New Taliban Government Raises Concerns; Houthi Warheads Strike Saudi Homeland

Julie Varughese, solidarity network coordinator for Black Alliance for Peace, joins us to discuss Afghanistan. International security analysts are concerned that the Taliban* seems to be recycling government officials from the organization's former theocratic hard-line base of power. Also, the war-torn country is facing a humanitarian crisis that is being exacerbated by punitive economic moves by the US.

Laith Marouf, broadcaster and journalist based in Beirut, Lebanon, joins us to discuss Israel. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett seems to have a policy of no war, but continuous bombing and no peace with the Palestinians. Also, Israel is arresting and harassing the families of several prisoners who recently escaped from an Israeli prison.

Randi Nord, writer and activist, joins us to discuss Yemen. Yemen has launched several successful drone and missile strikes deep into the homeland of Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, the US and UK are blasting the attacks as they provide material support for Saudi Arabia in the conflict.

Teresa Lundy, principal of TML Communications, a leading minority public relations, communications and advocacy firm in Pennsylvania, joins us to discuss the Texas abortion ban. The argument between pro and anti-abortion rights activists is getting thicker as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) jumps into the rhetorical scrum. Meanwhile, the governor of Texas vowed to "eliminate all rapists" when asked about the lack of an exception for rape and incest in the bill.

Daniel Lazare, investigative journalist and author of "The Velvet Coup," joins us to discuss Ukraine. President Biden has vowed to turn the foreign policy page on Afghanistan, but some international security analysts fear that his pivot to Russia and China will create a much more dangerous situation for the world.

Dan Kovalik, writer, author, and lawyer, joins us to discuss regime change colonialism. An interesting article in the Orinoco Tribune argues that modern-day regime change rhetoric is nothing more than a sanitization of colonialism and genocide.

John Kiriakou, journalist, author and host of The Backstory, joins us to discuss whistleblowers. Thomas Drake is a whistleblower who exposed illegalities and corruption in the NSA. Drake was investigated, indicted, convicted and sentenced concerning the US domestic mass surveillance regime. We discuss his recent article in Responsible Statecraft.

Dr. Colin Campbell, a Washington, DC, news correspondent, and Gary Flowers, host of “The Gary Flowers Show” on radio station Rejoice WREJ-AM 990, join us to discuss the takedown of the Robert E. Lee statue in Richmond, Virginia. One of the largest Confederate monument statues in the nation was removed as the Robert E. Lee statue in Richmond fell to the cheers of several hundred onlookers who had come to support the move.

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*The Taliban is a terrorist organisation banned in Russia and many other nations.