Joe Kent Does Not Understand the Middle East
Being a global hegemon requires an understanding of what "putting America first" means. Which requires understanding of what keeps the dollar at the center of the world.
There is a kernel of truth in Joe Kent’s rhetoric regarding Israel.
He is correct in stating that the United States is the senior partner in the relationship. Israel is undoubtedly the junior partner, relying heavily on American technology and diplomatic shielding.
But Kent represents a dangerous breed of critic. Unlike Tucker Carlson or Candace Owens who lead with visceral Judeophobia and backtrack into policy, Kent leads with a mask of "professionalism" and "America-First" pragmatism. This is his entry ticket, yet it hides a double failure of intellect.
First, Kent fails to grasp what it means to be a global hegemon. If he did, he would understand that an Iran capable of dictating terms or holding uranium is a direct threat to the American world order.
He also fails to understand the Arab and Muslim world, and more importantly, he ignores the massive dividends America reaps from a high-functioning partner like Israel.
The real story, often obscured by the podcast medium, is the cold reality of global interests. The U.S. interest is the control and stability of global oil flow to ensure it continues to be traded in dollars, the "Petrodollar."
This necessitates a significant military footprint in the Middle East. Israel’s interest is to encourage this presence, knowing that safeguarding American assets is synonymous with regional stability.
Both nations agree that a nuclear Iran is a non-starter; for Israel, it is existential, but for America, it is a matter of global status and national security.
If Kent cannot see that an Iranian nuclear umbrella would collapse American hegemony, he is not a "realist", he is simply out of his depth.