One Half of the Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show, New York Times bestselling author and former CIA officer Buck Sexton joins Lisa to break down the escalating conflict with Iran, the strategic realities behind “Operation Epic Fury,” and what regime change would actually require.
Drawing from his time in the CIA’s Iraq office after the WMD intelligence failure, Buck explains why wars in the Middle East are never simple—and why Iran presents unique challenges. Is there a viable ground partner inside Iran? Can air power alone force regime change? And how does jihadist ideology impact internal power struggles within the regime?
Buck also details the tactical intelligence successes under President Trump—from joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear program to high-level capture operations—and why he believes renewed American resolve has reshaped global deterrence.
Then the conversation shifts to his New York Times bestselling book, Manufacturing Delusion. Buck outlines how radical movements—whether jihadist, communist, or modern leftist—use psychological tactics like public confession, identity coercion, and collective pressure to enforce ideological conformity. How do these methods compare to Stalinist regimes? What role does social media play in amplifying modern-day mass delusion? And why are moral binaries of “oppressor vs. victim” so effective at mobilizing movements?
This episode covers:
The real strategic stakes of the Iran conflict
Lessons from Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan
Why regime durability often surprises policymakers
How radical ideologies build loyalty and suppress dissent
The dangers of mass delusion in the digital age
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