Ryan and Zach review a new book on the basics of the "classical liberal" theory of international relations. Drawing on the work of Mises and Hayek, Edwin van de Haar's new IR book provides a useful and insightful summary of how a pro-freedom foreign policy differs from the usual foreign policy in Washington. 

"Human Nature and World Affairs: An Introduction to Classical Liberalism and International Relations Theory" by Edwin van de Haar: Mises.org/WES_17_A

"Mises on Nationalism, the Right of Self-Determination, and the Problem of Immigration" by Joseph Salerno: Mises.org/WES_17_B

EdwinvandeHaar.com

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Ryan and Zachary make some guesses about where things are headed in 2024 for both Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war. How long will the US try to keep the Ukraine war going, and what is Israel's plan for Gaza? 

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Ryan and Zachary discuss the basics of Just War Theory and whether a "moral war" is possible.  They also discuss the theory's origins in natural law, and how the theory relates to pacifism, wealth, and war crimes. 

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"Get the US Out of the Middle East" by Ryan McMaken: Mises.org/WES_15_A

"American History Is a Preview of the Israel-Palestine End Game" by Ryan McMaken: Mises.org/WES_15_B

"Ethnic Interest Groups Fuel the American Warfare State" (War, Economy, and State): Mises.org/WES_15_C

Douglas Murray on having a "proportionate response” in a conflict: Mises.org/WES_15_D

Ryan and Zachary look at how interest groups representing Ukrainians, Iraqis, Israelis, and others have often lobbied for US intervention in foreign wars that in no way benefit the American population overall.

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"Get the US Out of the Middle East" by Ryan McMaken: Mises.org/WES_14_A

"The Liberty Movement’s Pro-War Fifth Column" by Ted Galen Carpenter: Mises.org/WES_14_B

George Washington's Farewell Address: Mises.org/WES_14_C

"America Has No Duty to Rule the World" by Daniel Bessner: Mises.org/WES_14_D

Tomorrow, the World: The Birth of U.S. Global Supremacy by Stephen Wertheim: Mises.org/WES_14_E

"The Left Is Now Telling Us (Ukrainian) Nazis Aren't So Bad After All" by Ryan McMaken: Mises.org/WES_14_F

"Armed Neutrality Is the Only Moral Foreign Policy" by Ryan McMaken: Mises.org/WES_14_G

Ryan and Zachary rank the GOP candidates at the debate. They range from "least terrible" (Ramaswamy) to "utterly awful" (Haley and Pence). 

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Ryan McMaken and Zachary Yost look at the many factors behind Ukraine's failure to defeat Russia or move closer to NATO membership. Ukraine is sadly caught between a cynical NATO and a Russia that is in it for the long haul. 

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Ryan and Zack look at how China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia are reshaping the Middle East into a region where the United States no longer dominates. This is a good thing for ordinary Americans.

"Thanks to Sanctions, the US Is Losing Its Grip on the Middle East" by Ryan McMaken: Mises.org/WES_11_A

"The Petrodollar-Saudi Axis Is Why Washington Hates Iran" by Gary Richied: Mises.org/WES_11_B

"Peace is Breaking Out in the Middle East… and Washington is Not Happy!" by Ron Paul: Mises.org/WES_11_C

"Why the End of the Petrodollar Spells Trouble for the US Regime" by Ryan McMaken: Mises.org/WES_11_D

"Washington Miffed as China Makes Peace" by Joseph Solis-Mullen: Mises.org/WES_11_E

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Ryan and Zack talk about some of the details from the recently leaked Pentagon documents. They reveal dysfunctional American foreign policy and just how much contempt the US regime has for its own allies.

"What the leaked Pentagon documents reveal — 8 key takeaways" by Paul Adams, Jean Mackenzie, and Antoinette Radford (BBC News): Mises.org/WES_10_A

"Fact Sheet on U.S. Security Assistance to Ukraine"  (U.S. Department of Defense, 19 April 2023): Mises.org/WES_10_B

"U.S. doubts Ukraine counteroffensive will yield big gains, leaked document says" by Alex Horton, John Hudson, Isabelle Khurshudyan, and Samuel Oakford (Washington Post): Mises.org/WES_10_C

"Arbitrary Use of Power: Punishing Those Who Expose Not-So-Secret Government Secrets" by Bill Anderson: Mises.org/WES_10_D

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Ryan and Zachary talk about how wars are not nearly as cheap or economically harmless as many Americans seem to think. Rather, taxpayers must give up enormous amounts of resources to fund wars halfway across the globe that have little to do with actual defense. Americans are still paying interest on the trillions spent on Washington's many lost wars of recent decades.

"On Paying for the Costs of War and War Loans" by Ludwig von Mises (1918): Mises.org/WES_09_A

"The Cross of Iron" by Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953): Mises.org/WES_09_B

"Fact Sheet on U.S. Security Assistance to Ukraine" (U.S. Department of Defense, 4 April 2023): Mises.org/WES_09_C

"How the Fed Is Enabling Congress's Trillion-Dollar Deficits" by Ryan McMaken (2021): Mises.org/WES_09_D

"War and the Money Machine: Concealing the Costs of War beneath the Veil of Inflation" by Joseph T. Salerno (2021): Mises.org/WES_09_E

"As the Pentagon Fails Another Audit, Congress Wants to Spend Even More on 'Defense'" by Ryan McMaken (2022): Mises.org/WES_09_F

"Russia and Ukraine named as Europe’s most corrupt countries" by William Nattrass (3 February 2023): Mises.org/WES_09_G

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Ryan McMaken and Zachary Yost talk about the recent freak-out over the Chinese balloon, American foreign-policy moralism, and what sort of "threat" a balloon really represents. Also discussed is nuclear deterrence, American domestic spying, and why most states—including allies—spy on each other.

"So Much Hot Air: The (Fake) China Threat Strikes Again!" by Joseph Solis-Mullen: Mises.org/WES_08_A

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