Scott interviews William Van Wagenen about some of the horrific crimes taking place in Syria now that Bin Ladenite Islamists have taken over the country. They explore some of these stories and discuss the level of attention these are getting in the Western press and the broader geopolitical context behind this consequential regime change.

Discussed on the show:

Creative Chaos: Inside the CIA’s Covert War to Topple the Syrian Government
by William Van Wagenen
“The Alawite women taken as sex slaves in Syria” (The Spectator)
“Inside Syria’s state-backed cover-up of Alawite women’s kidnappings” (The Cradle)

William Van Wagenen is the author of Creative Chaos: Inside the CIA’s Covert War to Topple the Syrian Government. He has a BA in German literature From Brigham Young University and an MA in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. You can read his other writings on Syria for the Libertarian Institute here. Follow him on Twitter @wvanwagenen

Audio cleaned up with the Podsworth app:

https://podsworth.com

Use code HORTON50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Scott Horton Show!

For more on Scott’s work:

Check out The Libertarian Institute:

https://www.libertarianinstitute.org

Check out Scott’s other show, Provoked, with Darryl Cooper https://youtube.com/@Provoked_Show

Read Scott’s books:

Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine https://amzn.to/47jMtg7 (The audiobook of Provoked is being published in sections at https://scotthortonshow.com)

Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism: https://amzn.to/3tgMCdw

Fool’s Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan https://amzn.to/3HRufs0

Follow Scott on X @scotthortonshow

And check out Scott’s full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Incorporated https://rrbi.co Moon Does Artisan Coffee https://scotthorton.org/coffee; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom https://www.libertyclassroom.com/dap/a/?a=1616 and Dissident Media https://dissidentmedia.com

You can also support Scott’s work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/

https://scotthortonshow.com or https://patreon.com/scotthortonshow

10/29/21 Kevin Gosztola on the Cruelty Julian Assange Could Face in America

Kevin Gosztola is back to give an update on the appeal hearing against Julian Assange. Back in January, a UK judge ruled against Assange’s extradition to the U.S., citing his mental health. The U.S. government appealed that decision, leading to this hearing. Gosztola, who was able to watch, gives Scott an update on what arguments were presented. He then explains the numerous ways that, if he’s extradited, the U.S. could strip Assange of his basic liberties and isolate him from friends and family. After hearing the prosecution’s arguments, both are a bit optimistic about Assange’s chance of again avoiding extradition. But the decision is not expected to be known for weeks.

Discussed on the show:

“Appeal Hearing: Prosecutor Attacks Judge’s Decision, Which Blocked US From Extraditing Assange” (The Dissenter)
“Appeal Hearing: CIA’s War On Assange, Their ‘Most Prominent Critic,’ Takes Center Stage” (The Dissenter)
“Inside the CIA’s secret war plans against WikiLeaks” (Yahoo News)

Kevin Gosztola is managing editor of Shadowproof. He also produces and co-hosts the weekly podcast, “Unauthorized Disclosure.” Follow him on Twitter @kgosztola.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Dröm; Free Range Feeder; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee and Listen and Think Audio.

Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

10/26/21 Cheryl Rofer on the Shoddy Science behind Havana Syndrome

Scott is joined by writer and chemist Cheryl Rofer. Rofer penned an article back in May that debunked the increasingly popular theory that numerous American intelligence and diplomatic personnel were in fact the victims of a targeted microwave weapon. Rofer points out that all of the supposed evidence can be explained away. On top of that, the theoretical weapon itself does not even make any sense and can certainly not explain the alleged cases.

Discussed on the show:

“Claims of Microwave Attacks Are Scientifically Implausible” (Foreign Policy)

Cheryl Rofer is a writer of scientific and political commentary. She was a chemist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory for 35 years.

Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

10/25/21 Nasser Arrabyee on the Yemen Atrocity and the Battle for Marib

Scott is joined by Nasser Arrabyee who gives an update on the state of the war in Yemen. The battle for Marib is raging as the Houthis take control of more and more districts. The city is one of the last strongholds outside of Houthi control, and it looks like that may change soon. Arrabyee also gives an update on the rest of the country, where the Saudi blockade continues to wreak havoc on the population.

Discussed on the show:

Scott’s interview about Marib with Scott Paul

Nasser Arrabyee is a Yemeni journalist based in Sana’a, Yemen. He is the owner and director of yemen-now.com. You can follow him on Twitter @narrabyee.

Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

10/25/21 Trita Parsi on Biden’s Awful Approach to JCPOA Negotiations

Scott interviews Trita Parsi about Biden’s bizarre approach to JCPOA negotiations. When Biden came into office, the Iranians wanted to work out some mechanism to limit any future President’s ability to pull out of the JCPOA in a similar fashion to Trump. The U.S. said no, so the Iranians said they would settle for a binding commitment for the rest of Biden’s first term, but even that was rejected by the Americans. Parsi explains that stability is necessary for sanctions relief to work. He also says Iran’s status as a signatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty is at risk if the U.S. keeps refusing to move forward.

Discussed on the show:

“Revealed: Biden rejected way forward in Iran deal talks” (Responsible Statecraft)

Trita Parsi is the president of the National Iranian American Council and the author of Losing an Enemy: Obama, Iran and the Triumph of Diplomacy. Parsi is the recipient of the 2010 Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order. Follow him on Twitter @tparsi.

Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

10/22/21 Gareth Porter on the Self Licking Ice Cream Cone

Scott is joined once again by Gareth Porter to discuss a piece he wrote at the beginning of the month for Responsible Statecraft. But before talking about the article, Porter gives a quick update on the developing situation in Lebanon. The article Porter wrote talks about the “self licking ice cream cone,” a saying used to describe the self-perpetuating nature of the military-industrial-congressional complex. Porter explains how these perverse incentives kept us embroiled in war for two full decades.

Discussed on the show:

“How the ‘self licking ice cream cone,’ prolonged the 20-year war” (Responsible Statecraft)
“This Air Force commando called in 688,000 pounds of bombs in one battle” (Task & Purpose)
Joe Kent on Fox News

Gareth Porter is an investigative historian and journalist on the national security state. He is the author of Manufactured Crisis: The Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Scare and, with John Kiriakou, The CIA Insider’s Guide to the Iran Crisis. Follow him on Twitter @GarethPorter and listen to Gareth’s previous appearances on the Scott Horton Show.

Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

10/22/21 William Hartung: the Existential Threat of the Nuclear Weapons Lobby

William Hartung returns to the show for a quick episode about a press release he published at the Institute for Public Accuracy. Hartung describes the current setup of America’s ICBMs. The missiles are spread across the country, sitting on hair-trigger alert. It’s a setup that many experts admit is dangerous, and unnecessary. Yet any effort to roll back the program has been blocked by the Senators who’s states benefit the most from the presence of silos, as well as the companies that build them. Hartung explains what’s at stake if the status quo is allowed to continue.

Discussed on the show:

“How the ICBM Lobby is Threatening Armageddon” (Institute for Public Accuracy)
“To Avoid Armageddon, Don’t Modernize Missiles—Eliminate Them” (The Nation)
“Inside the ICBM Lobby: Special Interests Or the National Interest?” (Arms Control Association)

William Hartung is director of the Arms and Security Project at the Center for International Policy, and the author of Prophets of War: Lockheed Martin and the Making of the Military-Industrial Complex. Find him on Twitter @WilliamHartung.

Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

10/22/21 Aaron Maté on the Clintonian Origins of Russiagate

Aaron Maté is back on the show to discuss an article he wrote published at Real Clear Investigations. Maté explains how, although the origins of Russiagate are still murky, the Clinton Campaign seems to be at the center of it all. Notably with Clinton lawyers hiring Fusion GPS to look into Trump connections with Russia, an “inquiry” that led to the Steele Dossier. The Campaign’s legal team also hired Crowdstrike to investigate the DNC email leak, a step that was necessary to push the narrative that the leak was carried out by the Russians to support Trump. Maté stresses the timeline for which these events took place, because the dates alone are fatal to the establishment’s narrative.

Discussed on the show:

“Coming Into Focus: Hillary’s Secretive, Russiagate-Flogging Pair of Super-Lawyers” (Real Clear Investigations)
Scott’s Interview with Craig Murray
“CrowdStrikeOut: Mueller’s Own Report Undercuts Its Core Russia-Meddling Claims” (Real Clear Investigations)
Scott’s debate with Bill Kristol
“Claims of Microwave Attacks Are Scientifically Implausible” (Foreign Policy)

Aaron Maté is an NYC-based journalist and producer. He hosts the news show Pushback for The Grayzone, and writes regularly for The Nation. Subscribe to his Substack and follow him on Twitter @AaronJMate.

Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

10/18/21 Scott Hechinger on the Murder Rate, Police Reform and Gun Control

Scott interviews attorney Scott Hechinger about a recent article he wrote for The Nation. They discuss the recent jump in the murder rate, its possible causes and the portrayal of the increase in the media. Hechinger explains that the universal nature of the increase hurts the argument that bail and police reform are causing crime surges. Scott and Hechinger also discuss racial disparities in the justice system. Both agree that the problem is in the over-policing of poor black communities rather than the lack of policing in affluent white neighborhoods. Lastly, they touch on the closing of Wallgreens in San Fransisco and the problems with the further criminalization of gun possession.

Discussed on the show:

“A Massive Fail on Crime Reporting by The New York Times, NPR” (The Nation)

Scott Hechinger is a civil rights attorney and the executive director of Zealous, a national coalition supporting local initiatives to harness media and storytelling for justice. Follow him on Twitter @ScottHech

Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

« Older Entries

Next Entries »

All Interviews

Q & A Shows

9/14/15 Full Show

9/11/15 Full Show

The Stress Blog

Today’s show: James North 12-2 eastern

Today’s show: Andy Worthington, Phil Giraldi 12-2 eastern

Recent Episodes of the Scott Horton Show

12/5/25 William Van Wagenen on Life in Post-Assad Syria

Recommended reading

10/29/21 Kevin Gosztola on the Cruelty Julian Assange Could Face in America

10/26/21 Cheryl Rofer on the Shoddy Science behind Havana Syndrome

10/25/21 Nasser Arrabyee on the Yemen Atrocity and the Battle for Marib

10/25/21 Trita Parsi on Biden’s Awful Approach to JCPOA Negotiations

10/22/21 Gareth Porter on the Self Licking Ice Cream Cone

10/22/21 William Hartung: the Existential Threat of the Nuclear Weapons Lobby

10/22/21 Aaron Maté on the Clintonian Origins of Russiagate

10/18/21 Scott Hechinger on the Murder Rate, Police Reform and Gun Control

Listen

Links

Donate by Mail: