Author, adventurer, journalist, and filmmaker Robert Young Pelton discussed the latest developments in geopolitics including the dynamics of events in Afghanistan, North Korea, and Iran as well as the status of US war efforts. He believes that the U.S. presence in Afghanistan continues because it is "a sector of our economy" with the money spent on the military and support systems that are in place. He also stated that we are currently in a "proxy war with Iran" because of its essential takeover of Iraq and perceived threats to Israel. The popular "flashpoints" in the world (such as Syria) are not as important, Pelton says, as access to resources such as rare metals, oil, or access to shipping lanes.
Pelton believes that the main reason North Korea backed down from any real conflict was that the U.S. had so infiltrated the country with agents that would have been activated in a war situation, that along with pressure from China, made dictator Kim Jong Un realize that his continued saber rattling was unwise. We are so disconnected from each other, and disconnected from our government, Pelton says, that most feel like "there’s nothing we can do to control it." He also lamented the fact that social media thrives on conflict, rather than calm discussion of issues because arguments draw attention and therefore advertising dollars. This keeps most sane voices from being considered.
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Marshall Masters is a freelance writer and former CNN Science Features news reporter. He joined George in the second half to address earth changes, space threats, and sustainable survival strategies. Masters expressed his admiration for the work of Zecharia Sitchin, whose research and writing about an unacknowledged extra planet (called Nibiru) with an orbital period of 3600 years has been discussed extensively on Coast for decades. "His work," he said, "stands the test of time, period." Masters believes that we may soon be able to see this planet and its companion dwarf star from Earth. He believes its arrival will be like "the cueball from hell" because of its effects on the inner solar system, which he says may occur as soon as 2022.
Masters also spoke on his interest in amateur radio and his book on the use of radio communications in an emergency (such as a power grid failure caused by solar storms, or even the effects of Nibiru approaching Earth) and stressed that only an "analog RF" type radio would be useful in this situation. He also emphasized the value of Morse code as a method of communication, recalling one its first uses in an emergency situation was during the sinking of the Titanic, and how a transcript of the messages sent and received makes for a fascinating record of the dramatic event.
News segment guests: Lauren Weinstein / Dr. John Curtis