Scott Horton Interviews Pepe Escobar
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Globetrotting journalist Pepe Escobar discusses his article “Syria and Turkey’s Phantom War;” Turkey’s violation of Syrian airspace in a purposeful, measured provocation and test of Syria’s defenses; the near-invocation of NATO Article 5 and a wider war (an attack on one NATO country is an attack on all); looking for ways to bypass the UN on Syria, since China and Russia won’t let an interventionist resolution pass the Security Council; grand plans for NATO expansion in the official “Assured Security, Dynamic Engagement” plan; counterrevolutions in the Middle East and South America, as the US looks to rebuild its portfolio of client states; and how Qatar has become the new superpower in the Middle East, surpassing even Saudi Arabia.
MP3 here. (39:25)
Pepe Escobar is the author of Globalistan: How the Globalized World is Dissolving Into Liquid War and Obama Does Globalistan.
An extreme traveler, Pepe’s nose for news has taken him to all parts of the globe. He was in Afghanistan and interviewed the military leader of the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance, Ahmad Shah Masoud, a couple of weeks before his assassination. Two weeks before September 11, 2001, while Pepe was in the tribal areas of Pakistan, Asia Times Online published his prophetic piece, “Get Osama! Now! Or else …” Pepe was one of the first journalists to reach Kabul after the Taliban’s retreat, and more recently he has explored and reported from Iraq, Iran, Central Asia, US and China.
steve
July 1st, 2012 at 4:35 am
A Pepe Escobar Tour d'Force
El Tonno
July 1st, 2012 at 5:21 am
Aha! I first heard that actual artillery was being used in Pepe's article, which turned the "shot down in international airspace" immediately improbable. Now:
http://www.dp-news.com/en/detail.aspx?articleid=1…
SyriaTurkey- U.S. intelligence indicates that a Turkish warplane shot down by Syrian forces was most likely hit by shore-based antiaircraft guns while it was inside Syrian airspace, American officials said, a finding in tune with Syria's account and at odds with Turkey.
Damascus has said it shot down the plane with an antiaircraft battery with an effective range of about 1.5 miles.
But, A Turkish official said he wasn't aware of the American doubts, and reiterated the government's position that a Syrian missile downed the plane in international airspace.
John Ellis
July 1st, 2012 at 6:15 am
Pepe Escobar
“Turkey is wagging the dog NATO… Turkey the only nation anxious for war”
Turkey sent a war plane 12 miles inside the national borders of Syria as a provocation to start a war, and Syria did the only thing it could do to stop the war, shoot down the plane or be vulnerable to the bombing devastation of a Libya style no-fly zone. Pure stupidity are the actions of Turkey, for now it is losing all credibility — with the real international community.
R.C.
July 1st, 2012 at 11:29 am
I agree with Pepe that these Turkish excursions on Syria's border is being used to bait them so that article 5 can eventually be invoked. They can't go through the security council, so this is the only other way they can have their war.
The Russians (who Pepe didn't mention much) had better come through with those air defenses.
John Ellis
July 1st, 2012 at 1:46 pm
WHAT IF THIS HAPPENED?
(1) U.S. stopped building a missile shield around Russia.
(2) U.S. stopped sending troops and ships to encircle the China Sea.
(3) Russia and China did nothing while NATO bombed in place a most deadly no-fly zone over Syria.
Empire USA wants dominance over all of Middle-East oil, Russia and China want our military off it’s back, a three-Empire swap most perfect.
Ryan
July 1st, 2012 at 2:37 pm
its the Asia times but its atimes.com not asiatimes.com also as for MB, they have deep ties to the CIA and Mosaad. Remember Josie Hadas and the 92 WTC bombing which also involved the FBI stupidly falling back on the position "we decided to give them real explosives and then not show up to arrest them…" Mubarak was the US first choice, Egypt rebelled and this was a legit revolution unlike the manufactured ones n Libya or Syria. The MB is like Ber rabbit saying oh "don't throw me in the briar patch."
Ryan
July 1st, 2012 at 2:42 pm
93 wtc attack i mistyped. Also that is when Zack first stole the anthrax just months before, however since the whole thing was botched plan B never as executed. Ramzi Yousef who escaped until ISI caught him in 95 is the nephew of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed the supposed mastermind of the 911 wtc attacks. http://www.rys2sense.com/anti-neocons/viewtopic.p… more
johnUK
July 1st, 2012 at 7:11 pm
Colour revolution machine was on the ground in Egypt stoking unrest and as predicted the Muslim Brotherhood would come to power with the big winner being Turkey to build them up as the regional super power who are the biggest benefactors of the Arab Spring.
Arab Spring, Turkish Harvest
http://www.fpif.org/articles/arab_spring_turkish_…
Egypt's generals eye Turkish model
http://news.yahoo.com/egypts-generals-eye-turkish…
johnUK
July 1st, 2012 at 7:47 pm
There is a conspiracy guy on the internet that claims Pepe Escobar is actually played by an actor Tony Greenberg who also allegedly plays other famous people. Lol! Pretty funny
http://youtu.be/nuyJrX9t9_0?t=5m28s
johnUK
July 1st, 2012 at 8:46 pm
US backs the Burmese regime? Where the hell do you get that logic from?
John Ellis
July 2nd, 2012 at 3:48 am
Mainstream media in Israel is pushing the propaganda that Turkey should blame everything on Russia, that it was a Russian missile fired by a Russian technician that shot down the Turkey war plane.
Funny that they would raise the issue, what with their war experts spanning the globe and being much in demand by dictators in places like Central and South America.
Tip
July 2nd, 2012 at 4:30 am
Wasn't that a hit? Sooner or later NATO's gonna get ya, sooner or later…
El Tonno
July 2nd, 2012 at 12:35 pm
Haaretz says it was a "Russian missile". HURRR!!
http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/russian-s…
Russian technicians were involved in the taking down of the Turkish fighter jet by the Syrian military last week, the Sunday Times reported on Sunday.
Sourcing Middle Eastern diplomatic sources the Times reported that the decision to down the Turkish jet was intended to signal a warning to NATO to stay out of the conflict raging in Syria for over a year.
Russia supplied Syria with advanced anti-aircraft missile systems three years ago. It is believed that Russian specialists trained the Syrian forces to use them. According to diplomats that spoke with the Sunday Times some Russian specialists are still stationed at the missile battery control centers.
“We would not be surprised if these Russian experts, if they didn’t push the button, at least were beside the Syrian officers who did it,” an Israeli air force source told the British paper.
John Ellis
July 2nd, 2012 at 3:38 pm
VISION
The Western world, they use war as a means to reduce over population. So, as Syria has a population of 16.3 million, this civil war shall rage until Syrian population is below 15 million.
John Ellis
July 2nd, 2012 at 3:45 pm
Just look at Iraq, does it not now have over 1 million war widows? For when has war ever been anything but a repeat of bad history?
charliedontserf
July 3rd, 2012 at 9:22 am
Erdogan = Air-Dough-An
the "a" in "an" is the "a" in "han" – as is, Han Solo.
Charles
July 3rd, 2012 at 2:25 pm
In the interview I heard Pepe say that there are 5 strands of MB. One or two of them may be CIA assets.
Ryan
July 5th, 2012 at 6:40 am
that was not a color revolution that was 8 million people in the streets.
Regional and In… « YALLA SOURIYA
July 5th, 2012 at 5:14 pm
[...] Scott Horton Interviews Pepe Escobar and asks him to discuss the motives behind Turkey’s decision to fly a plane into Syrian waters. [...]
@JohnEllis02
July 6th, 2012 at 4:24 am
“Top Syrian General Defects to Turkey
Long-time Assad friend the biggest defection yet”
Above is the latest news from Syria, so what new insight does it give up? None, for military generals kill on command, are void of anything that resembles a conscience and will surely jump-ship the moment a CIA agent hands them a briefcase filled with unmarked $100 bills.
@JohnEllis02
July 8th, 2012 at 2:02 am
FICTION
Washington Post
"Violent Taliban Splinter Groups Opposed to Talks
Harbinger of Civil War After US Troops Leave"
FACT
Logical Taliban Stay One Group Opposed to Talks
Sign of Peace and Good Will After US Terrorists Leave
UNF
July 8th, 2012 at 6:24 am
Escobar sounds extremely giddy, like he's just done a dozen lines of coke off a few HK hookers before the interview starts. What exactly were the humourous point I missed, which caused him so much mirth?
Health and Fitness
August 28th, 2012 at 1:07 am
This bridge is truly a hymn to stone and steel. I remember that was a real crowd on the walkway, awesome you guys made it.
essay editing
September 13th, 2012 at 9:50 pm
Thank you for another essential article. Where else could anyone get that kind of information in such a complete way of writing ? I have a presentation incoming week, and I am on the lookout for such information.
drive movie costume
September 19th, 2012 at 1:36 pm
It was really a great blog i really appreciate your work.
bridal evening bags
October 3rd, 2012 at 12:21 pm
Really an amazing post thanks for sharing
dsram
October 31st, 2012 at 1:06 pm
paper writing services
I was looking for a blog like this. Thankfully I came across this website.I really like it.
nobel
November 1st, 2012 at 7:00 am
There is so much that the students are able to get from this. I really love the work and the ideas here. Keep up the good work.
how much does a home alarm system cost
Get Exboyfriend Back
November 17th, 2012 at 4:14 am
Full of useful resource and great layout very easy on the eye…
painters and deco
November 17th, 2012 at 11:43 pm
I learned a lot of knowledge from which to learn more things.
Maria Jones
November 23rd, 2012 at 7:43 am
Thanks for sharing such useful tips with us. I admire the valuable information you offer in your post. It helps me a lot to enhance my knowledge, I really like the way the writer presented his view datasets for statistical analysis
rose
November 28th, 2012 at 10:58 am
well and its really great post while after read feel good thanks for sharing
check grammer
James Bond Suit
December 12th, 2012 at 3:29 pm
One of the biggest challenges that face anyone is justifying what one want to do and why it's going to disrupt the status quo — whether it be to give opinion or starting a converstaion. It really helps when reading your material insisted on the matter you have highlighted. Fine tunning the concept you discussed will surely bring new opportunities in this area of interest and brings will result something positive. I appreciate your efforts of taking notice of above discussed matter.
Farnham Limo Hire
February 18th, 2013 at 6:23 am
A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble. ~Charles H. Spurgeon
sidra
March 4th, 2013 at 10:19 pm
Who wants a stylus. You have to get em and put em away, and you lose em. Yuck. Nobody wants a stylus.
Tijuana Airport
Cabo Fishing
March 18th, 2013 at 9:07 pm
This is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for sharing this great article! That is very interesting Smile I love reading and I am always searching for informative information like this!
sidra
March 19th, 2013 at 1:55 am
We don't get a chance to do that many things, and every one should be really excellent. Because this is our life. Life is brief, and then you die, you know? So this is what we've chosen to do with our life.
do my algebra homework
RANA
March 27th, 2013 at 8:51 pm
For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.
how to gain weight fast
unblocked games
April 5th, 2013 at 12:54 am
Our posting should be related to the topic "Do you have any other posts about this topic?"
HR san diego
April 5th, 2013 at 8:49 am
I too have been waiting for this and am now going through it to see if it is something i am going to offer my clients…..
Thanks weebly.
water softeners
April 16th, 2013 at 9:57 pm
I appreciate the work of all people who share information with others. Great Blog!
merchant Cashadvance
April 16th, 2013 at 9:58 pm
Excellent and decent post.
san diego HR
April 16th, 2013 at 10:00 pm
Great post about this!