The Scott Horton Show from The Libertarian Institute

M.J. Rosenberg discusses the controversy over representative Ilhan Omar's recent comments about AIPAC, which caused everyone in and around the Israel lobby to lose their collective minds. The main problem with the outrage, explains Rosenberg, is that she's basically correct; AIPAC really does wield enormous influence over both parties in Washington, only it has more to do with political power and the United States' greater relationship with Israel than with actual campaign contributions.

Discussed on the show:

"This Is How AIPAC Really Works" (The Nation)

"2/15/19 Daniel McAdams on the Death of Congressman Walter Jones" (The Libertarian Institute)

Meir Kahane

"Netanyahu Just Invited Israel’s Equivalent Of The KKK To Join The Government" (The Forward)

"Combating BDS Act of 2019" (Library of Congress)

"This Is What the Beginning of a Real Israel Debate Looks Like" (The New Republic)

IfNotNow

"Watch the film the Israel lobby didn't want you to see" (The Electronic Intifada)

M.J. Rosenberg is a former Senior Foreign Policy Fellow at Media Matters Action Network, before which he worked on Capitol Hill for 15 years for various Democratic members of the House and Senate. You can find him on Twitter @rosenberg_mj.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Kesslyn Runs, by Charles Featherstone; NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; and LibertyStickers.com.

Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1Ct2FmcGrAGX56RnDtN9HncYghXfvF2GAh.

Chas W. Freeman talks about the recent history of China, which, after the communist regime gave way to a softer form of mixed-market fascism thanks in part to negotiations during the Nixon administration, has become the world's leading manufacturer and a major consumer market. Some Americans think this is a bad thing because it makes China a competitor with the United States for global hegemony. Freeman worries that this fear could lead to real conflict, and in the worst case, retaliatory nuclear conflict.

Discussed on the show:

"After the Trade War, a Real War With China?" (Antiwar.com Original)

Chas W. Freeman was Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs from 1993-94 and served as U. S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Follow him at his website, chasfreeman.net.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Kesslyn Runs, by Charles Featherstone; NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; and LibertyStickers.com.

Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1Ct2FmcGrAGX56RnDtN9HncYghXfvF2GAh.

Matthew Hoh talks about why ending the war in Afghanistan has been so difficult. For one thing, even though many of the soldiers on the ground realize the war is both immoral and unwinnable, the war planners don't necessarily know that. For another, generals and other military advisers to the president will pretty much always counsel in favor of war, and how to fight a war effectively, since that's their craft. For this reason Hoh stresses the necessity of civilian oversight of the military, since civilians are better positioned to decide whether war is a good idea in the first place.

Discussed on the show:

"Time for Peace in Afghanistan and an End to the Lies" (Counterpunch)

"1/4/19 Matthew Hoh and Danny Sjursen on the Consequences of America's Wars in the Middle East" (The Libertarian Institute)

Costs of War Project

"'Irritated' by Russia, US Admiral Sends Warship to Black Sea" (Antiwar.com)

An Enemy We Created: The Myth of the Taliban-Al Qaeda Merger in Afghanistan

Obama's Wars

"Ryan Crocker: The Taliban Will ‘Retake the Country’" (Foreign Policy)

Matthew Hoh is a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy and formerly worked for the U.S. State Department. Hoh received the Ridenhour Prize Recipient for Truth Telling in 2010. Hoh is a member of the Board of Directors for Council for a Livable World and is an Advisory Board Member for Expose Facts. He writes on issues of war, peace and post-traumatic stress disorder recovery at matthewhoh.com.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Kesslyn Runs, by Charles Featherstone; NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; and LibertyStickers.com.

Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1Ct2FmcGrAGX56RnDtN9HncYghXfvF2GAh.

James Bamford talks about the case of Maria Butina, a young Russian woman educated in the U.S. who was accused of spying for the Russians and sabotaging the 2016 presidential election. Butina was indicted and spent months in solitary confinement, which is technically classified as a form of torture. Bamford believes the case was a set up from the very beginning.

Discussed on the show:

"The Russian Spy Who Wasn't" (The New Republic)

"2/15/19 Daniel McAdams on the Death of Congressman Walter Jones" (The Libertarian Institute)

"Walter Jones Made the Yemen Vote Happen" (The American Conservative)

"H.Con.Res.138" (Library of Congress)

"Red Sparrow (2018)" (IMDb)

Robert Hanssen

"My Friend, the Spy" (The New York Times)

"12/21/18 Sharon Tennison on Citizen Diplomacy with Russia During the Cold War" (The Libertarian Institute)

"Federal Prosecutors Need a Watchdog, Too" (The New York Times)

Liberty City Seven

"2/15/19 Gareth Porter on the FBI Putsch Against Trump" (The Libertarian Institute)

"Bush wrong to use pretext as excuse to invade Iraq" (USA Today)

"The Man Who Sold the War" (Common Dreams)

James Bamford is a journalist, professor, documentary film maker, and the author of Body of Secrets: Anatomy of the Ultra-Secret National Security Agency and A Pretext for War: 9/11, Iraq, and the Abuse of America's Intelligence Agencies. Find him on Twitter @WashAuthor.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Kesslyn Runs, by Charles Featherstone; NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; and LibertyStickers.com.

Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1Ct2FmcGrAGX56RnDtN9HncYghXfvF2GAh.

Scott interviews Sheldon Richman about his latest TGIF article, "Who Owns You?", which explores the history of medical authority as justification for the violation of individual rights in America, including up to today, with government agencies arbitrarily banning certain types of voluntary behavior on purely collectivist and paternalistic grounds.

Discussed on the show:

"TGIF: Who Owns You?" (The Libertarian Institute)

Our Right To Drugs: The Case for a Free Market

Ceremonial Chemistry: The Ritual Persecution of Drugs, Addicts, and Pushers

"Incredibly, Prosecutors are Still Defending Bite Mark Evidence" (Washington Post)

"The Liberty of Ancients Compared with that of Moderns (1819)" (Online Library of Liberty)

"A Fatal Houston Drug Raid is a Familiar Story of Needless Violence, Death and Destruction" (Washington Post)

"1/25/19 Sheldon Richman on the FDA's War on Tobacco" (The Scott Horton Show)

Saying Yes: In Defense of Drug Use

Addiction Is a Choice

"Drug Decriminalization in Portugal: Lessons for Creating Fair and Successful Drug Policies" (Cato Institute)

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: Kesslyn Runs, by Charles Featherstone; NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; and LibertyStickers.com.

Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1Ct2FmcGrAGX56RnDtN9HncYghXfvF2GAh.

Daniel McAdams remembers Congressman Walter Jones, who passed away last week. Jones initially supported the War in Iraq, but after realizing his mistake began trying everything in his power to atone for it. He wrote over 12,000 letters to killed and wounded soldiers and their families, and was a vocal opponent of subsequent wars. Jones' efforts were crucial in getting the House of Representatives to vote on ending U.S. support for the war in Yemen.

Discussed on the show:

A Pretext for War: 9/11, Iraq, and the Abuse of America's Intelligence Agencies

"H.Con.Res.138" (Library of Congress)

"Walter Jones Made the Yemen Vote Happen" (The American Conservative)

"Walter B. Jones Restoring Power to Congress Act Would Repeal the 2001 AUMF" (Antiwar.com Blog)

"Is the US Meddling in Venezuela? Max Blumenthal Asks US Congress Members." (YouTube)

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.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Kesslyn Runs, by Charles Featherstone; NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; and LibertyStickers.com.

Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1Ct2FmcGrAGX56RnDtN9HncYghXfvF2GAh.

Ali Abunimah comments on the recent controversy surrounding Minnesota's Representative Ilhan Omar and her tweets about the Israel lobby's influence in American politics. Unlike virtually any other lobby, explains Abunimah, AIPAC seems to be off limits in the public discourse. Even after fairly mild comments, like Omar's, the outrage runs rampant and backtracking and apologies are demanded. Scott and Abunimah wish Omar would have stuck to her guns instead.

Discussed on the show:

"Ilhan Omar under attack for telling truth about Israel lobby" (The Electronic Intifada)

"Rep. Ilhan Omar vs. Venezuela Envoy Elliott Abrams: Was El Salvador "Massacre" A "Fabulous Achievement?" | Video" (RealClearPolitics)

"Watch the film the Israel lobby didn't want you to see" (The Electronic Intifada)

"Ilhan Omar Is Not Anti-semitic For Calling Out AIPAC" (The Forward)

"Bill Clinton's Sister Souljah moment - JUNE 13, 1992" (YouTube)

Ali Abunimah is co-founder of The Electronic Intifada and author of The Battle for Justice in Palestine. Follow him on Twitter @AliAbunimah.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Kesslyn Runs, by Charles Featherstone; NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; and LibertyStickers.com.

Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1Ct2FmcGrAGX56RnDtN9HncYghXfvF2GAh.

Kate Gould joins the show to talk about her work with the Friends Committee on National Legislation lobbying for an end to U.S. involvement in the Saudi-led war in Yemen. The house just passed a resolution invoking the War Powers Act, which should send the motion to the president's desk for the first time since the act's creation in 1973. The senate is expected to pass the resolution in the coming days as well.

Discussed on the show:

"End the Illegal U.S. War in Yemen" (Friends Committee on National Legislation)

"H.Con.Res.138" (Library of Congress)

War Powers Resolution

Jamal Khashoggi

Save the Children

"US arms sold to Saudi Arabia and UAE end up in wrong hands" (CNN)

"Detainees Describe an American Presence in Their Torture Chambers" (Daily Beast)

Kate Gould serves as the Legislative Representative for Middle East Policy at the Friends Committee on National Legislation where she directs FCNL’s lobbying on Middle East policy. Follow Kate on Twitter @K8Gould.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Kesslyn Runs, by Charles Featherstone; NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; and LibertyStickers.com.

Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1Ct2FmcGrAGX56RnDtN9HncYghXfvF2GAh.

Gareth Porter gives an update on the "Russiagate" investigation, which he has long maintained is nothing more than a thinly-veiled ploy to remove President Trump from office. Recent reports on the investigation have only confirmed Porter's suspicions that the intelligence officials involved in the proceedings have been out to get Trump from the beginning.

Discussed on the show:

"The Real Motive Behind the FBI Plan to Investigate Trump as a Russian Agent" (Consortium News)

"Mueller may submit report to attorney general as soon as mid-February, say sources" (NBC)

"Ukraine crisis: Transcript of leaked Nuland-Pyatt call" (BBC)

"F.B.I. Opened Inquiry Into Whether Trump Was Secretly Working on Behalf of Russia" (New York Times)

"Andrew McCabe: The full "60 Minutes" interview" (CBS)

Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution

Hunter Killer

The Threat: Inside the Soviet Military Machine

Gareth Porter is an investigative historian and journalist on the national security state, and author of Manufactured Crisis: The Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Scare. Follow him on Twitter @GarethPorter and listen to Gareth’s previous appearances on the Scott Horton Show.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Kesslyn Runs, by Charles Featherstone; NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; and LibertyStickers.com.

Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1Ct2FmcGrAGX56RnDtN9HncYghXfvF2GAh.

Libertarian Institute contributor Tom Eddlem gives some of Venezuela's recent history, focusing on the elections of Chavez and Maduro, and most recently Juan Guaido's self-proclamation as the country's legitimate leader. Scott and Eddlem debate the validity of the United States weighing in on Venezuelan politics in the first place, but agree that the motivations for military intervention are highly suspect.

Discussed on the show:

"1/25/19 Daniel McAdams on US Support for Regime Change in Venezuela" (The Libertarian Institute)

"2/1/19 Greg Palast on Avoiding Regime Change in Venezuela" (The Libertarian Institute)

New Class:Analysis Of Communist System: An Analysis Of The Communist System

National Endowment for Democracy

"‘What the Hell Is Going On?’ How a Small Group Seized Control of Venezuela’s Opposition" (Wall Street Journal)

Tom Eddlem is a freelance writer who has been published in more than 20 periodicals, including The New American magazine, the Providence Journal, LewRockwell.com, Future of Freedom Foundation and AntiWar.com. Write him at [email protected]

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Kesslyn Runs, by Charles Featherstone; NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; and LibertyStickers.com.

Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1Ct2FmcGrAGX56RnDtN9HncYghXfvF2GAh.