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 Download Audio. Scott interviews Joe Kent, the former director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, about what drove him to resign. Kent explains how he saw the Israelis mislead Trump about an Iranian nuclear threat and the supposed fragility of the regime. He also backs up some of the widely attacked claims in his resignation letter about Israeli involvement in getting the US into previous wars in the region, reflects on what the real goals of the Israeli government are with this war, sheds light on Scott's concerns about significant blowback terrorism in the US and more. Discussed on the show: Kent's letter of resignation Joe Kent is a retired Army Special Forces soldier who served as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center in Trump's second term until he resigned in 2026 over the war with Iran. Follow him on Twitter @joekent16jan19 Audio cleaned up with the Podsworth app: https://podsworth.com Use code HORTON50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Scott Horton Show! For more on Scott’s work: Check out The Libertarian Institute: https://www.libertarianinstitute.org Check out Scott’s other show, Provoked, with Darryl Cooper https://youtube.com/@Provoked_Show Read Scott’s books: Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine https://amzn.to/47jMtg7 (The audiobook of Provoked is being published in sections at https://scotthortonshow.com) Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism: https://amzn.to/3tgMCdw Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan https://amzn.to/3HRufs0 Follow Scott on X @scotthortonshow And check out Scott's full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Incorporated https://rrbi.co Moon Does Artisan Coffee https://scotthorton.org/coffee; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom https://www.libertyclassroom.com/dap/a/?a=1616 and Dissident Media https://dissidentmedia.com You can also support Scott's work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/https://scotthortonshow.com or https://patreon.com/scotthortonshow

The Strait of Hormuz is the kind of geopolitical pressure point that can turn a regional fight into a worldwide economic shock, and the official story coming out of Washington doesn't always match what markets and missiles are signaling. We sit down with Larry Johnson to cut through the talking points and ask what's actually happening as Iran keeps leverage in the Persian Gulf, shipping risk climbs, and allies get pulled into a conflict they didn't choose. We also dig into the battle over the narrative at home. From Tucker Carlson's claim that the CIA is pursuing a criminal referral over contacts with Iranians, to Trump's own comments about charging journalists, we talk plainly about free speech, press freedom, and how fear-based messaging can be used to sell escalation. Larry explains what the CIA is supposed to do, what belongs with the FBI, and why intelligence warnings don't help if leaders refuse to hear them. Then we zoom out to consequences: oil prices, LNG flows, supply chain disruption, and the fertilizer crunch that can become a food problem months from now. We walk through the escalation ladder too, including talk of Karg Island, the practical barriers to a ground invasion, and the unsettling question of nuclear risk if decision-makers corner themselves.

Air defense looks clean on a diagram. In real war, it is messy, conditional, and expensive in ways most people never see until the alarms are late and the interceptors are flying in bunches. We sit down with Daryl Cooper to translate the jargon and show what “layered missile defense” actually means when Iranian ballistic missiles, drones, and cruise missile threats pressure the system day after day. We walk through the U.S. missile defense stack in plain English: Aegis on ships, THAAD and Patriot batteries on land, the radar and satellite cueing that stitches everything into one shared track picture, and the uncomfortable truth that each layer covers the weaknesses of the others. We also get into why radar performance depends on physics and conditions, including clutter, sunrise effects, and smoke, and how losing early warning sensors can collapse warning time from minutes to seconds. That shift forces engagements into late mid-course or terminal phase, where hit probabilities drop and the price of staying safe becomes volleys of interceptors per incoming missile. Then we zoom out to the strategy and politics shaping the Iran Israel conflict and the wider Middle East war. We talk saturation tactics, multiple re-entry vehicles, engagement queue limits, and the core economic imbalance where defense often costs far more than offense. Finally, we tackle U.S. foreign policy fallout through the Tomahawk missile controversy and what happens when leaders deny what the weapons, timelines, and target decks can confirm. Subscribe for more deep dives, share this with a friend who wants a clearer view of missile defense and Middle East security, and leave a review with your biggest question after listening.

They're dragging a disproved Iraq War storyline out of storage to sell a new war with Iran, and it matters because it's the kind of myth that can get people killed. We sit down with Captain Matt Ho to dissect the EFP hoax: what explosively formed penetrators were, how they were used in Iraq, and how the claim of Iranian direction or supply turned into a convenient political talking point. We also name the bigger pattern: when leaders need a clean villain, they rewrite messy history into a simple slogan. From there, we get into the competence problem driving today's Iran war narrative. Trump points to advice from Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, and we explore what happens when personal loyalty replaces subject-matter expertise, especially around Iran's nuclear program. Mixed messages about goals like regime change, “unconditional surrender,” or vague “imminent threats” aren't just sloppy, they're dangerous, because they blur the line between deterrence and escalation. We also zoom out to the strategic fallout: US military readiness, munitions constraints, and the real-world risk of energy shock tied to the Strait of Hormuz. Add in Lindsey Graham pressuring allies and the growing influence of religious nationalism, including Christian nationalism inside parts of the US military, and you get a conflict that can expand fast while staying politically incoherent. If you care about foreign policy, the Iraq War legacy, Iran war analysis, and the future of the US empire, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with someone who still remembers the Iraq War messaging, and leave a review telling us what claim you want fact-checked next.

I’ll discuss Iran and the grunt math of salvo competition. Buppert's Law of Military Topography: “Mountainous terrain held by riflemen who know what they are about cannot be militarily defeated.” For other insight on Iran, I recommend CG episodes 061 , 067 and 078. References: The Boogeyman of 21st-Century Warfare: Drones Why the US is facing strategic defeat Points of Resistance and Departure: An interview with James C. Scott Lester Grau and Charles J. Bartles Mountain Warfare and Other Lofty Problems: Foreign mountain combat veterans discuss movement and maneuver, training and resupply (Helion Studies in Military History) Lester Grau The Bear Went Over The Mountain: Soviet Combat Tactics In Afghanistan [Illustrated Edition] Lester Grau The Other Side of the Mountain: Mujahideen Tactics in the Soviet-Afghan War Mark Thompson The White War: Life and Death on the Italian Front 1915-1919 James C. Scott The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia Sun Tzu The Art of War Carl von Clausewitz On War Miyamoto Musashi A Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy H. John Poole The Last Hundred Yards: The NCO's Contribution to Warfare Christian Brose The Kill Chain: Defending America in the Future of High-Tech Warfare Qiao Liang & Wang Xiangsui Unrestricted Warfare: China’s Master Plan to Destroy America My Substack: https://t.co/7a8jn2Mmnx Email at cgpodcast@pm.me.

I invited Buck Johnson of Counterflow on to have a nice relaxing conversation about things revealed and how it plays into our daily lives and worldview.

A headline-friendly story says Iran tried to assassinate Donald Trump. We pull the threads and find a different picture: an FBI-driven sting targeting Asif Merchant, two undercover “hitmen,” no money to fund the job, and no credible evidence that Tehran ordered anything. When prosecutors invoke state secrets and the agents who proposed the idea also control the evidence, it raises a hard question—are we building a case for war on a foundation of sand? From there we widen the lens. Antony Blinken has acknowledged years of Israeli pressure on Washington to strike Iran, and the gap between Obama's resistance and Trump's compliance says a lot about how policy gets made. We explore how the Israel lobby, friendly media, and political figures turned a flimsy plot into a narrative arc: Iran is coming for us, so hit first and ask later. Add Marco Rubio's blunt admission about coordinating with Israel and you see the operational fusion—shared weapons, shared intelligence, shared target sets—that makes de-escalation harder and miscalculation easier. We also unpack the chaotic state of negotiations. Reports that senior envoys entered talks without nuclear experts help explain the constant moving of goalposts: from enrichment levels to ballistic missiles to regional behavior. When your asks keep changing, diplomacy becomes theater and escalation becomes default. Meanwhile, at home, costs mount—rising fuel prices, an affordability crunch, and the chilling reappearance of draft talk framed as “options on the table.” Younger Americans, skeptical of another proxy war, are asking who benefits and who pays. If you care about evidence-based policymaking, media literacy, and avoiding a wider regional conflict, this conversation lays out the signals behind the noise. We separate proof from posture, show where the narrative broke from the record, and highlight the off-ramps still available—if leaders have the courage to take them. If this resonated, tap follow, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review so more people can find the show. Your feedback shapes what we dig into next.

 Download Audio. Scott interviews Israeli geopolitical analyst Shaiel Ben-Ephraim about how Israelis are navigating and thinking about this new war with Iran. He and Scott dig into the differences between the US and Israeli government's objectives in this war, the distinction between the various factions in Israel, how Netanyahu's goals differ from the IDF's and more. Discussed on the show: Follow Ben-Ephraim on X The Grand Reckoning Shaiel Ben-Ephraim is an Israeli geopolitical analyst, activist, and podcast host. Subscribe to his show The Grand Reckoning and follow him on Twitter @academic_la Audio cleaned up with the Podsworth app: https://podsworth.com Use code HORTON50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Scott Horton Show! For more on Scott’s work: Check out The Libertarian Institute: https://www.libertarianinstitute.org Check out Scott’s other show, Provoked, with Darryl Cooper https://youtube.com/@Provoked_Show Read Scott’s books: Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine https://amzn.to/47jMtg7 (The audiobook of Provoked is being published in sections at https://scotthortonshow.com) Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism: https://amzn.to/3tgMCdw Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan https://amzn.to/3HRufs0 Follow Scott on X @scotthortonshow And check out Scott's full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Incorporated https://rrbi.co Moon Does Artisan Coffee https://scotthorton.org/coffee; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom https://www.libertyclassroom.com/dap/a/?a=1616 and Dissident Media https://dissidentmedia.com You can also support Scott's work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/https://scotthortonshow.com or https://patreon.com/scotthortonshow

A president calls for Iran's “unconditional surrender,” then floats picking the next government and rebuilding a nation of 90 million. We unpack how a mission that began as punitive strikes ballooned into de facto nation building, why timelines quietly stretched from days to months, and how the math of missiles versus interceptors exposes the limits of U.S. power. Along the way, we confront the human cost of a school reduced to graves, the political theater of “this isn't a war,” and the uncomfortable reality that AI-assisted targeting can accelerate mistakes faster than leaders can correct them. We dig into the strategic heart of the conflict: Iran's calculation that a short war only invites another round, its vow to avoid talks it sees as traps, and the emerging use of advanced munitions that test Israeli air defenses. In the Gulf, partners run low on interceptors while Washington shuffles scarce systems from Asia and Europe, weakening deterrence where it's needed next. We look at how Hezbollah's front intensifies, why public sentiment in Bahrain cheers hits on U.S. sites, and how a CIA play to leverage Kurdish factions could backfire into Iraqi instability and a broader proxy storm. The politics at home are just as volatile. Congress shrugs off War Powers limits, giving leaders campaign cover without real accountability, even as flag-draped coffins return. We map the incentives that keep the war going, the industrial constraints that make “infinite ammo” a fantasy, and the scenarios that could flip U.S. basing rights and alliances across the region. Most of all, we focus on the only real off-ramp: narrow the aims, stop the escalation treadmill, and pair verifiable security guarantees with a plan that matches resources to reality. If you value candid analysis that cuts through talking points, tap follow, share this episode with a friend who cares about U.S. foreign policy, and leave a review with your take on the most realistic off-ramp. Your feedback shapes where we go next.

Ben Dixon of the Union of Orthodox Journalists joined me to discuss the UOC and OCU schism, the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, and Orthodoxy in America.

Two million people flood central Tehran and an American reporter says he felt safe—so what else about Iran, the protests, and the path to war have we been getting wrong? We open with a vivid, on-the-ground account of Iran's national day, where politics look more like a citywide festival than a fever dream of chaos, and where conversations about U.S. policy run surprisingly deep. That lived reality sets the stage for a tougher conversation about how narratives harden: claims of mass killings, allegations of organized provocateurs, and the media scaffolding that turns moral outrage into quiet consent for a wider war. From there we dig into the power dynamics driving escalation. When leaders boast “we attacked first,” and lawmakers argue that an ally's actions leave Washington “no choice,” the question becomes unavoidable: who actually holds the veto over U.S. war decisions? We examine joint command structures, donor-entangled negotiators, and a Congress that delayed War Powers votes until after strikes began—signals of a constitutional breakdown where authorization lags behind action. Add in a troubling pattern where negotiations serve as cover for surprise attacks and assassinations, and the credibility of diplomacy itself starts to fray. Finally, we confront how the character of warfare is shifting. Precision stocks deplete; gravity bombs abound. Civilian-dense targets reenter the strike list. War games that once predicted disaster for a U.S.–Iran fight never assumed normalized mass-civilian harm or casual talk of tactical nuclear use. With missiles and drones already exacting real costs across the region, the margin for miscalculation narrows. We ask what escalation looks like if battlefield losses mount, and why Hebrew-language hints of a shocking “surprise” should alarm every policymaker and voter. If you care about media truth, constitutional limits, and the difference between deterrence and drift, this conversation offers a clear-eyed map of where we are—and where we might be headed. Subscribe, share with a friend who follows foreign policy, and leave a review telling us what part of the narrative you're rethinking.

A war launched with shifting reasons and sliding timelines is a warning sign, not a strategy. We sit down with former Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski to examine how the U.S.–Iran confrontation veered from consent to chaos in days: bungled evacuations, brittle base defenses, and a communications vacuum that can't cover for poor planning. Karen draws a sharp line from the Iraq playbook—months of theater and “evidence”—to today's improvisation, arguing that when leaders skip the work of persuasion, they often skip the work of preparation too. We unpack the divergence between U.S. national interests and the aims of regional allies who gain from fragmentation rather than stability. From alleged false flags to decapitation strikes that harden, not break, an adversary's will—especially during sacred seasons—Karen explains why social cohesion, religion, and memory matter in war as much as missiles and jets. We probe the culture inside the Pentagon, where candor fades as rank rises, and how that dynamic leaves troops exposed in trailers instead of layered defenses while press briefings promise “every precaution.” The conversation gets unflinching about costs: industrial limits that can't sustain a long fight, political timelines that breed wishful thinking, and a post-failure push for massive “rebuild” budgets that reward the very errors that caused the losses. Yet there's a path forward. We chart a reset built on real national security—clear objectives, lawful authority, matched means, and diplomacy that lowers the premium on force. If America wants fewer funerals and fewer blank checks, it needs consent, competence, and clarity at the core of policy. If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who cares about foreign policy, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway so we can keep these conversations sharp and useful.

 Download Audio. Scott interviews author and scholar Robert Pape about the insights he's gained from his decades of extensive research into the strategic effectiveness of air power in war. Pape argues that, while modern precision bombs are remarkable at carrying out their tactical functions, they alone are not enough to win wars. And further, the obsession with tactical bombing campaigns can distract decision-makers from the political dynamics that primarily determine how wars end. Discussed on the show: Bombing to Win: Air Power and Coercion in War by Robert A. Pape The Escalation Trap Robert A. Pape is Professor of Political Science and Director of the University of Chicago Project on Security and Threats and the author of Bombing to Win: Air Power and Coercion in War. Follow him on Twitter @ProfessorPape Audio cleaned up with the Podsworth app: https://podsworth.com Use code HORTON50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Scott Horton Show! For more on Scott’s work: Check out The Libertarian Institute: https://www.libertarianinstitute.org Check out Scott’s other show, Provoked, with Darryl Cooper https://youtube.com/@Provoked_Show Read Scott’s books: Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine https://amzn.to/47jMtg7 (The audiobook of Provoked is being published in sections at https://scotthortonshow.com) Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism: https://amzn.to/3tgMCdw Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan https://amzn.to/3HRufs0 Follow Scott on X @scotthortonshow And check out Scott's full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Incorporated https://rrbi.co Moon Does Artisan Coffee https://scotthorton.org/coffee; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom https://www.libertyclassroom.com/dap/a/?a=1616 and Dissident Media https://dissidentmedia.com You can also support Scott's work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/https://scotthortonshow.com or https://patreon.com/scotthortonshow

 Download Audio. Scott interviews Matthew Hoh about an article he just wrote debunking the old lie, that is being pushed once again, that the Iranian government helped kill hundreds of American soldiers by supplying critical parts for armor-piercing roadside IEDs. He and Scott also discuss how insane Trump's decision to attack Iran is. Discussed on the show: “They Are Still Lying About Iraq” (Antiwar.com) The Occupation: War and Resistance in Iraq by Patrick Cockburn “Iraq War II, Part 10: Soda Straws and EFPs” (Substack) Matthew Hoh is associate director at the Eisenhower Media Network and formerly worked for the U.S. State Department. Hoh received the Ridenhour Prize Recipient for Truth Telling in 2010. Subscribe to his Substack and follow him on Twitter @MatthewPHoh Audio cleaned up with the Podsworth app: https://podsworth.com Use code HORTON50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Scott Horton Show! For more on Scott’s work: Check out The Libertarian Institute: https://www.libertarianinstitute.org Check out Scott’s other show, Provoked, with Darryl Cooper https://youtube.com/@Provoked_Show Read Scott’s books: Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine https://amzn.to/47jMtg7 (The audiobook of Provoked is being published in sections at https://scotthortonshow.com) Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism: https://amzn.to/3tgMCdw Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan https://amzn.to/3HRufs0 Follow Scott on X @scotthortonshow And check out Scott's full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Incorporated https://rrbi.co Moon Does Artisan Coffee https://scotthorton.org/coffee; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom https://www.libertyclassroom.com/dap/a/?a=1616 and Dissident Media https://dissidentmedia.com You can also support Scott's work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/https://scotthortonshow.com or https://patreon.com/scotthortonshow

War rarely begins with a single decision; it grows from motives, misreads, and momentum. We sit down with Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson to map how a promised era of “no new wars” gave way to a high-stakes confrontation with Iran that could redraw the strategic landscape. He unpacks an unsettling mix of incentives—profit for well-connected investors, donor appeasement, and domestic distraction—that, layered atop alliance politics with Israel, pushed Washington onto an escalation ladder with few exit ramps. We walk through the hard realities of deterrence, from Netanyahu's saber-rattling and nuclear ambiguity to the very real prospect of great-power entanglement. If a nuclear-armed state strikes a non-nuclear Iran, global norms shatter and condemnation surges, while Russia and China, already tightening ties to Tehran, weigh their leverage. Wilkerson explains why even “limited” nuclear use becomes a civilization-scale risk once the United States, Russia, and China—each with thousands of advanced warheads—are forced into a confrontational posture. That alone should demand humility and restraint. Beyond headlines about missiles and speeches, the logistics are grim. Iran's layered strategy of cheap drones and rockets is designed to drain expensive Patriot and naval interceptors, opening windows for heavier strikes. Maritime chokepoints—Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb—become economic pressure valves, where selective disruption could upend oil flows, food shipments, and global trade. Quiet diesel-electric submarines operating in the acoustically favorable North Arabian Sea complicate any escort mission and raise the chance of a sudden, costly loss. And talk of U.S. ground forces? A recipe for a grinding, urban-and-mountain war that repeats the most painful lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan. We close on the long tail: how mass casualties, perceived impunity, and widening fronts unify otherwise divided communities, supercharge extremist recruitment, and tempt desperate states toward nuclear proliferation. Power isn't just force; it's legitimacy, alliances, and foresight. If we want stability, we have to rebuild credibility with clear aims, disciplined strategy, and diplomacy that matches the stakes. If this conversation moved you, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review with your biggest question about de-escalation—we'll tackle it in a future show.

 Download Audio. Daniel Davis joined the show for a quick rundown on the war Trump just launched on Iran. He and Scott talk about what's happened so far and where things may go from here. Discussed on the show: Daniel Davis / Deep Dive Daniel Davis did multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan during his time in the army. He is a Senior Fellow at Defense Priorities 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 @DanielLDavis1and subscribe to his YouTube Channel.  Audio cleaned up with the Podsworth app: https://podsworth.com Use code HORTON50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Scott Horton Show! For more on Scott’s work: Check out The Libertarian Institute: https://www.libertarianinstitute.org Check out Scott’s other show, Provoked, with Darryl Cooper https://youtube.com/@Provoked_Show Read Scott’s books: Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine https://amzn.to/47jMtg7 (The audiobook of Provoked is being published in sections at https://scotthortonshow.com) Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism: https://amzn.to/3tgMCdw Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan https://amzn.to/3HRufs0 Follow Scott on X @scotthortonshow And check out Scott's full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Incorporated https://rrbi.co Moon Does Artisan Coffee https://scotthorton.org/coffee; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom https://www.libertyclassroom.com/dap/a/?a=1616 and Dissident Media https://dissidentmedia.com You can also support Scott's work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/https://scotthortonshow.com or https://patreon.com/scotthortonshow

 Download Audio. Scott interviews Andy Schoonover, the CEO of CrowdHealth, about the business he started to offer an alternative to our terrible government-warped healthcare market. Discussed on the show: CrowdHealth “Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us” (Time Magazine) Andy Schoonover is the Founder and CEO of CrowdHealth.  Audio cleaned up with the Podsworth app: https://podsworth.com Use code HORTON50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Scott Horton Show! For more on Scott’s work: Check out The Libertarian Institute: https://www.libertarianinstitute.org Check out Scott’s other show, Provoked, with Darryl Cooper https://youtube.com/@Provoked_Show Read Scott’s books: Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine https://amzn.to/47jMtg7 (The audiobook of Provoked is being published in sections at https://scotthortonshow.com) Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism: https://amzn.to/3tgMCdw Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan https://amzn.to/3HRufs0 Follow Scott on X @scotthortonshow And check out Scott's full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Incorporated https://rrbi.co Moon Does Artisan Coffee https://scotthorton.org/coffee; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom https://www.libertyclassroom.com/dap/a/?a=1616 and Dissident Media https://dissidentmedia.com You can also support Scott's work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/https://scotthortonshow.com or https://patreon.com/scotthortonshow

John and I continue reading and commentary on the old revolutionary text, Rule for Radicals.

I am back from moving and health setbacks. With Western conflict in Iran escalating and in train, I discuss the vagaries and verities of the nuclear gambit in Iran in the Middle East and what this will mean to the future of warfare for the reminder of this century. I assess how the RMAs rapidly displacing centuries-old conflict norms are going to look for the remainder of the century. Buppert's Law of Military Topography: “Mountainous terrain held by riflemen who know what they are about cannot be militarily defeated.” For other insight on Iran, I recommend CG episodes 061 and 067. References: Points of Resistance and Departure: An interview with James C. Scott Lester Grau and Charles J. Bartles Mountain Warfare and Other Lofty Problems: Foreign mountain combat veterans discuss movement and maneuver, training and resupply (Helion Studies in Military History) Lester Grau The Bear Went Over The Mountain: Soviet Combat Tactics In Afghanistan [Illustrated Edition] Lester Grau The Other Side of the Mountain: Mujahideen Tactics in the Soviet-Afghan War Mark Thompson The White War: Life and Death on the Italian Front 1915-1919 James C. Scott The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia Sun Tzu The Art of War Carl von Clausewitz On War Miyamoto Musashi A Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy H. John Poole The Last Hundred Yards: The NCO's Contribution to Warfare Christian Brose The Kill Chain: Defending America in the Future of High-Tech Warfare Qiao Liang & Wang Xiangsui Unrestricted Warfare: China’s Master Plan to Destroy America My Substack: https://t.co/7a8jn2Mmnx Email at cgpodcast@pm.me.

Sirens don't always sound before a war—sometimes the warning is a bland memo telling diplomats to pack. We open with the U.S. pullback of non‑emergency staff from Israel and track how similar moves in Lebanon and likely elsewhere signal more than routine caution. From there, we map the fault lines in the Iran talks: Oman's shuttle diplomacy, Tehran's offer to dilute 60 percent uranium in exchange for real sanctions relief, and Washington's push for a forever framework with stockpile transfer. When “progress” headlines collide with uncompromising demands, the math points one direction—toward force. We challenge the claim that Iran “won't say no nukes” by pulling the public statements and the religious decree that prohibit nuclear weapons, then set that against the hard lesson of deterrence from Iraq, Libya, and nuclear‑armed North Korea. Add in a persistent myth about EFPs in Iraq being “made in Iran,” and you get a narrative built to justify strikes rather than to solve a problem. We explain how these talking points, repeated often, become premises for action, and why a strike would likely trigger missile salvos that overwhelm defenses, hit U.S. positions, and drag Israel into a wider fight. Power without process is a theme throughout. We press the missing question to the presidency: where is the congressional authorization for a new Middle East war? A real vote could slow or stop escalation, yet media and political opponents remain quiet. The show widens to Cuba, where intensified sanctions aim to force internal change, and to the AI front, where the U.S. moved to cancel contracts with Anthropic after the company resisted military targeting and mass surveillance uses. That confrontation reveals how quickly advanced tech can be bent to state aims when guardrails are treated as disobedience.

A quiet leak says the loud part: some senior voices in Washington think the politics “work better” if Israel strikes Iran first. Not because it changes the threat. Because it changes the story Americans hear. We pull that thread and walk through the actual mechanics of how a regional spark becomes a U.S. war—and how the talking points are already scripted to sell it as defense, not regime change. We dig into the Wall Street Journal's reporting on U.S. negotiating demands in Geneva: dismantle core facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan; ship out enriched uranium; accept permanent restrictions; get minimal sanctions relief. If the aim is nonproliferation, that package reads like a poison pill. We explain enrichment levels, IAEA safeguards, and why the JCPOA's sunsets never legalized weapons. We also explore practical off-ramps—like diluting higher-enriched stock back to fuel-grade or transferring it to a third country—and why domestic politics and sanctions architecture block viable outcomes. Then we zoom out to missiles, proxies, and red lines that Washington has outsourced to regional partners. That choice all but guarantees future friction and a pretext for strikes. On Capitol Hill, even narrow, monitored enrichment is attacked as “JCPOA lite,” while the constitutional question goes missing. If war is truly on the table, a clean declaration vote would force members to own the decision; a War Powers Resolution that can be vetoed only muddies accountability. We close by assessing costs that seldom make the headline—U.S. casualties, humanitarian fallout, a deepening refugee crisis, and an empowered military-industrial complex—while ordinary Americans shoulder the bill. If this conversation adds clarity, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review with your take on whether Congress should be required to vote before any strike on Iran. Your voice shapes what happens next.

 Download Audio. Scott interviewed Larry Johnson hours before the joint US-Israeli air campaign on Iran commenced. In the interview, Johnson presciently explained why he was virtually certain this was coming. He and Scott then debunked all the ridiculous lies this insane operation is built on and reflected on the complete lack of a clear endgame. Discussed on the show: “Will Trump Take the Exit Ramp or Go to War with Iran?” (Sonar21) Larry C. Johnson is a former CIA officer and intelligence analyst, and a former planner and advisor at the US State Department's Office of Counter Terrorism. Follow his analysis at Sonar21. Audio cleaned up with the Podsworth app: https://podsworth.com Use code HORTON50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Scott Horton Show! For more on Scott’s work: Check out The Libertarian Institute: https://www.libertarianinstitute.org Check out Scott’s other show, Provoked, with Darryl Cooper https://youtube.com/@Provoked_Show Read Scott’s books: Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine https://amzn.to/47jMtg7 (The audiobook of Provoked is being published in sections at https://scotthortonshow.com) Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism: https://amzn.to/3tgMCdw Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan https://amzn.to/3HRufs0 Follow Scott on X @scotthortonshow And check out Scott's full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Incorporated https://rrbi.co Moon Does Artisan Coffee https://scotthorton.org/coffee; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom https://www.libertyclassroom.com/dap/a/?a=1616 and Dissident Media https://dissidentmedia.com You can also support Scott's work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/https://scotthortonshow.com or https://patreon.com/scotthortonshow

A journalist gets detained. Carriers surge toward the Gulf. Politicians talk in slogans while the facts stay fuzzy. We connect these threads to show how U.S. power, Israeli interests, and media narratives are steering Washington toward a dangerous collision with Iran without a clear mandate or honest case. We start with the reported detention of Tucker Carlson in Israel and the curious U.S. response that brushed it off as “routine.” That move doesn't just look bad; it signals confidence that America will absorb the fallout. From there, we trace a rapid military buildup—aircraft carriers, destroyers, AWACS, and a torrent of cargo flights—that rarely ends in de-escalation. If this were about diplomacy, the White House would be selling terms; instead, we hear recycled lines about Iran's nuclear ambitions long after strikes supposedly shattered its enrichment capacity. The gap between rhetoric and reality matters, because it's where wars are born. Dave DeCamp joins us to parse the signals. We examine Lindsey Graham's frequent trips to Israel and his open willingness to risk a wider war, even as Iran poses no threat to the U.S. homeland. We unpack why “state sponsor of terror” has become a catch-all label, how Iran's missile arsenal is designed to deter Israel rather than target America, and why any push for zero enrichment and missile rollbacks is a diplomatic dead end. The logistics, costs, and air defense deployments hint at what planners truly expect: incoming fire and real U.S. casualties if this goes hot. We close with a sharp look at the Taiwan question after AOC's hesitant answer at the Munich Security Conference. Strategic ambiguity only works when leaders can speak plainly about limits and risk. China can lock down a blockade faster than America can break it on China's doorstep, and pretending otherwise is how miscalculation becomes catastrophe.

A wall of U.S. air and naval power now sits within reach of Iran, but does massed hardware equal a winning strategy? We sit down with Colonel Douglas Macgregor to map the real shape of a campaign: suppressing integrated air defenses, cracking command-and-control, and hunting Iran's theater ballistic missiles before they launch. The outline sounds familiar; the context does not. Iran fields depth, industry, and partners willing to help, and that changes everything. We walk through the limits that rarely make the speeches: finite interceptor stocks, exhausted carrier groups, long supply lines, and the simple physics of sortie generation. If tempo drops after a week and magazines thin by two, what choice set remains? Macgregor argues deterrence-by-buildup misreads Tehran's will to fight. For Washington, this is leverage and signaling; for Iran, it's survival. That gap in motivation means salvos won't stop because a president expects them to. And if an American ship or regional base takes a serious hit, the psychological shock could matter as much as the physical damage. External players complicate the map. China sees Iran as vital to energy security and the Belt and Road, reportedly moving hundreds of missiles and precision systems that threaten ships at sea. Russia's experience in air defense and electronic warfare lurks in the background. Across the region, public anger grows, and Turkey weighs how and when to act. At home, elite consensus can be loud, but assumptions of quick regime change and clean outcomes echo past mistakes. This conversation is a grounded, unsentimental look at targets, timelines, risks, and endgames. If the first days don't deliver capitulation, what then—pause, escalate, or negotiate from a weaker hand? We don't offer easy answers; we ask the questions leaders must face before the launch order is signed. If this deep dive challenged your assumptions, follow, share with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find it.

PROF. Mohammad Marandi joins Kyle live from Moscow. His Internet connection is a little sketchy but the audio is fine. Be sure to comment to help us with the YT algorithm. What if the real battlefield isn't a border but a bottleneck? We sit down with Professor Mohammad Marandi to examine how Iran calculates risk, leverage, and legitimacy across a map defined as much by energy corridors as by military bases. From the broken promises of the JCPOA to the aftershocks of a 12-day war, we trace why Tehran insists on a narrow negotiating lane—nuclear assurances only—while locking every other door. Marandi argues that missiles, drones, and regional alliances won't be traded for sanctions relief, pointing to lessons from Syria and recent clashes that, in Iran's view, validated conventional deterrence. He walks through why trust collapsed: inconsistent U.S. compliance, shifting goalposts, and the absence of automatic penalties when commitments are breached. The proposed fix is mechanical rather than symbolic—snap, balanced consequences for violations that make cheating too costly. Alongside this, we explore Iran's stated religious and strategic opposition to nuclear weapons, paired with an explicit caveat about existential threats that functions as deterrence without overt weaponization. The most provocative claim centers on geography and economics. Iran's core deterrent, he says, is aimed at the Persian Gulf, not Israel: dense, vulnerable infrastructure, U.S. bases within range, and shipping lanes that tie oil and gas to global stability. A major war would rupture supply chains, spike markets, and outpace neat military outcomes. That logic, combined with a domestic pivot toward BRICS and the SCO, sets the political price for any new deal. Expect discussions to focus on recognition of enrichment rights, rigorous but bounded inspections, and automatic reciprocity for noncompliance—nothing more on missiles or allies. We close by testing media narratives of Iranian fragility against mass mobilizations at home and a wider global mood swing on Israel-Palestine. Agree or challenge these assessments, the takeaway is the same: any agreement that lasts must align with how power, risk, and credibility are actually distributed on the ground and at sea. If this conversation sharpened your view, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review with the one clause you believe any durable deal must include.

John joins me to read and comment on the book Rules for Radicals. In this episode we read The Prologue in preparation for diving into Alinsky's work.

 Download Audio. Scott interviews Charles Goyette about his new book, Empire of Lies: Fragments from the Memory Hole. Discussed on the show: Empire of Lies: Fragments from the Memory Hole by Charles Goyette “Where in the Constitution is ‘the interagency' anyway?” (The Blaze) Charles Goyette is a New York Times Bestselling Author and award-winning talk show host.  Audio cleaned up with the Podsworth app: https://podsworth.com Use code HORTON50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Scott Horton Show! For more on Scott’s work: Check out The Libertarian Institute: https://www.libertarianinstitute.org Check out Scott’s other show, Provoked, with Darryl Cooper https://youtube.com/@Provoked_Show Read Scott’s books: Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine https://amzn.to/47jMtg7 (The audiobook of Provoked is being published in sections at https://scotthortonshow.com) Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism: https://amzn.to/3tgMCdw Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan https://amzn.to/3HRufs0 Follow Scott on X @scotthortonshow And check out Scott's full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Incorporated https://rrbi.co Moon Does Artisan Coffee https://scotthorton.org/coffee; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom https://www.libertyclassroom.com/dap/a/?a=1616 and Dissident Media https://dissidentmedia.com You can also support Scott's work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/https://scotthortonshow.com or https://patreon.com/scotthortonshow

Headlines keep colliding: sudden airspace closures, a foreign leader urging new wars, and a deluge of Epstein revelations that raise more questions than answers. We cut through the noise to map the pattern—who benefits from distraction, why certain names stay hidden, and how selective secrecy corrodes the rule of law and our shared sense of justice. With Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski, we examine the stakes of the Epstein files beyond the horror of child sex trafficking: alleged blackmail, influence peddling, insider trading, and a culture of impunity for elites. We contrast how local law enforcement handles similar crimes with how federal power seems to shield the well-connected, and we explore what that double standard does to public trust. On the domestic front, we look at job-market friction, surging applicant pools, and why rising gold and silver hint at dollar risk and policy uncertainty—economic signals that don't match the official happy talk. Abroad, we confront the moral and strategic costs of Gaza, U.S. complicity in escalating violence, and renewed talk of strikes on Iran. “Limited” actions rarely stay limited; supply routes, oil flows, and regional deterrence hang in the balance. We discuss the very real risk of miscalculation and what it would take to step back from the brink. Finally, we outline a path that could actually restore confidence: protect victims but fully name co-conspirators, fire officials who misled Congress, prosecute crimes without fear or favor, and prioritize diplomacy over performative force. If you're tired of euphemisms and ready for clarity, this conversation connects the dots and offers a concrete checklist for accountability at home and restraint abroad. Listen, share with someone who cares about justice, and leave a review telling us the one action you most want leaders to take now.

What happens when a “surgical strike” meets a country that's spent years hardening its air defenses, extending missile range, and practicing asymmetric warfare? We sit down with Larry Johnson to test the myths, map the ranges, and weigh what a U.S. or Israeli hit on Iran would truly unleash. From carrier standoff distances and Tomahawk limits to GPS disruption and Russian-made air defenses, we break down the real capabilities and constraints that rarely make it into headlines—and why quick wars promised from podiums so often become long, costly stalemates. The conversation widens to Israel's calculus and the political push in Washington. Can Jerusalem act alone if Iran crosses a ballistic red line? Johnson argues the “12-day war” already answered that: retaliation arrived within hours, pressure mounted by day six, and only a quiet workaround ended the exchange. We also unpack the emerging China–Russia–Iran defense ecosystem—3D radar, GPS jamming, naval drills—that raises the cost of any strike and heightens the chance of spillover into the Gulf, the Red Sea, and global energy routes. Deterrence by threat of nukes sounds simple; in a crowded neighborhood of nuclear and near-peer powers, it's a dangerous bet. With the last U.S.–Russia arms control guardrail gone, tensions don't just simmer—they set the stage for miscalculation. Johnson lays out how New START's collapse, escalating sanctions, and unkept diplomatic signals leave Moscow convinced that only battlefield facts count. That leads us to Ukraine's outlook: dwindling manpower, training pipelines under missile threat, and a Russian campaign that advances by attrition and pressure. We explore why Odessa remains pivotal, how air defense shortages compound losses, and what a negotiated end might look like when one side insists on new borders and the other can't regenerate combat power fast enough. If you value clear-eyed analysis over slogans, this deep dive connects the dots between Iran, Israel, Russia, China, and Ukraine with a focus on capabilities, logistics, and consequences. Follow the show, share this episode with a friend who tracks geopolitics, and leave a review telling us where you think the off-ramp lies.

Headlines shifted by the hour, but the stakes stayed high. We start with the last U.S.-Russia arms control guardrail, New START, and ask a simple question with massive consequences: extend the treaty and keep limits plus inspections alive, or gamble everything on a brand-new deal that tries to rope in China. We break down why a percentage-based framework is the only way Beijing would ever talk, and why tearing up what remains of verification invites a quiet arms race and louder miscalculation. Then the ground moves under Washington's feet. The Epstein emails aren't just lurid; they expose how influence launders reputations and how elites normalize the indefensible. We talk names, patterns, and the corrosive effects of a culture that treats accountability as optional when a donor or fixer is involved. Trust in institutions doesn't recover on its own; it's rebuilt with transparency and consequences, not curated outrage. Media independence is next on the line. A push to refit Stars and Stripes into a Pentagon PR vehicle would smother the reporting that actually helps service members: unsafe housing, contaminated water, VA gaps, recruitment realities. When oversight is replaced by messaging, readiness suffers. Troops and families deserve facts, not slogans. Finally, the drumbeat around Iran grows louder. Talks relocate, terms shift, and a regional buildup accelerates. We run the numbers on cost asymmetry—a $20,000 drone versus a $2 million missile—and ask who benefits from demands designed to be rejected. If goalposts keep moving from nuclear limits to missiles to proxies, we're not negotiating; we're staging a lane to escalation. The smarter path is clear: lock in New START, protect independent reporting, treat the Epstein disclosures as a mandate for real accountability, and put disciplined diplomacy ahead of theatrics. If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review with your take: extend New START or start over—what's the wiser move right now?

This DHP episode features the audio of the third episode of Brave the New World, a new weekly current events & media analysis show that CJ is cohosting with his friend Matt Carano. Join CJ & Matt as they discuss some of the recent Epstein-related revelations & their implications for the past, present, & future of the US (& the world.) Like this episode? Support the Dangerous History Podcast via Patreon You can also throw CJ a $ tip via Paypal here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=D6VUYSYQ4EU6L Throw CJ a $ tip via Venmo here: https://www.venmo.com/u/dangerousmedia Or throw CJ a BTC tip here: bc1qfrz9erz7dqazh9rhz3j7nv696nl52ux8unw79z Links Brave the New World on Youtube Brave the New World on Apple Podcasts Brave the New World on Spotify The Dangerous History Podcast Youtube Channel Follow CJ on Twitter/X Follow the DHP on Facebook Hire CJ to speak to your group or at your event Other ways to support the show

As a result of expanding cooperation, human beings, unlike lower animals, compete to produce, not to consume. Mises expressed this with my favorite sentence in Human Action: “The fact that my fellow man wants to acquire shoes as I do, does not make it harder for me to get shoes, but easier.” The expansion of cooperation also means dealing with strangers at great distance — a further incentive for world peace and harmony. – Sheldon Richman, What Social Animals Owe to Each Other (p. 31) Watch on Odysee BitChute Rumble X Spotify

We discuss lessons learned from reading We, weaponized immigration as a socialist tactic, weaponized surrogacy, and the fight against globalism. Substack YouTube X Libertarian Institute

As CJ continues to struggle to navigate his family’s ongoing difficulties, he FINALLY managed to record a new DHP episode. This is a follow-up to the previous DHP episode (#283 “We Are Ruled by Psychopaths”), in which he delves into some topics not covered much, if at all, in that episode, including but not limited to: the difficulty of defining ‘psychopath vs. sociopath,’ reasons that non-psychopathic people might in some situations behave very similarly to a psychopath, the ‘Lucifer effect,’ how institutions tend toward psychopathic behavior, and more. Like this episode? You can throw CJ a $ tip via Paypal here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=D6VUYSYQ4EU6L Throw CJ a $ tip via Venmo here: https://www.venmo.com/u/dangerousmedia Or throw CJ a BTC tip here: bc1qfrz9erz7dqazh9rhz3j7nv696nl52ux8unw79z CJ's Picks (Amazon Affiliate links to books referenced in this episode) Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us by Robert Hare Links Support the Dangerous History Podcast via Patreon Subscribe to the Dangerous History Podcast Youtube Channel Follow CJ on Twitter/X Follow the DHP on Instagram Follow the DHP on Facebook Hire CJ to speak to your group or at your event Other ways to support the show

Finish reading We tommysalmons.com or @YearZeroPod on YouTube for video

A single clip can reveal the whole playbook. When a powerful senator calls military aid to Israel his “baby,” it says everything about priorities, leverage, and who pays the price. We pull the thread from that moment into the reality on the ground in Gaza, where a supposed ceasefire overlaps with daily killings and a systematic assault on healthcare. Detained physicians describe torture and maiming that read less like isolated abuses and more like a strategy to make Gaza unlivable. Pair that with efforts to block international medical work and you get collapse by design, not accident. We also tackle the battlefield of narratives. For years, Gaza's death tolls were dismissed as propaganda. Now, with the IDF effectively acknowledging those figures, the numbers stand—and so does the moral weight behind them. Meanwhile, legacy outlets still reach for soft phrasing, telling readers a ceasefire is being “tested” while children are buried. That language isn't neutral; it shapes consent. The question is whether accuracy can survive the pressure to keep audiences comfortable. Then we turn to Iran, where swagger and strategy collide. We dissect claims about a near-term nuclear bomb, point to inspections and intelligence, and examine how a cheap Iranian surveillance drone downed by an F-35 exposes a losing economic logic for endless escalation. With carriers near the Strait of Hormuz and merchant vessels as potential triggers, miscalculation could do what no speech intends: start a war. Add in maximalist U.S. demands—from missile limits to severing regional ties to dismantling civilian enrichment—and it's clear why talks stall. These aren't guardrails; they're tripwires. We close by pushing back on a convenient myth that Americans don't care about the Epstein files. Crimes against children cut across ideology, and accountability still matters. We're lining up a guest to go deeper and separate signal from noise as more documents surface. If you value frank analysis over spin—on Gaza, Iran, media narratives, and elite impunity—this conversation is for you. If this resonated, subscribe, share with a friend who cares about foreign policy and accountability, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Your support keeps independent voices in the fight.

 Download Audio. Scott interviews Matt Williams, known as WillyOAM on YouTube, about the partial release of the Epstein files. They discuss what was revealed, how it all fits into what we already know and why it matters. Matt is an Australian Army veteran, independent journalist, and content creator. He served in the Australian Infantry with the 7th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment from 2014-2021 and was awarded a Queen's Order of Australia Medal. Since 2022 he has worked as an independent war correspondent and analyst. Subscribe to his YouTube Channel. Audio cleaned up with the Podsworth app: https://podsworth.com Use code HORTON50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Scott Horton Show! For more on Scott’s work: Check out The Libertarian Institute: https://www.libertarianinstitute.org Check out Scott’s other show, Provoked, with Darryl Cooper https://youtube.com/@Provoked_Show Read Scott’s books: Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine https://amzn.to/47jMtg7 (The audiobook of Provoked is being published in sections at https://scotthortonshow.com) Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism: https://amzn.to/3tgMCdw Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan https://amzn.to/3HRufs0 Follow Scott on X @scotthortonshow And check out Scott's full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Incorporated https://rrbi.co Moon Does Artisan Coffee https://scotthorton.org/coffee; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom https://www.libertyclassroom.com/dap/a/?a=1616 and Dissident Media https://dissidentmedia.com You can also support Scott's work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/https://scotthortonshow.com or https://patreon.com/scotthortonshow

 Download Audio. Scott brings Kyle Anzalone back to discuss some of the latest foreign policy news. They start with the US-Iran talks this week and Trump's plan for striking Iran when the talks almost certainly fail. They then discuss where things stand with Gaza and Israel's territorial expansion in southern Lebanon and Syria. Discussed on the show: “Fantasies of Fragmenting Iran Only Serve Israeli Interests” (Libertarian Institute) Kyle Anzalone is news editor of the Libertarian Institute, opinion editor of Antiwar.com, co-host of Conflicts of Interest and host of The Kyle Anzalone Show. Follow him on Twitter @KyleAnzalone_  Audio cleaned up with the Podsworth app: https://podsworth.com Use code HORTON50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Scott Horton Show! For more on Scott’s work: Check out The Libertarian Institute: https://www.libertarianinstitute.org Check out Scott’s other show, Provoked, with Darryl Cooper https://youtube.com/@Provoked_Show Read Scott’s books: Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine https://amzn.to/47jMtg7 (The audiobook of Provoked is being published in sections at https://scotthortonshow.com) Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism: https://amzn.to/3tgMCdw Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan https://amzn.to/3HRufs0 Follow Scott on X @scotthortonshow And check out Scott's full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Incorporated https://rrbi.co Moon Does Artisan Coffee https://scotthorton.org/coffee; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom https://www.libertyclassroom.com/dap/a/?a=1616 and Dissident Media https://dissidentmedia.com You can also support Scott's work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/https://scotthortonshow.com or https://patreon.com/scotthortonshow

War planners love simple stories. Threaten, strike, and watch a “decisive” blow topple a hated regime. Today we peel back the layers on the rush toward Iran—what a decisive strike actually means, what the timelines look like from the Pentagon and Tel Aviv, and why air defenses are being surged across the Middle East. We connect the dots between public threats, carrier deployments, and leaked briefings that point to leadership-targeting plans paired with an oil blockade. Then we stress-test the assumptions: Iran's missile and drone arsenal, Israel's interceptor stockpiles, and the uncomfortable reality that U.S. bases from Iraq to Qatar sit squarely within range. Diplomacy flickers at the edges with Turkish backchannels and whispered sit-downs, but Israeli “red lines” demanding zero enrichment and broader curbs on missiles and partners make agreement unlikely. We walk through the regional escalation ladder—Hezbollah in the north, Iraqi militias at home, the Houthis stretching air defenses from another axis—and explain how a “limited” strike becomes a map-wide conflict overnight. This isn't an abstract war game; it's a risk ledger for U.S. troops, Israeli civilians, and millions of people caught between missile arcs and sanction-induced scarcity. Then we pivot to Cuba. The script feels eerily familiar: choke oil flows, squeeze the economy, court insiders, promise a clean transition. We unpack why decades of embargo failed to topple Havana, how sanctions can cement regimes by shifting blame, and why the most likely export of a forced collapse is a new migration wave to Florida, not a stable democracy. If the goal is real security, we argue for smarter off-ramps—credible diplomacy with Iran that sets achievable constraints, and calibrated engagement with Cuba that prioritizes humanitarian access and measured leverage. If you care about avoiding a wider war and the blowback from brittle regime-change bets, this one's for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who follows foreign policy, and leave a review with your take: what's the off-ramp leaders keep missing?

Listen to the article with analysis from the author:  US forces conducted live-fire military drills in the Persian Gulf. The exercise happened as President Donald Trump is threatening to attack Iran. “Last week, Navy Sailors from USS Santa Barbara participated in the exercise Killer Tomato, a live-fire maritime gunnery exercise conducted in the Central Command's area of responsibility and supported by an Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) posted on X Sunday. It continued, “The exercise provided realistic training to improve surface gunnery proficiency while reinforcing joint air-maritime integration, combat readiness, and deterrence across the region.” Last week, @USNavy Sailors from USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32) participated in the @USAFCENT-led exercise Killer Tomato, a live-fire maritime gunnery exercise conducted in the @CENTCOM area or responsibility and supported by @usairforce A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. The exercise… pic.twitter.com/esO5BtCMKT — U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet (@US5thFleet) February 8, 2026 Last month, the US held war games across the Middle East. Additionally, the US and Israeli military held joint naval drills. President Donald Trump is threatening to attack Iran. He has reportedly ordered the Department of War to develop battle plans for a decisive strike on Iran. The President is also considering other actions to create regime change in Iran, including an oil blockade. Over the past month, Trump has significantly increased the US military footprint in the Middle East by sending an aircraft carrier strike group, warplanes, and advanced missile defense to the region.

Listen to the article with analysis from the author:  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning to travel to the US to meet with President Donald Trump on Wednesday. The discussion will center on Iran. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet with US President Donald Trump this Wednesday in Washington, and will discuss with him the negotiations with Iran,” a statement posted to the Israeli Prime Minister’s account on Saturday said. Prime Minister’s Office announcement: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet with US President Donald Trump this Wednesday in Washington, and will discuss with him the negotiations with Iran. — Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) February 7, 2026 The meeting was requested by Netanyahu, and it will be the seventh with Trump in the past year. The Israeli leader wants to ensure the American President reaches an agreement with Tehran that does not cross Tel Aviv's red lines.  The statement was posted following US and Iranian talks held in Oman. “They had a very good meeting with a very high representative Iran, of Iran, and we'll see how it all turns out,” Trump said on Air Force One on Friday.  “We're going to meet again early next week, and they want to make a deal, Iran, as they should want to make a deal.” He continued, “They know the consequences if they don't. If they don't make a deal, the consequences are very steep. So we'll see what happens.” Trump has repeatedly threatened to attack Iran in recent weeks over the country's nuclear and missile programs, as well as Tehran’s crackdown on demonstrators. The President has ordered a massive military buildup in the Middle East and instructed the Department of War to create military plans for a “decisive” attack on Iran.  Even if Tehran agrees to a deal with Washington, Israeli officials have told Trump that Tel Aviv may decide to unilaterally attack Iran if the agreement does not meet Israel's redlines on Iranian ballistic missiles. “We told the Americans we will strike alone if Iran crosses the red line we set on ballistic missiles,” a source told The Jerusalem Post.  An Israeli defense official told the outlet that Tel Aviv had a “historic opportunity” to strike a blow to Tehran's missile program. Another Israeli official said Tel Aviv was concerned Trump may decide to strike Iran, but it will not be expansive enough to eliminate the threat posed by Iran's ballistic missiles.  “The worry is he might choose a few targets, declare success, and leave Israel to deal with the fallout, just like with the Houthis,” they explained.  A source explained to Axios that Netanyahu “intended to send a message to Iran that Trump has other options if the negotiations fail.” In June, Israel attacked Iran, knowing that the US would have to be drawn into the conflict for Tel Aviv to achieve its goals. After about a week, Trump ordered the US to attack three Iranian nuclear facilities that Israel lacked the military capability to destroy.  On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Tehran was unwilling to negotiate on its missile program. Tehran has said it’s willing to negotiate additional inspections and limitations on its civilian nuclear program. 

Listen to the article with analysis from the author:  The Kremlin said US and Russian officials agreed that talks to establish a new nuclear arms control agreement must begin as soon as possible. Last week, the New START Treaty, the last remaining bilateral nuclear agreement, expired.  “There is an understanding, and they talked about it in Abu Dhabi, that both parties will take responsible positions and both parties realize the need to start talks on the issue as soon as possible,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Friday. The issue was discussed by US and Russian officials last week in the UAE. The US is currently mediating talks between Russia and Ukraine in the Emirates.  A new bilateral agreement is needed, as there are no longer any treaties restricting the strategic weapons programs of the two nuclear superpowers. Both Washington and Moscow are upgrading their strategic arsenals.  Before the New Start Treaty expired last week, Russia proposed a one-year extension of the pact to give the two sides more time to negotiate a new agreement. However, the US failed to respond to the Russian proposal. Additionally, President Donald Trump claimed the New START Treaty was a bad deal for the US.  “Rather than extend ‘NEW START' (A badly negotiated deal by the United States that, aside from everything else, is being grossly violated), we should have our Nuclear Experts work on a new, improved, and modernized Treaty that can last long into the future,” Trump posted Thursday on  Truth Social.  Axios reported last week that Washington and Moscow had agreed informally to continue complying with the New START restrictions for six months. Peskov dismissed the idea that an informal agreement could work.  “Obviously, its provisions can only be extended in a formal way,” Peskov said. “It’s hard to imagine any informal extension in this sphere.”

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 Download Audio. Scott interviews author and researcher Gordon Hahn about the negotiations taking place between the Ukrainian and Russian governments, where things stand on the ground right now, the ambitions of Ukraine's far right and more. Discussed on the show: Ukraine Over the Edge: Russia, the West and the “New Cold War” by Gordon Hahn “The Rise of Azov’s Gen. Andriy Biletskiy” (Substack) Gordon M. Hahn is an expert for Corr Analytics and a senior researcher for the Center for Terrorism and Intelligence Studies, Akribus Group. He is the author of Ukraine Over the Edge. Subscribe to his Substack.  Audio cleaned up with the Podsworth app: https://podsworth.com Use code HORTON50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Scott Horton Show! For more on Scott’s work: Check out The Libertarian Institute: https://www.libertarianinstitute.org Check out Scott’s other show, Provoked, with Darryl Cooper https://youtube.com/@Provoked_Show Read Scott’s books: Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine https://amzn.to/47jMtg7 (The audiobook of Provoked is being published in sections at https://scotthortonshow.com) Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism: https://amzn.to/3tgMCdw Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan https://amzn.to/3HRufs0 Follow Scott on X @scotthortonshow And check out Scott's full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Incorporated https://rrbi.co Moon Does Artisan Coffee https://scotthorton.org/coffee; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom https://www.libertyclassroom.com/dap/a/?a=1616 and Dissident Media https://dissidentmedia.com You can also support Scott's work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/https://scotthortonshow.com or https://patreon.com/scotthortonshow

Listen to the article with analysis from the author:  President Donald Trump said that the US was engaging with Cuba, and called for the country to be made “free again.” “We're starting to talk to Cuba,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday. “It doesn't have to be a humanitarian crisis. I think they probably would come to us and want to make a deal. So Cuba would be free again.” Trump did not provide details on what the US hoped to achieve in the negotiations or who was leading the American delegation. The White House has been attempting to increase economic pressure on Havana by cutting off Cuba from Mexican and Venezuelan oil.  Mexico City decided to cut oil sales to Havana over fear of reprisals from Washington.  The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the White House is now “searching for Cuban government insiders who can help cut a deal to push out the Communist regime by the end of the year.” Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio is a long-time advocate for American regime change in Cuba. Trump recently posted on Truth Social that Rubio could be the President of Cuba. 

Listen to the article with analysis from the author:  Israel has banned Doctors Without Borders (MSF) from conducting humanitarian missions in Gaza. MSF has helped to keep the battered healthcare system at a minimal functioning level.  On Sunday, Tel Aviv announced that MSF would no longer be allowed to operate in Gaza. Israeli agencies claimed the humanitarian aid organization failed to provide Tel Aviv with sufficient documentation on its staff in the Strip.  MSF said it attempted to negotiate with Israel to share information about its staff, with safeguards to protect them, but those talks were unsuccessful. “Following many months of unsuccessful engagement with Israeli authorities, and in the absence of securing assurances to ensure the safety of our staff or the independent management of our operations,” the group's statement explained. “MSF has concluded that it will not share a list of its Palestinian and international staff with Israeli authorities in the current circumstances.” MSF supports about a fifth of all hospital beds in Gaza and a third of births. When Israel announced the ban last year, the UN's human rights chief, Volker Türk, condemned the ban as “outrageous” and explained it was part of an Israeli policy to prevent aid from entering Gaza.   During Israel's onslaught in Gaza, nearly all of the Strip's hospitals were damaged or destroyed. Tel Aviv has also barred medical supplies from entering Gaza and injured Palestinians from leaving. The shortage of medical supplies has led to preventable deaths. 

Listen to the article with analysis from the author:  The US is positioning its most advanced missile interceptors in the Middle East to prepare for a major war with Iran.  According to the Wall Street Journal, the US is moving THAAD and Patriot interceptors into the Middle East. The air defenses will be sent to bases where US troops are stationed in Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. The White House views the advanced missile defense systems as necessary if President Donald Trump wants to launch a large-scale attack on Iran.  Trump has ordered a significant military buildup in the Middle East, including an aircraft carrier strike group and fighter jets. Many of the warships carry additional interceptors, and fighter jets can shoot down Iranian drones.  The deployments have put thousands of additional American troops within range of Iranian weapons. There are over 5,000 sailors on the aircraft carrier, 300-350 soldiers on each of the eight destroyers in the region, and 100 troops for each THAAD system.  Trump is reportedly considering a range of options for creating regime change in Iran, including an oil blockade and strikes targeting high-level officials in Tehran. According to the WSJ, the President wants a “decisive attack” on Iran.  Drop Stie News reports speaking with US officials who said the White House informed its Arab allies that a war with Iran could begin at any time. Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said on Sunday he does not believe a US attack is imminent, but will happen within two months.  Zamir's remarks followed a meeting with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine in the Pentagon on Friday.  Trump renewed the threat to attack Iran on Sunday. He told reporters, “We have the biggest and strongest ships there, very close. They'll be ready within days. I hope we make a deal. If we don't make a deal, we'll find out.” Trump has threatened to attack Iran over its nuclear and missile programs. Additional he said he may strike Iran for cracking down on demonstrators.  However, a large-scale attack on the Islamic Republic will likely lead to Iran launching retaliatory strikes on US bases in the region and Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Trump against attacking Iran earlier this month because Israel was unprepared for the fallout.  Former CIA officer and torture program whistleblower John Kiriakou said he spoke with multiple, well-paced, Arab princes who explained that Israel was urging Trump to exercise caution in dealing with Iran as Tel Aviv was still in the process of replenishing its stockpile of missile interceptors.  Israel used a significant portion of its Iron Dome and Arrow interceptors during its war with Iran in June. Tel Aviv relied heavily on American interceptors to supplement its missile defenses.

ICE tactics in MN have been heavy handed and the “protesters” are funded by the same people that have funded every color revolution of the 21st century. You don't have to be on either side.

Greenland on the table, NATO on edge, and an algorithm deciding who gets a knock at the door. We dive into President Trump's Davos remarks claiming the U.S. will pursue Greenland, then trace the fallout across European capitals as Denmark draws a hard line on sovereignty and lawmakers move to unwind trade ties. If Greenland is already protected by NATO, what problem is “acquisition” solving—and at what cost to U.S. credibility, markets, and the transatlantic alliance? From there, we cut through fuzzy NATO math. The much‑touted jump to 5 percent defense spending looks more like creative accounting than real muscle, with roads and rail counted as deterrence and deadlines pushed years out. Theater might buy applause, but it doesn't buy readiness. On Ukraine, the rhetoric of nearing peace collides with a harsher map: mass drone and missile strikes, a frayed grid, rare hypersonic shots, and manpower strains that no press conference can paper over. Signing a bilateral pact that Moscow rejects as a red line isn't a glide path to de‑escalation; it's a fresh wedge that could harden the war. The most chilling turn lands at home. We reveal how a Palantir‑powered tool helps ICE score neighborhoods and surface targets, while agencies purchase sensitive data from tech brokers to sidestep warrants. When a confidence number can trigger a raid, due process becomes optional and your phone becomes a surveillance beacon. Security doesn't require pretending algorithms are oracles; it demands laws that protect rights and a strategy that separates signal from noise. If you value clear analysis over spin, tap follow, share this episode with someone who tracks foreign policy and tech, and leave a quick review telling us which topic you want us to dig into next. Your support helps this show reach the people who need it most.

A letter about the Nobel Peace Prize. A claim that America needs “complete and total control of Greenland.” And a war that almost started, then didn't. We follow the thread from ego-driven spectacle to real-world consequences, unpacking how image-making can bend strategy and endanger lives. We begin with the Greenland fixation and why it fails every basic test of strategy. Greenland is already protected under NATO via Denmark, and the specter of a Chinese or Russian occupation collapses under logistics and alliance math. So what's left? Legacy. The urge to redraw the map and be remembered becomes a risky compass when it steers policy toward symbolic victories over coherent national interest. From there, the focus shifts to Iran and a night when airspace closed, assets moved, and insiders braced for impact. The order never came. Not because escalation was unthinkable, but because defenses were thin and retaliation looked imminent. Reports point to Netanyahu's warning and U.S. readiness gaps as decisive. That's sobering: it implies delay, not de-escalation, while carriers, interceptors, and air wings redeploy. We also dig into Lindsey Graham's fury at Gulf allies who want to avoid turning their own bases and ports into targets—a reminder that geography and self-preservation shape their decisions more than Washington talking points. Back home, we trace the money and the megaphone. Miriam Adelson's outsized influence, built on massive checks, highlights how single-issue loyalty can purchase foreign-policy outcomes. Pam Bondi's boasts about unprecedented DOJ actions on campus “anti-Semitism” expose the dangerous slide from policing threats to policing dissent. When pro-Palestinian protest and criticism of U.S.-Israel policy are rebranded as bigotry, federal power becomes a cudgel against speech rather than a shield for it. We close with a regime change reality check. Dinesh D'Souza's nostalgia for post-WWII “success” meets Dave Smith's rebuttal: those outcomes were born of total war, mass death, and decades of occupation—conditions America will not, and should not, reproduce. Swapping in “friendlier thugs” isn't strategy; it's a recipe for failed states, insurgency, and endless costs. If this breakdown helps you see the stakes more clearly, subscribe, share the show, and leave a review. What do you think is the biggest risk on the horizon: an Iran strike, a Greenland gambit, or the creeping crackdown on dissent?

I discuss Minneapolis ICE situation and we finish up the last of 3 presidential debates from 1992