February 2, 2018 – Major Danny Sjursen on the Vietnam War's legacy – Episode 4597

U.S. army major Daniel A. Sjursen joins Scott to talk about his experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq, the supposed military tactics of “The Surge,” and his latest piece on the legacy of the Vietnam War, “The War That Never Ends (for the U.S. Military High Command).” Sjursen draws parallels between the Vietnam War and the Iraq and Afghan Wars and makes the case that misconceptions about the Vietnam War have persisted into the tactical approach to the forever wars of the present. Finally Sjursen explains why the ingrained orthodoxies in the military make any attempt at a shift in focus impossible.

Sjursen is a major in the U.S. army and former history instructor at West Point. He writes regularly for TomDispatch.com and he’s the author of “Ghost Riders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge.” Follow him on Twitter @SkepticalVet.

Check out the interview page here

For more on Scott's work:

Check out The Libertarian Institute

Read Scott's book, Fool's ErrandTime to End the War in Afghanistan

Follow Scott on Twitter using the handle @scotthortonshow

Like Scott's Facebook Page

And check out Scott's full interview archives

You can also support Scott's work by making a onetime or recurring donation at

Or you can donate per interview at Patreon