This episode is a segment from the big Patreon Supporters-Only Bonus DHP episode CJ is currently working on, “Wooden Walls on the Water,” which will be a multi-hour deep-dive into virtually everything we know about Greek navies (especially the Athenian navy, about which we know the most) in the 5th century BC, including – but not limited to: the design & construction of triremes, the logistical & financial burdens of building & maintaining a large fleet of them, the experience of the crew, & the tactics & experience of battle, with some historical examples of important Greek naval engagements.

This particular segment focuses on the oarsmen, who usually comprised more than 3/4 of a trireme’s total complement of 200 men.

Join CJ as he discusses the three levels of rowers on an Athenian trireme — thalamites, zygites, & thranites — and the uncomfortable, exhausting, dangerous, & often downright disgusting conditions they dealt with when deployed on a trireme, even before they faced the hazards of battle.

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Hybrid warfare Is a can of worms, a fascinating conjoining of kinetic and non-kinetic means of achieving victory or stale between warring nations. This first episode tries to lay the ground work of what it is and in the next two episodes we will examine an historical and a contemporary example of hybrid warfare in meat-space.

References:

Report to Congress on Russian Hybrid Warfare in Europe 11 August 2026

The Future of Hybrid Warfare

Hybrid Warfare: How to Escape the Conceptual Gray-Zone

The Evolution of Hybrid Warfare: Implications for Strategy and the Military Profession

Richard Feynman Cargo Cult speech at CalTech 1974

RAND wish-casting on drones in 2015.

Slaughterbots (2017)

Slaughterbots: if human: kill() (2021)

How are Drones Changing Modern Warfare?

Sun Tzu The Art of War

Carl von Clausewitz On War

Miyamoto Musashi A Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy

H. John Poole The Last Hundred Yards: The NCO’s Contribution to Warfare

Christian Brose The Kill Chain: Defending America in the Future of High-Tech Warfare

Qiao Liang & Wang Xiangsui Unrestricted Warfare: China’s Master Plan to Destroy America

Email at [email protected]

A president who craves praise is easy to steer, and Charles Goyette argues that’s exactly the danger facing US foreign policy right now. I’m joined by the New York Times best-selling author and Libertarian Institute writer to unpack his “mousetrapped” thesis: how Benjamin Netanyahu can use flattery, timing, and intelligence claims to nudge Donald Trump toward bigger risks in the Iran conflict.

We walk through the mechanics of influence, including a reported decoy travel maneuver and why low-confidence intelligence can still change presidential behavior when fear and ego are involved. From the narrative of an Iranian threat to the way “tough” posturing spreads through the Beltway media ecosystem, we look at how escalation becomes normalized. We also confront the dark side of public war commentary, where calls to “obliterate” a major city get airtime as if consequences are optional.

Then we bring it back to what gets ignored: leverage, accountability, and the human toll. We talk about US aid and Israel policy, political corruption allegations and market rumors, and why morale and mission clarity matter for service members living with the fallout of shifting objectives. If you care about the Israel and US relationship, Trump and Iran tensions, intelligence manipulation, and anti-intervention analysis, this is a must-hear conversation. Subscribe, share the show, and leave a review so more people can find it, what part of this debate do you think the public is missing?

Trump says the war is going great and the “bully of the Middle East” is no longer in charge. We’re not buying slogans, so we pull the thread on what “going great” is supposed to mean when U.S. munitions stockpiles are thinning, regional bases are taking hits, and the Strait of Hormuz still looks anything but normal for global shipping. If you care about U.S. foreign policy, oil prices, and the real costs of escalation with Iran, this conversation is built for you.

I’m joined by writer Nolan Denaro, whose recent reporting cuts through the talking points. We unpack why polling shows this conflict is wildly unpopular, why there was no serious attempt to “sell” it to the public, and what that says about Washington’s attitude toward consent. Then we get into the human side of it: recruiting, military-age skepticism, and why even loose talk of a draft lands differently when people think the premise is based on provable lies.

We also react to Senator Chris Murphy’s blunt case for ending the war even if the only deal available is a bad one. From there, we examine the politics and psychology that keep wars alive: the fear of “losing,” the need to declare victory, and the media ecosystem that keeps promising Iran is always one more round of strikes away from collapsing. Nolan breaks down JD Vance’s Iran war dilemma heading toward 2028, and we close on the way Lindsey Graham’s legacy is being used to justify new sanctions and a new generation of hawkish influence.

If this helped you see the narrative machine more clearly, subscribe, share the episode, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

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Ron Paul joins the show to talk about Iran, the economy, Flock cameras and the prospects for liberty in the years ahead.

Discussed on the show:

Former congressman and American hero Ron Paul is the host of the Ron Paul Liberty Report and director of the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity. Dr. Paul is the author of numerous books, including Swords into Plowshares and The Revolution: A Manifesto. Follow him on Twitter, @RonPaul. 

Sign up for the Scott Horton Academy of Foreign Policy and Freedom at scotthortonacademy.com

For more on Scott’s work:

Check out The Libertarian Institute: https://www.libertarianinstitute.org

Check out Scott’s other show, Provoked, with Darryl Cooper https://youtube.com/@Provoked_Show

Read Scott’s books:

Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine https://amzn.to/43D82oY (The audiobook of Provoked is being published in sections at https://scotthortonshow.com)

Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism: https://amzn.to/4eMQblu

Fool’s Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan https://amzn.to/4a5fKvx

Follow Scott on X @scotthortonshow

And check out Scott’s full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Tax Attorney Matt Sercely https://agoristtaxadvice.com; Moon Does Artisan Coffee https://scotthorton.org/coffee; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom https://www.libertyclassroom.com/dap/a/?a=1616 and Dissident Media https://dissidentmedia.com; and Crowdhealth https://www.joincrowdhealth.com/ (use promocode Horton)

You can also support Scott’s work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/ or https://patreon.com/scotthortonshow

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Use code HORTON50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Scott Horton Show!

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Dave DeCamp returns to the show to run through the latest foreign policy news. He and Scott discuss Israel’s ongoing, ceasefire-violating strikes in Gaza, the risks of another escalation between the US and Iran, the regional dynamic of the war, the risk of a nuclear strike on Iran and Washington’s never-ending air campaign in Somalia.

Discussed on the show:

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com and the host of Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp. Follow him on Twitter @decampdave 

Sign up for the Scott Horton Academy of Foreign Policy and Freedom at scotthortonacademy.com

For more on Scott’s work:

Check out The Libertarian Institute: https://www.libertarianinstitute.org

Check out Scott’s other show, Provoked, with Darryl Cooper https://youtube.com/@Provoked_Show

Read Scott’s books:

Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine https://amzn.to/43D82oY (The audiobook of Provoked is being published in sections at https://scotthortonshow.com)

Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism: https://amzn.to/4eMQblu

Fool’s Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan https://amzn.to/4a5fKvx

Follow Scott on X @scotthortonshow

And check out Scott’s full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Tax Attorney Matt Sercely https://agoristtaxadvice.com; Moon Does Artisan Coffee https://scotthorton.org/coffee; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom https://www.libertyclassroom.com/dap/a/?a=1616 and Dissident Media https://dissidentmedia.com; and Crowdhealth https://www.joincrowdhealth.com/ (use promocode Horton)

You can also support Scott’s work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/ or https://patreon.com/scotthortonshow

Audio cleaned up with the Podsworth app: https://podsworth.com

Use code HORTON50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Scott Horton Show!

A threat is not a strategy, and it definitely is not a negotiating position. We sit down with Ambassador Chas Freeman to unpack why talk of “decapitation,” demands for compensation, and shifting US red lines do not move Iran toward a deal, they push everything toward attrition and escalation. Freeman argues credibility is the real currency of diplomacy, and once a country’s signature stops meaning what it says, rivals and allies start planning around that reality.

We dig into the memorandum of understanding that was supposed to set basic terms for de-escalation, including constraints on threats, questions around sanctions and frozen assets, and the high-stakes reality of the Strait of Hormuz. Freeman explains why shipping volumes matter to global oil prices and supply chains, and why public claims of US control can backfire when markets and other governments see a different picture on the water. We also talk about practical limits, including munitions shortages and the strain of projecting power far from home.

From there, we widen the lens to US reputation with Russia and China, the risk calculus around Taiwan, and the pressure points that shape Washington’s relationship with Israel as Netanyahu signals open defiance on Gaza and disarmament terms. We close by challenging the idea of war reparations in this conflict and what “winning” even means when diplomacy collapses.

If you want clearer thinking on US Iran policy, Middle East security, the Strait of Hormuz, and the credibility crisis shaping global politics, listen through and share your take. Subscribe, share the episode, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

The fastest way to understand a crisis is to stop arguing about talking points and look at what is physically happening. Today we do exactly that with Larry Johnson as LtCol. Karen Kwiatkowski fills in for Kyle, starting with the Strait of Hormuz and the hard question behind every headline: is it actually open, and who controls passage right now? We point listeners to real-time ship tracking, then walk through what the traffic patterns imply for global oil prices, shipping risk, and the credibility gap between public claims and observable reality.

From there, we dig into Tehran’s power structure and why personnel moves can change the tone and terms of negotiations. We connect the elevation of tougher security figures to a wider pattern: when moderates are removed, deals get harder, not easier. That sets up a blunt conversation about the MOU that was touted, then abandoned, plus the longer shadow of the JCPOA and how walking away reshapes what Russia, China, and other actors are willing to enforce. The practical takeaway is that “maximum pressure” can end up producing maximum leverage for the other side.

We also bring the story home with what families are reporting from US Navy and Marine deployments: supply failures, substandard food, collapsing morale, and the strategic consequences of treating logistics like an afterthought. Finally, we stress-test the idea of bypassing maritime chokepoints with pipelines, including why crude oil is only part of the Persian Gulf export picture when LNG, fertilizer inputs, and helium are on the line too. If this helped you see the Iran-US conflict and energy security with clearer eyes, subscribe, share the episode, and leave a review. What do you think is the most realistic path to reopening the strait without escalating the war?

“Golden age” is an easy line to sell. Living through the consequences of a war of choice is harder. We’re joined by Col. Lawrence Wilkerson for a blunt look at where the United States stands as the Iran conflict drags on, and why the economy, the military, and public trust can’t be separated when policy decisions start compounding.

We talk through the gap between political messaging and real constraints: munitions shortages, JDAM kit limitations, and a defense industrial base that can’t simply surge precision weapons overnight. Wilkerson explains why rare earth metals and critical inputs like gallium matter for systems Americans hear about every day, including Patriot, THAAD, and HIMARS. When supply chains tighten and tariffs add friction, readiness becomes a spreadsheet problem before it becomes a battlefield problem. If you care about U.S. national security, military readiness, and the US Iran war, this is the kind of nuts-and-bolts discussion that rarely makes the headlines.

From there, we widen the lens to Israel, Gaza, and Lebanon, including the internal pressure inside Israel and the risk of escalation if Iran responds with more sophisticated missile capability. We also revisit a key historical comparison: how H.W. Bush used leverage to pressure Israel, and how U.S. politics and campaign money can shape what presidents are willing to do today.

If this conversation made you rethink anything, subscribe, share the episode with someone who follows foreign policy, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s the most undercovered risk right now: supply chains, escalation, or politics?

If you’ve ever watched an AI tool answer a complicated question with total confidence, you’ve felt the power problem hiding in plain sight. We sit down with journalist Nick Cleveland-Stout of Responsible Statecraft and Drop Site News to trace how Israeli influence operations are pushing narratives about Gaza directly into the systems people now use as “truth machines,” from chatbots to AI-powered search.

We break down the reporting on millions spent to shape chatbot responses, including networks of pro-Israel websites designed to be scraped, cited, and absorbed into training data. Nick explains what he tested, what he found in real chatbot citations, and why “LLM poisoning” matters even when users never click a single link. We also talk about Foreign Agents Registration Act disclosures, why these campaigns target broad public opinion after October 7, and what it means when safeguards seem stronger for some foreign influence efforts than others.

Then we zoom out to the broader ecosystem: targeted ad pushes on X, YouTube campaigns with massive view counts, and paid placements that aim to shore up conservative support. To close, we turn to a different kind of influence story with huge stakes, Trump’s reported purchases of defense stocks and the conflicts-of-interest questions that follow when arms makers profit alongside expanding defense budgets and war.