Background Briefing: April 28, 2022
Does Putin Have a Samson Complex and Will He Use a Nuke on Ukraine? We begin with the possibility that Putin is losing his mind and cannot deal with the disconnect between his grand ambition to restore Russian pride and lost territory with the reality that his...
Background Briefing: April 27, 2022
What's Next After Russia Cuts Off Gas to Poland and Bulgaria? We begin with Russia's cut off of gas to Poland and Bulgaria and examine the possibility of further disruptions of supplies to the energy-dependent European countries reliant on Russian oil and gas....
Background Briefing: April 26, 2022
Options For Ending the War in Ukraine We begin with the choices facing Russia, Ukraine and NATO since neither Russia or Ukraine can win the war underway leaving the possibilities of either escalation that could lead to nuclear war or negotiation which appears...
Background Briefing: April 25, 2022
A Mega-Billionaire Buys a Public Media Company to Take it Private in the Name of Democracy? We begin with the disconnect between the richest man in the world buying a public media company and taking it private and his pledge that he is doing so in the service...
Background Briefing: April 24, 2022
Putin's Russia Now a Complete Mafia State We begin with the war in Ukraine entering its third month as the Russian offensive in the east appears stalled and speak with Michael Weiss, news director at New Lines Magazine who has reported on international affairs...
Background Briefing: April 21, 2022
The Gap Between the German Government's Promises and What They are Not Delivering to Ukraine We begin with the gap between rhetoric and action as the German government led by Chancellor Scholz talks a good game about an "historic change" in a 180 degree shift...
Background Briefing: April 20, 2022
One of the Few People to Stand Up to Putin Who Are Still Alive We begin with one of the few people who have stood up to Vladimir Putin and are still alive and speak with Bill Browder, the founder and CEO of Hermitage Capital Management who was the largest...
Background Briefing: April 19, 2022
On May 9 Victory Day Could Putin Announce a Ceasefire and Declare Victory? We begin with the battle for the Donbas underway in Ukraine and assess the likely outcome of some kind of victory that Putin could sell to his people who have been fired up by...
Background Briefing: April 18, 2022
The Heartless and Vile Liar Alex Jones Tries to Avoid Paying the Parents of the Children Massacred at Sandy Hook We begin with the latest dodge by the conspiracy-monger Alex Jones of InfoWars whose claims that the Sandy Hook massacre of kindergarten children...
Background Briefing: April 17, 2022
A Report From Kyiv Ahead of the Decisive Battle For the Donbas We begin and go to Kyiv and speak with Simon Shuster, a reporter for Time Magazine based in New York City, by way of Moscow, Kyiv and Berlin. He has previously covered Russia and the former Soviet...