Michelle Cottle

So let's get into it.

First, Iran.

And the usual caveat, we are recording this Thursday morning, so who knows where this will have gone by the time you hear us.

But as of now, Trump has called for Iranian officials to agree to a nuclear deal or to face a U.S.

attack very soon.

This comes hot on the heels of the president's assertion that regime change would be the best option for Iran after massive protests erupted across the country, resulting in the deaths of thousands of protesters.

Nick, as someone who has spent time on the ground there and covered this dictatorship, what do people need to understand about what's going on there and what a U.S.

attack would mean?

Now, before we switch and I get your thoughts on this, David, Nick, do you want to just float some bad possibilities so that I can have actual nightmares about what could happen?

Okay, that's plenty for me to be concerned about this week.

David, on Tuesday, American and Iranian officials met in Geneva to start working toward maybe possibly a nuclear deal.

There's been a buildup of forces in the region, bigger than any we've seen in a very long time.

So what do you make of all this?

Negotiations on the one hand, threats on the other.

Is it all of a piece?

Yeah, it's all great.

I mean, Nick, is this like some kind of great strategic ambiguity?

Do we do we think that there is a comprehensive strategy behind this or is he just winging it?

Well, this is my other question here.

Has he crossed a line in terms of military buildup, the president, that is?