Topic: Snipers

Michael Letts, a former Green Beret and CEO of Invest USA, provides expert analysis on the logistics of the Charlie Kirk shooting. Letts characterizes the event as a well-coordinated sniper attack rather than a random act of violence. The discussion covers the failure of Kirk's security detail in Orem, Utah, and the potential funding of such operations by entities like the Open Society Foundations.

Duke Robotics, an Israeli-based company, has been marketing the "TIKAD" octocopter since 2016, which features a proprietary gimbal system to handle machine gun recoil. The robotic system is designed for "surgical neutralization" of targets in urban environments to minimize soldier casualties. Despite NPR's claims of mystery surrounding the technology, the company has publicly showcased the weapon's capabilities for years.

Dan Bongino reported that the rooftop used by the shooter in Butler was originally assigned to a local police tactical counter-sniper team rather than the Secret Service. According to Bongino's sources, the local team failed to occupy the roof and instead positioned themselves at a second-story window, ceding the high ground. He attributed the lack of public information on this failure to a breakdown in trust between law enforcement and partisan media outlets.

International reporting from France 24 provides details on the shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, noting he used a rifle legally purchased by his father. Tactical analysis highlights that the shooter was positioned on an unsecured roof approximately 150 meters from the stage. This distance is noted as the standard qualification range for military marksmanship with an M16.

An unverified post from 4chan attributed to a "Jonathan Willis" claims a Secret Service counter-sniper had the assassin in his sights for three minutes but was denied the order to fire. The hosts discuss the reputation of the FBI's Pittsburgh field office, linking it to previous controversies involving the Hunter Biden laptop. They explore the possibility of federal agencies "hyping up" individuals to justify budgets.

A PBS report details the deaths of Palestinian protesters in Gaza, where Israeli troops used live fire. Protesters burned thousands of tires to create black smoke to obstruct snipers. The hosts note the relative lack of coverage of these events in US mainstream media compared to domestic political scandals.

The New York City Marathon featured unprecedented security, including sniper teams and "heavy weapons teams" following a recent terror attack. American Shalane Flanagan became the first US woman to win the race in 40 years, while Kenya's Geoffrey Kamworor won the men's division. The hosts comment on the intensity of the military-style presence at the sporting event.

A former reporter turned podcaster gives Judy Woodruff an "earful" on PBS about the media's lack of diversity in opinion. He argues that while newsrooms strive for optical diversity, they ignore the concerns of Christians and parents who are labeled "bigots." The hosts praise the podcaster for pointing out that Hillary Clinton's "incendiary comments" were never given equal scrutiny.

Donald Trump revisits Hillary Clinton's 1996 claim of landing under sniper fire in Bosnia, which was later debunked. Trump accuses Clinton of raising "blood money" from special interests and foreign governments. *Democracy Now!* is criticized for inadvertently spreading Trump's "world-class liar" meme while attempting to report on his economic policies.

A series of shootings and projectile attacks on Interstate 10 in Phoenix is being framed by the media as domestic terrorism. The hosts critique the "shouting" style of NBC reporters and Bill Maher's use of random radio callers to characterize the entire Republican base as dangerous.

An analysis of anti-Hillary Clinton political advertisements highlights her record as Secretary of State, including the failed "reset" with Russia and the Benghazi attack. The hosts mock her claims of being the "most transparent person in public life" and her previous "misstatement" about landing under sniper fire in Bosnia.

A compilation of Hillary Clinton's most controversial public statements is played, including her claims of landing under sniper fire in Bosnia and being "dead broke" upon leaving the White House. The hosts revisit the 2001 reports that the Clintons took historic furniture from the White House when their term ended. They analyze her rhetorical style and the "vast right-wing conspiracy" narrative.

Clint Eastwood is noted for his strategic promotion of the film "American Sniper" ahead of the Academy Awards, utilizing old interviews of the late Chris Kyle. Eastwood and his wife are revealed to be on the board of advisors for the Panetta Institute, a California-based think tank founded by former CIA Director Leon Panetta.

A leaked phone call between EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet suggests that snipers in Kiev may have been hired by the new Ukrainian coalition rather than the Yanukovych regime. The call indicates that the same snipers were killing both police and protesters.

Leaked audio continues to show EU official Catherine Ashton's reaction to reports of sniper activity in Kiev. She is also seen meeting with Ukrainian leaders, suggesting they "lay flowers" where protesters died as a symbolic gesture to stabilize the new government.

Rudy Giuliani's comments regarding the heavy presence of snipers at MetLife Stadium are scrutinized, with the hosts questioning the tactical utility of snipers against bomb threats. This leads to a clip of UK Prime Minister David Cameron defending the collection of communications metadata. Cameron argues that "comms data" is essential for solving crimes, drawing parallels to how investigations are portrayed in television dramas.

A listener with military sniper training provides a detailed technical explanation for why the laser dots seen on Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in released photos are likely faked. He explains that real snipers do not use visible lasers because they reveal the shooter's position and do not account for the ballistic arc of a bullet over long distances.

Police photographer Sean Murphy released unauthorized photos of a bloodied Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to Boston Magazine to counter the "glamorized" Rolling Stone cover. The hosts question the authenticity of the photos, noting the absence of a reported neck wound and the "Hollywood-style" appearance of a sniper's laser dot on Tsarnaev's forehead. Murphy was suspended for one day for the unauthorized release.

The focus on "drones" is described as a distraction from the broader issue of the government's claimed power to kill anyone, anywhere, using any method such as sniper teams or satellite weaponry. Warnings are issued against relying on United Nations definitions of human rights, which may contain loopholes for "belligerents."

Curry shares a clip from the National Geographic show "Preppers" featuring a woman named Becky undergoing sniper training to defend against a government takeover. This leads to a brief mention of a South Park episode parodying the film "The Human Centipede" in relation to Apple.