#478 – Scott Horton: The Case Against War and the Military Industrial Complex

In the political podcast, Scott Horton provides a detailed analysis of the influences and interests that directed U.S. policy towards the 2003 Iraq War, with particular focus on the roles played by neoconservatives, the Israel lobby, and the military-industrial complex.

Neoconservatives and the "New World Order"

Neoconservative Vision For U.S. Global Dominance in "Defense Planning Guidance" & "Rebuilding America's Defenses"

Horton delves into the foundation of neoconservative influence on U.S. foreign policy, particularly their vision for American global dominance, which gained traction following the Cold War's end. Horton references documents such as the "Defense Planning Guidance," authored by Paul Wolfowitz along with Scooter Libby and Zalmay Khalilzad, which advocated for a policy where America would not tolerate any competitors to its supremacy. Additionally, Horton cites Bill Kristol and Robert Kagan's advocacy for "benevolent global hegemony," supported further by the Project for New American Century’s "Rebuilding America's Defenses," outlining a strategic presence in the Middle East to contain Saddam Hussein. Horton articulates the neoconservative agenda, as seen through figures like Wolfowitz, advocating for an assertive U.S. foreign policy to maintain military dominance, a vision also echoed by the elder George Bush in promoting a "New World Order."

Israel Lobby's Impact on U.S. Middle East Policy

Israel Lobby's Efforts to Obfuscate Diverging U.s.-israel Interests

The Israel lobby’s influence is another focal point, as Horton discusses its efforts to align U.S. policy with Israeli interests, even when they diverge. He details the manipulative strategies employed by Israeli advisors like Arnon Sofer and Dov Weisglass to skew perceptions regarding Israel's intentions. Horton critically assesses the actions of Israeli leaders and the Israel lobby in the U.S., which he argues were aimed at influencing U.S. foreign policy, including the motivations for the Iraq War. Citing works such as "The Israel Lobby and American Foreign Policy" by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt, Horton unravels the complexities of the U.S.-Israel relationship and the Israel lobby's significant role in shaping American Middle East policy.

Israel Lobby's Role in Iraq War

Horton further claims that neoconservatives, aligned with Israeli interests, prioritized Iraq's invasion due to geopolitical strategies, such as the "Clean Break" strategy, incorporating neocon leaders like Richard Perle and David Wurmser. He references Julian Borger, Robert Dreyfuss, and James Bamford as sources scrutinizing the Israel lobby's influence on American decision-making leading to the Iraq War. Additionally, Horton notes that despite assurances from Iraqi exile Ahmed Chalabi, the war's aftermath did not align with the proposed benefits for Israel, suggesting incongruities between expectation and outcome.

The Military-Industrial Complex's Vested Interests in Perpetual Conflict

Self-Reinforcing Cycle of Weapons Sales, Lobbying, and War-making

Discussing the military-industrial complex, Horton attributes a self-reinforcing cycle of weapons sales, ...

Scott Horton suggests that historical trends in U.S. foreign policy have contributed to empowering Islamist groups and fostering sectarian conflicts.

U.S. Support for Afghan Mujahideen Against Soviet Union

Horton mentions that the support for the Afghan Mujahideen against the Soviet Union contributed to empowering these groups, which eventually led to the rise of Al-Qaeda.

Empowering These Groups and the Rise of Al-qaeda

On July 3rd, 1979, President Jimmy Carter authorized covert support for the Mujahideen in Afghanistan as part of a strategy to provoke Soviet intervention. The CIA provided support unilaterally or through third countries, aiming to bait the Soviet Union into an invasion to lead to their overexpansion and possible collapse. American support for these groups provoked the Soviet Union into invading Afghanistan. Ultimately, this U.S. support and training of militia groups, including hosting them for special forces training, contributed to the growth of what came to be known as the bin Ladenite movement. Al-Qaeda emerged from the merger of Egyptian Islamic Jihad and the Azzam group, with Osama bin Laden taking control after Azzam's death. Ironically, Osama bin Laden utilized the same strategy to provoke the U.S. into a conflict in Afghanistan, intending to overextend and financially drain the country.

U.S. Support for Iraqi Insurgents Against Shia-Dominated Governments

Horton compares the Sunni insurgency in Iraq against the Shia-dominated government to the Mujahideen and discusses the unintended consequences of U.S. actions.

Fueled Sectarian Divides and Isis Growth

The aftermath of the first Iraq War led to a Shiite uprising in 1991, encouraged by the U.S., which was ultimately called off due to fears of importing the Iranian revolution into Iraq. Later, after the removal of Saddam Hussein, Iraqi Shia parties gained power with U.S. support, leading to Sunni disenfranchisement and the rise of a Sunni insurgency allied with jihadist groups against U.S. forces. The U.S.'s involvement in a civil war fought for the Shiite side aided in the rise of ISIS as the Sunni opposition turned to jihadist and other extreme factions for support.

U.S. Aid to Islamists in Libya and Syria Against Secular Regimes

Horton argues that U.S. foreign policy has inadvertently created conditions favorable for the rise of extremist factions.

Power Vacuum and Extremist Factions Proliferation

In Syria, the U.S., along with allies such as the UK, France, Turkey, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, backed groups with connections to Osama bi ...

The podcast discussion between Scott Horton and his interlocutors critically analyzes the trajectory of U.S. foreign policy and its broad repercussions, focusing on military interventions in the Middle East, Cold War dynamics with Russia, and the unfolding conflict in Ukraine. Horton warns of a pattern of intervention, deception, and escalation that has characterized U.S. foreign policy, leading to increased global insecurity, economic hardships, and significant human costs.

Parallels: U.S. Middle East Interventions and Cold War With Russia

Repeated Patterns of Deception, Regime Change Efforts, Escalation

Horton digs into historical and contemporary foreign policy strategies, highlighting a consistent approach that includes deception, efforts to change regimes, and choosing escalation over negotiation or de-escalation. From the Vietnam War, illuminated by the Pentagon Papers, to the Cold War and beyond, U.S. tactics have shown a lack of honesty with the American public and a tendency to inherit conflicts, leaving them for subsequent administrations. These patterns also entail cultivating alliances with groups like the mujahideen and supporting conflicts that do not necessarily reflect traditional American values, leading to unforeseen consequences.

The tearing up of the intermediate nuclear forces treaty under Trump, and the subsequent possibility of nuclear missiles being stationed in Europe, is cited as an example of broken agreements leading to heightened tensions. Horton underscores that the escalation of the conflict with Russia over Ukraine, including Kyiv's actions leading up to the February 2022 invasion and U.S. provocations through NATO expansion, fits into a historical framework of U.S. foreign policy exacerbating international tensions.

Costs of Conflicts: Human and Financial Impact on Americans

Liberty Erosion, Economic Decline, Terrorism Spread

Horton and others explore the profound impact of U.S. foreign engagements on the home front. They connect the post-9/11 wars to nearly a million direct deaths, trillions of dollars in expenditures, and significant mental health issues among veterans, including a suicide rate that eclipses battlefield casualties. These conflicts have had disastrous effects, displacing millions and jeopardizing the basic necessities of life for those in affected regions.

Horton challenges the assumption that civilians support their leaders' decisions in these wars, emphasizing that political leaders are responsible for the outcomes of conflicts. The domestic impact of aggressive foreign policies has included an erosion of civil liberties, economic decline through inflation, and the risk of increased terrorist activities driven in part by hostility towards U.S. policies in the Middle East. There is a poignant critique of how these foreign policy decisions have compromised the safety and stability of both the American public and global security.

Effects of Interventions on Global Security and Geopolitical Tensions

Risk of Great Power Conflict and Nuclear War

Horton expresses grave concerns over the potential escalation of great power conflicts and the risk of nuclear war as a consequence of U.S. foreign policy. The breakdown of agreements, such as the refusal to honor promises made to Russia about NATO expansion, has se ...