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.

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”

How Corporate Media Got the Trump-Kim Summit All Wrong

For weeks, the corporate media have been saying that the Trump-Kim summit could have only two possible results: Either Trump will walk away angrily or Kim Jong Un will trick him into a deal in which he extracts concessions from Trump but never commits to complete denuclearization. The idea that North Korea could not possibly … Continue reading “How Corporate Media Got the Trump-Kim Summit All Wrong”

How Corporate Media Are Undermining a US-North Korea Nuclear Weapons Deal

In an interview with Fox News on April 29, Donald Trump’s new National Security Adviser John Bolton tossed a grenade into the process of planning for the Trump-Kim summit. “We have very much in mind the Libyan model from 2003-2004,” he said in regard to the problem of North Korean denuclearization. It was a very … Continue reading “How Corporate Media Are Undermining a US-North Korea Nuclear Weapons Deal”