September 5 - How the Syrian Chemical Attacks Were Delivered; What is on the G-20 Summit Agenda; The Kingmaker Rupert Murdoch Shames Australia's Election

Full Program

Part 1

We begin with an analysis of the type of delivery systems used in the August 21st chemical weapons attack in Syria that killed over 1400 people including 426 children. Theodore Postol, an expert on rockets and missiles at MIT, joins us to discuss his findings that indicate a much greater quantity of Sarin gas, up to fifty times more than was previously estimated, were delivered per rocket, thus explaining a greater number of victims than there were from previous chemical attacks

Part 2

Then, with much of the world’s attention on Syria, we discuss what is on the agenda at the G-20 summit underway in St Petersburg, Russia, where the host Vladimir Putin began the meeting by announcing that Syria was not on the agenda focused on reviving the global economy, but he did allow that some talk about Syria may happen over dinner. Dean Baker, the co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research joins us to discuss what can be done to reverse the global downturn, with the engine of the global economy, the United States hamstrung by Republican obstructionists likely soon to again hold hostage the full faith and credit of the United States.

Part 3

Then finally we discuss Saturday’s elections in Australia, the outcome of which media baron Rupert Murdoch, who owns over 60% of the country’s newspapers, is shaping to make sure the Tea Party-like right wing party he is backing wins. Salvatore Babones, a Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Sydney joins us to discuss the tabloid trashing of the incumbent Labor Party by the ex-Australian kingmaker who already tried to put his man in the White House when he attempted to recruit General Petraeus to run against Barack Obama in the last election.