Scott Horton Show - Just the Interviews

Scott talks with Grant F. Smith about an article he recently wrote on the major blow the Saudis dealt Israel by reengaging with Iran. Scott and Smith assess the damage this has done to Israel’s plans for the region. They then discuss whether this major development makes a war against Iran more or less likely. Discussed on the show: “Israel and its US lobby Dealt Major Blow by China Saudi Iran Peace Initiative” (Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy) How Israel Made AIPAC Podcast Grant F. Smith is the author of a number of books including Big Israel: How Israel’s Lobby Moves America, Divert!, and most recently The Israel Lobby Enters State Government: Rise of the Virginia Israel Advisory Board. He is director of the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy in Washington, D.C.This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.Get Scott’s interviews before anyone else! Subscribe to the Substack.Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kit Klarenberg is back to provide some important context for the uprisings in Georgia. They start with the Eastern European country’s transition after the fall of the Soviet Union and the influence that the U.S. has enjoyed there since. That brings them to the recently proposed legislation that would have required Georgian organizations to disclose funding from any foreign governments. The proposal was met with sharp condemnation from Western officials who labeled it a threat to the Georgian people’s ability to fulfill their own economic and social aspirations. Scott and Klarenberg talk about how ludicrous this assertion is and pull back the curtain on what really explains the protests that erupted as a result. Discussed on the show:“Dare Call It A Coup? CIA Front Threatens Color Revolution In Georgia” (MintPress News)Kit Klarenberg is an investigative journalist exploring the role of intelligence services in shaping politics and perceptions. Follow him on Twitter @KitKlarenbergThis episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.Get Scott’s interviews before anyone else! Subscribe to the Substack.Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nasser Arrabyee is back to discuss the improving situation on the ground in Yemen. They talk about two huge developments, first that the Saudis have agreed to most of the Houthis’ requests in their negotiations to end the war, and second that the UAE is planning to start talks with the Houthis. Scott and Arrabyee dig into the implications of this progress, weigh the possibility that the U.S. will switch sides again to restart the drone war against Al-Qaeda and discuss the lingering effects of famine and disease on the Yemeni population. Discussed on the show:“Suspected US Drone Strike Kills Three Alleged al-Qaeda Members in Yemen” (Antiwar.com)Nasser Arrabyee is a Yemeni journalist based in Sana’a, Yemen. He is the owner and director of Yemen-Now.com. You can follow him on Twitter @narrabyee.This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.Get Scott’s interviews before anyone else! Subscribe to the Substack.Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott talks with Eric Brakey, now serving in the Maine Senate, about the Defend the Guard hearing scheduled for Monday at 1 PM EST. Scott and Brakey discuss the nationwide effort to pass the legislation, which would block Congress from deploying State National Guard troops to foreign combat operations unless war is formally declared. They then zoom into what’s happening in Maine and explain how you can help.Discussed on the show: DefendTheGuard.us BringOurTroopsHome.us legislature.maine.gov/testimony Eric Brakey is a State Senator from Maine. He has been instrumental in pushing for pro-liberty legislation like Constitutional Carry and Defend the Guard. Follow him on Twitter @SenatorBrakeyThis episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.Get Scott’s interviews before anyone else! Subscribe to the Substack.Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dave DeCamp returned to Antiwar Radio this week to discuss developments in Eastern Europe and Eastern Asia. Scott and DeCamp talk about the U.S. drone encounter with Russian fighters over the Black Sea, the horrific battle for Bakhmut and the unnecessary tensions with China over Taiwan.Discussed on the show: “Who’s Your George Ball?” (Hersh Substack [paywall]) “Ukrainian soldiers in Bakhmut: ‘Our troops are not being protected’” (Kyiv Independent) “US Intelligence Officials See China Preparing for Fight 'They Don't Want'” (VOA) “China: For some, where restraint ends and hawkishness begins” (Responsible Statecraft) Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com and the host of Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp. Follow him on Twitter @decampdaveThis episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.Get Scott’s interviews before anyone else! Subscribe to the Substack.Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim Bovard is back on the show to discuss the Federal Government’s siege at Waco thirty years ago. Scott and Bovard reflect on how they both first learned about the story. Bovard then goes through his experience reporting on the government’s evolving PR campaign to avoid blame for committing mass murder in the middle of Texas. Discussed on the show: Bovard articles on Waco, Ruby Ridge, and Gun Rights Waco: The Rules of Engagement (IMDb) Waco: A New Revelation (IMDb) Jim Bovard is a columnist for USA Today and the author of Public Policy Hooligan: Rollicking and Wrangling from Helltown to Washington. Find all of his books and read his work on his website and follow him on Twitter @JimBovard.This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.Get Scott’s interviews before anyone else! Subscribe to the Substack.Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott talks with Kevin Gosztola about a project he’s working on documenting the lead-up to Iraq War II as well as his brand new book about Julian Assange. To mark the twentieth anniversary of the disastrous invasion of Iraq, Gosztola has been writing about each day since mid-February, documenting the lies that the Bush Administration and their allies pushed exactly twenty years ago to the day. Scott and Gosztola talk about some of those lies before moving on to the current lies being told about Julian Assange. Gosztola talks about why he wrote this book and what sets it apart from some of the others already out. Discussed on the show: March To Iraq War, 20 Years Later Guilty of Journalism by Kevin Gosztola Scott’s interview with Gabriel Shipton, Julian Assange’s brother Ithaka (IMDb) The Trial of Julian Assange by Nils Melzer  “Inside the CIA's secret war plans against WikiLeaks” (Yahoo News) Kevin Gosztola is the managing editor of Shadowproof. He also produces and co-hosts the weekly podcast, “Unauthorized Disclosure.” He is the author of Guilty of Journalism: The Political Case Against Julian Assange. Follow him on Twitter @kgosztola.This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.Get Scott’s interviews before anyone else! Subscribe to the Substack.Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott interviews Eli Clifton of the Quincy Institute about some articles he wrote for Responsible Statecraft—the Quincy Institute’s publication. They begin with an article Clifton wrote about the fantastic year weapons companies had in 2022. Clifton has listened in on their calls to shareholders and reports that the way these companies present themselves to investors differs from how they present themselves to the public. They then talk about the absurd ways people are dismissing the reasonable concern about nuclear weapons as the U.S. embarks on a new era of Great Power Competition. Discussed on the show: “Ukraine War is great for the portfolio, as defense stocks enjoy a banner year” (Responsible Statecraft) “Game On” (Harper’s Magazine) “Pro-bono Ukraine lobbyists quietly profit from defense contractor clients” (Responsible Statecraft) Eli Clifton is a senior advisor at the Quincy Institute and Investigative-Journalist-at-Large at Responsible Statecraft. Follow him on Twitter @EliClifton.This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.Get Scott’s interviews before anyone else! Subscribe to the Substack.Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonnie Kristian returns to the show to discuss a piece she wrote examining the foreign policy beliefs of the Florida Governor and likely Presidential candidate Ron DeSantis. Kristian shares what she found and the two discuss how the struggle amongst the different factions of the GOP could either bolster the party’s recent noninterventionism or lead it right back to the warmongering and imperialism of the Washington establishment. Discussed on the show: “Ron DeSantis Could Decide Republicans’ Foreign Policy” (New York Times) The Podcast Interview about DeSantis at Guantanamo Bay Bonnie Kristian is a fellow at Defense Priorities, and a regular contributor at The American Conservative. Her writing has appeared at TIME, CNN, Politico, The American Conservative, and many others. Follow her at her website or on Twitter @bonniekristian.This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.Get Scott’s interviews before anyone else! Subscribe to the Substack.Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott interviews Daniel Larison about Iran and Syria. They start with a column Larison recently wrote which highlights how the Biden Administration’s Iran policy makes no sense. Scott and Larison examine some of the frustrating contradictions in Biden’s approach which keep the economic war on the Iranian people in place while making a kinetic war in the region more likely. However, to what Scott says should be the embarrassment of the Administration, the Iranians and Saudis did just agree to reestablish diplomatic ties in talks brokered by Beijing. Scott and Larison discuss this major development before finishing with the House vote to end the war in Syria which failed last Wednesday. Discussed on the show:“Biden’s Iran policy makes no sense” (Responsible Statecraft)Daniel Larison is a contributing editor at Antiwar.com, contributor at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and former senior editor at The American Conservative magazine. Follow him on Twitter @DanielLarison or on his blog, Eunomia.This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.Get Scott’s interviews before anyone else! Subscribe to the Substack.Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices