Professor Wall and the Reporter discuss the news from Southwest Asia where Turkey is exerting pressure on neighboring countries to be harsher with the stateless Kurdish people who are undergoing severe persecution within Turkish territory. With Iraqi Kurdistan failing to obtain independence in the wake of a successful referendum vote for independence in 2017, what lessons can other secession movements take from the fallout of the Kurds’ failure in 2017? What does this whole situation say about the motives of governments and the dangers they pose to stateless peoples within their borders?
Links:
(Iraq bans a Kurdish separatist group and strengthens its cooperation with Turkey): https://apnews.com/article/iraq-turkey-pkk-kurdish-separatist-ban-de9c0a6a0517bb4b48b3d915e71e0f4c
(Ron Paul on the Kurdish Independence Vote – Progress or Danger?): https://www.antiwar.com/blog/2017/09/26/ron-paul-on-the-kurdish-independence-vote-progress-or-danger/
(Iraqi Kurds Overwhelming Back Secession on High Turnout): https://news.antiwar.com/2017/09/25/iraqi-kurds-overwhelming-back-secession-on-high-turnout/
(Iraqi PM Demands Kurds ‘Cancel’ Referendum Result): https://news.antiwar.com/2017/09/27/iraqi-pm-demands-kurds-cancel-referendum-result/
(Iraqi Kurdish Govt Endorses ‘United Iraq’): https://news.antiwar.com/2017/11/15/iraqi-kurdish-govt-endorses-united-iraq/
(‘No Friend But the Mountains’: A History of US Betrayal of the Kurds): https://original.antiwar.com/brett_wilkins/2019/10/14/no-friend-but-the-mountains-a-history-of-us-betrayal-of-the-kurds/
(Erdogan's Ethnic Cleansing of the Kurds Is Still Happening): https://www.unz.com/pcockburn/erdogans-ethnic-cleansing-of-the-kurds-is-still-happening/
(New Catholic Church opens in Erbil): https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/32174-New-catholic-church-opens-in-Erbil
(Biafra RIP - By Murray N. Rothbard): https://www.rothbard.it/articles/libertarian-forum/lf-2-3.pdf
(“Liberalism” - By Ludwig von Mises): https://www.bookfinder.com/search/?author=&title=&lang=en&isbn=9781610166911&submitBtn=Search&new_used=*&destination=us¤cy=USD&mode=basic&st=sr&ac=qr
Professor Wall and the Secession Minstrel discuss the first meeting of the Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission and what this means for the Downstate Illinois Separation Effort going forward. How strong were the arguments put forward by Downstate Illinois activists to the Commission in this first meeting? Why should Downstate Illinois activists welcome Indiana’s help to their cause regardless of whether it results in statehood or border moves?
Links:
(Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission Meeting - Live Stream 10/22/25): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EziEhPN8HLM
(Indiana moves to redefine border with Illinois, But Illinois shows no interest in Secession): https://www.wfiwradio.com/2025/07/01/indiana-moves-to-redefine-border-with-illinois-but-illinois-shows-no-interest-in-secession/
(Law taking effect July 1 has Indiana possibly acquiring parts of Illinois): ...
Professor Wall welcomes local self-determination activists Russell Kanning from New Hampshire and Jason Mills from Oregon for a discussion of a question which is vital to understanding the process of how the people governing themselves works. Which is more vital to self-governance? Local activism in the community? Or National activism across the whole country?
Links:
(NHexit.org): http://nhexit.org/
(Jason Mills @ Substack): https://substack.com/@jmillsy
(“Human Action” - By Ludwig von Mises): https://store.mises.org/Human-Action-Pocket-Edition-P10435.aspx
(“Conceived in Liberty: Volumes 1 - 4” - By Murray N. Rothbard): https://store.mises.org/Conceived-in-Liberty-Volumes-1-4-P10605.aspx
(“Conceived in Liberty - Volume 5: The New Republic 1784 - 1791” - By Murray N. Rothbard & Patrick Newman): https://store.mises.org/Conceived-in-Liberty-Volume-5-The-New-Republic-P11134.aspx
Professor Wall and the Secession Minstrel discuss the proposal coming from the head of Russia’s Sovereign Wealth Fund that the governments of Russia and the United States should work together to build a tunnel connecting Siberia and Alaska with the goal being to use it to help international corporations get Alaska’s natural resources out of Alaska and sold on the global market for the financial benefit of these corporations and governments. Why is this proposal a truly shocking violation of Alaska sovereignty and the rights of the people who live in Alaska? Why would this proposal ultimately impoverish the people of Alaska in the long-term? Is this proposal feasible in coming to pass anytime in the future? How might Alaska secession affect such a proposal?
Links:
(Kirill Dmitriev Siberia-Alaska Tunnel Proposal on Twitter): https://x.com/kadmitriev/status/1978917512285687902
(Kremlin proposes 70-mile ‘Putin-Trump unity tunnel’ linking the US and Russia – built by Elon Musk): ...
This piece from the Acton Institute speaks very much to our views here at "On This Terrestrial Ball" on what the relationship should be between family and the workplace. Here we always says that "Family Comes First". That means occasionally we will have gaps in our publication schedule when we need to tend to matters which affect family. However we are still committed to spreading the word on the causes which are important to the everyday people so that EVERYONE will be able to put family first in the not-too-distant future and it is why we value your support so much! Be a rebel, raise a family and show & tell the family how much you love them! https://rlo.acton.org/archives/124383-your-job-is-not-your-family.html
Professor Wall welcomes Daniel McAdams and Chris Rossini back to "From Steal to Secession AM" for a discussion on where America stands as Donald Trump's second term begins to really unravel due to foreign policy blunders, a collapsing domestic economy and dangerously spiking domestic tensions in the wake of Charlie Kirk's murder. Has anything good for the people of America come out of Trump's second term? What are the odds of civil war in America in the near-future? Can National Divorce be accomplished in America in a way which restores peace and opens the doors for prosperity? How much of what is unfolding is real and how much is a façade for the public eye?
Professor Wall welcomes the Foreign Minister of the microstate of Liberland, Thomas Walls, to “From Steal to Secession AM” to discuss Liberland, it’s history, it’s fight for recognition among the nations of the world, and what it hopes to accomplish for the people who have chosen to be part of this nation. Why is there such opposition to the establishment and growth of Liberland coming from certain government sectors in the Balkans? Who might be behind this effort to deny Liberland the recognition it deserves despite the fact that they seek peace and pose no threat to anyone? How is Liberland going about seeking to obtain recognition from other nations? What self-governing and economic principles make up the foundation of Liberland as a nation? What can Liberland teach other self-determination and self-government movements across the world?
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