Chris Floyd, author of Empire Burlesque – High Crimes and Low Comedy in the Bush Imperium, discusses his article “What Lies Beneath: The Essence of Modern America in Somalia’s Blood-drenched Soil;” the US “dual track policy” of simultaneously funding the weak central government and the warlords – guaranteeing some influence no matter who carries the day; how imperial hubris has convinced American politicians they have the right to decide who is and isn’t suitable to rule Somalia; and a...
09/14/11 – Richard Silverstein – The Scott Horton Show
Richard Silverstein, writer of the Tikun Olam blog, discusses his article “Secret trial revelations prompt US-Israeli diplomatic storm” about the Israeli agenda revealed by FBI translator and whistleblower Shamai Leibowitz; why a DOJ prosecution should be anticipated, despite the First Amendment protection of journalists publishing classified information; why government employees interested in protecting the US should be prepared to pay a steep price for patriotism; how the media spun the...
09/14/11 – Mark Sheffield – The Scott Horton Show
Mark Sheffield of the Policy on Point blog discusses his post “Arab Spring, Israeli Fall;” how Hosni Mubarak’s departure has freed Egyptians to protest against Palestinian mistreatment; the Obama administration’s demand that Egypt crack down on protesters, making it clear democracy won’t be tolerated if it is used to criticize Israel; why the rift between Turkey and Israel, the major regional powers and former close allies, is a big deal; and indications that US pro-Israel policy is getting...
09/13/11 – 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 “Post-September 11, NSA ‘enemies’ include us” at Politico.com; the continuing debate on “why they hate us,” exemplified by the Ron Paul/Rick Santorum debate; how the US took Osama bin Laden’s bait by rushing into the Afghan quagmire and bleeding the empire dry; and how digital communications have expanded NSA capabilities exponentially in the last few decades while...
09/13/11 – Philip Giraldi – The Scott Horton Show
Former CIA officer Philip Giraldi discusses the CIA’s failure to disclose information on the 9/11 hijackers living in San Diego (before the deed) to the FBI; why government incompetence and inefficiency can explain events (like 9/11) that seem to be deliberately planned or allowed to happen; the major implications for US alliances over a possible veto on the Palestinian state UN resolution; why Israel is worried about (potential) Palestine’s creation along 1967 borders, as well as access to...
09/12/11 – Thomas E. Woods – The Scott Horton Show
Tom Woods discusses the advent of Super PACs for essentially unlimited political fundraising, including Ron Paul's rather modest Revolution PAC; why Wall Street only pretends to want unregulated Capitalism and free markets (just look who they contribute the most money to); and how election rules and regulations help protect incumbents and the two party monopoly.
09/12/11 – Jason Ditz – The Scott Horton Show
Jason Ditz, managing news editor at Antiwar.com, discusses why Afghanistan continues to be a quagmire, despite claims of impending victory by NATO and the Taliban; failures in nation building and in staffing an Afghan Army – the two core justifications for staying on; killing suspected terrorists (or whomever) with drone missile strikes in Pakistan; inundating 9-1-1 operators with “if you see something, say something” false alarms; and the recent bombing in Quetta, Pakistan.
09/12/11 – Patrick Cockburn – The Scott Horton Show
Patrick Cockburn, Middle East correspondent for The Independent, discusses his article “Iraq cleric says his forces could attack US troops” on the dangers Muqtada al-Sadr poses for an extended US occupation; Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s ability to play all sides against each other while his grip on power tightens; how the abundant foreign influences in Iraq create divisions along religious and sectarian lines and make a political settlement impossible; and why we’ll have to wait and...
09/09/11 – Sheldon Richman – The Scott Horton Show
Sheldon Richman, senior fellow at The Future of Freedom Foundation, discusses his article “9/11 and the National Security Scam;” why top government officials must know their policies provoke more terrorist attacks, rather than prevent them; hearty cheers at the GOP debate for Rick Perry’s record-setting execution pace as Texas Governor; the cynical use of 9/11 casualties to justify an increasingly ruthless foreign policy; why “macro measures” like GNP and the unemployment rate are poor...
09/09/11 – Glenn Greenwald – The Scott Horton Show
Glenn Greenwald, Salon.com blogger and author of With Liberty and Justice for Some: How the Law Is Used to Destroy Equality and Protect the Powerful, discusses a 9/11 retrospective alternative to the mainstream media’s distorted coverage; how the national security state has eroded our freedoms and eliminated government accountability; the surprising near-majority of Americans who recognize the root cause of terrorism and don’t believe in trading freedom for security; why a “free press” doesn’t...
09/08/11 – Kelley B. Vlahos – The Scott Horton Show
Kelley B. Vlahos, featured Antiwar.com columnist and contributing editor for The American Conservative magazine, discusses her article “Post-9/11: All Eyes on You;” the International Spy Museum’s obnoxious advertising campaign that makes a joke out of all-too-real government intrusions into our privacy; how incremental increases of government power go largely unnoticed by the American “sheeple;” and the Washington Post’s noteworthy “Top Secret America” project on the national security state’s...
09/08/11 – John Glaser – The Scott Horton Show
John Glaser, Assistant Editor at Antiwar.com, discusses his discovery of a WikiLeaks State Department cable about US soldiers who ordered an airstrike to coverup their massacre of an Iraqi family in 2006; how this revelation may complicate a deal to extend US occupation beyond the 2011 SOFA deadline; the nearly 30,000 trainers, advisers and mercenaries slated to remain in Iraq – too small for fighting wars, but plenty big to administer yet another client state; the ongoing protests in Bahrain,...
09/08/11 – Michael Scheuer – The Scott Horton Show
Michael Scheuer, 22-year veteran of the CIA and former head analyst at the CIA’s bin Laden unit, discusses why terrorism is a predictable response to an interventionist US foreign policy; how Osama bin Laden lured the US into Afghanistan and radicalized a good portion of the Muslim world; how al-Qaeda’s influence has spread into Western countries through media-savvy English speaking Muslims; the more-or-less representative Islamic governments likely to sprout up after the Arab spring – if the...
09/07/11 – Jason Ditz – The Scott Horton Show
Jason Ditz, managing news editor at Antiwar.com, discusses the evolving Libyan war; the mistreatment of black Africans by Libya’s rebels; NATO, US and UN plans for their newly conquered North African country; why Libya’s crippled oil infrastructure may create cash-flow problems for a few years; and the WikiLeaks cable on the 2006 massacre of an Iraqi family by US soldiers.
09/07/11 – Scott Horton – The Scott Horton Show
The Other Scott Horton (no relation), international human rights lawyer, professor and contributing editor at Harper’s magazine, discusses how the “Cheney doctrine” continues to dominate US policy ten years after 9/11; Cheney’s aggressive pro-torture propaganda book tour, meant to be a preemptive strike against his possible prosecution; why many Americans trust the government to torture and kill wisely and judiciously; and the double standard of US torture prosecutions, whereby the son of...
