Geopolitics
International affairs, defense, and regional conflicts
#970: The Limits of the State: Can a Nation Survive Anarchy?
Explore the boundaries of power as we look at stateless Somalia, private cities in Honduras, and the radical mini-state of Liechtenstein.
#964: Iran's Ballistic Arsenal: A Strategic A-Z Audit
A clinical audit of the ballistic inventory facing Israel, exploring fuel types, re-entry speeds, and the shift to solid-fuel technology.
#962: The Architecture of Hatred: Why Iran Targets Israel
Explore the ideological and strategic roots behind the Iranian regime's persistent hostility toward Israel and the IRGC's "Axis of Resistance."
#961: Borders of the Absurd: Inside Shebaa Farms and Ghajar
Discover the strange reality of the northern border, where a single village was split in two and a mountain strip became a legal ghost.
#956: Why a President Can’t Even Watch a Movie in Peace
Can the leader of the free world ever truly binge-watch Netflix? Explore the high-stakes tech and human cost of the "always-on" presidency.
#955: The CEO of Conflict: Inside the World of CENTCOM
Forget the "Red Phone" myths. Discover how a 4-star Admiral manages 50,000 troops and 1,700 targets in the middle of a global conflict.
#954: The Polite Fiction: Lebanon’s State-Militia Symbiosis
Is Lebanon a hostage or a willing partner? Explore the "polite fiction" of sovereignty and the blurred lines between the state and Hezbollah.
#951: The Kurdish Wild Card: A Nation Between Empires
With 40 million people and no state, the Kurds remain the Middle East's ultimate wild card. Will 2026 be the year their borders finally change?
#946: The Hormuz Bottleneck: Oil, Insurance, and Global Risk
Explore why the Strait of Hormuz is the global economy's ultimate single point of failure and how insurance markets can trigger a total freeze.
#941: Missile Frontiers: Decoding Hezbollah and Houthi Threats
From saturation rockets in Lebanon to long-range strikes from Yemen, we break down the sophisticated Iranian-backed tech targeting Israel.
#936: The Physics of Interception: Why Missile Debris Still Falls
What happens when a missile the size of a building is hit in space? Explore the physics of kinetic kills and why falling shrapnel remains a threat.
#932: Beyond the Smoke: Reimagining a Post-Regime Iran
Exploring the historic potential of a post-regime Iran and the return of a strategic alliance between Jerusalem and Tehran.
#931: Dismantling the Octopus: The New Push for Iranian Change
Explore the surgical strategies and "economic octopus" behind the current push for regime change in Iran and the dismantling of the IRGC.
#930: The World’s Policeman: American Power and the New Restraint
Is America still the world's policeman? We explore the shift from the Monroe Doctrine to the aggressive "interventionist isolationism" of 2026.
#929: Data Points in the Sky: Decoding Iranian Targeting
Explore the lethal logic behind "random" strikes as we deconstruct Iran’s coordinated 2026 aerial campaign against Israel’s defenses.
#928: Can the Middle East Prosper Without a Palestinian Peace?
Is the Arab world replacing Europe as Israel's top trade partner? We dive into the shifting geopolitics of the Abraham Accords in 2026.
#927: That Others May Live: The Mechanics of Combat Rescue
After a friendly fire incident in Kuwait, six airmen were rescued in record time. Discover the systems that ensure no one is left behind.
#925: Israel SITREP; 4 Mar 01:51 (23:51 UTC)
Following the death of Iran's Supreme Leader, a massive regional conflict erupts. We break down the military strikes and global economic fallout.
#918: Solid Fuel & Strategic Depth: Iran’s Missile Arsenal
Explore the technical evolution of Iran's missile program and how geography dictates the warning times in a modern ballistic arms race.
#916: The Billion Dollar Shield: Gulf Air Defense Stress Test
Explore how the Gulf states achieved 90%+ interception rates and the staggering cost of using "Ferraris to shoot down e-bikes."
#915: Inside the Target List: Mapping Iran’s Nuclear Machine
Herman and Corn break down the strategic map of Iran’s nuclear sites, from the depths of Pickaxe Mountain to the weaponization labs of Parchin.
#914: Under the Mountain: Iran's Massive Missile Cities
Explore the massive engineering behind Iran's subterranean missile bases and why they are nearly impossible to destroy from the air.
#913: 72 Hours That Changed the World: The Iran Conflict
As a massive military operation enters its third day, Herman and Corn break down the tactical shifts and global impacts of the Iran conflict.
#912: Is the United Nations Unfit for Global Security?
As missiles fly over Jerusalem, Corn and Herman ask: Is the UN a shield for aggressors or a relic of a bygone era?
#909: The Physics of Interception: Decoding Iranian Missile Tech
Why isn't air defense 100% effective? Herman and Corn break down the high-stakes game of physics and decoys happening at the edge of space.