Justin Elliott, reporter for Salon.com, discusses the Mideast dictators — other than Mubarak — supported by the US; how, by looking at actual diplomatic relationships, one can conclude the US has no real interest in human rights or democracy, beyond rhetorically bludgeoning enemy states with them; Secretary of State Clinton's failure to broach the abysmal human rights record of Turkmenistan during her visit; and the politician and pundit members of the Mubarak fan club.
02/04/11 – Juan Cole – The Scott Horton Show
This interview is excerpted from the KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles broadcast of February 4th. The original is available here. Juan Cole, Professor of History, blogger and author of Engaging the Muslim World, discusses the ramped-up protests in Egypt following the military's renewed protection against the goon squads and secret police; why Egypt's conscript army would not likely cooperate with direct attacks on protesters; whether the protesters can hold out longer than Mubarak — who faces a...
02/03/11 – Thomas E. Woods – The Scott Horton Show
Thomas E. Woods, author of Rollback: Repealing Big Government Before the Coming Fiscal Collapse, discusses why the trillion dollar military budget is the most deserving candidate for federal spending cuts; why the military's aging weapons and vehicles, and the shrunken Air Force and Navy, should make us wonder where all the money is going; how an increase in interest rates would end the charade that US debt levels are sustainable; and some creative ideas on reducing the rolls of social...
02/03/11 – Gareth Porter – The Scott Horton Show
Gareth Porter, independent historian and journalist for IPS News, discusses the cascading failures of US foreign policy in the Mideast; the preemptive measures being taken by US client states all over the region to ward off regime change: Jordan's government sacked, Yemeni President Saleh foregoing reelection, and Kuwait increasing bribes to citizens; and how the Israel lobby and military-industrial complex erect huge barriers to changes in foreign policy, to the detriment of everyone...
02/03/11 – Stephen Webster – The Scott Horton Show
Stephen Webster, Senior Editor at RawStory.com, discusses the Egyptian Army's wavering support for protesters, causing the crowds to thin significantly; Israel's strong support for Mubarak — not the sort of endorsement typically sought by Arab leaders; how WikiLeaks documents, anonymous hackers and alternative communications have aided and perpetuated the budding Mideast revolutions; the pro-Mubarak goon squads beating journalists; and how Al Jazeera compares with Western mainstream media in...
02/03/11 – Sheldon Richman – The Scott Horton Show
Sheldon Richman, senior fellow at The Future of Freedom Foundation, discusses why opponents of state power are naturally against war; Murray Rothbard's foreign policy litmus test for assessing devotion to liberty; the history of left-libertarianism and the conceptual left-right political spectrum, from the post-French Revolution era onward; and why across-the-board deregulation is not a free market cure-all, especially while state privileges like bailouts, FDIC insurance and government...
02/02/11 – Coleen Rowley – The Scott Horton Show
Coleen Rowley, retired FBI agent and 9/11 whistleblower, discusses the cycle of intelligence sharing, from pre-9/11 inter-agency competitive secrecy, to post-9/11 information overload, and back to clamming up again (post-WikiLeaks); why, despite the greatly expanded national security state, the only successes in thwarting actual terrorism have come from vigilant bystanders; Sibel Edmonds' incredible account of another FBI linguist's meetings with a former SAVAK chief, where he steadfastly...
02/01/11 – Christopher Anders – The Scott Horton Show
Christopher Anders, senior legislative counsel in the ACLU’s Washington Legislative Office, discusses how the Obama administration’s minimal effort on closing Guantanamo has demoralized and discouraged Democrats willing to take political risks to make it happen; how the DOJ’s absolute certainty of convictions in terrorism cases casts doubt on the US 'justice' system; the lack of trials for 9/11 defendants (except marginal players) despite nearly 10 years gone by; and the primary lesson learned...
02/01/11 – Kathleen Christison – The Scott Horton Show
Kathleen Christison, former CIA political analyst and author of Palestine in Pieces, discusses Al Jazeera’s coverage and analysis of the Palestine Papers; Israel’s 'no thanks' response to the nearly unconditional surrender by PA negotiators; the end of a 2-state solution, with a fractured and helpless Palestine as the centerpiece; the shift of Israeli politics from Left to far Right in less than a generation; and the helpful US State Department advice to Israel after the Gaza 'Operation Cast...
02/01/11 – Eric Margolis – The Scott Horton Show
Eric Margolis, foreign correspondent and author of War at the Top of the World and American Raj, discusses the US preference for new Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman as a successor for Mubarak; why the Egypt/1979 Iran comparisons fail despite the dire warnings of neoconservatives; the history of the Muslim Brotherhood, which is now dominated by moderates and old men; how Egyptians are disgraced by their government’s abandonment of the Palestinian cause; how the Palestine Papers lay bare...
02/01/11 – Jason Ditz – The Scott Horton Show
Jason Ditz, managing news editor at Antiwar.com, discusses the escalating tensions between the Somali police and army, stopping just short of violent conflict; the seven-year old 'transitional' Somali government that remains as weak and unrepresentative as ever; Xe (formerly Blackwater USA) owner Erik Prince‘s involvement with a mercenary army tasked with fighting Somali pirates; indications the Tunisia protests are running out of steam; and Yemeni protests that seem to have effected...
01/28/11 – Philip Giraldi – The Scott Horton Show
This interview is excerpted from the KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles broadcast of January 28th. The original is available here. Former CIA officer Philip Giraldi discusses the beginning of the end of Hosni Mubarak’s rule in Egypt; the uncertain political roles of Mohamed El Baradei and the Muslim Brotherhood; mixed messages from the US government (which must balance lip service for 'democracy' with an Israel-centric foreign policy); how the large, disaffected youth populations in many Arab countries...
01/21/11 – Michael Boldin – The Scott Horton Show
Michael Boldin, founder of the Tenth Amendment Center, discusses Thomas Jefferson's suggested response to government run amok: nullification; why a compromise agreement on raising the US debt ceiling will mean the current Republican resurgence has already fizzled out; the persistence of state medical marijuana laws despite federal government outrage and unfavorable SCOTUS rulings; why those trying to effect change within government should stick to the local and state levels; the misuse of...
01/21/11 – Pardiss Kebriaei – The Scott Horton Show
Pardiss Kebriaei, staff attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights, discusses the revived Military Commissions and Obama’s broken promise about closing Guantanamo; the broken system of checks and balances in government, in favor of the Executive; the dismissal of the lawsuit challenging Anwar al-Awlaki’s targeted assassination, giving Obama the power to kill US citizens without review, oversight or challenge; the scores of 'worst of the worst' Guantanamo prisoners who turned out to be...
01/21/11 – Scott Horton – The Scott Horton Show
The Other Scott Horton (no relation), international human rights lawyer, professor and contributing editor at Harper’s magazine, discusses the one year anniversary of Obama’s broken promise to close Guantanamo; the politicization of terrorism prosecutions, normally the purview of professional prosecutors and not Congress; authorization in the Army Field Manual Appendix M for subjecting prisoners to long-term sensory deprivation; recent court rulings that grant high government officials...
