Unauthorized Disclosure

Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola wrap up this year's season of "Unauthorized Disclosure" with MintPress News founder and editor-in-chief Mnar Muhawesh.

During the show, they reflect on some of the more pernicious social and political developments in the past year. Mnar talks about censorship by Facebook, Twitter, and other social media companies, and the impact it is having on independent journalists and alternative media outlets, especially the effect on MintPress News.

Later in the show, Mnar and Rania discuss the wars in Yemen and Syria. They take a moment to address the most recent development—President Donald Trump ordering the withdrawal of troops from Syria.

The show ends with Mnar, Rania, and Kevin each highlighting something they believe went significantly under-reported or virtually ignored in the U.S. press, including progressive media.

Direct download: S5E42.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:03am EDT

Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola discuss yet another round of blaming Russia for dissent. They highlight the protests in France. Then, Gosztola shares how he was accused of helping Putin undermine faith in the rule of the law and the justice system by a think tank in Washington, D.C.

The hosts pay tribute to William Blum. He died at 85 and published work that was essential for anyone interested in fighting U.S. imperialism.

Finally, the hosts talk about the successful Yemen war powers resolution vote in the Senate and how Paul Ryan served the war industry by ensuring the House could not hold a similar vote. 

Direct download: S5E41.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:02am EDT

We recorded last week's show, and then the news came hours later that former President George H.W. Bush died.

As much as people have largely moved on, we could not ignore the media's nauseating revisionist portraits of who Bush was as a public figure. So we spend a large part of the show offering a kind of antidote to what was broadcast and published about Bush.

Later in the show, Rania Khalek highlights a Pew Research Center poll that shows how young people's views on U.S. foreign policy and military dominance in the world are dramatically different from their parents and grandparents.

The show concludes with a bit of discussion about Beto O'Rourke and Clinton people insisting there's some conspiracy by supporters of Bernie Sanders to tarnish him before he runs for president in 2020.

Direct download: S5E40.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:35pm EDT

For this week's show, Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola rage against CNN for firing Marc Lamont Hill over comments he made before a United Nations committee on Palestinians and their struggle against Israeli military occupation.

They talk about a vote in the U.S. Senate, where a war powers resolution to end U.S. military involvement in the Saudi Arabia-led war in Yemen moved forward.

Later in the show, the hosts highlight a piece in POLITICO that was published by an unnamed author to promote a wild conspiracy theory about Russia planting a Paul Manafort-Julian Assange story in the Guardian.


[*Note: Unfortunately, we recorded less than 24 hours before former President George H.W. Bush's death was reported. We have plenty to say about his legacy and the response to his death. It will be nothing like what you're hearing on cable news networks, and we'll share our thoughts next episode.]

Direct download: S5E39.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:34pm EDT

Gregory Shupak, author of "The Wrong Story: Palestine, Israel, and the Media," joins the show to discuss his book that sharply critiques how establishment and left-of-center media cover the Israeli military occupation.

He organizes his criticism into three categories: how the media promotes this idea that "both sides" are equally responsible for violence, how the media pushes this idea that all would be resolved if extremists were eliminated from power, and how the media argue Israel has a right to defend itself to justify any sort of warfare against Palestinians.

Later, Shupak talks about recent examples of media coverage because this past week Israel launched more air strikes on Gaza.











 

Direct download: S5E37.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:17am EDT

It feels like it was way, way more than a month since host Rania Khalek was last heard from on "Unauthorized Disclosure." Finally, she is done making mini-documentaries and was able to do a show again.

Both Khalek and Kevin Gosztola discuss the 2018 midterm elections, including ballot initiatives that passed. They criticize the Democrats for not doing more to fight voter suppression and talk about how they lost several seats in the U.S. Senate.

Aside from the elections, they recap some of what they missed an opportunity to talk about in October. Both also have good rants in response to CNN's Jim Acosta, who had his White House press pass revoked.

Direct download: S5E36.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:28am EDT

Joanildo Burity is a lead researcher at the Social Research Institute at Fundação Joaquim Nabuco. He is near the east coast of Brazil. His work involves research projects and post-graduate teaching in the areas of Brazilian and Latin American politics and religion and politics.

During the interview, Burity provides his initial analysis for why the far-right candidate, Jair Bolsonaro, was able to win the election. He provides a brief rundown of what led up to the election, which includes mention of the police forces that were deployed to universities to investigate election materials that teachers unions were sharing.

He talks about the issue of how Brazil's democracy is young and faces a particular threat to its institutions, as well as the threats posed to the Amazon rain forest and other natural lands that Bolsonaro is intent to sell off to mining or logging corporations. He describes the threat to workers and their livelihoods.

Finally, Burity shares his views on whether or not Brazil could return to military dictatorship (whether the threat is real) and notes the role the American right, including Steve Bannon, played in Bolsonaro's rise to power.

Direct download: S5E35edit.mp3
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Bernard Harcourt, author of The Counterrevolution: How Our Government Went To War Against Its Own Citizens, joins the show for a conversation on President Donald Trump and what Bernard calls the Counterrevolution.

He outlines counterinsurgency and its objectives and how it accelerated after the September 11th attacks to become a form of government in the United States.

We discuss how Trump and his administration is counterinsurgency on steroids and highlight Cesar Sayoc, who was arrested for allegedly sending mail-bombs to targets of Trump's vitriol.

Direct download: S5E34edit.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:20am EDT

For this week's episode, Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola discuss recent attacks on Max Blumenthal and his journalism on Nicaragua. They became especially vicious in the past couple weeks, as The Guardian and Buzzfeed wrongly accused Blumenthal of having a Guardian freelancer Carl David Goette-Luciak deported from the country.

Also, former Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke was found guilty of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery for killing Laquan McDonald. Gosztola, who is based in Chicago, highlights some of what happened during Van Dyke's trial.

Direct download: S5E33.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:01am EDT

In this week's episode, hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola highlight some of what was said at the UN General Assembly, particularly by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump.

They, of course, spend some time on the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in which Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh testified.

Later in the show, the hosts talk about Democratic candidate for governor in Florida, Andrew Gillum, and what he had to say about Venezuela. They revisit the issue of progressives being progressive except when it comes to other countries in the world.

Both share some personal updates during the show as well.

Direct download: S5E32-Kavanaugh_UNGA_ProgressiveExceptForTheWorld.mp3
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In this additional segment from Mike Prysner and Spenser Rapone, hosts of the "Eyes Left" podcast, we talk about the U.S. military's colonization of sports, particularly the NFL.

Then we discuss the Veterans Affairs Department and why it is important to care about the dysfunction and systemic problems with the agency.

Finally, Prysner updates listeners on the status of "Empire Files" with Abby Martin. He is a producer on the show, and the show recently lost all funding from Telesur in Venezuela as a result of sanctions from President Donald Trump's administration.

Direct download: S5E31-BonusMaterial.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:38pm EDT

Hosts of the "Eyes Left" podcast join the show to talk about creating the conditions for more resistance within the United States military.

Spenser Rapone, known as the "Commie Cadet," spoke out for NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and expressed his support for left-wing politics. He was issued an other-than-honorable discharge nearly one year ago.

Michael Prysner is an antiwar activist, who enlisted in the military following the 9/11 attacks, and a producer of the "Empire Files."

Together, they share their thoughts on antiwar organizing under President Donald Trump and whether the terrain has shifted considerably since President Barack Obama was in office. They share their back stories, address the never-ending war in Afghanistan, discuss U.S. support for a right-wing coup in Venezuela, and more.



















Direct download: S5E31.mp3
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In this week's episode, hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola discuss latest developments in Idlib in Syria, where al Qaida "rebels" face attacks from Syrian government forces supported by Russia. President Donald Trump's administration, especially through US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, has pounded the table constantly in the past week and threatened war if those forces are attacked.

Later in the show, the hosts talk about national security adviser John Bolton and his attack on the International Criminal Court. Particularly, the hosts focus on how the U.S. government has never really supported the court and Bolton is, for the most part, hostilely expressing a policy that has been long-held by the government.

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Category:general -- posted at: 9:37am EDT

In Part 2 of our interview with investigative journalist Yasha Levine, we discuss the power Silicon Valley corporations like Facebook, Google, Twitter, etc, are claiming to engage in censorship and how troubling it is to see liberals cheer corporations.

Later in the show, Levine recalls attacks he experienced for investigating the Tor Project, a popular tool for protecting one's privacy on the internet. He addresses the issue of journalists and how they should respond to constant surveillance enabled by tech corporations.

Levine argues there needs to be a political solution that shifts the culture around privacy, but that cannot and will not come from Silicon Valley.

Direct download: S5E29-Yasha_Levine_Part_2.mp3
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Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola interview investigative journalist Yasha Levine about his book, "Surveillance Valley: The Secret Military History Of The Internet," which was released this year.

There are two parts to the interview. In Part 1, Levine describes how the origin of the internet is rooted in the United States military. It was developed for counterinsurgency and anti-communism efforts. This is a narrative that is typically missing when the history of the internet is told.

Later in the segment, Levine gives a brief history of Google and talks about the CIA's support for Google Earth. He also discusses the amazing power that Google's search streams give the corporation.

[NOTE: Part 2 will be posted for patrons later tonight. It will be made available for all listeners of the show on Wednesday.]

Direct download: S5E29-Yasha_Levine.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:40am EDT

Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola spend most of the episode assessing the media coverage of John McCain's death from brain cancer. They focus on the myth of McCain that was promoted and pretty much adopted across the spectrum from Republicans to progressive Democrats.

They read a few examples of the worst hagiography. Like did you know he wasn't only a "war hero" but also a "climate hero"? And he was even an "anti-racist hero" too?

Toward the end of the episode, Gosztola talks about the national prison strike, and in particular, media coverage by the Marshall Project that promoted the organization's bias against prisoner-led resistance.

***

Thank you to our patrons. At the end of August, we had 182 patrons. We're 18 patrons shy of our goal of 200 patrons. We believe we can get there by October. And we'll plan a special edition for patrons if we reach this goal.

Direct download: S5E28John_McCain_Died_For_Our_Sins.mp3
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On the "Unauthorized Disclosure" weekly podcast, hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola are joined by Sarah Smith, a Democratic Party candidate running for Congress in Washington's 9th District. She recently beat the Republican to qualify for the general election against the incumbent, Democratic Representative Adam Smith.

Sarah Smith is both a member of the local Democratic Party and Democratic Socialists of America. She's run a scrappy grassroots campaign that consists of all volunteers. She also has garnered a reputation as a rare antiwar candidate in the 2018 midterm elections because she views foreign policy as a top issue.

For Part 2 of our interview with Sarah Smith, she discusses her views about the Democratic Party, what she thinks about Democrats who claim corporate money does not influence them, and how she views the Democratic National Committee's recent decision to encourage donations from the employer political action committees of fossil fuel companies.

Later, she shares what she thinks about Democrats, who believe in climate change but will not act meaningfully to combat disruption to the climate. She also talks about why disability rights is a top issue for her campaign.

Direct download: S5E27_SarahSmithPart2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:09pm EDT

Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola are joined by Sarah Smith, a Democratic Party candidate running for Congress in Washington's 9th District.

She recently beat the Republican to qualify for the general election against the incumbent, Democratic Representative Adam Smith.

Sarah Smith is both a member of the local Democratic Party and Democratic Socialists of America. She's run
a scrappy grassroots campaign that consists of all volunteers. She also has garnered a reputation as a rare antiwar candidate in the 2018 midterm elections because she views foreign policy as a top issue.

In Part 1 of our interview with Sarah Smith, we talk about why she decided to run, why foreign policy is so important to her campaign, and what she thinks about the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel for its occupation of Palestine.

Later, the show's hosts get her thoughts about the war economy, Puerto Rico, and the head tax proposal in Seattle to raise funds for affordable housing, which Amazon defeated.

*Part 2 will be posted on August 22.

Direct download: S5E27_SarahSmithPart1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:06am EDT

Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola discuss the latest bloodshed caused by Israeli military forces and the Saudi Arabia-led coalition backed by the United States, which continues to wage war on Yemen. They wonder if there's some kind of competition.

The episode highlights the assassination attempt against Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro, as well as the media coverage of the attempt.

Later in the show, the hosts talk about Alex Jones and the several platforms that banned him and the recent round of primaries, which much of the media treated as a signal that socialism was rejected by voters.

In the final minutes, Rania and Kevin review the August 5 episode of Sacha Baron Cohen's "Who Is America?".

Direct download: S5E26.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:03am EDT

Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola welcome journalist Max Blumenthal, the editor of the Grayzone Project and co-host of the podcast, Moderate Rebels. He recently returned from a reporting trip in Nicaragua.

Nicaragua has experienced violence over the past months, as opponents of President Daniel Ortega and the Sandinistas launched an insurrection back in April.

The U.S. government, as Blumenthal reported, laid the groundwork for what has unfolded. He also interviewed Ortega.

Blumenthal describes how he was shocked by the "extent of sadistic violence that was meted out against average supporters of the Sandinistas during the period in which the national police were ordered to stay in their barracks."

He recalls meeting one person after another who was tortured, beaten, or kidnapped and how their stories were overwhelming.

Blumenthal also outlines what he found out about the students who Western media have treated as leaders of democratic uprising, when that is not really the case.

Later in the interview, Blumenthal breaks down how opposition groups set up roadblocks to establish zones of control and strangle the country economically.

Blumenthal goes on to discuss how right-wing Republicans, like Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, have helped meddle in Nicaragua, and the impact that U.S. sanctions have had.

Direct download: S5E25.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:47pm EDT

Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola interview journalist Tim Shorrock, who recently returned from a trip to South Korea. He was in Singapore to cover the summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un

He has covered Korea since the 1970s. He is a contributor for the Nation and a correspondent for the Korea Center for Investigative Journalism. He has a new piece recently published at the Nation: "An Audacious Proposal for a U.S.-North Korean Alliance."

In the interview, Shorrock describes his background covering North and South Korea, as well as the U.S. military presence in South Korea and the surrounding region. He contextualizes the diplomatic negotiations between Trump and Kim.  

Shorrock provides a history of the armistice that was signed in 1953, which could potentially be used to establish peace. He addresses why South Koreans would not want U.S. troops—30,000 of them—to remain in their country and how South Korea is really responsible for most of the progress toward peace so far.

Later in the show, Shorrock offers a brief history going all the way back to the Korean War,  which highlights the impact of the U.S. war and the ramifications it has had for Koreans seeking peace and democracy in the past decades.

Direct download: S5E24_-_Tim_Shorrock.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:35am EDT

Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola are joined by Aaron Maté, a host and producer for The Real News. He has regularly covered Russiagate and all the media coverage around President Donald Trump and Russia for well over a year. And he was a guest on the show five months ago.

During the show, Maté addresses the reaction to the summit with Trump and Vladimir Putin in Helsinki. He describes what from the summit does matter and then breaks down what led up to the summit and why there is such a frenzy over it now.

Later, Khalek and Gosztola read multiple tweets and share quotes from liberal Democrats, who have totally lost it. They also wonder what it will take to defeat Trump if this is where Democrats continue to focus.

Direct download: S5E23.mp3
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Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola discuss how MSNBC gave Jonathan Chait a platform to promote a wild conspiracy theory about President Donald Trump being a Russian asset. They also get into how the network encourages attacks on journalists like Glenn Greenwald, who are skeptical of certain allegations about Russia and the Trump administration.

Later in the show, they talk about media by highlighting the introduction to journalist Seymour Hersh's memoir, "Reporter." They also spend a bit of time talking about Boots Riley's "Sorry To Bother You."

Direct download: S5E22.mp3
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Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola discuss Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's incredible victory in New York over a 10-term corporate Democrat, Joe Crowley. They also address the news of Justice Anthony Kennedy's resignation from the Supreme Court.

Gosztola provides an update on Reality Winner's case after traveling to Augusta, Georgia, to cover a hearing, where she pled guilty.

Direct download: S5E21.mp3
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Matthew Hoh, a former Marine and diplomat from the State Department who resigned in protest over the Afghanistan War, joins the show this week.

During our interview, he talks about how the U.S. government is dropping a bomb every 12 minutes. He discusses the military industrial-complex under President Donald Trump, as well as under President Barack Obama. He addresses the ongoing war in Yemen.

Later in the show, Hoh describes what it is like for someone to endure post traumatic stress disorder and outlines the scope of the issue for military veterans, especially those with moral injuries. He also comments on news that NSA whistleblower Reality Winner accepted a plea deal.

Direct download: S5E20edit.mp3
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Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola discuss the massacre of dozens of people in Gaza by Israeli military forces. Khalek talks about the reaction to it and why it may have been different than what typically happens after Israeli violence.

Gosztola and Khalek also talk about the milestone for women in the CIA who have tortured and are pro-torture. Men have been able to run the agency and be pro-torture. But now, after the help of six Democrats, Gina Haspel is CIA director and women will never have to wonder if they can escape accountability for torture like their male counterparts ever again.

Finally, Gosztola highlights the Venezeula elections and a segment on HBO's "Last Week Tonight" with John Oliver that was done very poorly.

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Gareth Porter, investigative journalist and author of "Manufactured Crisis: The Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Scare," joins the show to talk about the United States' withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal.

Porter addresses recent events involving the backlash to President Donald Trump's decision, as well as Israel's military strikes on Iranian targets in Syria.

He outlines the threat of war with Iran and discusses his report, "The Latest Act in Israel's Iran Nuclear Disinformation Campaign," which was published at Consortium News.










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Category:general -- posted at: 9:47am EDT

Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola navigate Rania's travel schedule to continue the show — without taking a break!

During this week's episode, Khalek and Gosztola talk about Benjamin Netanyahu's latest propaganda on Iran aimed at sinking the Iran nuclear deal.

Later in the show, the hosts take an opportunity to discuss Michelle Wolf and the backlash to it, even though they know full well the news media has moved on from it all. They also highlight a few other stories that have flown under the radar.

To become a patron, please go here and support the show for $3/month or more.



















Direct download: S5E15.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:53am EDT

Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola open the show by talking about the unhinged and idiotic reaction to Rania's appearance on Katie Halper's show, which Katie handled well.

Then the show's hosts discuss what has unfolded with MSNBC host Joy Reid, her homophobic posts from the late 2000s, and her claims that her blog was hacked.

The episode wraps with some talk about the proposed authorized use of military force (AUMF) by Senators Bob Corker and Tim Kaine, which further enables perpetual war.

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Our guest this week is Ryan Cooper, a national correspondent for The Week. He's also the co-author of a policy paper for the People's Policy Project called "Foreclosed: Destruction Of Black Wealth Under the Obama Presidency."

We talk about the exuberance and reverence for former FBI director James Comey and his new book among The Resistance™ to Donald Trump.

Then, Cooper addresses the ways in which neoliberal Democrats have contributed to GOP efforts to dismantle financial regulations and the impact this will have on poor and working class black Americans.

Later in the show, Cooper highlights his policy paper, "Foreclosed," and what happened to black homeowners under President Barack Obama.

The episode concludes with discussion about the Democrats' continued focus on Trump-Russia allegations and what this means for the midterm elections.

Direct download: S5E13.mp3
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Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola address the madness around Syria and President Donald Trump's latest round of military strikes.

Gosztola has Khalek provide a context that is sorely missing in the U.S. press. Together they break down all the issues with jumping to the conclusions that there was incontrovertible proof that the Syrian government was behind an alleged chemical attack.

The conversation continues with talk about Arab voices shilling for more war, as well as human rights organizations that fuel the climate for military action. Gosztola talks about how Democrats were largely silent in the run-up to the strikes, as well as how Democrats failed for the past decade to assert authority over war powers—and that is part of why Trump was able to launch strikes without coming to Congress first.

Finally, Gosztola and Khalek set their sights on a few media pundits and skewer their commentary on Syria.

Direct download: S5E12.mp3
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Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola discuss the Great Return March by Palestinians and how Israeli forces gunned down more than a dozen demonstrators. They talk about police killing Stephon Clark in Sacramento and how Louisiana refused to charge any officers responsible for killing Alton Sterling. 

On a much lighter note, Gosztola wraps the show by going through an official Democratic Party survey he filled out.

Direct download: S5E11.mp3
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Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola discuss John Bolton becoming President Donald Trump's national security adviser, the fifteenth anniversary of the Iraq War, and the vote on not taking a vote on withdrawing U.S. military support for Saudi Arabia's war on Yemen.

Khalek and Gosztola also highlight some comments from patrons who support the show and talk about plans for future patron-exclusive episodes.

***This is a preview. For the full episode, go to http://www.patreon.com/unauthorizeddisclosure and become a Patron of Unauthorized Disclosure.***

Direct download: S5E10-DiscussionPreview.mp3
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Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola interview Jana Nakhal, who is a member of the central committee of the Lebanese Communist Party and an independent researcher.

Nakhal recently traveled to Afrin in northwest Syria, which was recently occupied by Takfiri fighters backed by the Turkish army. They have looted, raped women, and targeted and killed Kurdish inhabitants, as well as others.

In this interview, Khalek asks Nakhal to describe what she witnessed on her trip to Syria. She talks about how the Takfiri fighters are ex-ISIS or ex-Nusra fighters mobilizing under the banner of the Free Syrian Army. They hate the Kurds.

She addresses the silence throughout the world as mass killing and destruction takes place in Afrin with the support of Turkish armed forces.

Later in the interview, she outlines the position of the Lebanese Communist Party on Syria and speaks about her identity as someone who was born in Syria and how the LCP has no love for the Syrian regime, which has targeted, tortured, and killed LCP members.












Direct download: S5E10.mp3
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Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola discuss the Southern Poverty Law Center's apology to journalists for publishing a post that smeared them for allegedly being in alliance with white supremacists somehow under the influence of Russia. Khalek was one of multiple journalists attacked in this piece.

Later in the episode, they talk about Russian Twitter trolls a newspaper in Milwaukee says fueled a race riot before Donald Trump's election, Democratic senators joining forces with GOP senators to further deregulate Wall Street, and the nomination of deputy CIA director Gina Haspel to head the CIA.

Direct download: S5E9.mp3
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In part two of our episode with journalist Ben Norton, we discuss Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman's visit to the United Kingdom and ongoing war in Yemen. Norton addresses the significance a move by a few U.S. senators to withdraw U.S. military support for the Saudi-led war.

Later in the show, Norton talks about Senator Chuck Schumer and Democrats, who spoke at the Israel lobby's conference. The show concludes with discussion of South Korea's success at possibly setting up peace talks between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump.

(*TECHNICAL NOTE: There is a bit of an audio issue in isolated parts of this episode. It is due to a microphone problem, and we apologize for how it may distract from the content of the interview. It should not occur in future episodes.)

Direct download: S5E8_Part_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:21pm EDT

Writer Alexander Reid Ross produced an article for the Southern Poverty Law Center's blog, "Hatewatch," that was headlined, "The multipolar spin: how fascists operationalize left-wing resentment." It mentioned Rania Khalek, Ben Norton, and journalist Max Blumenthal, who has been a guest on this show multiple times.

The article, which equates left-wing antiwar and anti-imperialist journalism and commentary with fascism, was taken down from SPLC's site with little to no explanation.

Journalist Ben Norton, a producer and reporter at The Real News, joined the show in this first part of our two-part episode to talk about the attacks on Rania, Max, and him, which have escalated in the past week.

Norton and Khalek dig into the origins of vitriol against journalists whose work counters support for the international war on Syria.

Later in Part 1, Norton and Khalek address socialist factions in the United States and their positions on Syria and what animates their politics. Both pivot to the Middle East to examine left-wing factions and sectarian politics, where similar attacks are deployed.

(*Technical Note: There is an echo in five or six points in the first part. It never lasts for more than a few seconds, but that stems from a microphone issue. We apologize for how it may distract from the content of the interview.)

Direct download: S5E8_Part1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:35pm EDT

Host Kevin Gosztola was in Augusta, Georgia, during the past week to cover a hearing in NSA contractor Reality Winner's case. It was his first time in the city, and he describes the setting as an unintentionally appropriate backdrop for the government's prosecution. So, host Rania Khalek interviewed him.

The downtown area is an example of what towns look like in late-stage capitalism. There are also several Confederate monuments (Gosztola talks about one that shocks Khalek.) Then, there is a Georgia Cyber Training And Innovation Center that will be a hub of private and public partnerships between security corporations and the U.S. security apparatus, including the NSA.

Gosztola also shares some of what he witnessed at the hearing, like how the Federal Justice Center is very fortified compared to other courthouses. He addresses the lack of national media coverage of what unfolded at her hearing to suppress statements she made to FBI agents.

Later in the show, Khalek and Gosztola highlight the teachers strike in West Virginia, which leads them to the closure of more black public schools in Chicago. That leads Khalek to wonder: why is Rahm Emanuel still Chicago mayor?

Direct download: S5E7.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:20am EDT

Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola are joined by Aaron Maté to counter the media frenzy around Special Counsel Robert Mueller and the investigation into alleged election interference by Russia.

Maté addresses how politicians and commentators are comparing the information operation described in Mueller's indictment of 13 Russian nationals to Pearl Harbor or the 9/11 attacks. He recounts how Facebook investigated ads purchased by Russians during the 2016 Election but Democrats disapproved of the company's conclusions.

Much of the alleged scandal started with claims that Russians hacked the election, but now, it has shifted to Russians meddled by abusing social media to sway voters. Maté talks about the narrative and how U.S. media advances this narrative around Russia and the 2016 Election with extremely thin evidence.

Later in the show, Maté discusses how Democrats decided to pin their hopes of opposing Donald Trump to blaming Russia for Hillary Clinton's loss. He contends one of the consequences is suppressing anyone who challenges the Democratic Party—including the foreign policy agenda which both Democrats and Republicans support.











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Host Kevin Gosztola interviews whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg about his recent book, "Doomsday Machine: Confessions Of a Nuclear War Planner."

Ellsberg, who is most known for leaking the Pentagon Papers, worked as a consultant for the Defense Department, and he even drafted a set of nuclear war plans for Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara in the early 1960s.

His book recounts his journey as he discovered how close a nuclear strike by the United States government or a war between the U.S. and Soviet government could bring the Earth's population to near-extinction.

In the interview, Ellsberg highlights how he came to learn the military's estimate for how many hundreds of millions of people would die if a nuclear attack was launched. He describes how there was no way to call back pilots if an execute order was given. He shares how his father refused to be part of the production of the H-bomb and talks about how he had classified documents on nuclear matters, which he planned to release until they were tragically lost.

Direct download: S5E5-Daniel_Ellsberg.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:12am EDT

Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola address a Daily Beast piece claiming to "expose" the Russian-funded Redfish, a grassroots media project where Khalek briefly worked. Khalek talks about the sheer disingenuousness nature of this attack. 

Later in the show, Khalek and Gosztola discuss recent airstrikes by the United States against pro-government forces in Syria and how the U.S. media went along with the idea that this was "self-defense." They also talk about President Donald Trump's desire to hold a gaudy and lavish military parade, as well as another news story about alleged Russian interference in the 2016 Election.

Direct download: S5E4.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:34am EDT

Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola pay tribute to investigative journalist Robert Parry, who founded Consortium News and died recently. 

They also address President Donald Trump's plans to develop more nuclear weapons and the latest developments in NSA whistleblower Reality Winner's case.

And with great distress, they talk about Devin Nunes' goddamn stupid fucking memo — because they suppose they had no choice but to mention it.

Direct download: S5E3.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:28am EDT

Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola welcome Karen Smith, an organizer with the Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee (IWOC). She is also part of the Campaign to Fight Toxic Prisons. She joins the show to provide an update on Operation PUSH, which is a prison strike that is currently ongoing at several facilities in Florida.

Following Smith's interview, we speak to Marbella Chavez, an organizer with the Coalition Against the Elkhart County Immigration Detention Center. CoreCivic, a private prison contractor, planned to build a center in Elkhart County, Indiana. However, as Chavez describes, several from the community came together to build opposition to CoreCivic and stopped the company from building a new facility.

Direct download: S5E2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:26am EDT

In the season 5 premiere of "Unauthorized Disclosure," hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola interview Mickey Huff, who is the director of Project Censored. He is co-host of "The Project Censored Show" and works on an annual book that includes the Top 25 Censored Stories each year.

Huff describes the work of Project Censored for those unfamiliar the effort. He discusses the issue of Facebook, Google, and these massive conglomerates that control technology we depend on to get news and information. He addresses the prevalent issue of "fake news" but notes it has existed for decades as propaganda.

We dive deeper into how the media continues to move the goalposts in its allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election and why it has such a stranglehold over political discussions.

Later in the show, Khalek and Gosztola highlight two examples of "Censored" stories from the 2016-2017 book that was released last year.











Direct download: S5E1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:07am EDT

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