The U.S. is firing on Iranian oil tankers, shutting down its Project Freedom, and otherwise humiliating itself on the global stage as the “nominal cease-fire” between our country and Iran falls apart. We talk to Drop Site News’ Ryan Grim about the crashout of Trump’s shambolic war on Iran, the recent responses from the Gulf Arab states to the U.S.’s military operations, and the future of the U.S.’s relationship with Iran. Plus, there’s more to cover on a recent survey showing American voters’ perceptions of AIPAC, Rahm Emanuel’s alleged about-face on Israel, and much more. Watch below:

While the media’s line has been that we can trace the origins of Trump’s war to provocation from Saudi Arabia, our conversation begins by undoing this perception and taking a careful look at the ways that the Persian Gulf has responded to the conflict Trump, and not they, started months ago. As we point out, the bad info we’ve gotten on Saudi Arabia’s position in the conflict might have made sense at the most basic level — it has been a close ally for the U.S. in the Middle East — but the narrative pays no attention to the fallout that this conflict has had on Saudi Arabia’s own industry, not to mention on the industries of other Gulf Arab states. The region’s luxury tourism industry has been devastated, and while the conflict may not fully impair Saudi’s ability to deliver oil, that situation is far more grave for the other countries relying on the Strait of Hormuz. Hence the recent refusal of the Saudis to allow the U.S. into their airspace, forcing Trump to backpedal on Project Freedom.

Unlike Saudi Arabia, though, Israel is actively fueling the flames of this war and likely will continue to do so as peace talks advance and a potential permanent end to the conflict comes into view. A situation in which Iran emerges from the war having demonstrated its deterrent power and forced the U.S. to negotiate rather than yielding to its endlessly exploitative demands would be viewed by Israel as a disaster. It’s what gives Zionists the ability to quietly support what Hugh Hewitt was willing to say out loud: that Israel should just blow up the negotiations. Israel’s massive strike on Beirut after last month’s ceasefire agreement is an object lesson in precisely this craven willingness to place civilians’ lives in danger in the name of regional dominance. Our conversation then turns to the future: what will make peace possible? And what might make Trump and Netanyahu want to undermine it?

Thanks for tuning in. You can listen to this conversation as a podcast when it’s released tomorrow on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other major streaming platforms.