Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Dan Kovalik, John Helmer March 27, 2024

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded March 27th, 2024

Listen. Hear.

Russia held its presidential elections ten days ago, and if you haven’t heard, incumbent candidate, Vladimir Putin won reelection. At least that’s what they’re saying in the Russian press. On this side of the Atlantic however, America (and by default its Euro-allies) filled the week after with stories of the fix being in, trying to convince their viewers and readers the man with the 80+ percent approval rating had figuratively defenestrated opposition voters to steal the win, etcetera, etcetera, blah, blah, blah.

But that was before the terror attack in Moscow that claimed 139 lives at last count, and wounded hundreds more.

Dan Kovalik was in Russia for the vote, acting as an election observer. It’s something he has a lot of experience in, having performed that function many times in Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Colombia. Dan’s a lawyer, educator, labour, peace, and justice activist, democracy defender, journalist, author, and filmmaker. His book titles include: ‘Cancel This Book: The Progressive Case Against Cancel Culture’ the “Plot to” series on American efforts to undermine the governments and economies of Iran, Venezuela, and Russia, ‘No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using ‘Humanitarian’ Intervention to Advance Economic and Strategic Interest’, ‘Nicaragua: A History of US Intervention & Resistance’. His latest is, ‘The Case for Palestine: Why It Matters and Why You Should Care’ due out in May.

Dan Kovalik in the first half.

And; as stated, the horror in the Crocus City Hall music venue has quashed the Western fake news campaign to delegitimize Putin’s election, and now looks to effect the nature of the two-plus years war between Russia and Ukraine.

John Helmer’s a journalist and author who’s spent decades living in and reporting from Russia. He’s the principle behind the web news site, Dances with Bears, and has too been a professor of political science, sociology, and journalism and served as advisor to governments at the highest levels.
Among his many book titles are: ‘Skripal in Prison,’ ‘The Man Who Knows Too Much About Russia,’ ‘The Lie That Shot Down MH-17’, ‘SOVCOMPLOT: How Pirates Tried to Capture the Treasure of the Russian Seas, and Were Caught Out’, and his lately released autobiography, ‘Dunce Upon a Time: A Life of Mistakes’. His latest article at Dances with Bears is, ‘The Evidence on the Crocus Gang Attack in Moscow‘.

John Helmer and what is known about the heinous Moscow attack in the second half.

But first, Dan Kovalik observing democracy in action in Russia, and making the case for Palestine.

Songs: This Is Genocide” “Evening News

Artist: David Rovics

 

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, broad/webcasting since 1999. Check out the Archive at Gorilla-Radio.com, GRadio.Substack.com, and the GR blog at: https://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

Ape Goes to Victoria Gaza Solidarity March and Rally Day 167 March 23, 2024

Joined a couple hundred Victorians braving the weather to once again express their dismay at the Government of Canada’s beyond weak response to Israel’s horror in Gaza and the West Bank, Palestine.

 

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, John Helmer Extended Solo March 20, 2024

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded March 20th, 2024

None were surprised Vladimir Putin won an overwhelming mandate to continue in the office of the President in Russia over the weekend, but to hear the Anglo-American media reports, that entirely predictable event is merely a “claim” being made by the Kremlin. Just how are we in the West to go on in the World with our faculties clouded with such nonsense? And, every day it gets worse with ever more draconian message-management measures being devised to reach right into social media.

John Helmer is an antidote to the poisoned press, on Russia especially. John’s a journalist and author who’s spent decades living in and reporting from there, and persists as the principle behind the web news site, Dances with Bears. John has too been a professor of political science, sociology, and journalism, and has served as advisor to governments at the highest levels.

Among his many book titles are: ‘Skripal in Prison,’ ‘The Man Who Knows Too Much About Russia,’ ‘The Lie That Shot Down MH-17’, ‘SOVCOMPLOT: How Pirates Tried to Capture the Treasure of the Russian Seas, and Were Caught Out’, and his lately released autobiography, ‘Dunce Upon a Time: A Life of Mistakes’. His latest article at Dances with Bears, ‘WHEN IT COMES TO FIGHTING RUSSIAN DIAMONDS, THE JEWISH DIAMOND TRADE AND DE BEERS ARE A BUSTED FLUSH’ looks at the cascading negative effects for Israel of its barbarous Gaza campaign.

Today, John Helmer and Europe Four Flushing Russia…

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, broad/webcasting since 1999. Check out the Archive at Gorilla-Radio.com, GRadio.Substack.com, and the GR blog at: https://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Ken Stone, John Helmer March 20, 2024

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded March 20th, 2024

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As dates of infamy go, March 20th is right up there. It was on this very day, twenty-one years ago, George W. Bush marched American troops into Iraq preceding the heinous “shock and awe” bombing of Baghdad. Now, even the lying media majors whose mendacity then allowed the catastrophe inflicted by Bush’s “coalition of the willing” happen, concede the attack and all that followed was based on lies – “a pack of lies” as George Galloway would thunder at US senators two years later.

So why did Bush do it, if not to neutralize Saddam Hussein’s non-existent Weapons of Mass Destruction? Perhaps the intense lobbying by Israel for the war, and ascendancy of the Neo-Con claque within the Bush White House can explain it? Two things certain, however are; those manufacturing the lies in Washington profited their infamy handsomely, and today are free to enjoy the fruits of their complicity in the murder of unknown numbers of Iraqis. And, that impunity not only made the ongoing Gaza genocide possible, but guarantees a future of unending atrocity.

Ken Stone is an activist and author working for peace with the Syria Support Movement International and Hamilton Coalition to Stop the War. His book, ‘Defiant Syria: Dispatches from the Second International Tour of Peace to Syria’ is a compilation of his dispatches from his 2016 visit. Ken and the Hamilton Coalition have been in the fore of Canadian resistance to militarism for years, and that activity has increased since October of last year.

Ken Stone and Gaza foremost in the first half.

And; none were surprised Vladimir Putin won an overwhelming mandate to continue in the office of the President in Russia over the weekend, but to hear the Anglo-American media reports, that entirely predictable event is merely a “claim” being made by the Kremlin. Just how are we in the West to go on in the World with our faculties clouded with such nonsense? And, every day it gets worse with ever more draconian message-management measures being devised to reach right into social media.

John Helmer is an antidote to the poisoned press, on Russia especially. John’s a journalist and author who’s spent decades living in and reporting from there, and persists as the principle behind the web news site, Dances with Bears. John has too been a professor of political science, sociology, and journalism, and has served as advisor to governments at the highest levels.
Among his many book titles are: ‘Skripal in Prison,’ ‘The Man Who Knows Too Much About Russia,’ ‘The Lie That Shot Down MH-17’, ‘SOVCOMPLOT: How Pirates Tried to Capture the Treasure of the Russian Seas, and Were Caught Out’, and his lately released autobiography, ‘Dunce Upon a Time: A Life of Mistakes’. His latest article at Dances with Bears, ‘WHEN IT COMES TO FIGHTING RUSSIAN DIAMONDS, THE JEWISH DIAMOND TRADE AND DE BEERS ARE A BUSTED FLUSH’ looks at the cascading negative effects for Israel of its barbarous Gaza campaign.

John Helmer in the second half.

But first, Ken Stone and fighting for peace in the Middle East from Canada.

Song: Song for the Houthi Army

Artist: David Rovics

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, broad/webcasting since 1999. Check out the Archive at Gorilla-Radio.com, GRadio.Substack.com, and the GR blog at: https://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

Ape Goes to Victoria Gaza Solidarity March and Rally Day 160 March 16, 2024

 

Joined between 200-300 Victorians to again demand, for the 23rd week in a row, the Canadian government fulfill its obligations to international law and human decency.

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Dimitri Lascaris, T. J. Coles March 13, 2024

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded March 13th, 2024

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Sunday past marked the beginning of Ramadan, Islam’s Holy Month marking the first revelations to the prophet. There had been hope, and some hints by US president Biden, a ceasefire would be agreed, but those hopes died with Israel’s bombing of Rafah, the city harbouring more than a million and a half displaced Palestinians – survivors of Israel’s now five months-long genocide campaign.

Dimitri Lascaris is an activist, journalist, and lawyer. His interviews for TRNN are at TheRealNews.com, and his articles appear at his website, DimitriLascaris.org, where you can find the recent interviews and videos he’s produced during his “month-long trek across the Middle East.” As Hollywood celebrated itself Sunday at the Oscars, and Israel bombed the civilians of Rafah, Dimitri spent the first night of Ramadan in East Jerusalem, outside the gates to Al Aqsa Mosque.

Dimitri Lascaris in the first half.

And; there’s been an effort to paint the genocide in Gaza, (and growing pogrom in the communities of the West Bank and East Jerusalem) in the colours of a religious war. The “battle of civilizations” narrative is a familiar one; we’ve heard it variously intoned during all of the many conflicts the United States and its allies have fomented across the so-called ‘Arc of Instability’ for the last twenty years and more, and each time it’s been a lie. But to what purpose?

Dr. T.J. Coles is the director of the Plymouth Institute for Peace Research and the author of numerous books, including: ‘The War on You’, Manufacturing Terrorism’, ‘Capitalism and Coronavirus: How Institutionalized Greed Turned a Crisis into a Catastrophe ‘, ‘Biofascism: The Tech-Pharma Complex and the End of Democracy’, among others. His essays can be found at CounterPunch, where his recent piece, ‘The New Atheism at 20: How An Intellectual Movement Exploited Rationalism to Promote War‘ appears.

His latest book is, ‘The New Atheism Hoax: Exposing the Politics of Dawkins, Dennett, Harris, and Hitchens’ an indictment of both the weaponization of that “philosophical genre, which argues for secularism over organized religion” and its most famous literary proponents, the so-called “Four Horsemen”.

T.J. Coles and the Four Horsemen of the modern apocalypse in the second half.

But first, Dimitri Lascaris in the middle of the Middle East.

 

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, broad/webcasting since 1999. Check out the Archive at Gorilla-Radio.com, GRadio.Substack.com, and the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

Ape Goes to Victoria Gaza Solidarity March and Rally Day 153 March 9, 2024

Joined about 500 Victorians in the cool and rain to again demonstrate our collective dismay and disgust at the current situation in Gaza, and the fecklessness and naked criminality with which the Canadian government has responded to it.

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Andy Worthington, Yipeng Ge March 6, 2024

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded March 2nd and 6th, 2024

Last month, Julian Assange’s final appeal to avert extradition to the United States was heard over two days in a British court. Now Assange and the millions of his supporters around the globe wait for that court’s decision. To call his detention, approaching five years in maximum security under the harshest conditions allowed by English law, a miscarriage of justice hardly addresses the produndity of the perversion of the principles of Magna Carta, that foundational precept of Western jurisprudence.

Andy Worthington is an English journalist, activist, author, photo-historian, filmmaker, musician, song-writer and principle of The Four Fathers band. He and the Fathers have released a new tribute song to the Belmarsh Prison’s most famous inmate, ‘Warriors’. Andy’s is too co-founder of the Close Guantánamo campaign, still trying to get released men captives of George W. Bush’s “generational war”.

Gorilla Radio is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

His book titles include: ‘The Guantánamo Files: The Stories of the 774 Detainees in America’s Illegal Prison’, ‘Stonehenge: Celebration and Subversion’, and ‘The Battle of the Beanfield’. Andy’s articles appear at his website, AndyWorthington.co.uk, where he invites participants to enjoin Close Guantanamo’s efforts.

Andy Worthington in the first half.

And; the horrors in Gaza intensify by the moment. This past week, the World witnessed the infamous targeting of starving civilians gathered by some of the few aid trucks allowed in by Israel southwest of Gaza City. The Flour Massacre, as this infamy is now being called, claimed at least 112 lives outright, with more than 750 people wounded to varying degrees. Small beer when counted against the tens of thousands killed in Palestine, hundreds of thousands injured, and more than a million and a half people rendered homeless in this purposefully made humanitarian catastrophe, and undeniable genocide. And yet, those in Canada calling for an end to the killing are being assailed by the government, attacked in the media, and in true McCarthyite fashion, blackballed from their professions.

Dr. Yipeng Ge is one of these. A family practice doctor and resident physician in Public Health and Preventive Medicine at the University of Ottawa’s faculty of medicine, Ge was suspended in November for social media posts criticizing Israel and calling for a ceasefire.

The University subsequently backed down, giving indications of rescinding that suspension, but Ge refused to return saying, “I feel incredibly harmed by this process, and I don’t know how to continue within this institution because of what’s happened.” Ge too resigned his membership on the Canadian Medical Association board in protest of that institution’s silence on the targeting of hospitals, doctors, and the entire medical system there.

Since, Dr. Ge traveled to Gaza to see for himself and ostensibly work at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, but was unable to do so due to “targeted attacks on healthcare workers” in that place.

Yipeng Ge and bearing witness in Gaza in the second half.

But first, Andy Worthington and fighting for justice for truth warrior, Julian Assange.

Song: Warriors

Artist: The Four Fathers

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, broad/webcasting since 1999. Check out the Archive at Gorilla-Radio.com, GRadio.Substack.com, and the GR blog at: https://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Yipeng Ge Stand-Alone February 2, 2024

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded March 2nd, 2024

Listen. Hear.

The horror in Gaza intensifies by the moment. This past week, the World witnessed the infamous targeting of starving civilians gathered by some of the few aid trucks allowed in by Israel southwest of Gaza City.

The Flour Massacre, as this infamy is now being called, claimed at least 112 lives outright, with more than 750 people wounded to varying degrees. This latest outrage though is small beer when counted against the tens of thousands killed in Palestine, hundreds of thousands injured, and more than a million and a half people rendered homeless.

It is a purposefully made humanitarian catastrophe, an undeniable genocide. And yet, those in Canada calling for an end to the killing are being assailed by the government, attacked in the media, and in true McCarthyite fashion, blackballed from their professions.

Dr. Yipeng Ge is one of these. The family practice doctor and resident physician in Public Health and Preventive Medicine at the University of Ottawa’s faculty of medicine, Ge was suspended in November for social media posts criticizing Israel and calling for a ceasefire. The University subsequently backed down, giving indications of rescinding that suspension, but Ge refused to return saying, “I feel incredibly harmed by this process, and I don’t know how to continue within this institution because of what’s happened.

Ge too resigned his membership on the Canadian Medical Association board in protest of that institution’s silence on the targeting of hospitals, doctors, and the entire medical system there.

Since then, Dr. Ge has traveled to Gaza to see for himself, ostensibly to work at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, but unable to do so due to “targeted attacks on healthcare workers.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, broad/webcasting since 1999. Check out the Archive at Gorilla-Radio.com, GRadio.Substack.com, and the GR blog at: https://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

Ape Goes to Victoria Gaza Solidarity March and Rally Day 147 March 2, 2024

Israel’s Flour Massacre February 29, 2024

Joined between 700-800 Victorians down at the Legislative Buildings to express outrage at the continued complicity of the Canadian government in Israel’s genocide in Palestine.

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Yves Engler, Anas Al Saleh February 28, 2024

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded February 28th, 2024

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Yes by the Dickens, while it’s the best of times for war profiteers on Wall Street and their puffed up pitchmen in the Pentagon, few champagne corks were popping in Kyiv to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the coup that toppled President Victor Yanukovich and led to the quagmire of death and destruction engulfing first Ukraine, then Russia. And if celebrations were tastefully demure in Washington, in Ottawa, home of many in high places playing a role in fomenting the stock boon and distant disaster, observances were absolutely muted. In fact, not a word was uttered of the coup with a Canadian connection on the teevee, or in the Press.

And, truth be told, there’s an embarrassment of riches this week for Canadian coupsters with not one but two milestones marking the nations’ international perfidy. Likewise though, Canadians won’t likely hear about Canada’s inglorious role in the overthrow of Haiti’s duly elected. Down there they’re marking the 20th year of political regression tomorrow with more poverty and chaos in the streets.

Yves Engler is a Montreal-based political activist and the author of thirteen books, mostly detailing the dark dealings of Canada’s foreign policy elite, including ‘Canada in Haiti: Waging War on the Poor Majority’, co-authored with Anthony Fenton. Yves’ latest, co-authored with Owen Schalk, is ‘Canada’s Long Fight Against Democracy‘. Yves’ also a prolific essayist, whose writing appears across the internet and at his website, YvesEngler.com.

Haitians Respond to Canadian announcement of millions for intervention forces.

Yves Engler in the first half.

And; the deleterious effects of Canada’s pernicious foreign policies are not limited to just creating conflict, death, and retarding the social developmental of poorer nations. With its egregious – and illegal – actions regarding the current genocide in Gaza, this country has shown the World it’s ready to join history’s first tier of global infamy.

Anas Al Salah is a third-generation refugee, descended from Haifa, Occupied Palestine, currently residing here on the Saanich Peninsula, Coast Salish territory. Anas has been a featured speaker at the Gaza solidarity March and Rally in Victoria, carrying on now into its 5th month.

Anas Al Salah and struggling for peace in Gaza from Canada in the second half.

But first, Yves Engler on remembering the death of Haitian democracy and them that helped kill it twenty years ago tomorrow.

 

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, broad/webcasting since 1999. Check out the Archive at Gorilla-Radio.com, GRadio.Substack.com, and the GR blog at: https://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

Ape Goes to Victoria Gaza Solidarity March and Rally Day 140 February 24, 2024

Joined again some 250-300 Victorians at The Legislative Buildings, seat of provincial power in B.C., to express our shock, outrage, and dismay at Canada’s disgraceful abrogation of its duties under international law and on the most basic humanitarian level during this premeditated genocide in Gaza.

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, John Helmer, Mazin Al-Nahawi February 21, 2024

Listen. Hear.

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded February 17th and 21st, 2024

Despite his death in prison yesterday, Russian “democracy activist”, Alexei Navalny will continue to serve his Western masters in their effort to unseat Vladimir Putin’s government. Since the news broke, the Free Press has inundated the cybersphere, airwaves, and teevees of Europe and America with extollations of the man’s courage and journalistic integrity with testimonials coming from them in high places; those same silent on the bitter fate of Julian Assange, long dying but not dead yet in a British dungeon.

Would it be too soon unkind to remind, Navalny cosseted neo-fascists, was a performative if not demonstrable racist, and an asset of the CIA and MI6? Yes, the only thing worse than living in prison perhaps is dying there, and few deserve that, so rest in peace Alexei, if you can find it.

John Helmer is a journalist and author who’s spent decades living in and reporting from Russia. Principle behind the web news site, Dances with Bears, Helmer has too been a professor of political science, sociology, and journalism, and has served as advisor to governments at the highest levels.
Among his many book titles are: ‘Skripal in Prison,’ ‘The Man Who Knows Too Much About Russia,’ ‘The Lie That Shot Down MH-17’, ‘SOVCOMPLOT: How Pirates Tried to Capture the Treasure of the Russian Seas, and Were Caught Out’, and his lately released autobiography, ‘Dunce Upon a Time: A Life of Mistakes’. Helmer has also written voluminously on Navalny; his activities, methods, goals and sponsors.

John Helmer in the first half.

And; Canadians largely still believe, despite clear and present evidence of complicity in coups, occupations, and conspiracies to profit from the misery foisted upon anonymous others in foreign lands, that “we” constitute a force for good in the world.

This is perhaps nowhere more evident than in Palestine, where successive Canadian governments maintain vociferous and bipartisan support of the state of Israel, even while paying lip service to the unmet humanitarian needs of the captive populations of Gaza, Jerusalem, and the West Bank.

Mazin Al Nahawi is a Palestinian refugee from Safad, occupied Palestine. He’s a graduate of the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts – Criticism Department, Damascus, Syria where he too studied Arab Linguistics, Mazin now lives here in Victoria, land that is the traditional territory of the Lkwungen, Esquimalt, and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples.

Mazin Al Nahawi and the fight for Palestine on two home fronts in the second half.

But first, John Helmer and the use of Alexei Navalny in life, and afterwords.

 

Song: Once the Last Palestinian’s Killed

Artist: David Rovics

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, broad/webcasting since 1999. Check out the Archive at Gorilla-Radio.com, GRadio.Substack.com, and the GR blog at: https://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, John Helmer February 17, 2024

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded February 17th, 2024

Listen Hear.

Despite his death in prison yesterday, Russian “democracy activist”, Alexei Navalny will continue to serve his Western masters in their effort to unseat Vladimir Putin’s government. Since the news broke, the Free Press has inundated the cybersphere, airwaves, and teevees of Europe and America with extollations of the man’s courage and journalistic integrity with testimonials coming from them in high places; those same silent on the bitter fate of Julian Assange, long dying but not dead yet in a British dungeon.

Would it be too soon unkind to remind, Navalny cosseted neo-fascists; was a performative if not demonstrable racist, and an asset of the CIA and MI6? Yes, the only thing worse than living in prison perhaps is dying there, and few deserve that, so rest in peace Alexei, if you can find it.

John Helmer is a journalist and author who’s spent decades living in and reporting from Russia. Principle behind the web news site, Dances with Bears, Helmer has too been a professor of political science, sociology, and journalism, and has served as advisor to governments at the highest levels.

Among his many book titles are: ‘Skripal in Prison,’ ‘The Man Who Knows Too Much About Russia,’ ‘The Lie That Shot Down MH-17’, ‘SOVCOMPLOT: How Pirates Tried to Capture the Treasure of the Russian Seas, and Were Caught Out’, and his lately released autobiography, ‘Dunce Upon a Time: A Life of Mistakes’. Helmer has also written voluminously on Navalny; his activities, methods, goals and sponsors.

John Helmer and the use of Alexei Navalny in life, and afterwords.

Song: Once the Last Palestinian’s Killed

Artist: David Rovics

 

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, broad/webcasting since 1999. Check out the Archive at Gorilla-Radio.com, GRadio.Substack.com, and the GR blog at: https://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

Ape Goes to Victoria Gaza Solidarity March and Rally Day 134 February 17, 2024

Joined about 300 Victorians demonstrating support for Gaza and Palestine in the face of ongoing Israeli atrocity.