Max Blumenthal, an award-winning journalist and bestselling author of Republican Gomorrah, discusses the results of Israel's elections; the surprising success of media celebrity Yair Lapid and his Yesh Atid party; why talk of a two-state solution persists despite a one-state reality; the ethnic and religious bigotry than permeates Israel - from the left-wing to the right-wing; the excellent documentary 5 Broken Cameras; and why the West Bank is primed for revolution in the near future.

Yousaf Butt, a scientific consultant to the Federation of American Scientists, discusses the unsubstantiated claims about nuclear activity at Iran's Parchin military base that could derail upcoming P5+1 talks on Iran's uranium enrichment program; how UN Security Council demands on Iran go far beyond the scope of international law; Iran's good faith gesture of converting some contentious 20% enriched uranium into fuel rods that can't be weaponized; and why nobody knows how, when, or why Iran...

Allen St. Pierre, Executive Director of NORML, discusses the next wave of states introducing legislation to legalize marijuana; the generational shift away from prohibition and "reefer madness;" why Congress - despite a "cannabis caucus" of sorts - is slow to respond to public support for legalization; how legal, commercial growing would drastically lower the price of marijuana; the lack of rhyme or reason in the federal government's raids and prosecutions; and the 5 reasons why pot...

Eric Margolis, journalist and author of American Raj, discusses the surging violence in Mali and Algeria; how tiny Qatar has become a major power broker in the Middle East; Algeria's short-lived experiment with democratic government; why the Tuareg's are the "Kurds of the Sahara;" why the French are warming to their tax-raising, warmaking president; and Israel's political shift to the extreme right.

Muhammad Sahimi, political columnist and professor of chemical engineering, discusses David Albright's (the founder and President of ISIS - the Institute for Science and International Security) full-time job hyping the Iranian nuclear threat despite all evidence to the contrary.

Chris Woods of The Bureau of Investigative Journalism discusses the decade-long history of secretive US drone strikes; the UN investigation of civilian casualties from drones; the dangerous precedent the US is setting with targeted assassinations; the CIA's exemption from the so-called drone playbook; classifying all military-age males as "militants;" the secret war in Somalia; and doubts about the long-term effectiveness of "mowing the grass."

Patrick Cockburn, columnist for The Independent, discusses Al-Qaeda's expansion in northern Mali; why having guerrilla fighters "on the run" is nothing to brag about; the Sunni "War Against the Shia;" the barbarous acts of Syrian rebels; and how Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki is building the foundations of a dictatorship.

James Ostrowski, a writer and attorney in Buffalo, NY, discusses his article "The Rise and Fall of Jury Nullification [PDF];" why staunch Second Amendment supporters should be equally protective of the Sixth Amendment (the right to trial by jury); how "judicial repeal" revoked the ability of juries to rule on the law as well as the facts; and why you don't want to be a defendant with a jury composed of government employees.

Former CIA officer Philip Giraldi discusses why the campaign to derail Chuck Hagel's nomination to Secretary of Defense is "All About Israel;" Senator Rand Paul's curious visit to Israel - paid for by the Christian fundamentalist American Family Association; and why Israel continues to be the #1 "friendly" spy threat to the US - stealing military and industrial secrets with impunity.

Cora Currier, a journalist with ProPublica, discusses her article "Everything We Know So Far About Drone Strikes," the large percentage of "targeted killings" conducted by drones relying on often-questionable intelligence and dubious legal authority; the "direct action" against supposed Al-Qaeda affiliates in Yemen and Somalia; and why drone strikes are likely to continue even though - as Stanley McChrystal recently said - they are creating more problems than they solve.

Matthew Roach, a firearms aficionado in New York state, discusses the politicization of terms like "assault rifle" and "assault weapon;" the 250,000 responsible and law-abiding American owners of fully automatic rifles; specifics on the much-hyped AR-15; why gun-control Leftists are the best salesmen of firearms; and the new gun laws being considered at state and national levels.