Given that we spent over a trillion dollars in Iraq and maybe more in Afghanistan, and Joe Biden left $50 billion in equipment in the latter, the idea that you would spend less than $30 billion and have a chance to overthrow the worst government in the world—one that’s caused most of the problems we’ve had in the Middle East—is a bargain, if it works, and I think it will, argues Victor Davis Hanson on today’s edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” ALSO: Victor Davis Hanson and host Sami Winc preview Donald Trump’s trip to China, arguing the U.S. holds leverage through trade, energy, and military advantages while China seeks concessions tied to Taiwan. They weigh the Iran conflict, calling the reported $29 billion cost a “bargain” if it topples the regime, and describe regional allies’ limited military commitment and the risks of prolonged negotiations. Hanson rejects a New York Times op-ed claim that Israelis used “dog rape” against Palestinian prisoners as implausible and sourced from anti-Israel channels, contrasting it with documented Hamas atrocities. They criticize Pope Leo XIV for honoring Iran’s Vatican ambassador, cover JD Vance’s task force uncovering major healthcare fraud and also review Rand Paul’s COVID-origin investigation implicating U.S. funding routes to Wuhan.
