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    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    Military escalation… without diplomacy

    President Trump wants the Pentagon to "fight to win," and battlefield commanders now make decisions that used to come from the Obama White House. There's been increased action in Yemen, Syria and Iraq, and a dramatic rise in civilian casualties — providing fodder for Islamic State propaganda.

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    By Warren Olney • Apr 3, 2017 • 1 min read

    President Trump wants the Pentagon to "fight to win," and battlefield commanders now make decisions that used to come from the Obama White House. There's been increased action in Yemen, Syria and Iraq, and a dramatic rise in civilian casualties — providing fodder for Islamic State propaganda. What's missing is diplomacy and political planning for what to do when the wars are over. But even Trump's critics say Obama didn't have any "endgames" either. We hear about America's increased involvement in murky wars where victory might be possible… but not sustainable.

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    The US gets deeper into Middle East wars. What's the endgame?
    1. 1:22Explosion on St. Petersburg subway kills estimated 10 people
    2. 7:58Military escalation… without diplomacyYou’re reading this
    3. 41:17Gorusch confirmation: Filibusters and the 'nuclear option'
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Yael Even Or

      Producer, 'Press Play'

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Luke Vander Ploeg

      Producer, 'To the Point'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Christine Detz

      Producer, 'To the Point'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Ben Hubbard

      New York Times

    • KCRW placeholder

      Peter Mansoor

      retired U.S. Army colonel, professor of military history at The Ohio State University

    • KCRW placeholder

      Richard Schmierer

      Middle East Policy Council

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    The US gets deeper into Middle East wars. What's the endgame?
    1. 1:22Explosion on St. Petersburg subway kills estimated 10 people
    2. 7:58Military escalation… without diplomacyYou’re reading this
    3. 41:17Gorusch confirmation: Filibusters and the 'nuclear option'
    Back to To the Point