Veteran journalist Eric Margolis returns to the show to discuss his latest article, "The Syrian Madhouse Gets Even Crazier." Margolis explains why Rex Tillerson's recent decision to maintain a long-term presence in eastern Syria has created an even bigger mess and how the Turkish-Kurdish conflict has come to a head. Scott then details the long history of U.S. support for and betrayal of the Kurds. Eric Margolis is a foreign affairs correspondent and author of “War at the Top of the World” and...
2/6/18 Elijah Magnier on Iran’s waning influence in Iraq
Veteran war correspondent Elijah Magnier returns to the show to discuss his latest article, "Iran is Losing Influence in Iraq: Is Qassem Soleimani the Right Person?" Magnier breaks down the degree to which Iraq and Iran see eye to eye about policy, the political climate in the lead up to elections in Iraq, and explains how it came to be that the Iraqis rejected the aid of their long-term ally Soleimani. Magnier then returns to the Sunni insurgency in Iraq over a decade ago and describes the...
2/2/18 Major Danny Sjursen on the Vietnam War’s legacy in Iraq and Afghanistan
U.S. army major Daniel A. Sjursen joins Scott to talk about his experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq, the supposed military tactics of "The Surge," and his latest piece on the legacy of the Vietnam War, "The War That Never Ends (for the U.S. Military High Command)." Sjursen draws parallels between the Vietnam War and the Iraq and Afghan Wars and makes the case that misconceptions about the Vietnam War have persisted into the tactical approach to the forever wars of the present. Finally Sjursen...
1/26/18 Joey Lawrence on the Turkish assault on Syrian Kurdistan
Joey Lawrence returns to the show to discuss the latest developments in northeast Syria, where the Kurds and Turks are facing off—with the U.S. potentially caught in the middle. Lawrence breaks down the Turkish strategy in the battle against the Kurds, gives his thoughts on the new American bases in Syria, and explains how the Kurds negotiate their relationship with the U.S. and what their longterm goals are. Lawrence then details the Turkish bombing of Syrian Kurdistan. Finally Scott asks...
1/23/18 Reese Erlich on the brewing conflict in Northeast Syria
Reese Erlich joins Scott to discuss the latest developments in Iraq and Eastern Syria. Erlich details the growing tension between Turkey, a NATO country, and the United States and the Kurds who are getting caught in between. Erlich and Scott discuss the recent history of U.S. interventionism in Syria, how the Trump policy divulges from Obama's, and the current status of the Islamic State. Reese Erlich is a nationally syndicated columnist and the author of Inside Syria: The Backstory of Their...
11/6/17 Reese Erlich on the political turmoil in Iraqi-Kurdistan and Saudi Arabia
Reese Erlich returns to the show to discuss his latest article for Antiwar.com, "US Sells Out the Kurds—Again" Erlich discusses the history of the Kurds in Iraq, America's yo-yoing approach to first supporting then betraying the Kurds, and how it all relates back to today. Scott then brings the discussion to the political turmoil in Saudi Arabia, and what the apparent coup means for the U.S.-Saudi relations and the Middle East generally. Reese Erlich is a nationally syndicated columnist and...
10/2/17 Joe Lauria on the consequences of the Kurdish Referendum
Joe Lauria returns to update the situation in Iraqi Kurdistan after the referendum for an independent Kurdish state passed. Lauria describes the escalating tensions, explains why believes the referendum was a mistake, and how despite the vote, the Kurds are no closer to independence than they were before. Lauria details the history of Kurdish suffering throughout the decades and suggests that this referendum could lead to another precarious situation for the Kurds. Then Lauria touches on how...
9/21/17 Joe Lauria on the 2016 U.S. election and the upcoming Iraqi Kurdish referendum
Joe Lauria returns to the show to discuss his book on Hillary Clinton, “How I Lost By Hillary Clinton,” Trump’s America, and the hysteria over Russia’s supposed actions in the 2016 elections. Then Lauria pivots to the Kurdish referendum in Iraq and gives an overview of the history of the Kurshish movement for independence and details the Kurdish allies and the longer list of opposition. Lastly Lauria reviews the state of ISIS in Iraq and gives an update on Mosul. Joe Lauria is a contributing...
9/6/17 Patrick Cockburn on al-Qaeda’s resurgence in Syria
Author and journalist Patrick Cockburn returns to the show to discuss his reporting on the heavy casualties in Mosul and why they've been underreported in the media. Cockburn explains how ISIS's guerrilla war tactics increase civilian casualties, why the Syrian Kurds fighting against ISIS in Raqqa have considerable incentive to extend the fight against ISIS, and discusses his latest article for the Independent on al Qaeda's power grab in Syria, "While defeat of Isis dominates global attention,...
