Cato Podcast Peace President?
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Oct 16, 2025 Justin Logan, a defense policy analyst advocating for restraint, and Ian Vasquez, a global politics expert focused on Latin America, dive into Trump’s complicated claims of peacemaking amid military escalations in Ukraine and cartel airstrikes. They discuss whether U.S. involvement risks deeper entanglement in the Middle East and the implications of Trump’s pledges. The conversation shifts to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado's recent Nobel Prize win, exploring her role against Maduro’s regime and the impact of election fraud on democracy in Venezuela.
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Peace Lap Versus Escalation
- Trump claims credit as a peace broker for Gaza while simultaneously escalating US involvement elsewhere.
- The podcast frames this as a mixed record that complicates the notion of a "peace president."
Gaza Governance Problem Remains
- The Gaza plan resolves hostage releases but punts hardest issues like governance and Hamas's fate to the future.
- Justin Logan warns the core question—who will govern Gaza—remains unspecified and combustible.
Limit U.S. Commitments In Gaza
- Avoid deeper U.S. nation-building in Gaza by keeping roles limited and clearly defined.
- Justin Logan recommends skepticism about open-ended U.S. commitments and warns against vague civil-military constructs.
