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Yemeni journalist Nasser Arrabyee returns to the show to discuss the U.S.-Saudi war in Yemen, which is now entering its fourth year. Arrabyee describes the mood on the ground in Yemen, how things have changed since the beginning of the war, and what a political solution might look like. Scott then asks about the role of the UAE in the conflict and its alliance with the separatists of Southern Yemen and what Arrabyee's thoughts are on the recent failed Senate resolution to invoke the War Powers act to stop U.S. aid to the Saudis. Arrabyee then gives his best estimate of the total casualties that have been amassed since the beginning of the war.

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 Twiiter @narrabyee.

Discussed on the show:

"Yemen’s Houthi rebels fire missiles toward Saudi cities, 1 dead" (The Washington Post)

Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi

Ali Abdullah Saleh

Marth Mundy (ScottHorton.org)

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.

Patrick Cockburn, Middle East reporter for the Independent, returns to the show to discuss the fighting in Syria, focusing on the conflicts in Afrin and East Ghouta where much of the killing of civilians has taken place. Cockburn details the tangled maze of allegiance in Syria and how the United States will likely deal with its warring allies. Cockburn then shares what he knows about where the surviving displaced ISIS fighters have re-surfaced. Cockburn says that despite considerable bias in the coverage from the mainstream press, all the different cities of Syria look the same, regardless of which power they're being bombed by. Lastly Cockburn gives his best estimate of how the conflict will unfold going forward and whether there's a legitimate exit strategy for the United States.

Patrick Cockburn is the Middle East correspondent for The Independent and the author of “The Age of Jihad” and “Chaos & Caliphate.”

Discussed on the show:

"Syria war: Thousands flee Turkish assault on Afrin enclave" (BBC)

Al Nusra Front

Jaysh al-Islam

Free Syrian Army

AirWars.org

"The Uncounted," by Anand Gopal and Azmat Khan (The New York Times Magazine)

"Tillerson Unveils 'New' US Syria Plan: 'Assad Must Go!'" by Daniel McAdams (Ron Paul Institute)

"Syria: Turkish President threatens to launch wider offensive against Kurds after capturing Afrin," by Patrick Cockburn (The Independent)

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.

Cato's Doug Bandow returns to the show to discuss Donald Trump's decision to negotiate seriously with the North Koreans. Bandow believes that, while much can still go wrong, this is a real opportunity for traction and progress. Bandow raises the Iran Deal and the North Koreans certain interest in what the Trump administration will ultimately decide to do with the existing agreement with Iran. The interview then turns to Iran, and whether Donald Trump could take the same approach to Iran that he's begun with North Korea. Bandow follows by breaking down the sectarian conflict in Yemen between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Finally, Bandow circles back to North Korea and explains what he thinks is essential for peace to be achieved.

Doug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and a regular contributor at Forbes Magazine, the National Interest, and elsewhere. He’s on Twitter @Doug_Bandow.

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.

Washington editor of Harper's Magazine Andrew Cockburn returns to the show to discuss his latest article "Mobbed Up: How America boosts the Afghan opium trade." Cockburn explains how Trump's major contribution to the war in Afghanistan has been to take the existing restraints off the air force so they can, Cockburn says, "try to pacify Afghanistan from 20,000 feet." Cockburn and Scott then discuss the war on drugs in Afghanistan and Cockburn outlines why the narrative that the Taliban relies on opium for its power is overblown. Finally Scott and Cockburn discuss what Trump once got right about Afghanistan and why things went wrong.

Andrew Cockburn is the Washington editor of Harper’s Magazine and the author of Kill Chain: The Rise of the High-Tech Assassins. Follow him on Twitter @andrewmcockburn.

Discussed on the show:

An Intimate War: An Oral History of the Helmand Conflict, by Mike Martin

Ahmed Wali Karzai

Gul Agha Sherzai

"Afghan leaders in Helmand criticize U.S. airstrikes on Taliban drug labs" (Washington Post)

Sher Mohammad Akhundzada

Out of Control: The Story of the Reagan Administration's Secret War in Nicaragua, the Illegal Arms Pipeline, and the Contra Drug Connection, by Leslie Cockburn

"Trump's CIA Has Set Up Teams To Kill Terrorists," by Aram Roston (BuzzFeed)

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.

Phil Weiss joins Scott to discuss Ahed Tamimi's plea bargain, which will result in eight months in prison. Weiss argues that Israeli culture has gone off the rails and that all the fears that Americans have about the rightward swing in the U.S. are being fully realized in Israel. Weiss then details the shift in American Jews' views towards Israel and how young people, in particular, have unfavorable views toward Israel. Finally Weiss and Scott talk about the move of the Iran Deal, John Bolton, and Trump's decision to move the embassy to Jerusalem.

Philip Weiss is the long-time editor of Mondoweiss.net. Follow him on Twitter @PhilWeiss.

Discussed on the show:

"Israeli soldier who shot dead wounded Palestinian has prison sentence cut by a third" (The Independent)

"‘We should exact a price’ from Ahed Tamimi ‘in the dark,’ Israeli journalist says," (Mondoweiss)

"Israeli Army Arrests Palestinian Teenage Girl Who Slapped Soldiers; 'She Should Finish Her Life in Prison'" (Haaretz)

"Ron Lauder’s two-state epiphany elicits rage and condescension in Israel," by Phil Weiss (Mondoweiss)

Ronald Lauder

"Schumer says he opposed the Iran deal because of ‘threat to Israel’," by Phil Weiss (Mondoweiss)

"Gideon Levy: The Zionist Tango: Step Left, Step Right" (YouTube)

United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine

"Mike Pence in the Middle East: The new pointman on foreign policy?" by John Bolton (The Hill)

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.

The Intercept's Jon Schwarz returns to discuss the history of the Iraq War 15 years after one of the most shameful events in U.S. history. Schwarz and Scott run through and debunk the myriad lies and propaganda that were spread before and after the invasion. Schwarz then details through the major players in and out of the government who cheerleaded for war in Iraq and throughout the Middle East. The two then discuss the role Ariel Sharon and the Israeli government pumped the Bush administration with even more lies.

Jon Schwarz is a writer for The Intercept. Previously he worked for documentary film maker Michael Moore and his blog Tiny Revolution. Follow him on Twitter @schwarz.

Discussed on the show:

The Path of War Timeline (Larisa Alexandrovna and Muriel Kane)

"The Secret Casualties of Iraq's Abandoned Chemical Weapons" (The New York Times)

"Secret U.S. Mission Hauls Uranium From Iraq" (Associated Press)

"Saddam's Green Light," by Robert Parry (Consortium News)

Hussein Kamel al-Majid

"U.S. taking tough stand against Saddam Hussein" (UPI)

Operation Desert Fox

Mickey Herskowitz

Project for the New American Century (PNAC)

"Rebuilding America's Defenses" (Project for the New American Century)

"A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm by David Wurmser 1996" (ScottHorton.org)

“Coping with Crumbling States: A Western and Israeli Balance of Power Strategy for the Levant by David Wurmser 1996” (ScottHorton.org)

How Chalabi Conned the Neocons (Jon Dizard)

"16 Articles That Expose How They Lied Us Into War in Iraq," by Dan Sanchez (Medium)

Why We Fight

Jeffrey Goldberg

"US: Lockheed Stock and Two Smoking Barrels," by Richard Cummings (Playboy)

"How to Make Millions by Selling War," by Ken Silverstein (Vice)

"Ron Paul Makes Neocon Wolfowitz Squirm in his Seat at GOP Debate!" (YouTube)

Operation Grapes of Wrath

"CIA Agents Were On The Ground Before We Invaded Iraq, And They Knew It Was Going To Be A Clusterf*@k" (Task and Purpose)

"Tortured Reasoning," by David Rose (Vanity Fair)

Donald Rumsfeld Unknown Unknowns ! (YouTube)

"The Revolution," by Walter Russell Mead (Esquire)

"The Struggle for Iraq: Diplomacy; Iraq Said to Have Tried to Reach Last-Minute Deal to Avert War," by James Risen (The New York Times)

"Taking Flight," by Ryan Devereaux (The Intercept)

"No Fly Zones Over Iraq," by Jeremy Scahill (CounterPunch)

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.

NBC News reporter William Arkin returns to the show to discuss Russia's influence in American democracy and his article "Russians Target Texas Democratic Convention." Arkin makes the case, based on his research, that Russia is in fact engaging in a broad ranging covert operation against American democracy. Arkin and Scott discuss the extent to which Russiagate mirrors the lead up to the Iraq War. Arkin then goes through the various scattered evidence that's been collected and argues that the evidence on the whole shows clearly that the Russian government has made a targeted effort to sway American politics. Finally he lays out what he views as the major problems the United States faces in the lead up to the 2018 midterms.

William Arkin is a staff writer for NBC News and the author of "American Coup: How a Terrified Government Is Destroying the Constitution" and "Top Secret America: The Rise of the New American Security State." Follow him on Twitter @d_arkin.

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.

Christian Appy, author of "American Reckoning: The Vietnam War and Our National Identity," joins Scott to reflect on 50 years since the Mai Lai Massacre. Appy sets the conditions for the My Lai massacre and explains why it shocked the country from its previously steadfast belief in its exceptionalism. Appy further explains how anti-Asian racism played a role both in the My Lai massacre and in the Vietnam War more broadly and in U.S. foreign policy at large.

Christian Appy is a professor of history at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is the author of three books about the American War in Vietnam and the editor of a book series called “Culture, Politics, and the Cold War." Follow him on Twitter @ChristianGAppy.

Discussed on the show:

My Lai Massacre

Tet Offensive

Free-Fire Zone

"Martin Luther King, Jr.,’s Searing Antiwar Speech, Fifty Years Later" (The New Yorker)

"For America, Life Was Cheap in Vietnam," by Nick Turse (The New York Times)

Hearts and Minds, by Peter Davis (Vimeo)

Hugh Thompson Jr.

William Calley

"Battle Hymn Of Lt. Calley" (YouTube)

Operation Speedy Express

Julian Ewell

Kill Anything That Moves: The Real American War in Vietnam, by Nick Turse

Domino Theory

Pol Pot

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.

Reporter Mark Perry returns to the show to discuss his latest article for The American Conservative, "The Political Forces Behind Rex Tillerson's Firing." Perry begins by breaking down what he calls the "Qatar Fiasco" and the role that Israel and its friendly American think tanks played in the increasing tensions between Qatar and the other Arab states. Perry then explains why he thinks the real investigation by Robert Mueller that will bear fruit is Jared Kushner's potential "Pay For Play" with Saudi Arabia and the other Emirati states. Scott and Perry then turn to the Iran Deal and the potential fall out from Trump ripping up Obama's work. Finally Scott asks Mark Perry: Is John Bolton going to be the next National Security Advisor?

Mark Perry is the author of Talking to Terrorists: Why America Must Engage with its Enemies and The Most Dangerous Man in America: The Making of Douglas MacArthur. His most recent book, The Pentagon’s Wars was released in October. Read his work at The American Conservative Magazine and follow him on Twitter @MarkPerryDC.

Discussed on the show:

Foundation for Defense for Democracies

Ahrar al-Sham

Muslim Brotherhood

"Mueller team asking if Kushner foreign business ties influenced Trump policy" (AOL)

"No, Iran Does Not Have an ICBM Program" (War on the Rocks)

John Bolton

Keith Kellogg

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.

Investigative columnist Jim Bovard returns to the show to discuss his latest piece for The Hill, "Time for the US to end democracy promotion flim-flams." Bovard makes the case for  why cutting spending to "pro-democratic organizations" would be a good thing, and explains what the consequences would be. Bovard and Scott then discuss the rule of Vladimir Putin and his perception in the United States before finishing with a rundown of the latest events in Syria.

Jim Bovard is a columnist for USA Today and a prolific writer who has written numerous books. Find all of his books and read his work on his website and follow him on Twitter @JimBovard.

Discussed on the show:

Scott Horton on C-SPAN

National Endowment for Democracy (NED)

"Abolish the National Endowment for Democracy," by Jim Bovard (Libertarian Institute)

Carl Gershman

Allen Weinstein

"James Woolsey on the Russians' efforts to disrupt elections" (Fox News)

"Former Soviet states stand up to Russia. Will the U.S.?" by Carl Gershman (Washington Post)

"Trump must expose Obama-era power grabs," by Jim Bovard (USA Today)

August 2012 DIA report

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.