War and Foreign Policy

 The Trump White House can't decide on a reason for why it went to war. But one goal is clearly regime change. Ryan McMaken and Zachary Yost discuss the many obstacles to this unlikely outcome. 

The current US conflict with Iran has its roots in the CIA-backed coup in 1953, which removed a democratically-elected prime minister and replaced him with the Shah. The Shah’s government ultimately collapsed, leading to the current Islamic republic.

The current US conflict with Iran has its roots in the CIA-backed coup in 1953, which removed a democratically-elected prime minister and replaced him with the Shah. The Shah’s government ultimately collapsed, leading to the current Islamic republic.

Trump has brought the US into war with Iran. Ryan, Tho, and Connor talk about the initial execution, the domestic fallout, the global costs, and what may come next. 

When it comes to foreign policy, what matters are powerful interest groups. The ordinary voters who pay all the bills don't matter. The interest groups pushing for pro-Israel wars in the Middle East are especially powerful.

Those who believe in the free and unhampered market economy should be especially skeptical of war and military action. War, after all, is the ultimate government program.

Those who believe in the free and unhampered market economy should be especially skeptical of war and military action. War, after all, is the ultimate government program.

The problem with this new campaign in Iran is not merely that it will likely have bad near-term consequences, but that it represents the American government doubling down on the imperial project that is causing our accelerating national crisis.

Just before launching a “regime change” war on Iran, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had a video of him bench pressing 315 pounds ostensibly to impress onlookers and the public.

Part of Donald Trump’s military excursion into Venezuela was to make the country more attractive to US business investment. It hasn’t worked out that way and probably won’t in the future, either, due to the socialist regime there.