The US mainstream media is falling all over itself telling us how critical it is to attack Mosul, Iraq. The city of a million inhabitants has been under ISIS control for the past two years and the fight against ISIS will get a major boost if the terrorist group is expelled. How funny that the media sings a radically different tune when it comes to another town also under siege by terrorists. Aleppo in Syria has been held by al-Qaeda terrorists for twice as long as Mosul has been held by ISIS terrorists, but while the New York Times screams that no human cost is too great to liberate Mosul they at the same time accuse the Syrian government and its allies of wantonly slaughtering civilians in Aleppo. How to explain? The US mainstream media feels it is their duty not to report facts and dig up the truth behind government obfuscation, but to be complicit in government obfuscation of facts. A sad state. We look at the battle for Mosul in today’s Liberty Report:

What motivates terrorists to attack the US and US targets overseas? US foreign policy primarily characterized by US bombs fired by drone into countries primarily in the Middle East. This has been Ron Paul’s contention for years. Now we see that the FBI agrees. On today’s Liberty Report we discuss a recent article about a leaked FBI internal counter-terrorism study and its (not so) surprising conclusions. Will Washington listen to the work of its own agency and work to change its foreign policy?

In a leaked 2013 speech by Democratic Party presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, the candidate told the audience that it is necessary to take a public and a private position on each issue. It is an indication of the attitude of the elites, particularly the neocons, that the public cannot be told what their leaders are really up to on any issue. So the question is whether she had a “public” and “private” position on Syria? ISIS? Saudi Arabia? We discuss in today’s Liberty Report:

Both presidential candidates spoke a good deal about Syria, Russia, Iran, Libya, and foreign policy in general. After they finished the exercise in mutual character assassination, that is. But which is more important, character or issues? And why are the candidates seemingly so ill-informed about basic aspects of the war in Syria? Bad advisors? Propaganda? We take a look at the second debate in today’s Liberty Report:

Are laws regulating how long you can keep up a political sign on your property a restriction of free speech? Texas businessman Michael Kleinman thought so after the state told him to remove his “Ron Paul 2012” sign after the election. According to Texas’ “beautification” laws, political signs must be removed 10 days after an election and cannot go up more than 60 days before the election. Kleinman was fined by the state but he fought back. For four years. And this summer he finally won. We’ll look at his story and free speech in today’s Liberty Report:

Anyone hoping for a sign of change in US foreign policy was surely disappointed by last night’s vice presidential candidate debate. Both Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican Mike Pence made their foreign agenda clear: war. From a no fly zone in Syria to punishing “aggressive” Russia, the only disagreement was how on who could be the most warlike. In today’s Liberty Report we look at the vice presidency as an institution. It is more important than the “bucket of warm spit” as claimed by former US Vice President John Nance Garner. Eight US presidents have died in office, their vice presidents taking over for them. Significant figures like Theodore Roosevelt, LBJ, Harry Truman. What does it say that the two major party vice presidential candidates are so alike?

Thanks to a non-profit investigative journalism organization we now know that the Pentagon paid British PR firm more than half a billion dollars over five years to create false propaganda designed to push the US story line on the Iraq war. How much of it was aimed at the Iraqis and how much came back to propagandize us? We don’t know. We do know that war brings fantastic profits to the well-connected. More on this blood money in today’s Liberty Report:

The mainstream media portrays the fight for Aleppo as one between Syrian President Assad and the people, painting Assad as someone killing his citizens for the fun of it. In other words, as they did with Iraq and Libya, etc. the mainstream media again happily takes up the role of mouthpiece of the US government. The reality is quite different, in fact. Today’s Liberty Report speaks with independent journalist Vanessa Beeley, who has recently returned from an investigative trip to Syria including in Aleppo. What’s really going on there? Tune in!

In an interview with a prominent German newspaper, the commander of al-Qaeda’s Nusra Front in Aleppo, Syria claims that the US government and its allies are providing it with weapons and training. It may seem preposterous, but the US did the same thing with the mujahideen in Afghanistan after the 1979 Soviet invasion. And we all know what that led to… History repeats? Today on the Liberty Report:

Although we obviously take no position on who should be (or should not be) the next US president, the issues that we face in foreign policy, civil liberties, and monetary policy are of great concern to us. Last night’s debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton is of interest because of what was said, what was not said, and what should have been said. Today’s Liberty Report looks at the issues rather than the candidates:

What would former Congressman, former Reagan Budget Director, successful investor, and leading advocate for US non-interventionism David Stockman advise a President Trump to do to fix the mess we are in? Stockman joins today’s Liberty Report to discuss his new book, “Trumped! A Nation on the Brink of Ruin… And How to Bring It Back.” Trump is known as a “deal-maker” — Stockman offers him a great “Peace Deal” he could make that would save us billions and keep us far safer than we are today. Sounds like a great deal!

After untold billions of dollars in US training and equipment, the Iraqi army is not capable of taking the city of Mosul back from ISIS control. Part of the problem is that the multi-sectarian Iraqi army is not so keen on fighting an ISIS that includes Sunni elements of the old Iraqi army among other things. What does that mean? The Pentagon has told the White House it needs even more troops as “advisors” in advance of the expected battle. Already more than 6,000 US troops remain in Iraq. This new infusion will make at least 6,500 and that many contractors as well. And if Mosul is “liberated”? Some warn that may be the beginning of the second Iraqi civil war. More today in the Liberty Report: