ISIS

Sam hosts Suzanne Schneider, Deputy Director and Core Faculty at the Brooklyn Institute, to discuss her recent book The Apocalypse and the End of History: Modern Jihad and the Crisis of Liberalism, on the evolution of jihad as liberalism took over the world. Schneider begins by helping frame the ...
It’s Casual Friday! Emma hosts Alex Pareene, contributing editor at The New Republic and author of The AP newsletter on Substack, to wrap up the events of the week. Emma starts off with some righteous indignation towards former Trump National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster saying to resident CNN ...
Professor Juan Cole of the University of Michigan and the creator of Informed Comment Blog explains the different factions fighting ISIL in Mosul. How ISIL is using Civilians as human shields. How many ISIL fighters are there in Mosul? The future of ISIL after it loses territory. What is Turkey’s...
Cliff Schecter explains the conspiracy fueled state of the Republican Party and why the Benghazi investigations are an act of craven Republican politics. The contrast between the 9/11 investigations and Benghazi. Why are Republicans delusional in their attacks on Hilary Clinton. Why is Donald Tru...
Sam and Michael review the Republican debate and cover all the delusion and fear mongering. Ben Carson’s Goldeneye fantasy(20:00). Donald Trump goes birther Ted Cruz. Jeb Bush wants us “back in the game!” Jeb Bush’s secret strategy and Jeb donors now only giving him money out of loyalty.
Steven A. Cook is on to discuss the Saudi perspective on current turmoil in the region as a “status-quo” power(5:50). Why the Saudis see the Iranians as meddling. The power and hypocrisy of the House of Saud and its support of radical ideologies(9:33). Why the House of Saud and Wahabi radicals ar...
Hilary Matfess a research analyst at the National Defense University’s Center for Complex Operations explains the dangers in Nigeria’s new discovery of oil reserves in the Lake Chad area. The “resource curse” and Nigeria’s corruption. Coordinating security efforts against Boko Haram and why oil d...
HuffPostLive Host and Producer Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani, explains how Republican rhetoric creates a context for American terrorism. The attacks on Planned Parenthood and the lack of accountability for demonizing women’s health providers. Is Turkey backing Isis? The incoherence of the West’s Sy...
Yousef Munayyer the Executive Director of End the Occupation explains the core dynamics that need to be addressed in order to destroy ISIS. The lessons we need to learn from the Iraq invasion. Why endless Occupation does not work. Addressing the Saudi Iran proxy war. The nature of the Assad regim...
What are the different types of Islamist politics. Saudi and Iranian politics. The distinctions between Sunni and Shia Islamic movements and the flaws in Western foreign policy.
How the terrorist attacks in Paris happened. The terror tactics reflect ISIS. The command structure of ISIS and security policy in Europe. Bernie Sanders says he takes a more “conservative” approach to foreign policy than Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton says we are not at war with “radical Islam...
HuffPost Live and We The People Live host Josh Zepps explains the internal politics of the Pope’s visit. Why the American Right is freaking out over the Pope. Will Donald Trump last? Why all the pundits were wrong about Scott Walker and why Martin Shkreli tells you what you need to know about the...
Journalist Jay Cassano explains why Turkey’s AKP Government is launching military strikes against Kurdish fighters and violating Kurdish rights in Turkey. The history of Turkish and Kurdish relations. Why the Turkish President is moving against the Kurds and is Turkey heading into civil war?
Milton Allimadi, the publisher of Black Star News joins Michael to discuss Obama’s recent trip to Ghana and Ethiopia. How is Obama energizing African youth and fostering leadership and activism and what that can do for Africa. Why is Africa failing to utilize it’s vast arrays of natural resources...
Kayvon Afshari the Communications Director the Director of Communications for the American Iranian Council and host of the Mideast show, explains why the P5+! negotiations with Iran are taking so long, the importance of staying focused on the nuclear issue, the broader diplomatic opportunities an...
The Huffington Post’s Ryan Grim, explains the new plot that the Republicans are hatching to pass Fast Track Trade Authority. What happens if Fast Track Authority passes in the House without Trade Adjustment Assistance. How Progressive Democrats are going to be extorted in the TPP process. Why the...
Cliff Schecter explains why Dennis Hastert was just indicted. The mystery of who Dennis Hastert was paying hush money to and why. The systemic corruption of Republicans in Congress. Republican suppression and the pull of reactionary politics. Josh Duggar’s molestation charges and how the story wo...
The insurance industry warns against the climate crisis. The fight against Fast Track Trade authority in the Senate and the House. Bernie Sanders forces a delay on the Fast Track bill. Sander Levin’s alternative bill in the House on Fast Track authority. Why the far right is ignoring Fast Track a...
For April Fool’s the Ken, Ken & Ken Show returns! Ken, Ken & Ken talk with Tina Dupuy about why she ins’t a Lesbian anymore, but still supports discriminating against Christians in Indiana. Will Hillary be forced to drop out of the Presidential race? Also why liberals love Gays and ISIS.
Simon Lazarus of Constitutional Accountability Center explains why it is so absurd that the Supreme Court is taking King V Burwell. Why the Supreme Court ruling in favor from King would be an “unprecedented power grab”. Why everyone know that subsidies are part of the ACA and what will the Court do?
Political strategist Cliff Schecter explains President Obama’s tortured relationship with his AUMF. What authorization President Obama wants in his military campaign against ISIS. War Powers and the erosion of democracy. Mission creep and Iraq. The coming war between House and Senate Republicans....
Russia signs a ceasefire with Ukraine. Should Sam takes over for Jon Stewart? Fox’s Outnumbered freaks out over President Obama and Josh Earnest acknowledging that more people are affected by Climate Change than terrorism. The right celebrates the murder of Kayla Mueller by ISIS. Fox’s incredible...
Timothy Karr the Senior Director of Strategy for Free Press, explains the huge win for Internet users with the FCC’s reclassification of Internet providers as common carriers. Michael Powell and why the common carriage classification was changed to begin with. Why the battle for Net Neutrality wa...
Political maestro Cliff Schecter, explains why Mike Huckabee calling Jay Z a pimp is just the beginning of the 2016 Republican Primary. Why the death threats to John Boehner and teens trying to join ISIS once again shows the need for gun control. The fill Republican clown car in 2016 and why Demo...
Princeton Professor Julian Zelizer, explains what motivated his new book The Fierce Urgency of Now: Lyndon Johnson, Congress, and the Battle for the Great Society. Why Congress was also broken during the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations. How liberals were stifled on civil rights, Medicare and ...
Historian and author of  An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz explains how the settler colonial history of the United States defines it. Why the US Military is rooted in wars and mass killings against Native Americans. The Indian wars and our policy and history...
Karen Piper the author of The Price of Thirst: Global Water Inequality and the Coming Chaos explains why the United Nations didn’t recognize water as a basic human right until 2010 and why Corporations came to support the water resolution. The South African corporate driven water crisis and the p...
ISIS beheads aid worker Peter Kassig, the state of the war on ISIS, how ISIS is consolidating its leadership of global Jihad, why the GOP wants to kill a deal with Iran, the internal politics of Iran, Senator Al Franken makes a excellent case for Net Neutrality and why all innovation is not all p...
Middle East Eye contributing writer CJ Werleman explains why the New Atheists don’t understand terrorism, the real reasons for terrorism in the Middle East, oil politics and terrorism, foreign policy and atheism and the real nature of suicide terrorism.
Lawrence Lessig the head of MayDay PAC explains his strategy for radical campaign finance reform, big donors and our corrupt campaign finance reform, equality movements and those with power and without power, what candidates MayDay PAC is supporting, why MayDay PAC is putting a million dollars in...
Professor and writer Vijay Prashad explains the context for the rise of ISIS in Syria and Iraq, the myth of sectarian violence in the Middle East, the implosion of Libya and lessons for Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkey, why Turkey has been soft on ISIS and why solutions can only be found in s...
Janeane Garofalo reflected on the new war in Iraq and Syria, pro-war pundits and the military industrial complex, changing Democratic opinions on the Middle East, is America at eternal war? Why war criminals get away with it in America, war crimes and the right to be forgotten, how many civilians...
New York University Sociology Graduate student and Jacobin contributing writer Jonah Birch explains where the myth of the “culture of poverty” comes from, the roots of the culture of poverty idea, prison and African American men, racial discrimination  and incarceration, the myths of African Amer...
Investigative Journalist Chris Woods explains when the Iraqi Government requested that the Obama Administration bring drones back to Iraq, the higher rates of airstrikes in Iraq, the Libya model and the fight against Isis, what US airstrikes have focused on so far, who controls the Mosul Dam now?...
Political maestro Cliff Schecter explains what the results of the New York state primary means, Zephyr Teachout’s impressive performance, Andrew Cuomo’s machine, Teachout’s revival of the New Deal anti trust message, the politics of the new gilded age, broadening the progressive coalition, Africa...
President Obama announces strategy against Isis, two witnesses claim Michael Brown had his hands up when he was killed by Darren Wilson, witnesses also claim that Michael Brown was shot with his back turned, Ted Cruz incoherent war plans for Isis and Iran and more evidence of a NFL Ray Rice cover...
Understanding the psychology of domestic abuse the NFL’s disgusting record on domestic abuse, Fox & Friends shocking mockery of the Ray Rice beating video, Fox & Friends demented apology, President Obama set to launch a global war against Isis, did Syrian “moderates” sell murdered journal...
Journalist and author of Amir Ahmad Nasr explains the historical and ideological legacy that created Isis, the fallout from US foreign policy in the Middle East, the role if Saudi Arabia in spreading dangerous fundamentalism and the global strategy for addressing Isis should be.
Journalist David Sirota explains the pay to play pension schemes orchestrated by the Chris Christie Administration in New Jersey, why New Jersey taxpayers have paid a billion dollars in fees to Wall Street, how Chris Christie is rewarding campaign contributions from Wall Street, the stunning conf...
Cliff Schecter explains why the Democrats may not keep the Senate, the possible 50/50 Senate split, Mitch McConnell’s war against the minimum wage and self enrichment, what Mitch McConnell thinks his job is, will McConnell’s campaign manager face criminal charges, why Democrats might keep the Nor...
Journalist Patrick Cockburn explains how Isis developed out of Syria and Iraq, the origins of Isis in Al Quada in Iraq, Sunni repression in post Saddam Iraq, what Hillary Clinton misses about arming moderate rebels in Syria, what regional powers support Jihadi fighters, the strategic miscalculati...
Demos Senior Policy analyst Catherine Reutschlin explains how markets the libertarian myth of a color blind free market, how markets can perpetuate racism, private prisons, why the “sharing” economy is not color blind and how race and inequality cannot be separated.
Princeton’s Eddie Glaude Jr. explains the larger meaning of the crisis in Ferguson and the murder of Michael Brown, “conflict porn” and why we don’t get to the bottom of race in America, why white supremacy is the disease that undermines America, white supremacy can be practiced by anyone, the po...
Middle East analyst and commentator Holly Dagres explains why US airstrikes against ISIS are needed, the unique threat that ISIS poses to Iraq, the failures of Nouri al Maliki’s leadership, sectarian violence and Iraq’s future and what are the best policy options moving forward.
Political strategist and weekly guest Cliff Schecter explains why President Obama is the fourth President in a row to bomb Iraq, the human rights crisis in Iraq, the potential goals of military strikes in Iraq, why humanitarian intervention might be justified to save the Yazdi community, the aust...
Journalist Rafia Zakaria explains the brutal track record of the Taliban and ISIS in attacking women, the all female ISIS brigade that monitors women, medieval imagery, Islamic insurgencies, the Orientalist imagination and how to address global human rights systemically.
Professor Juan Cole author of the new book  The New Arabs: How the Millennial Generation is Changing the Middle East, explains why most Muslims do not take ISIS proclaiming a Caliphate seriously, the shifting politics of Kurdish independence, why oppression of Sunnis is fueling the crisis in Iraq...
Matt Duss of the Center For American Progress explains the roots of Iraq’s current crisis, why the surge and the Sunni awakening did not create a new political culture in Iraq, how Iraq’s Sunni’s are repressed, how powerful is ISIS? Internal Sunni divisions in Iraq, why the Kurds are succeeding, ...
UN Dispatch’s Mark Leon Goldberg explains how Iraq’s government Nouri al Maliki, has been unable to stop growing violence in the country, the violent extremism of ISIS and their political and religious goals, Iraq and Syria and the Sunni Shia divide, how wide is support for ISIS? Kurdish independ...