American Prestige Daniel Bessner & Derek Davison

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Danny and Derek speak with Bret Gustafson, professor of sociocultural anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis, about the failed coup attempt in Bolivia this week: who were the players, what transpired, and what happens now.
Be sure to check out Bret’s book Bolivia in the Age of Gas.

Yesterday was Debate Night in America, today we see the results. This week: in Palestine/Israel, a grim Save the Children report on Gaza (0:30), Netanyahu again rebuffs a ceasefire and suggests a new phase of the operation (2:41), a new court ruling on ultra-Orthodox Jews’ conscription (7:14), and Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich again pushes West Bank annexation (10:17); Lebanon is still on edge as the US—while hosting Israeli minister of defence Yoav Gallant—warns Hezbollah that it will not stop Israel from attacking (13:00); a preview of Friday’s presidential election in Iran (17:06); a disputed weapons test in the DPRK/North Korea (20:50); rumblings of an imminent coup in Burkina Faso (22:38); widespread protests break out in Kenya, leading President Ruto to back off of the controversial tax legislation (26:28); deadly attacks in Dagestan (29:47); the espionage trial of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich begins in Russia (32:02); a failed coup attempt in Bolivia (33:16); Kenyan police arrive in Haiti to face armed groups (36:23); and Julian Assange has reached a plea deal with the United States (38:27).



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Sam Lebovic, professor of history at George Mason University, joins Danny and Derek for a look at the Espionage Act of 1917 and its use over the years. In this first part of the discussion, they explore the dominant ideologies at the time of its inception, its implementation in cases from Eugene Debs to Herbert Yardley, the law’s effect on whistle-blowing, America’s burgeoning “secrecy regime”, how the interpretation shifted from the early years of the Act’s existence, and more through World War II.
Subscribe to hear the second part of our discussion on our Sunday bonus episode!
Be sure to grab a copy of Sam’s book State of Silence: The Espionage Act and the Rise of America's Secrecy Regime.


This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.americanprestigepod.com

Danny and Derek speak with Steven Simon, senior research analyst at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and professor of Middle East studies at the University of Washington, to discuss he and Daniel Benjamin’s recent piece for The Atlantic, “New 9/11 Evidence Points to Deep Saudi Complicity”. The group discusses the evidence presented in the…

A day late and a lira short, Danny and Derek are back with the news roundup. This week: in Gaza, Israel announces “tactical pauses” (1:44), Netanyahu disbands his war cabinet (4:27), friction between Bibi and the Biden administration (7:59), friction between Bibi and the IDF (11:53), and an update on the humanitarian situation (14:05); fears of war are rising in Lebanon, meanwhile Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah threatens Cyprus over the island nation’s potential collaboration with Israel (16:11); another cargo ship is sunk off the coast of Yemen by Ansar Allah/Houthi forces (19:16); a report on China’s nuclear program (21:01); Putin visits the DPRK/North Korea (23:29); an update on the crisis in Sudan (27:02); a governing coalition is formed in South Africa (30:53); Mark Rutte gets approval to become the new secretary general of NATO (32:51); a Swiss “peace conference” for Ukraine, plus the US promises more air defense ammo (34:57); and shocking revelations about the US engaging in an “anti-vax propaganda effort” (40:01).
Be sure to check out The Night Won’t End: Biden's War on Gaza from Fault Lines on Al Jazeera English, produced by friend of the show Laila Al-Arian.


This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe

Danny and Derek are pleased to welcome back to the podcast Luca Trenta, associate professor in International Relations at Swansea University and author of The President’s Kill List. The group discusses assassinations and international law, when and how assassination became a tool for US foreign policy, the difficulties in accessing declassified documents about this topic, unsuccessful attempts on the life of Fidel Castro and successful operations against the likes of Osama Bin Laden and Patrice Lumumba, the intelligence community using assassination as a “low level” (i.e. not nuclear) form of retaliation in the Cold War, contemporary justifications for assassinations as “self defense” and the notion of “imminence”, and more.
Check out Luca’s podcast on intelligence and covert action, Out of the Shadows.


This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe