The World and Everything In It 5.12.26 Iran’s confidence, congressional maps, mail-order Mifepristone, and Gen Z’s reluctance to drive
10 snips
May 12, 2026 
Cal Thomas, syndicated political commentator offering a reflective take on Ted Turner. Joe Truesman, Long War Journal analyst specializing in Iran, Hezbollah, and regional security. They discuss Iran projecting strength and its negotiation posture. They dig into proxy attacks, Hezbollah’s future, redrawn congressional maps, mail-order mifepristone legal fights, and why Gen Z delays getting behind the wheel.
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Iran Negotiates From Perceived Strength
- Iran is negotiating from a position it believes is strong because it survived the war and sees U.S. pressure like rising gas prices as leverage.
- Joe Truesman argues Tehran projects strength to preserve survival and wants to shift the standoff so the U.S. is the one who blinks first.
Proxy Attacks Could Collapse The Ceasefire
- The next escalation likely looks like increased attacks on regional Arab states and missile strikes on Israel, which would kill the ceasefire.
- Truesman warns drone attacks on the UAE and similar proxy actions make full conflict in days or weeks likely.
Hezbollah Is Iran’s Strategic Priority
- Iran prioritizes preserving Hezbollah as its top regional proxy and seeks a ceasefire to let Hezbollah regroup.
- Despite Israeli strikes degrading infrastructure, Hezbollah still retains the ability to fight and could prolong conflict for months.