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Scott is joined by Tom Woods to talk about the 2024 election. They discuss Biden stepping down, all the weird details relating to the Trump assassination attempt, the disappointing priorities of so-called national conservatives and more.

Discussed on the show:

• “The Secret History of the Shadow Campaign That Saved the 2020 Election” (Time)
• “Neoconservatism by Another Name” (The American Conservative)
• WoodsHistory.com

Tom Woods is the host of the Tom Woods Show and the author of numerous books including Diary of a Psychosis: How Public Health Disgraced Itself During COVID Mania. Follow him on Twitter @ThomasEWoods.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Roberts and Robers Brokerage Incorporated; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; Libertas Bella; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.

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Scott talks to Danny Sjursen about President Trump’s withdrawal of U.S. troops from northeastern Syria, which Sjursen views as the first instance of him actually following through on a major promise made on Twitter. Sjursen says that to surprise the generals and war planners with this kind of announcement is exactly what they deserve, and may be the only way Trump can actually pull back from any of our military operations without getting stymied by the deep state. Sjursen reminds us that what the neocon outcry is really about, of course, is keeping an American base in Syria to “check Iran.” He adds that although we often hear claims about the need to protect women and minority rights in places like Afghanistan, the same arguments are not made with respect to Syria, where Assad is clearly a better steward of these causes than his enemies would be.

Discussed on the show:

• “The United States of Betrayal” (Antiwar.com Original)
• “Secretary of Defense, Incorporated” (Truthdig)
• “IDF chief finally acknowledges that Israel supplied weapons to Syrian rebels | The Times of Israel” (Times of Israel)
• Donald J. Trump on Twitter: “The hardest thing I have to do as President…… “

Danny Sjursen is a retired U.S. army major and former history instructor at West Point. He writes regularly for TomDispatch.com and he’s the author of “Ghost Riders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge.” Follow him on Twitter @SkepticalVet.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1KGye7S3pk7XXJT6TzrbFephGDbdhYznTa.

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Chas Freeman talks about America’s relationship with Taiwan, which the U.S. has long considered an official part of China. Since 2018, however, our stance has begun to change in what Freeman considers a dangerous way. Because American policy prevents direct arms sales to China, it’s in the interest of the military-industrial complex to promote Taiwan as a sovereign entity. This might be fine if all one cares about is democracy and self-governance, but it could be extremely hazardous in the event of a war between Taiwan and mainland China, where the U.S. has pledged military support to Taiwan. Freeman says the domestic unpopularity such a war would vastly eclipse Vietnam, with the added problem that China has nuclear weapons capable of hitting any American city.

Discussed on the show:

• “Taiwan Arms Sales and the Erosion of US-Sino Diplomacy” (Antiwar.com Original)
• Taiwan Relations Act
• Taiwan Travel Act

Chas W. Freeman was Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs from 1993-94 and served as U. S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Follow him at his website, chasfreeman.net.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1KGye7S3pk7XXJT6TzrbFephGDbdhYznTa.

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Daniel Davis discusses President Trump’s recent announcement that he wants to withdraw American troops from Syria. He made a similar announcement a year ago, and just like back then, he’s now being met with fierce opposition, along with claims that to leave now would mean abandoning our allies in the region. What Trump’s critics really mean, say Davis and Scott, is that this move could strengthen Iran’s power in the Middle East, which is the worst nightmare of all neocons. Davis says that despite their concern, 1,000 troops in Syria will do absolutely nothing to check Iran’s influence, nor would 10,000 troops, like we have on their eastern border in Afghanistan.

Discussed on the show:

• “Withdrawal of all US troops from Syria — not a partial repositioning — should be American policy” (The Hill)
• Donald J. Trump on Twitter: “The hardest thing I have to do as President…”

Daniel Davis did multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan during his time in the army. He writes a weekly column for National Interest and is the author of the reports “Dereliction of Duty II: Senior Military Leaders’ Loss of Integrity Wounds Afghan War Effort” and “Go Big or Go Deep: An Analysis of Strategy Options on Afghanistan.” Find him on Twitter @DanielLDavis1.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1KGye7S3pk7XXJT6TzrbFephGDbdhYznTa.

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Dan McKnight joins Scott to discuss his very important organization, Bring Our Troops Home, which argues against America’s endless wars in the Middle East from a constitutional conservative position. Scott explains how the left has always been pretty good on the war issue, as is the older generation of Vietnam-era veterans who have turned anti-war. What we really need in order to change U.S. foreign policy is for the large base of younger republicans, including veterans of the current wars, to realize that a limited, defensive military policy really is the correct conservative stance. McKnight’s group, and others in the same movement, aim to galvanize this demographic.

Discussed on the show:

• “Bring Our Troops Home movement growing, and Risch says he agrees” (Idaho State Journal)
• “Pew report: Most veterans say the Iraq and Afghanistan wars were not worth fighting – Veterans” (Stars and Stripes)
• “Defend the Guard Legislation” (Tenth Amendment Center)
• Concerned Veterans for America

Dan McKnight is the founder and Chairman of Idahoans to Bring Our Troops Home. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, three years active duty with the U.S. Army, and ten years with the Idaho Army National Guard, including a one-year deployment to Afghanistan in 2006.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1KGye7S3pk7XXJT6TzrbFephGDbdhYznTa.

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Scott interviews Reese Erlich about the situation in Turkey, where the government is beginning to carry out a plan to get rid of the country’s Kurdish population in a kind of soft genocide that consists mostly in displacing native Kurds with Syrian refugees. Scott and Erlich also discuss the current protests against Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

Discussed on the show:

• “Foreign Correspondent: Turkey Plans an Attack on Syrian Kurds” (Progressive.org)
• Coping with Crumbling States
• Warren Commission

Reese Erlich is a freelance journalist who has reported from the Middle East for decades. His nationally distributed column, Foreign Correspondent, appears every two weeks. He is the author of The Iran Agenda Today: the Real Story of U.S. Policy and the Middle East Crisis. Find him on Twitter at @ReeseErlich or at his website.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1KGye7S3pk7XXJT6TzrbFephGDbdhYznTa.

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Andrew Cockburn talks about what he calls the legal corruption of the U.S. government and various lobbying industries. Whether it’s arms manufacturers, steel, farmers, or health insurance, practically every major industry in the U.S.—and some industries abroad—works with politicians to get favors and special treatment. Joe and Hunter Biden’s scandal with Ukrainian energy companies is just the most recent example, but is certainly not unique. Unfortunately partisan loyalty clouds people’s judgment and makes them accept these behaviors as normal when “their team” does it.

Discussed on the show:

• “Just How Swampy Are U.S.-Saudi Arms Deals?” (The American Conservative)
• “Hunter Biden’s Legal, Socially Acceptable Corruption” (The Atlantic)
• “Ukraine crisis: Transcript of leaked Nuland-Pyatt call” (BBC News)
• Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
• Wolf Street | The stories behind business, finance, and money

Andrew Cockburn is the Washington editor of Harper’s Magazine and the author of Kill Chain: The Rise of the High-Tech Assassins. Follow him on Twitter @andrewmcockburn.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1KGye7S3pk7XXJT6TzrbFephGDbdhYznTa.

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Adam Wunische joins the show to discuss his work in assessing the true costs of the war in Afghanistan and the future of the American military there. He and Scott remind us that most metrics used to describe the costs of war assume that you can put a value on the loss of human lives, the physical and mental suffering of soldiers who do come home, and all the other subtle effects felt at home by the citizens of a nation at war. Clearly that’s not true, and it probably explains why the country has turned so strongly against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, including the veterans of these wars themselves.

Discussed on the show:

• “The Real Costs of the War in Afghanistan” (The New Republic)
• “Veterans doubt value of wars in Iraq, Afghanistan in new poll” (Military Times)

Adam Wunische is a researcher for the Quincy Institute, an instructor at George Washington University’s Security Policy Studies program, and a PhD candidate at Boston College. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army, completing two deployments to Afghanistan. Follow him on Twitter @AdamWunische.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1KGye7S3pk7XXJT6TzrbFephGDbdhYznTa.

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Scott interviews Sheldon Richman about his new book, Coming to Palestine, a collection of Richman’s essays on the founding of Israel. Richman was raised in a Jewish household to believe that Israel’s cause was just and worthy of support. He now believes that the narrative he got as a child—the one that most people get—is practically the exact opposite of how things really stand in almost every regard. His new book tells the real story.

Discussed on the show:

• Coming to Palestine

Sheldon Richman is the executive editor of the Libertarian Institute and the author of America’s Counter-Revolution: The Constitution Revisited. Follow him on Twitter @SheldonRichman.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1KGye7S3pk7XXJT6TzrbFephGDbdhYznTa.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download