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Former General Gives Brutally Honest Iran War Assessment | Command Post

2026-03-18 News & Politics
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The Bulwark
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Description

In this Command Post edition of Bulwark Takes, Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) and Ben Parker break down how Trump’s snub of NATO allies is shaping the Iran conflict, and how even spectacular military success against the Iranian government and military won’t necessarily lead to victory. Have questions about the Iran war? Send them to [email protected] and we’ll try to answer them in the next episode! Read more from Mark's piece here: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/iran-gets-vote-in-this-war-thormuz-trump-hegseth-israel-strategy Buy Mark's book, "If I Don't Return: A Father's Wartime Journal": https://www.amazon.com/If-Dont-Return-Fathers-Wartime/dp/1966786727 Become a Bulwark Youtube Plus Member here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG4Hp1KbGw4e02N7FpPXDgQ/join

Top Comments (10)

@claytoncampbell7541 2026-03-18

Impossible to overstate how big a score General Hertling has been for the Bulwark (and America).

264 18 replies
@bobs4115 2026-03-18

NATO is a defensive alliance, not back-up buddies for ill-advised war they weren't even given a heads up on.

255 23 replies
@gecho194 2026-03-18

Allies rejecting Trump makes him appear weak, so he turns 180 (again) saying he doesn't need them in a pathetic face saving act.

222 20 replies
@ThirstyDragons 2026-03-18

You mean the guy who doesn't understand how mail-in voting works or batteries or percentages doesn't have a plan for war with Iran? 😮

200 17 replies
@joancramer7484 2026-03-18

General Hertling is a rock star. Thank you both.

117 5 replies
@benlatimer1425 2026-03-18

NATO is a mutual DEFENSE pact for when a member country is attacked. Why would NATO get involved in Iran?

78 6 replies
@mscoyote50 2026-03-18

National No Kings Protest on March 28th! Find one near you. We've never had real change without protests!

76 18 replies
@BewareOfDarknesss 2026-03-18

Why is Mike Johnson always sitting next to Trump? The job of Congress is to be separate from the executive branch and to prevent it from abusing its power.

70 3 replies
@stevereal- 2026-03-18

“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win” - Sun Tzu

58 3 replies
@jedkrantz7003 2026-03-18

Imagine Iran had mounted a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor and assassinated Roosevelt. That's what we did to them. Their reaction should be no surprise.

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