Peace in our time people! Unfortunately, it’s less Churchill, more Chamberlain. What will happen in Pakistan? Nothing good. Because nothing good ever happens in Pakistan. (I got giardia there, do you need to know more?) Nuclear weapons, support for the Taliban, vacation home for Osama bin Laden… yeah, sure, let’s go there to negotiate with Iran. Who will help? Our “NATO ally” Turkey, because that’s a country that hates Islamist extremism; and Egypt, which actually does hate Islamist extremism, but is a dictatorship with thousands of political prisoners. What’s not to like? Why do you look at us like that? Totally serious here.
We haven’t got the inside skinny on what’s going to happen in Pakistan, but we’ll see soon enough. Meanwhile, Elise talks to former NSA John Bolton, Dany talks to NATO SecGen Rutte, and we both read Trump’s minorly unhinged Truth Social posts. Kids these days!
Bottom lines: Iran could end very badly; a lot is still up to Donald Trump. JD Vance may have hurt Orban more than he helped him with a creepy visit to Hungary. America didn’t pull out of NATO, so whoever told you we would should go to the bottom of your list of “trustworthy reads”… and so much more. See you next week!
SHOWNOTES 🎶
John Bolton on the Iran War’s Strategic Drift In this interview with Elise Labott, former National Security Adviser John Bolton critiques the lack of clear strategic objectives in the recent military actions against Iran. While acknowledging tactical successes in degrading Iran’s military infrastructure, Bolton argues that without a goal of regime change, the results remain temporary and “jumbled.”
WTH Is Going On With NATO? Secretary General Mark Rutte Explains This podcast episode features NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte discussing the alliance’s future under the pressure of “Operation Epic Fury” and President Trump’s demands for better burden-sharing. Rutte details his “candid” conversations with the President and the shift toward European defense independence.
Trump’s Foggy War Elise Labott and Nancy Youssef analyze the ambiguity of the conflict with Iran, describing it as a “war of improvisation.” They explore the disconnect between the administration’s high-stakes rhetoric (including threats of civilizational destruction) and the sudden pivot to a brokered ceasefire.
WTH: The Ceasefire — Real? Fake? Good? Bad? Danielle Pletka provides a breakdown of the 39-day bombing campaign’s results, listing the extensive damage to Iranian air defenses and leadership. She questions the logic of the sudden ceasefire, noting the massive disparity between the U.S. and Iranian “10-point plans” and expressing concern over the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
WTH: Is NATO Really an Alliance Anymore? This piece examines the existential tensions within NATO as European allies grapple with a U.S. administration that is increasingly transactional. It focuses on the outcomes of the Hague Summit and whether Europe can effectively project power without total reliance on the American military umbrella.
Meet the New Faces of the Iranian Resistance This article from The Free Press highlights the emerging leaders and activists within the Iranian opposition movements. It profiles the individuals attempting to capitalize on the regime’s current military and political vulnerabilities to advocate for a secular, democratic future for Iran.
