Judging Freedom Scot Ritter : Is Netanyahu Calling the Shots?
Feb 11, 2026
Scot Ritter, a former U.S. Marine intelligence officer turned foreign policy commentator. He discusses Russia's view of U.S. policy and Lavrov's messaging. He examines Israeli warnings to the U.S. about Iran, the risks of strikes, and how Russia and China could aid Iran. He also covers U.S. military limits, political costs for Trump, and Netanyahu's strategic constraints.
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U.S. Perceived As Unreliable Negotiator
- Russia sees the U.S. as an untrustworthy negotiating partner after perceived broken concessions during talks with Trump.
- Scott Ritter argues this undermines arms control and fuels Russian caution in diplomacy.
Arms-Control Backsliding Harms Credibility
- The U.S. has reversed arms-control steps like decommissioning nuclear delivery systems, eroding credibility.
- Ritter says these actions validate Russian skepticism and damage future arms agreements.
Shared Regime-Change Objective On Iran
- Trump and Netanyahu share a goal of regime change in Iran, aligning U.S. and Israeli policy aims.
- Ritter warns this shared aim raises risk of coordinated pressure toward military options.