Tim Starr: Libertarian Perspectives on National Defense

Crypto Voices: Episode 171 Donations to Porkopolis Economics via BTCPay are appreciated: https://donations.porkopolis.io/ Show support appreciated: donations.cryptovoices.com Alec Harris's havenX: https://thehavenx.com/ In this episode, Matthew is joined by special guest, Tim Starr. Tim Starr, a long-time libertarian activist, shares his insights on the challenges libertarians face in addressing this "hard problem". This episode explores the nuances of military interventions, using examples like the Iraq War and the current invasion of Ukraine. While acknowledging controversies, Tim Starr argues for considering different military actions' specific contexts and motivations. The conversation also touches on historical revisionism by libertarian thinkers like Murray Rothbard regarding the Soviet Union's role in World Wars I and II. Starr challenges Rothbard's portrayal of the Soviets as non-interventionist, providing evidence of their expansionist policies. Additionally, the discussion delves into the complex histories of Russia, Ukraine, and the Baltic states, highlighting the difficulties in assessing these events through a libertarian lens. This episode highlights the importance of defending freedom and national sovereignty, especially for smaller nations. Follow Tim Starr on X: @timstarr2001Read Tim Starr's publications: https://en.liberpedia.org/Murray_N._Rothbard#Rothbard_and_Soviet_foreign_policy Contents 00:00:00 - Libertarian Perspectives on National Defense00:08:11 - Debunking Myths About the Iraq War00:12:00 - Examining the Pretenses for the Iraq War00:20:10 - Soviet Expansionism and Rothbard's Revisionism00:26:42 - The Baltics' Uninterrupted Sovereignty and Russia's Imperialist History00:43:20 - Native American Experiences vs. African American History00:47:04 - Patriarch Kirill's KGB Past and the Weaponization of the Russian Orthodox Church00:52:04 - Russia's Autocratic Roots and Lack of Cultural Innovation00:57:44 - The Arms Race and the Collapse of the Soviet Union01:02:56 - Rothbard's Revisionist Views on WWII01:08:09 - Ludwig von Mises' Prescient Insights on Foreign Policy01:11:08 - Debunking the Myth of Versailles Causing Nazism01:24:48 - Barnes' Controversial World War I Book and Rothbard's Ties to Holocaust Deniers01:31:40 - The American Mercury: A Neo-Nazi Publication01:36:51 - Ukraine's Turbulent History of Revolutions and Independence01:40:27 - The Fallacy of American Non-Interventionism01:59:24 - The Myth of Non-Interventionism and the Threat of Autocracy02:05:54 - Exploring the Continuity of Authoritarian Methods from Stalin to the Warsaw Pact02:12:18 - Cambodia's Struggle, Communism's Impacts02:17:56 - The Dangers of Nuclear Blackmail02:21:20 - The Long History of Russian Aggression and Interference02:26:35 - The Impact of War and Refugees on the Economy02:31:31 - Trump's Tough Stance on Russia02:40:08 - Navigating the Complex Geopolitics of Ukraine, Israel, and Iran Hosts: Matthew Mezinskis, Michel, Alec Harris Music: New Friend Music newfriendmusic.com/ Podcast & videos Bitcoin, privacy, crypto, economics & liberty Thanks for listening!