Ben Rhodes

People in Iran could still be killing each other and dying.

They could still be firing things at people in the region.

I mean, the 12-day war was not a 12-day war.

It's still going on.

We don't describe World War II as

is a series of hundred different wars because at times we weren't – this is a stupid fucking way that they're trying to make the American people and their MAGA base in particular feel like they didn't just open Pandora's box because they did.

And look, Pete Hegg said this – you want the Secretary of Defense to be kind of sober and reassuring.

That is anything but.

That's a guy who looks like – I mean maybe he's not drinking but like he had to fucking take some Adderall and like repeat the conventional shield line to himself in the mirror before going out so he could look tough or something.

Like he doesn't know.

He's not qualified to be managing this.

He doesn't know.

It's all buzzwords with him and no rules of engagement and this and that.

What is the plan?

I mean there's another thing I've been thinking about, Tommy, and we can talk about it on the podcast a little more.

if you're the gulf allies right who rely on the united states for your existential security if you're saudi arabia qatar and ua let's just take those three you're probably like making up plans to buy a nuclear weapon you know because you're like i can't rely on the these as are a lot of countries a lot of our adversaries probably are too yeah because north korea north korea's got nukes and an icbm and no one's messing with them

Kim looks, you know, like he's ripping cigs and looking at stuff and is just fine, right?

And so the lack of, who wants this?

Because the MAGA audience doesn't even want this war.

Like, who is Hegseth talking to, right?