Full Program

Part 1

We begin with the White House’s counter-terrorism advisor's briefing today where the Administration’s position on the use of drones was “clarified”. A specialist in the law of war, Kenneth Anderson, joins us. He is a professor of law at American University and has studied the ethical and legal issues involved in drone and robotic warfare.

Part 2

Then we examine the deteriorating political situation in Ukraine where the government is facing mounting pressure from European leaders who are expressing concern over the mistreatment of the jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko. A former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Steven Pifer joins us. We discuss the mafia-like business oligarchs running Ukraine and the country's growing isolation.

Part 3

Then finally we speak with Sascha Meinrath, the Director of the New American Foundation’s Open Technology Institute about the CISPA, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Prevention Act the House just passed. We discuss what is in this bill that the president has threatened to veto and what advocates for internet freedom and civil liberties find alarming about it.

Full Program

Part 1

We begin the conviction today of former Liberian President Charles Taylor on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Emira Woods, the co-director of Foreign Policy in Focus, who is originally from Liberia, joins us to discuss how this mass murderer, who was sprung from a US prison by the CIA, only to end up as a protégée of Qadaffi’s, running a murderous guns for diamonds racket. was able to delay justice for so long.

RETRACTION: Claims in this interview that the CIA sprung Charles Taylor from a US prison are corrected at the top of the April 29 broadcast.

Part 2

Then, as the President barnstorms across the country talking to students about how the Republican Ryan budget wants to double interest rates on student loans, we speak with David Halperin, a senior fellow at Republic Report where he has an exclusive article “Washington Post’s Kaplan and Other For-Profit Colleges Joined ALEC”. We discuss the burgeoning tax-payer-funded for-profit college racket that recruits aspiring minorities and vets into penury with life-long student loan debts, worthless diplomas and no job prospects, all on your dime.

Part 3

Then finally we speak with Steve Skrovan, the organizer of a political comedy event for Public Citizen. He made “An Unreasonable Man”, the documentary on the life of the founder of Public Citizen, Ralph Nader, and we discuss how comedians today provide better news coverage that network TV anchors. KPFK is a media sponsor of this year’s political comedy show “Stand Up For Main Street”  hosted by Steve Skrovan at the Writer’s Guild Theatre this Sunday April 29, at 6.30 PM.