Scott Ritter: Israel’s War on Iran Is a Geopolitical Disaster in the Making // Judge Napolitano

In a blistering June 16th interview on Judging Freedom, former U.N. weapons inspector and Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter didn’t pull any punches. What unfolded was a scathing indictment of U.S. complicity in Israel’s war on Iran, a dismantling of the narrative that this was a defensive operation, and a dire warning about where this trajectory could lead—not just for Israel or Iran, but for the world.

“A Pearl Harbor Event” — And Washington Helped Set It Up

Ritter likened Israel’s sudden strike on Iran to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor—a sneak offensive against a nation actively pursuing peace. In his account, Iran was ready to sign a comprehensive nuclear agreement. Their chief negotiator, Ali Shamkhani, was prepared to cap enrichment levels, allow unprecedented inspections, and guarantee Iran wouldn’t pursue nuclear weapons.

But instead of shaking hands, the U.S.—under Trump’s administration—allowed, if not orchestrated, Israel’s opening salvo. Shamkhani and the entire negotiating team were killed. In Ritter’s words: “Trump killed the damn Iranian negotiating team.”

This wasn’t diplomacy. This was deception, weaponized.

Israel’s Air Defense Is Crumbling

Despite being buttressed by U.S. technology and billions in aid, Israel’s defenses are faltering. Ritter reported that Iran’s barrage of ballistic missiles overwhelmed the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and even the U.S.-deployed THAAD and Aegis systems. Key infrastructure targets—Haifa’s port, Ben Gurion Airport, and energy plants—are “gone,” according to Ritter.

Israel’s air force has reportedly fled to British bases in Cyprus. “They can’t survive on their own airfields,” he said. The U.S. arsenal is also depleting rapidly. Missiles intended for China deterrence are being burned in Israel’s defense, leaving gaps in Indo-Pacific readiness.

A Manufactured Nuclear Narrative

Israel and its allies, Ritter insists, know full well that Iran does not possess an active nuclear weapons program. Yet, they’ve engineered a narrative to justify preemptive strikes. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) comes under particular fire. Ritter claims IAEA inspectors passed intelligence to the U.S. and Israel, which was used for targeting. Iran has since expelled IAEA personnel, accusing them of espionage.

Grossi—the head of the IAEA—was quick to warn the world about risks in Ukraine when Zaporizhzhia was attacked. Yet now, after multiple Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites with reported radioactive leaks, he is silent. This silence, Ritter argues, proves the IAEA was “part of the setup.”

America’s Trap: No Exit Without Escalation

Ritter fears the U.S. is now caught in a death spiral. Israel cannot win this war alone. If the U.S. escalates and commits aircraft carriers, B-2 bombers, or bunker-busting munitions, it still won’t be enough. “The fear-of-those bunkers in Iran are at least 80-90 meters underground,” he explained. Even the U.S.’s largest conventional bombs only reach 50-60 meters.

So what’s next? Ritter believes Trump and his advisors are steering toward nuclear deployment. “We’re looking at the B61-12 nuclear bunker-buster… that will just unleash hell on the rest of the world.”

Russia, Ritter warned, has already communicated through backchannels: if the U.S. uses a nuclear weapon in Iran, they will retaliate—with strikes on Europe. “That’s a guaranteed outcome,” he warned.

Iran’s Military Reserves Still Unleashed

So far, only the IRGC has fired back. The regular Iranian military—larger and better armed—hasn’t even entered the conflict. If the U.S. enters directly, Ritter predicts Iran will begin targeting American bases in Iraq, Syria, and Jordan, as well as naval assets. And they have the range and precision to do it.

He also highlighted a disturbing reality: much of Israel’s firepower is being fed by depleted U.S. reserves. America is, in effect, going broke militarily for a war it cannot win—and may not survive diplomatically.

The Collapse of American Credibility

Beyond the battlefield, Ritter’s condemnation turned inward. He labeled Trump a “moral coward,” a man manipulated by neoconservatives and hawks like Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth. Trump may have run as a “president of peace,” but Ritter says he delivered war—and irreparable damage to U.S. credibility.

“Who the hell is going to trust Donald Trump anymore?” Ritter asked. “He’s a disgrace—not just as a leader but as a human being.”

What’s the Way Out?

Ritter believes Iran, through force, has earned leverage to make demands: chiefly, that Israel’s undeclared nuclear weapons program finally be brought under international scrutiny. He suggests Israel must become a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and the IAEA must be reformed or disbanded.

Most critically, Ritter insists, the war ends when the genocide in Gaza ends. Otherwise, we are careening toward a global conflict that could be triggered by one more bad decision—or one more bomb too deep.

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