Iran Gets BOLDER as U.S. Forces Pull Back | Mike Drop Newsroom

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 08 OCTOBER 2026The New York Times says the Iran war was supposed to show off American power and has done the opposite. B-1 bombers are pulled out of Britain, bases across the Gulf are closed, and carriers are being resupplied from 2,200 miles away. Former Navy SEAL Mike Ritland, who served in Iraq, breaks down why seven months of war have left Iran's regime replaced but not weakened, and what he thinks winning should actually look like.Mike's take: decades of U.S. bases and troops in the Middle East haven't made the region more stable. Look at Iraq and Afghanistan. Reaching the stated goals in Iran would take a World War II-style invasion and occupation. His answer is to bring every U.S. troop home, close the bases, and force Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and the rest of the region to deal with Iran themselves. He also asks the question few pundits raise: if Iran is that determined to get a nuclear weapon, why haven't Russia or China handed it one?Also in this episode: the FBI stops a planned attack on the Mall of America, a Colorado police sergeant on how traffickers target vulnerable kids, and a tropical storm heading for the Gulf Coast.Do you agree with Mike, or should the U.S. stay? If you say stay, tell us what winning looks like to you. Comment below. Mike reads them.Timestamps0:00 U.S. forces pull back as Iran's oil keeps flowing0:25 Seven months in: is it working?1:15 Iran's leaders taken out, but the regime didn't change1:45 B-1 bombers pulled from Britain2:20 What does winning look like?2:30 Decades of U.S. bases in the Middle East3:20 Iraq, WMDs and what Mike saw on the ground3:45 Who a nuclear Iran really threatens4:45 Afghanistan and Iraq: better off?6:00 Mike's answer: bring every troop home7:30 Make the region step up8:10 Why haven't Russia or China given Iran a nuke?9:30 Are the lives lost worth it?10:10 What real victory would take11:45 FBI stops a Mall of America attack13:55 How traffickers target kids15:00 Tropical storm heads for the Gulf15:25 Wrap-upFormer Navy SEAL Mike Ritland reads the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times so you don't have to. No cable news spin, no recycled talking points, just the actual front pages and a straight take on what they mean for you.On Mike Drop Newsroom, Mike picks the day's biggest headlines, compares how two of the country's largest papers cover them, and says what he thinks. That covers everything from AI and national security to the economy, foreign policy and the stories cable TV skips. He's not here to push a party line. As Mike puts it, if you want to put a label on him, he's an American who wants to see America succeed.Every episode ends with a question for you. Tell us where you land in the comments, because Mike reads them and your answers shape what we cover next. Subscribe so you don't miss a morning.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy