# A rescue mission behind enemy lines, f-bomb tweets and 'a whole civilisation will die'

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-general-the-journalist-7337304/a-rescue-mission-behind-enemy-lines-f-bomb-tweets-and-a-whole-civilisation-will-die
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-general-the-journalist-7337304/a-rescue-mission-behind-enemy-lines-f-bomb-tweets-and-a-whole-civilisation-will-die.md
Podcast: [The General & The Journalist](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-general-the-journalist-7337304)
Published: 2026-04-08T23:01:00+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/times-war/episodes/iran-rescue
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/6825a844b1b74cbbae73d5a8/e/69d6651a47ecb945c2346a6d/media.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-general-the-journalist-7337304/episodes/a-rescue-mission-behind-enemy-lines-f-bomb-tweets-and-a-whole-civilisation-will-die
Duration seconds: 2141

## Resource

Having first demanded that Iran 'open the fucking strait', President Trump followed up with a post vowing 'an entire civilisation will die tonight' if it did not do so.  But could any such order ever be legal, and would the American military even agree to carry it out? Patrick and Tom chew over these and other questions, including whether it's time for America's long-standing allies to bail on it, if bombing a country into submission ever works, and what the sacking of the head of the US army tells us about the state of the country's military and, perhaps, its constitution.  But first up, in a week which saw possibly the finest rescue mission ever carried out, John Nichols recalls his experience in the first Gulf War of being shot down over enemy territory, attempting to evade capture, and waiting for the infantry to arrive.  Hosts: General Sir Patrick Sanders and Tom Newton Dunn Guest: John Nichol Producer: Micaela Arneson Executive producer: Fiona Leach Image: Getty Get in touch: generalandjournalist@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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## Transcript

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