Going Underground Hosted by Afshin Rattansi

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to former State Department & Defense Department official Matthew Hoh, who resigned over the Afghanistan war. He discusses the significance of the 20th anniversary of Julian Assange founding WikiLeaks, increasing censorship of journalism in the United States and NATO nations, the possibility of the US or Israel using nuclear weapons against Iran, Benjamin Netanyahu’s increasing political desperation, Pete Hegseth’s overhaul of the US military, why we don’t see more resignations from the US government over the US’ atrocities abroad, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction: WikiLeaks Anniversary and Context(00:01:24) - Matthew Hoh's Tribute to Assange and WikiLeaks' Legacy(00:04:22) - Censorship, Media Consolidation and Rising State Repression(00:07:59) - Why No Mass Protests Despite War on Iran(00:09:52) - Public Fatigue, Economic Pressure and Suppression Tactics(00:13:17) - Break(00:13:35) - Nuclear Weapons Risk and Netanyahu's Political Desperation(00:17:27) - State Department Loyalty and Lack of Dissent(00:21:18) - Military Resignations and Pentagon Power Struggles(00:23:24) - Nuremberg Legacy, Obedience, and Closing Remarks

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Vice Admiral Robert Harward, former Deputy Commander of US CENTCOM and Executive Vice President of Shield AI. Afshin Rattansi challenges him on his support for the US regime change war on Iran, Iran’s de facto alliance with the US against ISIS & Al Qaeda, the economic cost of the war on Iran at $2 billion a day for Americans, the level of the Iranian threat against the United States before the war on Iran began, the fate of the US’ bases in the GCC after the war on Iran ends, the US’ sanctions on Iran and the 38 million deaths caused by US sanctions up until 2021, the state of the Russia-NATO proxy war in Ukraine and Kiev being unable to ‘win’ the war, Ukraine’s strikes on Russian refineries fuelling the global energy crisis, the Maidan Coup and the NATO provocations that caused Russia’s invasion in 2022, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro: State of the region after Iran war(00:01:28) - National security adviser question and multi-front strategy(00:03:00) - History of Iran-US relations since 1979(00:06:33) - Cold War alliances and Soleimani contacts(00:09:58) - Prioritizing the Middle East vs China(00:11:47) - Would Harward have stopped the Iran war?(00:14:00) - Assessing Rubio and the Iran threat debate(00:16:45) - Retaliation, US bases, and threat justification(00:18:58) - Sanctions, history of chemical weapons, and blame(00:20:18) - Drone warfare in Ukraine and Kiev strategy(00:23:15) - Ukraine, NATO expansion, and Putin's motives(00:25:48) - Israel, GCC, and closing remarks

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Joe Kent, former Director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, who resigned from the Trump Administration after the US-Israeli war on Iran was launched. He discusses the effects of the war on Iran domestically in the United States and how Israel marched the US to war on Iran, who the individual access points are for the Israel lobby in the Trump Administration, what was behind Israel’s calculation to assassinate Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of the war to keep Trump stuck in the Iran War, why Donald Trump has decided not to aid Saudi Arabia militarily in the campaign against the Houthis in Yemen, the association of Nicolas Maduro with Tren de Aragua—the pretext for regime change in Venezuela, why nothing has been done about the perpetrators about the Russiagate hoax, the ongoing cover-up of 9/11, the anniversary of the Nordstream attacks and whether the US was behind the attack, why no one resigned from the Biden Administration over the Gaza genocide, the assassination of Charlie Kirk, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro: Nord Stream Anniversary and Global Context(00:00:53) - Introducing Joe Kent and His Resignation(00:03:16) - The Israel Lobby's Influence on Trump(00:05:55) - Killing the Supreme Leader and Locking In War(00:07:15) - Trump's Restraint on Yemen and the Houthis(00:09:40) - Signal Gate Leak and Yemen Terrain Challenges(00:11:19) - Financial Fallout of Middle East Wars(00:13:25) - Break(00:13:40) - Venezuela, Tren de Aragua, and Intelligence Politics(00:17:30) - Russiagate and Trust in the Intelligence Community(00:19:28) - 9/11 Secrets and Al Qaeda/ISIS Questions(00:22:05) - Nord Stream Suspicions and Gaza Genocide Silence(00:24:59) - Charlie Kirk Assassination Investigation Doubts(00:27:14) - Closing Remarks and Next Episode Preview

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Steve Hanke, Professor of Applied Economics at Johns Hopkins University. He discusses the Federal Reserve hiking interest rates by 25 basis points last Wednesday, the real reason behind the US bond market being in a slump and why inflation will be around for a while, why he recommends private investors to stay away from the US bond market, why Donald Trump has no good options to escape the current inflation and bond market crisis, the war on Iran’s impact on the US government’s budget deficit, increased energy prices in the US being a ‘war tax’ on the American people, and how Donald Trump has put oxygen into the BRICS thanks to his actions, and why Xi Jinping holds all the cards against the United States. Prof. Hanke and Afshin Rattansi also debate the legacy of Hugo Chavez’ Bolivarian Revolution, with Hanke calling Chavez an economic disaster for Venezuela and calling for the adoption of the dollar for Venezuela, while Afshin Rattansi points out the achievements of Chavez in improving the lives of ordinary Venezuelans. Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction and geopolitical overview(00:01:35) - Fed rate hike and impact on world(00:03:26) - Money supply, Divisia M4 and inflation risks(00:05:29) - Bond market manipulation by Treasury(00:07:29) - Divisia data, Iran war and money supply link(00:10:02) - War costs, deficits and inflation tax(00:12:03) - Debate on interest rates vs. war as inflation cause(00:13:13) - Oil chokepoints and Saudi production decline(00:13:58) - Break(00:14:16) - War tax impact on truck drivers and farmers(00:15:29) - Environmental costs of war and GDP accounting(00:17:48) - Trump's strategy and BRICS dynamics(00:19:33) - BRICS communique and Iran war rhetoric(00:21:27) - Venezuela dollarization plan and debate over Chavez(00:24:53) - China, Xi Jinping meeting and global pivot(00:26:40) - Closing remarks

On this special episode of Going Underground, we speak to Tucker Carlson, Host of The Tucker Carlson Show, and one of the most famous journalists on the planet. He discusses the Russia-NATO proxy war in Ukraine and the risk of nuclear war, the disastrous US-Israeli war on Iran, eroding political freedoms in the United States as censorship of dissent and anti-Israel voices becomes more prevalent, the rise of BRICS and China’s ever-growing superpower status, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro: Season Premiere with Tucker Carlson(00:01:00) - JD Vance, Trump Loyalty, and Departures from Administration(00:04:20) - Betrayal of Trump's Voters and Neocon Appointments(00:07:07) - Pentagon Chaos and Nuclear Weapons Discussions(00:09:15) - Attempted Assassination of Putin and War with Russia(00:11:39) - US Sovereignty, Deep State, and Nuclear Doctrine(00:15:19) - Mass Hysteria, Spiritual Forces, and Public Ignorance(00:20:51) - Christian Zionism vs Traditional Christianity(00:23:25) - Russia's Christian Revival and Western Elite Hostility(00:26:58) - Britain, Israel, and the Balfour Legacy(00:28:09) - The Iran War Decision and Trump's Reluctance(00:30:39) - Rubio, Vance, and the Iran War Fallout(00:32:54) - Economic Costs and the Petrodollar Risk(00:34:35) - Israel's Regional Hegemony and the Gulf States(00:37:43) - Trump's Affection for the Gulf and the Mystery of Betrayal(00:38:59) - Minab School Massacre and Moral Reckoning(00:40:13) - Trump's Psychology and the Nuclear War Fear(00:42:31) - Rubio's Cover Story and Trump Being Played(00:44:44) - Anti-Semitism Accusations and Personal Risk(00:47:30) - Midterms, Impeachment, and War as Political Escape(00:52:56) - 9/11, Israel's Influence, and the Charlie Kirk Assassination(00:58:24) - Empire Decline and the Rise of BRICS(01:02:16) - Russia, China Alliance, and the Failure of Anchorage Summit(01:06:46) - European Troops, Police States, and Debanking Dissidents(01:10:35) - Israel-Aligned Censorship in the US(01:15:07) - Personal Risk, Freedom, and Closing Reflections