#1351 The Empire Strikes Up Another Cold War (China and US Empire)
Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
Jay Tomlinson
4.5 • 3.4K Ratings
🗓️ 5 June 2020
⏱️ 104 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Air Date 6/5/2020
Today we take a look at the growing importance of China on the world stage and the growing instinct of the American Empire to confront it even while the fundamentals of the strength of the empire slip away. All that with the Coronavirus on top just to make things interesting.
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SHOW NOTES
Ch. 1: Janine Jackson takes a quick look back at press coverage of China - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-22-20
COVID-19 originated in China and exploded across the US. Today, a look at the leaders of those two countries: What have they done right to contain this pandemic, what have they done wrong, and what haven't they done at all?
Ch. 3: Vijay Prashad on China (and Sinophobia) - Behind the News from Jacobin Radio - Air Date 4-24-20
Examining the timeline of China's response to the coronavirus and reporting to the WHO
Ch. 4: Global health expert: The WHO deserves our thanks - Democracy Now - Air Date 4-30-20
WHO adviser Lawrence Gostin says the organization has actually done well in the pandemic, despite a minuscule budget and political interference.
The US-China relationship will define geopolitics in the 21st century. If we collapse into rivalry, conflict, and politically opportunistic nationalism, the results could be hellish.
Ch. 6: China & US relations w/ Kevin Li, Amanda Yee, & Alex Tom - The Red Nation Podcast - Air Date 5-26-20
A critical look at the US imperialist "pivot" to China in a time of pandemic.
Ch. 7: US Empire Exploits Covid-19 For More War - Empire Files - Air Date 4-7-20
Abby Martin breaks down all the hidden acts of US foreign policy aggression under the cover of the COVID19 pandemic.
Ch. 8: Joe Emersberger on Pandemic Sanctions - CounterSpin - Air Date 4-10-20
The US is imposing devastating economic sanctions on Venezuela and Iran, ensuring that they will have a harder time protecting their citizens from the pandemic. We’ll talk about that with writer Joe Emersberger.
Historical context for the drumbeat for another Cold War
Ch. 10: America The Farewell Tour w: Chris Hedges - Fortress On A Hill - Air Date 4-15-20
Chris Hedges is a columnist, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, a New York Times best-selling author.
FINAL COMMENTS
Ch. 11: Final comments
MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
- Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr
- Algea Trio - Algea Fields
- Rapids - Grey River
- Cloud Line - K4
- Tripoli - Pecan Grove
- Waltz for Zacaria - Cholate
- Derailed - The Depot
- Jackbird - Feathers
- Santre - K2
- Slow Lane Lover - Barstool
- Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent
- Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | For those who didn't catch my comments at the beginning of the rerun episode I put out |
| 0:06.8 | this week, the fact that today's episode is not about the movement for Black Lives |
| 0:11.3 | and police brutality certainly does not mean that we are unaware of the current situation. |
| 0:16.9 | Research for episodes on that topic is already underway and I'll be getting to those next |
| 0:21.8 | week. |
| 0:22.8 | Today, I have for you the topic that was in the works from before the protests. |
| 0:27.4 | However, I would argue that these topics are not the same as the previous ones. |
| 0:29.9 | Aren't actually as unrelated as they may seem at first glance, maintaining an empire |
| 0:35.5 | by keeping other nations down through demonstrations of violence and cruelty is really just the flip |
| 0:41.6 | side of the coin from keeping the oppressed classes oppressed right here at home through |
| 0:47.4 | basically the same tactics. |
| 0:49.2 | So welcome to this episode of the award-winning Best of the Left podcast in which we shall |
| 0:53.6 | learn about the growing importance of China on the world stage and the growing instinct |
| 0:58.7 | of the American Empire to confront it and how we're using the coronavirus to help |
| 1:03.5 | stoke a new cold war because you can't be an empire without an enemy after all. |
| 1:09.2 | Clips today come from Counter-Spin, the Brian Lerichow, Jacobin Radio, Democracy Now, the |
| 1:15.4 | Ezra Klein Show, the Red Nation Podcast, the Michael Brooks Show, the Empire Files, and |
| 1:21.0 | Fortress on a Hill. |
| 1:22.9 | A cable sent to State Department officials in March was obtained by the Daily Beast. |
| 1:33.8 | It contained talking points, apparently originating at the National Security Council for US officials |
| 1:39.5 | speaking about coronavirus and the White House's response in relation to China. |
| 1:45.1 | We're being told to try and get this messaging out in any way possible, including press conferences |
... |
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