PodcastRevolution

The episode first released to subscribers. This is a cut and edited version. Subscribe for full and uncut episodes of the Unauthorized Disclosure podcast. David McBride is a former military lawyer in the Royal Australia Regiment and Australia Special Forces. He completed two tours in Afghanistan and submitted an internal complaint against what he witnessed in the war. He immediately faced scrutiny and harassment. A few years later, David found journalists with the Australia Broadcasting Corporation who were willing to listen to him. They were interested in classified documents that showed the reality of Australia’s involvement in the war. What David had to reveal was published as “The Afghan Files.” It was a “quite a big story in Australia,” according to him. But the Australia government responded by raiding the ABC and targeting David with a prosecution for an espionage offense. In this episode from the “Unauthorized Disclosure” podcast, which Kevin Gosztola typically co-hosts with Rania Khalek, Kevin speaks with David about his deployments to Afghanistan. He shares his view on how the last several weeks, as the United States withdrew forces and then mounted an unprecedented evacuation effort with a mostly cooperative Taliban. *For more on whistleblower stories, subscribe to The Dissenter: https://thedissenter.org/#/portal/signup

Human rights attorney Steven Donziger joins the "Unauthorized Disclosure" weekly podcast to talk with Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola about the push for a new trial in the corrupt Chevron-backed case against him.      Steven was involved in a lawsuit that won (and was supposed to award) the indigenous people of Ecuador, who were victims of oil pollution, millions of dollars. Chevron turned around and targeted Steven, and this lawfare has been unfolding for over a decade.      He'll mark two years on house arrest on August 6 with rallies demanding his freedom and end to this corporate co-optation of the U.S. judicial system.

*Please enjoy this free version of the "Unauthorized Disclosure" podcast.*   Joining the "Unauthorized Disclosure" podcast this week is Ann Wright and Matthew Hoh.      Ann is a retired U.S. Army colonel and State Department diplomat who was part of the small team that reopened the U.S. embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan in December 2001. She eventually resigned in protest against the Iraq War. Matthew served in the Marine Corps in the Iraq War and later worked for the State Department. He resigned from the State Department in protest against the Afghanistan War in 2009.      Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola discuss in great detail what led up to the U.S. military's withdrawal from Afghanistan.  Ann and Matthew respond to the panic around the Taliban and what will happen now that U.S. military forces are leaving. They speak about the sadness of what Afghans have endured and what is likely to come for them in the years ahead.    They also contemplate what the war will look like now without U.S. military forces on the ground in the Afghanistan.   Subscribe at Rokfin.com/UnauthorizedDis or become a patron at Patreon.com/UnauthorizedDisclosure

Matt Kennard, journalist and head of investigations for Declassified UK, returns to the podcast to discuss some of his recent reporting on the British security state. He also responds to latest developments in the extradition case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.   He discusses how his media organization was blacklisted by the Ministry of Defense and highlights a report published at Declassified UK on the British anti-crime agency that trained Colombia's repressive police.   Matt also talks about documents Declassified UK obtained that show the British government "sought, in 2000, to integrate [Vladimir] Putin’s Russia into the Western-ruled economic system."   ***To support the show, go to Rokfin.com/UnauthorizedDis or Patreon.com/UnauthorizedDisclosure and become a subscriber. You'll help keep this show going and gain early access to episodes as well as access to exclusive content.***

Sara Flounders, a longtime activist and co-director of the International Action Center, joins the "Unauthorized Disclosure" weekly podcast to discuss the campaign to free Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab. He was jailed in Cabo Verde while trying to obtain food and gasoline for Venezuelans from Iran. He faces extradition as part of lawfare by the U.S. to enforce crippling sanctions against Venezuela. Sara recently visited Cabo Verde with a delegation. She describes solidarity efforts that are underway, as well as some of the wider organizing she has done to show sanctions are not a peaceful alternative to war. She also outlines how the US is able to count on Cabo Verde to act as a client state and submit to their demands to violate human rights and international law.

In this free clip from a premium episode of the "Unauthorized Disclosure" weekly podcast, hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola comment on the petty smear campaigning of the Young Turks of the past  few weeks and what their attacks on journalist Aaron Mate for his coverage of Syria say about progressive media.

We hope you appreciate this free episode of the "Unauthorized Disclosure" podcast with Max Ajl, a postdoctoral fellow with the Rural Sociology Group at  Wageningen University and author of the book, "A People's Green New Deal."   During our interview, Max outlines what a People's Green New Deal would  look like and why we need a People's Green New Deal instead of the Green New Deal that is favored by most progressive Democrats.    Ajl addresses the flawed rosy proclamations from business leaders around technology being able to save us from climate catastrophe and the ways the capitalist class is co-opting energy around calls to action. ***Access premium content from the "Unauthorized Disclosure" podcast by becoming a subscriber at Rokfin.com/UnauthorizedDis***

In this free version of the weekly "Unauthorized Disclosure" podcast, Jordan Chariton, a journalist and co-founder of Status Coup, joins the "Unauthorized Disclosure" podcast to discuss YouTube's censorship regime, the importance of independent media solidarity, and navigating a media landscape dominated by establishment media gatekeepers.

Asa Winstanley, a journalist and podcaster with the Electronic Intifada, joins hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola to discuss the latest cycle of Israeli government violence against Palestinians.    Plus, later in the show, Asa highlights a report he produced on the British secret police and their infiltration of activist groups.  To subscribe to this podcast, go to Rokfin.com/UnauthorizedDis

CODEPINK co-founder Medea Benjamin joins Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola to go through President Joe Biden's foreign policy agenda during his administration's first 100 days. Her organization put together a poll for people to grade the Biden administration. Medea gives the Biden White House a "D," which is barely a passing grade. Biden has pulled back from some of the extremism of his predecessor, President Donald Trump. The United States re-entered the Paris climate agreement, the new START treaty was renewed with Russia, the Muslim ban was lifted, and there are plans for a withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan (though she notes Trump negotiated a withdrawal). But Biden has also failed terribly and instead promoted militarism and prolonged inhumane policies. As Medea highlights, crippling sanctions remain in force against Cuba, Iran, Nicaragua, North Korea, Syria, and Venezuela. The U.S. military continues to support the Saudi war on Yemen, and the administration has delayed returning to the Iran nuclear deal. Later in the episode, Medea discusses how it is harder to organize for peace under a Democratic administration and highlights some of the campaign work that CODEPINK is engaged in while Biden is in the White House.

"We know they're not a revolutionary party, but they're not even reformers. The Democrats are not even fighting for strong social reforms at this moment. They're managers," says Ryan Knight, a socialist, activist, and host of the "Amped Up" podcast. "They're trying to kind of manage this decrepit capitalist and imperialist system, despite the massive levels of suffering that it's inflicting in our country and throughout the world."   Ryan joins Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola for this week's episode of the "Unauthorized Disclosure" podcast. He outlines the chief dilemma with progressives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who fear confrontation with President Joe Biden's administration and establishment Democrats that control the party.    [*NOTE: This is a free version of the episode. The episode posted at our Rokfin channel - rokfin.com/UnauthorizedDis - contains our entire discussion.]

Ollie Vargas, a reporter with Kawsachun News in Bolivia, and Leonardo Flores, the Latin America coordinator for CODEPINK, joins the "Unauthorized Disclosure" podcast to discuss the runoff election in Ecuador. Flores was in Ecuador as an election observer. Guillermo Lasso, a conservative banker supported by the United States and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), beat Andrés Arauz, the left-leaning candidate. It was a bleak development for the left, as this means President Lenin Moreno's destructive neoliberal policies will continue to wreak havoc on the Ecuador economy. Ollie describes each of the two candidates, who were in the runoff, and addresses the outcome. Leonardo highlights a poll from a right-wing firm called Cedatos that had some impact on the integrity of the election. Later in the episode, the two guests discuss the media in Ecuador, which played a role in demonizing Arauz. They describe some of the obstacles the left in Ecuador failed to overcome and confront some of the new personnel in President Joe Biden's administration, who will count on Lasso to serve US interests.

Kshama Sawant, a member of the Seattle City Council and Socialist Alternative, joins the "Unauthorized Disclosure" podcast to discuss the unprecedented recall effort against her.   The state supreme court in Washington gave a green light to the Recall Swant campaign on April 1. It explicitly targets Kshama for promoting a tax on corporations like Amazon in order to help the city fund housing for lower income residents. Kshama is also unfairly singled out for attending a protest against Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan at her home, which was part of a push in June to defund the Seattle Police Department. The grassroots mobilization took place in the weeks following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.     The news of Amazon's so-called victory in thwarting a union at a plant in Bessemer, Alabama, came right before we recorded our interview. Kshama reacts to the news and highlights the ways they corrupted the election.

Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola wake up early and discuss rich countries hoarding the COVID-19 vaccine, liberals who are uncomfortable with calling out New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's corruption, and a drone whistleblower who pled guilty to violating the Espionage Act. *For the full episode, subscribe on Rokfin at https://rokfin.com/unauthorizeddis

Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola are joined by Ehsani, who has spent his career in the financial industry and economics. He prefers to go by his Twitter handle. During this episode, Ehsani provides a deep dive into the roots of an intense financial crisis and outlines why the banking industry is largely insolvent. Much of it revolves around a fixed currency rate and the way in which banks acted as brokers for those willing to deposit their funds in the form of U.S. dollars. Rania and Ehsani offer a brief political history of the players involved, and Kevin asks Ehsani to address the role of international institutions like the World Bank or IMF in stifling Lebanon's ability to deal with the crisis. Finally, Ehsani shares his view on the economic outlook for Lebanon in 2022 and beyond. If you were looking for a message of hope, you came to the wrong podcast. This is the bleak reality for hundreds of thousands of Lebanese people driven into poverty by a scheme that enriched elites at the expense of the country.