Topic: Nuclear Drones

Senator Marco Rubio released a scripted explanation regarding the necessity of attacking Iran to prevent the completion of a "conventional shield." He argued that Iran was using a massive buildup of drones and missiles to protect its underground nuclear facilities from future intervention. Rubio asserted that a regime led by radical clerics with an "apocalyptic vision" cannot be allowed to possess nuclear weapons.

During a nuclear summit, President Obama acknowledged that the "legal architecture" around drone strikes was not always precise and admitted that civilians have been killed. The hosts note this as a rare direct admission of the consequences of U.S. drone policy.

During a casual speech to South Asian students, President Obama claimed that under his leadership, the United States has become the "most respected country on earth." He cited the normalization of relations with Cuba, the Iran nuclear deal, and the end of two wars as key achievements. Critics contrast these claims with the ongoing use of drone strikes in regions like Waziristan and the perception of U.S. interventionism abroad.

Reports from The Guardian and Wired suggest the U.S. is researching nuclear-powered drones capable of staying airborne for months. The discussion compares these conceptual designs to the hydrogen-powered Boeing Phantom Eye and the MQ-9 Reaper. The hosts speculate on the safety and weight of small nuclear reactors for aviation and residential use.

Reports from the IAEA suggest that Iran may have used tungsten as a surrogate material for testing nuclear weapon designs, as tungsten mimics the density of uranium. Skeptics point out that tungsten is also used to create fraudulent gold-plated bars, a recurring theme in financial news. Concurrently, there are reports of U.S. drone sales to the country of Georgia, which could serve as a staging ground for future strikes against Iranian infrastructure.