DeProgram with John Kiriakou and Ted Rall $11 Billion a Week | DeProgram with Ted Rall and John Kiriakou
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Mar 13, 2026 They unpack the reported $11.3 billion early cost of the Iran war and how that shapes U.S. priorities. Tensions across the Gulf, tanker and drone attacks, and the risk of wider escalation get heavy focus. Conversations explore U.S. basing in the region, spying and counterintelligence concerns, and how political narratives and propaganda shape public perception.
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Bases On Host Soil Force Gulf States Into The Conflict
- Local Gulf states view attacks on U.S. bases as attacks on their sovereignty, creating pressure to respond.
- Kiriakou explains Qatar, Bahrain, UAE see strikes as on their territory, not merely U.S. actions, complicating regional stability.
24 Is Ridiculous To Former Intelligence Officers
- John and Ted recall the TV show 24 as unrealistic and laughable to intelligence professionals.
- John cites absurd scenes like armed protagonists on the Metro and the implausible 'ticking time bomb' trope that misrepresents tradecraft.
Call Out Abuse Clearly When Whistleblowing
- When exposing government abuses, speak plainly and refuse to hedge language.
- Kiriakou says he should have declared 'the CIA is torture' on ABC in 2007 instead of minimizing the agency's crimes.
