
Scott Horton Show - Just the Interviews
This podcast is for individual interviews on the Scott Horton Show. See the Q & A show feed to hear Scott answer listener questions and for the full show archives.Scott Horton is the author of Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan, and is the host of the Scott Horton Show podcast. He has conducted over 5,500 interviews with authors, journalists, activists, and whistleblowers on the most important foreign policy issues since 2003.
Latest episodes

Oct 19, 2021 • 53min
10/15/21 Barrett Brown Returns
Scott interviews journalist and investigator Barrett Brown. Since his last appearance on the show in 2011, Brown spent four years in prison and he is currently seeking asylum from the United States. He tells Scott the story of those tumultuous ten years. Brown also gives background and updates on his fellow journalists and activists working to expose the cyber-industrial complex. Finally, he gives advice for listeners who may be interested in getting involved in activism.
Discussed on the show:
The Internet’s Own Boy — Full Movie
The Operators by Michael Hastings
Brown’s pinned tweet
“The Return of Anonymous” (The Atlantic)
The Terror Factory by Trevor Aaronson
Barrett Brown is the founder of Project PM. Follow him on Twitter @BarrettB.
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; Dröm; Free Range Feeder; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee 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

Oct 16, 2021 • 59min
10/14/21 James Bradley on the Lies Americans Are Fed About China
Scott is joined by author James Bradley. They discuss how foolish the Russiagate story was from the beginning before getting into China. Bradley explains how the entire American understanding of China is flawed. That the average American’s perception of China is the result of a mirage or fictional narrative we’ve been fed for many decades. Bradley argues that no rational look at China makes them out to be the threat they’re portrayed to be. And that, instead, the greatest threat comes from the American aggression that results from these false stories.
Discussed on the show:
Scott’s interview with Jeffery Carr - July 2016
“Konstantin Kilimnik, Russiagate's Last Fall Guy, Speaks Out” (TK News)
James Bradley is the author of Flags of Our Fathers, Flyboys, The China Mirage, and many others. He hosts the podcast, Untold Pacific. Follow him on Twitter @jamesjbradley.
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; Dröm; Free Range Feeder; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee 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

Oct 13, 2021 • 60min
10/11/21 Andrew Quilty on the Afghan War Criminals being Brought to the United States
Scott interviews Andrew Quilty, a journalist who’s stayed in Kabul, about a recent article he wrote for the Intercept. The article talks about the Zero Units which were militia groups of Afghan commandos led by CIA advisors, or handlers. These units gained notoriety during the war and have been accused of numerous war crimes. Many refer to them as CIA Death Squads. Quilty explains how members of these Death Squads were given priority in the evacuation from Kabul and how they will be resettled in the United States. Quilty also gives his account of how things are in Afghanistan after the U.S. has pulled out.
Discussed on the show:
“The CIA’s Afghan Proxis, Accused of War Crimes, will get a Fresh Start in the U.S.” (The Intercept)
“The Other Afghan Women” (The New Yorker)
No Good Men Among The Living by Anand Gopel
“Looser rules, more civilian deaths, a Taliban takeover: Inside America’s failed Afghan drone campaign” (Connecting Vets)
“Surprise, panic and fateful choices: The day America lost its longest war” (Washington Post)
BBC reporting about eyewitness claims that soldiers fired into the crowd after the suicide attack.
Andrew Quilty is an Australian freelance photojournalist and reporter. A winner of Polk and World Press Photo awards, he has been based in Kabul since 2013. Follow him on Twitter or at andrewquilty.com.
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; Dröm; Free Range Feeder; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee 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

Oct 12, 2021 • 1h 32min
10/4/21 Scott’s Debate with Bill Kristol
On Monday, October 4th, Scott took part in a debate organized by Gene Epstein. Scott’s opponent was neoconservative Bill Kristol, one of the most prominent war hawks of recent American history. The resolution they debated was: A willingness to intervene, and seek regime change, is key to an American foreign policy that benefits America. The event was filmed by Reason TV so the video version can be found on their Youtube Channel.
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; Dröm; Free Range Feeder; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee 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

Oct 12, 2021 • 33min
10/8/21 David Vine on the Absurd Number of American Bases Around the World
Scott talks with David Vine about a report he wrote recently for the Quincy Institute along with Patterson Deppen and Leah Bolger. The report makes the case for significantly reducing the number of American military bases abroad. Vine explains that there are currently around 750 active military bases outside of the U.S. And with far less diplomatic foreign infrastructure, America is projecting itself as a global empire that is militaristic above all. Scott and Vine also discuss some of the factors that keep these bases from closing.
Discussed on the show:
“Drawdown: Improving U.S. and Global Security Through Military Base Closures Abroad” (Quincy Institute)
Okinawa: Cold War Island by Chalmers Johnson
David Vine is a professor of Anthropology at American University and the author of Island of Shame: The Secret History of the U.S. Military Base on Diego Garcia. He also writes for the New York Times, Washington Post, and The Guardian, among others. Follow him on Twitter @davidsvine.
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; Dröm; Free Range Feeder; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee 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

Oct 10, 2021 • 36min
10/8/21 John Kiriakou on the Torture of Abu Zubaydah
Scott interviews former CIA Officer John Kiriakou about a recent article he wrote. Kiriakou was personally involved in the 2002 capture of Abu Zubaydah in Pakistan. At the time, the CIA believed Zubaydah to be Al Qaeda’s third highest-ranking member. In truth, he was simply a logistician. Still, the Bush Administration used Zubaydah to make it look like dangerous terrorists were being captured and were handing over information thanks to “enhanced interrogation techniques.” Scott and Kiriakou observe that the Americans executed Japanese soldiers after WWII for using those very same techniques on American POWs. Kiriakou details the torture that Abu Zubaydah has been put through since his capture, all without a single charge being brought against him. Scott and Kiriakou also discuss other victims of the torture program, some of whom were killed without even being charged. Finally, Kiriakou explains the legal action Zubaydah is attempting to take against certain CIA contractors.
Discussed on the show:
“Supreme Court to hear whether Abu Zubaydah’s torture is ‘secret’” (Responsible Statecraft)
A Question of Torture by Alfred McCoy
Murder at Camp Delta by Joseph Hickman
John Kiriakou is a former CIA officer and author of The Convenient Terrorist: Two Whistleblowers’ Stories of Torture, Terror, Secret Wars, and CIA Lies and Doing Time Like A Spy. He is the host of Loud and Clear on Sputnik Radio. Follow him on Twitter @JohnKiriakou.
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; Dröm; Free Range Feeder; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee 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

Oct 6, 2021 • 32min
10/01/21 Gareth Porter on the Media’s Misleading Portrayal of the Taliban
Gareth Porter joined Scott on Antiwar Radio to discuss his recent piece at the Gray Zone about the dishonest ways the media has covered the Taliban. Both Scott and Porter agree that the Taliban are not to be considered the good guys, but that the media has a history of pushing a misleading narrative about them to justify war. Scott and Porter reflect on how this has been happening, to some extent, for the Taliban’s entire history, but especially as it relates to the group’s connections with Islamic terrorists.
Discussed on the show:
“Corporate media stirred global terror hysteria to push postwar hostility toward new Afghan govt” (The Gray Zone)
Peril by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa
No Good Men Among the Living by Anand Gopal
Charlie Wilson’s War by George Crile
Gareth Porter is an investigative historian and journalist on the national security state. He is the author of Manufactured Crisis: The Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Scare and, with John Kiriakou, The CIA Insider’s Guide to the Iran Crisis. Follow him on Twitter @GarethPorter and listen to Gareth’s previous appearances on the Scott Horton Show.
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; Dröm; Free Range Feeder; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee 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

Oct 4, 2021 • 1h 26min
10/01/21 Peter Van Buren on the Stages of America’s Imperial History
Scott is joined by Peter Van Buren to discuss some recent articles he wrote for The American Conservative. Van Buren used the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks to reflect on his experience on that day, as well as how the attacks fit into the larger story of America’s quest for global dominance. Scott and Van Buren also discuss the future of this quest. Finally, Van Buren shares a story of how a job he was tasked with forced him to confront the truth about America’s role in the world.
Discussed on the show:
“It Looks Like We Forgot” (The American Conservative)
The End of History and the Last Man by Francis Fukuyama
“9/11 was a test. The books of the last two decades show how America failed.” (Washington Post)
American Raj Liberation Or Domination? by Eric Margolis
“Peter Bergen is Mistaken About Bin Laden’s Strategy” (Antiwar.com)
24 - IMDb
“The Widowed And The Fatherless” (The American Conservative)
Peter Van Buren worked for 24 years at the Department of State including a year in Iraq. He is the author of We Meant Well: How I Helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People and the novel Hooper’s War. He is now a contributing editor at The American Conservative magazine.
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; Dröm; Free Range Feeder; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee 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

Oct 2, 2021 • 58min
9/27/21 Aaron Maté on the Charged Clinton Lawyer and the Legacy of Russiagate
Scott interviews Aaron Maté about his recent article on Michael Sussmann, the Clinton attorney who was recently charged for lying to the FBI. Maté helps weave this developing story into the broader narrative of Russiagate. Scott and Maté reflect on how wild this story was from the beginning. They also discuss the effects this Clinton/FBI hoax had on the 2020 election and how it will affect our Country going forward.
Discussed on the show:
“With Clinton lawyer charged, the Russiagate scam is now under indictment” (Grayzone)
Aaron’s Substack
Chuck Schumer accidentally blowing the whistle on Russiagate before Trump was even inaugurated
Mueller Report
Scott’s interview with Jeffery Carr - July 2016
Fear by Bob Woodward
Aaron Maté is an NYC-based journalist and producer. He hosts the news show Pushback for The Grayzone, and writes regularly for The Nation. Subscribe to his Substack and follow him on Twitter @AaronJMate.
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; Dröm; Free Range Feeder; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee 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

Oct 1, 2021 • 30min
9/27/21 James Carden on AUKUS, China and NATO Infighting
Scott is joined by James Carden to discuss a possible silver lining to the new and unnecessary anti-China pact between Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. (AUKUS). Tensions broke out within NATO after France was unexpectedly cut off from a previously negotiated submarine deal with Australia. Carden thinks some infighting can do some good if it leads to the end of this out-of-date military alliance that threatens peace rather than preserving it.
Discussed on the show:
Video of Mearsheimer appearing to threaten Australia
The Tragedy of Great Power Politics by John Mearsheimer
“NATO Needs to Adapt Quickly to Stay Relevant for 2030, Report Urges” (New York Times)
James Carden is the executive editor for the American Committee for US-Russia Accord and former adviser on Russia policy at the US State Department. He is a contributing writer at The Nation.
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; Dröm; Free Range Feeder; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee 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