US/Israel War with Iran: Neverending Objectives and No Clear End in Sight

The week Seena and Travis take a look at the Geneva Conventions– why they exist, who they’re supposed to protect, and what happens if they’re ignored (or not signed in the first place), in order to provide some context for Israel’s targeted killing of journalists. They question why Trump, our self-proclaimed anti-war president, is sending the military to DC and possibly Latin American. And in JD Vance Corner they provide a little levity alongside some artificially elevated water levels.

This week Seena and Travis take a look at Gaza and the stated Israeli strategy of occupation and “voluntary migration.” Seena remembers the Eggshell Plaintiff from his law school days and explains why a recent NYT correction about starving Palestinian children was misguided at best. We also look into the “Japan First” movement and the nationalist Sanseito party’s gains in recent Japanese elections. And while the world crumbles, we ask why the f*** is JD looking for UFOs?!

Seena’s back! He & Travis are joined in the studio by Marcus Parks to talk all the Epstein ugliness. How did this case instigate such intense right-wing theorizing? Will the MAGA-world love for Trump stretch all the way to pedophilia? They also take a look at the long history of US/Ukrainian relations - why is Ukraine so important? Did we keep our promises? How does Putin work his magic on all presidents and why might Trump’s recent heartbreak might be the one that breaks the spell. And, of course, we have JD Vance corner to celebrate a pretty good Trump on Vance troll. All JD haters welcome here!

This week, comedian and “liberal redneck” Trae Crowder joins the show to talk Trump, his appeal to Southern voters, and why certain chickens may be coming home to roost. Seena and Travis also ask him all about his most recent book, Round Here and Over Yonder, which covers his travels in the UK. Plus, JD Vance corner is back!

This week, Seena and Travis bring back Corey Brettschneider to discuss the recently completed Supreme Court term, focusing primarily on the birthright citizenship/universal injunction case and two cases dealing with religion in schools. Is the house really on fire? Ah, yep. Is there some serious beef between Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown Jackson? You bet. Are we in the midst of a self-coup? Quite possibly. What’s Seena’s breaking point? Listen and find out!

This week, Seena and Travis take a frightening look inside the mind of Bibi Netanyahu to try and figure out what his real goals are in Iran. Who is Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and why is he so cozy with Israel? Why would Israel choose to bomb areas in Iran with no nuclear facilities but high populations of ethnic minorities? Why the hell is Bibi nominating Trump for a Noble Peace prize?! We dig into all these questions and also get a little heated reading through some of the finer print in Trump’s new bill.

This week we dive deep into the Abraham Accords: what they are, why they matter, and how a former terrorist on the US most wanted list might just launch Syria to the big kids table in the Middle East. We also cover some confounding updates on Kilmar Abrego Garcia and Mahmoud Khalil, take a look into a terrifying new tactic of the Russians, and, as always, wonder how the hell JD Vance invariably finds a way to irritate us.

We have a big show for you all this week as Seena is joined by Jonathan Panikoff, the Director of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council, and Rachel Brandenburg, the Managing Director of the Israeli Policy Forum, to discuss the nature of the current ceasefire between Israel and Iran and where things are likely to go from here. Before that, Seena and Travis wonder what the hell words like “war” and “ceasefire” even mean anymore and watch as JD Vance gets a little too slippery with language.

Marcus Parks joins Seena and Travis this week to discuss the escalating war between Iran and Israel. They dig into the context for BiBi’s decision to launch a preventative strike and project forward to where this may lead. They also find hilarity in Trump’s poorly produced birthday parade along with the various ways he was humiliated during the G7 and watch a gleeful Tucker Carlson eviscerate Ted Cruz.

As an Iranian-American, Seena shares his emotional exhaustion and fear for what lies ahead. Seena answers questions posted to the TFR YouTube page. This episode features insightful interviews with experts like Ambassador Joseph Manso and writer, activists, and comedian Dean Obeidallah, providing a comprehensive analysis of the conflict.

*Note - this podcast was recorded before Israel’s attack on Iran This week Seena and Travis walk through the timeline of Trump’s decision to send the National Guard, and later the Marines, to Los Angeles, in response to localized protests against his immigration policies, a decision that knocks the US another step down the empire in decline ladder. Always a fun moment. They also discuss recent developments in Trump's Qatari plane fiasco, Israel’s decision to deport Greta Thunberg, and the implementation of Trump’s new travel ban. They close the show with a recent report that the TSA is developing VR technology that will allow it to virtually “feel” passengers being screened at airports, which is definitely not creepy at all.

This week Ukraine goes big and blasts open the door to a whole new type of warfare. Not generally something we'd celebrate but the Baba Yaga demands respect. Seena and Travis go deep and break down why this drone attack is a huge deal and what it will mean for Ukraine, Russia, and the rest of the world. They also talk Elon's beef with Trump's big, beautiful bill--did he send his latest texts from the bottom of a k-hole? According to sources, it's quite possible--and cover the latest in Gaza, plus the possibility for Iran Nuclear deal 2.0. And because we missed it last week we're offering up a robust JD Vance corner. Can't keep a bad guy down for long!

This week Seena welcomes Michael Albertus, professor at the University of Chicago and author of Land Power: Who Has It, Who Doesn't, and How That Determines the Fate of Societies to discuss how land ownership infiltrates society in surprising ways. They also dig into Trump's obsession with the South African “genocide,” how the US is falling behind, compared to other countries, in its planning for the effects of climate change, and why there’s still hope for greater land equity in the future.

This week we had to bring Marcus Parks back to help us wrap our brains around the unthinkable. Could Trump’s upsetting of the Middle East apple cart, reordering alliances, and embracing autocracies somehow be a good thing? We run through the litany of deals made since the start of his second term, consider our recent about-face on Syria and the Houthis, and listen to a Hamas official express his belief that US envoy Adam Boehler, whom he met with DIRECTLY, really listened this time. Basically, we add up all the ways we’re creating distance from Netanyahu and wonder what it all means for the Palestinians. We know there’s no method to the madness, but could there be a silver lining? Then, just for fun, we listen to Kristi Noem make a fool of herself.

The world just refuses to slow down, so TFR is back from Spring Break with a doozy of an episode. This week, Seena and Travis break down the “free” $400 million “palace in the sky” Trump seems intent on accepting from Qatar. It’s hard to believe anyone needs to do this, but we break down why this is a bad idea. We also take a look at the India/Pakistan ceasefire and why India isn’t too thrilled with US involvement. We discuss tariff updates, check in on our deteriorating relationship with Israel, and marvel at Trump’s stretching of the word refugee to include Afrikaners. And, as always, we have JD Vance corner. It’s a lot of episode guys so strap in!