#478 – Scott Horton: The Case Against War and the Military Industrial Complex
Lex Fridman Podcast
Aug 24
#478 – Scott Horton: The Case Against War and the Military Industrial Complex
#478 – Scott Horton: The Case Against War and the Military Industrial Complex
Lex Fridman Podcast
Aug 24
In this extensive conversation, Scott Horton, a leading critic of U.S. military interventionism, reflects on decades of American foreign policy decisions and their global repercussions. As the director of the Libertarian Institute and host of The Scott Horton Show, he brings a critical perspective to historical and contemporary conflicts, offering insights into the motivations behind U.S. military engagements and their consequences.
Horton traces the evolution of U.S. foreign policy from the Cold War through the War on Terror, highlighting the human and financial toll of military interventions. He critiques the justifications for conflicts such as the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, emphasizing the role of misinformation, geopolitical strategy, and the military-industrial complex. The discussion covers the rise of neoconservatism, the influence of the Israel lobby, and the manipulation of intelligence to justify war. Horton also reflects on his personal journey from political disillusionment to anti-war advocacy, and explores ongoing conflicts in Syria, Yemen, and Somalia, warning of the dangers of repeating past mistakes. He concludes with a call for diplomacy over military escalation, particularly in relations with Iran and Russia, and discusses the need for a renewed focus on restraint in foreign policy.
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Scott Horton has conducted over 6,000 interviews since 2003.
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AG1 makes the speaker feel in control of life
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Over 800,000 direct and indirect deaths from the wars on terror
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False claims about Iraqi incubators and nuclear weapons were used to gain public support.
2:27:49
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Blowback as a real cause of 9/11, rooted in U.S. policy failures
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Keeping Bin Laden alive justified the Iraq War and War on Terror.
3:07:49
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Neoconservatives fabricated intelligence linking Saddam to Al-Qaeda to justify war
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3:49:41
Defense companies like Lockheed and Boeing use gerrymandering-like policies to spread production and create lobbying power.
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The speaker thoroughly fact-checked a 477,000-word book with many footnotes to avoid being wrong.
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Iran offered to hand over Bin Laden associates in 2001, but the Bush administration rejected the proposal.
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ISIS emerged from internal Al-Qaeda conflict and defiance of Zawahiri
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US military actions have led to increased instability in Somalia.
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The Iraq War has evolved through multiple phases, including conflicts with Sunni and Shiite groups, with potential for a future war against former allies.
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Diplomacy is the only way to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
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Netanyahu supported Hamas to prevent a Palestinian state and keep Palestinians divided.
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The U.S. knowingly misled Russia on NATO expansion despite promises made during German reunification.
