Friday News Roundup - International
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2012-08-10/friday-news-roundup-international
The leaders of more than a dozen countries attended a meeting in Tehran, Iran, aimed at ending the violence in Syria. Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi fired his intelligence chief and other top security officials on Wednesday in response to the killings of 16 soldiers in the Sinai Peninsula. And the murder trial of Bo Xilai's wife, Gu Kailai, concluded in China behind closed doors. Courtney Kube of NBC News, Tom Gjelten of NPR and Nadia Bilbassy of MBC TV join Diane for analysis of the week's top international news stories.
Guests
Courtney Kube
national security producer for NBC News.
Tom Gjelten
NPR national security correspondent and author of "Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba: The Biography of a Cause."
Nadia Bilbassy
senior U.S. correspondent for MBC TV -- Middle East Broadcast Centre.
Comments
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I forget who, but an NPR reporter covering the murder trial in China commented that she was astonished at the American involvement in the Chinese judicial system and even the "Communist" Politburo. Why?
I always assume "the owners" are in charge everywhere I go. It's the same Oligarchy all around the globe. The puppet show of the Nonalligned BRICS versus Western Good Guys in Syria is analogous to the engineered intransigence of Congressional gridlock (for needed actions while corporate bills run in the HOV lane). The pestle of power grinds stupefied humanity in the mortar of unlimited wealth. Chinese economy slowing down? Well it ain't like they can call "Luke Ford" to get the bugs out now because they have gone fully fascist in their Capitalism and they are the malware.
Tom G has been excellent on TOTN filling in for Conan this week.
On Cuba: Maybe he didn't "drink the koolaid" but he "sipped da rum."
Losing American soldiers in Afghanistan an incredible tragedy. Can your guest please tell us why our MSM is able to report how many American soldiers are killed in Afghanistan but somehow are unable to report how many people Obama's drones kill in Afghanistan and elsewhere in that region?
Over at the website Race for Iran former CIA middle east analyst Flynt Leverett has said that Secretary of State Clinton and the Obama's strategy in Syria undermined Kofi Anan's efforts. That they started with a demand that Assad step down, were never open to negotiations with Assad which created a situation where he was backed into a corner and Obama and team promoted the killing and destruction in Syria. Leverett who was in the Bush 43's administration said that funding to Syrian rebels (or who ever they are) started in the Bush administration early in that administration
Over at the former head of the CiA's Bin Laden unit Micheal Scheuer states that a major push for the OBama strategy in Syria is pushed and supported by Israel and the I lobby here in the states. He also supports Leveretts insights that the Obama strategy in Syria is a losing strategy causing more death and destruction in Syria.
Diane hope you will have both Flynt Leverett and Micheal Scheuer on your program. You and your team know they are well qualified to speak about these issues
Diane you and the Rehm team used to do one hour shows on the Israeli Palestinian conflict. It has been a long long time since you have focused on this critical issue. Over at Mondoweiss a great website for information and discussions on the middle east. A relative newcomer to these issues but an effective one Phillip Weiss has written an impressive blog about how after numerous visits to Israel he believes that the two state solution is over. That Israel has closed the door through their ongoing expansion of illegal settlements. The blog is called "Trapped" You should have Phillip Weiss, Adam Horowitz and Annie Robbins on your program. They are Jewish individuals who have become very active in the Palestinian justice movement.
Your guests seem amazed at the ability of "The Taliban" to get close to American military personnel and their Afghan collaborators. Years ago, I heard an American enlisted man describe the Taliban as any pissed off Pashtun. Well between civilian killings, war crimes and "collateral damage" from drone killings there are a LOT of pissed off Pashtuns.
The Diane Rehm phone screener has just allowed four men through for questions on international affairs. This has been a habit of recent screeners. As if women do not have opinions or read about international affairs. Some real gender issues going on at the Diane Rehm show.
6 men's questions having to with the international hour let through. what is with this gender bias during the international hour. Natalie the phone screener needs to examine her gender bias when it comes to international politics. Pattern developing on the Rehm show the last few years
Jokr have you ever watched the documentary "Convoy of Death: Afghanistan Massacre" now at Information Clearing house. The only US news outlet to cover this issue soon after it took place was Amy Goodman on Democracy Now. The Diane Rehm has never reported about that surrendered Taliban massacre. Thank goodness for Democracy Now and the internet. There is a reason the MSM has lost participants
A panelist suggested that the killings of coalition forces might make the military want to ramp up or stay longer in Afghanistan. I disagree. Senior military might want to "finish the job", but they don't have to eat sand or deal with family issues caused by long, multiple deployments.
Any historian could have told you that this is a no-win situation for the U.S. We should have followed China's model and negotiated mineral rights with the Afghans instead of fighting them.
Hahaha... ah! US is giving media training aka propaganda training! Diane's guests are nothing more than repeaters for the elite establishment!
kathleen wrote:
"6 men's questions having to with the international hour let through. what is with this gender bias during the international hour. Natalie the phone screener needs to examine her gender bias when it comes to international politics. Pattern developing on the Rehm show the last few years"
kathleen, did you ever think, maybe no, or few women are calling? If the majority of callers are men, they are going to represent the majority of people on the air. How come we don't hear you?!
Didn't we, the U.S., defeat the Taliban already?
We were told this, the Taliban was/is defeated by our President, at the time.
We still don't know, after Vietnam we cannot win a war of ideology?