ALEXANDER MERCOURIS : Hormuz Blockade And Global Shock

LARRY JOHNSON : United States-Israel Intelligence Sharing ? What's really happening?

A “deal” doesn’t mean much if nobody can even agree on what’s in it. We sit down with Larry Johnson to sort through the growing confusion around the Iran memorandum of understanding, including reports of competing versions, rumored electronic signatures, and the single line that seems to matter most: an immediate, comprehensive ceasefire that includes Lebanon. Then we ask the uncomfortable question: if Israeli leaders are publicly promising more war, what exactly is supposed to change by Friday? From there, we connect diplomacy to consequences you can feel. We get into the economic pressure shaping US foreign policy, why the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a bigger story than most headlines admit, and how oil and shipping realities make quick market optimism look naive. Even if the Strait of Hormuz opens, tankers, insurance, and mine-clearing timelines can stretch disruptions for months. We also cover the less-obvious ripple effects, like damaged LNG infrastructure in Qatar and why helium supply matters for computer chips, not party balloons. Finally, we dig into the security architecture underneath the politics: US basing in the Gulf, drone-heavy warfare that punishes expensive platforms, supply chain constraints like rare earth minerals and gallium, and the nuclear deterrence debate that keeps resurfacing whenever regime change rhetoric returns. We close with a deep look at Section 622 of the Intelligence Reauthorization Act and why codifying intelligence sharing with Israel could permanently limit independent US operations. CHAPTER MARKERS * 0:00 Hawaiian Shirt Cold Open * 2:55 Competing Versions Of The Iran MOU * 6:10 Israeli Leaders Push For More War * 10:30 US Leverage Over Israel And Politics * 14:55 Oil Risk And The SPR Reality * 20:40 Strait Of Hormuz Fees And Leverage * 26:10 Mines, LNG Damage, And Helium Shock * 31:55 Iran Retaliation And Hidden US Losses * 37:45 Gulf Bases Under Pressure To Close * 41:45 Drone Warfare Costs And Supply Chains * 47:20 Nuclear Deterrence And JCPOA Lessons * 51:50 Section 622 And Forced Intel Sharing * 53:55 Cutoffs, Decoupling, And Final Plugs Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations [https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]

Netanyahu Speaks Out On Iran Deal -NOT SO FAST! What Happens NEXT?

A ceasefire can be announced in minutes and collapse in seconds, so we slow down and ask the only question that matters: is the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding actually enforceable, or is it a pause that buys time while the Israel Lebanon conflict keeps burning? I walk through why Iran is treating Lebanon as the make-or-break condition, why the Strait of Hormuz staying constrained is real leverage, and how “minor war” language collides with what’s happening on the ground. Then we follow the money, because global markets don’t care about talking points. Oil prices, the strategic petroleum reserve, shipping risk, and U.S. inflation all intersect here, and the timing of the MOU matters when futures open and prices swing. If you’ve felt higher energy costs and grocery bills, this is the chain that links a regional war to your weekly budget and to the political pressure building ahead of the midterm elections. Finally, I get into the under-discussed limiter: U.S. force readiness and munitions stockpiles. From Tomahawk production rates to Patriot and THAAD interceptor replenishment timelines, and from 155mm artillery shell capacity to broader “can we sustain this” realities, the episode lays out why prolonged conflict is not just unpopular, it may be strategically reckless. We close by looking at Netanyahu’s incentives, the risk of ceasefire violations, and what signs to watch between now and Friday. CHAPTER MARKERS * 0:00 A Deal Or A Charade * 1:58 Coffee Plug And Going Solo * 3:12 Iran Sets The Terms On Lebanon * 8:38 Why The MOU Looks Like Theater * 18:22 Oil Prices And Inflation Pressure * 26:05 Polls Show A War Nobody Wants * 30:34 Munitions Shortages And Production Limits * 39:18 Force Readiness And A New Drone Era * 43:12 Netanyahu As The Spoiler * 45:10 Predictions And The Ask To Subscribe Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations [https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]

PRO. MOHAMMAD MARANDI - LIVE From Tehran, IRAN

The market popped on a promise: a Trump-brokered Iran agreement that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz and ease a global energy squeeze. But when a headline lands right before futures reopen, I can’t help asking whether we’re seeing diplomacy or gamesmanship. Oil prices, the Nikkei, and US stocks all react instantly, even though the public still has almost no verified detail from the US side about the memorandum of understanding or the real enforcement mechanisms behind it.  To cut through the fog, I’m joined by Professor Seyed Mohammad Marandi live from Tehran. We talk about why Iranian leaders and ordinary people don’t evaluate US negotiations in a vacuum and how war memory still shapes strategy today. Morandi shares personal experience from the Iran-Iraq war, including surviving chemical attacks, and explains why that history fuels deep skepticism toward Western “human rights” messaging and toward US claims of good-faith bargaining.  Then we get practical and specific: what the reported terms imply about sanctions relief, frozen Iranian assets, maritime access through the Persian Gulf, and the biggest trigger point of all, Israel’s operations in Lebanon. We also look at the political pressure cooker around Netanyahu, the risk of the deal collapsing if commitments aren’t met, and what a sustained disruption in Hormuz means for inflation, fuel availability, and long-tail economic damage worldwide.  If you want a clear, grounded read on the Iran deal rumors, the Strait of Hormuz stakes, and the Lebanon ceasefire question, listen now, then subscribe, share the episode, and leave a review with your take on what happens next. CHAPTER MARKERS * 0:00 Breaking News And Big Claims * 2:04 Host Check In And Quick Sponsor * 2:58 World Cup Crowd Energy Break * 4:02 Markets React To Iran Deal Talk * 12:19 Marandi's War Story And Media Lessons * 21:53 What The Deal Demands By Friday * 26:01 Tehran’s Mixed Mood And Skepticism * 28:13 Can Washington Restrain Israel * 31:28 Winners Losers And Public Backlash * 35:59 Netanyahu’s Next Move At Home * 40:49 Proving Good Faith With Money And Terms * 43:16 Final Takeaways And Subscribe Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations [https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]

PATRICK HENNINGSEN : The Lebanon - Iran Connection Explained

Lebanon isn’t a side quest, it’s the pressure point that can keep a US Iran war simmering for years. We sit down with journalist and geopolitical analyst Patrick Henningson, founder of 21st Century Wire, to unpack why Lebanon remains under covered, why the framing around Hezbollah is so politically useful in Washington, and why that framing can make diplomacy feel “impossible” by design. We break down Hezbollah’s origins in the Israeli occupation of South Lebanon, the reality of Hezbollah as both a political party and an armed force, and the uncomfortable question most headlines skip: why can’t the Lebanese Armed Forces defend their own airspace? From there, we zoom out to Israel’s longer term strategic interests in the south, including territory, resources, and water, and we talk about how post October 7 rules have shifted in ways that change the calculus for civilians and states alike. The conversation also draws parallels to Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units, the war on terror’s elastic definitions, and how labels like “Iran backed” can erase local agency while lowering the threshold for violence. Finally, we tackle the big strategic picture: Iran’s rising leverage, America’s declining credibility, and what an “interregnum” between world orders looks like when no one trusts the old rules anymore. CHAPTER MARKERS * 0:00 Why Lebanon Is The Missing Piece * 1:55 Guest Background And Quick Housekeeping * 3:40 What Hezbollah Is And How It Formed * 13:56 Why Lebanon’s Army Stays Handcuffed * 20:44 Israel’s Goals Beyond “Security” * 22:55 Sectarian Pressure And Syria’s Spillover * 28:13 Iraq Parallels And The Terror Label * 45:41 Iran’s Leverage And America’s Decline * 1:07:36 The “Why” Question And The Interregnum Watch Patrick Henningsen, Like & Subscribe to him on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@21stCenturyWireTV Also visit Patrick's Substack here: https://patrickhenningsen.substack.com See all of Patrick Henningsen and his team's work here: https://www.21stcenturywire.com Follow Patrick’s daily shorts on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/21wire_media/ Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations [https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]

Negotiating With Bombs Is Not Negotiating with/ Dan McKnight of Defend the Guard

“We’ll negotiate with bombs” is the kind of line that should stop you cold, especially when it’s paired with fresh strikes on Iran and talk of ground troops. We sit down with Dan McKnight, founder of Bring Our Troops Home and a longtime Marine, Army, and National Guard veteran, to unpack what this moment says about U.S. foreign policy and why the constant recycling of “imminent threats” and instant “victories” keeps the public numb while the war machine keeps moving. From there, we get practical. Dan breaks down how the National Guard is actually used, including state active duty, Title 32, and Title 10 federalization, and why Title 10 has become a pipeline for overseas combat deployments without a congressional declaration of war. We talk through the Defend The Guard strategy, the big Texas win that pushed it into the state GOP platform, and why state legislatures may be the best pressure point to restore constitutional war powers and protect Guard units from being treated as a “warm supply of bodies.” We also dig into the policy hooks that lock in endless intervention: NDAA Section 224 and the push to tie the U.S. defense industrial base closer to Israel, plus Intelligence Authorization Section 622 and the fear that withholding intelligence could effectively become illegal. Along the way, we hit the costs at home, the risks of escalation in the Strait of Hormuz, and why modernization for drone warfare matters more than bluster. Subscribe, share this with a friend who cares about war powers, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway: what would it take for Congress and the states to reassert control over when America goes to war? CHAPTER MARKERS * 0:00. Iran Strikes And War Talk * 1:37 Meet Dan McKnight And The Mission * 5:24 Texas Win For Defend The Guard * 7:24 How National Guard Activations Work * 10:18 Overdeployment Costs At Home * 13:06 War Powers And Iran Legality * 23:05 The Off Ramp And Modern Warfare * 30:29 NDAA Section 224 And Industrial Ties * 35:10 Intel Bill 622 And Israel Sharing * 39:30 Building A Coalition That Resists War * 50:14. How To Help And Closing Notes Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations [https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]