Russia, Iran, and the American Response

As we pass the third week of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, our hosts are here ...

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As we pass the third week of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, our hosts are here to discuss the latest: The Biden administration looks to make a deal on Iran’s nuclear program. What are we to make of the president’s foregin policy? Plus, Sarah and the guys talk about inflation and the Federal Reserve’s decision on interest rates.

Show Notes:

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  1. Avatar photo
    6Million$Jonah

    I guess I'll go read "The Tuesday" in protest.

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  2. Avatar photo
    6Million$Jonah

    Not to be desperate and whiny but will there be a dispatch live tonight? Did I miss the memo? Is it spring break or regular-price Jonah’s birthday?

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  3. Eric Nelson

    Too bad all this knowledge is undermined by anti-Biden cynical posing. He deserves better. There’s a difference between being insightful and trite. But I guess, not to offend partisan Republicans, you have to do this and must stay breezy and superficial. Sorry. Unsubscribing.

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  4. Mathew A

    Regarding a conservative response to inflation.

    Step one of course would have been not to do the extra $2 trillion in spending Biden pushed through. And then combined that with less money printing from the Fed.

    But seeing as how's that's water under the bridge now.

    How about we just stopped printing money right now!!! The fed balance sheet is still expanding. Stop printing the money.

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  5. Andy

    I'm recent subscriber and first time commenter. Enjoyed the show as always. I've got a question: why have I never heard anyone mention the possibility of Ukraine disabling the Russian oil and gas pipelines running through Ukraine? From my rudimentary googling it looks a like a significant (possibly a third or more) of the oil and gas flowing from Russia to Europe flows through Ukraine. Would disabling the pipelines further hurt Russia's cashflow and put a lot more pressure on NATO/Europe to directly intervene in the war so they could resume importing the oil and natural gas they depend on?

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    Todd T

    I love David to death but if he is a UK fan he is dead to me.
    Signed- Jealous IU fan

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  7. M M (Lee)

    I've heard some advisors to this podcast suggest that we would be doing Russia a favor effectively if we were to get involved directly in Ukraine, presumably giving Russia an excuse to escalate the war. If that's the case, I'm wondering why Russia doesn't attack us directly now, so that he can bring us into the war as he apparently prefers. For that matter, Putin can always fabricate an excuse for attacking us in order to bring the US into the fight, if that's what he really wants.

    It seems to me that we should draw a line on the number of murders of Ukrainians we will tolerate before Putin is expected to leave and return to Russia or else face direct American combat. It doesn't make sense that he would like this (because it would give him an excuse to escalate), because if he wanted to escalate he could make up an excuse to escalate things against us now.

    Basically I'm asking a probing question to better grasp why America is not doing more to help Ukraine. If he wins this war, Russia and China will begin attacking or dominating countries until we stop them directly, so it seems to me that we need to stop him now.

    I worry that the true reason for our refusal to help Ukraine more directly is political, with politicians not wanting us to get our hands dirty, regardless of the danger that NOT winning this war will bring us all.

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    Andrea Leane

    I watched the clip in which Biden called Putin a war criminal. It didn't feel that accidental to me. He ignored the reporter's question, walked past, answered someone else, then turned around and asked her to repeat the question, and then said that, yes, Putin is a war criminal. It might have been spur of the moment but it was a deliberate action. I dont think they should have to explain it or walk it back.

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    Ben Connelly

    I’d love to see Jonah do 500 push-ups…

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  10. GregS

    Omfg.
    Calling Putin a war criminal was bad because it was escalatory?
    I thought you liked politicians who called a spade a spade. You want him to only say nice things because otherwise he'll get mad?
    He didn't call for Putin to be assassinated. He said Putin was a war criminal. He is. If he had waffled at that question you'd have given him crap for not being able to have moral clarity!
    Geez...

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    1. Mathew A

      "Calling Putin a war criminal was bad because it was escalatory"

      That wasn't the argument. The argument was it seemed to be a off the cuff decision instead of part of a calculated strategy.

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      1. GregS

        1) How do you know its not part of a strategy?
        2) answering that off the cuff question with "I'm not sure" or "no" would have been criticized by Jonah as evidence that Biden either doesn't understand the enemy or lacks the clarity of mind to call Putin what he is.

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