Spokesman for the California National Guard
Spokesman for the California National Guard
PROFILE
Jon Siepmann
Guest
FROM Jon Siepmann
Which Way, L.A.?
The Iraq War and California Four years ago, Marines from Camp Pendleton were the first conventional troops to surge into Iraq. They were met by Navy SEALs from Colorado who had slipped across the border days earlier. That's illustrative of how important the San Diego area has been to the war in Iraq. About 10% of the war's casualties have come from California. Camp Pendleton leads the list in deaths and injuries among bases nationwide, and the state's National Guard has been transformed. The average Guardsman or woman is now a combat veteran, which has never been true before. Yet, just a small percentage of Californians are making the sacrifices. We hear what it’s like for a Gold-Star mother and how it looks to kids whose high school is close to a recruitment center.
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Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
To the Point
Ex-FBI Director Comey tells his side of the story Today, former FBI Director James Comey came close to calling the President who fired him a liar. The White House denied the claim and called it insulting, but Republican Senators did not challenge Comey’s truthfulness. Many questions remain: did the President try to obstruct a federal investigation? Later, we’ll go behind the “velvet rope” for a look at 5-Star health care for the richest Americans.
To the Point
Venezuela spirals into economic and political chaos Venezuela, a country whose potential for prosperity is unmatched, finds itself on the verge of civil war. What sustains the repressive government? With time running out, guest host León Krauze looks at what the international community can do to pull the country from the edge of collapse.