Summary of "Jeffrey Sachs: The Inevitable War With Iran, and Biden’s Attempts to Sabotage Trump"
The Tucker Carlson Show, hosted by the Tucker Carlson Network, released an episode on December 16, 2024, featuring economist and public policy analyst Jeffrey Sachs. In this in-depth conversation, Sachs delves into the complexities of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, the looming threat of war with Iran, and critiques President Biden's administration's strategies, which Sachs argues have sabotaged former President Trump's efforts toward peace and stability.
1. U.S. Foreign Policy and the "Clean Break" Strategy
Timestamp: 00:00 – 05:34
Carlson opens the discussion by highlighting recent dramatic changes in Syria's government, prompting questions about Washington's role. Sachs responds by tracing the roots of U.S. intervention in the Middle East back to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's long-term strategy.
Jeffrey Sachs [00:20]: “... Netanyahu war to remake the Middle East. It's been a disaster. It continues to be a disaster. But as Netanyahu himself said after Assad left, we have remade the Middle East.”
Sachs explains the "Clean Break" strategy, initiated in 1996, aimed at severing ties with past Middle Eastern governance structures to establish a Greater Israel.
Jeffrey Sachs [02:58]: “Clean Break is we're going to make a clean break of the Middle East.”
He criticizes this approach as hubristic and disastrous, leading the U.S. into multiple conflicts under the guise of dismantling regimes that support Palestinian militant groups.
2. Operation Timber Sycamore and Covert Actions
Timestamp: 05:34 – 14:18
Sachs discusses Operation Timber Sycamore, a covert CIA initiative aimed at overthrowing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, initiated during the Obama administration.
Jeffrey Sachs [03:03]: “We're going to break with the past. We're not going to have land for peace... We're going to have Greater Israel.”
He underscores that such operations are part of a broader, long-term policy driven by the Israeli lobby, with minimal transparency or accountability to the American public.
Jeffrey Sachs [07:56]: “It was deemed to be [deemed a threat] by Netanyahu a threat to Israel because of a simple reason... their core aim is Greater Israel.”
3. The Cascade of Wars: Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Beyond
Timestamp: 14:18 – 19:00
Sachs outlines the pattern of U.S.-backed military interventions in the Middle East, referencing seven planned wars in five years as revealed to NATO's Wesley Clark.
Jeffrey Sachs [01:19]: “… seven wars in five years. Netanyahu came to the US in 19[xx], and gave a speech that said there's terrorism, but you don't fight the terrorists, you fight the governments that back the terrorists.”
He details how six of these seven wars have materialized, including in Lebanon, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Syria, each resulting in prolonged conflict and destabilization without achieving strategic peace goals.
Jeffrey Sachs [18:03]: “... seven countries, we've been at war in six of them now... This place is just going to be a battlefield for years to come.”
4. The Risk of War with Iran and Nuclear Annihilation
Timestamp: 19:00 – 26:04
A significant portion of the discussion centers on the impending threat of war with Iran. Sachs argues that the U.S. media and political establishment are pushing towards inevitable conflict without understanding the catastrophic consequences.
Jeffrey Sachs [19:00]: “... the MSM is pushing for US war with Iran, Netanyahu's pushing for war with Iran... But Obama launched two of these wars on the list of seven.”
He warns that engaging Iran militarily would not only escalate tensions with Iran but also entangle the U.S. in a broader nuclear confrontation involving Russia and China.
Jeffrey Sachs [113:31]: “A war with Iran will be World War Three... Iran is not alone, and it will not remain alone.”
5. The Media’s Complicity and Lack of Accountability
Timestamp: 26:04 – 39:02
Sachs critiques the mainstream media, particularly outlets like The New York Times, for perpetuating government and deep-state narratives without questioning the underlying motives or providing historical context.
Jeffrey Sachs [32:16]: “But we know historically that the New York Times has just followed the unnamed official sources... It has not asked any questions about any of these wars in recent memory.”
He emphasizes that this lack of scrutiny allows the continuation of military interventions without public awareness or debate.
6. Potential Policy Shifts Under the Trump Administration
Timestamp: 39:02 – 58:15
Looking ahead, Sachs is cautiously optimistic about the incoming Trump administration's potential to redirect U.S. foreign policy towards peace and away from relentless military engagements.
Jeffrey Sachs [58:15]: “... my biggest risk is continued US Provocations... But there is a chance that President Trump could change this.”
He advocates for appointing rational and peace-oriented individuals like Tulsi Gabbard to key intelligence positions to counteract the deep state's influence.
Jeffrey Sachs [83:42]: “She is incredibly intelligent, incredibly honest, incredibly committed to US Security and would do a superb job.”
Sachs also highlights the urgent need for declassifying information and pardoning whistleblowers to restore transparency and accountability in government actions.
Jeffrey Sachs [61:48]: “... might have changed so much... one of the keys would be massive declassification.”
7. The Looming Threat of Nuclear Catastrophe
Timestamp: 58:15 – 113:31
Sachs underscores the proximity to nuclear war, citing the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists' Doomsday Clock standing at 90 seconds to midnight.
Jeffrey Sachs [61:40]: “... Doomsday Clock... 90 seconds to midnight... closest to nuclear Armageddon since 1947.”
He argues that the current U.S. foreign policy trajectory, driven by the pursuit of global primacy, inherently increases the risk of nuclear conflict.
Jeffrey Sachs [116:13]: “We are 90 seconds to midnight... If we continue on that course, Trump will fail and the United States will be gravely endangered.”
8. Conclusion: A Call for Policy Overhaul and Peace
In the closing segments, Sachs presses for a fundamental re-evaluation of U.S. foreign policy, advocating for diplomacy over military intervention and stressing the need to dismantle the deep state's control over national security decisions.
Jeffrey Sachs [117:12]: “We need to change course for our own security... it's time for something different.”
He envisions a future where the U.S. steps back from aggressive interventions, prioritizes domestic stability, and re-establishes a peaceful and secure stance on the global stage.
Notable Quotes
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Jeffrey Sachs [00:20]: “... Netanyahu war to remake the Middle East. It's been a disaster. It continues to be a disaster.”
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Jeffrey Sachs [05:34]: “Culmination of that effort... seven wars in five years.”
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Jeffrey Sachs [19:00]: “The only one that hasn't happened is Iran... pushing for US war with Iran.”
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Jeffrey Sachs [32:16]: “The New York Times has just followed the unnamed official sources... It has not asked any questions about any of these wars.”
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Jeffrey Sachs [61:40]: “We are closer to nuclear war than we have ever been.”
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Jeffrey Sachs [83:42]: “She is incredibly intelligent, incredibly honest, incredibly committed to US Security and would do a superb job.”
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Jeffrey Sachs [116:13]: “We are 90 seconds to midnight... If we continue on that course, Trump will fail and the United States will be gravely endangered.”
Final Thoughts
In this episode, Jeffrey Sachs provides a critical lens on the intertwined nature of U.S. and Israeli foreign policies, the perpetuation of continuous conflict in the Middle East, and the existential threat posed by potential wars with Iran and China. He calls for significant policy shifts towards diplomacy, transparency, and accountability, positing that only through such changes can the United States avert a path toward nuclear catastrophe and restore genuine security for its citizens.