Hello and welcome to Background Briefing, available 24-7 at Background Briefing.org.

I'm Ian Masters, and today we'll look into a number of stories and issues in the news.

We'll begin with today's grilling of DHS Secretary Christy Noem before the House Homeland Security Committee,

following scathing criticism of her from Republicans on the Senate Homeland Security Committee.

Joining us to assess whether apparent lies she told about her alleged boyfriend Corey Lewandowski not signing contracts could lead to her impeachment is John Nichols, the Nation magazine's Washington correspondent.

His books include The Fight for the Soul of the Democratic Party, The Enduring Legacy of Henry Wallace's Anti-Fascist Anti-Racist Politics.

And his latest article at the nation is, This is an unnecessary, unauthorized and unconstitutional

war.

And he has another article at the Capital Times, we will discuss, The Movement to Impeach

Christie Noem has begun.

Then we'll go to Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan to speak with Vladimir Van Vilgenberg, a journalist

and political analyst specializing in issues concerning Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey, with a particular

focus on Kurdish politics.

He has covered several major battles against ISIS in northern Syria and Iraqi Kurdistan,

among other subjects, and his latest book based on first-hand research and interviews conducted on the ground in Iraqi Kurdistan and northern Syria is

the Kurds of northern Syria, governance, diversity and conflicts. We will investigate reports that the CIA is arming Kurds of northern Syria, governance, diversity and conflicts.

We will investigate reports that the CIA is arming Kurdish Iranian militias to attack

IRGC forces in Iran's northwest and to provide sanctuary for Iranians fleeing their brutal and

murderous government. Then finally we'll get an update on reports that Moshtiba Harmony,

the son of the recently killed Supreme Leader,

with deep ties to the IRGC,

has been anointed as Iran's new Theocratic leader.

...