'Graveyard of empires': With US out, who will fill void in Afghanistan? (FULL SHOW)

Three-trillion dollars later, the US begins its long-overdue withdrawal from Afghanistan amid accusations of too little consideration for the safety of local allies. Has Washington become “one more on the heap” of a country rightly dubbed “the graveyard of empires?” Former Pentagon official Michael Maloof joins News.Views.Hughes to share his expertise.

He predicts civil war as a likely outcome and anticipates Beijing to increase its influence in the region and says China, along with Pakistan, India, Iran and Russia, are best positioned to take responsibility for security on behalf of war-torn Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Facebook has unveiled a pilot project to trace the spread of “extremism” on its platform. Investigative journalist Ben Swann weighs in. He argues that terms like “extremist” aren’t specific enough to prevent overuse of the new feature to ostracize anyone who questions mainstream politics and news narratives and people who otherwise “think differently or think for themselves.”

Then Lionel of Lionel Media joins the discussion, pointing out the disturbing parallels between COVID-19 contact tracing and the virtual “idea tracing” that Facebook’s initiative represents.

Meanwhile, billionaire elites from media, banking and the tech sector have descended on Idaho Summer Camp for a press-free, invite-only event at an Idaho summer camp to discuss the future of a society and culture over which they wield so much influence. RT America’s Natasha Sweatte has the details.