More Stress than Strategy: Episode 26

Alternate Shots returns with John Ellis and Richard Haass examining a geopolitical and domestic political landscape defined by drift. The crisis surrounding Iran and the Strait of Hormuz underscores a broader reality: deterrence is fraying, diplomacy is episodic, and the risk of miscalculation is rising. The United States faces narrowing options, caught between rising economic pressure, a lack of promising military options, and the absence of a coherent endgame. Beyond the Middle East, transatlantic relations continue to erode, as Europe questions both American reliability and judgment. At home, political fragmentation reflects a deeper institutional fatigue, raising doubts about the capacity of either party to address structural challenges, from technological disruption to economic insecurity. What emerges is a portrait of a system and a world under stress. Hosted by John Ellis and Richard HaassNews Items on SubstackHome and Away on SubstackProduced by Dale Eisinger