Topic: Arms Trade

The geopolitical strategy of the Trump administration is characterized as shifting toward trade and arms sales, including an $11 billion contract with Turkey and a $110 billion deal with Saudi Arabia. The discussion notes the high quality of Turkish glassware and suggests that letting regional powers manage their own conflicts while purchasing American equipment is a deliberate policy shift.

Samantha Power faced a Senate confirmation hearing for her nomination as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. The hosts analyze her speech patterns, noting a high frequency of "ums" (calculated at nearly 15 per minute), and her responses regarding the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty. Senator Rand Paul questioned her on whether the military takeover in Egypt constituted a coup, while Senator John McCain pressed her on the use of force in Iran.

An examination of the START Treaty suggests the agreement functions more as an arms trade and price-fixing pact than a disarmament treaty. Specific language regarding "space launch facilities" for ICBMs sparks a theory about the existence of weaponized satellites or lunar bases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) released a report proposing new global taxes to fund health research and technology transfers. Proposals include a 10% tax on the arms trade, a financial transaction tax for online bill payments, and a "digital tax" based on internet bandwidth usage. The hosts criticize the WHO's leadership and its handling of the H1N1 pandemic levels.

Two passengers on the missing Air France Flight 447, Pablo Dreyfus and Ronald Dreyer, were prominent consultants involved in tracking the international illegal arms trade. Dreyfus worked with Brazilian authorities to stop weapons flow to drug gangs in Rio de Janeiro. The aircraft's tail has been located, and search teams are looking for the flight data recorders before the pingers expire.