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.

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”

Media, Hardliners Play Up North Korean Nuclear ‘Deception’ Claim

Just as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was about to leave for denuclearization negotiations in Pyongyang, a spate of media stories reported that North Korea is deceiving the Trump administration by seeking to hide some of its nuclear facilities. Those stories suggest an effort by some Trump administration officials, led by National Security Adviser John … Continue reading “Media, Hardliners Play Up North Korean Nuclear ‘Deception’ Claim”

An Elite Coalition Emerges Against a Trump-Kim Agreement

An implicit coalition of corporate media, Democratic partisans and others loyal to the national security state are actively hostile to any agreement that would endanger the continuation of the 70-year-old Cold War between the United States and North Korea. The hostility toward Donald Trump on the part of both corporate media (except for Fox News) … Continue reading “An Elite Coalition Emerges Against a Trump-Kim Agreement”