Peter Van Buren returns to the show to discuss the American diplomatic tensions with North Korea and his article "Don't Be Cynical About An Olympics Detente With North Korea." Van Buren explains why he thinks that the United States is not moving towards war with North Korea, how the Koreans created a serious window for diplomacy with their Olympic delegation, and reflects on his time living in South Korea in the late 1990s. Van Buren then makes the case that the U.S. is in constant search of...
2/5/18 Mark Perry on Donald Trump’s new Nuclear Arms Plan
Reporter Mark Perry returns to the show to talk about his latest piece for the American Conservative Magazine on Donald Trump's nuclear posture review, "Trump’s Nuke Plan Raising Alarms Among Military Brass." According to Perry there's considerable skepticism within the military about the new Trump plan. Perry then details the U.S.-Russia nuclear relations and the extreme danger of any kind of nuclear escalation. Finally Perry discusses what Trump could do to ameliorate the situation with...
1/26/18 Peter Lee on how Douglas MacArthur conspired to start a war with China
Peter Lee, aka @chinahand, returns to the show to discuss his new documentary General Douglas MacArthur's Conspiracy To Start A War With China. Lee describes the history of U.S.-China tensions dating back to the 1950s, MacArthur's trigger happy attitude toward nuclear weapons, and how MacArthur and the military almost provoked full-fledged war with China. Lee then details the looming tensions between the U.S. and China that may boil over into conflict and explains why, even with China, blame...
1/21/18 Gareth Porter on Donald Trump’s Bluff Towards North Korea
Gareth Porter returns to the show to discuss his latest article "Why Trump's North Korea Bloody Nose Campaign Is A Big Bluff." Porter examines the Trump administration's approach to North Korea and explains why he thinks Trump's posturing about carrying out a preventative strike against North Korea is just that—posturing. Gareth Porter is an investigative historian and journalist on the national security state and author of Manufactured Crisis: The Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Scare....
12/29/17 Gareth Porter on how the Bush administration sabotaged potential peace with North Korea
Investigative journalist Gareth Porter returns to the Scott Horton Show to discuss his latest article "How Cheney and his allies created the North Korea nuclear missile crisis." Porter explains how the North Koreans have historically used their nuclear program as a negotiation tool with the United States and how Dick Cheney and his allies in the Bush administrations sabotaged deals that would have reduced tension and also stalled development of North Korea's nuclear program. Porter then goes...
11/6/17 John Feffer on Donald Trump’s escalation of North Korea
John Feffer returns to the show following his trip to South Korea and Japan where Donald Trump is visiting to continue his escalation against North Korea. Feffer details China's role in curtailing North Korea, why the effort has fallen short, and how the Trump administration continues to pressure countries in the region. Scott wonders whether Donald Trump is really as dangerous on North Korea as everyone portrays him—and why neither the United States or North Korea has motivation to start a...
10/2/17 Dr. Ron Paul on Trump’s verbal threats toward North Korea
In his return to the Scott Horton Show, Ron Paul reflects on his "Yes" vote on the Authorized Use of Military Force following 9/11, how it continues to be used and abused today, and the history of how the United States has perverted its legal authority in foreign policy. Then Dr. Paul turns to the escalating situation in North Korea. Paul shares why he has some optimism about the situation in North Korea, his worries about Trump's volatility, and what he would have done about North Korea as...
9/13/17 Tim Shorrock on the failed diplomacy between North Korea and the United States
Tim Shorrock, author of Spies For Hire, returns to the show to discuss his latest articles for The Nation "Diplomacy With North Korea Has Worked Before, and Can Work Again" and AlterNet "How Sony, Obama, Seth Rogen and the CIA Secretly Planned to Force Regime Change in North Korea." Shorrock details the 1994 deal with North Korea, which was an important step toward diplomacy between the U.S. and North Korea, how George W. Bush and the neocons torpedoed the deal leading the North Koreans to...
9/10/17 Gareth Porter on the possibility of a diplomatic solution in North Korea
Gareth Porter joins Scott on Antiwar Radio on KPFK to discuss his latest article for Antiwar.com, "Can the US and North Korea Move From Threats to Negotiations?" Porter details how America's history of foreign intervention has been North Korea's primary motivation for seeking nuclear deterrence and why, as a result, there is no military option in North Korea. And the question we all want answered: is this all ultimately leading toward regime change in Pyongyang? Finally, Porter addresses the...