Day: June 15, 2026

Iran Will Sign a Deal on Friday as the Winner, But Will the War Be Over?

We begin with what we know so far about the deal that Trump, Vance and Qalibaf signed electronically which will be officially concluded in Geneva on Friday as an MOU leading to an eventual peace deal which seems likely to happen because Iran is clearly the winner, but given the volatility in the region, it may not last. Joining us is Juan Cole, a professor of Modern Middle Eastern and South Asian History at the University of Michigan. He is also the author of the blog Informed Comment at JuanCole.com and the author of Engaging the Muslim World, Muhammad: Prophet of Peace Amid the Clash of Empires and most recently, Gaza Yet Stands. We will discuss his article at Informed Comment, “US-Iran MOU is a Mere Agreement to Keep Talking.”

As Texas Republicans Target Talarico’s Masculinity, the White House Puts on a Display of Toxic Masculinity and Cheesy Patriotism

Then following last night’s blood-letting at the White House in a display of toxic masculinity and cheezy patriotism we look into how Republicans in Texas are attacking James Talarico’s masculinity with him countering, “A man takes responsibility. A man upholds his commitments to his family and his neighbors. A man does what’s right, even when no one is watching. Real men serve others, weak men serve themselves.” Joining us is Jeremi Suri, who holds the Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, where he is a professor of history and public affairs. He is the co-host of the podcast “This is Democracy” and the author and editor of a number of books including The Impossible Presidency: The Rise and Fall of America’s Highest Office, and most recently, Civil War by Other Means: America’s Long and Unfinished Fight for Democracy.

Is the World’s First Trilllionaire Elon Musk a “Human Ponzi Scheme”?  

Then finally we will assess how much the world’s first trillionaire Elon Musk is a “Human Ponzi Scheme” as Nobel economist Paul Krugman charges and speak with Quinn Slobodian, a Professor of International History at Boston University where he teaches histories of modern Europe, international history, social movements and the intellectual history of neoliberalism. He is the author of Globalists: The End of Empire and the Birth of Neoliberalism, Crack-Up Capitalism: Market Radicals and the Dream of a World Without Democracy, and Hayek’s Bastards: Race, Gold, IQ and the Capitalism of the Far Right. His latest book co-authored with Ben Tarnoff is, Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed and he has an article New York Review of Books, “Damming the Big Ocean”