Steve Gottlieb

New article: “Before Calling It a War Crime” Words have meaning—especially legal ones. This piece examines how the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) actually evaluates allegations of war crimes and why facts and legal standards matter before emotionally charged conclusions are reached. Substack: open.substack.com/pub/stevegottl… SOFREP version: sofrep.com/news/before-ca… sofrep.com #LOAC #LawOfArmedConflict #WarCrimes #MilitaryAnalysis #CriticalThinking

Except the Iranians already stalled long enough that now it will legally be up to a vote by congress whether or not to keep going. The president had a 60 window to conduct operations without a final congressional approval. I think that time is about up. We will now see what congress does. The Iranians know there is a lot of opposition to whatever the president does. They are evil, not stupid.

@SteveGottlieb7 @tedcruz Hopefully , this is a pause to win the midterms , and then he will resume blowing them back to the seventh century after the election.

I am deeply concerned about what we are hearing about an Iran “deal,” being pushed by some voices in the administration. President Trump’s decision to strike Iran was the most consequential decision of his second term. He was right to do so, and we achieved extraordinary military results—including destroying all of their missiles & drones and sinking their entire navy. If the result of all that is to be an Iranian regime—still run by Islamists who chant “death to America”—now receiving billions of dollars, being able to enrich uranium & develop nuclear weapons, and having effective control over the Strait of Hormuz, then that outcome would be a disastrous mistake. The details are still coming out—and I pray the early reports are wrong—but the fact that Biden’s Rob Malley is praising the deal is not encouraging. President Trump believes in peace through strength, and his strong leadership has already made America much safer. He should continue to hold the line, defend America & enforce the red lines he has repeatedly drawn.

I deployed with Ed Gallrein in 1995. While I was not a SEAL, the man I remember was honest, hardworking, demanding, and serious about duty. I have seen no evidence supporting this accusation. If someone has actual proof—documents, recordings, direct quotes, or verified reporting—they should provide it. Otherwise, this looks like last-minute campaign rhetoric, and I will not help spread an unsupported attack on a man’s character.

Now up on SOFREP: How to evaluate claims of “illegal” military action using a simple, three-question framework. 👉 sofrep.com/news/evaluatin… #CriticalThinking #RuleOfLaw #NationalSecurity

Before you believe claims of “illegal” military action… Ask three simple questions: • What law? • What action? • What standard? A clear, nonpartisan framework anyone can use: 👉 open.substack.com/pub/stevegottl… #CriticalThinking #RuleOfLaw #NationalSecurity

China isn’t just watching the Iran conflict. It’s studying how the U.S. fights, decides, hesitates, and sustains war under pressure. That matters more than most people realize. My new piece @SOFREP: sofrep.com/news/china-isn… #China #Iran #NationalSecurity #Strategy

NATO remains a valuable alliance. The real question: is it aligned with today’s world—or still structured for the last one? New piece @SOFREP: sofrep.com/news/planning-… #NATO #NationalSecurity #Strategy #ForeignPolicy

We’re taught compromise is always a good thing. But what if compromise doesn’t change direction—only the speed? Then the outcome may already be decided. New piece: 👉 open.substack.com/pub/stevegottl… #PublicPolicy #CriticalThinking #Accountability

Everyone’s arguing politics. Very few are explaining the law. Calling it a “blockade” isn’t just rhetoric—it defines the legal framework for U.S. action in the Strait of Hormuz. Here’s what that actually means: sofrep.com/news/words-mat… Clarity starts with understanding the framework—not just reacting to the headline.

New on SOFREP: The claim: the U.S. is “doing Israel’s bidding.” The test: what happens when they disagree? The answer is in the historical record—from Suez to today. 👉 sofrep.com/news/the-myth-… #ForeignPolicy #Geopolitics #USIsrael #MiddleEast

I have a new article up on Substack. The claim: the U.S. is “doing Israel’s bidding.” The test: what happens when they disagree? The answer is in the historical record—from Suez to today. It doesn’t support the claim. 👉 The Myth of Control—and Why the History Doesn’t Support It #ForeignPolicy #Geopolitics #USIsrael #MiddleEast

The biggest mistake in the Iran debate? Treating it as a choice between diplomacy or force. It’s neither. It’s both—and more. New piece on why strategy fails when we reduce complex problems to simple choices: sofrep.com/news/the-false… #Iran #Strategy #ForeignPolicy #NatSec

How do you judge a decision when the disaster it prevented never happens? That’s the problem with preventive action—and why it’s so often misunderstood. My latest piece: open.substack.com/pub/stevegottl… #NationalSecurity #DecisionMaking #ForeignPolicy