Download Episode.

Scott talks with Ted Snider about former German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s recent claim that the Minsk agreements were never meant to bring peace to the Donbas. Merkel said that instead, they were implemented to give Ukraine time to build up its military. Some are doubting whether Merkel’s comments are true, but Snider explains why this is a big deal whether she’s lying or not. Scott and Snider explore the dynamic around the Minsk agreements and examine the crucial years between the 2014 ousting of Yanukovych and the 2022 invasion. They also touch on where things stand today and on whether the best window for negotiation has already passed. 

Discussed on the show:

• “Did Europe Lie to Russia About Peace?” (Antiwar.com)
• “The U.S. Approach to Ukraine’s Border War Isn’t Working. Here’s What Biden Should Do Instead” (Politico)
• “Did the West Miss Its Window?” (Antiwar.com)
• “CIA director holds secret meeting with Zelensky on Russia’s next steps” (Washington Post)

Ted Snider has a graduate degree in philosophy and writes on analyzing patterns in U.S. foreign policy and history. He is a regular writer for Truthout, MondoWeiss and antiwar.com.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.

Get Scott’s interviews before anyone else! Subscribe to the Substack.

Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjY

Eric Margolis, journalist and author of American Raj, discusses the Showtime documentary on Dick Cheney, who casually dismisses his responsibility for starting the disastrous war in Iraq; the African dictators who go to war crimes tribunals while Cheney goes fishing; the confusing US policy of simultaneously attacking and supporting “terrorists” in Iraq, Libya and Syria; and the French intervention in western Africa.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Stephen Zunes, Professor of Politics and International Studies at the University of San Francisco, discusses his article “Remembering Those Responsible on the 10th Anniversary of the Iraq War;” the know-nothing US occupation staffers brought in to remake Iraqi society; how US foreign policy has radicalized a generation of Muslims and greatly increased the chance of another major terrorist attack; and the many Democrats who supported the Bush administration’s war effort.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Gary Gambill, Associate Fellow at Middle East Forum, discusses why “Bush Was Right” on ending US support for Middle East dictatorships (even the compliant ones); how pro-American autocracies breed Islamic extremism by closing all other avenues of political expression; restricting World Bank and IMF loans to democratic governments; what constitutes an Islamic moderate; and why the US should not get involved in Syria’s ongoing “Lebanonization.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Investigative journalist Gareth Porter discusses the murderous rampage carried out by unknown Afghan forces (possibly CIA-backed) in Wardak province; Afghan President Karzai’s belief that the US is backing the Taliban and intentionally creating “security concerns” to destabilize the country; how US foreign policy decisions were influenced by petty infighting between the White House and State Department; and why antiwar Leftists don’t have a clue about power politics and the national security apparatus.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Kara Dansky, Senior Counsel at the ACLU Center for Justice, discusses the ACLU’s nationwide investigation into police use of military technology and tactics; the unknown standards for SWAT raids; military weapons and equipment that are often gifted to local police departments; and the anecdotal evidence of overly aggressive policing.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Jeremiah Goulka, a writer, political analyst, scholar and lawyer, discusses the history of Congress’s pork-barrel spending on Lockheed Martin’s C-130 aircraft; the vast overproduction of C-130s that now sit idle at airports across the country; Lockheed’s record-high projected profits despite sequestration “cuts” to military spending; and Lockheed’s incredible return on investment rate for lobbying Congress.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

TomDispatch editor Nick Turse discusses his new book Kill Anything That Moves: The Real American War in Vietnam; how researching PTSD in American soldiers led him to startling documents on US war crimes in Vietnam; and how Robert McNamara’s “body count” war-fighting strategy motivated American soldiers to systematically and wantonly kill Vietnamese civilians.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Investigative journalist Dahr Jamail discusses the perpetual low-grade war that is daily life in Iraq; the destabilizing effect of Syria’s civil war; and the massive “last chance” Friday protests against Prime Minister al-Maliki’s government.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download