Download Episode. Hassan El-Tayyab of the Friends Committee on National Legislation joins Scott on Antiwar Radio to discuss the effort to end the war in Yemen. Both sides have agreed to a ceasefire which has brought the level of violence down and the access to food and commerce up. But the ceasefire is scheduled to end on June 2nd. Scott and El-Tayyab hope that when that day comes, the two sides will agree to continue the peace. However, the full withdrawal of U.S. support would go much further to bring this brutal conflict to an end. El-Tayyab details the effort of both Left and Right...
Vietnam
5/19/22 Patrick Cockburn on the Arrogance of War Hawks on All Sides
Download Episode. Scott talks with Patrick Cockburn about Russia’s war in Ukraine and the Western response. Cockburn argues that, regardless of any media spin, the Russians are running into more trouble than they expected to in Ukraine. He chalks that up to hubris on the part of Putin and other high-level Kremlin officials. But at the same time, he points to that same hubris as driving western leaders in their decision to fund this proxy war against Russia. Discussed on the show: “London and Washington are Being Propelled by Hubris – Just as Putin was” (CounterPunch) Patrick Cockburn...
5/16/22 Ben Freeman on the Links Between Foreign Governments and America’s Foreign Policy “Experts”
Download Episode. Scott interviews Ben Freeman about the money governments like Saudi Arabia and Ukraine invest in D.C. lobbying. They begin by discussing the Middle East Institute, a Saudi-funded D.C. Think Tank that brands itself as an objective institution studying the Middle East when, in reality, its “experts” always happen to argue for what the Saudi regime desires. They then turn to the rest of the world and observe how awful and dangerous the rhetoric coming out of D.C. think tanks is concerning Russia and China. Discussed on the show: “Gulf funded think tank turns...
5/16/22 Ted Snider: Did the CIA Oust Imran Khan?
Download Episode. Scott is joined by Ted Snider to discuss the removal of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. Khan’s government announced in June of 2021 that Pakistan would no longer host any American military bases. Then, earlier this year, Khan was forced out by a vote of no confidence. He immediately turned around and blamed the United States, claiming his removal was a U.S. orchestrated coup. His claims garnered popularity in Pakistan. Snider decided to look into Khan’s theories. He shares what he’s found with Scott. Discussed on the show: “Why Imran Khan’s coup theory is so...
5/16/22 Ethan Siegel: How Hot Are Nuclear Bombs?
Download Episode. Ethan Siegel joins Scott to discuss the science behind the temperature of thermonuclear explosions. Scott is putting together a new book that argues for the abolition of nuclear weapons called Hotter Than The Sun. He wanted to talk with an expert who can actually explain how the bombs are able to reach temperatures that far exceed the center of the Sun. Siegel wrote an article on that exact topic a few years ago, so he’s the perfect person to answer that question. At the end, they also talk about some of the things to avoid if you find yourself in the aftermath of a...
5/13/22 Jason Ditz: An Update on Iraq
Download Episode. Jason Ditz, senior editor of Antiwar.com, joins the show to provide an update on what’s been happening in Iraq. They start with a look at Iraqi politics. An election was held in October, but the numerous factions have hit a wall in their attempt to form a government. That being said, Ditz does not think anyone is inclined to unilaterally seize power any time soon. Next, they turn to the recent Turkish offensive against the PKK in northern Iraq. Turkey claims they have the support of Iraqi officials, yet those same officials quickly came out against the campaign. Lastly,...
5/13/22 John Quigley on the Russian Enclaves of Eastern Europe
Download Episode. Scott talks with John Quigley about Crimea, the Donbas and other regions in Eastern Europe with heavy ties to Russia. In the mid-90s, Quigley was tasked with leading talks between the new Ukrainian government and the people of Crimea and the Donbas who saw themselves as Russian. Scott and Quigley go through the history of these regions and examine the issues with today's Eastern European borders. Discussed on the show: “I led talks on Donbas and Crimea in the 90s. Here’s how the war should end” (Responsible Statecraft) John Quigley was CSCE expert on Crimea 1994-95. A...
5/13/22 Dave DeCamp on Congress, Ukraine and the Risk of Nuclear War
Download Episode. Dave DeCamp is back on Antiwar Radio this week to provide another update on the war in Ukraine. They begin by talking about the new bill set to transfer $40 billion to Ukraine. Rand Paul requested an inspector general to oversee the funds, similar to how money was tracked during the war in Afghanistan. Paul’s request will not be included in the bill, but his attempt did push the passage of the bill back about a week. Scott and DeCamp point out how every single Democrat in national office has fallen in line to support this war. They then dig into the risk of nuclear...
5/9/22 Misty Winston on the Effort to Pardon Leonard Peltier
Download Episode. Scott is joined by activist and podcast host Misty Winston to discuss the case of Leonard Peltier, an American Indian Movement member who was charged with killing two FBI agents in 1975. Supporters of Peltier argue that he was charged without sufficient proof and has thus been illegally held in a maximum-security prison for almost 47 years. Winston gives some background on Peltier’s case, the political and historical context that he was charged under and finally the effort to get him a presidential pardon— or at least a new trial. Winston directs the audience to some...
5/6/22 Stephen Walt: A Realist’s Take on the War in Ukraine
Download Episode. Stephen Walt joined Scott for Antiwar Radio this week to give his view of the war in Ukraine. Walt is one of the leaders of the doctrine known as “foreign policy realism.” He starts by explaining what separates the realists from other schools of thought in the foreign policy space. He then ties those insights into the current war Russia has launched on Ukraine. He ends by explaining what will lead to escalation, and what has to happen in order for the war to end. Discussed on the show: The Israel Lobby The Hell of Good Intentions Stephen Walt is Professor of...