Topic: Kimberly Kagan

Senator John McCain's calls for a new national security team to address the ISIS (ISIL) threat in Iraq are analyzed, specifically his promotion of the Kagan family and the Institute for the Study of War. The discussion highlights the deep ties between the Kagans and the neoconservative movement, noting that Robert Kagan's wife, Victoria Nuland, serves in the State Department. McCain's assertion that the previous strategy "won the war" is met with skepticism.

The hosts introduce Kimberly Kagan, head of the Institute for the Study of War, and her family's deep ties to neoclassical foreign policy. They discuss her background working with General McChrystal and her role in developing military strategy. The segment frames her organization as a key player in shaping the ongoing "rubbleization" of the Middle East.