The Libertarian Institute - All Podcasts

Peter van Buren, former Foreign Service officer and Iraq War 2 whistleblower and author of "We Meant Well", is interviewed on the Singapore Summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jung-un.

Tommy Raskin, antiwar writer and frequent author at antiwar.com, is interviewed on his article "Spinning Rwanda in the Grand Cult of US Empire". The article explains how Helen Epstein, in her book "Another Fine Mess", details the United States intervention in Rwanda and Uganda in the 1990s and dismantles the responsibility to protect "original sin" of Rwanda, and the myth that the United States stayed out of the conflict.

Ray McGovern returns to the show to discuss the history of the Israeli attack on the USS Liberty in 1967. McGovern details the actions of the Israeli forces, the heroic actions of crew member Terry Halbardier, and the fateful decisions of American politicians to cover up what happened. McGovern and Scott then discuss the evidence that the '67 War was an aggressive war waged by the Israelis. Finally McGovern discusses the relationship between Netanyahu and Obama.

Ray McGovern is the co-creator of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity and the former chief of the CIA’s Soviet analysts division. Read all of his work at his website: raymcgovern.com.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Zen Cash, The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; LibertyStickers.com; TheBumperSticker.com; and ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.

Check out Scott’s Patreon page.

Sheldon Richman joins the show to discuss his latest article "TGIF: Separation, Not Association, Requires Force." Richman and Scott discuss the pseudo ethno-nationalism of Israel and its appeal to American white nationalists. Richman makes the case that love, association, and trade break down national, cultural, and racial prejudices and that the state builds them up. Richman and Scott discuss the divide within libertarianism between "left" and "right" libertarians over immigration. Richman then discusses the history of the apartheid state in Israel and takes on the common misconceptions about the causes of the 1967 War. Scott then asks Richman about his previous article, "The Abused Jews of Iraq." Finally Richman considers all the things that might be different if the Zionist movement had failed.

Sheldon Richman is the executive editor of the Libertarian Institute and the author of America’s Counter-Revolution: The Constitution Revisited. Follow him on Twitter @SheldonRichman.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Zen Cash, The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; LibertyStickers.com; TheBumperSticker.com; and ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.

Check out Scott’s Patreon page.

Stu Smallwood joins Scott to discuss his article "For Lasting Peace, President Moon Must Lead South Korea Out of America’s Orbit." Smallwood says that first we have to consider the perspective of the South Koreans and understand how the corruption of the previous South Korean regime led to a political awakening that has affected South Korean popular views toward the North. Smallwood then shares the backstory of President Moon Jae-in and how his unlikely rise as president for peace. Finally Smallwood makes the case that South Korea realistically can continue the peace deal with the North, even in the United States ultimately backs out—and that Moon Jae-in's political legacy will rest on the decision.

Stu Smallwood lived in Korea for eight years and now writes about the US empire in Korea for Antiwar.com and Global Research. Follow him on Twitter @stu_smallwood.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Zen Cash, The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; LibertyStickers.com; TheBumperSticker.com; and ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.

Check out Scott’s Patreon page.

Ray McGovern returns to the show to discuss his latest article, "Bolton Flunky Fleitz Raises Stakes for Iran." McGovern explains why the role of the NSC and the cabinet play a vital role in national security and foreign policy decisions and gives the background on Fred Fleitz, John Bolton's new chief of staff. McGovern then shares his memories of working with Colin Powell and how a "smart saluter" was tricked into spreading George W. Bush and the neocons' lies. McGovern then delves into the Trump administration's own version of Iraq—the web of lies they're creating about Iran.

Recommended: "Israel Backs Limited Strike Against Syria," by Jodi Rudoren (The New York Times)

Ray McGovern is the co-creator of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity and the former chief of the CIA’s Soviet analysts division. Read all of his work at his website: raymcgovern.com.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Zen Cash, The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; LibertyStickers.com; TheBumperSticker.com; and ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.

Check out Scott’s Patreon page.

Fordham Law Professor John Pfaff joins the show to discuss his article for TheAppeal.org "The Perverse Incentives of Punishment." Pfaff begins by sharing the story of a sheriff in Alabama who kept the remaining funds from feeding prisoners in the county jail for himself—and used the money to buy himself a beach house. Scott then discusses the true problem with private prison systems, and why even libertarians should be against private prisons. Pfaff then explains why prosecutors have considerable financial incentives to charge defendants with felonies rather than misdemeanors and makes the case why it's so hard for "smart on crime" to overcome "tough on crime." Scott then puts the question to Pfaff—if we're going to have a public police and judicial system, why should they be allowed to vote or unionize? Finally the two discuss why the analytical problem is clear, but the political solution requires creative consideration.

John Pfaff is a professor of law at Fordham University. He is the author of "Locked In: The True Causes of Mass Incarceration and How to Achieve Real Reform." He writes regularly at Appeals.org. Follow him on Twitter @JohnFPfaff.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Zen Cash, The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; LibertyStickers.com; TheBumperSticker.com; and ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.

Check out Scott’s Patreon page.

Daniel Lazare returns to the show to discuss his latest article for Consortium News, "Spooks Spooking Themselves." Lazare begins by expressing his disbelief in the consensus view that the DNC was in fact hacked. He makes the case instead, by reviewing the timeline of the claims that Russia colluded with the Trump administration to secure the election for Donald Trump, that the whole thing has been an intelligence operation from the beginning, citing much from Jane Mayer's piece about the Christopher Steele dossier in the New Yorker. Lazare then shares his utter exasperation that the two good ideas Donald Trump raised during the election—rapprochement with Russia and opposing regime change in Syria—are the two areas where Liberals have been most critical of his policy. Finally the two discuss whether Trump, defeater of Bushes and Clintons, can muster any good foreign policy wins.

Daniel Lazare is the author of The Frozen Republic: How the constitution is Paralyzing Democracy and a regular contributor at Consortium News. Find all of his work at his website and follow him on Twitter @dhlazare.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Zen Cash, The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; LibertyStickers.com; TheBumperSticker.com; and ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.

Check out Scott’s Patreon page.

Journalists Max Blumenthal and Dan Cohen join the show to discuss their new documentary “Killing Gaza.” Blumenthal and Cohen describe how they each came to identify as Jewish anti-Zionists, the radical rightward shift in Israeli domestic politics, and the pro-Zionist and anti-Semitic views of the American evangelical Christian community. Then they transition to their new documentary “Killing Gaza” and how they set about documenting the hell they witnessed in the wake of the 51-day war in 2014. Blumenthal and Cohen share a handful of the stories of the people that they spoke to in Gaza and discuss the story of the recent protests and the self-immolation of Fathi Harb.

Director and writer of "Killing Gaza," Max Blumenthal is a senior editor of the Grayzone Project and the author Goliath, Republican Gomorrah, and The 51 Day War. Follow Max on Twitter @MaxBlumenthal.

Cinematographer and editor Dan Cohen is a correspondent for RT American and filmmaker. His website is dancohenmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @dancohen3000.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Zen Cash, The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; LibertyStickers.com; TheBumperSticker.com; and ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.

Check out Scott’s Patreon page.

Michael Bell returns to the show to discuss the latest developments in his pursuit for truth and justice for his son who was killed by the police in 2004. Bell relives the details of his son's death and the events that led up to his killing. Bell then talks about his secretly-recorded conversation with the cop who pulled the trigger, which is included in Free Thought Project's article, "Dad Confronts The Cop Who Killed His Unarmed Sun, Secretly Records It."

Michael Bell is a retired U.S. air force lieutenant colonel. His website is MichaelBell.info where you can watch his documentary “Forensically Impossible” and sign his petition to re-open the case into his son’s death.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Zen Cash, The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; LibertyStickers.com; TheBumperSticker.com; and ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.

Check out Scott’s Patreon page.