Topic: Tower 22

The U.S. deployment of B-1 bombers from the mainland to the Middle East is criticized for its high operational cost of $173,000 per hour. Questions are raised regarding the official account of the Tower 22 attack, specifically how an Iranian drone could be mistaken for a returning U.S. drone. The hosts express skepticism about the failure of Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) transponder systems during the incident.

Media reports from Peter Alexander and Nancy Cordis detail the "dignified transfer" of Sergeants William Rivers, Kennedy Sanders, and Brianna Moffitt. The official explanation for the Tower 22 tragedy—that air defenses were offline to allow a U.S. drone to land—is met with heavy skepticism by the hosts. They also note the "Rocky-level" rhetoric coming from Iran's president regarding potential bullying by "cruel forces."

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held his first press conference since his hospitalization, addressing the drone attack on Tower 22 in Jordan that killed three U.S. service members. Austin attributed the attack to radical militias backed by Iran and vowed a multi-tiered response. The hosts analyze the continuation of Operation Inherent Resolve and the rhetoric used to justify potential military escalation in Syria and Iraq.

The "3x3" segment compares coverage from ABC, CBS, and NBC regarding President Biden's planned response to the deadly drone attack in Jordan. All three networks report that Biden has "made up his mind" on a multi-day bombing campaign targeting Iranian-backed groups in Syria and Iraq. The analysis highlights the uniform messaging across major networks and the technical details of the drone's evasion of base defenses.

The hosts discuss the broader geopolitical strategy in the Middle East, suggesting that the U.S. military uses Israel as a proxy to engage regional adversaries like Hezbollah. They argue that the persistent conflict serves the interests of the military-industrial complex by ensuring continuous spending on weaponry. The segment questions the "Inherent Resolve" mission's longevity and its true objectives.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reports on the Tower 22 attack, noting the mission's focus on countering ISIS. Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper is quoted suggesting that the U.S. should target Iranian intelligence leaders outside of Iran. The report also includes Iran's denial of direct involvement in the strike.