This week we adapt part 4 of Scott Noble's film, Counter Intelligence, which takes an unflinching look at the mass slaughter that is modern war, focusing particularly on wars of aggression carried out by or on behalf of the United States. As John Stockwell noted in episode 656, a hidden 'third world war' has been ongoing since WW2, one which has killed millions of people (overwhelmingly civilians) - the series of campaigns incited by CIA in the nations of the third world to frustrate nationalism and desires for democratic representation.

A range of speakers note the emergence of what Peter Phillips calls a "military-industrial-media complex", particularly in the USA, as Media Consolidation has allowed an ever tighter control of the information presented to domestic populations, trivializing the bloody bu$ine$$ of taxpayer-funded total war, and focusing on the military hardware to the detriment of wider debate such as noting why wars are fought and who benefits from them.

While not overlooking the historical parallels, the film focuses squarely on the 21st century. The extensive use of torture by USA is explained as a continuation of the age old psywar technique of demonstrative violence, as well as providing a fount of false information which can be used to provide a smokescreen for further profitable atrocities. Cases looked at include the US funding of the Mujahadeen and support for Israel.

We conclude with a snippet from UG episode 116 in which Robert Stinnett questions the US government's story that Pearl Harbor was a surprise attack.