Moderate Rebels
164 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 626 ratingsModerate Rebels was a political podcast and video show hosted by journalists Max Blumenthal and Benjamin Norton. It ended in January 2022.
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Episodes
The Kafkaesque trial and torture of political prisoner Julian Assange - with Randy Credico
March 07, 2020 17:20 - 1 hour - 97.2 MBBen Norton joins Randy Credico to co-host his program "Julian Assange: Countdown to Freedom," dedicated to exposing the prosecution and persecution of the WikiLeaks founder, a political prisoner who is being tortured for the "crime" of publishing truthful information. We discuss the extradition trial in London, the dangerous implications for press freedom, CIA surveillance, and the campaign against Chelsea Manning. Guests: Thomas Drake, Jesselyn Radack, Rebecca Vincent, and Robert Boyle
Joe Biden, same old wars, same old interventionism: Ex-State Dept adviser warns of VP's hawkishness
March 04, 2020 21:03 - 1 hour - 81.3 MBDemocratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden has for decades supported wars and military interventions across the planet. Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton speak with former State Department Russia adviser James Carden about his experience in the Obama administration. We discuss the ex vice president's role in the wars on Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Yugoslavia; his hawkishness against Russia and China; his destructive policies in Latin America; and the Biden family's corruption in Ukraine. (This...
After US terrorist war and sanctions, Nicaragua fights for justice at international court
February 21, 2020 00:47 - 43 minutes - 39.7 MBIn Managua, Ben Norton interviews Nicaragua's representative to the UN's International Court of Justice, Carlos Argüello Gómez, who speaks about his country's case against the US over its terrorist Contra war, the 2018 coup attempt, and why Washington's unilateral sanctions are an illegal form of warfare on civilians. WATCH the interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jo-_0xH2Vw
Max Blumenthal on the imperial NGOs that ignore Julian Assange - and the billionaires behind them
February 16, 2020 20:33 - 15 minutes - 14.3 MBModerate Rebels co-host and The Grayzone editor Max Blumenthal speaks about the witch hunt against WikiLeaks publisher and political prisoner Julian Assange, and how billionaire-funded "human rights" and "press freedom" non-profit organizations have refused to support him. This talk was hosted by the Courage Foundation in New York City on February 15, 2020. WATCH the talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT1-tbJ9Mak
What the US attacks on Iran and military occupation of Iraq mean for the Axis of Resistance
January 20, 2020 20:47 - 1 hour - 58 MBAs the US escalates its military aggression in the Middle East, we speak with journalist Elijah Magnier about the future of the Axis of Resistance. After the assassination of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Iraq's parliament voted unanimously to expel American troops. But the Trump administration is refusing to withdraw.
Max Blumenthal on his false arrest, US gov't persecution, and the takeover of Venezuela's embassy
January 13, 2020 19:20 - 1 hour - 70.8 MBMax Blumenthal describes his arrest and imprisonment on false charges (which were later dropped), the persecution he faced by the US government, and the real story of how the Trump administration helped violent right-wing coup-mongers besiege and eventually seize Venezuela's embassy in Washington, DC. Read more at the article we discuss: https://thegrayzone.com/2019/12/07/us-government-dropped-charges-max-blumenthal-arrest/
Trump escalates US war on Iran and Iraq with execution of top general Soleimani
January 05, 2020 22:17 - 2 hours - 112 MBDonald Trump has in effect declared war on Iran and Iraq by assassinating IRGC general Qasem Soleimani and PMF commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton discuss the dangerous consequences in this The Grayzone livestream with Aaron Maté and Rania Khalek. You can watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeQ_dx452WM
Jeremy Corbyn's greatest 'sin' was anti-imperialism: UK Labour centrists seek new pro-war leader
December 27, 2019 01:21 - 49 minutes - 45.5 MBAfter sabotaging Jeremy Corbyn, centrists from Britain's Labour Party are looking for a new leader without principled anti-war views. Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton continue with activist Joshua Y. Jackson, discussing how Corbyn was viciously smeared because of his committed anti-imperialism and support for Palestinian rights. We also talk about the massive media propaganda campaign, and the prospects of an independent Scotland and united Ireland. PART 2 OF 2 Follow Josh on Twitter at htt...
Behind the historic defeat of Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party: The UK election and Brexit backlash
December 17, 2019 01:11 - 42 minutes - 39 MBJeremy Corbyn's Labour Party suffered a historic defeat in the UK general elections. Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton speak with Labour activist Joshua Y. Jackson, who says the failure of the party to get behind Brexit destroyed it, and handed victory to the far-right Conservatives and Boris Johnson. Josh talks about how the centrists who still dominate Labour sabotaged Corbyn's campaign, and how the media-savvy "middle-class left" abandoned socialist working-class policies to not lose the ap...
What was Pete Buttigieg doing in Iraq?: US gov whistleblower on war profiteering and corruption
December 05, 2019 21:54 - 1 hour - 61.1 MBWhat was Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg doing in his safe house in Iraq — and why is he hiding it? Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton speak with Peter Van Buren, a longtime US State Department employee turned whistleblower. Van Buren explains how corporate contractors profited from the war and built a shielded bubble of corruption in Baghdad's Green Zone. We also address McKinsey & Company's work with the CIA and Mayor Pete's links to American intelligence agencies. Peter Va...
Inside Bolivia's murderous post-coup regime - with Wyatt Reed
November 25, 2019 07:29 - 52 minutes - 48.7 MBMax Blumenthal and Ben Norton speak with journalist Wyatt Reed, who is reporting on the ground in Bolivia after a US-backed far-right military coup against democratically elected leftist President Evo Morales. He describes the bloody repression of Indigenous protesters and the state of resistance. Follow Wyatt on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wyattreed13
Max Blumenthal on how corporate media manufactures consent for war and regime change
November 22, 2019 19:57 - 11 minutes - 11.4 MBMax Blumenthal discusses how corporate media manufactures consent for hybrid warfare and regime-change campaigns, from Russiagate to Libya, Venezuela to Syria. VIDEO here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOV-RYnpQH4 (From the panel "PROPAGANDA: How Propaganda Manufactures Consent," organized by the Big Apple Coffee Party in New York City on November 19.)
Is a coup attempt against Mexico's left-wing President AMLO next?
November 15, 2019 07:22 - 30 minutes - 28.5 MBMax Blumenthal and Ben Norton discuss President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), Mexico's first left-wing leader in five decades, with journalist Alina Duarte, who warns that right-wing forces may be trying to overthrow him in a coup, as Mexican foreign policy increasingly challenges the US and OAS. NOTE: This interview was recorded on November 7, before the US-backed far-right coup in Bolivia. Help support Alina Duarte's independent reporting here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/dismantl...
'The Pinochet dictatorship never ended': Inside Chile's mass uprising against neoliberalism
November 08, 2019 07:25 - 48 minutes - 44.2 MBBen Norton and Max Blumenthal speak with journalist Alina Duarte, who is in Chile reporting on the enormous protests against right-wing billionaire oligarch President Sebastián Piñera. We discuss his neoliberal capitalist policies, growing poverty and inequality, the brutally violent police and military repression of the demonstrations, the regional implications, and the historical echoes of the Pinochet dictatorship. Help support Alina's independent reporting here: https://www.gofundme.c...
The next phase of the war on Syria: A glimpse inside Damascus with Max Blumenthal and Anya Parampil
October 09, 2019 19:02 - 58 minutes - 54.1 MBBen Norton continues his discussion with Max Blumenthal and Anya Parampil, who traveled to Syria to report on how the brutal regime-change war continues, now through economic siege, sanctions, and psychological warfare. PART 2 OF 2 (Recorded on September 21, 2019)
Inside the hell of jihadist-held Syria: A report from Damascus with Max Blumenthal and Anya Parampil
October 04, 2019 06:19 - 50 minutes - 46.7 MBBen Norton speaks with Max Blumenthal and Anya Parampil about their week reporting on the ground in Syria, where they saw the hell unleashed on civilians by foreign-backed Salafi-jihadist "rebels." PART 1 OF 2
US meddling in Hong Kong's protests and the new cold war on China - with Carl Zha
September 02, 2019 18:45 - 1 hour - 58.3 MBMax Blumenthal and Ben Norton continue discussing Hong Kong with China expert Carl Zha. We address the US government's role stoking the violent protests, corporate media lies and propaganda, and the new cold war against Beijing. PART 2 OF 2 Read more at The Grayzone: "Behind a made-for-TV Hong Kong protest narrative, Washington is backing nativism and mob violence" https://thegrayzone.com/2019/08/17/hong-kong-protest-washington-nativism-violence/
Hong Kong's real colonial history, and the protests' anti-China right-wing nativism - with Carl Zha
August 23, 2019 06:40 - 54 minutes - 50.3 MBMax Blumenthal and Ben Norton discuss the violent protests rocking Hong Kong with China expert Carl Zha, who explains the colonial history with Britain, the anti-Chinese right-wing nativism fueling the protests, the economic conditions, and local oligarchs' leading role in the chaos. PART 1 OF 2 Check out Carl Zha's podcast Silk and Steel here: https://www.patreon.com/silknsteel
How Obama/Clinton's right-wing coup in Honduras unleashed the migrant crisis
July 22, 2019 06:24 - 46 minutes - 42.5 MBMax Blumenthal and Ben Norton continue reporting in Honduras with Gerardo Torres of the opposition Libre Party, who explains how the 2009 US-backed right-wing military coup that ousted elected President Manuel Zelaya, overseen by Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, unleashed an immigration crisis that has fueled Trump and the far-right. We also address the hypocrisy of the "war on drugs" and foreign imperialist intervention in Central America. PART 2 OF 2
US neo-colonialism in Honduras and the struggle for independence and democracy
July 15, 2019 17:31 - 47 minutes - 43.8 MBWe report from inside Honduras on the 10th anniversary of the US-backed military coup that overthrew its independent left-wing democracy. Gerardo Torres of the opposition Libre Party discusses how Washington maintains a chokehold on Honduran politics and society to advance its economic and military interests. PART 1 OF 2
The Sudan uprising: Geopolitics, economics, and history of the crisis - with Ahmed & Sidgi Kaballo
June 29, 2019 23:07 - 1 hour - 72.8 MBTo discuss the overthrow of Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir, Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton are joined by journalist Ahmed Kaballo and former political prisoner Sidgi Kaballo, a leader of the Sudanese Communist Party who has been imprisoned three times. We discuss the uprising, the origins of the protests, the history of Sudan, the economics and IMF debt, and the larger geopolitics of the situation, analyzing the roles of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Turkey, China, Russia, the US, and EU.
India's far-right landslide and the global rise of ultranationalist hate politics
May 30, 2019 07:39 - 59 minutes - 54.3 MBMax Blumenthal and Ben Norton discuss India's 2019 general election results with journalist Prabir Purkayastha, addressing the landslide victory of far-right Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu-nationalist party BJP, the collapse of Congress, the global rise of right-wing ultranationalist hate politics, the crisis of neoliberalism, and geopolitics. Follow Newsclick at https://newsclick.in
The anti-war Gravelanche: Presidential candidate Mike Gravel campaigns against militarism and empire
May 08, 2019 21:25 - 1 hour - 60.5 MBMax Blumenthal and Ben Norton interview US presidential candidate Mike Gravel, who is running an anti-war campaign promising to "end the American empire." TOPICS 0:00 Intro 1:53 Mike Gravel's 2020 presidential campaign 3:27 His anti-war record 6:04 Venezuela, Iran, and sanctions 7:30 Imperialism and military-industrial complex 9:48 Tulsi Gabbard 10:24 Joe Biden and Democratic Party establishment 12:07 Ukraine 12:43 Ennio Morricone, legend 13:05 Direct democracy 15:00 Bernie San...
The Management of Savagery: Max Blumenthal's book on how US wars fueled Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and Trump
April 26, 2019 13:00 - 1 hour - 99.8 MBModerate Rebels LIVE - Max Blumenthal discusses his new book "The Management of Savagery: How America's National Security State Fueled the Rise of Al Qaeda, ISIS, and Donald Trump" with Ben Norton. We address US wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria; blowback from CIA covert operations; and the failure of Russiagate.
What's behind Ecuador's betrayal of Assange? Ex-Foreign Minister Guillaume Long explains
April 17, 2019 16:32 - 1 hour - 65.4 MBEcuador sold out WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange, letting Britain arrest him for potential extradition to the US. Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton speak with former Foreign Minister Guillaume Long about this historic betrayal, discussing Ecuadoran President Lenin Moreno's embrace of right-wing neoliberalism, collaboration with US imperialism, and repression of Rafael Correa and the leftist opposition.
How Russiagate hacked the brains of America's elite w/ Aaron Maté (E38)
March 29, 2019 01:22 - 1 hour - 77.3 MBRussiagate has collapsed, with Robert Mueller's investigation finding no proof of collusion. Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton speak with journalist Aaron Maté, who documented from the beginning how the Trump-Russia conspiracy was not based on evidence — and hacked the brains of US political and media elites. Moderate Rebels episode 38
History of Chavismo in Venezuela, and right-wing terror ignored by media w/ Diego Sequera (E37)
March 06, 2019 20:27 - 1 hour - 62.9 MBModerate Rebels episode 37 (part 2 of 2): Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton, live in Caracas, Venezuela, continue interviewing journalist Diego Sequera of Misión Verdad. We discuss the history of the Chavista movement, the victories and losses of Hugo Chávez, the enormous difficulties faced by President Nicolás Maduro, and the US-backed opposition's campaign of right-wing terror, violence, and sabotage — which is utterly ignored by the corporate media.
What's really happening in Venezuela? Reporting on coup attempt from inside Caracas w/ Diego Sequera (E36)
February 23, 2019 00:01 - 59 minutes - 54.4 MBModerate Rebels episode 36 (part 1 of 2): Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton report live from Caracas, Venezuela with journalist Diego Sequera of Misión Verdad. We discuss the US-led coup attempt, the Trump administration's "humanitarian aid" stunt on the border, and the history of Chavismo and Bolivarianism. Misión Verdad: misionverdad.com/
The real Venezuela: From Caracas, Prof. Aline Piva explains US coup attempt (E35)
February 01, 2019 09:08 - 56 minutes - 52.3 MBModerate Rebels episode 35: Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton speak with Aline Piva, who lives and teaches in Caracas, Venezuela and explains what's really going on in the country, with a US-led coup attempt to install the right-wing opposition. We discuss the economic warfare and US sanctions on Venezuela, the daily life and problems, coup leader Juan Guaidó and the opposition's neoliberal politics, and the geopolitics of regime change against Nicolás Maduro.
Economic strangulation of Venezuela: Human toll of US sanctions and regime change w/ Steve Ellner (E34)
January 24, 2019 10:33 - 47 minutes - 44 MBModerate Rebels episode 34 (part 2/2): Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton continue speaking with scholar Steve Ellner about the economic war on Venezuela and the devastating impact of US sanctions. While the Trump administration pushes for a coup against President Nicolas Maduro, Ellner addresses the falsehoods of "leftist" opposition to Chavismo, the geopolitics of the Pink Tide and the role of China and Russia, and the sabotage of the BRICS system.
Revolt of the haves: Venezuela's US-backed opposition and economic sabotage w/ Steve Ellner (E33)
January 15, 2019 18:18 - 38 minutes - 35.6 MBModerate Rebels episode 33 (part 1/2): Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton speak with Professor Steve Ellner about Venezuela's right-wing opposition, and how the corporate media whitewashes its use of violence and economic sabotage. Ellner explains some of the economic problems faced by President Nicolás Maduro, including manipulation of exchange rates and low oil prices. VIDEO: www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5DrKAvzryw TOPICS 0:00 Intro 1:27 Steve Ellner and Latin America solidarity movements 6...
Inside the Integrity Initiative, the UK gov's information war on the public w/ David Miller (E32)
December 26, 2018 08:48 - 58 minutes - 53.5 MBModerate Rebels episode 32: Journalists Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton discuss Britain's Integrity Initiative and the information war it is waging on the public, with propaganda expert Professor David Miller. We address the scandal surrounding this UK government-funded think tank, which has attacked Jeremy Corbyn and the anti-war left and laundered disinformation through the corporate media under the guise of countering Russia.
AMLO vs. neoliberalism: The resurgence of Mexico's left w/ John Ackerman (E31)
December 05, 2018 01:19 - 54 minutes - 50.1 MBModerate Rebels episode 31: Max Blumenthal reports from Mexico on the inauguration of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), the country's first left-wing president in 70 years. Professor John Ackerman discusses AMLO's campaign against neoliberalism and systemic poverty, corruption, and violence. They explain the regional dynamics and what this means for Latin America's "Pink Tide." Ackerman also addresses the legacy of the Mexican Revolution. TOPICS 0:00 Intro 1:59 AMLO and Mexico 14:22 ...
Media's war on Jeremy Corbyn, fake Labour 'anti-Semitism crisis', & Brexit w/ Kerry-Anne Mendoza (E30)
November 21, 2018 09:06 - 48 minutes - 44.5 MBModerate Rebels episode 30: Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton continue part 2 of our interview with Kerry-Anne Mendoza, editor of British news site The Canary. We discuss the corporate media's grotesquely dishonest war on leftist Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, the fake "anti-Semitism scandal" manufactured to attack him, and the disaster of Brexit under the Conservative Theresa May government. TOPICS 0:00 Intro 1:46 Episode highlights 4:52 Corporate media's war on Jeremy Corbyn 12:52 Me...
Brazil's fascist threat and US-backed war on Latin America's Leftist Pink Tide w/ Aline Piva (E29)
November 09, 2018 06:43 - 1 hour - 70.3 MBModerate Rebels episode 29: Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton are joined by Brazilian political analyst Aline Piva to discuss the election of fascist Jair Bolsonaro as Brazil's new president, and the regional impact. We talk about his far-right extremism, support for military dictatorship, threats against leftists, and Evangelical pro-Israel politics. We also address the US-sponsored war on the left-wing Pink Tide in Latin America, which has been beaten back in several countries. Aline, who is...
Crashing The Guardian's neoliberal party: Rise of new left media w/ The Canary's Kerry-Anne Mendoza (E28)
October 26, 2018 18:39 - 54 minutes - 50.5 MBModerate Rebels episode 28: Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton are joined by the founder and editor of the British left-wing independent news website The Canary, Kerry-Anne Mendoza. We discuss the neoliberal attack on leftist alternative media, led by the UK's leading newspaper The Guardian. We also address the many lies spread by corporate media against Jeremy Corbyn and the broader left, The Guardian's attempt to silence Mendoza, and BuzzFeed's smears of Max over his Nicaragua reporting.
Saudi Arabia's murderous rampage: Dissident Ali al-Ahmed on killings of journalists & Yemenis (E27)
October 16, 2018 06:06 - 57 minutes - 53.3 MBModerate Rebels episode 27: Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton are joined by Saudi journalist and analyst Ali al-Ahmed to discuss Saudi Arabia's assassination of dissidents. Ali addresses the suspected killing of Jamal Khashoggi, and explains the power struggles inside the royal family. We also talk about the Western corporate media's systematic whitewashing of autocratic Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), and the Saudi monarchy's execution and oppression of Shia activists. We conclude on...
What's next for Syria? Al-Qaeda's largest haven Idlib, US military occupation, & the Kurds (Ep. 26)
October 02, 2018 00:01 - 1 hour - 68.8 MBModerate Rebels episode 26: Ben Norton speaks with Syrian analyst Ehsani about the new stages in the war in Syria. We discuss Idlib — the last "rebel"-held province and "largest al-Qaeda safe haven since 9/11," dominated by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)— and we dissect the Idlib peace deal that was brokered by Russia and Turkey. We also address the issue with the Syrian Kurds in the northeast, and the potential for negotiations between the Kurdish-led YPG/SDF and Damascus. And while the US p...
Washington's war on Haiti and the neocolonial charity-industrial complex - with Kim Ives (Ep. 25)
September 18, 2018 19:46 - 29 minutes - 27 MBModerate Rebels episode 25: Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton sit down with Kim Ives, co-editor of Haiti Liberte, to discuss neocolonialism in Haiti. We address the history of US meddling, military coups, the 2010 earthquake, and political figures like Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the Duvaliers, and the Lavalas movement. We also explore how charities and NGOs help play a role in the imperial subjugation of Haitians.
John McCain's imperial funeral: Veteran Mike Prysner on the warmonger's betrayal (Ep. 24)
September 06, 2018 20:19 - 1 hour - 57.1 MBModerate Rebels episode 24: Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton are joined by anti-war veteran Mike Prysner to discuss the warmongering legacy of John McCain and the bipartisan attempt to portray the neoconservative senator as a Resistance™ figure against Donald Trump. We talk about the borderline genocidal US war in Vietnam, the GI resistance movement, and the class divide within the US military between officers and enlisted soldiers. We also address McCain's imperial funeral, which featured...
Big Tech's dangerous crackdown on social media - with Abby Martin (Ep. 23)
August 20, 2018 05:31 - 1 hour - 71.7 MBModerate Rebels episode 23 - Max Blumenthal and Abby Martin discuss the suppression of dissident voices on social media by Silicon Valley, at the behest of the US national security state. Facebook is partnering with the warmongering NATO-funded think tank the Atlantic Council, and leftist anti-imperialist pages like TeleSUR English and Venezuela Analysis are being taken down. Neoliberals and neoconservatives are using Russiagate and the attack on RT to justify a further crackdown on media...
How Nicaragua defeated a right-wing US-backed coup: A report from Managua (Ep. 22)
July 31, 2018 14:39 - 1 hour - 70.1 MBModerate Rebels episode 22 - Max Blumenthal reports from on the ground in Nicaragua's capital Managua. He reveals how the violent right-wing opposition attempted to overthrow the elected Sandinista government, with help from US-funded organizations and think tanks. Nils McCune recalls how Nicaragua's "April 19 movement" operated: violent insurgents occupied universities, burnt down government buildings and pro-government activists' homes, besieged police headquarters, and tortured and eve...
Imperial roots of the US war on immigrants: How Clinton, Bush, Obama helped create Trump's ICE army (Ep. 21)
July 05, 2018 00:39 - 1 hour - 62.7 MBModerate Rebels episode 21 - Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton discuss the bipartisan US war on immigrants, and the long history of bloody US imperialism in Latin America — with wars, coups, contras, and meddling. We provide historical context to explain why refugees and migrants are fleeing US-fueled violence, political instability, and poverty. We detail how Bill and Hillary Clinton, George Bush, and Barack Obama created and exacerbated racist institutions like ICE, which gave rise to far-r...
Siege, censorship, subversion: The international assault on Palestine - with Ali Abunimah (Ep. 20)
June 21, 2018 06:49 - 1 hour - 58.1 MBModerate Rebels episode 20 - Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton speak with journalist Ali Abunimah about the global assault on Palestine — by the US, Israel, Gulf monarchies, and regime changers. We detail Israel's massacre of protesters in Gaza's Great March of Return. We discuss the censorship of Al Jazeera's groundbreaking documentary on the Israel lobby in the US. And we explain how Syria regime change trolls divided the movement for Palestinian rights. TOPICS 0:00 INTRO (PART 1 - Israel...
Meet the Syria regime change gang: Idlibs, Jaish al-Grad School, and pro-war Trotskyists (Ep. 19)
June 05, 2018 04:50 - 1 hour - 70.6 MBModerate Rebels episode 19 - Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton conclude our Syria series with Rania Khalek. Ben details how his misguided views matured. And we name and shame the regime change gang, including the radlib college students from Jaish al-Grad School occupying Brooklyn, and the pro-imperialist Cliffite Trotskyites in the International Socialist Organization (ISO). We also debunk the absurd "red-brown" smears used by McCarthyite pro-imperialist "leftists." This is part 3 of our 3-pa...
Syria is not Palestine; anti-Salafism/Wahhabism is not Islamophobia - with Rania Khalek (Ep. 18)
May 07, 2018 07:25 - 59 minutes - 54.6 MBModerate Rebels episode 18 - Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton continue the discussion with Rania Khalek. We explain how our erroneous views on the war in Syria evolved. Max apologizes for his Al Akhbar resignation, and Rania discusses the destructive sectarianism in prominent Arab-American and Muslim-American organizations, many of which get funding from Gulf regimes. We also detail Israel's support for the Syrian opposition, and show how dishonest the attempts are to liken Salafi rebels to the...
A dose of sanity on Syria - with Rania Khalek (Ep. 17)
May 02, 2018 18:23 - 1 hour - 56.9 MBModerate Rebels episode 17 – Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton are joined by Rania Khalek to discuss the war in Syria. We dissect misleading media narratives about the conflict and the extremist Salafi-Takfiri rebel forces, and we analyze the various foreign powers involved. Rania also speaks about her reporting on the ground in Syria, and how the war is perceived in neighboring Lebanon. This is part 1 of our 3-part interview with Rania Khalek.
Yemen, a US/Saudi-made catastrophe 3 years on - with Shireen al-Adeimi (Ep. 16)
April 10, 2018 07:15 - 1 hour - 58.8 MBModerate Rebels episode 16 - Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton are joined by Yemeni-American scholar and activist Shireen al-Adeimi to discuss the joint US-Saudi war on Yemen, which marked its third anniversary on March 26, 2018. This war has unleashed the largest humanitarian catastrophe in the world. We discuss the historical context and long history of Saudi intervention in Yemen; the various political actors on the ground, including the Houthis (Ansar Allah), Ali Abdullah Saleh, and Abd-Ra...
Unpacking Syria war propaganda with Patrick Cockburn, from Afrin to Eastern Ghouta (Ep. 15)
March 22, 2018 08:59 - 1 hour - 63.6 MBModerate Rebels episode 15 – Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton are joined by veteran Middle East reporter Patrick Cockburn to discuss the war in Syria. We analyze several key cities and battles in the conflict, including Afrin, Eastern Ghouta, Idlib, Aleppo, and Raqqa, along with Mosul and other areas in neighboring Iraq. Cockburn says the Western media reporting on Syria is the worst he has ever seen. We address the extreme pro-opposition bias in the press corps and dispel prevalent myths and...
VICE's American regime propaganda: How "A World in Disarray" glorifies US imperialism (Ep. 14)
February 12, 2018 08:26 - 53 minutes - 49.1 MBMax Blumenthal and Ben Norton continue reporting on Vice Media’s transformation into a mouthpiece for American foreign policy. With filmmaker Robbie Martin, we look specifically at “A World in Disarray,” a documentary film VICE co-produced with Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haass, which glorifies US imperialism and brings together the most notorious neoconservatives and neoliberals. We also analyze VICE’s propaganda on Venezuela and its whitewashing of US-backed neo-Nazi...