February 7 – Oversight on Assassinations; Facts and Figures on the Drone Program; A Hippocratic Oath on the Economy?

Full Program

Part 1

We begin with an analysis of the testimony today from the White House Counterterrorism Chief John Brennan whose nomination to head up the CIA drew sharp questions from hawks and doves over the contentious issues of drone policy and assassination authority. A former CIA official Melvin Goodman, the author of “National Insecurity: The Cost of American Militarism” joins us to discuss recent efforts to pry secrets from the White House over its drone policy.

Part 2

Then, since John Brennan is considered the architect of the drone program, and his testimony today was delayed due to protesters expressing outrage that the U.S. government operates what many consider to be an assassination program with limited oversight that is not subject to international law, we look into the size and scope of the drone program. Bill Roggio joins us. He is the editor of The Long War Journal, which is considered the leading authority on the numbers of drones the U.S. has and how many targets they have struck in what countries and the extent of collateral damage involved in these strikes.

Part 3

Then finally we speak with economist James Galbraith about the standoff in Washington over the future of the economy and the nation’s economic recovery that has repeatedly been held hostage by Congressional Republicans trying to cut taxes for their wealthy donors and cut government programs they don’t like or want to privatize. We discuss whether, as some have suggested that before they cause another recession, the Congress should take the Hippocratic Oath on the economy.