John Horgan, former senior writer at Scientific American, discusses his new book The End of War; why war is a solvable scientific problem, not the inevitable result of resource struggles, religious differences, or biological imperatives; the near-abolition of slavery, another ancient barbaric practice; preventing war by fighting militarism first, and working for social and economic justice second; and the reason why men take up arms, at the behest of chickenhawks, to fight people on the other...
03/26/12 – Muhammad Sahimi – The Scott Horton Show
Muhammad Sahimi, Professor of chemical engineering and political columnist for PBS’s Tehran Bureau, discusses his article on the IAEA chief, “Yukiya Amano: Minion of the Empire;” the former IAEA officials accusing Amano of a pro-Western bias on Iran; how Amano has fallen into the “Cheney trap” by relying on a small group of advisors and eliminating dissent within the IAEA; and the latest bogus allegations that Iran “refuses to cooperate” with the IAEA’s attempt to inspect the Parchin...
03/23/12 – Dina Rasor – The Scott Horton Show
Dina Rasor, founder of the Project on Military Procurement (now called the Project on Government Oversight, or POGO), discusses her article “Lockheed: The Ultimate Pay-to-Play Contractor;” how the crony weapons-procurement process guarantees cooperative generals lucrative post-retirement jobs with defense contractors; why nearly every military officer above colonel is a corrupt sellout; the Lockheed Corporation’s purchase of General Dynamics Corporation’s jet fighter division in 1993 (to clear...
03/23/12 – Marcy Wheeler – The Scott Horton Show
Blogger Marcy Wheeler discusses possible evidence that Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales didn’t commit the Afghan massacre by himself; the surprising WSJ article that sympathetically tells the massacre story from an Afghan’s perspective; James Risen and the NY Times’ honest accounting of Iran’s nonexistent nuclear weapons program; how the Obama administration is re-doing “total information awareness” and getting away with it; and how the National Counterterroism Center (NCTC) – the same agency that...
03/23/12 – Jason Leopold – The Scott Horton Show
Jason Leopold, lead investigative reporter of Truthout and author of News Junkie, discusses his article “DHS Turns Over Occupy Wall Street Documents to Truthout;” using FOIA to pry public records from secretive government agencies; internal DHS concerns about spying on protesters exercising their First Amendment rights; and coordination between DHS and local law enforcement on OWS infiltration and camp closures.
03/22/12 – Kelley B. Vlahos – The Scott Horton Show
Kelley B. Vlahos, featured Antiwar.com columnist and contributing editor for The American Conservative magazine, discusses the periodic, ritualistic exercise of claiming progress in the Afghanistan War, wherein US generals tell bland lies to Congress and nobody asks follow-up questions; the 300,000+ member Afghan army that is always right around the corner from competency; the end of patriotic breast-beating pro-war fervor in the military and government; and why congressional staffers would...
03/22/12 Lawrence Wittner: Trying a Little Nuclear Sanity
Lawrence Wittner, Professor of History at the State University of New York/Albany, discusses his article “Try a Little Nuclear Sanity;” the “SANE” legislation introduced by Congressman Edward Markey that would cut the budget and scope of the US nuclear weapons program; how Russia is threatened by “missile defense,” that supposedly exists to protect Europe from Iran but actually gives the US an unanswerable first-strike capability; why the Cold War military budget and mindset persist even...
03/22/12 – Robert P. Murphy – The Scott Horton Show
Robert P. Murphy discusses the standard arguments against the gold standard, many of which were used by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke during his speech at George Washington University, how paper fiat money begets big government; why the Fed will continue doubling down, using the same failed strategy until their luck turns around or the dollar breaks; and why the "end game" crash may be an intentional transition to a single global currency.
03/21/12 – Peter Certo – The Scott Horton Show
Peter Certo, editorial assistant at Right Web and the Institute for Policy Studies, discusses his article “U.S. Government Finally Catching up With MEK Boosters Like Ed Rendell;” the shocking development that the rule of law might actually apply to former high-level US government officials; the usual suspects – humanitarian activists and Muslims who upload videos on YouTube – who face “material support” of terrorism charges under the PATRIOT Act; and the connection between the MEK’s...
03/21/12 – Kevin Zeese – The Scott Horton Show
Kevin Zeese, Executive Director of VotersForPeace and Co-Chair of Come Home America, discusses his article “Dismissal Is the Only Option in Bradley Manning Case;” the prosecution’s withholding of government damage-assessment reports, which could help disprove Manning’s “aiding the enemy” charge; statements from President Obama and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey (last paragraph) that bolster an “unlawful command influence” defense; and whether Judge Col. Denise Lind will rule fairly,...
03/21/12 – Dimi Reider – The Scott Horton Show
Israeli journalist Dimi Reider discusses his article “Israeli-Iranian solidarity exchange sweeps Facebook;” how a simple friendly gesture got Israelis and Iranians talking about peace; bypassing the mainstream media’s filter with Facebook, where real people can express themselves directly; and the Israeli peace movement’s influence (or lack thereof) on Bibi Netanyahu.
03/21/12 – James Bamford – The Scott Horton Show
James Bamford, author of The Shadow Factory: The Ultra-Secret NSA from 9/11 to the Eavesdropping on America, discusses his article “The NSA Is Building the Country’s Biggest Spy Center (Watch What You Say)” and his follow-up response to NSA chief Gen. Keith Alexander’s testimony to Congress; details on the immense new Utah data center; the NSA’s many telecom switch eavesdropping posts, extending far beyond the AT&T San Francisco facility revealed in 2006; whistleblower William Binney’s...
03/19/12 – Umar Farooq – The Scott Horton Show
Umar Farooq, intern at The Nation, discusses his article “Our immoral drone war;” why the media pursues a cause-and-effect rationalization when an American commits an atrocity, but not when a Muslim does; the cycle of violence and radicalization in the US and Pakistan; why billions in US aid to Pakistan aren’t enough to offset the War on Terror’s destructive force; and whether Stanley McChrystal’s “insurgent math” applies to Pakistanis as well as Afghans.
03/19/12 – Gabriel Kolko – The Scott Horton Show
Gabriel Kolko, historian and author of World in Crisis: The End of the American Century; discusses his article “Creating a Warrior State: The Enigma of Israel;” why Zionism and democracy cannot coexist; how Israel’s demographic changes are marginalizing secular Jews; and how the will of the people in Israel is reflected – both in Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination and Bibi Netanyahu’s electoral success.
03/19/12 – Barbara Slavin – The Scott Horton Show
Barbara Slavin, author of Bitter Friends, Bosom Enemies: Iran, the U.S. and the Twisted Path to Confrontation, discusses her article “Subtle Signs Obama Diplomacy May Work on Iran;” who was really at fault for Iran’s failed uranium fuel-swap deal in 2009; growing concern with Iran’s 20% enrichment process that yields medical isotopes and a “breakout” capability; and why the Treasury Department’s investigation of MEK shills like Edward Rendell may be Obama’s way of reaching out to...
