Iran - A pandemic under sanctions: Assal Rad

Assal Rad, Research Fellow of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) joins me to discuss the dire situation in Iran where the nation is struggling to cope with the COVID-19 outbreak while vital medical supplies are withheld due to illegal US sanctions.  NIAC is currently calling on Congress to provide immediate relief to Iran from the sanctions regime.  You can join in that action by going to:

 https://www.niacouncil.org/campaign/solidarity-not-sanctions/ 

Patrick Lawrence on the political truths made evident by the COVID-19 pandemic

I am very pleased to welcome writer and columnist Patrick Lawrence to Wider View.  Patrick is the author of 5 books, has taught at universities in the US and abroad, and has worked as a journalist and columnist for the Far Eastern Economic Review, the International Herald Tribune, the New Yorker and Consortium News.  His most recent book is “Time No Longer: Americans After the American Century”.

We begin by discussing his recent article for Consortium News, COVID-19: The US National Emergency and move on from there.

Grant Smith - The Israel Lobby Enters State Government

Grant Smith, director of the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy, joins me to discuss the Israel Lobby, the Israel Lobby Conference, and his new book The Israel Lobby Enters State Government: Rise of the Virginia Israel Advisory Board.  Learn how taxpayers in Virginia are supporting Israel business interests.

Mark Sleboda on Turkey’s invasion of Syria and the Russian response

Geopolitical analyst Mark Sleboda joins me to discuss the latest developments in the 9-year war in Syria, including the machinations of Turkish President Erdogan and his proxies in the Idlib region and the reaction of the Syrian and Russian governments.  We recorded this after the meeting in Moscow of Putin and Erdogan.