Topic: East Timor

Following the death of Henry Kissinger, critics and political figures have renewed accusations that the former Secretary of State was a war criminal. The allegations center on his involvement in the secret bombing of Cambodia, support for brutal regimes in Pakistan and East Timor, and the prolongation of the Vietnam War. While some mourn him as a diplomatic giant, others highlight the millions of deaths associated with his "realpolitik" policies.

A donor who worked for a Christian NGO in East Timor describes the "disgusting" waste of the United Nations, contrasting the UN's brand-new 4x4 trucks with the local population's suffering. The hosts calculate that billions in donated funds for Haiti should have built hundreds of thousands of homes, yet many people remain in tents while luxury hotels are constructed instead.

Following the death of diplomat Richard Holbrooke, the hosts review his controversial career, including his role in the Carter administration's support for Indonesia during the East Timor genocide. They highlight his involvement in the Clinton-era sanctions against Iraq and his support for the 2003 invasion, characterizing him as a staple of consistent U.S. interventionist policy.

A 1997 interview clip shows Richard Holbrooke being questioned about the Carter administration's role in providing Bronco planes used to bomb East Timorese civilians. The hosts speculate that Jimmy Carter's post-presidency work with Habitat for Humanity and other humanitarian efforts may be driven by a "guilt-ridden conscience" regarding the genocides that occurred under his watch.