Iran vs. USA: It Can Always Get Worse!

Iran vs. USA: It Can Always Get Worse!

Author: Steve Palley, Pete Newsom January 17, 2020 Duration: 33:28
January 8: The Iranian regime says Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 crashed a couple hours prior because of "mechanical errors."January 11: Actually… we shot it down because we mistook it for an incoming missile. Also this is America’s fault! We will not take any questions about why a commercial flight was allowed to take off while we were launching missiles at the American troops in Iraq. Ahem. Yes.Also January 11: Turning on a dime from mourning assassinated General Qassem #Soleimani to focusing rage on a hidebound regime, the Iranian people resume protesting in face of goons firing live ammo, even though 1500+ citizens have already died.Now: These are extremely hard times in #Iran, where the 40-year-old Islamic Republic looks like it could be tottering. And you know what they say: a cornered foe can be more dangerous than a confident one...This week, Steve and Soumi talk about the Islamic Republic's many difficult challenges, as well as how things in the Middle East could somehow be even scarier now than they were a month ago, even though everyone's stopped paying attention!Further reading:1.    https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-510690902.    https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-01-14/soleimani-strike-shows-trump-plan-for-iran-is-regime-disruption3.    https://www.npr.org/2020/01/14/796260687/iran-makes-arrests-over-accidental-downing-of-ukrainian-airliner4.    https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/13/business/economy/iran-economy.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article5.    https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/14/world/europe/iran-nuclear-deal.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage6.    https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2020-parliamentary-election-causing-anxiety-tehran-191213162204935.html

Navigating the daily deluge of headlines can leave anyone feeling adrift. The Elucidators: Decoding Global News is a weekly conversation designed to provide a compass. Hosts Steve Palley and Pete Newsom don't just recount the events; they unpack the historical context, the political forces at play, and the often-overlooked connections between seemingly disparate stories. Each episode takes a notable global affair and patiently breaks it down, moving beyond the sensational soundbite to explore the 'why' and the 'what next'. You'll hear them analyze the mechanics of government decisions, debate the efficacy of political rhetoric, and offer grounded commentary that prioritizes understanding over alarm. This podcast operates on the belief that being an informed citizen requires more than just consumption-it requires digestion. By tuning in, you're not simply getting a news update; you're getting a framework for thinking critically about power, policy, and the narratives that shape our world. The goal is to leave each discussion with a clearer, more nuanced picture of the forces shaping our collective future.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 48

The Elucidators: Decoding Global News
Podcast Episodes
Episode 17: Arresting Climate Change at COP25 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:35
Q: What annual event is the biggest, most important, and least fun party in the world?A: It's the United Nations' Conference of Parties (COP) to combat climate change.(Fine. It's more of a conference than a party…let it…
Episode 16: Hong Kong (Still) Going Wrong [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:49
Back in August, we checked in on #Hong Kong eleven weeks into the city's millions-strong pro-democracy protests. Fourteen weeks later, those protests are still rolling, with even greater intensity -- and they are now gen…
Episode 15: Iran Into Trouble (Problems of Persia) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:19
Q: What do you get when you raise fuel prices in Iran by 50-300%?A: Major protests all over the country.Q: So then what’s the government do?A: Shut down the internet and attack protesters with live ammo!Iran is two count…
Episode 14: (Bolivia) Coup Story, Bro [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:24
If a nation’s leader loses the support of his military and resigns, but no one steps into replace him… has there been a coup?This is no riddle. It’s one of the main political questions facing Bolivians days after their l…
Episode 13: Narcos vs. Mormons [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:40
This week, a horrific tragedy unfolded in the high desert of Northern Mexico, where three SUVs full of women and children were gunned down with automatic weapons and subsequently burned to ashes. The fact that these folk…
Episode 12: ISIS Loses Its Head [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:25
On October 26, 2019, American special forces raided the compound belonging to Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi (ABaB), the leader of the Islamic State in Syria’s (ISIS) and self-anointed caliph or head of all Muslims, resulting in a…
Episode 11: Red Hot Chile Protests [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:55
On October 17th, Chilean President Sebastian Piñera was bragging to the international media about his country's status as a socioeconomic "oasis" in a sea of instability.Less than 48 hours later, violent protests were ro…
Episode 10: Venezuelan Victimization [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:48
Q: What does a 275% increase in your monthly wage get you?A: If you’re a Venezuelan depending on minimum wage, it gets you the equivalent of $8.That’s enough to buy about nine pounds of meat… for the entire month. And th…
Episode 09: Kurd Stomped! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:39
Q: How do you spell betrayal?A: R-O-J-A-V-A—ROJAVA. That’s the name of the nascent Kurdish state in northern Syria that’s currently being bombed by Turkey.Q: Who are the Kurds?A: The largest ethnic group in the world wit…
Episode 08: Septuagenarian Superpower [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:12
Happy Birthday to the PRC, Happy Birthday to the PRC... it doesn't really flow that well, does it? But if you live in China and you know what's good for you, you were singing along to Xi Jinping's tune this week, when th…