The Libertarian Institute - All Podcasts

Author and illustrator Tom Cooper joins Scott to discuss his article for War is Boring, "A New State is Emerging in Yemen." Cooper outlines how North and South Yemen were united under Ali Abdullah Saleh, the surprising nuances in the political alliances within Yemen, and the similarities and differences between the situation in Yemen and Syria. Cooper also details the many varied fighting forces in Yemen and the general consensus among them all against Al-Qaeda and ISIS.

Tom Cooper is a writer and illustrator who has authored more than 30 books modern military and aviation, including his latest: "Hot Skies Over Yemen." He writes regularly at War is Boring.

Discussed on the show:

Ali Abdullah Saleh

Yemeni Unification

Al-Islah (Yemen)

"Quiet Support for Saudis Entangles U.S. in Yemen" (The New York Times)

"Yemen holds presidential election with one candidate" (CNN)

"No, Yemen’s Houthis actually aren’t Iranian puppets" (The Washington Post)

"Washington’s War in Yemen Backfires," by Jeremy Scahill (The Nation)

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.

Consortium News' Gilbert Doctorow returns to the show to discuss his latest article, "A Coming Russia-Ukraine War?" Doctorow also shares his memories of legendary journalist Bob Parry who died this week, explains why understanding Russian political goals is essential to good diplomacy, and describes the rising tensions between Russia and the Ukraine. Doctorow then details the many different sanctions placed on Russians by the United States, and makes the case why sanctions constitute an act of war.

Gilbert Doctorow is an independent political analyst and was the European Coordinator of The American Committee for East-West Accord. He writes regularly for Consortium News. His latest book is "Does the United States Have a Future?"

Discussed on the show:

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

"Neocons and the Ukraine Coup," by Robert Parry (Consortium News)

Minsk Protocol

Minsk II

Petro Poroshenko

"US to send anti-tank missiles to Ukraine" (ABC News)

"McCain: Russia Is a 'Gas Station Masquerading As a Country'" (YouTube)

"The U.S. Military Budget is Bigger Than the 10 Next Biggest Military Budgets Combined" (Reason)

"In Midst of War, Ukraine Becomes Gateway for Jihad" (The Intercept)

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 talk about his latest piece for the American Conservative Magazine on Donald Trump's nuclear posture review, "Trump’s Nuke Plan Raising Alarms Among Military Brass." According to Perry there's considerable skepticism within the military about the new Trump plan. Perry then details the U.S.-Russia nuclear relations and the extreme danger of any kind of nuclear escalation. Finally Perry discusses what Trump could do to ameliorate the situation with Russia.

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. Follow him on Twitter @MarkPerryDC.

Discussed on the show:

2018 Nuclear Posture Review (U.S. Department of State)

"Trillion-dollar nuclear arms plan sets up budget brawl" (Politico)

William Perry

"Bill Perry is Terrified. Why Aren't You?" (Politico)

National Security Archive (George Washington University)

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.

May Jeong returns to the show to discuss her article for The Intercept, "Losing Sight" about a four-year-old Afghan girl, Aisha Rashid, who was the sole survivor of a drone strike in a remote village in Afghanistan. Aisha miraculously survived. Then she disappeared. Jeong goes in depth into her reporting, the horrors of drone warfare, and details the ISIS presence in Afghanistan. Scott and Jeong then talk about the paradox of humanitarian aid and the satellite charity organizations.

May Jeong is a visiting scholar at the NYU school of Journalism and a Logan Fellow at the Carey Institute. Her work is published at Harper's, The Intercept, and the London Review of Books. Follow her on Twitter @mayjeong.

Discussed on the show:

"Losing Sight," by May Jeong (The Intercept)

Hamid Karzai

"Hamid Karzai refuses to sign US-Afghan security pact" (The Guardian)

Solace for the Children

National Directorate of Security (NDS)

"Living Under Drones: Death, Injury and Trauma to Civilians from US Drone Practices in Pakistan" (Stanford Law School)

Dina Powell

"Alms Dealers" (The New Yorker)

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.

U.S. army major Daniel A. Sjursen joins Scott to talk about his experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq, the supposed military tactics of "The Surge," and his latest piece on the legacy of the Vietnam War, "The War That Never Ends (for the U.S. Military High Command)." Sjursen draws parallels between the Vietnam War and the Iraq and Afghan Wars and makes the case that misconceptions about the Vietnam War have persisted into the tactical approach to the forever wars of the present. Finally Sjursen explains why the ingrained orthodoxies in the military make any attempt at a shift in focus impossible.

Sjursen is a major in the U.S. army and former history instructor at West Point. He writes regularly for TomDispatch.com and he's the author of "Ghost Riders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge." Follow him on Twitter @SkepticalVet.

Discussed on the show:

"Petraeus: Afghan war a ‘generational struggle’ that will not end soon" (PBS News Hour)

"The War That Never Ends (for the U.S. Military High Command)," by Danny Sjursen (TomDispatch.com)

Clausewitzian

Westmoreland's War: Reassessing American Strategy in Vietnam, by Gregory Daddis

A Better War: The Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America's Last Years in Vietnam, by Lewis Sorley

"The Myth of the Better War" (Reason)

Wrong Turn: America’s Deadly Embrace of Counterinsurgency, by Colonel Gian Gentile

Robert Gates

"America, the Kurds, and History: Only a Pawn in Their Game," by Ted Snider (Antiwar.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.

Ghassan Abou Chaar, Doctors Without Borders' head of missions in Yemen, joins Scott to discuss the situation in Yemen. Chaar says that the cholera outbreak has improved as the dry season has limited the spread of the infection, but that cases of diarrhea remain prevalent. Chaar explains that while seasonal changes have helped, many of the awful conditions that led to the cholera outbreak in the first place remain in place. Chaar then updates the water situation in Yemen and the degree to which humanitarian aid is reaching the country. Finally Chaar explains why the work in Yemen only continues to get more difficult—and how people can contribute to the efforts of Doctors Without Broders.

Discussed on the show:

Clair Manera interviews

"Suspected cholera cases in Yemen hit one million: ICRC" (Reuters)

"1/5/18 The UN’s Jamie McGoldrick on the state of affairs in Yemen" (The Scott Horton Show)

"11/16/17 Scott Paul on the latest devastating Saudi blockade in Yemen" (The Scott Horton Show)

Doctors Without Borders

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.

Retired army colonel Andrew Bacevich returns to the show to discuss the state of American diplomacy under Trump. Bacevich opens with a general background of his work and explains why he dissents frequently with the top brass of the U.S. military. Bacevich then discusses his latest article for The American Conservative, "Trump's National Defense Strategy Has The Pentagon Popping Champagne." According to Bacevich American concern with Russia is misplaced—especially in relation to the rise of China, whose power and influence far outstrips Russia's. Finally Bacevich gives his analysis of the Trump administration and the potential diplomatic pitfalls in Asia.

Andrew Bacevich is a Professor Emeritus of International Relations and History at Boston University. He is the author of a number of books including “America’s War for the Greater Middle East: A Military History” and is a regular contributor at The American Conservative and TomDispatch.com.

Discussed on the show:

"Summary of the 2018 National Defense Strategy of the United States of America" (Department of Defense)

"U.S. military puts 'great power competition' at heart of strategy: Mattis," by Idrees Ali (Reuters)

NSC-68

"Murray Rothbard Soars, Bill Buckley Evaporates," by Lew Rockwell (Mises.org)

Peter Lee, aka @chinahand, returns to the show to discuss his new documentary General Douglas MacArthur's Conspiracy To Start A War With China. Lee describes the history of U.S.-China tensions dating back to the 1950s, MacArthur's trigger happy attitude toward nuclear weapons, and how MacArthur and the military almost provoked full-fledged war with China. Lee then details the looming tensions between the U.S. and China that may boil over into conflict and explains why, even with China, blame can be assigned disproportionately to Dick Cheney.

Peter Lee is the editor of China Matters and the host of China Watch at NewsBud. He is the director and narrator of the new documentary General Douglas MacArthur's Conspiracy To Start A War With China. Follow him on Twitter @chinahand.

Discussed on the show:

Douglas MacArthur

Matthew Ridgway

“Why Did Truman Really Fire MacArthur? … The Obscure History of Nuclear Weapons and the Korean War Provides the Answer,” by Bruce Cumings (History News Network)

USS John A. Bole

Inchon to Wonsan: From the Deck of a Destroyer in the Korean War, by James Edwin Alexander

"Trump labels China a strategic ‘competitor’" (Financial Times)

"The Strange Story of Russia and China's Cold War Nuclear Weapons Break-Up," by War is Boring (National Interest)

"U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis outlines bold new national defense strategy at Johns Hopkins" (John's Hopkins Hub)

"1/26/18 Andrew Bacevich on U.S. diplomacy under Trump and the rise of China" (The Scott Horton Show)

"University rejects Chinese Communist Party-linked influence efforts on campus" (Washington Post)

Quadrilateral Security Dialogue

United States Pacific Command

The Perils of Dominance, by Gareth Porter

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.

Co-host of the Ron Paul Liberty Report Daniel McAdams returns to the show to discuss the latest developments in Syria where the Turkish government is threatening to confront American forces in eastern Syria. McAdams and Scott talk about Donald Trump's disappointing presidency (to put it mildly), how Ron Paul's anti-war views have become even more radical, and Twitter's latest policy of alerting its users who follow supposed Russian bots.

Daniel McAdams is the executive director of the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity and the co-host of the Ron Paul Liberty Report. Follow him on Twitter @DanielLMcAdams and read all of his work over at Antiwar.com.

Discussed on the show:

"Turkey calls on US to end support for pro-Kurdish forces or risk confrontation" (Middle East Eye)

"Turkey deploys thousands of FSA rebels at Syria border" (Al Jazeera)

"Tillerson's open-ended Syria war proves US is stuck in mideast quicksand," by Stephen Kinzer (The Hill)

Dina Powell

Swindled: How the GOP Cheated Ron Paul and Lost Themselves the Election, by Michael Alford

German Marshall Fund

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.

Joey Lawrence returns to the show to discuss the latest developments in northeast Syria, where the Kurds and Turks are facing off—with the U.S. potentially caught in the middle. Lawrence breaks down the Turkish strategy in the battle against the Kurds, gives his thoughts on the new American bases in Syria, and explains how the Kurds negotiate their relationship with the U.S. and what their longterm goals are. Lawrence then details the Turkish bombing of Syrian Kurdistan. Finally Scott asks what the status is of the Syrian army's war against Al-Qaeda in the Idlib Province and asks: where have the surviving ISIS fighters gone?

Joey Lawrence is a photographer and director. His three-part documentary on the Kurdish guerrilla is available for free on his site. Follow him on Twitter @joeyldotcom.

Discussed on the show:

BornFromUrgency.com

Afrin (Syria)

People's Protection Unit (YPG)

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)

We Came From Fire, by Joey Lawrence

"Fears over US-Turkey military confrontation in Syria" (Al Jazeera)

Manbij (Syria)

Siege of Kobanî

Idlib

Deir ez-Zor

Al-Nusra Front

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.