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Thomas Harrington joins Scott to discuss his latest article on Catalonia for Antiwar.com “Last Sunday In Catalonia: Pirates 1, The Invincible Armada 0.” Harrington breaks down the history of Catalonia, how we’ve gotten to where we are today, and what the vote means for Catalonia and Spain. Harrington also explains who stands to gain from Catalonian independence and who doesn’t. Ultimately, despite the brewing conflict, Harrington has some optimism that negotiation and a peaceful settlement will still be the outcome.

Thomas Harrington is professor of Hispanic Studies at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut and the author of Public Intellectuals and Nation Building in the Iberian Peninsula, 1900–1925: The Alchemy of Identity.

Discussed on the show:

* “Melee in Catalonia as Spanish police violently attack voters, injuring at least 760 civilians” (New York Daily News)

* “Catalonia Government Declares Overwhelming Vote for Independence” (New York Times)

* Castile

* Kingdom of Aragon

* “Catalonia’s Independence Referendum: What’s at Stake?” (New York Times)

* Isabella I of Castile

* “Spain Through Orwell’s Eyes” (Jacobin Magazine)

* José María Aznar

* “Why Should Catalonia Not be Free?” by Matt Purple (American Conservative Magazine)

* “Catalonia vote: Pro-independence parties win elections” (BBC)

* “Catalonia’s Leader Seeks Talks in Standoff With Spain” (New York Times)

* “King of Spain accuses Catalan leaders of ‘unacceptable disloyalty'” (CNN)

Airwars investigative reporter Chris Woods returns to the show to discuss his work documenting aerial strikes and casualties in Iraq, Syria, and now Libya. Woods explains Airwars’ method of documentation, discusses how Trump’s strategy compares to Obama’s, and breaks down the fight to free Mosul and Raqqa from ISIS and the overwhelming toll it has taken on the civilian populations.

Woods is the author of Sudden Justice: America’s Secret Drone Wars and the recipient of the Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism. Follow him on Twitter @chrisjwoods.

Discussed on the show:

* “US strikes Libya for first time under Trump” (CNN)

* Iraq Body Count

* “Coalition admits four key allies killed at least 15 Syrian troops in botched raid,” by Samuel Oakford (Airwars)

* “The massacre of Mosul: 40,000 feared dead in battle to take back city from Isis as scale of civilian casualties revealed,” by Patrick Cockburn (The Independent)

* “‘Mosul Is Completely Destroyed'” (The Atlantic)

* Raqqa (Airwars.org)

* Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)

* Al-Nusra Front

* Idlib

* Ayman al-Zawahiri

* “On His Way Out the Door, Obama Bombs Libya One Last Time” (CommonDreams.org)

* Khalifa Haftar

* Libya National Army (LNA)

Ann Jones, author of “Kabul in Winter: Life Without Peace in Afghanistan,” returns to the show to discuss her latest article at TomDispatch.com “Afghanistan, Again?” Jones explains how every president repeats the actions of his predecessor in an attempt to “break the stalemate,” why trying to train the Afghan army has been an utter disaster, and how the Afghan people, despite considerable infighting, have made it clear over and over again that they will not give in to foreign invaders. Jones stresses, above all, that the Afghanis are tired of fighting and are ready to go home—so long as the United States will let them.

Ann Jones is a regular contributor at TomDispatch.com and most recently the author of “They Were Soldiers: How the Wounded Return from America’s Wars.” Follow her on Twitter:

Discussed on the show:

* Afghan National Army

* “Afghanistan Sees 20 Percent Rise in Casualties of Security Forces, Police” (NBC News)

* Taliban

* Tajiks

* Pashtuns

* “9/20/17 May Jeong on the atrocities of U.S.-backed warlords in Afghanistan” (Scott Horton Show)

* “Female Afghan politician Shukria Barakzai survives suicide bomb attack on her car” (The Independent)

* Gulbuddin Hekmatyar

* “Return of warlord Hekmatyar adds to Afghan political tensions” (Washington Post)

* “The ‘Butcher Of Kabul’ Is Welcomed Back In Kabul” (NPR)

Joe Lauria returns to update the situation in Iraqi Kurdistan after the referendum for an independent Kurdish state passed. Lauria describes the escalating tensions, explains why believes the referendum was a mistake, and how despite the vote, the Kurds are no closer to independence than they were before. Lauria details the history of Kurdish suffering throughout the decades and suggests that this referendum could lead to another precarious situation for the Kurds. Then Lauria touches on how the Kurdish referendum compares to the ongoing situation in Catalonia. Finally Scott and Lauria discuss the most contentious point of Kurdish independence, the disputed city of Kirkuk.

Joe Lauria is a contributing writer at Consortium News. He is a former UN correspondent and wrote at the Boston Globe and Wall Street Journal. You can follow him on Twitter @unjoe.

Discussed on the show:

* “Iraq imposes flight ban on Kurdish region after poll” (Al Jazeera)

* “Kurdistan votes for independence from Iraq with 93% saying ‘yes'” (The Telegraph)

* Masoud Barzani

* “Iraq refuses talks with Kurds about referendum results” (Al Jazeera)

* Treaty of Sèvres

* Iraqi-Kurdish Conflict

* Iraqi Kurdistan-Israel Relations

* Halabja Chemical Attack

* “Kurds in Turkey atone for their role in the Armenian genocide” (PRI)

* Kirkuk

* “Hundreds injured as Spain cracks down on Catalan referendum” (CNN)

* Battle of Tal Afar

* “Kurdish Paramilitary Forces Now Control City of Kirkuk as Iraqi Civil War Escalates” (Slate)

* Israel endorses independent Kurdish state

* Montivideo Convention

* Joel Wing: “Oct 3 2005 Pres Tabalani accued UnitedIraqiAlliance of not giving Kurds govt positions neglecting Kurd ministries not dealing with Kirkuk” (@JoelWing2)

In his return to the Scott Horton Show, Ron Paul reflects on his “Yes” vote on the Authorized Use of Military Force following 9/11, how it continues to be used and abused today, and the history of how the United States has perverted its legal authority in foreign policy. Then Dr. Paul turns to the escalating situation in North Korea. Paul shares why he has some optimism about the situation in North Korea, his worries about Trump’s volatility, and what he would have done about North Korea as president.

Former congressman Ron Paul is a true American hero. He 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.

Discussed on the show:

* The Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF)

* Letters of Marque and Reprisal (Tenth Amendment Center)

* “Trump Vs. Tillerson: War Or Diplomacy?” (Ron Paul Liberty Report)

* Daniel McAdams

* “War with North Korea would be ‘catastrophic,’ Defense Secretary Mattis says” (CBS News)

* Rex Tillerson

* “Being nice to Rocket Man hasn’t worked in 25 years, why would it work now? Clinton failed, Bush failed, and Obama failed. I won’t fail.” (@RealDonaldTrump)

* Kim Jong-il

* Kim Jong-un

* Peter Lee (@ChinaHand)

* “A grand bargain with China could remove North Korea’s nuclear threat — but it would destroy America’s global influence” (LA Times)

USC professor Muhammad Sahimi returns to the show to discuss his latest article “Deconstructing Neoconservatives’ Manifesto for War With Iran.” Sahimi debunks the misinformation and lies being spread by John Bolton and other neoconservatives about the Iran Deal, explains in detail the steps Iran has taken to ease tensions with the United States, and lists the many hypocrisies of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Sahimi hammers home the fact that, should the U.S. void the Iran Deal, no country in the future will have reason to trust that the United States will live up to its word in its international agreements. Sahimi and Scott then discuss Iran’s role (or lack thereof) in Yemen and finish with Sahimi documenting the history of the Iranian terrorist group MEK and its flirtation with prominent U.S. Congressmen and Senators.

Muhammad Sahimi is the NIOC Chair in petroleum engineering at the University of Southern California and a contributor at Antiwar.com and the Huffington Post.

Discussed on the show:

* “How to Get Out of the Iran Nuclear Deal,” by John Bolton (National Review)

* John Bolton

* “To Stop Iran’s Bomb, Bomb Iran” by John Bolton (New York Times)

* People’s Mujahedin of Iran (MEK)

* Iran-Iraq War

* American Freedom Defense Initiative (Stop Islamization of America)

* International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

* Disarmament of Libya

* “Why ISIS Won’t Take Baghdad” (The Daily Beast)

* “Behind Biden’s gaffe lie real concerns about allies’ role in rise of the Islamic State” (Washington Post)

* “We finally know what Hillary Clinton knew all along – US allies Saudi Arabia and Qatar are funding Isis,” by Patrick Cockburn (The Independent)

* “US watched ISIS rise in Syria and hoped to ‘manage’ it — Kerry on leaked tape,” by Philip Weiss (Mondoweiss.com)

* “Iran’s Nuclear Program and the New York Times,” by Muhammad Sahimi (Antiwar.com)

* “Top general says Iran complying with nuclear deal” (The Hill)

* “Shut Out of the White House, Iran Hawk Makes Public Appeal to Trump” (

World affairs editor for the Guardian Julian Borger returns to the show to discuss his latest article “White House ‘pressuring’ intelligence officials to find Iran in violation of nuclear deal.” Borger details the pressure CIA officials are facing from the White House to find or procure evidence of Iran being in noncompliance with the nuclear deal. But while Borger believes there’s hope that the CIA isn’t willing to play ball, he details how the Trump administration is finding other creative ways to void the deal. Scott turns back the clock and wonders whether Obama could have solidified long term peace with Iran by visiting Tehran; Borger isn’t so sure. They try to understand just why Trump is against the Iran Deal, the attempt to torpedo which is beginning to look a lot like the push to war in Iraq. Finally, Borger explains just how effective the Iran Deal has been for nonproliferation.

Julian Borger is the Guardian’s world affairs editor. His book, The Butcher’s Trail, is the story of the pursuit and capture of the Balkan war criminals. Follow him on Twitter: @julianborger.

Discussed on the show:

* “U.S. Military Chief Warns Against Pulling Out Of Iran Nuclear Deal” (RFERL.org)

* International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

Going to Tehran: Why America Must Accept the Islamic Republic of Iran, by Flynt and Hillary Leverett

* Hassan Rouhani

* Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)

* UN Security Council resolution

U.S. Government Assessment of the Syrian Government’s Use of Chemical Weapons on August 21, 2013

* Mike Pompeo

* James Mattis

Joe Lauria returns to the show to discuss his book on Hillary Clinton, “How I Lost By Hillary Clinton,” Trump’s America, and the hysteria over Russia’s supposed actions in the 2016 elections. Then Lauria pivots to the Kurdish referendum in Iraq and gives an overview of the history of the Kurshish movement for independence and details the Kurdish allies and the longer list of opposition. Lastly Lauria reviews the state of ISIS in Iraq and gives an update on Mosul.

Joe Lauria is a contributing writer at Consortium News. He is a former UN correspondent and wrote at the Boston Globe and Wall Street Journal. You can follow him on Twitter @unjoe.

Discussed on the show:

* Erbil

* “Hillary Clinton’s What Happened: A conspiracy theory of the 2016 election” (World Socialist Website)

* “Clinton opens door to questioning legitimacy of 2016 election” (CNN)

* “Hillary Clinton’s Ace-in-the-Hole: Russia,” by Joe Lauria (Huffington Post)

* “Russia Sought A Broad Reset With Trump, Secret Document Shows” (Buzzfeed)

* “Tensions rise in Iraq ahead of Kurdish referendum” (Al Jazeera)

* Republic of Mahabad

* Peshmerga

* Montivideo Convention

* “Netanyahu: Israel supports Iraqi Kurd independence” (Middle East Eye)

* “Plan B,” by Seymour Hersh (The New Yorker)

* Rand Paul: Give the Kurds a Country (CNN)

* Masoud Barzani

* “Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government’s Planned Referendum” (U.S. Department of State)

* “Turkey urges Iraqi Kurds to drop referendum, cites sanctions” (Reuters)

* Kirkuk

* Talabani

* “The Redirection,” by Seymour Hersh (The New Yorker)

* “US ‘deeply concerned’ after Turkey bombs allies in Iraq and Syria” (CNN)

* Battle of Tal Afar

* “The massacre of Mosul: 40,000 feared dead in battle to take back city from Isis as scale of civilian casualties revealed,” by Patrick Cockburn (

Scott interviews May Jeong on her featured article “The U.S.-Trained Warlords Committing Atrocities in Afghanistan” for In These Times. Jeong discusses her time reporting in Afghanistan, why the Afghanistan War is really the American War, and details how the same dynamics at work in Iraq exist in Afghanistan. Jeong explains what she thinks might happen when the United States leaves Afghanistan, but why she believes that the Taliban doesn’t have the manpower to rule the entire country.

May Jeong is a visiting scholar at the NYU school of Journalism and a Logan Fellow at the Carey Institute. Follow her on Twitter @mayjeong.

Discussed on the show:

* Pashtuns

* Hazaras

* Leahy Amendment

* Taliban

* De-Ba’athification

* “The Afghan Bank Heist,” by David Filkins (The New Yorker)

* Hamid Karzai

* Khataba Massacre

* “Woes mount for beleaguered Afghan security forces” (The Daily Mail)

* “Trump’s 100 days: US air campaign hammers Yemen with almost a strike a day” (The Bureau of Investigative Journalism)

* Mullah Omar

President of the National Iranian American Council Trita Parsi returns to the show to discuss the Iran Nuclear Deal and what’s at stake should the Trump administration attempt to nix the deal and why his bellicose approach to Iran could have significant consequences. Parsi explains Congress’s role in the life of the deal, and why even a Republican-controlled Congress might be hesitant to kill the deal.

Trita Parsi is the president of the National Iranian American Council and the author of “Losing an Enemy: Obama, Iran and the Triumph of Diplomacy.” Parsi is the recipient of the 2010 Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order. Follow him on Twitter: @tparsi.

Discussed on the show:

* Iran Nuclear Deal

* “Iran’s Swift Release of U.S. Sailors Hailed as a Sign of Warmer Relations” (New York Times)

* International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

* Manufactured Crisis: The Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Scare, by Gareth Porter

* Mao Zedong

* “Obama to Iran and Israel: ‘As President of the United States, I Don’t Bluff’,” by Jeffrey Goldberg (The Atlantic)

* “Quiet Support for Saudis Entangles U.S. in Yemen” (New York Times)

* Losing an Enemy: Obama, Iran and the Triumph of Diplomacy, by Trita Parsi