Scott Horton Show - Just the Interviews

Scott interviews journalist and author Matthieu Aikins about life in Afghanistan one year after the withdrawal of U.S. troops. Having spent a lot of time in the country, Aikins is able to give a nuanced and detailed account of the problems facing Afghans and how they’re addressing them. He speaks with Scott about the country’s economic problems, rifts within the Taliban and the apparent killing of Al Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri in Kabul at the end of July. Discussed on the show: “The Taliban’s Dangerous Collision Course With the West” (NYT Magazine) “11 Years After Trying to Kill Each Other, a Marine and a Talib Meet Again” (New York Times) Mathieu Aikins is an international freelance journalist and author of the book The Naked Don’t Fear the Water: A Journey Through the Refugee Underground. Follow him on Twitter @mattaikins.This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; and Thc Hemp Spot.Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ben Freeman is back to talk about who’s really influencing United States foreign policy. Freeman recently wrote a paper about the Taiwan lobby. He talks to Scott about how this Taiwan lobby was involved in making the recent Pelosi trip happen. Scott and Freeman talk about how we find ourselves in a situation where foreign governments have more influence on America’s policies than the American people and American business too. Discussed on the show: “The Taiwan Lobby” (Center for International Policy) “How the Taiwan lobby helped pave the way for Pelosi’s trip” (Responsible Statecraft) “Bipartisan ‘Fighting Foreign Influence Act’ targets think tank funding” (Responsible Statecraft) “The well-traveled road from member of Congress to foreign agent” (Responsible Statecraft) “Feds accuse Brookings president Gen. Allen of illegally lobbying for Qatar” (Responsible Statecraft) Ben Freeman is a Research Fellow at the Quincy Institute. He previously served as Director of the Foreign Influence Transparency Initiative with the Center for International Policy. Read his work at Antiwar.com and Responsible Statecraft. Follow him on Twitter @BenFreemanDC.This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; and Thc Hemp Spot.Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott interviews Bonnie Kristian about her new book and an article she wrote recently on America’s war in Somalia. After the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan last summer, Somalia is now America’s longest war. Though Trump temporarily shifted it to an air war while in office, Biden has ordered the troops back in. Scott and Kristian discuss the state of the conflict and examine the war’s place in the Global War on Terror. Discussed on the show: Untrustworthy by Bonnie Kristian “I Didn’t Want It to Be True, but the Medium Really Is the Message” (New York Times) Technopoly by Niel Postman “Biden Sends U.S. Troops Back to Somalia” (The American Conservative) “Afghanistan Did Not Have to Turn Out This Way” (The Atlantic) “The Taliban’s Dangerous Collision Course With the West” (NYT Magazine) “Somalia appoints al Shabaab co-founder as religion minister” (Reuters) Veep (IMDb) “Yemeni Civil War Unleashes a Plague of Locusts” (Antiwar.com) 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: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; and Thc Hemp Spot.Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan McKnight of Bring Our Troops Home is back to give an update on the movement to pass Defend the Guard Legislation. Defend the Guard aims to prohibit the Federal Government from deploying National Guard troops to foreign combat operations without a formal declaration of war. The movement backing these bills is led by veterans of the Terror Wars who just want lawmakers to respect the oath they all swore to the Constitution. McKnight gives an update on the effort and explains how you can help out. They then discuss the drone strike in Kabul two weeks ago that allegedly killed Al Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri. If true, McKnight says the last genuine justification for a War on Terror is gone. Discussed on the show: Defend the Guard Bring Our Troops Home Ten Seven Club Leadership Class Kill Bin Laden by Dalton Fury (Thomas Greer) “This Air Force commando called in 688,000 pounds of bombs in one battle” (Task & Purpose) Pat McGeehan for House of Delegates  Dan McKnight is the founder and Chairman of Idahoans to Bring Our Troops Home. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, three years active duty with the U.S. Army and ten years with the Idaho Army National Guard, including a one-year deployment to Afghanistan in 2006.This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; and Thc Hemp Spot.Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott talked with author Grant F. Smith about his new podcast detailing the founding of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC. They also discuss how AIPAC has recently been getting more involved in U.S. elections. While some have framed this as an attempt for the ‘politically conservative’ organization to target progressive candidates, Smith argues politics has little to do with it. All that matters to AIPAC is the degree to which any given candidate supports sending money to Israel.   Discussed on the show:How Israel Made AIPAC PodcastGrant 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: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; and Thc Hemp Spot.Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott interviews David Pyne about the articles he wrote on the war in Ukraine that landed him on the Ukrainian regime's blacklist. Earlier this year, Pyne wrote a piece that contained a fifteen-point plan to stop the bloodshed and pull all Russian troops out of Ukraine. But because he argued Zelensky should concede on at least some of Putin’s demands, he was criticized as a propagandist on the Kremlin’s payroll and landed on the Ukrainian blacklist. Scott and Pyne go through his proposal and discuss the historical context behind this strange moment of hypocritical idealism and censorship in our foreign policy. Discussed on the show: “Response to Ukrainian Government Decision to Include me on a List of 28 High-Profile Americans Accused of Promoting Russian Propaganda Narratives” (Substack) “A Proposed Peace Plan to End the Russo-Ukrainian War” (Substack) “Amnesty International Says Ukraine’s Fighting Tactics Endanger Civilians” (Antiwar.com) George W. Bush's Iraq-Ukraine gaffe David T. Pyne, Esq. is a former U.S. Army combat arms and H.Q. staff officer with an M.A. in National Security Studies from Georgetown University. He currently serves as the host of the Defend America Radio Show on KTALK AM 1640 and as Editor of “The Real War” newsletterThis episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; and Thc Hemp Spot.Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott talks with Libertarian Institute Senior Fellow Laurie Calhoun. They begin with a discussion of last week's announcement that a CIA drone strike killed Al Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahri in Kabul Afghanistan. Calhoun explains why she remains skeptical of the CIA’s claims absent any proof. They then get into the article she published at the Libertarian Institute which examines the fanatical mindset behind war hawks and others who depend on killing for their livelihoods. Discussed on the show: Site Intelligence Group “The MIC Cult” (The Libertarian Institute) “A MAD Heist” (The Libertarian Institute) Scott’s debate with Bill Kristol Scott’s debate with Cathy Young Defend the Guard Laurie Calhoun is a Senior Fellow at the Libertarian Institute and the author of We Kill Because We Can: From Soldiering to Assassination in the Drone Age, War and Delusion: A Critical Examination, You Can Leave, and Philosophy Unmasked: A Skeptic’s Critique.This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Free Range Feeder; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt and Listen and Think Audio.Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Antiwar Radio, Scott interviewed Libertarian Institute Assistant Editor Connor Freeman. Freeman goes over the messy situation Iranian officials face as JCPOA negotiations pick back up while the Middle East Cold War continues to heat up. He also touches on an article he published at the Institute arguing we need more principled opposition to war with China. Discussed on the show: “Biden and Allies Continue to Put Iran in the Crosshairs” (Libertarian Institute)  KPFK.org “The Next Giuliani Moment: No War With China” (Libertarian Institute) Connor Freeman is the Assistant Editor of the Libertarian Institute, primarily covering foreign policy. He is a co-host on Conflicts of Interest. His writing has been featured in media outlets such as Antiwar.com and Counterpunch, as well as the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity. You can follow him on Twitter @FreemansMind96This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Free Range Feeder; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt and Listen and Think Audio.Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Antiwar Radio, Scott was joined by retired Col. Douglas Macgregor to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine. Macgregor has been deeply critical of NATO’s reaction to the Russian invasion, which he calls impulsive. He says the leverage Russia holds over Europe’s energy supply is itself enough of a reason to avoid picking a fight. He predicts a painful winter for Europeans, especially Germans, as energy shortages threaten their access to heat. He then gets into some mistakes the Russians made such as the choice not to cut off gas supplies before turning to military action and, once the invasion had begun, not committing to hold captured territory permanently. While Scott and Macgregor agree that NATO’s intent is to fight until the last Ukrainian, Macgregor predicts that weak western economies will cause NATO’s support to dry up before Russian forces run out of steam. Discussed on the show:“Worshipping Dead Horses” (The American Conservative)Douglas Macgregor, Col. (ret.) is a senior fellow with The American Conservative, the former advisor to the Secretary of Defense in the Trump administration, a decorated combat veteran, and the author of five books.This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Free Range Feeder; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt and Listen and Think Audio.Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott interviews journalist Matt Taibbi about two articles he published at TK News. The first examines the role the New York Times plays in defining the boundaries of acceptable discourse in our country. Taibbi draws a comparison to the role of newspapers in the Soviet Union and points to multiple examples from the last few years of U.S. outlets doing the same thing. They then focus in on foreign policy, where they reflect on how the military and interventionists in both media and government went through a transformation after the Bush Presidency. By rebranding themselves as humanitarian interventionists and framing Obama as their leader, they were able to dismantle the antiwar left of the Bush years. Now we find ourselves in a moment where many on the right are taking a more anti-interventionist stance. Scott and Taibbi mull over whether this will, or can, change American foreign policy going forward. Discussed on the show: “The New Kremlinology: Reading the New York Times” (TK News) Scott’s Debate with Cathy Young “Putin Misunderstands History. So, Unfortunately, Does the U.S.” (Bloomberg) “The Great American Military Rebrand” (TK News) The End of History and the Last Man by Francis Fukuyama Bring Our Troops Home Defend the Guard Matt Taibbi is a journalist, author and political commentator. Subscribe to his Substack publication: TK News and follow him on Twitter @mtaibbi.This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Free Range Feeder; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt and Listen and Think Audio.Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices