Scott interviews Barbara Slavin from the Atlantic Council. Slavin recently co-authored an article with Abbas Kadhim about how Iran’s influence in the middle east has grown substantially since the U.S. overthrew Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq. Slavin explains that the U.S. was more supportive of Iraq while they were engaged in a brutal war with Iran in the 80s, because the foreign policy establishment saw Iran as a bigger threat. Of course this changed in the 90s when George Bush Sr. launched a war against Iraq. And then there was the invasion in 2003 that disposed of Saddam. Scott and Slavin reflect on the ridiculous claims from that time arguing that regime change in Iraq would not hand Iran more influence, with some claiming it would weaken Iran by giving the U.S. leverage over the entire region. 

Discussed on the show:

“Iran ‘won’ the war with Iraq but at a heavy price” (Atlantic Council)
Bruce Riedel overheard Bush’s phone call days after 9/11
“After Sistani and Khamenei: looming successions will shape the Middle East” (Atlantic Council)
A Clean Break 
Cheney 1994 interview

Barbara Slavin is director of the Future of Iran Initiative at the Atlantic Council. Follow her on Twitter: @BarbaraSlavin1.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee and Listen and Think Audio.

Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices