Oleg Novinkov, former Soviet officer and author of Afghan Boomerang, discusses the propaganda-filled book Charlie Wilson’s War about the CIA operation to arm mujaheddin in their fight against the Soviet army in Afghanistan; the Western media’s re-labeling of Afghan “freedom fighters” as “terrorists” once the US invaded; why Afghans would rather be occupied by the Soviets than the US/NATO; how a new Cold War with China will eventually displace the War on Terror as the top US priority; and why...
04/12/12 – Peter Jenkins – The Scott Horton Show
Peter Jenkins, the UK’s Permanent Representative to the IAEA from 2001-06, discusses his article “Iran Nuclear Talks Offer Opportunity If The US Wants It;” the mainstream media’s sudden truth-telling on Iran’s nuclear program; Obama’s apparent interest in good-faith negotiations that recognize Iran’s NPT rights; why excessive US demands (close Fordow facility, give up 20% uranium) don’t necessarily preclude reasonable compromises later on; Ray McGovern’s theory that a Jundullah terrorist...
04/11/12 – Gareth Porter – The Scott Horton Show
Gareth Porter, investigative historian and journalist specializing in U.S. national security policy, discusses his article “Israeli Experts Mum on Iran Attack to Support Bibi’s Bluff;” Obama’s dangerous game, talking tough on Iran to appease Israel and Republican critics while trying to avoid war; how outrageous US demands on Iran’s nuclear program risk scuttling negotiations before they even begin; and how Israel-sponsored terrorism in Iran (using Jundullah or MEK as a proxy) could start a...
04/10/12 – Adam Morrow – The Scott Horton Show
IPS News journalist Adam Morrow discusses the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood’s surprise presidential candidate; why former Egyptian spy chief Omar Suleiman, the “CIA’s man in Cairo,” has a chance of winning the presidency; the Egyptian military’s continued dominance of civilian government, pending a revised constitution; and why the Egypt/Gaza border crossing at Rafah still hasn’t opened to regular trade and commerce.
04/10/12 – Sheldon Richman – The Scott Horton Show
Sheldon Richman, senior fellow at The Future of Freedom Foundation, discusses his article “Is Serfdom an Executive Order Away?” at Reason.com; Obama’s National Defense Resources Preparedness plan that authorizes a government takeover of the economy during a national emergency (whatever that means); the tendency of all presidents to draft Executive Orders that grant themselves dictatorial powers; why limits on government power are now guided by political, not legal, concerns; and why we should...
04/10/12 – Pepe Escobar – The Scott Horton Show
Globetrotting journalist Pepe Escobar discusses his recent articles at the Asia Times; why the whole world is a mess except for South America; the Iran to Pakistan (and possibly China) pipeline, abhorred by the US, that could be operational in 2014; how Iran sanctions allow Russia’s Gazprom to continue dominating the European energy market; US strategists coming up short in the global “great game;” Syria’s strategic importance to Russia’s navy and NATO’s plans for Mediterranean supremacy;...
04/10/12 – M.J. Rosenberg – The Scott Horton Show
M.J. Rosenberg, journalist and former Senior Foreign Policy Fellow at Media Matters Action Network, discusses how his criticism of Israel made him a liability for his former employer; why members of Congress won’t take a risk on controversial issues, even when they have “safe seats;” why the Palestinian Authority risks losing US aid for giving an award to journalist Helen Thomas; billionaire Sheldon Adelson’s circulation-leading, money-losing, right-wing Israeli newspaper; the longtime...
04/06/12 – Jon Basil Utley – The Scott Horton Show
Jon Basil Utley, director of Americans Against World Empire, discusses his article “Polling the Right Questions on Defense – Voters Get It Right,” a summary of Scott Rasmussen’s book The Peopole’s Money; the super-majority of Americans more concerned with economic threats than military ones; the “political class” cheerleaders of US empire; European labor laws and regulations that limit business competition; and the redundancy and waste in US “defense” spending.
04/05/12 – Lew Rockwell – The Scott Horton Show
Lew Rockwell, founder and Chairman of the Ludwig von Mises Institute, discusses Ron Paul’s tireless opposition to war, the primary enemy of individual liberty; a general election featuring ideological twins Obama and Romney; recent trends in media consumption, with young people getting information online and older people still watching too much government propaganda on TV; the worldwide legion of young Ron Paul fans, who are enthusiastic supporters of his views on war and peace, economics and...
04/05/12 – Robert W. Merry – The Scott Horton Show
Robert W. Merry, editor of The National Interest, discusses his article “Unmasking the Democracy Promoters;” the National Democratic Institute’s recent problems, from threats of prosecution in Egypt to expulsion from the UAE; the generous government financing of so-called non-governmental organizations; how foreign policy “realism” compares with the other major ideologies; and the growing number of countries, including Russia and China, angry about US NGOs interfering in their politics and...
04/04/12 – Jason Leopold – The Scott Horton Show
Jason Leopold, lead investigative reporter of Truthout and author of News Junkie, discusses the FOIA-revealed “torture manual” that influenced John Yoo’s infamous torture memo; how the Bush administration, keen to go to war with Iraq, intentionally devised an interrogation program to produce false information that linked Iraq and al-Qaeda; the difference between SERE training for US military personnel (in safe, non-hostile environments) and the “enhanced interrogations” of unprotected...
04/04/12 – Jeremiah Goulka – The Scott Horton Show
Jeremiah Goulka, former lawyer in the Bush Justice Department and former analyst with the RAND Corporation, discusses his op-ed “MEK and its material supporters in Washington;” a history of the MEK including the group’s founding in 1965, their exile from Iran, and their alliance with Saddam Hussein; Jeremiah’s first-hand account of the MEK’s cult-like practices during his tour of Camp Ashraf in Iraq; US State Department negotiations on the breakup of Camp Ashraf and removing the MEK from the...
04/04/12 – Daniel Ellsberg – The Scott Horton Show
Daniel Ellsberg, author of Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers, discusses his article “For nuclear security beyond Seoul, eradicate land-based ‘doomsday’ missiles;” the slow pace of nuclear weapons reductions, despite much lip service from every US president since Carter; the surprising low number of hydrogen bombs required to cause nuclear winter and effectively end life on earth; redefining nuclear deterrence in terms of dozens of missiles instead of thousands; why everyone...
04/02/12 – Allie Bohm – The Scott Horton Show
Allie Bohm, advocacy and policy strategist for the ACLU, discusses the NY Times article “Police Are Using Phone Tracking as a Routine Tool;” how local law enforcement makes up their own rules on cell phone surveillance, largely unfettered by judicial oversight; why our outdated telecommunications privacy laws should be modernized; how the Supreme Court ruling on GPS tracking could effect the legality of other kinds of warrantless surveillance; and how the PATRIOT Act has been used almost...
04/02/12 – John Hutson – The Scott Horton Show
Rear Admiral John D. Hutson (Ret. USN) discusses his article “Military Commissions Are a Failed Experiment, Try Terror Suspects in Civilian Courts;” how commissions are traditionally and properly used to quickly determine the status of captured enemy soldiers on a battlefield; why the greatest US export is (was) justice and equal protection under the law, not democracy; how Guantanamo trials are set up to guarantee conviction – even more so than the near-certainty in federal courts; relying on...
