Sheldon Richman is interviewed for his new article for the Libertarian Institute,”TGIF: Trump, Spinoza, and the Palestinian Refugees.” Richman talks about the Trump Administration’s action to end aid to the Palestinians, close offices, and put the squeeze on the PLO. The situation of the Palestinians is discussed, including the Israeli blockade and how the aid cuts affect the Palestinians. This tactic is because the Trump Administration wants the Palestinians to agree to their “Deal of the...

Grant F Smith Institute for Research Middle East Policy and author of Big Israel, about the Israel lobby in Washington DC, is interviewed on the results of his FOIA request of the Treasury Department. The office of Terrorism Finance and Development, a relatively new office, and has leveled sanctions for the Israeli government. This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Kesslyn Runs, by Charles Featherstone; NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike...

Jacob Hornberger is on the show to talk about his article “Legalize Drugs, All Drugs” for the Future of Freedom Foundation. The history of the war on drugs is discussed, as well as efforts back to Milton Friedman, who tried to get drugs legalized, are detailed. Jacob Hornberger is the founder and president of the Future of Freedom Foundation. He’s written numerous books on freedom, peace, and the JFK assassination. Follow him on Twitter @JacobHornberger. This episode of the Scott Horton Show...

Journalist Alice Speri explains what the Israeli justice system is like for Palestinians who resist Israel’s soldiers and protest its illegal settlements. Instead of the usual court system, Palestinians are tried in what amount to military courts, often after grueling interrogations to extract confessions. Defendants, including hundreds of minors, are frequently convicted on the basis of these confessions alone, which can turn out to have been fabricated under duress. Unfortunately, American...

Cato’s Doug Bandow discusses the recent anonymous op-ed in the New York Times, which claims that a devoted resistance movement inside the White House works to undermine President Trump’s agenda at every turn. Bandow explains how troubling it is to have an unelected cabal within our government that wields this much power, especially one that opposes all the aspects of Trump’s presidency we should actually be applauding, namely his willingness to negotiate with Russia and North Korea. Discussed...

Gareth Porter rejoins the show for an update on the Russian election hacking allegations. He reviews the evidence as presented by various media outlets and intelligence agencies, explaining why each story doesn’t amount to much of anything on its own, and thus we shouldn’t conclude, simply because there are a lot of different stories, that there’s something to the overall narrative of Russian meddling. If anything, in fact, it’s the intelligence community itself that is trying to call the 2016...

Daniel Ellsberg is on the show to talk about his book The Doomsday Machine and his experiences working in the RAND corporation in the early 1960s, specifically on the casualties numbers estimated from a nuclear exchange with the Soviet Union and China. Ellsberg talks about how the casualties were underestimated by billions, and this wasn’t known until the 1980s. Ellsberg also explains how, during the original atomic bomb testing, nuclear scientists weren’t 100% certain that the test wouldn’t...

Sheldon Richman comes back on the show to discuss the latest in his article series on anti-semitism in America. He explains the ways in which pro-Israel groups conflate any criticism of Israel’s policies with genuine anti-semitism in order to make those views unpopular. Although often led by conservative groups, this attitude enjoys support from the left both in politics and on college campuses. Discussed on the show: “TGIF: Anti-Israelism and Anti-Semitism: The Invidious Conflation”...

Jon Queally talks about the war in Yemen and the seemingly futile efforts from a few to stop it. Scott and Queally discuss how perpetual war numbs the public to each new conflict, preventing most from feeling outraged—or in many cases even knowing—about a situation like Yemen. Discussed on the show: “Less Than 24 Hours After Senate Rejected Effort to Curb Slaughter, 26 More Children Killed by US-Backed Bombing in Yemen” (Common Dreams) National Defense Authorization Act “8/22/18 Bruce Fein on...

Eric Margolis, the veteran journalist, is interviewed on his obituary of the brilliant Uri Avnery, “The Lion of Judah’s Last Roar“. The life of Uri Avnery. Topics discussed range from Avnery’s efforts in the Middle East peace process, the Iraq Wars, Afghanistan, Syria, and Trump. Avnery’s legacy as a left wing journalist, politician, and peacenick is explored in a wide ranging interview. Eric Margolis is a foreign affairs correspondent and author of “War at the Top of the World” and “American...

Sheldon Richman joins the show to talk about his new article for the Libertarian Institute, ‘TGIF: Defining Anti-Semitism, Threatening Free Speech.‘ The nature of Anti-Semitism is explored, and how Israel and Israelis use it to deflect criticism. Additionally, Scott and Sheldon discuss how Israel claims to speak for all Jews, and the threats to Jewish identity according to Israel. Sheldon Richman is the executive editor of the Libertarian Institute and the author of America’s...

Mason Tvert from the Marijuana Policy Project is on the show to update Scott about all the topics surrounding the Marijuana Policy Project's efforts to get marijuana legalized in Colorado. Tvert talks about how they tried to re-educate Coloradans about the true nature of the harms of marijuana, and the publicity fueled efforts around the ballot initiative to legalize pot in Colorado. This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Zen Cash; The War State, by Mike...

Journalist and documentary filmmaker Max Blumenthal joins the show to talk about the National Endowment for Democracy and other NGOs that supposedly fight for freedom abroad, but in practice promote American corporate interests, regime change, and dependence on U.S. foreign aid. Supporters of these organizations believe that sanctions and bellicose rhetoric lead to diplomacy, when in reality, Blumenthal argues, they do precisely the opposite. Discussed on the show: “Inside America’s Meddling...

Gilbert Doctorow makes the case that President Trump’s seemingly clumsy diplomacy has actually had a positive effect on the international order, sometimes by accident, but largely through Trump’s own efforts to disguise his machinations as ham-handedness. Doctorow explains that had President Trump openly moved for a disruption of our alliances and a greater focus on his “America first” policies, he would have been met with greater opposition and perhaps even “removal”. As it stands, however,...

Bruce Fein joins Scott to talk about U.S. complicity in war crimes by supporting brutal regimes oversees. He points out that according to international law, if the United States supports a country that’s at war, it becomes a co-belligerent and can legitimately be attacked, just like the original country. Unfortunately, despite some rhetoric to the contrary, President Trump seems just as willing as his predecessors to engage in unconstitutional wars and executive overreach. Discussed on the...