#1777 How Christian Nationalism, Oil, and Zionism Built The War Against Iran

#1777 How Christian Nationalism, Oil, and Zionism Built The War Against Iran

Author: Best of the Left: Perspectives on Politics, Culture, and Economics March 16, 2026 Duration: 3:44:14

Air Date: 3/15/2026

Today we examine how a century of foreign intervention created incompatible national memories between the US and Iran and how Netanyahu exploited that history to maneuver Trump into a war he didn't understand, promising a quick decapitation strike while knowing full well it would become a months-long regional conflict, at minimum.

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TOP TAKES

KP 1: Understanding America's Complicated Relationship with Iran - Velshi - Air Date 3-1-26

KP 2: Can Israel & the U.S. Sustain Iran's Military Power? (with Alastair Crooke) - The Chris Hedges Report - Air Date 3-6-26

KP 3: Who Gets to Have Nuclear Weapons and Why? | Start Here - Al Jazeera English - Air Date 7-30-25

KP 4: Why the F#!@ Are We at War with Iran? with Reza Aslan - Factually! with Adam Conover - Air Date 3-6-26

KP 5: 100-Year History of US Meddling, Coups and Wars in the Middle East | Roy Casagranda - UNAPOLOGETIC with Ashfaaq Carim - Air Date 11-25-24


(00:46:57) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Bombs Don't Liberate: How War Destroys Iran's Real Democracy Movement


DEEPER DIVES

(00:56:48) SECTION A: BOMBS AWAY (AGAIN)

A1: Mehdi Slams Trump's Illegal Iran War - Zeteo - Air Date 3-5-26

A2: 'Iranians Want to Be Bombed'? Inside the Propaganda Campaign for War - BreakThrough News - Air Date 3-7-26

A3: John Mearsheimer: No Winning in Iran for the U.S. - Daniel Davis / Deep Dive - Air Date 3-8-26

A4: "Stop This Bloodshed": Israeli Lawmaker Ofer Cassif Slams Netanyahu's "Fascist Government" Over Iran - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-3-26


(01:21:15) SECTION B: JESUS WANTS A FIGHTER JET

B1: Whistleblowers Speak Out About Religious Extremism in Military Amid War on Iran - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-9-26

B2: Christian Nationalist Plan For War With Iran Is To Pray A Lot - Stop Christian Nationalism - Air Date 3-2-26

B3: The Myth of "Judeo-Christian Values" EXPOSED - The Kayse Melone Show - Air Date 1-25-26

B4: Fascist Christian Military Officers Say Iran War Is Armageddon - Stop Christian Nationalism - Air Date 3-3-26


(01:51:35) SECTION C: HOW WE GOT HERE

C1: The Iranian Revolution (1979) - The Conflict - Air Date 10-30-24

C2: The Iran-Iraq War, Mapped - Johnny Harris - Air Date 5-31-24

C3: How Iran and the US Went From Friends to Bitter Foes - BBC Africa - Air Date 2-28-26

C4: Before the Iran War: The Secret CIA Operation to Oust an Iranian Regime - American Experience | PBS - Air Date 12-1-22

C5: How Israel Was Created - AJ+ - Air Date 5-15-23

C6: Zionism: From an Idea to Genocide - TRT World - Air Date 10-8-25


(02:45:45) SECTION D: THE THREE-WAY COLD WAR

D1: An Endless War: Iran, Israel and the United States (1/2) [Reupload] - DW Documentary - Air Date 6-26-25

D2: The Middle Easts Cold War Explained - Vox - Air Date 7-17-17

D3: An Endless War: Iran, Israel and the United States (2/2) [Reupload] - DW Documentary - Air Date 6-26-25


(03:11:57) SECTION E: ISRAEL'S BORDERS? WHAT BORDERS?

E1: The Origins of 'Greater Israel' - Middle East Eye - Air Date 2-24-26

E2: Huckabee Endorses GREATER ISRAEL Triggering Diplomatic Crisis - Breaking Points - Air Date 2-23-26

E3: Why "Greater Israel" Is No Longer A Fantasy - AJ+ - Air Date 10-30-25

E4: How Mossad Kidnapped Israel's Nuclear Weapons Whistleblower | If You're Listening - ABC News In-depth - Air Date 7-25-25


SHOW IMAGE CREDITS

Description: Composite graphic image depicting an American flag blended with the Israel flag and cross-stamped bombs where the stars should be, with some falling downwards. The outline of Iran filled with its flag is in the center with a drop of black oil dripping down its side.

Credit: Internal composite design. | Elements from Pixabay

 

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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For over fifteen years, Best of the Left-Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy has served as a vital, human-curated digest of voices from across the progressive spectrum. Instead of presenting a single opinion, each episode is built around a specific theme-from economic inequality to climate policy to cultural shifts-and weaves together insightful commentary from a diverse array of journalists, activists, and thinkers. This approach allows you to efficiently grasp the nuances of complex issues by hearing multiple expert angles in one sitting, all while discovering new commentators and sources you might not have encountered otherwise. The result is a richly layered analysis that algorithms simply cannot replicate, offering depth and context often missing from the daily news cycle. Since 2006, this award-winning podcast has cut through the noise, drawing from hundreds of independent and established sources to provide a coherent, thoughtful examination of the forces shaping our society and governments. Tuning in means joining a long-running conversation dedicated to understanding and advancing democratic principles, social justice, and a more equitable economy, all through the focused lens of leftist thought.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
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