Bulwark Takes

Trump & Hegseth Ignored Experts—Then Tried to Run a War (w/ Tom Nichols) | Command Post
Experts dissect the Trump administration's disastrous handling of the US-Iran conflict, revealing a 'one-sided ceasefire' and strategic incompetence driven by a disregard for expertise and a 'Pentagon purge' of experienced officers.

Trump’s Iran Endgame Fantasy | Shield of the Republic
This analysis dissects the US President's flawed Iran strategy, revealing the high risks and unclear objectives of potential military ground operations and the broader implications for US credibility and regional stability.

This is Beyond Mere Incompetence (w/ Robert Kagan) | The Bulwark Podcast
Robert Kagan details how the ongoing US military action in Iran, initiated under the Trump administration, is dismantling the post-WWII global order, isolating the US, and empowering rivals like China and Russia.

Tim Miller, Sam Stein, JVL and Mark Hertling React to Trump's Iran Address
A panel of analysts dissects a recent presidential address on Iran, framing it as an incoherent, contradictory, and strategically damaging 'Truth Social rant' with severe economic and geopolitical consequences.

Possible Ground Troops in Iran, Trump Speech Preview and The Slow-Motion Destruction of NATO
This episode critically dissects the Trump administration's 'flailing' military strategy in Iran and its accelerating 'slow-motion destruction' of NATO, drawing parallels to past military miscalculations.

Trump Says He’s Talking to a “New Regime” in Iran (w/ Sue Gordon)
Former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Sue Gordon dissects the US-Iran relationship under the Trump administration, revealing Iran's strategic patience, the degradation of US intelligence, and the limited, problematic off-ramps in the current standoff.

Trump Won’t Stop—Because He Can’t Look Weak | Secret Podcast Preview
Trump's desperate need to avoid appearing weak is driving dangerous escalation in the Iran conflict, threatening the petrodollar system and the collapse of the US-led world order.

Former General Gives Brutally Honest Iran War Assessment | Command Post
General Mark Hertling and Ben Parker dissect the ongoing Iran war, highlighting the critical mismatch between US kinetic military objectives and Iran's asymmetric political and economic warfare, emphasizing the lack of a clear US end state.

Iran War Could Trigger a Global Terror Wave | Shield of the Republic
This episode dissects the US-Iran conflict, criticizing both media coverage and the administration's communication while emphasizing the brutal nature of the Iranian regime and the long-term strategic challenges.

Would You Trust These Idiots With a War? | Secret Podcast Preview
The hosts sharply critique the current US government's perceived incompetence and lack of seriousness in handling the escalating conflict with Iran, drawing stark comparisons to historical leaders like Churchill and the Nuremberg trial figures.

JD Vance Knows the Iran War Is a Disaster—But Can’t Say It (w/ Tom Nichols) | The Bulwark Podcast
This episode dissects the Trump administration's chaotic and ill-conceived Iran war, highlighting its strategic blunders, economic fallout, and the dangerous lack of competent leadership and internal dissent.

Is Trump Already Getting Tired of His Iran War? | Morning Chaser
The hosts dissect the Trump administration's approach to the Iran conflict, arguing Trump is seeking an exit despite maximalist objectives, and then pivot to the emerging political and regulatory challenges of rapidly advancing AI.

Iran's Regional War Strategy is Failing (w/ Norman Roule) | Shield of the Republic
Former intelligence official Norman Roule details why Iran's current leadership structure makes a US-backed 'Venezuela playbook' for regime change impossible and how Tehran's regional 'messaging attacks' are backfiring, solidifying Gulf state opposition.

Mark Hertling and Ruben Gallego: A Rush to War | The Bulwark Podcast
Retired General Mark Hertling and Senator Ruben Gallego critically analyze the US and Israeli military actions against Iran, exposing a lack of clear objectives, inadequate planning, and the high human and financial costs of a rushed intervention.

Tom Nichols: There Are 500 Ways This War Goes Wrong | Mona Charen Show
Tom Nichols and Mona Charen dissect the Trump administration's war strategy in Iran, concluding it's a high-stakes gamble lacking planning, allies, and a realistic path to success.

Trump Goes to War: Iran Strike Breaks Promise of No Regime Change
Donald Trump's administration initiated a major military operation in Iran, contradicting his campaign promises of a 'peace-time presidency' and raising concerns about international legality, domestic political fallout, and the reliability of information in a fragmented media landscape.

Retired General Breaks Down Trump’s Davos Speech | Command Post
Retired General Mark Hertling and Ben Parker dissect former President Trump's Davos speech, revealing critical misinterpretations of military strategy, international relations, and domestic troop deployment.

Taking Greenland Would Trigger a NATO Crisis (w/ Mark Hertling) | The Bulwark Podcast
Retired US Army Lieutenant General Mark Hertling dissects the geopolitical absurdities of potential US military interventions in Greenland and Iran, highlighting the erosion of alliances and the critical need for comprehensive strategic planning.

Sorry Trump, No Oil Company Wants to Drill in a War Zone
A military expert breaks down the complexities and risks of US interventions in Venezuela and the strategic absurdity of pursuing Greenland, revealing critical gaps in planning and significant geopolitical fallout.
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