AirTalk looks into the latest news on North Korea. We also debate whether city contractors should disclose ties to Trump's border wall; discuss Hamilton in LA; and more.
As tensions rise, what you need to know about North Korea’s nuclear threat
North Korea’s government-run news claims the country will quickly release a plan to target four medium-range missiles at the ocean near Guam.
The missiles would supposedly be fired over Japan and land within around 20 miles of the U.S. territory of Guam. It’s North Korea’s latest response to the threats President Trump made two days ago. He said “North Korea best not make any more threats to the U.S. They will be met with fire, fury, and frankly power the likes of which this world has never seen before.”
If North Korea takes the step threatened this morning, how will the U.S. respond?
Guests:
Phil Ewing, national security editor for NPR; he tweets
Robert Litwak, director of international security studies and international security studies at the Wilson Center; he is the author of the new book, “Preventing North Korea's Nuclear Breakout” (Wilson Center, 2017)
Pasadena Congresswoman, land use advocates weigh in on request to shrink San Gabriel Mountains National Monument
A California Congressman has written the Trump administration a letter asking it to lop off a segment of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, saying that many local public officials were against designating it a monument from the start and that the Obama administration, which made the designation, didn’t do its due diligence in talking to local leaders about concerns.
Rep. Paul Cook (R-Yucca Valley) wants to remove a finger of the monument designation that spans just shy of 5,000 acres and stretches into the San Bernardino National Forest. He argues that this portion of the monument was heavily opposed by local leaders concerned it would move in on local economic activity. He specifically mentioned the Mt. Baldy Ski Lifts, which lie right outside the monument border. Supporters of the monument argue that’s not the case, and that years of meetings took place before the Obama administration moved forward with the designation.
Do you agree with the proposal to shrink the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument? What about the status of California’s other national monuments in the wake of the Trump administration’s review of monument designations under President Obama?
AirTalk invited Congressman Paul Cook to participate in our discussion but his office did not respond to our requests.
Guests:
Amy Granat, managing director of the California Off-Road Vehicle association
Judy Chu (D-Pasadena), Congresswoman representing California’s 27th District, which includes Pasadena, Alhambra, Monrovia and much of the Western San Gabriel Valley
Daniel Rossman, senior regional director in California for The Wilderness Society, a conservation organization working to protect America’s shared wildlands, and a member of San Gabriel Mountains Forever
Should LA city contractors disclose whether they’re building the border wall?
On Tuesday, the City Council voted 13-0 to request the city attorney to prepare an ordinance that would make Los Angeles city contractors disclose whether they have business ties to Trump’s border wall project.
Councilmember Gil Cedillo, who proposed the motion, condemned the border wall as racist and counter to the values of Los Angeles. He said the proposed rules would deter businesses from working on the project and also create transparency so he could vote against contracts with those businesses.
Opponents include the Associated General Contractors of America, who said this political litmus test would punish businesses and be damaging to workers. It might also create a slippery slope of discrimination against contractors that work on other politicized projects.
After the ordinance language is drafted, it will go back to the City Council for a vote.
Should LA City contractors reveal whether they have business ties to Trump’s border wall project? Is it fair for the city to create a political litmus test? Or is it a reflection of the city’s values?
Guests:
Gil Cedillo, Los Angeles City Councilmember for District 1, which includes sections of Northeast Los Angeles and the greater Downtown area
Joseph Villela, policy director at the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights Los Angeles (CHIRLA)
Tom Holsman, CEO of the Associated General Contractors of California, an advocacy group for contractors
Privatization? More money for support? A look at the future of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan
A recent proposal by a former contractor to privatize the war in Afghanistan has raised eyebrows along with questions about what the future of U.S. involvement in the country looks like.
Meanwhile, Senator John McCain has released his own strategy for handling Afghanistan, focusing on a mix of troops and diplomacy. The two plans come at a time when many wonder if the old plan of training the Afghan army and then withdrawing troops is still working, and whether it’s time to try something new and, in the case of privatizing the war, maybe unprecedented.
The privatization plan comes from former U.S. Navy Seal and Blackwater security firm founder Erik Prince, who wants to send in 5,500 private contractors, mostly former Special Operations, and a private air force. These contractors would assumedly replace the 8,400 U.S. troops currently there. President Trump and his chief strategist, Steve Bannon, are said to be open to the plan, but others like national security adviser H.R. McMaster have concerns. McCain’s plan, meanwhile, looks to flood the Pentagon with resources and try to come to an agreement with the Afghan government on a long-term U.S. presence. Trainers and advisers would be assigned at battalion level for more support for troops, but all this help would be contingent on Afghanistan making anti-corruption benchmarks.
Today on AirTalk, we’ll look at the two competing plans, discuss the future of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, and debate what the role of contractors should be in the ongoing conflict.
Guests:
Aaron O’Connell, associate professor of history at the University of Texas in Austin; former director of defense policy and strategy on President Obama's National Security Council (2016-17); he is the editor of “Our Latest Longest War: Losing Hearts and Minds in Afghanistan”
Ronald Neumann, American diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Afghanistan (2005–2007), Bahrain (2001–2004) and Algeria (1994–1997), president of the American Academy of Diplomacy, an organization of former senior diplomats that aim to strengthen American diplomacy
City of Industry eyes huge public-private solar farm, but critics say project lacks transparency
The City of Industry has been working to bring the undeveloped hills that border Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties a gigantic solar farm.
The project is the subject of an investigation by the Southern California News Group, which finds that the city has spent more than $1 million on the proposed public-private solar farm, mainly without public input.
Larry speaks with the co-author of the investigative pieces about the project.
Guests:
Steve Scauzillo, environment and transportation writer for Southern California News Group and co-author of the article “How Industry could lose a $9M bet on solar farm at Tres Hermanos Ranch;” he has been covering Tres Hermanos for three years
Becky Warren, communications liaison on behalf of the City of Industry
It’s all about ‘Hamilton’: Lin-Manuel Miranda’s mega-musical comes to LA
The Hollywood Pantages Theater has been home to some of the greatest performances, from “Wicked,” and “The Lion King” to “The Book of Mormon.”
This month, the Tony Award-winning performance by the 30-plus cast of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s original hip-hop musical “Hamilton” has finally made its way to Hollywood. Since its opening two years ago in New York City, the history-making tour based on the founding fathers and American revolution, has obsessed fans with the show’s unconventional way of telling history with its non-white actors rapping about historical figures as George Washington. Hamilton is expected to make an even longer stay in Los Angeles, to the delight of thousands of Angeleno “Ham” fans, some who have no qualms sitting in line for 24 hours.
Opening night is August 16, 2017.
Guest:
Lisa Fung, arts writer and former arts and entertainment editor at the Los Angeles Times; she tweets