Hello and welcome to Background Briefing, available 24-7 at Background Briefing.org. I'm Ian Masters,

and today we'll examine a number of stories and issues in the news.

We'll begin with the looming possibility that two nuclear powers are about to go to war following a terrorist attack in Kashmir that has India's armed forces mobilizing

and Pakistan saying they have credible intelligence that India is preparing to attack in 48 hours.

Joining us is Christine Fair, who is a professor of security studies within Georgetown University's Edmene

Walsh School of Foreign Service.

She previously served as a political officer with the United Nations Assistance Mission

to Afghanistan and Kabul and is the author of Fighting to the End, the Pakistan Army's

way of war, and in their own words, understanding Lashka-I-Tayaba, and she speaks and reads

Hindi, Urdu, and Punjabi.

Then, with today the 100th day Trump has been in office, we'll speak with Sidney

Blumenthal, the former assistant and a senior

advisor to President Bill Clinton and a senior advisor to Hillary Clinton. He has been a staff

reporter for the Washington Post, Washington editor and staff writer for the New Yorker, and his books

include the bestsellers, The Clinton Wars, the rise of the-establishment, and the permanent campaign.

His latest book is All the Powers on Earth, The Political Life of Abraham Lincoln, 1856 to 1860,

and we will discuss his latest article at The Guardian after 100 days Trump has destroyed Trumpism.

Then finally, with today the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon

and the defeat of the United States in the Vietnam War,

we'll look into Trump's boycott of the anniversary

along with his 46% tariffs he has slapped on an important trading partner,

which has proven to be an attractive alternative to China

...