251 Interventions in 30 Years: A System Addicted to War w/ Ben Norton
The United States has acknowledged almost 500 military interventions, listed in detail in a report by congressional researchers. More than 200 were just in the last 31 years, since the fall of the Soviet Union, representing a significant increase over the hundreds of years prior. What does this explain about the nature of capitalism, war, […]
The China-Russia Alliance: Will It Endure? Will It Grow?
Two of the biggest world powers, Russia and China, have formed an alliance based on common interest, despite a very complex history. Seven months into the Russian military intervention in Ukraine, what is the state of the relationship? Brian is joined by Marco Fernandes, researcher with Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, member of Dongsheng News […]
Ukraine War Escalates—And Nuclear War Threats Grow
The Ukraine war is escalating—dramatically. Russian President Putin & U.S. President Biden both made major and dramatic speeches in the last day, after a successful and U.S.-backed Ukrainian counter-offensive earlier in the week. What did Putin and Biden reveal in their addresses and where is this headed? Brian is joined by Eugene Puryear, the host […]
Vijay Prashad and Noam Chomsky on Afghanistan War & the Fragility of US Empire
The U.S. government has destroyed cities, countries, and towns around the world, through bombs and air raids, military ground invasions, naval attacks, economic sanctions and strangulation, coups, and more. Some say U.S. force is never ending, others say it’s on a fast decline, almost gone forever. Vijay Prashad and Noam Chomsky argue in their new […]
Infiltration, Violence, Deportation: How the State Weakened and Split Socialism in the US, with Brian Becker
The US left is often smeared and mocked, accused of being weak, ineffective, unserious, fractured, obsessed with identity issues and prone to destructive infighting. While capitalist media has a stake in portraying the left in this way, the organized US left is rebuilding and growing stronger. Still, it is weaker today than it was many […]
Will There Be Long-Lasting Repercussions for Pelosi’s Taiwan Visit?
The following is a lightly edited transcription from The Socialist Program, released Wednesdays at 7pm ET/4pm PT on YouTube and as a podcast Thursdays at 8am ET/5am PT. Subscribe here. Brian: Ken, we spoke a few weeks ago in anticipation of Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan, what the Chinese called a “strategic level provocation.” […]
China’s Rise: Why U.S. Threats & Provocations Will Not Succeed
A second congressional delegation went to Taiwan this week, less than two weeks after Pelosi visited. These trips have sparked a sense of outrage among many Chinese people, who demand respect for their sovereignty and for their impressive social and economic achievements. This includes massive poverty reduction and surpassing the United States in key indicators […]
Cuba Against the Empire: Biden Retains Trump’s Disastrous Policy with Manolo de los Santos
A massive fire in Matanzas, Cuba, is coming under control after five days due to tireless efforts by firefighters and specialist crews. But the U.S. blockade, which worsened under Trump with 243 additional coercive measures, and which Biden has largely kept in place, has deprived Cuba of equipment and resources necessary to handle this disaster. […]