Hundreds of thousands of lives are suddenly at great risk. As former national security advisor Susan Rice writes “Full-scale conflict is not a certainty, but the probability is higher than at any point in decades.” With us to discuss the historical context and likely effects of Trump’s impulsive assassination of Iran’s Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani is William Hartung, director of the Arms and Security Project at Center for International Policy. He talks of Trump’s “RT Barnum strategy.” And though the Saudis are fierce enemies of Iran, their interests are not helped at all by this brash move. On a hopeful note, this crisis presents a rare opportunity for democracy to reassert itself.