Independent journalist Rania Abouzeid discusses her article "The Jihad Next Door: The Syrian roots of Iraq's newest civil war."

Patrick Cockburn, an award-winning journalist with The Independent, discusses why a unity government in Iraq is very unlikely to succeed; why the Sunni rebellion will be very sorry they enlisted the help of radical jihadist shock troops; and how the new Iraqi civil war, as bad as it is, could get much worse.

Will Grigg, blogger and author of Liberty in Eclipse, discusses how the high desert highwaymen (a.k.a. High Desert Drug Enforcement Task Force) are terrorizing motorists along a stretch of I-84 in western Idaho, all in the name of fighting the war on drugs.

Michael Schwartz, author of War Without End: The Iraq War in Context, discusses how US intervention in Iraq has been, and continues to be, influenced by a desire to control Iraq's oil production.

Dahr Jamail, an investigative journalist and author, discusses Kurdistan's possible independence from Iraq; ISIS's attempt to isolate Baghdad; and the total lack of cohesion in US foreign policy.

Jason DItz, editor at Antiwar.com, discusses the stepped-up involvement of Syria and Iran in Iraq's civil war and the latest news in the Middle East.

Blogger Marcy Wheeler discusses the US Supreme Court's unanimous decision that cops need a warrant to search phone data, and the possible legal problems facing the NSA's phone dragnet if the SCOTUS decision is applied to them as well.

Grant F. Smith, director of IRMEP, discusses the very different obituaries for two spies - one, John Hadden, a former CIA station chief in Tel Aviv during the 1967 War; the other, Israeli Shin Bet Chief Avraham Shalom.

Independent journalist John Knefel discusses the Taliban-Bergdahl prisoner swap aftermath and the troubling US drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen.

Peter van Buren, author of We Meant Well: How I Helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People, discusses the blowback (from the government) for writing his book and the 10 reasons that airstrikes in Iraq are a terrible idea.

Ray McGovern, a retired CIA officer turned political activist, discusses the media's casual talk of US airstrikes on Iraq that disregards the Iraqi civilians who will inevitably be killed; how the 2007 surge led to the current crisis; and how Israel influences US foreign policy on Iraq, Iran and Syria.

Trevor Timm, executive director of the Freedom of the Press Foundation, discusses Congress's change of heart on passing legislation mandating real reforms for the NSA (if the Senate cooperates).

Blogger Marcy Wheeler discusses the just-released Awlaki memo that justifies the Obama administration's drone strike assassination of a US citizen in Yemen.

Gareth Porter, an award-winning investigative journalist, discusses the IAEA's refusal to close an investigation into "possible military dimensions" of Iran's nuclear program, even though the issue has apparently been settled and delaying the matter could jeopardize the February 2014 "Framework for Cooperation" agreement.

Gareth Porter, an award-winning investigative journalist, discusses his interview with Iran's foreign minister; the concessions Iran is willing to make for a nuclear deal and to assuage the West's fears of their nuclear breakout capability; and why anti-Iran critics still won't be satisfied.