7 chapters across the catalog
US Africa Command Ends Five-Year Hunt for Joseph Kony
The US Africa Command announces the end of the five-year hunt for Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony. The hosts reflect on the viral "Kony 2012" video campaign and its subsequent collapse after the founder's public breakdown. They question why modern surveillance technology and drones were unable to locate Kony if his forces had dwindled to approximately 100 people.
State Department spokesperson John Kirby argues that ISIS is resorting to traditional terrorist tactics like suicide bombings and hiring child soldiers because they are losing territory in Iraq and Syria. The hosts question the narrative that ISIS is "on the run" while major cities like New York deploy automatic weapons at transit hubs. They debate whether the group is truly weakened or simply evolving its methods of violence.
Yemen Civil War, Child Soldiers Prevention Act Waiver
President Obama issued a memorandum delegating authority to John Kerry to waive the Child Soldiers Prevention Act for Yemen. This allows the U.S. to continue providing military assistance to the country despite its use of child soldiers. The waiver coincides with a deadly air strike on a wedding reception in Yemen, which killed over 130 people.
Libya Arms Regulations, Somalia Child Soldiers Waiver
The hosts examine recent updates in the Federal Register, including an amendment allowing the export of American weapons to Libya. They also highlight a presidential memorandum delegating authority to Secretary of State John Kerry to waive the Child Soldiers Prevention Act for Somalia, effectively allowing the U.S. to provide military equipment to a country known for using child soldiers.
Liberia Media Blitz and AFRICOM Headquarters
A coordinated media campaign by the BBC and CNN is identified as "softening" the public image of Liberia. The hosts link this sudden positive coverage—including stories on surfing and the end of child soldiers—to the announcement that the US military's AFRICOM will move its headquarters from Germany to Liberia. This move secures a strategic West African base for American interests.
Angelina Jolie Attends ICC Conviction of Thomas Lubanga
Actress Angelina Jolie visits the International Criminal Court in The Hague for the conviction of Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga. She speaks to the media about the horrors of child soldiers and sex slaves, which the hosts interpret as a scripted performance for the "missionary industrial complex."
The episode concludes with a satirical segment regarding the Kony 2012 viral video. The sketch features a fictional "General Baxter" from AFRICOM discussing how the video helps justify defense budgets and US military presence in Africa under the guise of humanitarian aid.
