We're Not One of Them. We're One of You.

At the Libertarian Institute, we feature independent intellectuals who strive to understand our world and communicate that understanding to you. We don’t work for Lockheed or K Street or Qatar. We work for you. Support the Libertarian Institute Today!

$2,706 of $60,000 raised

3/6/20 Andrew Cockburn on Russia’s Phony Hypersonic Missile Threat

3/6/20 Andrew Cockburn on Russia’s Phony Hypersonic Missile Threat

Scott interviews Andrew Cockburn about Russia’s supposed new hypersonic missiles, which are said to have the ability to elude conventional missile defense systems, potentially making the U.S. a target for a nuclear strike with little that could be done to defend ourselves. The problem? These missiles almost certainly can’t exist. Cockburn explains all the problems that American engineers have faced in trying to design hypersonic weapons, inferring that the Russians must have come up against the same problems. Instead, he says, programs like this serve two purposes. First, they are good for Putin’s domestic popularity, since he will be perceived as standing up to the Americans. Second, they are a great way to funnel money from the Russian taxpayers to Putin’s friends in the arms industry, just like American politicians do. The good news, says Cockburn, is that the world isn’t under a greater threat than before due to these weapons. The bad news is that the people of America and Russia will continue to get exploited by their governments for the benefit of special interest groups.

Discussed on the show:

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: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1KGye7S3pk7XXJT6TzrbFephGDbdhYznTa.

Scott Horton

Scott Horton

Scott Horton is director of the Libertarian Institute, editorial director of Antiwar.com, host of Antiwar Radio on Pacifica, 90.7 FM KPFK in Los Angeles, California and podcasts the Scott Horton Show from ScottHorton.org. He is the author of four books. He has conducted more than 6,000 interviews since 2003. Scott lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, Larisa Alexandrovna Horton.

View all posts

Our Books

Shop books published by the Libertarian Institute.

libetarian institute longsleeve shirt

Our Books

15 books

Recent Articles

Recent

1/31/25 Kyle Anzalone on Gaza, the West Bank and Syria

 Download Episode. Scott interviews Kyle Anzalone about what’s happening in Gaza, Jenin, southern Syria and Damascus. They start with Gaza, where eighty Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire came into effect. Anzalone then gives a rundown of what Israel...

read more

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This