"Checkmate" is From a Persian Phrase Meaning "The King is Helpless"

"Checkmate" is From a Persian Phrase Meaning "The King is Helpless"

From Hawk Podcasts by Hawk

May 19, 2026 · 21 min · Episode 164

About this episode

The episode discusses Robert Kagan's views on the strategic defeat of the United States in Iran as articulated in his piece 'Checkmate in Iran'.

Robert Kagan, longtime neocon columnist for The Atlantic and the man Dick Cheney called for encouragement during the Iraq War, wrote a piece called "Checkmate in Iran" — and it lays out something most political commentators are afraid to say out loud. The United States has suffered a strategic defeat in Iran, one that cannot be repaired or reversed.

People in this episode

Host: Hawk

Topics covered

  • Iran
  • U.S. foreign policy
  • strategic defeat
  • neoconservatism
  • political commentary

Keywords

  • Robert Kagan
  • Iran
  • U.S. foreign policy
  • Dick Cheney
  • strategic defeat
  • neoconservatism

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Atlantic

Places: Iran, United States

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