Co-director of FPIF.org John Feffer returns to the show to discuss his latest article, “North Korea: The Costs of War, Calculated.” Feffer agrees that North Korea is not President Trump’s Iraq War and explains why the geography of the Korean Peninsula make it clear what the consequences of a war with North Korea would be. Feffer explains why North Korea has little reason to trust American diplomatic guarantees, where sensible common ground for negotiations between the two countries should be, and considers whether a conventional conflict would necessarily lead to a nuclear conflict. Feffer then turns to the threat of war with Iran and how the Trump administration is clearly pushing toward war. Lastly Scott asks Feffer about his article on the Koch Brothers: “What Happens When Bad Money Supports Good Foreign Policy?”

John Feffer is the co-director of Foreign Policy In Focus and author of the dystopian novel Splinterlands. Follow Feffer on Twitter @JohnFeffer.

Discussed on the show:

• “North Korea Says It Might Negotiate on Nuclear Weapons. But the Washington Post Isn’t Reporting That.” by John Schwartz (The Intercept)
• “US believed it would ‘undoubtedly win’ war with North Korea in 1994 – but with huge casualties” (The Guardian)
• “The secret backstory of how Obama let Hezbollah off the hook” (Politico)
• “Have Hawks Won a Round on Iraq Escalation?” by Gareth Porter (Anitwar.com)
• Charles Koch & David Koch
• “11/13/17 Stephen Walt on Charles Koch’s new institute for foreign policy research” (The Scott Horton Show)
• William Jennings Bryan

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Zen Cash, The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; LibertyStickers.com; TheBumperSticker.com; and ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.

Check out Scott’s Patreon page.

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