Has the US lost the Iran war?

The Current by The Brookings Institution

May 21, 202623:19News & Politics

Brookings Senior Fellow Robert Kagan writes in The Atlantic that U.S. defeat in Iran war "is not only possible but likely." In this episode of The Brookings Current, Kagan is joined by Melanie Sisson and Michael O'Hanlon...

Related Episodes

Continue listening to more episodes from The Current.

USMCA fails to renew—but it's not over yet

Jul 17, 2026 - 22:41

On July 1, the U.S. government declined to renew the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)—but that's not...

A fractured front? Inside the Ankara NATO summit

Jul 10, 2026 - 24:27

At the NATO summit in Ankara, wary European leaders sought an equilibrium with the United States. Against...

Will the Strait of Hormuz reopen after the US-Iran deal?

Jun 25, 2026 - 23:21

After the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding to end the war, Aslı Aydıntaşbaş sp...

Understanding Pope Leo's AI encyclical

Jun 4, 2026 - 22:39

Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical is a 42,000-word Vatican treatise that elevates "the protection of the hu...

2 members of Congress on improving American education

May 27, 2026 - 26:00

On this episode of The Brookings Current , Brookings Senior Fellow Rashawn Ray sits down with two former...

The Iran war is making energy more expensive for everyone

May 13, 2026 - 21:15

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has brought the largest energy disruption the world has seen in decad...

How executive orders are reshaping Black America

May 5, 2026 - 25:30

The Trump administration has used executive orders to expand immigration enforcement, overhaul elections,...

Will the Iran ceasefire hold?

Apr 23, 2026 - 25:33

With an indefinite ceasefire in place and continued attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, the war in Iran has...