The Scott Horton Show from The Libertarian Institute

Scott speaks with Daniel Davis about the suicide bombing at the entrance to the Kabul Airport. Davis considers this an especially devastating attack because the soldiers killed were only days away from being withdrawn from the country. He also believes that these withdrawal issues could have been prevented if U.S. troops had left a decade ago instead of flooding the country as they did under Obama’s surge. Davis goes on to explain why he has no respect for those who lie to the families of dead soldiers about what they died fighting for, all while sending new soldiers off to the same pointless mission. Finally, Davis takes on the argument that we should never have given up Bagram Air Base, and he explains why taking it back now would be disastrous. 

Discussed on the show:

“Looser rules, more civilian deaths, a Taliban takeover: Inside America’s failed Afghan drone campaign” (Audacy)

Daniel Davis did multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan during his time in the army. He writes a weekly column for National Interest and is the author of the reports “Dereliction of Duty II: Senior Military Leaders’ Loss of Integrity Wounds Afghan War Effort” and “Go Big or Go Deep: An Analysis of Strategy Options on Afghanistan.” Find him on Twitter @DanielLDavis1.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee and Listen and Think Audio.

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Scott talks with Peter Van Buren about the situation in Afghanistan.  Van Buren explains that many of the people tasked with working on the Afghanistan War were, in fact, working to cover up their own role in the war. And that these individual failures played off each other to create one massive failure. On top of that, Van Buren argues that policymakers were entirely removed from the costs of the war. And because of that, Van Buren predicts we will soon find ourselves in a similar conflict.

Discussed on the show:

We Meant Well by Peter Van Buren

The Ghost of Tom Joad by Peter Van Buren

Hooper’s War by Peter Van Buren

Van Buren’s blog 

“Nation-Building, the Washington Generals of Warfare Strangely Preferred by Washington Generals” (American Spectator)

NPR interview Van Buren about his book We Meant Well

Terry Gross’ interview with CNN’s Clarissa Ward

The Best and the Brightest by David Halberstam

Obama’s Wars by Bob Woodward

Peter Van Buren worked for 24 years at the Department of State including a year in Iraq. He is the author of We Meant Well: How I Helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People and the novel Hooper’s War. He is now a contributing editor at The American Conservative magazine.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee and Listen and Think Audio.

Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

Scott interviews Grant Smith about his recent article, which makes the case that the $3.8 billion in foreign aid given to Israel is on questionable legal grounds. It all comes back to Israel’s nuclear weapons, which the U.S. government has not officially acknowledged even exist. Because Israel is not a part of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, it is illegal for the U.S. to give them aid without making a specific case for why it’s necessary. Smith explains that to avoid this, Israel puts a lot of pressure on incoming Presidents to stay silent and not acknowledge the program. Smith also gives some background on how Israel acquired nuclear technology in the first place and how a tiny country in the middle-east has so effectively controlled American lawmakers. 

Discussed on the show:

 “Israel’s Nukes Make US Aid Illegal” (Antiwar.com)

“America Needs to Start Telling the Truth About Israel’s Nukes” (New York Times)

“Joe Biden should end the US pretense over Israel’s ‘secret’ nuclear weapons” (The Guardian)

Chuck Schumer acknowledging Israel’s Nuclear Weapons

Documents obtained about the Israeli agent who infiltrated the NUMEC facility

Grant Smith’s book about NUMEC

Roger Mattson’s book about NUMEC

Roger Mattson on CSPAN with Grant Smith

Grant Smith’s book Big Israel

“How Trump and Three Other U.S. Presidents Protected Israel’s Worst-Kept Secret: Its Nuclear Arsenal” (New Yorker)

Grant Smith’s book about the fight to register the Israel Lobby as foreign agents

Grant F. Smith is the author of a number of books including Big Israel: How Israel’s Lobby Moves America, Divert!, and most recently The Israel Lobby Enters State Government: Rise of the Virginia Israel Advisory Board. He is director of the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy in Washington, D.C.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee and Listen and Think Audio.

Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

Scott interviews Trita Parsi about his paper concerning the intervention of Middle East powers over the last decade. Parsi and his coauthor Matthew Petti found that, contrary to the picture often painted of one malign actor driving all the instability, there are really six Middle Eastern countries engaging in a lot of foreign intervention. Iran, which is currently the U.S. foreign policy establishment’s favorite villain, is no more interventionist than the other five. And that most instability in the modern Middle East can be traced back to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. Finally, Parsi talks about the Iran Nuclear Deal, which he says was gravely threatened when Biden dragged his feet at the beginning of his presidency. 

Discussed on the show:

“No Clean Hands: The Interventions of Middle Eastern Powers, 2010-2020” (Quincy Institute)

“How to Make Iran Trust a New Nuclear Deal” (Foreign Policy)

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.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee and Listen and Think Audio.

Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

Scott talks with Daniel McAdams about his recent appearance on RT, where he challenged the Western Media's narrative about China. McAdams says they have it backward, criticizing China for its best actions, such as economic engagement, while seemingly wanting to import the worst of China's policies, like social credit scores. McAdams then speaks about how those in the Foreign Policy Establishment exist in an echo chamber. And that even when he had access to classified material, McAdams believes he was better informed by reading open-source websites like Antiwar.com.

Discussed on the show: 

McAdams interviewed on RT

Transcript of Biden’s Interview with George Stephanopoulos

Jim Bovard’s article about DC’s Arrogance

Jake Tapper interviews McMaster about Afghanistan Withdrawal 

Dave Smith Talking about Afghanistan on Kennedy (August 19th)

Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers by Daniel Ellsberg

“Washington Free Beacon's Hilarious Meltdown Over Afghanistan” (Ron Paul Institute)

“Responsible Statecraft Gets Its Moment” (Washington Free Beacon)

“'Ron Paul Was Right': Rep's Decade-old Afghanistan Remarks Resurface Amid Crisis” (Newsweek)

Justin Raimondo Columns starting in 1999

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: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee and Listen and Think Audio.

Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

Dave DeCamp joins the show to give an update on the effort to evacuate Westerners and their allies from Kabul. He explains that the evacuations are moving at a good clip. So far, the Biden Administration has resisted pressure to send troops into Kabul as there has been no indication that the Taliban are stopping Americans from entering the airport. While there are unconfirmed reports of Taliban fighters committing violence, DeCamp warns that some skepticism is appropriate since many special interests want the war to continue. Finally, DeCamp talks about a possible anti-Taliban insurgency forming in the Panjshir Valley.

Discussed on the show:

 “How to Contain the Taliban” (Wall Street Journal)

“Planes, guns, night-vision goggles: The Taliban's new U.S.-made war chest” (Reuters) 

“Taliban Resistance Force Forming in Panjshir Valley” (Antiwar.com)

“The mujahideen resistance to the Taliban begins now. But we need help.” (Washington Post)

@Natsecjeff on Twitter

“Ex-Trump official Chris Miller says Taliban deal was a ‘play’ never intended to pull troops” (New York Post)

Dave DeCamp is the assistant news editor of Antiwar.com. Follow him on Twitter @decampdave.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee and Listen and Think Audio.

Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

Eric Margolis talks with Scott about the situation in Afghanistan as American forces continue to withdraw. Of course, the last few days have seen nonstop headlines proclaiming an utter disaster in the country, many of them excoriating President Biden for having screwed things up so badly. But Scott and Margolis remind us just how much worse things could be. Margolis points out that for one thing, some Afghan government officials seem to have been quietly preparing for a transfer of power far in advance, such that when U.S. forces pulled out, they were prepared to more or less let the Taliban take over. You don't have to be a fan of the Taliban to realize that this relatively peaceful transfer of power is far better than the alternative: months of bloody and destructive fighting followed by victory for the Taliban anyway. Even in areas like women's rights, Margolis explains that the current generation of Taliban leadership isn't as harsh as their fathers and grandfathers—Taliban spokesmen have been quick to reassure the West that they want women to play a bigger role in society. The last thing Americans should do is let war hawks use the chaos in Afghanistan as an excuse for us to go back into the country and stay forever.

Discussed on the show:

David Patraeus' Counterinsurgency Manual

"Against All Enemies: US trained Uighur terrorists" (Eric Margolis)

"The U.S. is secretly helping the Taliban fight ISIS in Afghanistan" (The Washington Post)

Eric Margolis is a foreign affairs correspondent and author of War at the Top of the World and American Raj. Follow him on Twitter @EricMargolis and visit his website, ericmargolis.com.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee and Listen and Think Audio.

Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

https://youtu.be/lUkCvWjIGxo

Scott talks to Andrew Cockburn about his 2014 article on Afghan-born neoconservative Zalmay Khalilzad. Cockburn explains how it was Khalilzad who selected new leaders for Afghanistan and Iraq after the old regimes had fallen to U.S. forces. Scott and Cockburn also touch on Khalilzad’s role in "the Redirection" when the U.S. began backing bin Ladenite groups in an attempt to counter Iran. In the end, Scott and Cockburn think Khalilzad deserves a lot of blame for the current problems in the middle east. However, he also deserves credit for following Trump’s order and negotiating a deal with the Taliban.

Discussed on the show:

“The Long Shadow of a Neocon” (Harper’s Magazine)

“How the US military got rich from Afghanistan” (The Spectator World)

“The Redirection” (The New Yorker)

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.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee and Listen and Think Audio.

Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

https://youtu.be/N9egst89vtw

Scott interviews Matthew Hoh, the Marine veteran who blew the whistle about the doomed Afghan Surge. Hoh lays out what led him to resign in protest and go to the press with the truth about how hopeless the military’s counterinsurgency mission really was. Hoh then explains that, while he is upset that few listened to him back then, he is more disappointed about how many of his colleagues agreed with him, but kept their agreement quiet. Scott and Hoh go through the history of the Obama surge and observe how the pundits and generals who were the most wrong tended to get rewarded with promotions and fame. Finally, Hoh talks about resources available to veterans who are struggling and opens up about how those resources have helped him. 

Discussed on the show:

“US Official Resigns Over Afghan War” (Washington Post)

About Face

Obama’s Wars

Carlotta Gall at the New York Times

The Soldier’s Heart by Jacob George

“What America Didn’t Understand About It’s Longest War” (Politico)

“The Afghanistan Papers” (Washington Post)

The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War

Kelley Vlahos at Responsible Statecraft

“Afghanistan Veterans Struggling with News of Taliban Takeover” (Defense One)

VA.gov

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 https://matthewhoh.com/ .

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee and Listen and Think Audio.

Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

https://youtu.be/Hc7Ju0gYSfQ

Joseph Solis-Mullen discusses the claim that America must now turn its attention toward China as the new threat of global hegemony. War hawks will cite China's growing economic supremacy, many alleged human rights abuses and supposed imperialistic designs on its neighbors. To some extent, this characterization is true: Solis-Mullen grants that China's government can be extraordinarily abusive to its people, and says that he wouldn't be surprised if it tried to take over Taiwan. But in general, there are simply way too many problems with the narrative that China is an imperialistic threat to the West. Most importantly, he explains, China's economy is teetering on a knife's edge—years of bad debt, bad monetary policy and misallocation of centrally-planned resources, combined with a catastrophically unbalanced population pyramid, make China's future as an economic superpower anything but certain. Most of this fear mongering, Solis-Mullen concludes, is simply propaganda designed to give the American people another bogeyman to fear, and to help line the pockets of the arms manufacturers.

Discussed on the show:

"China Won't Be Taking Over the World" (Mises Institute)

Joseph Solis-Mullen is a political scientist and author. Follow all his work at his website.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee and Listen and Think Audio.

Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

https://youtu.be/a7zAoKjfjnM