Securing America with Frank Gaffney Podcast

Fred Grandy, Joseph Connor, Michael Duncan, Roger Noriega, Bill Gertz

Center for Security Policy Senior Fellow FRED GRANDY breaks down the week's foreign policy events from the Morsi government's crack down in Egypt to the President's warming rhetoric for Israel. Authors JOSEPH CONNOR and MICHAEL DUNCAN discuss their new book The New Founders and how U.S. Founding principles continue to have a bearing on U.S. national security. Former Ambassador to the Organization of American States ROGER NORIEGA discusses that organizations lack of U.S. influence, the state of the Cuban regime, and current flux in Venezuela. Washington Free Beacon editor BILL GERTZ reports on Chinese espionage in it's various forms as well as a renewed diplomatic offensive by the Russians and Chinese to further the diminished U.S. missile defense program.

Jon Kyl, Luis Fleischman, Ilan Berman, Fred Fleitz

Former U.S. Senator from Arizona JON KYL explains the differences in America’s ability to defend itself according to respective administration’s priorities for missile defense and nuclear deterrence. Senior adviser for the Menges Hemispheric Security Project at the Center for Security Policy, Dr. LUIS FLEISCHMAN lays out the global strategic importance of the Iranian access to Latin America post Chavez as well as the significance of the new Pope. ILAN BERMAN of the American Foreign Policy Council breaks down Iran’s options and the difference between strategic and tactical implications of sanctions on their weapons program. The director of the Langley Intelligence Group Network, FRED FLEITZ covers a menu of updates ranging from the Cypriot banking crisis to the new Russian bomber threat.

Raymond Stock, Faith McDonnell, Jim Hanson, Diana West

With Raymond Stock, Faith McDonnell, Jim Hanson, Diana West RAYMOND STOCK, the Middle East Forum Shillman/Ginsburg Writing Fellow, breaks down the elements of power in Egyptian society among Islamists and military amidst dictatorial style persecution of President Morsi’s political critics. From the Institute on Religion and Democracy, the director on religious liberty programs, FAITH McDONNELL relates the tragic state of affairs for religious minorities in Pakistan. Military blogger of Blackfive.net, JIM HANSON, explains the unintended ripple effects of the inevitable cut backs in military training that will result from the President’s defense budget priorities as well the meaning behind Secretary John Kerry’s visit to Afghanistan. The Death of the Grown Up author, DIANA WEST uses the recent re-appearance of General David Petraeus to review truly unresolved issues around his career from Benghazi to COIN policy in Afghanistan.

Seth Cropsey, Dr. Peter Pham, Hans von Spakovsky, Andrew McCarthy

SETH CROPSEY of the Hudson Institute and former Deputy Undersecretary of the Navy, weighs the increasing threats and instability in the Pacific with the corresponding sequestration cuts to Naval forces. Dr. PETER PHAM of the Atlantic Council enumerates the failure of the U.S. to compete for economic, political, and military influence in Africa in terms of accelerated Chinese influence in that space. HANS VON SPAKOVSKY of the Heritage Foundation discusses a ponderous report by the Justice Department’s inspector general with allegations of misconduct by Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez who is the President’s current nominee for Labor Secretary. ANDREW MCCARTHY, author of Spring Fever, explains the strategic blunder by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in yielding to pressure by the U.S. president to apologize for enforcing a legal naval blockade barring aid to terrorist group Hamas.

Robert Zarate, Reza Khalili, Claudia Rosett, Gordon Chang

ROBERT ZARATE of the Foreign Policy Research Institute raises several questions about Sec. Def. Chuck Hagel's recent announcement to renew the Bush administration's commitment to ground based missile interceptors in the U.S. which the Obama administration cut back in its first term.  Will sequestration allow the plan to follow through?  Was the cancellation of long range ICBM interceptors in Europe in fact the more important element of the announcement as it is a strategic step backward and a concession to Russian power in the region? Former Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp member and CIA agent REZA KHALILI reports new intelligence on a covert Iranian nuclear site, nuclear material, and weapons capability including numbers on weaponized grade Uranium that would seem to exceed stated Red Lines of the United States. World renowned investigative journalist, CLAUDIA ROSETT, explains the meaning of the strange death in London of a Russian Oligarch who had fallen from the grace of the Putin regime. GORDON CHANG of Forbes.com breaks down the nuclear threat matrix between the U.S. and China based on new reports of the China's Carrier Killer 12,000 mile range missile.

John Bolton, Harold Rhode, Ryan Mauro, Bill Gertz

With Amb. John Bolton, Harold Rhode, Ryan Mauro, Bill Gertz During the U.S. President's tour of the Middle East, many have been surprised at how his rhetorical performance has hit the right notes.  The surprise is due to prior absence of policy and strategy to back up strong words for Iran and kind words for Israel.  Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. JOHN BOLTON of the American Enterprise Institute discusses the consequential realities that remain for heads of state after the televised events. Gatestone Institute Senior Fellow and former Department of Defense Middle East expert, HAROLD RHODE, walks through the complexities in Israel as well as those playing out in Syria and the broader Middle East in relationship to Turkey, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and to U.S. policy. Global threat expert RYAN MAURO of the Clarion Project uncovers another failure of vetting by the State Department this time in respect to the newly appointed Prime Minister of the Syrian opposition.  He also reports on the activities of Hezbollah in Syria and their long term strategic objectives, EU hesitation to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, and the formation of religious enforcement militias in Egypt. Washington Free Beacon Editor, BILL GERTZ, reports on the administration's down playing of Russian strategic nuclear bombers increasing flights near the U.S. and its allies unchallenged.  The administration has simultaneously completely canceled the SM3 Interceptor missile defense capability in Europe which is also a concession to Russian wishes.  This took place last week as the headlines reported a seeming reversal in the administrations actions to diminish American missile defense while claiming strategic enhancement.  The strategic enhancement was perhaps meant to be interpreted as better relations with Russia.  Such an interpretation would be shown nullified by these aggressive nuclear bomber flights unprecedented since the end of the Cold War.

Matthew Continetti, Henry Nau, Roger Noriega, Fred Fleitz

The Washington Freebeacon editor in chief, MATTHEW CONTINETTI explains the structural conundrum of the Republican party and their failure to attract groups who share their values. Professor HENRY NAU of the Elliot School of International Affairs at George Washington University illustrates the myriad correlations between the Obama administration’s foreign policy and increasing global unrest. Former Ambassador to the Organization of American States, ROGER NORIEGA, just back from his testimony before Congress, reports on the strategic position of Hezbollah in the Americas. FRED FLEITZ, director of the Langley Intelligence Group Network, spends his weekly visit with Frank discussing key new, unique, and significant developments in both the North Korean and Iranian nuclear threats.

Joseph Klein, Elaine Donnelly, Paul Kengor, Diana West

With Joseph Klein, Elaine Donnelly, Paul Kengor, and Diana West. Author JOSEPH KLEIN discusses President Obama’s trip to Israel and the rhetoric of Red Lines concerning Syria and Iran. ELAINE DONNELLY of the Center for Military Readiness contrasts data and policy in light of alarm increases in sexual assault in the U.S. Military. Historian PAUL KENGOR reflects on the international relations context of the invasion of Iraq on this 10nth anniversary as well as the anniversary the Strategic Defense Initiative and it’s relevance to the present North Korean missile threat. Author DIANA WEST discusses the context of the attempted assassination of free speech activist Lars Hedegaard in Europe.

Ted Bromund, Joel Hirst, Lars Hedegaard, Christian Whiton

With Ted Bromund, Joel Hirst, Lars Hedegaard, Christian Whiton. TED BROMUND of the Heritage Foundation draws important distinctions between rhetoric and impact concerning the Arms Trade Treaty currently at issue for the U.N. and challenges assumptions about the possibility of it's application in the U.S. without Senate ratification. In the absence of U.S. leadership in Latin America the drama plays out in Venezuela in the wake of the passing of Hugo Chavez.  JOEL HIRST, the Human Freedom Fellow at the George W. Bush Institute and a Principal for Cordoba Group International, explains the state of play, who the players, and what is at stake between now and the snap elections soon to take place in Venezuela.  He also discusses his novel, The Lieutenant of San Porfirio, which will be released soon in Spanish prologued by Ricardo Lopez Murphy and with praise from former Peruvian president, Alejandro Toledo. In an attempt to enforce Shariah law globally with the threat of death, an unknown assassin attempted to shoot the Danish free speech activist, LARS HEDEGAARD in the face in February of 2013.  Mr. Hedegaard survived and shares his account in an interview on Secure Freedom Radio here. Former Senior State Department official, CHRISTIAN WHITON of DC International Advisory, lays out an indicting history of the Obama administrations ideological campaign against strategic missile defense which provides context for the current backtrack urgently initiated to counter a real North Korean threat.

Riki Ellison, Stephen K Bannon, Emmanuele Ottolenghi, Gordon Chang

In light of Secretary Hagel’s announcement to enhance missile defense for the first time under the Obama administration in response to the North Korean threat, the chairman of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, RIKI ELLISON joins Frank for a detailed assessment of our current missile defense capability. Breitbart News Executive Chairman STEPHEN K. BANNON discusses his promotion of diverse viewpoints on national security among the Uninvited conservatives at CPAC 2013. Dr. EMMANUELE OTTOLENGHI of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies outlines the issues and consequences of engaging Iran without calculating for strategic surprise. GORDON CHANG of Forbes.com covers the power change in China and their role in arming North Korea.