The "Take a Light Out of Crime" Edition

About this episode

The episode discusses the implications of the U.S. and Israel's air campaign against Iran and its impact on international relations, particularly regarding the Strait of Hormuz and NATO.

This week, Scott sat down with his Lawfare colleagues Benjamin Wittes, Natalie Orpett, and Ariane Tabatabai to talk through the week’s big news in national security, including: “Keeping It On the Strait and Narrow.” Three weeks into the U.S. and Israel’s air campaign against Iran, ship traffic through the critical Strait of Hormuz remains at a virtual stop, sending crude oil prices north of $100 a barrel. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said last week that vessels are safe to sail through the strait, but continued attacks on tankers suggest otherwise. Some neighboring Gulf states, among others, are growing antsy that U.S. strikes won’t go far enough in preventing attacks by Iran. What do we make of these developments, and how will it impact how other countries are navigating the broader conflict? “‘Nein’ to Five.” U.S. efforts to secure European support for efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz have fallen on deaf ears, with German officials describing it as “not our war” and far outside the obligations imposed by NATO’s Article 5 and other defense commitments. In response, President Trump said that he was “disappointed” in NATO and once again hinted that he might exit it…

People in this episode

Host: Scott

Guests: Benjamin Wittes, Natalie Orpett, Ariane Tabatabai

Topics covered

• national security
• U.S.-Israel relations
• Strait of Hormuz
• NATO obligations
• transatlantic relations
• Iran conflict

Keywords

• national security
• Iran
• Strait of Hormuz
• NATO
• transatlantic relations
• U.S. air campaign
• oil prices
• European support

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: U.S., Israel, NATO

Places: Germany, Strait of Hormuz, Iran, southern Iran

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