Podcast #99

Prof. Juan Cole on Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Kevin Kamps on Obama's nuclear gamble. Prof. Cole teaches history at U of Michigan, and writes the Informed Comment blog, a great resource on America's wars. We talk about the draw down of US troops in Iraq and Cole is optimistic about full withdrawal by the end of 2010. He describes the jockeying in Iraq over the March 7 elections and the influence of Iran and Ahmed Chalabi on the process. He details the capture of Mullah Baradar--the military leader of the "old" Taliban--by Pakistani and US operatives, and offers candid comments about the new US attack on Marjah. Kamps is an expert on nuclear waste at the think tank founded by Dr. Helen Caldicott, Beyond Nuclear and he is sharply critical of Obama's decision to provide loan guarantees for Southern Co.'s plans to build two new nukes in Georgia so taxpayers take the risk and the utility takes the profits. In addition to the financial risk, Kamps talks about the fallacy that nukes are safe for people and the environment and the false promise that a blue ribbon panel can resolve the nuclear waste issues.