12/30/21 Daniel Larison: US Militarism Should Have Died With the Soviet Union

Scott is joined by Antiwar.com contributing editor Daniel Larison to discuss his most recent piece. Larison argues that the period following the peaceful breakup of the USSR was the best moment for the U.S. to shed the militaristic blob it had built up in the name of fighting communism. Instead, the military-industrial-congressional complex scrambled to find a new enemy. And the next thirty years of meddling in the Middle East and Eastern Europe have resulted in today’s messy geopolitical...

Pete Quiñones is Leaving the Institute

As some of you may have already learned, managing editor Pete Quiñones will be leaving the Institute on December 31st. Personally, I still love the guy and plan on remaining good friends. (And for the record, I do not blame him for the recent doxing of a couple of our fellow libertarians. He denied involvement to me and I believe him. So this is not due directly to that.) It’s only that lately our paths are diverging and it’s better for all involved if we go our own directions...

12/22/21 Gareth Porter on Iran and Afghanistan

Scott celebrates eleven years on the radio by interviewing Gareth Porter about Biden’s first year in office. They discuss the negotiations between the Administration and Iran over a return to the JCPOA. Despite many crossovers with the team that reached an agreement with Iran back in the Obama years, Biden’s people appear set on squeezing more concessions out of the Iranians. But Porter points out that, as he had predicted, the U.S. reluctance to return to the deal led to hardliner victories...

Interviews of Me

The Dad Presents: Scott Horton takes on Government Propaganda Yemen Can’t Wait ft. Scott Horton and Kyle Anzalone – Patrick MacFarlane Enough Already: Wars on Terror in The Middle East Without a Map w/ Scott Horton State of the World w/ Scott Horton – Eric Brakey The Great Scott Horton on Criminal Justice Reform

12/10/21 Dave DeCamp on Iran, Russia, China and Yemen

Dave DeCamp is back on the show for another rapid-fire episode of some of the biggest foreign policy news. He starts out with an update on the recently resumed indirect negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. Next, he discusses the developments between Russia and Ukraine where it appears the Biden Administration is backing down from early statements that hinted at a willingness to defend Ukraine against a Russian invasion. Next DeCamp and Scott talk about China and the prospects for tension...

12/10/21 Kevin Gosztola on Assange’s Future After the High Court Ruling

Scott is joined by journalist Kevin Gosztola to discuss the evolving situation Julian Assange finds himself in. The UK’s High Court recently overturned a decision blocking Assange from extradition to the United States. This plunges the case into further rounds of litigation. Gosztola explains these next steps and discusses what is needed for Assange to walk free.  Discussed on the show: “Assange Plans to Appeal High Court Decision Backing Extradition to the United States” (Shadowproof) “Inside...

12/3/21 Giorgio Cafiero on the Rumors of Russian Mercenaries Fighting in Mali

Scott interviews Giorgio Cafiero about an article he wrote last month on France’s war in Mali. Cafiero gives a concise, but thorough, background on the war, how it started and where it stands today. He then explains how anti-French sentiment in the country has been on the rise. In that context, rumors have been making the rounds about a deal between the Mali government and a top Russian mercenary group. Scott and Cafiero discuss what this could mean for the region, and the world, if these...

12/3/21 Bob Murphy and Jon Schwarz on Whether Current Inflation Is a Good Thing

Jon Schwarz wrote an article for the Intercept last month that stirred up quite a buzz. In the piece, Schwarz makes the argument that, because it’s hurting creditors and shrinking the real value of debt, inflation should be viewed as good news for most people. Scott brought Schwarz on together with Austrian economist Bob Murphey to have a discussion about Schwarz’s argument and monetary policy more broadly.   Discussed on the show: “Inflation Is Good for You” (The Intercept) Understanding...

12/2/21 Gilbert Doctorow on the Growing Tension at the Russia-Ukrainian Border

Scott was joined by Gilbert Doctorow on Antiwar Radio Sunday to talk about Russia and Ukraine. The recent Russian build-up of forces on its border with Ukraine’s Donbas Region has been highly publicized in American media, but the greater context has been all but eliminated from the public discourse. Doctorow provides that context in this interview. He explains how Russian actions are better understood as reactions to American weapons flowing into Ukraine, something the Kremlin considers to be...

12/2/21 Ford Fischer on the New Details Surrounding Johnny Hurley’s Tragic Death

Scott is joined by journalist and primary source documentarian Ford Fischer to discuss the recently released footage of Johnny Hurley’s death at the hands of an Arvada police officer. Fischer made a short documentary about the tragedy shortly after it occurred this past summer. Hurley heroically gunned down a man who had just begun what was clearly an attempted killing spree. By doing so, Hurley likely saved numerous lives, but he was tragically killed moments later when police arrived on the...

12/2/21 Patricia Hynes Explains How the US Military Poisoned Its Own Soldiers

Scott interviews Patricia Hynes about a piece she wrote back in 2017 highlighting the devastation caused by burn pits on American military bases over the last thirty years. Scott wanted to discuss this now because the Federal Government has finally started looking for ways to help the veterans exposed to these toxic fumes. They also lay out why Biden likely feels he has a personal stake in this effort.  Discussed on the show: “The Burn Pits” (Truthdig) “Burn Pits: Federal Government Finally...

12/2/21 John Dolan (The War Nerd) on the Tigray-Ethiopia War

Scott is joined by John Dolan who used to write under the names Gary Brecher and The War Nerd. The two discuss a recent article Dolan wrote that lays out the big picture causes and developments in the Tigray-Ethiopia war. Dolan explains the necessary Ethiopian history to set the stage for the war and does his best to piece together what’s happened since it began a year ago. Scott and Dolan also discuss the end of the war in Afghanistan and what a modern American civil war would look like.  ...