Kelley Vlahos discusses the latest with Julian Assange, who now will be testifying in a spying case involving the Spanish company UC Global, and which may implicate America’s CIA and even top Republican donor Sheldon Adelson. Assange is being held in a London jail for missing bail, mostly in solitary confinement. His already weakened physical and mental state from seven years of isolation in the Ecuadorian embassy makes his health—and even his survival—a real concern. Meanwhile Chelsea Manning is also rotting in a cell for refusing to testify against Assange. Scott and Vlahos bemoan the very selective appreciation for whistleblowers of the American public, who are mostly indifferent about the plights of Assange and Manning.

Discussed on the show:

• “Was Sheldon Adelson Acting As Bag Man For The CIA?” (The American Conservative)
• Hate Inc.: Why Today’s Media Makes Us Despise One Another

Kelley B. Vlahos is the executive editor of The American Conservative. Follow her on Twitter @KelleyBVlahos.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

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Mark Perry discusses what he calls “the biggest breakdown in civil-military relations since Vietnam”: the controversy over the war crimes trial of Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher. By refusing to allow the Navy to discipline Gallagher in the way they intended, Trump has essentially intervened in the military justice process as, Perry thinks, a move to curry favor with his base. Perry is adamant that we really do have a problem with special forces that run around the world without accountability, pretending to fight terrorism but really just terrorizing civilian populations and committing war crimes. Perry wonders whether this will finally force some of Trump’s base in the military to abandon him in the upcoming election.

Discussed on the show:

• “The Real Reason The Navy Stood Up To Trump” (The American Conservative)
• “The Crimes of SEAL Team 6” (The Intercept)

Mark Perry is the author of Talking to Terrorists: Why America Must Engage with its Enemies, The Most Dangerous Man in America: The Making of Douglas MacArthur, and The Pentagon’s Wars. Read his work at The American Conservative Magazine and follow him on Twitter @MarkPerryDC.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

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Scott interviews Jeb Sprague about his work studying U.S.-backed coups in Latin America, particularly the current one in Bolivia. Support for democracy and the rule of law is one thing, say Scott and Sprague, but it is quite another to demand that the military rush in to upend the normal political process, which is essentially what is happening now. Sprague advocates letting countries sort out their own political affairs, even when it leads to results that aren’t precisely what the political elite in the U.S. would have chosen.

Discussed on the show:

• “Top Bolivian coup plotters trained by US military’s School of the Americas, served as attachés in FBI police programs” (The Grayzone)
• “11/29/11 – Jeb Sprague – The Scott Horton Show” (The Scott Horton Show)
• Inside the Company: CIA Diary

Jeb Sprague is a Research Associate at the University of California, Riverside and previously taught at UVA and UCSB. He is the author of Globalizing the Caribbean: Political economy, social change, and the transnational capitalist class and Paramilitarism and the assault on democracy in Haiti and is the editor of Globalization and transnational capitalism in Asia and Oceania. Find him on Twitter @JebSprague.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

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Scott talks to Aaron Maté about the role John Brennan and the CIA might have played in the investigation into Trump’s ties to Russia during the 2016 election. Although Maté is a progressive, he understands how dangerous it is to have intelligence agencies with the power to overturn the results of a democratic election. In fact, this is no different than what our CIA has done in lots of other countries when America supports a regime change in favor of democracy, but then the people of that country elect someone our government doesn’t like. Maté recognizes what a dangerous precedent this sets for everyone involved.

Discussed on the show:

• “The Brennan Dossier: All About a Prime Mover of Russiagate | RealClearInvestigations” (Real Clear Investigations)
• The Apprentice: Trump, Russia and the Subversion of American Democracy

Aaron Maté is a former host and producer at The Real News and writes regularly at The Nation. Follow him on Twitter @AaronJMate.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

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Doug Bandow explains why the pathological need for neocons and neoliberals in Washington to antagonize other powerful countries is so dangerous for America. Russia and China, he says, can both be our allies. It makes no sense for the U.S. military to be involved in every conflict everywhere in the world, and pretending to be the world empire will only endanger American interests by making future conflicts more likely.

Discussed on the show:

• “Why The Hawks Are Wrong About China Too” (The American Conservative)
• “The Berlin Wall: Its Rise, Fall, and Legacy” (Foundation for Economic Education)

Doug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and a regular contributor at Forbes Magazine, the National Interest, and elsewhere. He’s on Twitter @Doug_Bandow.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

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Michael Boldin describes the appalling state of an American government that has strayed so far from its founding principles as codified by the constitution. Today the federal government wields so much power over every aspect of our lives that the only rational choice is to seize as much control as possible while your party is winning, and then hope that your opponents don’t abuse that same power too much while they are. Tom Woods calls this a perpetual low-grade civil war. The alternative, which our founders envisioned and which Boldin still feels is possible, is leaving as much as we can up to states and cities, so that the people of California and Idaho and Virginia can mostly live their own way without caring if people across the country want to live differently. His organization is advocating this type of local resistance to federal laws on drugs, police and surveillance powers, national guard conscription, and many others.

Discussed on the show:

• Patriot Act
• USA Freedom Act
• “Nullification: Thomas Jefferson’s Kentucky Resolutions of 1798” (Tenth Amendment Center)

Michael Boldin is the founder and executive director of the Tenth Amendment Center, which advocates state nullification as a means of local resistance to unjust federal laws. Follow him on Twitter @michaelboldin.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

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Michael Heise of the Libertarian Party Mises Caucus tells Scott about his work in his hometown to decriminalize marijuana. He describes the struggles trying to appeal to an overwhelmingly liberal populace and city council, but also the ways he’s been able to make the libertarian message appeal to them on grounds of social justice and personal freedoms. Heise says that on the national scene libertarians can’t be content to just be the vaguely centrist, moderate “third option”; the party needs to try to wake people up to the radical message of liberty the way Ron Paul did during his presidential campaigns.

Discussed on the show:

• “Norristown Council votes to advertise marijuana decriminalization ordinance” (The Times Herald)
• Keystone Cannabis Coalition
• “The Case for Radical Idealism” (The Mises Institute)

Michael Heise is the founder of the Mises Caucus of the Libertarian Party. Follow his work on Twitter @LPMisesCaucus.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

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Danny Sjursen talks about the ways his experience in Iraq convinced him of the futility of that war, allowing him to see things that the generals and the war planners often could not. Sjursen says that not all officers paid attention to the local situation or to the people their units were supposed to be working with. Failure to do so led to far greater casualties, among both American soldiers and Iraqi civilians. Sadly the generals and politicians still seem unable or unwilling to learn the lessons of the past, and thus will be doomed to repeat the same mistakes.

Discussed on the show:

• “What Was It All for For: Vets Have Finally Turned on America’s Endless Wars” (Antiwar.com Original)
• Collateral Murder
• The Good Soldiers
• “Bush’s Meeting With A Murderer” (The Scott Horton Show)

Danny Sjursen is a retired U.S. army major and former history instructor at West Point. He writes regularly for TomDispatch.com and he’s the author of “Ghost Riders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge.” Follow him on Twitter @SkepticalVet.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCVywUOotJI

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Philip Weiss discusses the latest in Israeli politics, where incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has recently been indicted on corruption charges. Neither Netanyahu nor his main opponent, Benny Gantz, have yet been able to form a government, and Weiss thinks this revelation may cause some of Netanyahu’s supporters in Parliament to jump ship. In America, Scott and Weiss agree that both democrats and republicans are horrible on recognizing the truth about Israel and Palestine, because there are so many political and electoral incentives, including a wealthy Jewish-American lobby and a large population of American liberal zionists. Weiss is hopeful that some of the more radical democratic presidential candidates will be willing to take a stand for Palestinian rights and thereby inform the public of what’s really going on.

Discussed on the show:

• “‘Parts of Gaza sent back to Stone Age’: Gantz videos laud his IDF bona fides” (The Times of Israel)

Philip Weiss is the long-time editor of Mondoweiss.net. Follow him on Twitter @PhilWeiss.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

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Donald Bolduc shares some of his experience from his time overseas with the U.S. army during the terror wars. He spells out the fact that although America’s mission is ostensibly to suppress groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS, we often end up supporting the very same people in one place that are the enemy elsewhere. This happened in Mali, fighting those we had supported in the regime change war in Libya in 2011, and in Syria, where America sided with Al-Qaeda-affiliated rebels in the rebellion against Assad. Bolduc stresses the importance of getting U.S. troops out of these theaters of war, because the sooner America stops interfering, the sooner the kind of blowback we’ve seen constantly for the last two decades will end.

Donald C. Bolduc is a retired U.S. Army Brigadier General and former commander of U.S. special operations in Africa. He served ten tours in Afghanistan before deciding to run for senate in New Hampshire. Follow his campaign at donbolduc.com.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

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Peter Van Buren rehashes some of the details behind the surveillance of the Trump campaign through FISA warrants on Carter Page and George Papadopoulos, which originally opened up the “Russiagate” investigation into Trump. Now the same anti-Trump plot has expanded into the current Ukraine hearings. Van Buren urges us to look beyond the partisan politics of 2019 and think about the effect this kind of conflict could have on the future of American life.

Discussed on the show:

• “Marie Yovanovitch, The Poster Child Of #FSProud” (The American Conservative)
• “We Need To Hear From The Whistleblower Now” (The American Conservative)
• “Ukraine crisis: Transcript of leaked Nuland-Pyatt call” (BBC News)

Peter Van Buren worked for 24 years at the Department of State including a year in Iraq. He is the author of We Meant Well: How I Helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People and the novel Hooper’s War. He is now a contributing editor at The American Conservative magazine.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

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David Stockman discusses everything that’s going on with Ukraine and President Trump right now, which he says is nothing more than a shallow ploy to oust the president and to gin up fear around the general threat of Ukrainian and Russian power. Stockman reminds us that compared to America Russia has a tiny GDP and a weak military, posing no credible threat to the U.S. They would be perfectly happy to get along with us, he says, if it weren’t for a deliberate effort to expand NATO right up to their borders. America should show the same willingness to cooperate with them.

Discussed on the show:

• “Ukraine on Fire (2016)” (IMDb)
• “Democrats Empower a Pack of Paranoid Neocon Morons” (Antiwar.com Original)
• “The Ukrainian Influence Peddling Rings – A Microcosm of How Imperial Washington Rolls” (Antiwar.com Original)

David Stockman is the ultimate Washington insider turned iconoclast. He began his career in Washington as a young man and quickly rose through the ranks of the Republican Party to become the Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Ronald Reagan. After leaving the White House, Stockman had a 20-year career on Wall Street. He is the author of Trumped!, The Triumph of Politics, and his history of the financial crisis, The Great Deformation: The Corruption of Capitalism in America.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

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Scott interviews Ted Snider about his recent article, “Finally Got Him,” which explores the details behind the coup in Bolivia. Although it’s being held up as a triumph of democracy, Snider says this is obviously a coup, just like recent cases in Venezuela, Brazil, Ukraine, and many others. “Democracy”, in fact, pretty much just means whatever political outcome is favorable to the U.S. government. And for some reason, the puppets in the mainstream media are perfectly happy not to question any aspect of the standard narrative or do any real investigative reporting.

Discussed on the show:

• “Finally Got Him: The Bolivian Coup” (Antiwar.com Original)
• “Massacre in Cochabamba: Anti-Indigenous Violence Escalates as Mass Protests Denounce Coup in Bolivia” (Democracy Now)

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

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Reese Erlich has the latest on some of the many conflicts in the Middle East today. He first discusses the strange fact that most Americans seem utterly unaware of what’s going on between the Israelis and the Palestinians whose land they are occupying. Too often, the narrative is simply that Israel is an advanced, first world country that wants peace, and Palestine is just a group of savage terrorists bent on murdering Israelis. Erlich moves on to discuss the latest with the demonstrations in Lebanon and Iraq, where people face appalling conditions thanks to civil unrest that in many cases was America’s fault to begin with.

Discussed on the show:

• “A New Arab Spring in Lebanon and Iraq” (Common Dreams)
• “In Strike That Killed 5 Children, Israel Said It Took Out Gaza Militant. Now It Isn’t Sure.” (The New York Times)
• “West Bank settlements not illegal, Pompeo announces in historic shift – Israel News” (Jerusalem Post)
• “Leaked Intelligence Reports Expose How Iran Dominates Iraq” (The Intercept)

Reese Erlich is a freelance journalist who has reported from the Middle East for decades. His nationally distributed column, Foreign Correspondent, appears every two weeks. He is the author of The Iran Agenda Today: the Real Story of U.S. Policy and the Middle East Crisis. Find him on Twitter at @ReeseErlich or at his website.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

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Scott talks to comedian Jimmy Dore about all the problems with the foreign policy positions of the Democratic presidential candidates. He and Scott agree that the only one with a halfway decent antiwar stance is Tulsi Gabbard, who the media has been trying their utmost to silence. Even Gabbard, though, has a fairly conventional view of the wars against Al-Qaeda, and what separates her is that she’s the one willing to oppose the wars America is fighting for Al-Qaeda. Dore says that all the current anti-Trump tactics simply don’t resonate with most liberals, and that something else is needed if he is to be credibly opposed.

Discussed on the show:

• Stop Arming Terrorists Act

Jimmy Dore is a stand-up comedian and political commentator. You can follow him on the Jimmy Dore Show or on Twitter @jimmy_dore.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Washinton Babylon; Liberty Under Attack Publications; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

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