Podcasts about Iraqi

One key goal for Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi has been the disarming of Iraqi militias, including those backed by, and serving, Iran. The Trump administration robustly endorses that goal, but its economic pressure on Iran is making it harder to attain. Also: today's stories, including how the Russia-Ukraine war is impacting Ukraine's North Azovian Greek community; why the WNBA is dealing with a string of controversies despite a growing fanbase and increased revenue; and a look at a new documentary on the poet Mary Oliver. Join the Monitor's Chris Sherman for today's news.

CONTENTS THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 8-24-2026.OTTAWAConrad Black and co-host Edmund Fitton-Brown discuss the collapse of trade negotiations and subsequent US tariff threats that have sparked a major political crisis in Canada, leading to opposition calls to immediately reconvene Parliament. Black describes a stark contrast in national attitudes, noting that President Trump's rhetoric effectively denies Canada's sovereignty. This perceived affront has deeply united Canadians across party lines, who view the tariffs as an assault on national identity rather than a mere commercial dispute. Black highlights potential Republican electoral fallout in key US Senate races like Maine and Michigan, and suggests a bilateral phone call could resolve the dispute. (1)Janatyn Sayeh and Edmund Fitton-Brown examine Iranian official Ghalibaf's public appearance in Iraq, signaling defiance to the US and Israel before secondary sanctions are revealed. Sayeh explains that Iran views Iraq as its backyard, using it to evade sanctions by blending Iranian oil with Iraqi exports. Under President Trump, US economic scrutiny on Iraq has increased to block this smuggling. While maximum pressure has devalued Iran's currency and caused hyperinflation, Iran aims to overwhelm Washington by utilizing its regional proxy networks across Yemen, Lebanon, and Iraq. The US must view these proxies as Iranian arms rather than local actors. (2)Ernesto Araújo and Alejandro Peña Esclusa, with Edmund Fitton-Brown: In Brazil, falling poll numbers have panicked President Lula, prompting him to call Donald Trump despite years of anti-American rhetoric. Araújo explains this reflects the US's central role in combating South American "narcosocialist" regimes. Meanwhile, in Venezuela, Delcyand Jorge Rodríguez are simulating cooperation with the US while delaying presidential elections to buy time. Peña Esclusa notes that Venezuelan opposition members are negotiating Supreme Court appointments rather than election dates or political prisoners. Both guests will attend Slovenia's Bled Strategic Forum to discuss Latin America's right-wing political shift and potential energy partnerships with Europe. (3)Malcolm Hoenlein and Edmund Fitton-Brown discuss rising security concerns in Israel after incendiary balloons from Gaza were discovered, potentially testing Israel's border preparedness. Concurrently, Turkey is expanding its regional footprint, occupying 5% of Syria and attempting to establish military bases, which Israel countered with airstrikes. In Gaza, Jared Kushner met with Hamas in Cairo, a move that critics argue bolsters the group's status despite declining local support. Meanwhile, the US Treasury has previewed secondary sanctions on Iranian trading partners, including China. Iran's economy is in collapse, with inflation skyrocketing and the currency reaching an all-time low. (4)David Daoud and Edmund Fitton-Brown examine UNIFIL's mandate, which restricts it to acting as an auxiliary to the Lebanese Armed Forces, preventing independent disarmament of Hezbollah. Consequently, Hezbollah operates freely near UN watchtowers and tunnel networks. Daoud argues that while new US Treasury sanctions expanding target parameters to include Iranian violations are positive, they fail to address Hezbollah's deep integration into Lebanon's socio-political fabric. To be effective, the West must treat Hezbollah as a Lebanese entity with sovereign responsibilities, rather than purely an Iranian proxy. True security requires targeting all of Hezbollah's activities, including its social and political wings. (5)Ivana Stradner and Edmund Fitton-Brown analyze Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's visit to Belgrade, which does not signal a split between Serbia and Russia. President Vučić's weapons sales to Ukraine are merely lucrative business deals. Serbia remains highly dependent on Russia, sharing deep intelligence ties and cooperating with the FSB to test crowd-control equipment. Vučić balances these relationships to survive domestic protests sparked by environmental concerns and a severe heatwave. Stradner, recently returning from Israel, reports that Israeli morale remains exceptionally high despite facing a multi-front threat from Iran's proxy network, which Russia continues to exploit through regional propaganda and strategic manipulation. (6)Edmund Fitton-Brown critiques the term "economic D-Day," explaining that Pakistan's mediation in Iran is self-interested, driven by fears of secondary US sanctions. These sanctions have suffocated Iran's economy, reducing oil exports and sparking hyperinflation. Iraq also struggles with contradictory policies, balancing its US alliance with pro-Iranian gestures, such as securing tanker passage through the Strait of Hormuz. In the Red Sea, the Houthis demand tribute from Saudi Arabia to halt attacks on tankers and pipelines. Fitton-Brown warns that paying the Houthis only delays their long-term expansionist goals against Saudi territory and Israel. (7)Samuel Ben-Ur and Edmund Fitton-Brown discuss how, following a temporary lull, Hamas has intensified attacks in Gaza, emboldened by disarmament frameworks proposed by Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators. Ben-Ur notes Hamas only accepted the deal under the pretense of disarming while intending to survive intact. However, following Jared Kushner's visit, the US aligned with Israel's stance, demanding total disarmament before military withdrawal. Fitton-Brown and Ben-Ur discuss the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (ENCAG), a secular government planned to replace Hamas. Lacking military power, ENCAG's deployment depends on an international stabilization force, though troop commitments remain severely short. (8)Michael Sobolik and Edmund Fitton-Brown examine how Chinese AI company Moonshot bypassed US export controls by "distilling" technology from Anthropic's Claude Opus model to train its own system, Kimi K3. This intellectual property theft threatens American market dominance and national security. Sobolik recommends three policy actions: imposing crushing financial sanctions on violating Chinese firms, closing export control loopholes related to remote cloud access, and banning open CCP models in the United States. He warns that American tech companies prioritizing short-term profits over security risk losing the AI race, mirroring historical patterns of Chinese piracy. (9)John Hardie and Edmund Fitton-Brown outline Russia's military assistance to Iran via the Caspian Sea, a highly secure transit route. This collaboration benefits Moscow by raising energy prices and draining US munition stockpiles like Patriot interceptors, giving Russia a freer hand in Ukraine. Russia provides Iran with tactical intelligence, drone components to resist satellite jamming, and has agreed to deliver shoulder-launched air defense missiles. While Ukraine and Israel have attempted long-range strikes against trade vessels and ports to disrupt this flow, interdiction is difficult because the Caspian Sea operates as a protected, non-transparent Russian-Iranian military lake. (10)Standing corrections applied: Janatyn Sayeh, Ernesto Araújo, Alejandro Peña Esclusa, Delcy Rodríguez (and Jorge Rodríguez), Zelenskyy, Vučić with diacritics, and Kimi K3 (source again had "Kimmy"). One anomaly in the source: segment 7 listed Fitton-Brown as both guest and co-host, so I've formatted it as his solo segment — flag it if there was a second voice in that file.

Janatyn Sayeh and Edmund Fitton-Brown examine Iranian official Ghalibaf's public appearance in Iraq, signaling defiance to the US and Israel before secondary sanctions are revealed. Sayeh explains that Iran views Iraq as its backyard, using it to evade sanctions by blending Iranian oil with Iraqi exports. Under President Trump, US economic scrutiny on Iraq has increased to block this smuggling. While maximum pressure has devalued Iran's currency and caused hyperinflation, Iran aims to overwhelm Washington by utilizing its regional proxy networks across Yemen, Lebanon, and Iraq. The US must view these proxies as Iranian arms rather than local actors. (2)

Your daily news in under three minutes.For more on these stories, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com And connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Yemeni researcher and political analyst Baraa Shiban (and dear friend of the show) is back not only to give us an update on Yemen now that the civil war (and Saudi Arabia's role in it) are heating up again, but also to give Thomas a much-deserved dressing down for not going far enough to hold Jeremy Hunt to account for his role in the Stockholm Agreement. Baraa explains: The collapse of the 2022 Yemen truce and renewed Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and Red Sea shipping The Yemen battlefield map: Houthi control of Sanaa, Hodeidah and the northwest versus government-held south and east The strategic importance of Marib and Hadramaut, including Saudi-trained National Shield and Emergency Forces Mocha, the Giants Brigades and the impact of the UAE withdrawal on anti-Houthi military capabilities The Stockholm Agreement and how the 2018 ceasefire strengthened long-term Houthi leverage Why the Houthis are escalating now and how renewed fighting serves Iran's regional strategy Houthi links with the IRGC, Hezbollah and Iraqi militias, including operations and financial networks in Iraq Saudi war aims, the Mecca Accords and the emerging Saudi–Turkey–Pakistan security architecture Follow Baraa on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/baraashiban/⁠ Follow Baraa on X: ⁠https://x.com/BShtwtr⁠ Join the Conflicted Community here: ⁠https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm⁠  Find us on X: ⁠https://x.com/MHconflicted⁠ And Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted⁠ And Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/conflictedpod⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠ Conflicted is a Message Heard production. Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren. This episode was produced and edited by Thomas Small . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode we spoke with Marian Scheuer Sofaer, Esquire, and Dr. Einav Yehuda-Shnaidman about The Expulsion of Jews from Iraq, 20th Century: The Agonies of Redemption (Brill, 2024), by Dr. Zvi Yehuda, and translated by Sofaer. Dr. Zvi Yehuda, born in Iraq in 1936, immigrated to Israel as a teenager during Operation Ezra and Nehemiah and went on to complete a PhD in History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, later founding and heading the research institute at the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center. He began to write the book in 1984, in a conversation with former Knesset Speaker Shlomo Hillel, and grew into a forty-year project of archival research across Israel, the United Kingdom, France, the United States, and Iraq, conducted in Hebrew, English, French, German and Judeo-Arabic. Yehuda passed away before he could complete editing the English translation; his daughter, Dr. Einav Yehuda-Shnaidman, together with Sofaer, brought the English edition to completion. The book situates the modern Iraqi Jewish community within a more discontinuous history than is often assumed. Yehuda's research identified a substantial gap, from the fourteenth through the eighteenth centuries, in which no functioning Jewish community existed in Iraq; the community that flourished into the twentieth century instead descended from waves of immigration beginning after 1740, drawing Jews from Kurdistan, Iran, and Europe, and developing its own distinct Judeo-Arabic dialect. Following Israel's establishment and victory in 1948, Sofaer and Yehuda-Shnaidman described the systematic persecution that followed: mass dismissals of Jews from government employment, punitive import-export regulations, and new restrictions on real estate and mortgages. Yehuda-Shnaidman emphasized that Prime Minister Nuri al-Said was a central architect of this policy, proposing to the United Nations a plan to force Iraq's Jews to leave within four months, stripped of citizenship and property—a plan ultimately abandoned only after Jordan refused to allow the deportation convoys to cross its territory. Central to Yehuda's research is his conclusion that the expulsion was not, as long assumed, a response to Zionist activity, but a deliberate, state-directed policy to remove Iraq's Jews and seize their assets. The book also overturns the long-standing claim that bombs thrown at Jewish targets in Baghdad in 1950–51 were planted by Zionists to encourage emigration; evidence uncovered only in 2013 by an Iraqi journalist instead implicates Arab extremists, and points to the wrongful execution of Jews framed for the attacks.  Altogether, the book documents the expulsion and dispossession of some 150,000 Jews from Iraq, part of the roughly one million Jews forced from Muslim-majority countries across the twentieth century—a history Yehuda insisted be established on primary evidence rather than inherited assumption. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In this episode we spoke with Marian Scheuer Sofaer, Esquire, and Dr. Einav Yehuda-Shnaidman about The Expulsion of Jews from Iraq, 20th Century: The Agonies of Redemption (Brill, 2024), by Dr. Zvi Yehuda, and translated by Sofaer. Dr. Zvi Yehuda, born in Iraq in 1936, immigrated to Israel as a teenager during Operation Ezra and Nehemiah and went on to complete a PhD in History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, later founding and heading the research institute at the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center. He began to write the book in 1984, in a conversation with former Knesset Speaker Shlomo Hillel, and grew into a forty-year project of archival research across Israel, the United Kingdom, France, the United States, and Iraq, conducted in Hebrew, English, French, German and Judeo-Arabic. Yehuda passed away before he could complete editing the English translation; his daughter, Dr. Einav Yehuda-Shnaidman, together with Sofaer, brought the English edition to completion. The book situates the modern Iraqi Jewish community within a more discontinuous history than is often assumed. Yehuda's research identified a substantial gap, from the fourteenth through the eighteenth centuries, in which no functioning Jewish community existed in Iraq; the community that flourished into the twentieth century instead descended from waves of immigration beginning after 1740, drawing Jews from Kurdistan, Iran, and Europe, and developing its own distinct Judeo-Arabic dialect. Following Israel's establishment and victory in 1948, Sofaer and Yehuda-Shnaidman described the systematic persecution that followed: mass dismissals of Jews from government employment, punitive import-export regulations, and new restrictions on real estate and mortgages. Yehuda-Shnaidman emphasized that Prime Minister Nuri al-Said was a central architect of this policy, proposing to the United Nations a plan to force Iraq's Jews to leave within four months, stripped of citizenship and property—a plan ultimately abandoned only after Jordan refused to allow the deportation convoys to cross its territory. Central to Yehuda's research is his conclusion that the expulsion was not, as long assumed, a response to Zionist activity, but a deliberate, state-directed policy to remove Iraq's Jews and seize their assets. The book also overturns the long-standing claim that bombs thrown at Jewish targets in Baghdad in 1950–51 were planted by Zionists to encourage emigration; evidence uncovered only in 2013 by an Iraqi journalist instead implicates Arab extremists, and points to the wrongful execution of Jews framed for the attacks.  Altogether, the book documents the expulsion and dispossession of some 150,000 Jews from Iraq, part of the roughly one million Jews forced from Muslim-majority countries across the twentieth century—a history Yehuda insisted be established on primary evidence rather than inherited assumption. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

In this episode we spoke with Marian Scheuer Sofaer, Esquire, and Dr. Einav Yehuda-Shnaidman about The Expulsion of Jews from Iraq, 20th Century: The Agonies of Redemption (Brill, 2024), by Dr. Zvi Yehuda, and translated by Sofaer. Dr. Zvi Yehuda, born in Iraq in 1936, immigrated to Israel as a teenager during Operation Ezra and Nehemiah and went on to complete a PhD in History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, later founding and heading the research institute at the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center. He began to write the book in 1984, in a conversation with former Knesset Speaker Shlomo Hillel, and grew into a forty-year project of archival research across Israel, the United Kingdom, France, the United States, and Iraq, conducted in Hebrew, English, French, German and Judeo-Arabic. Yehuda passed away before he could complete editing the English translation; his daughter, Dr. Einav Yehuda-Shnaidman, together with Sofaer, brought the English edition to completion. The book situates the modern Iraqi Jewish community within a more discontinuous history than is often assumed. Yehuda's research identified a substantial gap, from the fourteenth through the eighteenth centuries, in which no functioning Jewish community existed in Iraq; the community that flourished into the twentieth century instead descended from waves of immigration beginning after 1740, drawing Jews from Kurdistan, Iran, and Europe, and developing its own distinct Judeo-Arabic dialect. Following Israel's establishment and victory in 1948, Sofaer and Yehuda-Shnaidman described the systematic persecution that followed: mass dismissals of Jews from government employment, punitive import-export regulations, and new restrictions on real estate and mortgages. Yehuda-Shnaidman emphasized that Prime Minister Nuri al-Said was a central architect of this policy, proposing to the United Nations a plan to force Iraq's Jews to leave within four months, stripped of citizenship and property—a plan ultimately abandoned only after Jordan refused to allow the deportation convoys to cross its territory. Central to Yehuda's research is his conclusion that the expulsion was not, as long assumed, a response to Zionist activity, but a deliberate, state-directed policy to remove Iraq's Jews and seize their assets. The book also overturns the long-standing claim that bombs thrown at Jewish targets in Baghdad in 1950–51 were planted by Zionists to encourage emigration; evidence uncovered only in 2013 by an Iraqi journalist instead implicates Arab extremists, and points to the wrongful execution of Jews framed for the attacks.  Altogether, the book documents the expulsion and dispossession of some 150,000 Jews from Iraq, part of the roughly one million Jews forced from Muslim-majority countries across the twentieth century—a history Yehuda insisted be established on primary evidence rather than inherited assumption. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/middle-eastern-studies

In this episode we spoke with Marian Scheuer Sofaer, Esquire, and Dr. Einav Yehuda-Shnaidman about The Expulsion of Jews from Iraq, 20th Century: The Agonies of Redemption (Brill, 2024), by Dr. Zvi Yehuda, and translated by Sofaer. Dr. Zvi Yehuda, born in Iraq in 1936, immigrated to Israel as a teenager during Operation Ezra and Nehemiah and went on to complete a PhD in History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, later founding and heading the research institute at the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center. He began to write the book in 1984, in a conversation with former Knesset Speaker Shlomo Hillel, and grew into a forty-year project of archival research across Israel, the United Kingdom, France, the United States, and Iraq, conducted in Hebrew, English, French, German and Judeo-Arabic. Yehuda passed away before he could complete editing the English translation; his daughter, Dr. Einav Yehuda-Shnaidman, together with Sofaer, brought the English edition to completion. The book situates the modern Iraqi Jewish community within a more discontinuous history than is often assumed. Yehuda's research identified a substantial gap, from the fourteenth through the eighteenth centuries, in which no functioning Jewish community existed in Iraq; the community that flourished into the twentieth century instead descended from waves of immigration beginning after 1740, drawing Jews from Kurdistan, Iran, and Europe, and developing its own distinct Judeo-Arabic dialect. Following Israel's establishment and victory in 1948, Sofaer and Yehuda-Shnaidman described the systematic persecution that followed: mass dismissals of Jews from government employment, punitive import-export regulations, and new restrictions on real estate and mortgages. Yehuda-Shnaidman emphasized that Prime Minister Nuri al-Said was a central architect of this policy, proposing to the United Nations a plan to force Iraq's Jews to leave within four months, stripped of citizenship and property—a plan ultimately abandoned only after Jordan refused to allow the deportation convoys to cross its territory. Central to Yehuda's research is his conclusion that the expulsion was not, as long assumed, a response to Zionist activity, but a deliberate, state-directed policy to remove Iraq's Jews and seize their assets. The book also overturns the long-standing claim that bombs thrown at Jewish targets in Baghdad in 1950–51 were planted by Zionists to encourage emigration; evidence uncovered only in 2013 by an Iraqi journalist instead implicates Arab extremists, and points to the wrongful execution of Jews framed for the attacks.  Altogether, the book documents the expulsion and dispossession of some 150,000 Jews from Iraq, part of the roughly one million Jews forced from Muslim-majority countries across the twentieth century—a history Yehuda insisted be established on primary evidence rather than inherited assumption. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us Fan Mail This week Greg welcomed Eli Hedo in the studio. They sat down and talked about growing up as a Christian in Baghdad as an Iraqi citizen, being extorted and threatened with murder, fleeing to Syria, and eventually coming to America and starting a successful business. This is truly an amazing story and will give us Americans an inside look at the refugee perspective and how it really is in middle eastern countries. Enjoy! In the Temperance, MI area and need a shave and haircut? Stop by and see Eli! Dominion Wealth Strategists are the only Kingdom minded company that you need to use. Set up a free consultation here today! You need to protect your sword! Beautiful, classic, and one of a kind! Design your bible rebind from Deus Vult today! 10% for all Dead Men listeners with the code "DEADMANWALKING" Covenant Real Estate: "Confidence from Contract to Close" Facebook: Dead Men Walking PodcastYoutube: Dead Men Walking PodcastInstagram: @DeadMenWalkingPodcastTwitter X: @RealDMWPodcastExclusive Content: PubTV AppSupport the show Check out out the Dead Men Walking snarky merch HERE! Build something for God's glory through Covenant Real Estate! Greg Moore Jr. can help you buy, sell, and invest! Call him at (734) 731-GREG or visit www.covenant.realestate 10% off a rebound bible from Deus Vult Rebinding with the code DEADMANWALKING

Phil Brown trains educators to build the kind of learning moments a curriculum can't schedule. As an experiential and adventure education trainer at High 5 Adventure Learning Center, he's guided everyone from Iraqi high schoolers working through conflict resolution to NHL players from the Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames through experiences designed to stretch — not break — them. He also serves on the board of the Association for Experiential Education and hosts the podcast Vertical Playpen, where he digs deeper into the theory and practice behind this work. Most principals have sat through a lesson that went exactly as planned and taught nobody anything. Phil Brown has the opposite story: a day where nothing went as planned, and it became the most important teaching moment of his career. This episode is about what happened in between — and why experiential education, not another curriculum map, might be the fix your campus actually needs.

Send us Fan MailThis week Greg welcomed Eli Hedo in the studio. They sat down and talked about growing up as a Christian in Baghdad as an Iraqi citizen, being extorted and threatened with murder, fleeing to Syria, and eventually coming to America and starting a successful business. This is truly an amazing story and will give us Americans an inside look at the refugee perspective and how it really is in middle eastern countries. Enjoy! In the Temperance, MI area and need a shave and haircut? Stop by and see Eli! Dominion Wealth Strategists are the only Kingdom minded company that you need to use. Set up a free consultation here today! You need to protect your sword! Beautiful, classic, and one of a kind! Design your bible rebind from Deus Vult today! 10% for all Dead Men listeners with the code "DEADMANWALKING" Covenant Real Estate: "Confidence from Contract to Close" Facebook: Dead Men Walking PodcastYoutube: Dead Men Walking PodcastInstagram: @DeadMenWalkingPodcastTwitter X: @RealDMWPodcastExclusive Content: PubTV App

Send us Fan Mail This week Greg welcomed Eli Hedo in the studio. They sat down and talked about growing up as a Christian in Baghdad as an Iraqi citizen, being extorted and threatened with murder, fleeing to Syria, and eventually coming to America and starting a successful business. This is truly an amazing story and will give us Americans an inside look at the refugee perspective and how it really is in middle eastern countries. Enjoy! In the Temperance, MI area and need a shave and haircut? Stop by and see Eli! Dominion Wealth Strategists are the only Kingdom minded company that you need to use. Set up a free consultation here today! You need to protect your sword! Beautiful, classic, and one of a kind! Design your bible rebind from Deus Vult today! 10% for all Dead Men listeners with the code "DEADMANWALKING" Covenant Real Estate: "Confidence from Contract to Close" Facebook: Dead Men Walking PodcastYoutube: Dead Men Walking PodcastInstagram: @DeadMenWalkingPodcastTwitter X: @RealDMWPodcastExclusive Content: PubTV AppSupport the show Check out out the Dead Men Walking snarky merch HERE! Build something for God's glory through Covenant Real Estate! Greg Moore Jr. can help you buy, sell, and invest! Call him at (734) 731-GREG or visit www.covenant.realestate 10% off a rebound bible from Deus Vult Rebinding with the code DEADMANWALKING

The story most people miss about a widening Middle East war isn't just who fires the next missile, it's who can absorb the retaliation after they do. I'm solo today, moving fast through the latest escalations and then slowing down where it matters: the strategic constraints that make “hit them harder” sound simple while turning into a nightmare for bases, allies, and civilians across the region. We talk Iran, US Central Command messaging, and the way regional dynamics can cascade when Saudi Arabia, Yemen's Ansar Allah, and Iraqi militias all become part of the same retaliatory map. From attacks on energy sites to pressure around key waterways like the Strait of Hormuz, the stakes are bigger than a single battlefield. Energy markets, shipping risk, and the politics of escalation all collide, and once multiple actors tie their demands together, diplomacy gets harder, not easier. Then we get into the numbers that drive everything: Patriot missiles, THAAD interceptors, and what dwindling inventories mean for real world air and missile defense. I also respond to Trump's public remarks, the temptation toward escalation when defenses are thin, and why nuclear risk is the darkest edge of this kind of cornered thinking. We close with the US Israel political reality, Netanyahu's visit, public polling on ICC accountability, and a media moment that shows how warped the Gaza debate has become. If you value clear analysis that follows capabilities and incentives, not talking points, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it.

Part of what has made Iran so effective in the war with the U.S. is its vast network of allies in the region. Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Iran-backed Iraqi militias are often referred to as the “Axis of Resistance.”Peter Salisbury, a professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, explains the Axis of Resistance and how it's shaping the war.This episode was produced by Henry Larson and Daniel OfmanIt was edited by Sarah Robbins and Michael Levitt.Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show's perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

This week, Scott sat down with his colleagues Lawfare Executive Editor Natalie Orpett, Lawfare Public Service Fellow Julia Curlee, and Lawfare Contributing Editor and Vice President of Research, Security and Defense at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs Ariane Tabatabai, to talk through the week's big national security news stories, including:“Lateral Thinking.” Five months into Operation Epic Fury, the U.S.-Iran war has flared back to life—and, more importantly, spread outward. Over the past two weeks, the fighting has jumped to new countries, actors, and domains in a textbook case of “horizontal escalation”: U.S. and Saudi jets opened a new front by striking Iranian-backed militias inside Iraq; Iran-aligned forces battered Kuwait's water and power infrastructure and Saudi oil facilities, with the Houthis apparently firing from Iraqi soil; and a wave of Iran-linked cyberattacks hit water utilities here at home. Then last Friday, President Trump threatened what he called the biggest attack since World War II—before abruptly calling it off, with talks over reopening the Strait of Hormuz now said to be back on. What does this expanding aperture mean for the future of the Iran War?“Squatter's Rights.” The intelligence community has a new leader—sort of. On July 28, the Senate confirmed Jay Clayton, the former SEC chair and Trump's U.S. attorney in Manhattan, as Director of National Intelligence on a 51-47 party-line vote, ending the rocky acting tenure of housing chief Bill Pulte. But in a nearly unheard-of move, the White House left Clayton unsworn for a week while Pulte stayed on—using the extra days to run a fifth round of purges at an agency he'd already cut nearly in half—before Clayton was finally sworn in this Monday. The saga has reignited the fight over Section 702 surveillance authorities, which have now lapsed, and raised pointed legal questions about whether Pulte had any authority to keep acting at all. Where does the ODNI go from here, and what does it mean for U.S. national security?“Weiss Guys.” A sprawling New York Times investigation published over the weekend pulls back the curtain on how Paul, Weiss—the first elite law firm to cut a deal with the Trump administration back in early 2025 to escape a punishing executive order—actually made that fateful decision. The reporting details how then-chairman Brad Karp enlisted Patriots owner Robert Kraft to reach Trump, agreed to $40 million in pro bono work and to drop the firm's DEI policies, and was blindsided when Trump spun the deal his own way online. It lands after a wave of star litigators fled the firm, Karp's own ouster over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, and fresh revelations about the quiet, multimillion-dollar exit of the firm's first openly transgender partner. What has this capitulation (if that's what to call it) cost Paul, Weiss? And what lessons should other law firms—and the legal community as a whole—draw?In object lessons, Ari has a message for competitive spouses: build something together and try Cozy Stickerville. Julia has a message for Secretary Hegseth with her 1950's CIA poster: “ We Are Looking for a Few Good Women.” Scott has a message for the makers of By Jove to bring back a childhood classic. And Natalie has a message for litigators navigating uncertain waters: she sees you and appreciates you.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Scott sat down with his colleagues Lawfare Executive Editor Natalie Orpett, Lawfare Public Service Fellow Julia Curlee, and Lawfare Contributing Editor and Vice President of Research, Security and Defense at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs Ariane Tabatabai, to talk through the week's big national security news stories, including:“Lateral Thinking.” Five months into Operation Epic Fury, the U.S.-Iran war has flared back to life—and, more importantly, spread outward. Over the past two weeks, the fighting has jumped to new countries, actors, and domains in a textbook case of “horizontal escalation”: U.S. and Saudi jets opened a new front by striking Iranian-backed militias inside Iraq; Iran-aligned forces battered Kuwait's water and power infrastructure and Saudi oil facilities, with the Houthis apparently firing from Iraqi soil; and a wave of Iran-linked cyberattacks hit water utilities here at home. Then last Friday, President Trump threatened what he called the biggest attack since World War II—before abruptly calling it off, with talks over reopening the Strait of Hormuz now said to be back on. What does this expanding aperture mean for the future of the Iran War?“Squatter's Rights.” The intelligence community has a new leader—sort of. On July 28, the Senate confirmed Jay Clayton, the former SEC chair and Trump's U.S. attorney in Manhattan, as Director of National Intelligence on a 51-47 party-line vote, ending the rocky acting tenure of housing chief Bill Pulte. But in a nearly unheard-of move, the White House left Clayton unsworn for a week while Pulte stayed on—using the extra days to run a fifth round of purges at an agency he'd already cut nearly in half—before Clayton was finally sworn in this Monday. The saga has reignited the fight over Section 702 surveillance authorities, which have now lapsed, and raised pointed legal questions about whether Pulte had any authority to keep acting at all. Where does the ODNI go from here, and what does it mean for U.S. national security?“Weiss Guys.” A sprawling New York Times investigation published over the weekend pulls back the curtain on how Paul, Weiss—the first elite law firm to cut a deal with the Trump administration back in early 2025 to escape a punishing executive order—actually made that fateful decision. The reporting details how then-chairman Brad Karp enlisted Patriots owner Robert Kraft to reach Trump, agreed to $40 million in pro bono work and to drop the firm's DEI policies, and was blindsided when Trump spun the deal his own way online. It lands after a wave of star litigators fled the firm, Karp's own ouster over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, and fresh revelations about the quiet, multimillion-dollar exit of the firm's first openly transgender partner. What has this capitulation (if that's what to call it) cost Paul, Weiss? And what lessons should other law firms—and the legal community as a whole—draw?In object lessons, Ari has a message for competitive spouses: build something together and try Cozy Stickerville. Julia has a message for Secretary Hegseth with her 1950's CIA poster: “ We Are Looking for a Few Good Women.” Scott has a message for the makers of By Jove to bring back a childhood classic. And Natalie has a message for litigators navigating uncertain waters: she sees you and appreciates you.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is one of the largest gatherings of people in the world. More than 20 million Shia Muslim pilgrims gathered in the Iraqi city of Karbala this week for the annual commemoration of the 7th Century killing of a central figure of their faith. Iran is mostly Shia and this year greater numbers of Iranians participated in the pilgrimage, many say because of the killing of their modern-day religious leader. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed by airstrikes in the early days of the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran. We go to Karbala to hear from some Iranian pilgrims.  Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show's perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

The global awakening, according to Larry Ballard, cannot happen without a global currency reset. In this in-depth conversation, Larry joins Michael Jaco to explain why he believes the revaluation of currencies such as the Iraqi dinar and Vietnamese đồng is only one piece of a much larger transformation. Drawing from years of research, Larry shares his perspective on how energy, geopolitics, economics, and national sovereignty fit into what he believes is an unfolding global reset. Larry explains why he believes President Trump's long-term strategy extends far beyond politics and connects to international trade, resource development, energy independence, and a restructuring of the global financial system. Throughout the discussion, Larry shares his analysis of: • The global currency reset and why he believes it matters • The Iraqi dinar and Vietnamese đồng • President Trump's long-term economic strategy • Energy independence and global resources • The future of the U.S. dollar and international finance • Why he believes the financial system is entering a historic transition Whether you're interested in geopolitics, global finance, or alternative economic perspectives, this conversation offers Larry Ballard's analysis of where he believes the world is headed and why he sees today's events as part of a much larger plan. Larry Ballard

For six years, a Church of England priest has been trying to uncover the fate of more than 60 Iraqis taken prisoner by Coalition forces during the 2003 Iraq invasion. What makes this search for the truth so compelling is that before becoming a priest, Nicholas Mercer was a Lieutenant Colonel and one of the most senior lawyers in the British military. As part of his search, he wrote repeatedly to the Inspector General of the Australian Defence Forced because Australian troops were involved in detaining the Iraqis. Nicholas Mercer has finally received a response from the Inspector-General.The following statement can be attributed to a spokesperson for the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force:The Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force's role includes the examination of matters affecting military justice in the ADF.  The IGADF inquiry into Dr Mercer's concerns did not find any evidence that substantiates wrongdoing on the part of the ADF. GUEST:A former British Army Lieutenant-Colonel, the Rev Nicholas Mercer has been campaigning for the truth about war crimes in Iraq - he is also an Anglican priest

For six years, a Church of England priest has been trying to uncover the fate of more than 60 Iraqis taken prisoner by Coalition forces during the 2003 Iraq invasion. 

Sponsored by Wycliffe: There are still people whose Bibles are blank, while millions of others have incomplete stories. Help make God's Word accessible. Give today at: https://bit.ly/3Thk8SHTop headlines for Tuesday, August 4, 2026A federal court orders a Georgia district to reinstate a Christian released-time program after its director criticized a tax hike. John Piper warns against doomscrolling. Iraq's top appellate court affirms a woman's Christian identity. Plus, a fifth arrest in the Pawleys Island Community Church abuse investigation.0:11 School district must reinstate Christian program cut, court rules1:05 John Piper weighs in on 'doomscrolling' 1:54 NFL's TreVeyon Henderson: 'Apart from Jesus I can't do anything'3:43 Greg Locke's church moving to new location amid attendance drop4:33 Iraqi court affirms woman's right to Christian identity5:25 5th arrest made in Pawleys Island Community Church scandal 6:18 'The Chosen' unveils emotional Season 6 teaser Subscribe to this PodcastApple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsOvercastFollow Us on Social Media@ChristianPost on TwitterChristian Post on Facebook@ChristianPostIntl on InstagramSubscribe on YouTubeGet the Edifi AppDownload for iPhoneDownload for AndroidSubscribe to Our NewsletterSubscribe to the Freedom Post, delivered every Monday and ThursdayClick here to get the top headlines delivered to your inbox every morning!Links to the NewsSchool district must reinstate Christian program cut, court rules | EducationJohn Piper weighs in on 'doomscrolling' | Church & MinistriesNFL's TreVeyon Henderson: 'Apart from Jesus I can't do anything' | SportsGreg Locke's church moving to new location amid attendance drop | Church & MinistriesIraqi court affirms woman's right to Christian identity | World5th arrest made in Pawleys Island Community Church scandal | U.S.'The Chosen' unveils emotional Season 6 teaser | Entertainment

David Grantham, author of Consequences: An Intelligence Officer's War, provides a memoir of his time as an Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) agent, detailing the high-stakes world of counter-intelligence during the Global War on Terror. His deployments took him from a five-star hotel in Kuwait to the tactical dangers of Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan and Camp Bucca in Iraq. Grantham emphasizes that intelligence work is inherently provocative, involving the "poking" into places where adversaries do not want scrutiny. A central focus of the book is the radicalization within Iraqi prisons, specifically Camp Bucca, which Grantham identifies as a "powder keg" and the eventual birthplace of ISIS. He describes the delicate balance required to collect intelligence on al-Qaeda and Iranian-backed Sadr networks without sparking a larger geopolitical conflict with Iran. Grantham reflects on the "flawed execution" of the Iraq war, noting that while it provided a hard-earned education on network-style threats, the human cost to the Iraqi people was immense. Applying these lessons to modern challenges, Grantham analyzes the Bolivarian threat network in Latin America, where states like Venezuela and Iran utilize cartels to target the United States. He warns that the US southern border is being systematically overwhelmed by cartels using "distraction" strategies—such as waves of migrants—to facilitate the movement of drugs, weapons, and money. He concludes that these networks are increasingly sophisticated, lucrative, and difficult to dismantle. (2)1910 Peshawar

Subscribe now to skip the ads and get all of our episodes. AP headquarters is seriously considering upgrading the video content to IMAX. In this week's news: the U.S. and Iran resume strikes after a brief pause (3:25); Gaza talks are close to an agreement on Hamas disarmament and an Israeli withdrawal (10:59); Saudi-Ansar Allah/Houthi attacks escalate (13:37); the U.S. and Saudi Arabia strike Iraqi militia sites (17:10); a drone strike hits two gas ships at Egypt's Damietta port (21:01); Ukraine attacks an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea (22:58); the Sudanese army seizes the Omdurman–El Obeid highway (25:46); China expands its satellite and asteroid-defense programs (29:21); wildfires force mass evacuations across Spain and France (32:45); Keiko Fujimori takes office as president of Peru (35:53); and U.S. pressure drives Venezuela and Chad to quit the International Criminal Court (37:35). Note: After recording, a Hamas disarmament deal was announced. Be sure to order your copy of Danny's new book, Imperialist Realism: Politics and Culture at the End of the American Century.  Be sure to watch a replay of last night's livestream with journalist Jasper Nathaniel about his latest trip to the West Bank. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AP headquarters is seriously considering upgrading the video content to IMAX. In this week's news: the U.S. and Iran resume strikes after a brief pause (3:25); Gaza talks are close to an agreement on Hamas disarmament and an Israeli withdrawal (10:59); Saudi-Ansar Allah/Houthi attacks escalate (13:37); the U.S. and Saudi Arabia strike Iraqi militia sites (17:10); a drone strike hits two gas ships at Egypt's Damietta port (21:01); Ukraine attacks an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea (22:58); the Sudanese army seizes the Omdurman–El Obeid highway (25:46); China expands its satellite and asteroid-defense programs (29:21); wildfires force mass evacuations across Spain and France (32:45); Keiko Fujimori takes office as president of Peru (35:53); and U.S. pressure drives Venezuela and Chad to quit the International Criminal Court (37:35).Note: After recording, a Hamas disarmament deal was announced.Be sure to order your copy of Danny's new book, Imperialist Realism: Politics and Culture at the End of the American Century. Be sure to watch a replay of last night's livestream with journalist Jasper Nathaniel about his latest trip to the West Bank.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It has been five months since the US and Israel launched their war with Iran, and the conflict has never really been contained. Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE and Jordan have all been hit by Iranian missiles and drones, Hezbollah drew Lebanon into a fight that is still going on, and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, with neither talks nor military action producing a lasting reopening. Right now, though, no front is moving faster than the one closing in on Saudi Arabia, and it is coming from two directions at once. In Yemen, a strike on Sanaa airport and Houthi accusations against Riyadh in July reignited a conflict that had been largely dormant, leading within days to attacks on Saudi shipping, a Saudi strike on Hodeidah port, and a Houthi claim to have hit oil facilities in Jizan and Yanbu, potentially the first direct strike on Saudi oil infrastructure since 2022. In Iraq, months of accusations that Iran-backed militias were launching drones from Iraqi soil culminated this week in Saudi Arabia joining the US in direct, public strikes for the first time, a move Riyadh justified as an exercise of its right to self-defence under the UN Charter. In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher is joined by Douglas Silliman, former US Ambassador to Iraq and now President of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, Hasan Alhasan, senior fellow for Middle East Policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and Elizabeth Dent, senior fellow at the Washington Institute, to look at how Saudi Arabia's escalation fits into the broader trajectory of the US-Iran war.

In this episode, Colonel Tiffany Bilderback joins MWI's Charlie Faint to discuss a career defined by coalition building, strategic leadership, and service alongside partner forces from countries like Germany, Iraq, South Korea, and Ukraine. She also describes working in the special operations community and at the Pentagon, and providing military medical assistance to the COVID-19 national response. The bulk of the episode focuses on her time as the J5, or joint plans officer, for Security Assistance Group–Ukraine. Drawing on experiences advising Iraqi forces, supporting whole-of-government pandemic operations, commanding a multifunctional medical battalion, and helping develop Ukraine's corps-level command structure during an active armed conflict, Tiffany reflects on the importance of humility, empathy, professional military education, and building trust with allies. She shares firsthand observations of Ukrainian resilience, explains why leader development remains essential even in the midst of combat, and offers practical leadership lessons on accountability, lifelong learning, and choosing opportunities that open more doors than they close. Chapters (00:00:02) - The Spear(00:00:31) - Colonel Tiffany Bratley on Her Love of History(00:01:54) - Branch in the Medical Service Corps(00:02:27) - Combat Medical Platoon Leader on Deployment(00:05:37) - Being the S9 in Afghanistan(00:08:02) - Post-Second Deployment Medical Service Officer(00:11:16) - Post-9/11 soldier experiences in Korea(00:15:11) - Post-Basic Training: Medical Plans in Afghanistan(00:20:09) - Post-Combat Experience: Leading the Army's Warfighter Plans(00:27:21) - Steve Bannon on Jared Kushner's Pizza comment(00:27:55) - Commanding the 61st Multifunctional Medical Battalion(00:31:17) - NATO's Security Assistance Group Ukraine (SAGYU)(00:33:50) - Assistance to the Ukrainian Corps in the Donbass(00:37:18) - What was your day to day life(00:39:27) - The Business Cycle: The J5(00:40:21) - Serviceman in the Ukraine War(00:43:47) - Senior Advisor to the Ukrainian Army(00:46:04) - Looking back on my time in the Ukraine(00:48:53) - Pre-Command Course(00:51:18) - Colonels on Accountability and the Investigation Culture(00:56:01) - SGT Majors in the Course(00:57:46) - Colonel Tiffany Sullivan on Leading With Purpose(00:59:12) - The Spear

//The Wire//2100Z July 30, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: UNITED STATES CONDUCTS RETALIATORY STRIKES WITHIN IRAN. CYCLOSPORA OUTBREAK CONTINUES IN UNITED STATES. MIGRATION WAVE HITS SPAIN AFTER SUPREME COURT RULING RESULTS IN BORDER CROSSING BREACH.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Middle East: American strikes on Iran continued overnight, with most of the targets being struck in the same coastal regions of Iran that have been targeted since the ceasefire was broken. Iran has claimed to have struck several aircraft on the ground at Muwaffaq al Salti in Jordan, along with other targets around the region which will take some time to verify.On the American side, one new series of targets struck by the United States was reported in the border town of Abadan, which is geographically located right on the Iraqi border, a short distance from Bubiyan Island where American HIMARs launchers have been observed conducting ATACMS strikes within Iran.Spain: An emergency situation has been declared after thousands of migrants swarmed the small enclave of Ceuta on the south side of the Strait of Gibraltar. Several thousand migrants breached the border perimeter that separates the Spanish peninsular city of Ceuta, from mainland Morocco. After it became clear to the crowds that there were very few border guards, the fencing was breached by land, and small boats launched by sea to land on the beaches, circumventing the fencing.Immediately after the migrant waves arrived this morning, the city has been in a state of sheer bedlam. Riots have been reported throughout the peninsula and property owners have reported being swarmed with break ins, as the border itself has completely collapsed.Analyst Comment: The reason for the fray is due to a recent court ruling which has intensified illegal immigration efforts. This week, Spain's Supreme Court re-affirmed that their borders are open, and that migrants who are apprehended trying to cross over to this peninsula cannot be deported. Last month, Spain's amnesty program officially closed, but because it's very hard to prove an entry date for someone who crossed the border illegally, the boats are being launched like never before, which resulted in today's intensification once the fence was breached.-HomeFront-USA: Around the nation the outbreak of cyclospora has continued to remain a concern as the exact point of origin for the parasite remains largely unknown. Over the past few weeks, the infection has continued to spread around the nation, and now a total of 45x states are reporting citizens falling ill. The largest outbreak cluster remains in Michigan and Ohio, and most of the other states affected are located in the midwest, the northeast, and southeastern regions of the nation.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: The war in the Middle East has reached a level of complexity that makes direct strikes and targeting efforts way more impactful than they otherwise would be. A few days ago, the Saudis struck targets in northern Iraq, targeting Iran-aligned militia groups. It was partially this action which resulted in Iran striking back at Saudi Arabia yesterday. The groups that were targeted by the Saudis, were allegedly smaller sub-groups within the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), which had not formally joined with the Iraqi government. For context, the PMF are an infamous collection of militia units and tribes, which align with Iran along religious lines in addition to sharing the geography along the Iranian border.In recent years, the PMF has been rolled into the Iraqi government, to serve as the official militia/homeguard for the nation. This results in a complex web of loyalties and relationships, as making the PMF a part of the official uniformed Iraqi military service makes them harder to strike due to the diplomatic situation. This is probably why the Saudis attacked when they didn't necessarily need to. They found a way to strike PMF factions that would probably result in a fracturing within the region, but also not really result in a retaliatory attack from the Iraqi government. Or at least, that was the gamble on the part of the Saudis. The fact that the PMF sporadically launch drones at the Saudis helped justify this targeting effort last weekend. However in effect, what this has done, has brought Iran and Iraq closer together...at least in terms of hating the Saudis. The problem is that the Saudis (much like others in the region) have a habit of kicking a hornets nest, then handing that nest to the United States to deal with. When the Saudis hit the PMF in Iraq, the militia groups in Iraq will probably take this as an opportunity to increase attacks on the American base in Erbil (as they have for years), and the Iraqi government might not be so inclined to reign them in...because the Americans are not reigning in the Saudis. In short, things are sliding sideways, and because it's complicated and can't be compressed into a quick soundbite for decision makers to consume, the danger is very likely going unnoticed.Even though it is complicated, this is a comparatively easy example of how escalations can take place not just vertically, but also horizontally. Vertical escalations take the form of increasingly more severe tit-for-tat airstrikes, but horizontal escalations are far less intense, while spreading out around the world. This has resulted in the situation sleepwalking into serious territory, which has largely gone unnoticed because it hasn't been flashy enough for headlines. The Saudis are striking the Iraqis, the Houthis are hitting the Saudis, somebody is striking the Egyptians, the Israelis have slipped back into the shadows, the Iranians are hitting the Jordanians and Americans, and the United States is perplexingly bombing coastal targets and bridges within Iran...which are rather forebodingly only used during the wintertime wet season. These horizontal escalations have been a mainstay of this conflict since the beginning, but right now these more indirect escalations are taking center stage as the United States and Iran slug it out with missiles, drones, and bombs, and the United States is unable to make progress for the time being.Analyst: S2A1 Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269 Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//

The conflict between Iran and the US has intensified sharply as President Trump delivers on his promise to strike “very hard,” launching a massive wave of attacks against IRGC command centres and drone facilities. Further afield, a drone strike on a US-owned gas tanker in Egypt's Mediterranean port of Damietta has now dragged the conflict into a new, volatile theatre, raising urgent questions about the reach of Iran's drone warfare.On today's episode of Iran: the Latest, Sophie O'Sullivan speaks to David Blair, The Telegraph's Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator, about the reality of the US military's 14-day strike plan, the tactical risks of widening the war to the Mediterranean, and why Saudi Arabia is now pushing for urgent de-escalation.Plus, Sophie and David discuss the Iraqi government's furious response to the strikes, examine why US troops in the Middle East may soon be forced to surrender their mobile phones to maintain operational security, and analyse the latest developments in the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.Highlights Trump prepares 14-day strike plan: Will this blitz effectively dismantle Iran's capabilities?US tanker struck in Egypt: Is the conflict spreading to the Mediterranean?Security risk: US troops in the Middle East may be forced to surrender phones for security.CONTRIBUTORS:Sophie O'Sullivan, journalist and Ukraine: the Latest producer David Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator @davidblairdtWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/30/trumps-general-draws-up-plans-for-14-days-of-iran-strikes/?recomm_id=1b169994-a91c-4c17-aad7-04111941eb17 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/29/iran-us-war-latest-israel-trump-strikes-strait-of-hormuz/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/20/us-prepares-all-out-war-iran-sending-more-jets-middle-east/ ITL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The war between the United States and Iran has spread across the Middle East. Fresh strikes in Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Egypt, alongside escalating Houthi attacks on international shipping, have raised fears that the region is entering a dangerous new phase. With Washington intensifying its military campaign and Iran relying on its network of allied militias, is this becoming a wider regional war?On this episode of The Fourcast: Indicators, Matt Frei and Mark Urban are joined by Professor Madawi al-Rasheed from the London School of Economics Middle East Centre. They discuss why the Houthis are stepping up attacks, whether Saudi Arabia is being pulled into the fighting despite its efforts to avoid it, how Iraqi militias could become a new flashpoint, and whether the US has a long-term strategy, or is being drawn into another prolonged Middle East war.Is there still a path to de-escalation, or are we witnessing the beginning of a conflict that could engulf the wider region?

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Yesterday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the White House for his first in-person talks with US President Donald Trump since the Iran war began in February. Closed to the press, later statements about the meeting were laconic, with Israel describing it as “excellent” and “one of the best we’ve ever had,” and the White House calling the talks productive and positive. Magid reviews what we know about the meetup and hypothesizes why the long-awaited talks were held in such an atypically subdued fashion. We hear about overnight flare-ups in the Iran conflict after the regime targeted US forces in Jordan and the US and Saudi Arabia launched deadly strikes on Tehran-backed militias in Iraq, blaming them for drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities. How close were the sides to resuming the memorandum of understanding -- and what may happen now? Securing Saudi Arabia is the focus of our final item as well: Magid brings exclusive reporting on how Pakistani military chief Asim Munir leveraged a joint oil transport venture with Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Ahmad Vahidi to secure an agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia under which Tehran agreed to halt attacks against the Gulf kingdom. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Netanyahu: Meeting with Trump was one of our best ever; White House: Productive, positive Wary of perception that Israel driving war, Trump and Netanyahu opt to avoid optics altogether ‘He loved Israel’: Lindsey Graham eulogized by Trump and other dignitaries at DC funeral US-Saudi strikes target Iraqi pro-Iran militias as IRGC renews attacks on US forces Pakistan army chief leveraged private oil venture with IRGC head to shield Saudi Arabia Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The opening of Iraq's Ba'th Party archives revolutionized the study of Iraqi politics and history, offering scholars unprecedented access to the inner workings of one of the world's most impenetrable autocracies. Ba‘thist Iraq Through Archives: Reflections, Explorations, and Opportunities (Stanford University Press, 2026) edited by Dr. Lisa Blaydes and Dr. Samuel Helfont brings together leading scholars to take stock of what we have learned from over a decade of research using the Ba'thist archives, contributing to a new understanding of Iraq's history, with wider implications for understanding authoritarianism in general. The contributors show how research in these unique archives challenges previous assumptions about Ba'thist Iraq and the workings of authoritarian regimes. Their chapters provide fresh insights into how Saddam Hussein's regime functioned both at the elite level and through everyday bureaucratic practices, shedding light on state power, social relations, and international politics of the Middle East. The volume also critically reflects on the ethical questions posed by the archives, including their origins, the impact of their removal from Iraq, and access barriers for local scholars. Rich in empirical detail yet framed by cutting-edge theoretical questions, this book demonstrates how the Iraqi archives have reshaped debates about authoritarianism, governance, repression, and state-society relations well beyond the Iraqi case. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

For perspective on the effects of the U.S. and Iran trading strikes and the widening war in the region, Geoff Bennett spoke with Feisal Istrabadi, a former Iraqi diplomat and the founding director of the Center for the Study of the Middle East at Indiana University Bloomington. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The opening of Iraq's Ba'th Party archives revolutionized the study of Iraqi politics and history, offering scholars unprecedented access to the inner workings of one of the world's most impenetrable autocracies. Ba‘thist Iraq Through Archives: Reflections, Explorations, and Opportunities (Stanford University Press, 2026) edited by Dr. Lisa Blaydes and Dr. Samuel Helfont brings together leading scholars to take stock of what we have learned from over a decade of research using the Ba'thist archives, contributing to a new understanding of Iraq's history, with wider implications for understanding authoritarianism in general. The contributors show how research in these unique archives challenges previous assumptions about Ba'thist Iraq and the workings of authoritarian regimes. Their chapters provide fresh insights into how Saddam Hussein's regime functioned both at the elite level and through everyday bureaucratic practices, shedding light on state power, social relations, and international politics of the Middle East. The volume also critically reflects on the ethical questions posed by the archives, including their origins, the impact of their removal from Iraq, and access barriers for local scholars. Rich in empirical detail yet framed by cutting-edge theoretical questions, this book demonstrates how the Iraqi archives have reshaped debates about authoritarianism, governance, repression, and state-society relations well beyond the Iraqi case. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/middle-eastern-studies

The opening of Iraq's Ba'th Party archives revolutionized the study of Iraqi politics and history, offering scholars unprecedented access to the inner workings of one of the world's most impenetrable autocracies. Ba‘thist Iraq Through Archives: Reflections, Explorations, and Opportunities (Stanford University Press, 2026) edited by Dr. Lisa Blaydes and Dr. Samuel Helfont brings together leading scholars to take stock of what we have learned from over a decade of research using the Ba'thist archives, contributing to a new understanding of Iraq's history, with wider implications for understanding authoritarianism in general. The contributors show how research in these unique archives challenges previous assumptions about Ba'thist Iraq and the workings of authoritarian regimes. Their chapters provide fresh insights into how Saddam Hussein's regime functioned both at the elite level and through everyday bureaucratic practices, shedding light on state power, social relations, and international politics of the Middle East. The volume also critically reflects on the ethical questions posed by the archives, including their origins, the impact of their removal from Iraq, and access barriers for local scholars. Rich in empirical detail yet framed by cutting-edge theoretical questions, this book demonstrates how the Iraqi archives have reshaped debates about authoritarianism, governance, repression, and state-society relations well beyond the Iraqi case. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

The opening of Iraq's Ba'th Party archives revolutionized the study of Iraqi politics and history, offering scholars unprecedented access to the inner workings of one of the world's most impenetrable autocracies. Ba‘thist Iraq Through Archives: Reflections, Explorations, and Opportunities (Stanford University Press, 2026) edited by Dr. Lisa Blaydes and Dr. Samuel Helfont brings together leading scholars to take stock of what we have learned from over a decade of research using the Ba'thist archives, contributing to a new understanding of Iraq's history, with wider implications for understanding authoritarianism in general. The contributors show how research in these unique archives challenges previous assumptions about Ba'thist Iraq and the workings of authoritarian regimes. Their chapters provide fresh insights into how Saddam Hussein's regime functioned both at the elite level and through everyday bureaucratic practices, shedding light on state power, social relations, and international politics of the Middle East. The volume also critically reflects on the ethical questions posed by the archives, including their origins, the impact of their removal from Iraq, and access barriers for local scholars. Rich in empirical detail yet framed by cutting-edge theoretical questions, this book demonstrates how the Iraqi archives have reshaped debates about authoritarianism, governance, repression, and state-society relations well beyond the Iraqi case. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

The opening of Iraq's Ba'th Party archives revolutionized the study of Iraqi politics and history, offering scholars unprecedented access to the inner workings of one of the world's most impenetrable autocracies. Ba‘thist Iraq Through Archives: Reflections, Explorations, and Opportunities (Stanford University Press, 2026) edited by Dr. Lisa Blaydes and Dr. Samuel Helfont brings together leading scholars to take stock of what we have learned from over a decade of research using the Ba'thist archives, contributing to a new understanding of Iraq's history, with wider implications for understanding authoritarianism in general. The contributors show how research in these unique archives challenges previous assumptions about Ba'thist Iraq and the workings of authoritarian regimes. Their chapters provide fresh insights into how Saddam Hussein's regime functioned both at the elite level and through everyday bureaucratic practices, shedding light on state power, social relations, and international politics of the Middle East. The volume also critically reflects on the ethical questions posed by the archives, including their origins, the impact of their removal from Iraq, and access barriers for local scholars. Rich in empirical detail yet framed by cutting-edge theoretical questions, this book demonstrates how the Iraqi archives have reshaped debates about authoritarianism, governance, repression, and state-society relations well beyond the Iraqi case. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/national-security

We'd like to introduce you to the first episode of 'Sports Strangest Crimes Presents: Shadows On The Pitch'. Throughout the series, James Montague investigates a startling conspiracy theory put forward by the Iraqi football federation in the 90s - that America influenced a World Cup qualifying tournament to save USA '94 from its so-called enemies. In this opening episode, a former referee with a cryptic message may hold the key to unraveling the mystery. Can he help James uncover the truth behind the alleged conspiracy surrounding the build-up to the 1994 World Cup? James travels to Bucharest in search of answers.If you enjoyed 'Sports Strangest Crimes Presents: Shadows on the Pitch' and want to hear more, head to the Sports Strangest Crimes feed on BBC Sounds, where you can listen to the rest of the series.

What has made this moment feel different is not the anxiety about incivility, which has always been there, but rather the performance of it. It's relentless.” — Molly Brady on incivility in the age of the smartphone Whatever happened to the American front porch? Builders killed it to save money, says the Harvard law professor Molly Brady — and with this death went one of the key stages on which Americans have practiced the art of being neighbors over the last 250 years. Brady is a contributor to America Unfinished: 250 Years of Law and Governance, a new volume of 62 essays from the Harvard Law School faculty edited by Alexandra Natapoff. Brady's subject is the land, real-estate and local government law determining neighborliness. Thus her interest in front porches. Brady grew up in Utica, New York — on the old Erie Canal — a Rust Belt town whose fracking fights, abandoned housing, and urban renewal steered her toward property law. Utica is also, despite its red politics, a place well versed in the art of neighborliness — with the town warmly welcoming recent Bosnian and Iraqi refugees. Incivility isn't new, Brady says. What's changed, she argues, is its performative virality. With a phone in every pocket, we can now watch our fellow “citizens” behaving badly. Meanwhile the physical infrastructure of community — the front porches and corner stores — has been zoned, sprawled, and value-engineered away. Analogue porches have been replaced by digital chatrooms. Brady's remedy is unfashionably local. On Zoom or in person, she advises, show up at your local planning meetings. Brady even requires her Harvard students to attend at least one local meeting so as to demystify the real work of governance. The republic, as Ben Franklin so famously warned, is ours if we can keep it. Keeping it, Molly Brady suggests, may require in-person attendance on a Wednesday night at your local planning commission. And it might also require hanging out on your porch. If the builders ever give them back to us. Five Takeaways •       The Performance of Incivility. Americans have always fretted about incivility — the republic itself was born out of Europe's religious civil wars. What has changed, Brady argues, is technology. When difference was mediated through traditional publishers, you had to grapple with the people in your physical world: the workplace, the water cooler, the town meeting. Now everyone carries a phone on which fellow citizens can be found behaving horribly at any given moment. It is not the presence of incivility that makes this moment feel different — it is the relentless performance of it.•       The Death of the Porch. Brady writes in the tradition of Robert Putnam's Bowling Alone, updated for the post-smartphone age: suburbanization, the loss of third places, remote work — and a thousand micro-choices in property law that removed the physical alternatives to online life. Builders dropped the front porch to save money; developers in the South and West build almost nothing outside homeowners associations, so there is no meaningful market choice. People are human — they yearn for connection — but in the absence of physical competition, technological community wins by default.•       Tocqueville's Scalability Problem. What Tocqueville admired in New England — every citizen (nominally) arguing policy with neighbors at the town meeting — may never have been scalable to a continental republic, a question America has been grappling with since the Louisiana Purchase. But the local still scrambles our politics in useful ways: party preference, as the scholar David Schleicher observes, tells you nothing about road paving. The darker local truth is Bill Fischel's homevoter hypothesis — homeowners dominate participation and vote to maximize home values, which has helped produce the national affordability crisis.•       Glimmers: Zoom, Newton, and Showing Up. The shift to Zoom planning meetings completely changed the demographics of who participates in land use decisions — young parents cannot spend Wednesday from seven to midnight debating a corner store. Newton has produced genuinely pro-housing policies; Cambridge ran a charter commission that drew in residents of every kind; groups like Abundant Homes Massachusetts organize contingents to make sure meetings are not left to the usual voices. Brady requires her students to attend at least one local meeting. The lesson: do not think this is for someone else.•       2076: Best Case, Worst Case. Asked to imagine America's 300th birthday, Brady hopes for less polarization and demonization, and for a real confrontation of the housing and environmental crises — collective work that might itself rebuild the habit of cooperation. The worst case runs through Margaret Atwood and civil war scenarios to environmental degradation and lives lost to our incapacity to work together. The warning signs are already banal: middle-aged men now pay consultants to teach them how to make friends. The skills have atrophied — and local participation, Brady suggests, is the gym where a republic gets them back. About the Guest Molly Brady is a professor of law at Harvard Law School, where she teaches property, land use, and local government law. Raised in Utica, New York, she is a graduate of Harvard College and Yale Law School, and her scholarship on the history of American property law has won wide recognition, as has her teaching. She lives in Belmont, Massachusetts, and is a contributor to America Unfinished: 250 Years of Law and Governance, edited by Alexandra Natapoff and Guy-Uriel E. Charles (MIT Press, July 2026). References: •       America Unfinished: 250 Years of Law and Governance, edited by Alexandra Natapoff and Guy-Uriel E. Charles (MIT Press, July 2026). Bryan Stevenson: “A valuable contribution to understanding America at a critical moment.”•       Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam — the 2000 classic on America's vanishing social capital, written, Brady notes, before the smartphone made things worse. Putnam is an old friend of this show.•       Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville — the towering account of New England civic virtue that frames the episode's scalability question.•       Shade by Sam Bloch — the new book on the politics of shade that taught Brady about the money-saving death of the American front porch.•       Bill Fischel's “homevoter hypothesis” — the Dartmouth economist's account of why homeowner-dominated local politics maximizes home values and starves housing supply.•       Alexandra Natapoff — the volume's co-editor, whose own Keen On America conver...

//The Wire//2300Z July 24, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: TARGETING CONTINUES TO ESCALATE THROUGHOUT MIDDLE EAST. EXPLOSIVES RECOVERED DURING RAID IN IRELAND. SHILOH HENDRIX CONVICTED OF DISORDERLY CONDUCT IN LANDMARK FREE SPEECH CASE.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Middle East: Iranian strikes continue to target American military installations around the region. Most of the American bases in Kuwait have been struck regularly by Iranian drones, and missile attacks remain constant at American positions in Jordan. This morning, the Patriot battery in Erbil was targeted again, with local Iraqis reporting large smoke plumes emitting from the section of the base where the launchers are located. Some successful interceptions of drones were also reported along with the more unconfirmed targeting efforts which can't yet be geolocated or verified with satellite imagery.Iran: American targeting continues to escalate as well. Airstrikes have been observed in Bandar Abbas, Jask, and Qeshm Island, along with more substantial strikes at the underground missile cities in Khorramabad and Yazd. Coastal targets remain an American priority as the ports and marinas housing small boats using the IRGCN are constantly targeted.Red Sea/HOA: This afternoon the war between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia flared up once again, with both belligerents trading strikes this evening. The Yemeni port (and Houthi stronghold) of Hodeida was struck, with fires continuing to burn late into the night. Ireland: This morning an explosive device was discovered during a series of raids throughout the regions near the border with Northern Ireland. One suspect was arrested after a bag containing plastic explosives (allegedly Semtex) and a detonator was discovered in her vehicle.Analyst Comment: Details are very sketchy and vague, but this incident generally aligns with some of the other incidents that have recently taken place regarding explosives in Northern Ireland or adjacent areas. Much of the time the person arrested in possession of an explosive device is not the actual assailant, but instead transporting a package that they do not know the contents of. What the story is in this case, is not known. However, this is another reminder that even though Northern Ireland might be out of the mainstream news cycle, paramilitary groups are very much active throughout the region, and the causes of the Belfast riots last month have not been forgotten.-HomeFront-Minnesota: Last night, after a four day jury trial that involved multiple Somali interpreters, Shiloh Hendrix was convicted of one count of disorderly conduct, for calling a Somalian a name while being harassed on a Rochester playground in May of last year.Analyst Comment: This landmark First Amendment case is being appealed on the grounds that the judge in the case refused to allow evidence to be presented, verbally abused the defense council in front of the jury, and allowed one the the star witnesses in the case to commit perjury while on the stand.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: Indications and warnings continue to point toward a widening of the war, possibly to include more serious targeting efforts over the next few days/weeks. All American aircraft that were stationed at Al Udeid Airbase in Qatar have been relocated to Ovda Airbase in Israel, and King Hussein International Airport in Jordan, both of which have been targeted by Iran since their movement earlier this week. Otherwise, military aviation has been extremely active throughout the region, with many assets being moved around from base to base.On the messaging front within the homeland, other more generalized indicators are stacking up too. The media blitz to urge a widening of the war has re-intensified to a staggering degree, to similar levels in the days leading up to the war back in February. Rhetoric from official White House sources has likewise continued to expand the war, with the announced targets now including more tunnels and bridges along with more deliberately civilian infrastructure such as power plants, and water treatment/desalination facilities. All things considered, as the weekend approaches more targeting is likely.Analyst: S2A1 Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269 Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//

//The Wire//2100Z July 22, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: IRANIAN TARGETING OF AMERICAN BASES REMAINS SIGNIFICANT. MISSILE THREAT ISSUED FOR LA GUARDIA LAST NIGHT, REPORT QUICKLY DEEMED NOT CREDIBLE.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Kuwait: Strikes on American positions continue to degrade American capabilities. The logistical hub at Camp Doha in Kuwait City was struck overnight, along with possible strikes at the remote HIMARS launch sites in near the Iraqi border. Iran also claimed to have struck the AN/FPS-117 Early Warning radar array at Ahmed al-Jaber Airbase.Analyst Comment: Unlike all of the other strikes, this site cannot be independently verified or geolocated using current satellite imagery, so it might be a newly constructed site or the Iranians got the names of bases mixed up.Saudi Arabia: Iranian missile strikes were reported throughout the morning, with unknown success. The oil terminals at Yanbu as well as American positions at Prince Sultan Airbase were targeted, with unknown effect. Jordan: American positions continue to be struck at Muwaffaq al Salti Airbase, in the vicinity of the strike that killed 3x service members last week. In central Jordan, King Faisal Airbase was targeted as well, with satellite imagery confirming that as of this morning, one of the structures targeted was still on fire. Down south, the American positions at King Hussein International Airport were targeted, as the Iranians attempted to strike the American refueling aircraft that have been parked on the apron for several days. Israeli citizens across the border observed smoke over the mountain ridge in the vicinity of this airport.Analyst Comment: Now that the Iranians know that their targeting is effective at Muwaffaq, they will continue targeting the same location over and over again. Same with Tower 22, the far-flung base in Jordan's northeastern quadrant, where extensive damage has been noted. Also, the Iranians claim to have unveiled a comparatively new missile system during this wave of attacks; Iran used many of their low-grade missiles during the early days of the war, and now they are occasionally pulling out the newer missiles which have more advanced maneuverability during the terminal phases of the warhead's flight. This might be a contributing factor for why missile interceptions are completely non-existent during some attack waves.-HomeFront-New York: Last night, a security incident was reported at La Guardia after a MANPAD alert was issued for the airport. Port Authority Police alerted the tower regarding a threat they had received regarding the potential use of a shoulder-fired Surface-to-Air missile launcher being used to target a civilian airliner. The report was deemed to be not credible almost immediately afterwards, but the alert was still sent out over the radio to all aircraft in the vicinity.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: Sometimes, a few seconds of radio traffic is very illuminating. Listening to the very brief radio exchange between the tower and a Delta flight explaining the issue in New York, perhaps the most telling and concerning detail is that La Guardia possibly has a "MANPAD alert" procedure now. From a counterterrorism perspective this is a good thing, but it's also very disconcerting that this contingency is something that is not only actively being planned for...but already has a procedure drawn up for it. Granted, there's not a whole lot that a commercial airline pilot can do with that information while trying to land, and the rather nonchalant affirmation that no issues have been reported "yet" is only slightly reassuring. But this does go to show that threats within the homeland don't take a break just because eastern Europe and the Middle East are on fire, and the threats to commercial aviation are always on the menu even if most of the concerns are not credible. However, it only takes one credible threat for a very bad day to occur, and this target vector is the epitome of the old counterterrorism saying: We have to be successful in defending ourselves every single time, but the terrorist has to succeed only once.Analyst: S2A1 Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269 Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//

SCHEDUKE JBS 7-21-26Elizabeth Peek joins John Batchelor to discuss how rising gasoline prices act as a talisman for consumer sentiment and presidential approval. Despite low unemployment and rising real wages, the public remains fixated on energy costs. Peek criticizes Republican messaging and highlights the massive AI-driven investment boom currently occurring. (1)Elizabeth Peek discusses New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's inability to define the "working class." She argues the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) primarily represent white, college-educated liberals rather than manual laborers. They also discuss Kevin Warsh as a potential Fed chairman and the independence of interest rate decisions. (2)Peter Berkowitz examines Vice President JD Vance's views on restoring Christianity in America. Berkowitz highlights the ambiguity in Vance's stance regarding government involvement in religion. They contrast Vance's rhetoric with James Madison's historical opposition to state-funded religion, emphasizing the constitutional separation of church and state. (3)Ahmad Sharawi reports on Syria's interception of sophisticated Iranian weapons—including cruise missile components—destined for Hezbollah. The weapons were concealed in Iraqi oil tankers. This move is seen as Al-Shara's attempt to gain international trust and investment by demonstrating a commitment to containing Hezbollah's rearmament. (4)Mary Kissel discusses the ongoing conflict with Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. She argues there is no diplomatic overlap because Iran views nuclear weapons as essential for survival. Kissel notes the lack of a broad international coalition and warns that regional allies might seek accommodation with Tehran. (5)Mary Kissel turns to NATO's lack of unity regarding the Ukraine war. Kissel argues that while Eastern Europeannations feel the threat, Western Europe focuses on domestic politics. She highlights the emergence of a "new alliance" of Russia, Iran, and China, which poses a significant hybrid threat. (6)Joseph Sternberg analyzes China's struggling economy, noting that official growth targets are likely overstated. Facing a real estate crater and demographic decline, China is reverting to an export-heavy model. Unlike Japan's past recovery, China's adversarial stance makes trading partners less willing to absorb its gluts. (7)Joseph Sternberg discusses the transition to Prime Minister Andy Burnham in the UK. Burnham, who took office without an election mandate, faces a heavily taxed economy and bond market skepticism. Sternberg critiques Burnham's big-government agenda and resistance to market reforms, suggesting it may drive away wealth. (8)Gregory Copley evaluates Prime Minister Andy Burnham's new cabinet, specifically John Healey as Chancellor and Wes Streeting as Defense Secretary. While the government aims to boost defense spending and support Ukraine, Copley questions its legitimacy without a fresh mandate and notes a lack of long-term global strategic planning. (9)Gregory Copley covers the alienation of Canada under the Trump administration. Copley explains how Canada is diversifying its defense procurement—buying Swedish aircraft and Australian radar—rather than relying on the US. This shift threatens the NORAD partnership and results in billions of dollars lost for US aerospace industries. (10)Gregory Copley explores the "balance of ignorance," where declining literacy and social media lead to a loss of national identity. He argues that governments make poor strategic decisions because they no longer understand their own history or adversaries, citing the current US conflict with Iran as a primary example. (11)Gregory Copley explains King Charles III's role in forming Andy Burnham's government. The King's "blessing" provides constitutional legitimacy to the transition. Copley notes Burnham is the first practicing Roman Catholic Prime Minister and highlights the King's departure to Glasgow to open the Commonwealth Games. (12)Former Congressman Thaddeus McCotter discusses how rising gas prices and inflation hurt Republicans in swing states. They also examine the Trump administration's use of the Smoot-Hawley Act to threaten tariffs on Canada. McCotter views these as punitive measures that weaken the broader argument for necessary trade protections. (13)Thaddeus McCotter comments on a recent presidential address regarding the 2020 election. He argues that claiming the system is "rigged" is counterproductive for Republican turnout. McCotter suggests that voters care far more about the "price of gas" and groceries than relitigating past elections that the party lost. (14)John Batchelor and Peter Huessy review classic nuclear war films like Godzilla, On the Beach, and Dr. Strangelove. Huessy argues that while these films highlight the horrors of nuclear use, real-world focus has evolved toward deterrence and sophisticated safety systems designed to prevent accidental or unauthorized missile launches. (15)Peter Huessy continues the discussion of nuclear films like Fail Safe and The Day After. Huessy disputes claims that The Day After motivated Ronald Reagan's arms control efforts, noting Reagan was a committed advocate for nuclear reductions long before the movie's massive 1983 television broadcast. (16)Corrections applied silently: Ahmad Sharawi (4) and Thaddeus McCotter (13, 14) per the log.

David Daoud. Iraq has issued a circular to banks to comply with U.S. sanctions against Hezbollah financiers and pro-Syrian politicians. However, David Daoud argues this measure is largely symbolic, as it does not touch powerful local militias like Kata'ib Hezbollah. Furthermore, Iraqi religious shrines continue to provide financial support to Hezbollahthrough various media and charitable branches, allowing Iraq to remain a significant financial channel. (15)1994

Robert Patton is the Founder and CEO of SHEATH, a premium men's underwear brand he conceived while serving as a U.S. Army Sergeant in the scorching heat of the Iraqi desert. After two combat deployments, Robert left the military with a mission: to create performance-driven underwear built around a patented dual pouch system that delivers unmatched comfort and support for active men.What started as a bootstrap idea fueled by a $5,000 insurance check and a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2013 has grown into a globally recognized brand selling to customers in over 120 countries. SHEATH is the first ever Official Underwear Partner of the UFC — a milestone Robert built without taking on outside investors.A daily meditator, lifelong student of Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich, and relentless entrepreneur, Robert's story is a testament to grit, reinvention, and the power of solving a real problem the world didn't know it had.In This Conversation We Discuss:00:00 Introduction01:02 What an elite underwear makes01:56 The Iraq deployment origin story04:20 Building the first underwear prototype07:32 Sponsor: Klaviyo09:47 Early prototypes and finding a manufacturer15:12 Launching the first Kickstarter campaign17:06 Sponsor: Intelligems 18:33 A botched production and near giving up21:03 The second Kickstarter and revenue growth22:58 Using AI to speed up product design24:12 Sponsor: eFulfillment Service 25:58 Finding customers beyond Kickstarter26:57 The comedian throw stunt28:18 Sponsoring comedians and podcast hosts30:43 Famous names and loyal ad partners35:04 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs38:14 Where to buy underwear for legendsResources:Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on YoutubeMen's pouch underwear sheathunderwear.com/ Follow Robert Patton linkedin.com/in/robert-patton-b675273b    Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect Get your free demo klaviyo.com/honest Book a demo today at intelligems.io/ Lower scale costs today eFulfillmentService.com/honestSchedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect     If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

//The Wire//2300Z July 17, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: GULF WAR ESCALATES AS INFRASTRUCTURE TARGETING BEGINS. SIGNIFICANT IRANIAN RETALIATION REPORTED ON AMERICAN INSTALLATIONS. IRANIAN TARGETING OF MERCHANT SHIPPING REMAINS CONSTANT.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Middle East: The war escalated again overnight, with the United States beginning the series of strikes on bridges and infrastructure targets intended to soften up areas near the coast of Iran. Several bridges were struck in the vicinity of Bandar Abbas, along with the usual nightly strikes on more military targets.On the Iranian side, the targeting of American installations has been substantial over the past few days. In Iraq, Iranian forces successfully struck the Patriot battery in Erbil, with satellite imagery indicating burn scars in the vicinity of where one launcher was previously located. In the UAE, a series of warehouses and probable weapons storage facilities were destroyed at the Zayed Military City. In Kuwait, one of the HIMARS launcher sites on the Iraqi border was targeted, in addition to a desalination plant providing the fresh water supply for Kuwait City.Persian Gulf: The war on the seas continued with many different strikes and incidents being reported around the region. At the northern end of the Gulf, the UKMTO reported an unidentified incident involving a merchant vessel, which was carried out by unknown parties and in the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Sea, several targeting efforts of merchant vessels was reported throughout the day.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: Last night's targeting in Iran possibly offers up a clue as to what the military objective of this specific operation might be. The bridges that were struck by the United States are not specifically military targets, however they did offer high-speed avenues of approach to the coastline. If the IRGC ground force needed to reinforce specifically the area of the coastline to the west of Bandar Abbas, north of Qeshm Island, these would be the bridges they would need to use.The bridges that were taken out also would be a way of isolating Bandar Abbas in terms of trade. In addition to the naval base being a military target, this is also a major civilian port city that handles the import of a lot of cargo for the nation (some reports claim up to 80% of Iran's imports arrive at this port). Under normal circumstances, taking out bridges is a tricky subject in the world of military targeting; if the bridge is predominantly used for military purposes, it's usually a valid target, but if it's predominantly a civilian bridge it's not normally legal to target. This categorization gets really blurry really quickly, but what is very clear is that targeting infrastructure like this isolates the military objective into only a few possibilities.Either the United States is attempting to go scorched-earth on civilian infrastructure so as to make life as miserable as possible and thus attempt to turn the populace against the government...or this is pre-shaping fires for other operations that might take place in the vicinity of the coastline. Neither option makes a whole lot of tactical sense, but making sense has not been a prerequisite for any military objective sought so far during this conflict, so the continued targeting over the next few days will probably shed some light on what the objective is with this latest campaign. As of this afternoon, dozens of refueling tankers are once again making their way into the Middle East from Europe and beyond, so the war is likely to continue escalating for foreseeable future.Analyst: S2A1 Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269 Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//

P.M. Edition for July 16. A new regulation from the Trump administration will cap student visas to a maximum of four years, and require extensions to stay longer. Journal immigration reporter Michelle Hackman gets into how big a change this is and what students—and U.S. companies—will be most affected. Plus, Chevron says it plans to explore how to help Iraqi oil bypass the Strait of Hormuz. And a new report from the Pew Charitable Trusts shows that debt collectors took more debtors to court last year. We hear from WSJ economics reporter Dan Frosch about what that suggests about the health of the U.S. consumer. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

-- On the Show: -- Jessica Knurick, a nutrition scientist and registered dietitian, joins us on Substack Live to discuss health, nutrition, and misinformation coming from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the MAHA movement -- Donald Trump refuses to rule out deploying ground troops in Iran and vows to strike civilian power grids and bridges -- Donald Trump abruptly cancels his proposed 20% cargo transit fee for the Strait of Hormuz after talking to Gulf leaders -- Donald Trump demands that ICE resume traffic stops just hours after his own administration suspended them following fatal shootings -- Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche denies the existence of a Jeffrey Epstein client list and rejects accusations of a government cover-up -- Donald Trump wanders off-topic when asked about Iran, insults an Iraqi leader's looks, and criticizes the FBI's probe into Lindsey Graham's death -- Dinesh D'Souza praises Donald Trump for donating his presidential salary without scaling the amount against his multibillion-dollar income -- On the Bonus Show: Elon Musk could get charged with breaking election law, daylight saving time could become permanent, the misuse of driver-assistance technology is a big risk to road safety, and much more...

Edmund Fitton-Brown — The truce between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis may be over following strikes on Sanaaairport, with retaliatory attacks potentially targeting major Saudi international airports and oil facilities; despite Iranianinfluence, the new Iraqi prime minister appears to be drifting toward the United States for security and stability. (12)

SCHEDULE JBS, 7-13-26.1914 PALESTINESamuel Ben-Ur — Israel controls 70% of Gaza, creating a buffer zone while Hamas remains on the coast; 98% of the population resides on the Hamas-controlled side, where the group exploits humanitarian aid for revenue, and the Board of Peace proposes a "pilot zone" in Tel Sultan for non-Hamas civilians. (1)Samuel Ben-Ur — The Board of Peace remains underfunded, with only $23 million confirmed of the $17 billion pledged; Hamas rejected an eight-month disarmament plan, its leadership has largely relocated from Qatar to Turkey, and Netanyahu's political standing depends on his hardline refusal to cede Gaza territory. (2)Bill Gertz and Gordon Chang — Rose Gottemoeller suggests Vladimir Putin nearly used tactical nuclear weapons in 2022 to stop a military rout, allegedly dissuaded by private pressure from the U.S., China, and India; reports indicate China is now providing covert military training to Russian forces. (3)Mark Simon and Gordon Chang — China released Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri following a request from Donald Trump, showing Xi Jinping can make concessions without losing face; however, billionaire publisher Jimmy Lai remains imprisoned for political crimes, viewed by the Chinese government as a significant threat and a "one-man wrecking crew." (4)Malcolm Hoenlein and Thaddeus McCotter — Guests pay tribute to the late Senator Lindsey Graham, highlighting his role in the Abraham Accords and US-Israel relations; Israeli elections are set for October 27th, and regional tensions rise as the U.S. reimposes a naval blockade on Iran following renewed attacks on Gulf neighbors. (5)Malcolm Hoenlein and Thaddeus McCotter — Anti-Semitism is surging in the UK, leading to a £250 million government allocation for protection; Iran continues to act as an "octopus" of instability across the Middle East, and guests argue that dealing with Iran is the only way to achieve regional peace and allow the area to bloom. (6)David Daoud — Hezbollah fighters are integrated into southern Lebanese villages, making evacuation north of the Litani River unfeasible; while Lebanese law requires disarmament, the government lacks the will to confront Hezbollahdue to its significant social support, turning Lebanon into a hollowed-out, failed state. (7)David Daoud — Prime Minister Netanyahu uses theatrical tours of the border to project strength ahead of the October elections; he faces criticism for being unable to say "no" to President Trump, and ultimately the fate of Israeli military deployments in Lebanon and Gaza depends more on Washington than Jerusalem. (8)Bridget Toomey — Saudi Arabia struck Sanaa airport to prevent Iran from establishing direct flights to Houthi-controlled territory; the Houthis have vowed retaliation, potentially targeting Saudi oil infrastructure or airports with drones and missiles, though they have avoided attacking U.S. vessels to prevent renewed air campaigns. (9)John Hardie — President Trump signaled he will grant Ukraine a license to produce Patriot missile systems, though standing up production will take years; meanwhile, Germany is financing 50,000 AI-guided drones for Ukraine, which use terminal guidance to strike targets despite electronic warfare interference. (10)Edmund Fitton-Brown — The U.S. is reimposing a naval blockade on Iran after the collapse of the poorly drafted memorandum of understanding; Iran's economy is "choking to death" under these measures, and guests argue the U.S.must prioritize controlling the Strait of Hormuz through international cooperation and naval power. (11)Edmund Fitton-Brown — The truce between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis may be over following strikes on Sanaaairport, with retaliatory attacks potentially targeting major Saudi international airports and oil facilities; despite Iranianinfluence, the new Iraqi prime minister appears to be drifting toward the United States for security and stability. (12)Ahmad Sharawi — President Trump has agreed to review lifting Syria's state sponsor of terror designation to aid its economic recovery; however, the country remains unstable, with rampant ISIS activity and foreign leaders facing security risks in Damascus, while Turkey and Saudi Arabia position themselves to invest heavily in Syria. (13)Jonathan Schanzer — The naval blockade on Iran represents the "maximum pressure" campaign, effectively dropping Iranian oil exports to zero; this economic strangulation poses an existential threat to the regime, which struggles to pay its personnel, and recent direct missile exchanges suggest diplomatic understandings between the U.S. and Iran have collapsed. (14)Bob Zimmerman — China successfully recovered a reusable rocket stage, joining SpaceX and Blue Origin in the race for cheaper launches; on the ISS, a private company successfully manufactured human kidney and liver tissues, and SpaceX continues to break records, with boosters flying up to 36 times, significantly reducing satellite launch costs. (15)Bob Zimmerman — SETI has tightened protocols for announcing alien life to prevent "clickbait" claims lacking evidence, with scientists encouraged to be more transparent about mistakes and maintain anonymity during discoveries; future missions include deploying helicopters to Mars and launching the Habitable Worlds Observatory in the 2040s. (16)Corrections: Samuel Bener → Samuel Ben-Ur; Bill Girtz → Bill Gertz; Pastor Jyn / Ezra Jin Mingu → Ezra Jin Mingri; Jimmy Lie → Jimmy Lai; Thaddius McCotter → Thaddeus McCotter; Bridget Tumeh → Bridget Toomey; John Hardy → John Hardie.One question: the batch ended with "1-8" — I've numbered the full run (1)–(16), but if you wanted this split as tails (1)–(8) across paired segments, or only the first eight numbered, say the word and I'll renumber.

Supreme Court Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan are set to testify on Tuesday on the proposed $228 million 2027 budget. The nation's highest court is seeking a total of $228.4 million for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, a $20.6 million increase over the current year.President Donald Trump on Tuesday welcomed Iraq's new prime minister to the White House. Ali al-Zaidi, a businessman with no political background, emerged as a consensus candidate in Iraq after months of deadlock over the premiership following last year's parliamentary elections. The issue of Iran is likely to loom large in the discussions. Iraq has been under pressure to disarm a network of Iran-backed militias operating in the country, some of which launched attacks on U.S. bases and diplomatic facilities after the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran in February.