Journalist Cora Currier discusses her article “Timeline: How Obama Compares to Bush on Torture, Surveillance and Detention;” the government’s claim that there is oversight for the unprecedented expansion of executive power (it just can’t be verified because of state secrets); Obama’s duplicity on telecom immunity and his broken promise to prosecute the “warrantless wiretapping” Bush administration officials; evidence that CIA black sites are not actually closed; continuing proxy-torture with...
05/11/12 – John Glaser – The Scott Horton Show
John Glaser, Assistant Editor at Antiwar.com, discusses the government’s premature bragging about foiling another underwear bomber terrorist plot – which became embarrassing when news broke about the bomber’s CIA/Saudi connection; Hillary Clinton’s well-founded doubts about arming Syria’s rebellion, whose ranks include al-Qaeda members and suicide bombers; why a “safe zone” in Syria is about as stupid as the “no fly zone” in Libya – and just as sure to start a larger war; the media’s...
05/10/12 – Gareth Porter – The Scott Horton Show
Gareth Porter, investigative historian and journalist specializing in U.S. national security policy, discusses his article “US Treasury Claim of Iran-al-Qaeda ‘Secret Deal’ Is Discredited;” how former intelligence officer Paul Pillar and the recently-released bin Laden documents reveal the Obama administration’s strategy of diplomatic coercion on Iran; the lack of evidence that cooperation between al-Qaeda and Iran extends beyond prisoner swap deals; the need for a quick-response team of...
05/08/12 – Stephen Zunes – The Scott Horton Show
Dr. Stephen Zunes, Professor of Politics and International Studies at the University of San Francisco, discusses his article “University of California Takes Aim at Human Rights Activists;” UC President Mark Yudof’s likening of pro-Palestinian student activists to swastika-carving vandals; killing the free exchange of ideas in public universities; how excessive and unwarranted accusations of anti-Semitism lends credibility to real bigots; why racists should be defeated by rational argument, not...
05/08/12 – Philip Giraldi – The Scott Horton Show
Former CIA officer Philip Giraldi discusses his article “Iran’s Tactical Strength;” the conclusion of US war simulations studying Iran’s likely retaliation to an Israeli air strike; why the media and government officials from the US and Israel are suddenly less hawkish on Iran; the decade-long scare campaign that Hezbollah sleeper cells are all over the Western Hemisphere; the unlikely story of the CIA capturing explosives-ready underwear in Yemen, which supposedly prevented a terrorist...
05/07/12 – Will Grigg – The Scott Horton Show
Will Grigg, blogger and author of Liberty in Eclipse, discusses his article “The Everyday Evil of America’s Torture State;” Daniel Chong’s “accidental” 5 day incarceration during which he was without food or water, handcuffed and in complete darkness; the “Gitmo-ization” of the US justice system; other anecdotes of the cops torturing and killing Americans without being fired or prosecuted; the Michigan State Supreme Court’s unusual recognition of the right to resist unlawful arrest; the...
05/07/12 – Franklin Lamb – The Scott Horton Show
Franklin Lamb, Director of Americans Concerned for Middle East Peace, discusses his article “The Lutfallah II Arms-Smuggling Scandal;” funneling weapons from Libya to Syria’s rebels, apparently helped by Saudi Arabia and Qatar; the pending case against NATO in the International Criminal Court; why foreign-orchestrated regime change in Syria will be much harder than it was in Libya; the disastrous US democracy-building exercises in the Middle East; and the reliability of news and casualty...
05/07/12 – Ray McGovern – The Scott Horton Show
Ray McGovern, member of Veterans For Peace and former senior analyst at the CIA, discusses Russian Gen. Nikolai Makarov’s suggestion that a NATO missile-defense shield in Eastern Europe could be the target of a Russian pre-emptive strike; the laughable justification of the missile shield as protection (for Poland and Romania?) against Iranian nuclear missiles; how President Bush funneled more government money to defense contractors by withdrawing from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty; and how...
05/04/12 – Gareth Porter – The Scott Horton Show
Gareth Porter, investigative historian and journalist specializing in U.S. national security policy, discusses his article “The Truth Behind the Official Story of Finding Bin Laden;” Pakistani Brig. Gen. (retired) Shaukat Qadir’s new book Operation Geronimo: the Betrayal and Execution of Osama bin Laden and its Aftermath; how bin Laden was ousted from Al Qaeda’s leadership and tricked into exile in Abbottabad, Pakistan; debunking the two big lies – that Pakistan’s ISI was hiding bin Laden, and...
05/04/12 – Ari Berman – The Scott Horton Show
Ari Berman, contributing writer for The Nation, discusses his article “Mitt Romney’s Neocon War Cabinet;” the Bush administration rejects (John Bolton, Eric Edelman, Dan Senor) who will fill senior government posts should Romeny win election; the ability of neoconservatives to shrug off abysmal failures (like the Iraq War) and remain credible mainstream media figures; why Americans shouldn’t – but usually do – overlook presidential supporting casts; and why a Romney victory in 2012 will likely...
05/04/12 – Naureen Shah – The Scott Horton Show
Naureen Shah, Associate Director of the Counterterrorism and Human Rights Project at Columbia Law School, discusses her article “Drone attacks and the Brennan doctrine;” US counter-terrorism adviser John Brennan’s admission that civilians are killed in drone strikes (after previously asserting “there hasn’t been a single collateral death because of the exceptional proficiency, precision of the capabilities that we’ve been able to develop”); the rhetorical means of avoiding civilian casualties...
05/03/12 – Marc Guttman – The Scott Horton Show
Marc Guttman, editor of the book Why Peace, discusses the collection of pro-peace, pro-liberty essays selected for Why Peace; exposing the state aggression of the US and other governments around the world; the roster of contributing writers, including many former soldiers and a full roster of Antiwar.com regulars; and how the internet functions as a “2nd Amendment for the 1st Amendment,” helping circumvent mainstream media information-domination.
05/03/12 – Gareth Porter – The Scott Horton Show
Gareth Porter, investigative historian and journalist specializing in U.S. national security policy, discusses his article “US-Afghan Pact Won’t End War or Night Raids;” President Obama’s stealthy press conference/campaign event in Afghanistan, where he pretended that the war is coming to an end; why an Iraq-model transition to self-governance won’t work in Afghanistan; the Afghan Army’s high turnover rate and general lack of purpose; why the decade-long continuing US occupation can best be...
05/02/12 – Scott Horton – The Scott Horton Show
The Other Scott Horton (no relation), international human rights lawyer and contributing editor at Harper’s magazine, discusses former #3 CIA boss Jose Rodriguez’s defense of torture and the destruction of interrogation videos (that he ordered); Rodriguez’s claim that the tapes were shredded to protect CIA agents from Al Qaeda retribution, not to coverup criminal acts; how the Department of Justice erodes the rule of law by failing to prosecute former officials bragging about their crimes on...
05/02/12 – John Mueller – The Scott Horton Show
John Mueller, author of Atomic Obsession: Nuclear Alarmism from Hiroshima to Al-Qaeda, discusses his article “Why Al-Qaeda May Never Die;” how “al-Qaeda” is used as a catchall name for terrorist groups, even those tangentially related to the original; why a large percentage of Americans fear terrorism even though dying in an attack is about as likely as being struck by lightning; US alliances with radical Islamic insurgents in Libya and Syria; and how imperial overreach hastened the Soviet...
