Scott Horton | The Libertarian Institute

8/12/22 Daniel Davis on the Myth that Victory in Afghanistan Was Possible

by Scott Horton | Aug 16, 2022 | The Scott Horton Show

Download Episode. Scott talks with Daniel Davis about David Petraeus's latest attempt to rewrite the history of the war in Afghanistan. Davis knows firsthand how the war actually played out back when Petraeus was in charge because his job required him to travel all over the country. The mismatch between what he witnessed and how it was all being presented to the American people convinced him to break rank and go public. In this interview, he debunks the claim that the war in Afghanistan could have been won, and he rips the media for continuing to listen to men like Petraeus, whose history...

8/12/22 Matthieu Aikins on the Many Problems Facing Afghanistan Today

by Scott Horton | Aug 15, 2022 | The Scott Horton Show

Download Episode. Scott interviews journalist and author Matthieu Aikins about life in Afghanistan one year after the withdrawal of U.S. troops. Having spent a lot of time in the country, Aikins is able to give a nuanced and detailed account of the problems facing Afghans and how they’re addressing them. He speaks with Scott about the country’s economic problems, rifts within the Taliban and the apparent killing of Al Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri in Kabul at the end of July. Discussed on the show: “The Taliban’s Dangerous Collision Course With the West” (NYT Magazine) “11 Years After...

8/12/22 Ben Freeman on how Taiwan and Other Foreign Governments Control American Foreign Policy

by Scott Horton | Aug 14, 2022 | The Scott Horton Show

Download Episode. Ben Freeman is back to talk about who’s really influencing United States foreign policy. Freeman recently wrote a paper about the Taiwan lobby. He talks to Scott about how this Taiwan lobby was involved in making the recent Pelosi trip happen. Scott and Freeman talk about how we find ourselves in a situation where foreign governments have more influence on America’s policies than the American people and American business too. Discussed on the show: “The Taiwan Lobby” (Center for International Policy) “How the Taiwan lobby helped pave the way for Pelosi’s trip”...

8/8/22 Bonnie Kristian on America’s Ongoing War in Somalia

by Scott Horton | Aug 12, 2022 | The Scott Horton Show

Download Episode. Scott interviews Bonnie Kristian about her new book and an article she wrote recently on America’s war in Somalia. After the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan last summer, Somalia is now America’s longest war. Though Trump temporarily shifted it to an air war while in office, Biden has ordered the troops back in. Scott and Kristian discuss the state of the conflict and examine the war’s place in the Global War on Terror. Discussed on the show: Untrustworthy by Bonnie Kristian “I Didn’t Want It to Be True, but the Medium Really Is the Message” (New York Times)...

8/5/22 Dan McKnight on Defend the Guard’s Momentum and the Death of Zawahiri

by Scott Horton | Aug 11, 2022 | The Scott Horton Show

Download Episode. Dan McKnight of Bring Our Troops Home is back to give an update on the movement to pass Defend the Guard Legislation. Defend the Guard aims to prohibit the Federal Government from deploying National Guard troops to foreign combat operations without a formal declaration of war. The movement backing these bills is led by veterans of the Terror Wars who just want lawmakers to respect the oath they all swore to the Constitution. McKnight gives an update on the effort and explains how you can help out. They then discuss the drone strike in Kabul two weeks ago that allegedly...

RIP Michael Badnarik

by Scott Horton | Aug 11, 2022 | Blog

I am told this morning that Michael Badnarik died in his sleep of heart failure last night. Michael was a great believer in and defender of freedom and the United States of America and its Constitution. He represented the Libertarian Party as presidential candidate against George W. Bush and John Kerry in 2004. I am proud to have served as his foreign policy adviser during his campaign. He spent his life inspiring other people's interest in liberty, winning numerous people over to our cause. He leaves a proud legacy and will not be forgotten.

8/5/22 Grant F. Smith on Isaiah Kenen and how the Israeli Government Formed AIPAC

by Scott Horton | Aug 10, 2022 | The Scott Horton Show

Download Episode. Scott talked with author Grant F. Smith about his new podcast detailing the founding of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC. They also discuss how AIPAC has recently been getting more involved in U.S. elections. While some have framed this as an attempt for the ‘politically conservative’ organization to target progressive candidates, Smith argues politics has little to do with it. All that matters to AIPAC is the degree to which any given candidate supports sending money to Israel. Discussed on the show: How Israel Made AIPAC Podcast Grant F. Smith...

8/5/22 David Pyne Shares the Views That Got Him Blacklisted by the Ukrainian Government

by Scott Horton | Aug 9, 2022 | The Scott Horton Show

Download Episode. Scott interviews David Pyne about the articles he wrote on the war in Ukraine that landed him on the Ukrainian regime's blacklist. Earlier this year, Pyne wrote a piece that contained a fifteen-point plan to stop the bloodshed and pull all Russian troops out of Ukraine. But because he argued Zelensky should concede on at least some of Putin’s demands, he was criticized as a propagandist on the Kremlin’s payroll and landed on the Ukrainian blacklist. Scott and Pyne go through his proposal and discuss the historical context behind this strange moment of hypocritical...