Gareth Porter

Gareth Porter is an investigative historian and journalist specializing in U.S. national security policy. The paperback edition of his latest book, Perils of Dominance: Imbalance of Power and the Road to War in Vietnam, was published in 2006.

Why Are the Media So Eager To Declare Trump’s Syria Withdrawal Dead?

Virtually from the moment Donald Trump announced that he would be removing U.S. troops from Syria, corporate media have converged around a narrative that the president has been forced to walk back his decision. But while a withdrawal will undoubtedly prove more challenging than the president originally anticipated, this verdict simply does not reflect the … Continue reading “Why Are the Media So Eager To Declare Trump’s Syria Withdrawal Dead?”

Is the End of the Brutal War in Yemen Finally at Hand?

When the new Congress convenes Jan. 3, it is expected to pass a House resolution upholding congressional war powers and ending all direct U.S. involvement in the Saudi coalition’s war in Yemen. But hopes remain high that H. Con. Res. 138 will help to end the Yemen war itself. Congressional strategists and activists who have … Continue reading “Is the End of the Brutal War in Yemen Finally at Hand?”

UK and Ecuador Conspire To Deliver Julian Assange to US Authorities

The accidental revelation in mid-November that U.S. federal prosecutors had secretly filed charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange underlines the determination of the Trump administration to end Assange’s asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he has been staying since 2012. Behind the revelation of those secret charges for supposedly threatening US national security … Continue reading “UK and Ecuador Conspire To Deliver Julian Assange to US Authorities”

33 Trillion Reasons Why The New York Times Gets It Wrong on Russia-gate

Even more damning evidence has come to light undermining The New York Times‘ assertion in September that Russia used social media to steal the 2016 election for Donald Trump. The Times‘ claim last month that Russian Facebook posts reached nearly as many Americans as actually voted in the 2016 election exaggerated the significance of those … Continue reading “33 Trillion Reasons Why The New York Times Gets It Wrong on Russia-gate”

A Chance for the US To Distance Itself From Saudi Arabia

The murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi now seems very likely to prompt Congress to impose some sanctions on the Saudi government, and it may finally act to end the active US role in the Saudi-UAE war on Yemen. Perhaps more significantly, some senior Democratic Party figures in Congress have called for the first serious … Continue reading “A Chance for the US To Distance Itself From Saudi Arabia”

The Shaky Case That Russia Manipulated Social Media to Tip the 2016 Election

In their long recapitulation of the case that Russia subverted the 2016 election, Scott Shane and Mark Mazzetti of The New York Times painted a picture of highly effective Russian government exploitation of social media for that purpose. Shane and Mazzetti asserted that “anti-Clinton, pro-Trump messages shared with millions of voters by Russia could have … Continue reading “The Shaky Case That Russia Manipulated Social Media to Tip the 2016 Election”

Could Trump Take Down the American Empire?

More than any other presidency in modern history, Donald Trump’s has been a veritable sociopolitical wrecking ball, deliberately stoking conflict by playing to xenophobic and racist currents in American society and debasing its political discourse. That fact has been widely discussed. But Trump’s attacks on the system of the global U.S. military presence and commitments … Continue reading “Could Trump Take Down the American Empire?”

Centrist Think Tanks Ponder Populism’s Rise, but Hesitate To Change

The two most powerful think tanks in Washington, representing center-left and center-right political elites, have responded to the populist shocks of the 2016 presidential election by trying to reposition themselves and the Democratic and Republican Parties as more sympathetic to populist concerns even while maintaining their attachments to the interests of big business and war-making … Continue reading “Centrist Think Tanks Ponder Populism’s Rise, but Hesitate To Change”

How the Department of Homeland Security Created a Deceptive Tale of Russia Hacking US Voter Sites

The narrative of Russian intelligence attacking state and local election boards and threatening the integrity of U.S. elections has achieved near-universal acceptance by media and political elites. And now it has been accepted by the Trump administration’s intelligence chief, Dan Coats, as well. But the real story behind that narrative, recounted here for the first … Continue reading “How the Department of Homeland Security Created a Deceptive Tale of Russia Hacking US Voter Sites”

How the Media Wove a Narrative of North Korean Nuclear Deception

Since the June 12 Singapore Summit between US President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the US media has woven a misleading narrative that both past and post-summit North Korean actions indicate an intent to deceive the US about its willingness to denuclearize. The so-called intelligence that formed the basis of these stories … Continue reading “How the Media Wove a Narrative of North Korean Nuclear Deception”