The Long Game with Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer Debating the War in Iran and U.S. Strategy (w/H.R. McMaster and Matt Pottinger)
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Apr 22, 2026 
Matt Pottinger, former deputy national security advisor and China specialist. H.R. McMaster, retired lieutenant general and military scholar. They debate the decision to go to war with Iran, Iran’s nuclear trajectory, risks in the Strait of Hormuz, prospects for negotiated pauses versus lasting peace, and how competition with China shapes U.S. strategy and force posture.
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Frame Problems First Then Offer Differentiated Options
- Frame problems before proposing solutions so options align with clear goals, assumptions, obstacles, and opportunities.
- McMaster insisted on a five-page framing memo then options differentiated by resource level, risk, and effectiveness.
Regime Change As The Fundamental Iran Assumption
- The Trump-era framing held there will be no enduring peace with Iran absent regime change.
- H.R. McMaster argued preventing Iran projecting power requires sustaining pressure until the regime's nature changes.
Diplomacy Alone Won't Eliminate Iran's Nuclear Option
- McMaster and Pottinger see Iran's nuclear program as a long-term effort to obtain an arsenal or at least an option for one.
- They view diplomacy alone (e.g., JCPOA) as delay rather than permanent prevention.
