Hillary Mann Leverett, former State Department official and co-founder of The Race For Iran, discusses President Obama’s interview with Jeffrey Goldberg – essentially a ploy to boost his pro-Israel credentials ahead of the AIPAC conference; why suffering Iranians are seen as a positive sign (to Obama) that sanctions are working as intended; the significance of defining the US “red line” on Iran’s nuclear program in terms of capability instead of action; the Obama administration’s fraudulent...
03/02/12 – Gareth Porter – The Scott Horton Show
Gareth Porter, investigative historian and journalist specializing in U.S. national security policy, discusses his article “Who Was Behind the Delhi Bombing;” the evidence that points to an Israeli false-flag operation instead of an Iranian revenge attack; US efforts to sabotage trade between Iran and India (the largest importer of Iranian oil); forever playing catch-up to lies that “travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes;” the seeming consensus between Mossad...
03/01/12 – Grant F. Smith – The Scott Horton Show
Grant F. Smith, director of the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy, discusses the “Occupy AIPAC” counter-summit in Washington, D.C. from March 2-6; his article “The Mossad Has Long Given Marching Orders to AIPAC;” the fine line between a domestic lobby and a foreign-controlled intelligence operation; and how constant warmongering and talk of “existential threats” gets AIPAC’s hardcore American donors to open their wallets.
03/01/12 – Andy Worthington – The Scott Horton Show
Andy Worthington, author of The Guantanamo Files, discusses his efforts to get the last two Kuwaiti prisoners released from Guantanamo; why no prisoners have left Gitmo in 14 months (except in body-bags), even though over half have been cleared for release; losing hearts and minds with arbitrary detentions and lack of habeas rights at Bagram prison in Afghanistan; and how the Bush administration’s above-the-law attitude has prevailed and “normalized” under Obama.
03/01/12 – Kathy Kelly – The Scott Horton Show
Kathy Kelly, co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence, discusses her article “The Ghost and the Machine” about the lack of accountability and morality in remote-control drone warfare; her recent visit to Afghanistan, where children are starving and freezing in refugee camps across the street from enormous, well-provisioned US military bases; the myth of humanitarian wars; and the coming arms race in unmanned drone aircraft.
02/29/12 – Philip Giraldi – The Scott Horton Show
Former CIA officer Philip Giraldi discusses the unusual NY Times headline acknowledging that Iran is not making nuclear weapons; the possible reasons why the Times ran James Risen’s piece instead of the usual scaremongering from David Sanger; next week’s AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington; the questionable wisdom of pushing regime change in Syria; and the politicians, think tanks and policy papers bankrolled by pro-Israel billionaire Sheldon Adelson.
02/29/12 – Doug Bandow – The Scott Horton Show
Doug Bandow, senior fellow at the Cato Institute, discusses North Korea’s acceptance of a deal to halt uranium enrichment and weapons testing in exchange for US food aid; why nobody should expect N. Korea to abandon their nuclear program or give up anything of military significance; closing US bases in S. Korea and Japan so the regional powers can resolve their own problems; and why China is more interested in trade than starting wars with its neighbors.
02/28/12 – Kelley B. Vlahos – The Scott Horton Show
Kelley B. Vlahos, featured Antiwar.com columnist and contributing editor for The American Conservative magazine, discusses her article “Do Afghan Riots Spell E-X-I-T;” the mainstream media’s sudden realization that the Afghan War effort is failing; increases in the frequency and severity of IED injuries to US soldiers (who are demoralized and have lost faith in their objectives); why the culture gap between US military trainers and Afghan army recruits is too great to be bridged, resulting in...
02/28/12 – Carol Moore – The Scott Horton Show
Carol Moore, author of The Davidian Massacre, discusses the 19th anniversary of the initial BATF assault against the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas; the BATF’s eagerness to put on a “big show” to demonstrate their militarized weaponry and justify their budget; the 9-1-1 call demonstrating some Davidians were on a first-name basis with the local sheriff – and by extension that negotiations were certainly possible; and how the trial of eleven survivors became a miscarriage of justice.
02/28/12 – Lew Rockwell – The Scott Horton Show
Lew Rockwell, founder and Chairman of the Ludwig von Mises Institute, discusses his classic speech “Down With the Presidency;” how state-worshiping Americans have allowed the office of the president to become an elected dictatorship; the spectacle of presidential travel, where entire cities are shut down during a visit from our “god-king” imperial president and his enormous entourage; how the Ron Paul Revolution is winning the hearts and minds of young people the world over; prospects for...
02/27/12 – Haroon Siddiqui – The Scott Horton Show
Haroon Siddiqui, editorial writer for the Toronto Star, discusses his article “Qur’an burning is a political, not a theological, issue;” making the connection between the Afghan peoples’ sensitivity to Qur’an burning and the ten year military occupation of their country; the political obstacles preventing the US and NATO from calling it quits; and Newt Gingrich’s laughable threat to “say good bye and good luck” to those ungrateful Afghans.
02/27/12 – Pepe Escobar – The Scott Horton Show
Globetrotting journalist Pepe Escobar discusses “A Separation,” the first Iranian movie to win an Academy Award; the suspiciously-timed announcement of a plot to assassinate Vladimir Putin, just days before Russia’s presidential election; Pepe’s article “What is Iran’s Supreme Leader’s Game;” the Green movement’s exclusion from Iran’s parliamentary elections; why a US/Israeli war with Iran could bring Russia and China into the fray; and how GCC’s support for Syria’s opposition is fomenting a...
02/24/12 – Eric Margolis – The Scott Horton Show
Eric Margolis, internationally syndicated columnist and author of War at the Top of the World and American Raj, discusses the many countries covertly and overtly supporting Syria’s armed resistance; the Western media’s one-sided anti-Assad coverage; how the US is hijacking the Arab Spring, toppling unfriendly dictators (while protecting compliant ones) and subverting genuine grassroots democratic revolutions; the near-total elimination of al-Qaeda, so that it exists mostly as a catchall name...
02/24/12 – Muhammad Sahimi – The Scott Horton Show
Muhammad Sahimi, Professor of Chemical Engineering and political columnist on Iran issues, discusses his article “Deconstructing Lieberman’s Iran Resolution;” the false premises upon which Senate Resolution 380 is based; Iran’s closely inspected and safeguarded uranium enrichment program; rehashing the Qom facility “gotcha” lies from 2009; why the US isn’t interested in a diplomatic resolution, wherein sanctions are dropped in exchange for Iran implementing the Additional Protocol and allowing...
02/23/12 – Gareth Porter – The Scott Horton Show
Gareth Porter, investigative historian and journalist specializing in U.S. national security policy, discusses his article “Iran Holds Up Access to Parchin for Better IAEA Deal;” the conditions under which Iran would allow more stringent inspections and/or readopt the Additional Protocol; the brouhaha over a (likely imaginary) containment vessel at Parchin, which the IAEA says is used to test nuclear weapons; why Iran can’t make nukes (assuming they could and wanted to) while the IAEA...
