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Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded September 17th and 18th, 2022.
This week past, the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency officially demanded Russia relinquish control of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, or (ZNPP), and “all nuclear facilities within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders” into the hands of “competent Ukraine authorities“. The Russian-held nuclear plant has been repeatedly shelled and was too the target of a Kiev commando-raid. The IAEA’s investigation on the status of the plant, and now this report, are precedent-setting for the agency, but not a departure from the recent trend toward politicizing international agencies to serve the interests of America and NATO.
John Helmer is a journalist, author, and principle behind the web news site, Dances with Bears. He’s a past professor of political science, sociology, and journalism and has served as advisor to governments at the highest level. Helmer has spent decades living in and reporting from Russia, and among his many book titles are: ‘The Lie That Shot Down MH-17,’ ‘Skripal in Prison,’ ‘The Man Who Knows Too Much About Russia,’ and his latest, ‘The Jackals’ Wedding: American Power, Arab Revolt’.
John Helmer in the first half.
And; even as the UN’s IAEA and OPCW are co-opted against their mandates into the service of the war-state, so too countries big and small are strong-armed to bend their laws to suit the aims of the United States. Witness Great Britain’s abandonment of the Magna Carta in the Assange case, or Canada’s deplorable political arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou and two-plus year torturing of logic and jurisprudence required to keep her imprisoned. What chance then do smaller countries like Sweden, or Iceland, or Cabo Verde have when their leadership receives a call from Uncle Sam?
In the latter’s case, that phone rang when Venezuelan diplomat and businessman, Alex Saab’s plane landed for refueling in the tiny African nation, en route to Iran. Today, Saab languishes in an American prison cell for the crime of challenging imperial power.
Roger D. Harris’ long civil rights activism career encompasses the teaching political science at a Historical Black College in Mississippi in the 1960’s and community organizing in East Harlem, New York City.
Today, Roger’s a Wildlife Biologist and conducts eco-tours with the Oceanic Society, but he still has an oar or two in the activist waters; sitting on the board of the human rights organization, Task Force on the Americas, and serving on the executive committee of the US Peace Council, among others. His political essays feature online at CounterPunch, Dissident Voice, Mint Press News, Popular Resistance, and at the Task Force on the Americas site, where I found his recent article, ‘Possible Prisoner Exchange in US Hybrid War Against Venezuela‘.
Roger Harris and freeing Alex Saab in the second half.
But first, John Helmer and the IAEA’s use as an instrument of one party in conflict.
Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing since 1999; in Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: cfuv.ca. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/
