#1785 Iran and the Chain Reaction: The War Nobody Thought Through (Or, Bomb First, Think Never)

Air Date: 4/17/2026 Today we examine how the U.S. war with Iran has exposed the deep structural rot at the heart of American power, the global economic catastrophe quietly building beneath the surface, and the cuts felt at home in order to pay for it all. Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! TOP TAKES KP 1: Excerpt, "Cross of Iron" Speech, 1956 - Dwight D. Eisenhower KP 2: White House Accidentally Releases Video of Trump Saying the Truth About War's Priority - The Briefing with Jen Psaki - Air Date 4-2-26 KP 3: Lets Talk About Fertilizer - Paul Krugman - Air Date 3-21-26 KP 4: Why Israels Bombing of Lebanon Means All Our Futures Are at Stake - The Independent - Air Date 4-9-26 KP 5: Will There Even Be a "Ceasefire"? - Drop Site News - Air Date 4-9-26 KP 6: The TV War That Backfired - Brendan Miller - Air Date 3-20-26 KP 7: Why the US Couldnt Force a Deal with Iran - LBC - Air Date 4-12-26 KP 8: Hormuz Crisis _Only Going to Get More Horrific Before It Gets Any Better__ Prof. Laleh Khalili - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-16-26 KP 9: Dwight D Eisenhower - Farewell Speech - Address to the Nation - Military Industrial Complex Warning - War and Military Documentaries - Air Date 1-17-61 (00:52:25) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Eisenhower Warned Us: Trump's $1.5T Military Budget Is Gutting America DEEPER DIVES (01:03:57) SECTION A: LEBANON UNDER ATTACK (01:29:29) SECTION B: THE WORLD DEDOLLARISES (01:49:40) SECTION C: WORLD ECONOMY IN PERIL (02:21:45) SECTION D: THE MORAL ROT OF WAR PROFITEERING (02:46:42) SECTION E: THE DAMAGE OUR MILITARY DOES (03:06:15) SECTION F: MAKING CHINA GREAT AGAIN SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: A composite image showing a satellite image of the Straight of Hormuz  behind a screenshot of Trump's post that says "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again…." Credit: Internal composite design. Image: "Satellite image of the Strait of Hormuz." by Jacques Descloitres, NASA | Public Domain