Explaining the THAAD anti-missile defense system and why it’s stoking tensions in the Middle East
The United States is sending a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery to Israel, along with the troops needed to operate it, the Pentagon said Sunday, even as Iran warned Washington to keep American military forces out of Israel. Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin authorized the deployment of the THAAD battery at the direction of President Joe Biden. He said the system will help bolster Israel’s air defenses following Iran’s ballistic missile attacks on Israel in April and October. The delivery of the sophisticated missile defense system risks further inflaming the conflict in the Middle East despite widespread diplomatic efforts to avoid an all-out war. The Iranian warning came in a post on the social platform X long associated with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who noted the earlier reports that the U.S. was considering the deployment. On Monday, Army leaders said the system’s deployment will add to already difficult strains on the Army’s air defense forces and potential delays in modernizing its missile defense systems.
Joining us this morning on AirTalk is Aaron David Miller, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Hal Kempfer, retired Marine intelligence officer, CEO of Global Risk Intelligence and Planning (GRIP), a management consulting firm based in Long Beach, and host of the STRAT (Strategic Risk Assessment Talk) Podcast.
With files from the Associated Press
Californians are trending red with political party swaps, according to new analysis
The Public Policy Institute of California has a new analysis out looking at Californians who are switching political parties and the evidence indicates that the Golden State is trending red. It’s subtle but still a shift for a state that historically has seen independent party voters shift Democratic. The switches are especially prominent for Black and Latino voters, who are switching at higher rates than other racial groups. And younger voters are leaving the Democratic party at higher rates than older Californians. We break down the details and what the shifts in voting could mean for upcoming elections and the long term. Joining to discuss is Eric McGhee, senior fellow and policy director for the Public Policy Institute of California.
Mushrooms are having a moment…and not just the ‘magic’ kind.
The verdict is in – mushrooms and fungi are having a moment, and not just the magic kind. Lions mane, oyster mushrooms, shiitake and more. The demand for “speciality” mushrooms has increased dramatically in the past few years as people and companies tout their health benefits and medicinal properties. The “shroom book,” as some have called it,” also extends to fungi and mycelium, the root system of mushrooms that is being used for waste management, biofuels, textiles and more. But with rapid growth comes misinformation as well. Joining us today on AirTalk to discuss the exciting innovations in mushroom and fungi research, plus the mounting concerns of a fast-growing industry, is David Hibbett, Professor of Biology at Clark University and Rachel Roberts, president of the American Mushroom Institute.
Housing nonprofit alleges discrimination following investigation into Section 8 housing voucher acceptance
Housing Rights Initiative, a housing rights non-profit organization, recently filed 112 complaints to California, alleging more than 200 property owners discriminated against those using Section 8 housing vouchers. The complaints follow an investigation conducted by HRI, which found property owners across the state were rejecting those with Section 8 housing vouchers at high rates, with the highest being in Los Angeles at 70%. In the HRI’s press release, they shared text exchanges between applicants and brokers, to try and offer additional context to the investigation. Today on AirTalk, we look into the complaints, and the investigation, with HRI founder and executive director Aaron Carr. We also speak to Carlos Van Natter, Director of Section 8 at the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), and Dan Yukelson, executive director and CEO of the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles.
CEO’s with strong political views may also have more instances of misconduct
A new study is showing that CEOs with strident political views may also exhibit more signs of corporate misconduct. Regardless of political leanings, left or right, the study shows that a CEO with strong political convictions was more than 50% more likely to engage in misconduct than at companies where CEOs were led by less political leaders. In total, the study’s authors looked at 498 companies and 831 CEOs. Additionally, the study revealed that heavily partisan leaders could create less effective and more conformist work environments. Joining us today on AirTalk to discuss the new study are the studies authors Thomas Fewer, assistant professor of strategic management at Rutgers University and Murat Tarakci, professor of innovation strategy at Erasmus University in the Netherlands.
