"Viet Cong Use Children as Human Shields," the Associated Press alleged in 1967. "'Civilian casualty?" That's a gray area," Alan Dershowitz argued in The Los Angeles Times in 2006. "We can’t ignore the truth that Hamas uses human shields,”"Jason Willick wrote in The Washington Post in 2023.

For more than five decades, military forces with overwhelming firepower, including the U.S., Israel, and others have accused enemy combatants of using “human shields.” According to these allegations, militant resistance throughout the world, from the Vietnamese National Liberation Front to Palestinian militants, herd civilians in front of them, or hide in hospitals, religious institutions, and other public places, in order to evade attacks. In turn, they force the enemy to “risk” killing civilians, and they themselves bear responsibility for those who are killed.

But rarely, if ever, have these accusations been true. Indeed, the term “human shields,” despite having a clear legal definition, has become a catch-all for militias or insurgency groups that merely operate among a civilian population, functioning as a convenient pretext for invading, occupying and colonial forces to kill civilians, and reinforcing racist conceptions about besieged populations. So why, and how, do media provide cover for governments that lie about and instrumentalize supposed “human shielding”?

On this episode, we dissect the decades-old “human shields” accusation, examining how it dehumanizes and militarizes people living under occupation and invasions, demonizes resistance movements, and sanitizes civilian-killing aggressors as reluctant actors who "simply had no choice."

Our guests are Neve Gordon and Nicola Perugini.

Episode 197: The "Human Shields" Canard as Catch-All Colonial Absolution

Around 70 years ago, a deadly counter-insurgency was carried out by the British colonial occupiers of Kenya to quell the Mau Mau Rebellion. The operation involved political propaganda stoking a panic about the freedom fighters' use of black magic — a "horror story" written by colonizers to justify their own brutal actions. Annie Kelly explores this fascinating historical moment.

Subscribe for $5 a month to get an extra episode of QAA every week + access to ongoing series like Manclan, Trickle Down, Perverts and The Spectral Voyager: https://www.patreon.com/QAnonAnonymous

Music by Pontus Berghe and Jake Rockatansky. Editing by Corey Klotz.

http://qanonanonymous.com

Episode 267: Black Magic Panic & the Mau Mau Rebellion

Mechanics Sleeve (Branson) and Harley Knewer (Charles) help customers (Andrew, Tom) repair and maintain their sex dolls. E1 on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/e1podcast

325 - Sex Doll Mechanics

This week we cover a few stories that share some crucial common themes: Austin's SXSW Festival, Boeing's recent "troubles," and the U.S. government's attempts to clamp down on TikTok

Please support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/trillbillyworkersparty

Episode 334: Midstopia

The last episode of this season of Trickle Down. So we’re going to do a self-indulgent one. In this episode we discuss common criticisms of “anti-disinformation” reporting, the topics Travis wound up passing on, and listener stories. You had a lot to say about the Thomas Midgley Jr. series. 


Theme by Nick Sena (https://nicksenamusic.com). 

Additional music by Pontus Berghe. Editing by Corey Klotz.

Subscribe for $5 a month to get an extra episode of QAA every week + access to our archive of premium episodes and ongoing series like PERVERTS, Manclan, and The Spectral Voyager:

www.patreon.com/qanonanonymous

Trickle Down Episode 20: Retrospective (Sample)

We are jumping on the bandwagon by using The Criterion Channel's recent program, AND THE RAZZIE GOES TO, as a starting point to discuss what it means to be perceived as a 'bad' movie and why COCKTAIL, UNDER THE CHERRY MOON and QUERELLE we're given those honours.

Join the Patreon now for an exclusive episode every week, access to our entire Patreon Episode back catalog, your name read out on the next episode, and the friendly Discord chat: patreon.com/theimportantcinemaclub

Subscribe, Review and Rate Us on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-…ub/id1067435576
Follow the Podcast: twitter.com/ImprtCinemaClub
Follow Will: twitter.com/WillSloanESQ
Follow Justin: twitter.com/DeclouxJ

Check out Justin's other podcasts, THE BAY STREET VIDEO PODCAST (@thebaystreetvideopodcast), THE VERY FINE COMIC BOOK PODCAST (www.theveryfinecomicbookpodcast.com) and NO SUCH THING AS A BAD MOVIE (@nosuchthingasabadmovie), as well as Will's MICHAEL AND US (@michael-and-us).

#374 - Why Are These Considered Bad Movies?

The first half of today's episode is a discussion on why "rural America" is the political and cultural order of the day. Topics include Yellowstone, Beyonce's new album "Cowboy Carter," and a new book entitled "White Rural Rage." 

The second half of the episode is a look at some of today's Most Ethical Companies, as reported on in a fascinating article for The Nation by writer Jess McAllen, linked here: https://www.thenation.com/article/economy/the-dubious-ethics-of-the-worlds-most-ethical-companies/

Please support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/trillbillyworkersparty

Episode 335: Elbit Horrors

We're back! Sorry we've been away for a while, it's because we are actually dead now. Yeah we died. Sorry!

In this episode, Matt sees a waxy head in a box. Steve shares a special moment with Jedward near some garlic. And Log tastefully designs each of our funerals. We'll be back with regular episodes from exactly now on. PLEASE. YOU MUST FORGIVE.

penny for our eyes?

559: Jedward's Waxy Funeral

A major Congress member and top former Trump administration official published an article calling to overthrow China's government. They boasted that the US is waging a new cold war and must win it, while proposing a military budget of $1.4 trillion per year. Ben Norton debunks the deceptions of the warmongers in Washington.

VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Q3RMl33SqNE

Check out our related report: CIA director threatens China & Russia, says Ukraine war benefits US economy - https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2024/02/07/cia-director-china-threat-russia-ukraine-war/

Topics
0:00 Topic
1:07 2024 election
1:59 Council on Foreign Relations & CIA
3:30 Matt Pottinger & Mike Gallagher
5:07 US new cold war on China
8:21 Deceptively distorting Xi Jinping's speeches
12:50 Information warfare
16:00 Colonialism
17:32 Misquoting Chinese officials
20:29 Militarization of Asia
21:49 $1.37 trillion military budget
22:44 US domination of Asia
24:51 Recruit "cold warriors"
26:44 Regime change: Rollback, not just containment
28:05 Manufacturing consent for war
29:21 Outro

Cold War 2: US officials call to overthrow China's gov't, expand military budget to $1.4 trillion

Lucy, Theo, Andrew, and Ben bring you: The toilet purchaser's dilemma, fumbling a skill check to impress women, the end of the good times at Barefoot Lake, one man's war on Perth airport, and staying safe by not helping old ladies.
***
Get your live show tickets at boontavista.com/live
***
Support our show and get exclusive bonus episodes by subscribing on Patreon: www.patreon.com/BoontaVista
***
Email the show at mailbag@boontavista.com! Call in and leave us a question or a message on 1800-317-515 to be answered on the show!
***
Twitter: twitter.com/boontavista
Website: boontavista.com
Merchandise: shop.boontavista.com/
Twitch: twitch.tv/boontavista

EPISODE 345: Drift Stance JDM Toilet (No Bidet)

Bonus Episodes

After inhabiting the White House but before examining the Newsroom, Aaron Sorkin created a show that sought nothing less than to fix the most important American institution of them all: Saturday Night Live. We launch what will eventually become a multi-episode discussion of STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP (2006-7).

Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

Michael and Us

#524 - Studio Sucky, Part 1

A podcast about culture, politics, and our crumbling world. Hosted by Luke Savage and Will Sloan.

Exclusive subscriber-only episodes: https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus/overview