Gareth Porter, independent historian and journalist for IPS News, discusses the Obama administration officials who lied us into an Afghan surge (even though reporters are supposed to use more diplomatic language); how Mullah Omar’s Taliban avoided trouble with the US and tried to keep bin Laden in check; how Bill Clinton’s “Monica Missiles” destroyed a chance to get bin Laden, as well as a few training camps; how the Pakistani Taliban’s formation shows the ideological split between al-Qaeda...
07/08/11 – Ramzy Baroud – The Scott Horton Show
Ramzy Baroud, author of My Father Was a Freedom Fighter: Gaza’s Untold Story, discusses his article “Yemen Continues to Inspire Amid Great Odds” at CommonDreams.org; the Saleh family mafia controlling the country, supported by the US and Saudi Arabia; the entirely reasonable demands of Yemeni protesters, amounting to no more than the basics of a civil society; hopes for an inclusive political settlement that produces some democracy and keeps Yemen intact; and how the Saleh government and the...
07/08/11 – Jason Ditz – The Scott Horton Show
This interview is from the KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles broadcast of July 8th. Jason Ditz, managing news editor at Antiwar.com, discusses developments in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Somalia and Libya; the latest attempt to pin US problems in occupied Iraq on the importation of Iranian weapons; and drone strikes in Somalia and the semi-secret war against al-Shabaab.
07/07/11 – Bruce Fein – The Scott Horton Show
Bruce Fein, author of American Empire: Before the Fall, discusses his article “President Obama’s Political Sepulcher” on HuffingtonPost; why Libya may be a step too far for Obama’s “unconstitutional unilateral presidential war making;” taking State Department legal adviser Harold Koh‘s definition of “hostilities” to its absurd logical conclusion; Congress’s eagerness to forfeit its obligation and responsibility to check the power of the Executive branch; and why a sustainable democratic...
07/07/11 – Chase Madar – The Scott Horton Show
Chase Madar, member of the National Lawyers Guild, discusses his article “Bradley Manning, American Hero” on tomdispatch.com; why the US government is in dire need of direct supervision/occasional outing by insiders; media campaigns designed to make dissidents and whistleblowers appear crazy (evidenced by Manning hit pieces); and what happened to our free market of ideas – a cornerstone of America’s founding philosophy.
07/07/11 – Lew Rockwell – The Scott Horton Show
Lew Rockwell, founder and Chairman of the Ludwig von Mises Institute, discusses the consistently excellent moral and political record of Ron Paul throughout the years; why a foreign policy “Golden Rule” works best; the wisdom of cutting war spending before domestic entitlements during an economic crisis; the essentially (soft) fascistic US economic system of today; and whether or not public office can be the mechanism to reign in government excesses (in case of a successful 2012 Ron Paul...
07/06/11 – 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 his confidence in his Guantanamo “Suicides” expose in Harpers magazine despite a barrage of criticism; the Department of Justice giving a wink and a nod at the Bush torture program; how John Durham’s investigation of CIA torture was hamstrung by limitations imposed by the Obama administration; the CIA’s heavy redaction (to save face, not protect national...
07/06/11 – Kevin Zeese – The Scott Horton Show
Kevin Zeese, Executive Director and co-founder of VotersForPeace, discusses his article “Is a Broader Peace Movement Finally Here?” on Antiwar.com; the Come Home America letter signed by luminaries from the Left, Right and libertarian crowd; bringing together the most politically diverse and potentially most effective antiwar movement since before WWII; why military spending cuts are off the table for Congress, despite the ailing economy; the mirage of US democracy; and why Congress’s refusal...
06/28/11 – Andrew Bacevich – The Scott Horton Show
Andrew Bacevich, Professor of International Relations at Boston University and author of Washington Rules: America’s Path to Permanent War, discusses his article “War Fever Subsides in Washington” at tomdispatch.com; Robert Gates on excessive war costs and the end of “wars of choice;” why the US should eliminate the unnecessary and counterproductive military bases in Europe and the Middle East, respectively, while maintaining those in Japan and South Korea; the failure of militaristic “hard...
06/28/11 – Philip Weiss – The Scott Horton Show
Philip Weiss, investigative journalist and author of the blog MondoWeiss, discusses surviving as an alternative media outlet since the internet revolutionized the form and revenue streams became scarce; the US State Department’s long history of supporting Israel’s right to “defend herself” against unarmed American peace activists, from Rachel Corrie to Furkan Dogan; the hypothetical tipping point where American Jews will no longer support Israel; and the outdated and racist (in practice)...
06/27/11 – Jesse Walker – The Scott Horton Show
Jesse Walker, managing editor of Reason magazine, discusses the history of US interference in Somalia since the Cold War (with his 2009 article as background); why US interest has less to do with oil than with keeping the military busy; how the successes and failures of minimally-governed Somalia fueled debate on the viability of libertarianism; and the post-9/11 US backing of proxy Ethiopian forces to upend the relatively stable Islamic Courts Union government (with predictably disastrous...
06/24/11 – Gareth Porter – The Scott Horton Show
Gareth Porter, independent historian and journalist for IPS News, discusses his article “Obama Leaves Door Open to Long-Term US Afghan Combat;” the “lunatic warmonger” Republicans who reversed course after hearing the “end the wars” demands of their constituents; how Obama essentially traded the domestic Democratic political agenda for the Afghan surge; how, despite the minimal drawdown, David Petraeus got almost everything he wanted; the hubris of Robert Gates, who had no idea the US national...
06/24/11 – Paul Larudee – The Scott Horton Show
This interview is from the KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles broadcast of June 24th. Paul Larudee, a human rights volunteer and a founder of the Free Gaza and Free Palestine Movements, discusses his involvement in the latest Gaza aid flotilla; MSM news coverage of previous efforts tilted drastically in Israel’s favor; the US State Department warning about likely Israeli violence against non-violent American human rights activists (yet providing no protection or punishment of Israeli actions after the...
06/23/11 – Eric Margolis – The Scott Horton Show
Eric Margolis, foreign correspondent and author of War at the Top of the World and American Raj, discusses the extent of his experience in Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation; taking on John McCain’s assertion that 9/11 could have been prevented if the US had stayed engaged after the Soviet withdrawal; the Taliban’s rise in mid-1990s, supported by Pakistan to fight against the northern Communists; and why bin Laden’s trap (of luring the US halfway around the world to bleed itself dry)...
06/23/11 – John Glaser – The Scott Horton Show
John Glaser, new Assistant Editor at Antiwar.com, discusses Obama’s minimal drawdown of US troops in Afghanistan; how COIN doctrine is falling out of favor as its failures mount; Congress beginning to reflect public opinion on ending the wars in Afghanistan and Libya; the countercurrent in the Obama administration and major party leadership determined to carry on no matter what the people think; and a lesson Obama has learned from Libya: conduct secret wars with drone strikes so oversight,...
