The Rational Policy Podcast is back from our late summer break! After a few weeks off, we were champing at the bit to get back in the saddle and record; thankfully, the world of news seemed to slow down a bit while we were off, so we didn’t miss all that much. But now that Labor Day has passed and September has kicked off in earnest, we’re ready to bring you plenty of shows to round out the year, especially as the midterm elections rapidly approach. But we aren’t talking rank politics in Episode 51, instead focusing on foreign affairs and a solemn commemoration of a profoundly important anniversary.
We lead off discussing the recent developments in the Iran War, detailing the progress of the economic warfare campaign, the continuation of the blockade, and the Iranian response. We debate whether this approach will bring success - and if our political class has the patience to allow it to - as well as whether Iran still maintains a meaningful ability to hamper our regional interests. Next, we delve into a foreign policy issue closer to home, that of Venezuela. We talk about the newly-announced oil deal between Washington and Caracas, somewhat disagreeing as to what it means and how beneficial it will be to both parties. We also discuss the long-term approach to democratic transition in Venezuela and the Trump administration’s habit of undermining good ideas with poor execution. Finally, we reminisce about the 25th anniversary of the heinous terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, talking about our personal recollections, the importance of continued vigilance against Islamic terrorism, and the failure of younger generations to treat this event with the solemnity and seriousness it deserves. We mention the powerfully moving 9/11 Memorial and Museum, the criticality of grasping the magnitude of the actual horrors of that atrocity, and how the War on Terror was not lost, but is still ongoing.
Check it out, follow us on Twitter/X (Mike / Art), and share the podcast with anyone you think might appreciate it. Thanks for listening. We’ll be back next week with our regularly scheduled programming. Until then, take a moment to remember those men and women who were stolen from us by terrorism a quarter of a century ago, as well as who took their lives and why we must continue the fight. Never Forget.
