coming up on this episode of The Roundtable.

We want a prosperous, peaceful Middle East, and that will help actually, obviously,

the countries and the nations there, but it'll also help the U.S.

Because I think overall, we want to extricate ourselves from just our footprint there

that has been so large.

Over the past 20-plus years, we spent so much blood and treasure, I think, over a trillion

dollars at least between Iraq and Afghanistan, soldiers, obviously killed in action,

limbs lost, that kind of thing, too. So, I mean, these are serious things. And the U.S. has done,

you know, we've sacrificed a lot. And I think what is happening now is,

you know, we have to shift. I think we have to shift toward China to what they're doing,

especially with Russia, kind of building a new block in Eastern Europe. And we really have to focus on

what's happening there. And I think the Iran thing comes back in. If there's some new kind

of access between,

say, Iran, China, and Russia, that is not going to be good. And that's not going to benefit the

United States at all. So I think Trump may be preemptorly trying to make sure that that doesn't

happen. The

The Welcome everyone once again to the Roundtable, the publishers anders and Editors Podcast here at the American Mind at the Claremont Institute.

I am your host, Ryan Williams, president of the Claremont Institute and publisher of the American Mind and the Claremont Review Books.

And I am joined by managing editor Mike Sabo and Spencer Claven, striding colossus of all

publications ever known to man that are good.

Katari jet plane editor, you make of mind.

Middle Eastern Viceroy editor, Spencer Clavin.

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