Alle afleveringen
357 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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China’s War on Faith and Trump’s Trip to Beijing, with Governor Sam Brownback
14 mei 2026 · 49 min
Sam Brownback, former Kansas senator and governor, co-chair of the International Religious Freedom Summit, and author of China’s War on Faith, joins School of War to discuss the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of religious minorities and how its domestic oppression shapes America’s broader strategic posture toward China. How is Beijing using the digital revolution as a tool of political control? Should freedom of religion be treated as a central front in the U.S.-China rivalry? With President Trump currently in China for a summit with President Xi Jinping, the world is watching a clash that extends beyond economics and military power into a conflict over faith, freedom, and the moral future of humanity. Lees meer
Times:
03:25 - Trump’s China summit
05:25 - Clash of civilizations
06:18 - History of Christianity in China
08:41 - Governor’s transformative past
11:07- Systems of communism
15:53 - Chinese surveillance technology
17:22 - Peter Xu history
19:40 - Dangers of the CCP
20:53 - Treatment of religious minorities
26:12 - Technologies for oppression
29:00 - Trump’s handling of disentanglement
32:25 - American religious freedom
35:20 - The Falun Gong
37:46 - Confrontation vs. accommodation
42:59 - Story of Wang Chun Yan
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Trump Heads to China: Who Has the Upper Hand? With Dan Blumenthal
12 mei 2026 · 38 min
Dan Blumenthal, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, joins the show to discuss the president’s upcoming summit in Beijing with President Xi Jinping. What are President Trump’s goals? How will war with Iran affect the meeting? And what do these discussions mean for the future of conflict in the Indo-Pacific? Lees meer
02:12 Trump’s summit with Xi Jinping
03:38 Trump’s goals at summit
04:48 China’s leverage over Iran
05:57 China’s principal interest in the Middle East
08:14 U.S. sanctions on Iran and China
10:22 China’s diversified energy imports
13:05 American-Chinese competition
15:34 Defense industrial base issues
16:03 AI factor
16:34 China’s industrial leverage
19:05 Economic showdown
24:43 The Taiwan issue
26:22 Global conflict lessons for Taiwan
28:46 Division of Taiwanese politics
31:46 Stakes for the future
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America’s Coming Population Crash—and China’s, with Nicholas Eberstadt
8 mei 2026 · 55 min
Nicholas Eberstadt, the Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute, joins School of War to discuss global population decline. What does a shrinking and aging population mean for the United States? What does it mean for China, whose demographic crisis may be even more severe? How could population decline reshape economic growth, military power, and geopolitical competition? And what happens to the international order when the world stops growing? Lees meer
03:02 Population decline in America
006:15 Deaths exceeding births in the US
07:31 Global birth crash
14:49 Grounds for optimism
17:12 Small family trend
18:17 GDP relationship with population size
19:23 Individual prosperity vs. National strength
21:24 Rise in human life expectancy
24:36 Ben Carson’s prediction
27:11 Ukraine’s military revolution
30:47 American bad habits
33:48 AI and the labor market
37:25 Chinese depopulation crisis
48:50 What would a world war look like today?
51:48 US Alliance relationships
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Is Trump Forcing the Strait of Hormuz Open? With Rich Goldberg and Garrett Exner
4 mei 2026 · 44 min
Rich Goldberg, senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and Garrett Exner, adjunct fellow at Hudson Institute, return to School of War to discuss the complicated news out of the Strait of Hormuz. What is President Donald Trump’s new plan, “Project Freedom”? Does it put the ceasefire at risk? What’s really happening in this critical waterway? Lees meer
Times:
02:31 - President’s statement
04:00 - Understanding Project Freedom
07:15 - Attacks against tankers
09:53 - Central Command statement
12:15 - Ceasefire breakdown
16:25 - Coordination cell or escort
18:00 - Trump buying time
20:40 - US Navy escort option
23:06 - Missile defense
24:45 - Economic impacts
27:01 - Iran under pressure
31:50 - Live news US vessel transit
34:15 - Human factor of outbound transit
37:30 - American gas production
39:28 - Predictions in America’s favor
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NORAD and Protecting America From Nuclear Attack, With Lance Blythe
1 mei 2026 · 53 min
Lance R. Blyth, command historian of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), joins School of War to discuss the evolution of North America’s air defense. How has NORAD adapted to shifting threats over the decades? Are today’s threats manageable? Are we in a new Cold War? And what can the command, with operations deep inside a Colorado mountain, teach us about defending the continent in an era of renewed great-power competition? Lees meer
Times:
02:04 History of NORAD
07:02 Threats of the 1950s
13:50 Sensors, effectors, and connectors
15:15 Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE)
19:45 SABRE travel system
21:14 Aerospace missile warning systems
22:07 Cheyenne Mountain Complex
24:13 NORAD in films
27:56 False missile launches
31:31 Adapting to new threats
34:23 New joint surveillance system
35:19 Importance of Canada
36:21 September 11
40:21 Operation Noble Eagle
43:00 Today’s threats
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The Attempt on Trump’s Life and Political Violence in America, with Douglas Murray
28 april 2026 · 59 min
Douglas Murray, journalist and author of On Democracies and Death Cults, joins School of War to discuss the assassination attempt that we both witnessed in person at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday. Was there a lapse in appropriate security? Is political violence being normalized? Can it be contained? Lees meer
Times:
02:44 - White House Correspondents Dinner
04:38 - Shots fired
06:51 - Security at the dinner
09:58 - Bobby Kennedy and Erika Kirk
16:25 - Secret Service valor
17:25 - Israeli security style
19:42 - Trump’s ballroom
21:35 - The shooter’s manifesto
27:26 - Past American political violence
29:13 - Assassinations can change history
31:09 - Hitler comparison
34:47 - Civic hygiene
36:49 - Justifying violence on NYT podcast
40:22 - Echoes of the Russian Revolution
47:05 - Failure of the education system
54:23 - The melding of the president and mediaFollow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod, and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast
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How the British Army Learned to Win, with Huw Davies
24 april 2026 · 55 min
Huw Davies, an associate dean and professor of British military history at King’s College London and author of several books, including The Wandering Army, joins School of War to discuss what the 18th-century British Army can teach us about modern warfare. How does battlefield failure drive military innovation? How did institutions of the past respond to change? And in an era of drones, autonomy, and AI, have we learned from the past, or are we destined to repeat it? Lees meer
Times:
02:40 18th century military enlightenment
06:30 War of the Austrian Succession
12:43 The British officer class
18:39 Tension between ancients and moderns
20:20 Discovering Sir Henry Clinton’s notebook
20:48 False caricature of the British Army
27:02 Challenges of North American warfare
29:32 Battle of the Monongahela
35:09 Importance of light infantry
38:17 Rifle evolution
39:00 Why armies resist change
43:40 Lessons for today
46:42 Human behavior in war
47:10 Learning curve of war technologies
49:11 Is Ukrainian drone warfare a turning point?
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Has America Fought Well in the Iran War? With Mick Ryan
21 april 2026 · 39 min
Major General Mick Ryan, Australian Army (retired), Senior Fellow for Military Studies at the Lowy Institute, adjunct fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and author of the Futura Doctrina Substack joins the show to dissect the current state of the war in Iran. Is this conflict entering a postmortem phase, or are we still in the middle of it? How has America performed so far? How does this war connect to the Pacific theater? Are we adapting for a broader global conflict, and are our adversaries adapting as well? Lees meer
Times:
002:20 Iran war impact on Australia
05:06 American performance in this war
06:22 Israeli partnership over NATO
08:21 Strait of Hormuz closure
13:07 Is the US prepared for a long-term war?
15:50 Importance of AI
18:17 Israeli performance
18:55 Iran frustrating US objectives
19:26 Lessons for Taiwan
20:31 Does political decapitation work?
22:41 How is the Axis learning from this conflict
25:44 China’s interest in the Middle East
29:04 Grim predictions of the road ahead
30:40 Iranian hardliners
31:16 Importance of getting the strait open
34:29 Pilot rescue mission
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The Future of Warfighting Technology Is Now with Aviv Shapira
17 april 2026 · 54 min
Aviv Shapira, the co-founder and CEO of XTEND, joins the show to discuss his journey from competitive drone racing to building groundbreaking defense technology. How are drone swarms changing warfare? What are the ethical implications of AI weaponry? What happens if this technology falls into the wrong hands? And what comes next? Lees meer
01:58 Aviv’s background04:46 Replay technologies08:28 VR Messi08:58 Xtend description09:55 Drone racing12:56 Headset importance14:13 Ender’s Game17:02 AI drones21:34 Tunnel warfare27:11 Diversity of drone needs30:41 Drone swarms34:16 Human machine teaming37:10 Rule of three41:52 Ethical questions44:11 Future of munitions45:26 Xtend business model49:23 Future of this technology52:22 Tech in enemy hands
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How Trump’s Blockade of Iran Actually Works with Sal Mercogliano
15 april 2026 · 44 min
Sal Mercogliano, professor of history at Campbell University and host of the What’s Going on with Shipping YouTube channel, joins the show once again to discuss the naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz imposed by United States Central Command. How might this blockade unfold? Is it a tactic to bring Iran back to the negotiating table, or a step that risks igniting a new wave of conflict? We do not know how this game will end, but one thing is certain: The entire world is watching this critical waterway. Lees meer
03:13 How is the blockade functioning
08:52 Trump’s messaging
10:54 Blockade is negotiating tactic
11:40 Carrier strike groups
12:12 The U.S. Navy’s run through the strait
12:39 Iranian mines
15:09 The Islamabad process
17:50 American convoying
20:01 Iranian shadow fleet
21:25 Potential blockade tactics
23:20 Boarding vessels
26:54 Merchant marine involvement
28:34 The China factor
33:08 Economic game of chicken
38:26 A return to violence
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The Strategic View From the Baltic Sea with General Michael Claesson
14 april 2026 · 48 min
General Michael Claesson is Sweden’s Chief of Defence Staff and Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces. How did Russia’s annexation of Crimea change Sweden’s global strategy? Is Russia weaker than it appears? How strong is the American alliance with Europe? With the tectonic plates of war shifting beneath our feet, the stakes are high and the future of NATO hangs in the balance. Lees meer
Times:
02:46 Swedish view of the world
04:19 Crimea annexation
08:50 Geopolitical logic of joining NATO
10:10 Military background
13:48 The war in Ukraine
17:53 Lessons from the American Civil War
19:40 Drone combat
25:09 Command versus autonomy
27:09 European defense against Russia
33:14 Contested Kaliningrad
36:00 Russia’s vulnerabilities
37:19 Russia’s greyzone warfare
41:11 Europe’s role in global security
44:26 American and European alliance
45:00 The case for NATO
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Danger Lurks In J.D. Vance’s Negotiations with Iran
9 april 2026 · 42 min
Mark Dubowitz, chief executive of FDD, joins Aaron to discuss the ceasefire negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. What are the fears surrounding the talks? Where are the two sides close on the proposed ceasefire, and where are they miles apart? What should we look for to indicate how the talks are going? Looming over everything is the question of whether the negotiating table can, at times, be more dangerous than the battlefield. Lees meer
Times:
02:03 Nature of the ceasefire
04:22 Do we have the upper hand?
08:04 Trump vs. Iranian trap
09:31 Iran’s fragile position
11:49 Broader American strategy
14:59 Negotiation demands
18:57 Lebanon factor
22:48 Who is Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf?
27:45 J.D. Vance’s analogy
30:44 Strait of Hormuz
33:03 Recession fears
36:29 Hormuz circumvention
38:05 Battle for Hormuz
39:00 Global chokepoint lessons
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Is the Strait of Hormuz Closed Forever? with Sal Mercogliano
7 april 2026 · 58 min
Sal Mercogliano, professor of history at Campbell University and host of the What’s Going on with Shipping YouTube channel, joins us to discuss the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting the complexities of navigating the Strait under normal and elevated circumstances. The conversation delves into the geopolitical tensions involving Iran, the impact on global shipping, and the broader implications for international trade and security. What are the challenges posed by the current conflict, the role of insurance in maritime operations, and the potential long-term effects on global trade? Lees meer
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Times
02:45 A regular day
07:51 Shipping lanes
11:48 In the Persian Gulf
19:13 What is actually happening?
27:00 Opening the Strait
32:30 Strategic costs
38:05 Keeping things moving
44:58 Breakdown of the Freedom of the Seas
48:32 Ghost fleets
53:13 Other chokepoints
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America’s Incredible Rescue of its Downed Airmen in Iran and Trump’s Strategic Options Ahead with Rich Goldberg & Garrett Exner
6 april 2026 · 44 min
Rich Goldberg, senior advisor at FDD, and Garrett Exner, adjunct fellow at Hudson Institute, join the show to breakdown the dramatic events of the weekend and take a look at the road ahead in the Iran War. We discuss the American F-15E shot down in Iran, and the subsequent rescue of its crew by special operations forces near Isfahan. The conversation delves into the details of the rescue operation, President Trump's demands regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and the potential actions the United States might take if Iran does not comply. Lees meer
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Times
03:00 Rescue
12:47 Potential nuclear raid sites
15:28 President’s deal terms
26:50 Targets and regime change
35:32 Ground options
38:28 Information gaps and what comes next
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Trump Says We’re ‘Winning’ in Iran. It’s More Complicated.
3 april 2026 · 54 min
The Strait of Hormuz is closed. Iran’s nuclear program survives. And while the regime has been weakened, it remains intact. So what has President Trump accomplished—and what comes next in the war? Today on School of War, we’re doing something a little different. Instead of sitting in the interviewer’s chair, as I usually do – I’m the one being interviewed. I joined Rafaela Siewert of The Free Press to talk through my current thinking on the war in Iran. Lees meer
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Times
02:03 Trump’s speech
05:22 Escalation
10:10 Goals
12:25 Risk and scale
15:15 Kinds of surprise
17:37 Misreading the Iranians
22:10 15 Points
25:49 Opening the Strait of Hormuz
29:24 Branding
32:44 Oil
37:15 Kharg Island
41:35 Regime alteration
44:20 Time and resources
48:49 Balance
50:11 Trump, MAGA, and the Right
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Even as America Fights Iran, It’s Not Ready for China—with Eyck Freymann
31 maart 2026 · 51 min
Eyck Freymann, Hoover Fellow at Stanford University and author of Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China, joins the show to explain the complexities of deterrence against China, the strategic challenges in the Indo-Pacific, and the implications of the wars in Ukraine and Iran for Taiwan. We break down China’s plausible gray-zone tactics like quarantine and coercive mobilization, and how these tools, if unchecked, could lead to a total economic or military break. Where are the vulnerabilities in the U.S. defense industrial base, in naval and trade logistics, and in missile magazine depth? Lees meer
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Times
01:45 No path out
04:13 Maintaining balance
10:18 Kasserine lessons
16:51 China’s possible moves in the gray-zone
22:53 More stockpiling
27:33 Invasion
34:21 Decapitation and bombardment
39:20 An economic and political problem
46:42 The Summit
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How Can America Defeat Iran? With John Spencer
27 maart 2026 · 44 min
John Spencer, Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute at West Point and host of the Urban Warfare Project podcast, joins the show to break down how the U.S. and Israel are executing a 'neurological' campaign—using precision, targeted strikes on the Iranian Regime and its center of gravity. A strategy that’s as old as Clausewitz but more relevant than ever. How are the U.S. and Israel balancing the psychological impact of their precision strikes in tandem with the more traditional threat of brute force? What might this approach reveal about today’s conflicts, and how might it influence the next global showdown? Lees meer
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Times
03:25 Targeting as strategy
10:40 Neurological strike
20:16 An evolution in military affairs
26:30 Adaptation
30:48 Center of gravity
39:37 The missile program
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Are We About to Send the Marines Into Iran? With Rich Goldberg and Garrett Exner
23 maart 2026 · 58 min
Rich Goldberg, senior advisor at FDD, and Garrett Exner, adjunct fellow at Hudson Institute, break down what’s really happening behind the headlines — from covert strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites to the fragile possibility of reopening the Strait of Hormuz. How are the U.S., Israel, and Iran navigating the negotiations, and are there any operational knock-on effects? What are the realities and complexities of potential ground invasions, targeted raids, and covert operations that could shape the next phase of conflict? What are the risks of seizing Kharg Island or launching strikes on Iran’s underground nuclear facilities? How does the Iranian regime’s use of civilian infrastructure complicate precise strikes, and how do intelligence gaps and political signals influence U.S. decisions? What is the strategic significance of Kharg Island, what are the challenges of amphibious operations along Iran’s long coastline, and what are the odds of a ground campaign in the coming weeks? Lees meer
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Times
02:42 Negotiations
09:17 U.S. options
15:35 Ground forces
18:53 M.E.U
25:35 Kharg Island
37:53 Silence on the nuclear program
45:13 JSOC
53:02 Acting with speed
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Did Trump Miscalculate on Iran? with Niall Ferguson
20 maart 2026 · 58 min
Sir Niall Ferguson, Milbank Family Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and columnist at The Free Press, reveals how geography and choke points have always been pivotal in global conflicts and just like the Dardanelles during WWI, today’s hotspots like the Straits of Hormuz and Taiwan remind us that some strategic challenges never change. What exactly are chokepoints and why do they matter? How do the lessons of Gallipoli and Ukraine apply to the war with Iran? How is the current situation different from the Tanker War and WWI? Can naval and air power alone open the Strait of Hormuz and keep it open? Is there a timeline for success? And what does this all mean for U.S. magazine depth, the economy, and China? Lees meer
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Times
02:49 Gallipoli
11:08 Unintended consequences
18:10 Ukraine
26:22 A failure of perception
31:36 The right call by Trump?
37:34 Regime alteration
47:05 Timeframes
53:33 China
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Can Trump Beat China by Winning In Iran? with Zineb Riboua
17 maart 2026 · 37 min
Zineb Riboua, research fellow with Hudson Institute’s Center for Peace andSecurity in the Middle East, joins the show to talk about the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, focusing on China's interests and involvement. How dependent is China on the region's energy resources? How does China project power in the Middle East and in Africa? Is China benefiting or suffering from the current war? What are the geopolitical and strategic considerations for both Beijing and D.C.? Lees meer
Times02:19 Going badly for China06:24 Specific military goals07:47 China & the Middle East12:44 Iranian Oil15:34 Layers18:12 Trump and Xi22:54 Conditions in the Strait of Hormuz26:46 Best case/worst case scenarios29:42 Russia and Africa33:36 Strategic revenge
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Did the Islamic Revolution Succeed? And Can It Survive? with Ray Takeyh
12 maart 2026 · 56 min
Ray Takeyh, senior fellow for Middle East studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of The Last Shah: America, Iran, and the Fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty, joins the show to talk about the origins, evolution, and possible future of the Islamic Republic of Iran. What forces produced the 1979 revolution, and how did it reshape Iran’s political and religious order? What are the psychological and sociological impacts of this revolution? How have the regime’s leaders interpreted and sustained the revolutionary project, and what have the major challenges been? As Iran enters a new and uncertain phase under Mojtaba Khamenei, can the Islamic Republic endure, or is there a potential for future revolution in Iran? Lees meer
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Times
02:07 Living through the Islamic Revolution
04:12 A diverse Iran
05:50 How did the revolution succeed?
14:06 Khomeini & Khamenei
20:46 Too cautious
22:35 Dynastic succession
34:00 Iran vs. Venezuela
38:35 Regime resiliency
44:30 Beginning of the end
50:14 Threshold states
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How the War in Iran Actually Works with Mark Montgomery
9 maart 2026 · 50 min
Mark Montgomery, senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at FDD and retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, joins the show to provide in-depth analysis of the Iran conflict. Mark gives his thoughts on naval operations in the Strait of Hormuz, including their strategic implications for the progress of the war. He also discusses drone warfare, missile defense, and the broader geopolitical context. Mark also explains how Ukraine and Russia are playing growing parts in the war. Lees meer
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Times
02:30 A constant menace
07:34 Radar and THAAD
11:06 Hormuz
20:26 Real deterrence
31:36 Russian targeting
38:38 Conservation of resources
46:03 Life at sea
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General Frank McKenzie on the War in Iran
6 maart 2026 · 41 min
General Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie Jr, USMC (ret.), commanded US Central Command from 2019-2022. Gen. McKenzie led a distinguished 42 year career in the US Marine Corps, commanding at multiple levels and serving on the Joint Staff. In this in-depth conversation, General McKenzie shares his insights on the recent U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran, strategic mistakes by Iran, and the prospects for regime change. He gives a full breakdown of Iran's military capabilities, regional dynamics, and possible future scenarios. Lees meer
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Times
03:45 Iranian response
07:40 Ballistic missiles
19:06 Defeating drones
22:20 Soleimani
30:31 Iranian miscalculation
32:48 War was never inevitable
36:18 Outcomes
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Ep 281: Fred Kagan on the Iran War, Drone Defense, and the Future of the Middle East
3 maart 2026 · 45 min
Fred Kagan, senior fellow and director of the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, joins the show to discuss the war, what Ukraine can do to help the Gulf with drone defense, and the future of the Islamic Republic. Lees meer
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01:51 Updates
03:29 Iranian strikes
09:15 Munitions crisis
14:28 Innovation
18:45 Isolated and weak
25:12 Arming the opposition
30:55 A dangerous game
36:22 10/7
40:21 Turkey
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Ep 280: Mike Doran on the Iran War
2 maart 2026 · 50 min
Mike Doran, senior fellow and director of the Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East at the Hudson Institute, joins the show to bring us the latest breakdown on the war and how long this may go on. Lees meer
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Times
01:52 Where are things going?
05:45 Rational strikes
09:56 A weakened positioned
16:33 Lasting change
20:13 What comes next?
26:40 Regional war
30:28 Integration
38:30 The Decider
47:32 Futures
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Ep 279: Mark Dubowitz on U.S.-Israel War with Iran
28 februari 2026 · 32 min
Mark Dubowitz, CEO of FDD, joins the show to bring us up to speed on the rapidly developing full-scale conflict between the United States-Israel and Iran. Lees meer
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Times
01:19 Iranian leaders targeted
04:48 10/7 roots
07:39 Ambitious war aims
12:41 Scope
15:59 Regime change
20:11 Iranian response
23:42 Playing with fire
28:13 Partnership
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Ep 278: Yossi Cohen on The Mossad
27 februari 2026 · 51 min
Yossi Cohen, served as the director of the Mossad from 2016 until 2021 and is the author of The Sword of Freedom: Israel, Mossad, and the Secret War. As director, he personally orchestrated some of the Mossad’s most daring operations, such as the seizure of the Iranian nuclear archives—the exposure of which was among the main factors behind the United States’ withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal—and clandestine activity all over the world. Lees meer
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Times
01:27 Joining the Mossad
16:02 Serving behind the lines
26:31 Recruitment
32:45 HUMINT
39:50 Deciding to strike
44:36 Iran
49:51 Moral conflicts
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Ep 277: Behnam Ben Taleblu—Will There Be a War with Iran?
23 februari 2026 · 50 min
Behnam Ben Taleblu, Senior Director (Iran Program) and Senior Fellow at FDD, joins the show to talk about the build-up of American military power in the Middle East and what it might mean for Iran and the Iranian regime. Lees meer
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02:04 U.S. build-up
05:46 Timing
11:08 “Decisive and different”
24:41 Iranian retaliation
30:03 Targets
35:25 Ideology of the Supreme Leader
41:36 A Trump JCPOA
45:46 Regime change by air
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Ep 276: Charlie Laderman on Regime Change in Iran
20 februari 2026 · 49 min
Charlie Laderman, associate professor at the University of Florida’s Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education, joins the show to discuss parallels between Reagan’s policy towards Cold War Poland and the crisis in Iran today. Lees meer
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02:45 Comparing Iran and Poland
05:56 Reagan’s plan
10:15 Reheating the Cold War
12:26 ’81 coup
15:53 Sanctions and pressure
20:19 Constant agitation
27:38 End of the Cold War
34:45 The violence of the Iranian regime
37:55 Structural differences
44:32 Exiled opposition
Read the article discussed in the episode - Freedom for Iran: Learning From U.S. Support for Polish Anti-Communists in the 1980s
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Ep 275: Michael Baumgartner on Marco Rubio’s Speech and the Future of Europe
17 februari 2026 · 44 min
Rep. Michael Baumgartner of Washington State’s 5th Congressional District joins the show to give his key takeaways from the Munich Security Conference. Lees meer
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01:34 Getting to Munich
05:22 European attitude
14:20 AOC and recalibration
17:50 Germany returns
23:59 Rubio’s speech
30:23 Ukraine
39:22 Iran and a “good” deal
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Ep 274: Lawrence Freedman on Strategists and Ukraine
13 februari 2026 · 54 min
Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King’s College London and author of On Strategists and Strategy: Collected Essays, 2014-2024, joins the show to talk about a lifetime among strategists, and to give an update on the war in Ukraine. Lees meer
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02:34 Essay writing
07:49 Michael Howard
18:42 Colin Gray
23:06 Timeless aspects of strategy
26:00 The goal of SDI
36:40 Tactics
41:20 Differences between tactics and strategy
45:01 Ultimate objectives
50:08 Sensible uses of nuclear weapons
52:24 Thatcher
53:59 Harsh winter in Ukraine
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Ep 273: Matthew Kroenig on China’s Nuclear Test
9 februari 2026 · 32 min
Matthew Kroenig, Professor in the Department of Government and the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, joins the show to talk about the new nuclear age the world is entering. Lees meer
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03:27 Secret Chinese testing
07:35 Seismic monitoring and de-coupling
11:40 U.S. testing plan
15:30 Why might we need more nuclear weapons?
18:01 New START
21:23 How many nukes are needed?
27:04 If deterrence fails
30:20 Limits, if any
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Ep 272: Beatrice Heuser on Why Leaders Make Bad Decisions
6 februari 2026 · 39 min
Beatrice Heuser, Distinguished Professor at the Brussels School of Governance in the Free University of Brussels and author of Flawed Strategy: Why Smart Leaders Make Bad Decisions, joins the show to discuss decision-making and strategic thinking. Lees meer
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02:58 Economists and strategy
07:59 Acting rationally vs logically
15:00 Mirror imaging
20:01 How should we study strategy?
27:17 Denial
32:18 Strategic intelligence failures
36:15 Hidden causes
38:57 Everyone does it
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Ep 271: Geoff Ball on the Future of America’s Infantry
3 februari 2026 · 43 min
Geoff Ball, U.S. Marine Corps infantry officer, staff director for the Naval Academy’s Leadership Education and Development Division and Executive Editor of The Connecting File, joins the show to discuss the radical changes and surprising continuities in how America’s grunts will fight. Lees meer
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02:25 The Connecting File
06:22 How is the infantry doing?
14:10 Companies of the future
23:22 Information and trust
29:57 Innovative spirit
33:30 Light Armored Recon
39:05 Drone battalions
42:24 Learning the right lessons from Ukraine
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Ep 270: David Shedd on China’s Spies
30 januari 2026 · 1 uur 3 min
David Shedd, former Acting Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and author of The Great Heist: China’s Epic Campaign to Steal America’s Secrets, joins the show to discuss Chinese spy craft. Lees meer
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02:05 Early days
06:49 CIA
09:28 Sandinistas and revolutionaries
15:14 IC preparation
18:35 A great awakening
26:11 Industrial espionage
30:50 National Intelligence Estimate
34:11 The MSS
44:19 The culture of the 18th Bureau
50:17 Battlefield consequences
55:20 Counterarguments
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Ep 269: Walter Russell Mead on Donald and Davos and Greenland, Oh My!
26 januari 2026 · 51 min
Walter Russell Mead, Alexander Hamilton Professor of Strategy and Statecraft at the University of Florida's Hamilton Center and columnist for The Wall Street Journal, joins the show to discuss foreign policy in the Age of Trump. Lees meer
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03:15 An extraordinary week
05:06 The Transatlantic relationship
09:02 Turning to China
16:10 Greenland
27:03 Post-presidency Trump
32:25 Harder now
43:08 Zelenskyy
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Ep 268: Seth Jones on America’s Defense Industrial Crisis
23 januari 2026 · 49 min
Seth Jones, president of the Defense and Security Department and Harold Brown Chair at CSIS, joins the show to talk about how America has resurrected its defense industrial base in the past and why it should be doing so now. Lees meer
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02:55 The British in the 1930s
05:58 Roosevelt’s decision
09:48 Re-orientation
13:59 The B-29
16:00 Victory in Iraq
27:54 Skunkworks
31:30 Xi comes into power
35:07 Disadvantages
39:07 What needs to be done?
44:28 Fighting for 5%
47:43 Culture shift
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Ep 267: Michael Lurie on Israel’s New Laser Weapon
20 januari 2026 · 45 min
Michael Lurie, CEO and President of Rafael USA, joins the show to explain how High Energy Lasers and Iron Beam will change missile & air defense, not to mention warfare itself, forever. Lees meer
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02:34 The evolution of missile defense
05:09 Iron Dome & Iron Beam
08:04 How do lasers work?
15:16 Limitations
20:07 Integrating systems
25:28 Future applications
30:09 Lessons from field testing
40:15 American interest
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Ep 266: Blake Seitz & Mike Watson—Were the Founders Isolationists?
16 januari 2026 · 48 min
Blake Seitz, Content Strategist at Palantir Technologies, and Mike Watson, Executive Director at The Alexander Hamilton Society, join the show to discuss America’s relationship with the world at the time of the Founding Fathers. Lees meer
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02:45 18th Century geopolitical landscape
06:25 Yorktown
11:17 Diplomacy of the Founders
16:23 Bold rhetoric
19:37 Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
25:45 Washington’s legacy
32:42 The roots of isolationism
36:38 Parallels and changes
44:16 What does it mean to be an American?
47:20 A grounding in history
Read more - 1776: The Beginnings of American Exceptionalism Abroad
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Ep 265: Mark Dubowitz on Is Iran Next?
12 januari 2026 · 35 min
Mark Dubowitz, CEO of FDD, joins the show to bring us up to speed on widespread Iranian protests, the chances of American or Israeli intervention, and what intervention might achieve. Lees meer
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02:15 Will we strike?
05:34 New Iran talks?
07:03 Nuclear concessions?
10:35 Intervention possibilities
15:10 The Shah’s son and the Islamic regime
24:28 How do these protests compare to the past?
34:29 Public perceptions
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Ep 264: Mark Montgomery on Seizing Venezuela’s Shadow Fleet
8 januari 2026 · 40 min
Mark Montgomery, senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at FDD and retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, joins the show to discuss Venezuela’s shadow fleet, the cyber component of the Maduro raid, and the future of the U.S. Navy. Lees meer
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03:04 Shadow Fleets
06:06 Ship Hunting
10:07 Coast Guard
12:35 Leverage and Sanctions
18:37 Planning the Maduro Raid
24:57 How We Use Cyber
28:45 Types of Risk
31:50 State of the Navy
36:56 Return of the Battleship?
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Ep 263: Elliott Abrams on the Venezuela Raid and Risks Ahead
5 januari 2026 · 46 min
Elliott Abrams, senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela and Iran from 2019 to 2021, joins the show to discuss Venezuela and what might happen next. Lees meer
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02:04 Snatch and Grab
05:50 Intelligence Operations
12:04 Oil
16:50 Holding the Country Together
24:16 Risks & Mistakes
30:48 Blockade
33:54 Hard To Leave
39:11 Not Iraq
41:48 Cuba
42:21 The Iranian Regime
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Ep 262: Mark Jones Jr. on Special Air Operations and American Military Dominance
2 januari 2026 · 47 min
Mark Jones Jr., chief pilot of experimental flight test with the Honda Aircraft Company and recently retired U.S. Air Force test pilot and special operations commander, joins the show to talk about the nature of special air operations and the extraordinary air raid that kicked off Desert Storm. Lees meer
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02:45 9/11
05:58 Test Pilot
11:52 Special Air Operations
17:54 Two Vastly Different Experiences
21:24 Kabul
24:18 Desert Storm
32:30 Harder to See, Not Invisible
34:46 Battle Damage
39:55 September 1990
42:21 Party In 10
45:05 Navigation Technology
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Ep 261: Behnam Ben Taleblu on the (Next!) Iran-Israel War
30 december 2025 · 42 min
Behnam Ben Taleblu, Senior Director (Iran Program) and Senior Fellow at FDD, joins the show to talk about how Iran has worked to reconstitute its missile program since the summer, and what the U.S. and Israel might do to stop it. Lees meer
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01:43 Vessel Seizure
05:45 Making a Ballistic Missile
13:06 What Modern War Looks Like
17:19 Iran’s Missile Program
21:42 Evolving Assessment
26:24 Relevance for U.S. Defense Planning
30:00 Disconnected Victories
35:04 Lessons from the 10/07 War
39:31 Bad Choices for Iran
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Ep 260: Kevin Passmore on the Maginot Line and the Battle of France
26 december 2025 · 40 min
Kevin Passmore, professor of History at Cardiff University and author of The Maginot Line: A New History, joins the show to talk about the most elaborate fortification system of the 20th century and why it failed. Lees meer
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02:03 Attacking the Maginot Line
05:53 Fortifications and Warfare
11:48 Flexibility vs Depth
15:38 A Total Commitment to War
19:49 French Defensive Concepts
22:42 Living in the Line
27:31 Decision in Belgium
36:22 Breaking the Enemy’s Will
39:36 Ukrainian Fortifications
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Ep 259: Christian Brose on Rethinking How We Fight
23 december 2025 · 53 min
Christian Brose, President and Chief Strategy Officer at Anduril Industries and author of The Kill Chain: Defending America in the Future of High-Tech Warfare, joins the show to talk about American industry and the future of war. Lees meer
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02:26 Erosion of Military Advantage
11:11 The Nature of the Problem
16:42 Consensus and Urgency
21:01 Learning the Right Lessons in Ukraine
25:32 Scaling Up for the Offense
31:23 Leveraging AI for Defense
38:07 Will Liberal Arts and Humanities Win?
41:56 Arsenal-1
47:31 Silicon Valley and Defense
52:24 Collaborative Combat Aircraft
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Ep 258: Eric Cline on the Collapse of Civilizations
19 december 2025 · 52 min
Eric Cline, professor of Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies and of Anthropology at The George Washington University and author of 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed, joins the show to break down the collapse of the Bronze Age civilization and why it matters today. Lees meer
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02:57 Writing History for All
04:51 The Three Age System
10:32 Tin: The Oil of the Ancient World
11:37 Archeology in the Future
13:22 Bronze Age Society
21:02 The Beginning and End of History
26:07 The Sea Peoples
32:36 The Collapse
35:00 The Mystery of the Exodus
40:53 Resilience and Regeneration Post-Collapse
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Ep 257: Elliott Abrams on the Venezuela Crisis
16 december 2025 · 39 min
Elliott Abrams, senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela and Iran from 2019 to 2021, joins the show to discuss events in the Caribbean. Lees meer
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01:56 Venezuela Through Multiple Administrations
06:05 Maduro
11:53 Trump to Biden
17:56 U.S. Military Capabilities
24:05 Political Justifications
30:11 The Venezuelan Opposition
35:56 Machado in Hiding
41:27 Worst Case Scenarios
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Ep 256: Nadia Schadlow on Strategic Depth
12 december 2025 · 38 min
Nadia Schadlow, former Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy and senior fellow at Hudson Institute, joins the show to breakdown what strategic depth is and why the concept remains relevant. Lees meer
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02:37 Unhinged, Frenetic Times
03:36 What is Strategic Depth?
07:50 A Lack of Space
12:50 Territory and War
14:55 How to Increase Time
23:18 Allies and Forward Defense
30:29 How Do You Get Freedom of Choice?
36:57 Keeping and Maintaining Strategic Depth
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Ep 255: Roya Hakakian on the Islamic Revolution
9 december 2025 · 53 min
Roya Hakakian, author of Assassins of the Turquoise Palace and Journey from the Land of No, joins the show to discuss the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, the rise of Ayatollah Khomeini, and how these events have shaped the world. Lees meer
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02:56 Life Before the Revolution
11:02 Antisemitism in Revolutionary Iran
21:56 Khomeini’s Rise to Power
22:32 The Global Left and the Soviet Union
29:49 A Catastrophe of the 20th Century
37:21 The State of the Iranian Regime
42:19 The Revolution is Alive and Well
52:01 The Future of Iran and Its Leadership
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