election. Sputnik News analysts and producers Walter Smolarek and Nicole Roussell join the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Daniel Lazare, a journalist and author of three books--“The Frozen Republic,” “The Velvet Coup,” and “America's Undeclared War.”Michael Horowitz, the Justice Department’s Inspector General, testified about FBI malfeasance yesterday before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Horowitz described the F.B.I. as a dysfunctional agency that severely mishandled its surveillance powers in the Russia investigation, but he told senators that he had no evidence that the mistakes were intentional or undertaken out of political bias. Instead, he attributed the FBI’s behavior to “gross incompetence and negligence.” Britons went to the polls today to elect a new government. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is confident of victory and, although polls showed the race tightening in its final days, expects to have a working majority that he will need to lead the UK out of the European Union. But Jeremy Corbyn has mobilized an army of enthusiastic volunteers based on his program “For the many, not the few” to close the gap. Steve Hedley, the senior assistant general secretary of the UK’s Rail, Maritime, and Transport Workers Union, joins the show. Federal Aviation Administration investigators decided last year to allow Boeing Company’s 737-Max8 jets to continue flying despite the fact that their own analysis indicated that the jet was prone to crashes and would be one of the most crash-prone jets in the world without design changes. The FAA analysis found that, without design changes, the 737-Max8 would have averaged one crash every two or three years, a substantially worse crash rate than either Boeing or the FAA had previously acknowledged. Brian and John speak with Dennis Tajer, a spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association and an American Airlines pilot trained on Boeing 737 planes. The House of Representatives, led by the Democratic leadership, voted in favor of a new National Defense Authorization Amendment which funds a new arms race in space, reauthorizes NSA to spy on American citizens, and designates Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. Previous NDAAs have authorized warrantless wiretapping of American citizens and even the murder of US citizens around the world without criminal charge and even with the use of drones. Why are so few members of Congress willing to stand up? Medea Benjamin, a well-known peace activist and the cofounder of the peace group Code Pink, joins the show. Several weeks ago, journalist Max Blumenthal was arrested and charged with assault after Washington DC police showed up at his house in an early morning raid. Max hadn’t assaulted anybody, but that didn’t stop Washington authorities from keeping him in jail for nearly two days. Well, the charges have now been dropped and the hosts talk to Max about his ordeal and next steps. Max Blumenthal, a bestselling author and journalist, whose latest film is “Killing Gaza,” the senior editor of The Grayzone, and co-host of the podcast “Moderate Rebels,” joins Brian and John. Thursday’s weekly series “Criminal Injustice” is about the most egregious conduct of our courts and prosecutors and how justice is denied to so many people in this country. Paul Wright, the founder and executive director of the Human Rights Defense Center and editor of Prison Legal News (PLN), and Kevin Gosztola, a writer for Shadowproof.com and co-host of the podcast Unauthorized Disclosure, join the show.A regular Thursday segment deals with the ongoing militarization of space. As the US continues to withdraw from international arms treaties, will the weaponization and militarization of space bring the world closer to catastrophe? Brian and John speak with Prof. Karl Grossman, a full professor of journalism at the State University of New York, College at Old Westbury and the host of a nationally aired television program focused on...

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Dan Kovalik, a human rights and labor lawyer who is the author of the book “No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using 'Humanitarian' Intervention to Advance Economic and Strategic Interests.”The House Judiciary Committee today will begin debate over two articles of impeachment against President Trump. The President is accused of abuse of power and contempt of Congress. The measures will likely be approved by early next week and will go to the full House for a vote. Trump is the fourth president in American history to face the threat of impeachment. Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz testified before the House Judiciary Committee today, saying that FBI agents “followed the rules” when they initiated a counterintelligence investigation of the 2016 Trump campaign, but that “some policies need to be changed.” The conclusion has caused consternation among Republicans, including the Attorney General himself. And US Attorney John Durham will likely issue his own report soon, with a different conclusion. Daniel Lazare, a journalist and author of three books--“The Frozen Republic,” “The Velvet Coup,” and “America's Undeclared War,” joins the show. Democratic presidential candidates will debate again a week from tomorrow, this time in Los Angeles. Tulsi Gabbard, who qualifies for the debate, is boycotting it, though, saying that she would rather spend the time meeting with voters in New Hampshire. The corporatist Democrats will all be on stage, though. They include Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, and Tom Steyer. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren also will participate. Brian and John speak with Dave Lindorff, an investigative reporter, a columnist for CounterPunch, and a contributor to Businessweek, The Nation, Extra! and Salon.com. And you can find his writings at ThisCantBeHappening.net. Alberto Fernández has been sworn in as the new president of Argentina. Hundreds of thousands packed the streets to celebrate the return of progressive rule in the country, and the new administration has already had a big impact on regional policies. Sputnik news analyst Walter Smolarek join the show. The UK is scheduled to have a general election tomorrow, and if tightening polls are to be believed, Prime Minister Boris Johnson will win with a parliamentary majority of about 28. That’s up 21 seats compared to the last election. The Labour Party is projected to lose 31 seats. Pollsters caution, though, that a hung parliament, where no party has a majority, is still possible. Lee Stranahan, the host of Fault Lines, which is on from 7:00-10:00 am on Radio Sputnik, joins Brian and John. Wednesday’s weekly series, In the News, is where the hosts look at the most important ongoing developments of the week and put them into perspective. Sputnik news analysts Nicole Roussell and Walter Smolarek join the show.Wednesday’s regular segment, Beyond Nuclear, is about nuclear issues, including weapons, energy, waste, and the future of nuclear technology in the United States. Kevin Kamps, the Radioactive Waste Watchdog at the organization Beyond Nuclear, and Sputnik news analyst and producer Nicole Roussell, join the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Ted Rall, an award winning journalist and editorial cartoonist whose work is at www.rall.com.Democrats in the House of Representatives this morning filed two Articles of Impeachment against President Trump, accusing him of Abuse of Power and Contempt of Congress. The articles will be voted on in the House Judiciary Committee and, after passage there, will go to the House floor for a vote there. Assuming the articles pass, the entire case will then be referred to the Senate for trial. Attorney General William Barr and US Attorney John Durham publicly broke with Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz yesterday, disputing the IG’s conclusion that the FBI acted without political bias in initiating a counterintelligence investigation of the 2016 Trump campaign. Media reports say that FBI Director Wray’s days in office are now numbered, and the report also raises serious questions about how the FBI uses informants and the FISA process. Jim Kavanagh, the editor of thepolemicist.net, which is where you can find his latest article titled “Defeat or Impeach? The (Il)logic of impeachment,” also on Counter Punch, joins the show. President Trump and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov are meeting today at the White House to review relations between the two countries. But this diplomatic engagement is being presented by Russiagate conspiracy-pushing politicians and pundits as something much more sinister. And it comes after progress was made on peace in Ukraine during a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky brokered by France and Germany. Brian and John speak with Jeremy Kuzmarov, a professor of American history whose latest book is “The Russians Are Coming, Again: The First Cold War as Tragedy, the Second as Farce.” Secret Pentagon documents uncovered by the Washington Post show that the Defense Department, the CIA, and other federal agencies have lied consistently over the past 18 years about US military progress in Afghanistan. While the government was telling the American people that we were winning the war in Afghanistan, the truth was that we were losing, and in fact, we weren’t even sure who the enemy was. Kathy Kelly, co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Non-Violence, joins the show. Large scale and general strikes continue in Colombia, as protestors march against right-wing President Ivan Duque’s plans for economic reform and they demand that he do more to tackle corruption and police violence. For his part, however, Duque seems more interested in arresting as many demonstrators as possible and stonewalling reform. James Jordan, a member of the Alliance for Global Justice who has been deeply involved in supporting the Colombian peace process, joins Brian and John. In Tuesday’s regular segment, the hosts talk about the biggest economic news of the week. Professor Richard Wolff, a professor of Economics Emeritus, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, founder of the organization Democracy at Work, and author whose latest book is “Understanding Marxism,” joins the show.Today’s regular segment that airs every Tuesday is called Women & Society with Dr. Hannah Dickinson. This weekly segment is about the major issues, challenges, and struggles facing women in all aspects of society. Hannah Dickinson, an associate professor at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and an organizer with the Geneva Women’s Assembly; Nathalie Hrizi, an educator, a political activist, and the editor of Breaking the Chains, a women’s magazine; and Loud & Clear producer Nicole Roussell join the show.