Posted on Categories PBC

Journalist Gareth Porter: US Drone Strikes ARE Killing Civilians; FireDogLake’s Kevin Gosztola Explains the State Secrets Privilege; Will Durst on Akin

[subscribers]

[/subscribers]

Preview Clip

Journalist and historian Gareth Porter returns to detail his Truthout exclusive on civilian deaths from drone strikes.  Kevin Gosztola of FireDogLake on his recap of the illegitimate state secrets privilege.  Will Durst on Rep. Todd Akin’s ignorant comments on rape.Porter offers two credible sources that contradict the White House assertions that civilian deaths from drone strikes are few to zero.  Like Stephen Colbert’s “truthiness”, this claim is based on the arbitrary standard that all adult males near a target are “militants”, which is undefined.  As a Vietnam war historian, Porter also compares the manipulation of this information to the spin and lies of the 1960’s and 1970’s.  He also offers cogent comments on Israel’s intentions to attack Iran.

At about 37 minutes into the podcast, Gosztola joins us to talk about his article about state secrets, which he calls a “horrendous creation of the judiciary.”  He describes recent cases where judges have deferred to the administration, even when they were offended by lies and stonewalling.  We talk about the Sibel Edmonds case and many other whistleblowers who face retaliation and fatuous claims that information that’s already public can be called “secret”.

At 1:14:35, Will Durst sounds off on Rep. Akin’s retrograde comments on rape and abortion.