The Anti Empire Project with Justin Podur

Instalment 2 of our monthly discussion on environmental topics with Stan Cox – this week Justin talks about some problems with what he calls “western environmentalism”; then we go over Stan’s latest dispatch (which will be up May 16 at citylights.com/blog) about voter suppression and protest suppression and how it’s changing US politics.

We begin the story of Germany in the Scramble for Africa with the question: was Germany really as bad as their enemies say they were? (spoiler: worse) We talk about Bismarck’s reluctance to own colonies, about why he started to change his mind as Germany caught a growing colonial fever; we talk about the harrowing … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/05/10/scramble-for-africa-18-germany-in-the-scramble-pt1-from-karl-peters-to-the-war-on-mkwawa-and-the-wahehe/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 18: Germany in the Scramble pt1 – from Karl Peters to the war on Mkwawa and the Wahehe"</span></a>

In the latest episode of Kung Fu Yoga with Carl Zha, we talk about the bombing at Karachi University where a suicide bomber killed herself, three Chinese teachers, and a driver. The Baloch Liberation Army claims responsibility. We ask: what does bombing Chinese teachers in Karachi have to do with Baloch liberation? What is going … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/05/01/anti-empire-radio-110-karachi-university-bombing-balochistan-and-china/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Anti Empire Radio 110: Karachi University Bombing – Balochistan and China"</span></a>

We start with a quick history of France’s theft of Congo-Brazzaville, centering on Brazza himself and ending with the Toque-Gaud Trial. Then on to the nearly early start of WWI – the Fashoda Crisis between Britain and France. Finally, we give the floor to Aime Cesaire to give us some commentary on what French colonialism … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/04/29/scramble-17-brazza-fashoda-and-cesaires-discours-france-in-the-scramble-concluded/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble 17: Brazza, Fashoda, and Cesaire’s Discours – France in the Scramble concluded"</span></a>

The ouster of Imran Khan continues to play out. We’re asking: 1. Was it a coup? 2. How can we understand Imran Khan’s foreshortened time in government and his ruling coalition? 3. How important are these events for the people of Pakistan – are they just elite maneuvering or do they have deeper implications? 4. … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/04/25/aer-109-%ef%bf%bc%ef%bf%bc%ef%bf%bc%ef%bf%bc%ef%bf%bc%ef%bf%bc%ef%bf%bc%ef%bf%bc%ef%bf%bc%ef%bf%bc%ef%bf%bc%ef%bf%bc%ef%bf%bc%ef%bf%bc%ef%bf%bc%ef%bf%bc%ef%bf%bc%ef%bf%bc%ef%bf%bc%ef%bf%bc%ef%bf%bcim/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "AER 109: Imran Khan’s ouster in Pakistan – coup or reconfiguration of power?"</span></a>

Clickbait title aside, this episode continues to follow the French as they Scramble for Africa. In this case, how France managed to steal the enormous island of Madagascar from its powerful African rulers. We of necessity do tell the story of Queen Ranavalona, but also the outrageous deeds of the French military, the dastardly things … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/04/23/scramble-for-africa-16-female-caligula-destroys-madagascar/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 16: Female Caligula DESTROYS Madagascar!"</span></a>

We have hatched a new plan for a series on the Anti-Empire Project, a monthly discussion of (mainly) environmental issues with Stan Cox. Stan is the author of quite a few environmental books and is going to be writing a monthly dispatch about US politics and environmental movements moving into the next US presidential election. … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/04/15/in-real-time-with-stan-cox-1-the-us-environmental-and-political-crisis/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "In Real Time with Stan Cox 1: The US environmental and political crisis"</span></a>

Was Imran Khan ousted in a US-backed regime change, or is Imran Khan crying conspiracy over a routine non-confidence vote? Was the memo real or exaggerated? Are the mass protests a sign of a cult-like following or a repudiation of a sleazy change of power? Was Imran Khan not a part of the very establishment … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/04/13/anti-empire-radio-108-pakistan-i-think-it-was-a-coup/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Anti-Empire Radio 108: Pakistan – I think it was a coup!"</span></a>

A new youtube channel, the Cadre Journal, has been publishing hour-long in-depth interviews with Communist party activists and others on and largely from the Global South. I was happy to be invited on to talk to them about the history of the US in the DR Congo and Rwanda. Check out their channel – they’re … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/04/11/aer-107-interviewed-by-the-cadre-journal-about-the-dr-congo-and-rwanda/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "AER 107: Interviewed by the Cadre Journal about the DR Congo and Rwanda"</span></a>

In this episode France seizes the territories of the Tukolors (overthrowing Sultan Ahmadu), battles Samori Toure, and fights a long war with King Benanzin of Dahomey. Some observations about the differences between France’s notions of colonialism and those of the British, in whose footsteps the French colonizers hoped to follow.

More than a decade later it is well past time to look at how the Syrian Civil War really started – with a US-orchestrated regime change campaign with continuities going back to European colonialism and with continuous US regime change efforts against Syria from 1949 on. I’m talking with William Van Wagenen, who has written … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/04/05/anti-empire-radio-106-how-the-us-started-the-war-on-syria-in-2011-with-william-van-wagenen/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Anti-Empire Radio 106: How the US started the war on Syria in 2011, with William van Wagenen"</span></a>

After a bit of comparing and contrasting French colonialism with the British type, Dave tells us about the French Foreign Legion; Then we’re on to a key piece in France’s Scramble for Africa, the theft of Tunis from the Bey, Muhammad Sadok. In the process, the French colonizers insisted they were saving Sadok Bey from … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/03/26/scramble-for-africa-14-france-saves-sadok-bey-of-tunis-from-a-nonexistent-threat-and-steals-the-country-1881/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 14: France saves Sadok Bey of Tunis from a nonexistent threat and steals the country 1881"</span></a>

Talking to Gabriel Rockhill, professor and director of the Critical Theory Workshop. Ever wonder why the CIA thought it was worthwhile to sponsor European left-wing academic theories? We talk about Derrida, Foucault, Arendt, and why even if you think obscure academic theory isn’t important, you might be mistaken. Author or editor of nine books, Rockhill … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/03/19/aer-105-are-your-favorite-academic-theorists-really-cia-spooks-with-gabriel-rockhill/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "AER 105: Are your favorite academic theorists really CIA spooks? With Gabriel Rockhill"</span></a>

We talked about France’s colonization of Algeria back in Civilizations Episode 15 (in August 2020). We revisit it now, as France’s entry point into the Scramble for Africa. Algeria was France’s template for colonizing Africa and many of the dynamics of France’s African colonial crimes can be seen developing in Algeria. We end up focusing … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/03/16/scramble-for-africa-13-france-in-the-scramble-the-algeria-precedent-and-abdelkaders-resistance/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 13: France in the Scramble – the Algeria Precedent and Abdelkader’s Resistance"</span></a>

Using Dan Hicks’s 2020 book The Brutish Museums: The Benin Bronzes, Colonial Violence and Cultural Restitution, Justin tells the story of how the British destroyed Benin, stole their stuff, and put it in museums. It’s part of the story of the British Scramble for West Africa, but we give it its own episode to show … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/03/11/scramble-for-africa-12b-the-british-sack-benin-in-1897/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 12b: The British Sack Benin in 1897"</span></a>

I interviewed Scott Ritter, former Marine, weapons inspector, and current author and writer about the war in Ukraine. We start with his experiences as a young member of the US military studying the Soviet Union and preparing for war with Russia; then talk about the surprises when he actually met Russians under conditions of detente. … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/03/05/aer-104-will-ukraine-be-putins-afghanistan-with-scott-ritter/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "AER 104: Will Ukraine be Putin’s Afghanistan? With Scott Ritter"</span></a>

I’m joined by AER’s favorite doctor Tarek Loubani and by another doctor (this time a doctor of history), Dorotea Gucciardo, a lecturer in the history of medicine. I ask Tarek why he believes vaccine mandates work; I ask Dorotea how, as a non-scientist, she evaluates medical information. Then we talk about the Ottawa convoy, which … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/03/03/aer-103-vaccine-mandates-and-dispersed-convoys/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "AER 103: Vaccine Mandates and Dispersed Convoys"</span></a>

We start this episode with a few minutes of reading reviews – from fans and not-fans! Perhaps this will inspire you to review us too. Then we’re on to the British Scrambling for West Africa. Some of the Africans who fought back, of course, notably Bai Bureh and Yaa Asentewaa. Lord Lugard’s ideas of the … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/02/27/scramble-for-africa-12-the-british-scramble-for-west-africa/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 12: The British Scramble for West Africa"</span></a>

Ben Norton of the new site multipolarista.com joins me to talk about a wide range of anti-imperialist topics, from Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin to Ortega and Maduro. We end up trying to figure out “patriotic socialism”, support for the “trucker convoy” (which is opposed by most truckers and which has very few truckers). Towards … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/02/19/aer-102-are-we-in-a-multipolar-world-and-the-trucker-convoy-with-ben-norton/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "AER 102: Are we in a multipolar world? And the trucker convoy, with Ben Norton"</span></a>

At the first Zionist Congress in 1897, delegates agreed to pursue the colonization of Palestine. But at the Sixth Zionist Congress in 1903, Theodor Herzl presented a proposal for a colony in East Africa – he presented it as a mere stepping stone to Zion, but it caused bitter divisions among the delegates. We tell … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/02/04/scramble-for-africa-11-theodore-herzl-the-uganda-plan-and-the-zionist-scramble-for-east-africa/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 11: Theodore Herzl, the Uganda Plan, and the Zionist Scramble for East Africa"</span></a>

From the Imperial British East Africa Company to the British East Africa Protectorate, we trace the missionary mischief that led to the British taking Uganda and the many wars (called “expeditions”) that led to the British taking Kenya. In the process you’ll meet Mwanga of Buganda, Kabarega of Bunyoro, and the treacherously assassinated Arap Samoei … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/01/25/scramble-for-africa-10-saving-souls-and-stealing-cattle-the-british-take-uganda-and-kenya/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 10: Saving souls and stealing cattle – the British take Uganda and Kenya"</span></a>

Our fifth and concluding episode on the Scramble in South Africa is on the (Second) Boer War from 1899-1902. We talk about how it started and why, the military details, the concentration camps, the struggle to keep it a “White Man’s War” for fear of a Lincoln showing up, and the implications (it’s clear who … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/01/15/scramble-for-africa-9e-south-africa-pt5-the-boer-war-1899-1902/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 9e: South Africa pt5 – The Boer War 1899-1902"</span></a>

Sooner or later every anti-imperialist is smeared as a “tankie” and this week was Vijay’s turn. First his views were falsified, then he used the word “modernization” in a tweet! So, in this interview, we take a deep dive into debates about “modernization”. Repudiating liberal and colonizer’s attacks on Indigenous societies (which they falsely claim … <a href="https://podur.org/2022/01/13/aer-101-china-and-imperialist-media-strategies-with-vijay-prashad/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "AER 101: China and Imperialist Media Strategies with Vijay Prashad"</span></a>

The Scramble for Africa cannot be encapsulated in the career of any single imperialist, but if it could, that imperialist would be Cecil Rhodes. From the Rhodes Scholarship to the falling statues, Rhodes’s impact is still ubiquitous today. We look at the words and deeds of the exemplar of the Scramble, from his beginnings to … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/12/28/scramble-for-africa-9d-south-africa-pt4-the-hubris-of-cecil-rhodes/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 9d: South Africa pt4 – The Hubris of Cecil Rhodes"</span></a>

Continuing the history of the Scramble for South Africa, we talk about the Boers, the Dutch settlers and their attacks on the Africans and then on the British conflicts with them, up to the discovery of diamonds at Kimberley that might just be the event that set off the entire scramble. South Africa’s unbelievable mineral … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/12/16/scramble-for-africa-9c-south-africa-pt3-the-boers-before-the-war/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 9c: South Africa pt3 – The Boers before the War"</span></a>

Part 2 of our series on the Scramble in South Africa takes us back to the Zulu modernizer, Shaka, in the early 19th century, all the way to the end of the Anglo-Zulu War between the British imperialists and the Zulus ruled by Cetshwayo. The land theft and swindling you’ve come to expect from the … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/12/02/scramble-for-africa-9b-south-africa-pt2-the-zulus-from-shaka-to-cetshwayo/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 9b: South Africa pt2 – The Zulus from Shaka to Cetshwayo"</span></a>

I’m joined by Navyug Gill from William Paterson University to talk about the historic victory of the Indian Farmers who, after demonstrating for a whole year at the cost of 750 lives, succeeded in forcing the repeal of three laws that would have immiserated agriculture in India, done away with the government procurement system, and … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/11/29/aep-100-debriefing-the-indian-farmers-victory-with-navyug-gill/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "AEP 100: Debriefing the Indian Farmers’ Victory with Navyug Gill"</span></a>

The wealthiest and most powerful state in Africa is South Africa, and its fate has been pivotal to the whole continent. This was no less true during the Scramble for Africa, which is why this series will have multiple episodes on South Africa. In this one, the so called “frontier wars” between the Europeans and … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/11/25/scramble-for-africa-9a-south-africa-pt1-frontier-wars-and-settler-colonialism/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 9a: South Africa pt1 – Frontier Wars and Settler-Colonialism"</span></a>

Episode 1 of Dan Freeman Maloy’s series Lin3r Notes. Frequent guest and collaborator Dan Freeman-Maloy (@lin3rnotes on twitter) has a new substack, “Check the Liner Notes” (https://freemanmaloy.substack.com/), and will be podcasting on related topics here on AEP. This episode is about the Canadian / British imperial WWI commemoration, Remembrance Day, and some of the literary … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/11/09/lin3r-notes-1-on-the-racist-who-wrote-lest-we-forget/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Lin3r Notes 1: On the racist who wrote “Lest We Forget”"</span></a>

This one is about the precolonial African powers in the Congo – Zanzibar’s representative Tippu Tip, Msiri of Katanga, and a few others (but mainly these two). We talk about their rise in the context of growing European power, and their eventual fall to Belgium – although as you’ll see it wasn’t exactly Belgium, but … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/11/07/scramble-for-africa-8-belgium-steals-congo/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 8: Belgium Steals Congo"</span></a>

After six episodes of preparation we are ready to talk about the famous Berlin Conference of 1884 where Africa was actually carved up. Along the way you meet some of the most legendary villains – Stanley and Leopold (though you still haven’t met Rhodes), also Livingstone and Brazza. We end in Berlin itself and at … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/10/30/scramble-for-africa-7-the-continent-carved-up-at-the-berlin-conference-1884/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 7: The Continent Carved Up at the Berlin Conference 1884"</span></a>

The British imperialists take Sudan. First, they send Gordon, acting in the name of the Khedive of Egypt. That doesn’t go so well. The next expedition culminates in the brutal battle of Omdurman in 1898, the quintessential colonial military mismatch and the demonstration for the colonial use of the machine gun. We tell Gordon’s story … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/10/23/scramble-for-africa-6-sudan-the-fall-of-gordon-and-the-rise-and-fall-of-the-mahdi/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 6: Sudan – the fall of Gordon and the rise and fall of the Mahdi"</span></a>

Fifth instalment in our Scramble for Africa series is the story of Abyssinia (aka Ethiopia), which managed to maintain its independence during the Scramble for Africa despite all the efforts of the would-be Italian colonizers (who would be back in the 20th century, but not during the Scramble). We focus on the rulers of Abyssinia … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/10/18/scramble-for-africa-5-how-menelik-kept-ethiopia-independent-at-the-battle-of-adwa-1896/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 5: How Menelik Kept Ethiopia Independent at the Battle of Adwa, 1896"</span></a>

In 1882 at the battle of Tel el Kabir, Garnet Wolesley (who had suppressed the Riel Resistance in 1870) defeated the Egyptian nationalists led by al-Arabi. This was the final blow in a long imperialist campaign to take Egypt from the ambitious modernizers that had ruled it from the 1820s. The epic financial swindle involved … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/10/11/scramble-for-africa-4-britain-takes-egypt-with-finance-and-war-1882/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 4: Britain Takes Egypt with Finance (and War), 1882"</span></a>

I am back with journalist and activist KJ Noh, retired SF Judge Julie Tang, and activist/writer Dan Freeman-Maloy. Meng Wanzhou is free and back in China! We painted a pretty pessimistic picture for you in AEP 95 before the ruling, then poof! The Canadian election happened and Meng was on a plane back to China! … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/09/29/aep-99-the-meng-wanzhou-victory-lap/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "AEP 99: The Meng Wanzhou Victory Lap"</span></a>

Our third instalment before we really dig into the actual scramble for Africa is to give you a flavor for how we’re interpreting what we read. Lenin wrote Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism as an explanation for WWI, but much of what he wrote was about Africa; WEB Du Bois wrote an essay with … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/09/28/scramble-for-africa-3-theories-of-imperialism/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 3: Theories of Imperialism"</span></a>

I’m joined by Aidan Jonah, editor of the new media outlet The Canada Files, which has an anti-imperialist point of view and an investigative journalism methodology. We talk about some of the Canada Files’s recent investigations, about the relative paucity of anti-imperialist perspectives on Canada (with noble exceptions of course), and about the ambitions plans … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/09/22/aep-98-on-the-canada-files-with-aidan-jonah/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "AEP 98: On the Canada Files, with Aidan Jonah"</span></a>

In this special short episode, the whole plot summary of Siegebreakers, a pro-Palestine thriller novel that imagines how the Palestinians will eventually break the siege on Gaza, is SPOILED. If you don’t like spoilers, you should skip this one. If you’re the type who needs to know what happens in a book or movie before … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/09/15/aep-97-special-siegebreakers-spoiler/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "AEP 97: Special Siegebreakers Spoiler"</span></a>

Take a tour with us of a few of the African kingdoms that tried to resist the slave trade – before, in some cases, giving in. King Affonse of Kongo, Queen Nzinga of Matamba, Agaja of Dahomey (and others from that kingdom), the Asante in the west, and then east we have Abyssinia, the Bachwezi, … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/09/11/scramble-for-africa-2-africa-resists-the-slave-trade/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 2: Africa resists the slave trade"</span></a>

I’m joined by Davarian Baldwin, who is Paul E. Raether Distinguished Professor of American Studies at Trinity College, to talk about his new book In the Shadow of the Ivory Tower: How Universities are Plundering Our Cities. Davarian’s book helped a lot of ideas about the university and where it’s been headed click in my … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/09/03/aep-96-universities-are-plundering-cities-with-davarian-baldwin/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "AEP 96: Universities are Plundering Cities, with Davarian Baldwin"</span></a>

A new Civilizations series on the Scramble for Africa. We begin our series on this decisive event in world history with a multi-episode survey of pre-colonial Africa. In this episode we talk about the devastation wrought by the European slave trade and focus on Africa’s West Coast (then known as the Gold Coast) before the … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/08/27/scramble-for-africa-1-pre-scramble-africa-the-slave-trade-and-the-gold-coast/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Scramble for Africa 1: Pre-Scramble Africa – the Slave Trade and the Gold Coast"</span></a>

Journalist KJ Noh and retired SF Superior Court judge Julie Tang join me to talk about the Meng Wanzhou case, in which Canada has kidnapped a Chinese executive at US request in 2018. As we await judgement which may come in October or November after the September Federal Election, British Columbia judge Heather Holmes has … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/08/25/aep-95-waiting-for-heather-holmess-judgment-in-the-meng-wanzhou-case/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "AEP 95: Waiting for Heather Holmes’s judgment in the Meng Wanzhou case"</span></a>

Joe Emersberger and I discuss some questions about Afghanistan after the Taliban take over the country and the US leaves. Was this really a defeat or a controlled handover for the US? What is Pakistan’s role? China’s? What is with the mystique around the late Ahmad Shah Massoud, whose UK-trained son is now claiming to … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/08/22/aep-94-taliban-takes-over/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "AEP 94: Taliban Takes Over"</span></a>

I talk to Nora Loreto – podcaster, journalist, and author of Take Back the Fight: Organizing Feminism for the Digital Age and Spin Doctors: How Media and Politicians Misdiagnosed the COVID-19 Epidemic. We talk about Nora’s journalism on COVID-19, about anti-feminist backlashes of various kinds, about contemporary feminism and the continuing relevance of organizing in … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/08/13/aep-93-take-back-the-fight-with-nora-loreto/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "AEP 93: Take Back the Fight with Nora Loreto"</span></a>

A year and a half ago I approached my high school history teacher with the idea of launching a podcast with a massively expanded version of the content of the “Modern Western Civilization” course he taught me in high school in the 1990s, to include the whole world and the people’s histories. We’re just about … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/08/09/civilizations-38-what-is-history-and-have-we-been-doing-critical-race-theory-all-along/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Civilizations 38: What is history? And have we been doing Critical Race Theory all along?"</span></a>

Joe and I answer some questions listeners sent in about our new book about Venezuela, Extraordinary Threat, from Monthly Review. Questions include: Was Venezuela “once-prosperous” before Chavez? Has Maduro been true to Chavez’s vision? What’s the COVID vaccination situation? Can we comment on Hong Kong? What is the internal social base of US imperialism in … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/07/22/aep-92-q-a-on-extraordinary-threat-our-new-book-on-venezuela/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "AEP 92: Q/A on Extraordinary Threat, our new book on Venezuela"</span></a>

Another episode of Kung Fu Yoga with Carl Zha, where we talk about the Indian and Chinese angles on world events. With the US withdrawing from Afghanistan like thieves in the night, the greatest agent of chaos may be gone (or mostly gone, for now) and country’s neighbours (Iran, Russia, the Central Asian republics, Pakistan, … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/07/20/aep-91-kung-fu-yoga-us-withdraws-from-afghanistan-and-panics-about-china-with-carl-zha/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "AEP 91: Kung Fu Yoga – US withdraws from Afghanistan and panics about China, with Carl Zha"</span></a>

General Jacob Smith was reprimanded for his order to commit atrocities in the war against the Philippine Republic, but he was not alone in giving such orders. The US war in the Philippines set the stage for more than a century of counterinsurgency, atrocities, and pretexts like the civilizing mission and the responsibility to protect. … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/07/19/civilizations-37f-yankee-imperialism-pt6-the-more-you-burn-and-kill-the-more-it-will-please-me-the-us-assault-on-the-philippines/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Civilizations 37f – Yankee Imperialism pt6 – “The more you burn and kill the more it will please me”: The US assault on the Philippines"</span></a>

Joe Emersberger and I talk to Reed Lindsay, journalist and filmmaker with Belly of the Beast, a media organization focusing on Cuba and Cuba-US relations. Among their films is a 3-part series called the War on Cuba available on YouTube. Reed was at the recent demonstrations and counter-demonstrations in Havana and talks about how the … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/07/15/aep-90-cuba-demonstrations-and-cuba-blockade-with-reed-lindsay/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "AEP 90: Cuba demonstrations and Cuba blockade, with Reed Lindsay"</span></a>

Kim Ives from Haiti Liberte joins me and Joe Emersberger to analyze Haiti two days after the assassination of President Jovenal Moise by Colombian and Haitian-American mercenaries. We talk about the new details that have emerged about their Nissan vehicles (from whose dealership?), the class antagonisms inside Haiti, and US interests in re-occupying the country. … <a href="https://podur.org/2021/07/11/aep-89-haiti-assassination-aftermath-cherizier-hero-or-villain-with-kim-ives/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "AEP 89: Haiti Assassination Aftermath – Cherizier: Hero or Villain? With Kim Ives"</span></a>