Missile Me Elmo

In this episode we begin with President Trump’s announcement (with details filled in after we recorded) of a deal to send more US weapons to Ukraine via NATO allies. After noting yesterday’s church shooting in Kentucky and unconfirmed reports about the shooter’s possible motives, we discuss this report that Putin is now urging Iranian leaders to agree to zero nuclear enrichment; Grant notes an analyst pointing out that this dovetails with Russia’s longstanding interest in selling Iran uranium, and points out that Russia is under pressure not just in Ukraine but in Africa, where Russian allies (among others) are plagued by jihadi violence. Noting Trump’s reliance on family and friends like the businessmen-turned-diplomats Massad Boulos, Steve Witkoff, and Tom Barrack, we note some Kurdish discontent with Barrack but argue that his close relationship with the Turks is an asset. Finally, considering Israel’s intervention as violence flairs in southwestern Syria, we wonder if the friction is a threat to normalization between Damascus and Jerusalem — or an opportunity to unite against common enemies.