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April 14 - 18, 2003
Monday, April 14
County Budget Unveiled
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Los Angeles County Chief Administrative Officer David Janssen is expected to release today a 2003-04 budget proposal that includes multimillion-dollar cuts. Janssen's office has said the spending plan will be smaller than this year's $16.85 billion budget. KPCC reporter Frank Stoltze joins Kitty with the latest details.
Avoiding Armageddon
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The war with Iraq has caused many people to worry about revenge attacks on U.S. soil. The events of September 11th, although tragic, would have been much worse had the attack been compounded with chemical, biological or nuclear weapons. Host Kitty Felde speaks with Avoiding Armageddon (Basic Books) author, Martin Schram, about the history of chemical and nuclear technology and warfare. SchramÕs book is the companion book to a 4-part documentary of the same name that will air on PBS stations beginning April 14th.
Avoiding Armageddon airs on PBS station KCET at 9:00PM, April 14th-17th.
Restoring Law and Order in Iraq
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Michael Berkow engineered the creation of the first civilian police force in Haiti's history. HeÕs since been called on to build a police force in post war Bosnia and to help re-create the war-torn Somali National Police Force. On his last day as police chief in Irvine, and the eve of his start as deputy chief of the LAPD, he talks to Kitty Felde about his recommendations for restoring law and order in Iraq.
Tuesday, April 15
Modern History of Syria
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Kitty covers the history of Syria from the beginning of the 20th century up to today with Dr. Marius Deeb, Professor of Middle Eastern Studies at the School for Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at the Johns Hopkins University.
Water & Electricity
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Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld took particular pride in the precision bombing campaign of the Coalition Forces, and said great care was taken to keep Iraqi utilities in tact. Although the structure may remain, some utilities are not functioning at capacity. How do you restore services to Iraq? What will need to be done to restore the water supply? Host Kitty Felde asks these questions and more of former Chief of Army Engineers, Hank Hatch, and USC Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massoud Pirbazari.
War Letters
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For years, Andrew Carroll has been collecting letters written from the frontlines. From a collection of 50,000 never-before-seen letters from around the country, he complied the best 200 for his book War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars (Scribner, 2001). Most recently, Carroll has been gathering letters and emails from the latest war in Iraq, and the war in Afghanistan. Kitty talks with the author and creator of www.warletters.com about his finds.
Your War Letters can be mailed to the following address:
P.O. Box 53250
Washington, D.C. 20009
Visit www.warletters.com for more information
Wednesday, April 16
Syria Update
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NPRÕs Kate Seelye joins Kitty from Damascus for an update on the latest events in the country.
The Quest for Future Democracy in Iraq
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As over eighty delegates met in Ur this week to talk about an interim government for Iraq. Others ask the question about lasting democracy for Iraq. British Prime Minister Tony Blair said one year after the inauguration of the interim government, democratic elections will be held. How can all the factions, ethnicities, religious and secular parties be adequately represented without fear of tyranny or revenge rule? Kitty explores the cultural and political factions of Iraq to see what a truly democratic Iraq would look like and more. Kitty speaks with President and Founder of the Democracy Council, Jim Prince, and former Vice Chair of the National Intelligence Council at the CIA and author of The Future of Political Isalm (Palgrave McMillian), Graham Fuller.
Kurds Driving Arabs Out of Northern Iraqi Villages
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For the last 35 years at least, Kurds have been forced out of Kirkuk and surrounding villages in Northern Iraq. Now that the Kurdish promised land has fallen, Kurds are forcing Arabs to move from their homes and claiming the land once again for themselves. Who owns the land and how are these sorts of issues resolved in a post-war conflict, especially if two people own papers to the same plot of land, given to them under different regimes? Kitty gets the latest on the apparent ethnic cleansing in Kirkuk from Newsweek correspondent Babak Dehghanpisheh. Also joining the conversation is Ruth Wedgewood, Johns Hopkins Professor of international law, to talk about legal issues with displaced persons.
Thursday, April 17
Chancellor Carnesale
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With his background in foreign and defense policy matters, UCLA chancellor Albert Carnesale wears several hats on campus. Kitty invites him to weigh in on the nuclear threat from North Korea on the eve of three way talks between the US, China and North Korea.
Can Abbas Be Prosecuted?
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Abul Abbas, the Palestinian mastermind of the 1985 hijacking of the ÒAchille Lauro,'' may not be prosecuted for his role in the take-over of the Italian cruise ship. The Palestinian Authority is saying his arrest this week violates an amnesty deal previously agreed to by the U-S, Israel and the Palestinians in 1995. Kitty Felde explores the outlook for his prosecution under international and US law with USC Professor of International Law, Edwin Smith.
Los Angeles Sentinel on City Council Candidate Deron Williams
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In the last few days, city council hopeful Deron Williams has given a series of conflicting stories about his 1988 cocaine conviction. When first asked about it, Williams denied knowing that the substance he was carrying in his pants at Ontario International airport was indeed cocaine. Now it turns out that Deron did know that he was carrying cocaine and had served 117 days in jail for the conviction, not the 90 days in a rehab center as he had previously characterized his sentence. Kitty talks with the managing editor of the Los Angeles Sentinel, James Bolden, about community reaction to Deron Williams, especially in the 10th district.
The Black Market for Antiquities
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What will happen to the art and antiquities pilfered from the National Museum of Iraq? Will they end up on the black-market? And, who would buy illegal art? Kitty Felde asks these questions and more of Research Assoicate at the University of ChicagoÕs Oriental Institute, Clemens Reichel, and ex-officio at the Archaeology Institute of America New York Society, Lucille Roussin.
Friday, April 18
The Future of the UN
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Given what many would label the marginalization of the UN in the process of going to war with Iraq, is the relevance of this international institution waning? This is not the first time the issue has arisen, but it is worth talking about now as reconstruction efforts begin and other threats, such as North Korea, are being dealt with outside of the UN. Kitty talks with Shashi Tharoor, under secretary general for communications at the UN, Mark Katz, professor of government and politics at George Mason University, and Joseph Montville, senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. MontvilleÕs most recent book is The Psychodynamics of International Relationships (Lexington Books).
The MayorÕs Budget
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At 9:30 this morning, Mayor Hahn unveiled his budget for the city of Los Angeles for Fiscal Year 2003-04. KPCC reporter Frank Stoltze gives Kitty an update from this morning's press conference, along with highlights from yesterday's state of the city address.
Holes the Movie
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Holes was author Louis SacharÕs 18th book. It has sold more than 1 million copies, been translated into 25 languages, and now, finally, has been made into a movie. Tonight the movie of the same name opens nationwide. Sachar wrote the screenplay and even has a bit part in the film. Kitty talks with the author/screenwriter about the success of the book and about digging holes.
Listen to the KPCC Book Club of the Air discussion of Louis SacharÕs Holes. The discussion is from June 2000, the very first edition of the Book Club. Listen to other book clubs discussions archived on the Book Club of the Air webpage.
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