JIM WEBB PODCAST

DANIEL McADAMS : 6 Months of illegal War - Hormuz is Closed - The Dollar Under Attack Within!

Six months into a war with Iran and still no authorization, no real debate, and no clear off ramp. That fact alone should stop you cold, because it points to something bigger than any single conflict: a Congress that is no longer acting like a co equal branch of government, even as the US stacks blockade style actions, sanctions threats, and “maximum pressure” messaging that may not be enforceable in the real world. Daniel McAdams, executive director of the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity, joins me to connect the dots between war powers, congressional oversight, and the incentives that keep elected officials quiet. We also dig into the growing anxiety around economic warfare and the US dollar, including the idea that recent moves could be setting up a dangerous kind of devaluation. Along the way we talk stablecoins, T bills, the national debt, and why interest payments are becoming the silent monster that can consume everything from the military budget to Medicare and Social Security. The thread running through it all is credibility, at home and abroad. When Washington makes sweeping threats it cannot fully enforce, rivals adapt and allies take notes. We close with a grounded question: how does the next generation break through barriers like donor machines and party gatekeepers without getting absorbed by the system, and what does a Thomas Massey style model look like in practice? Subscribe for more, share this with a friend, and leave a rating or review so more people can find the show. Chapter Markers 0:00 War Timeline And Cold Open 2:07 Sanctions And A Dollar Crash Theory 5:58 Congress As A Weak Co Equal 9:19 Six Months Into Iran Without AUMF 13:22 When American Power Starts Melting 15:19 Allies Watch Cracks Spread In Asia 18:35 Can Congress Take Authority Back 24:21 How The Next Generation Breaks Through 29:09 Ron Paul Institute Conference Pitch 31:16 Host Recap And Weekend Sign Off Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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LARRY JOHNSON : Why is the CIA in Moscow ? Ukraine plans to send Women to the Front Line!

A CIA director flies into Moscow on a C-17, and the move feels anything but routine. We talk through what that kind of high-profile visit can realistically accomplish, why the loudest rumors don’t hold up, and what Russia would actually want to hear from Washington after years of broken assurances and escalating strikes. Larry Johnson joins me to map the Russia Ukraine war as it looks right now: pressure along the line of contact, the possibility of a renewed push toward Kyiv, and why Odessa remains a strategic north star for Moscow. We also react to the St. Petersburg car bomb and what it says about escalation, retaliation, and the limits of “messaging” when the battlefield timeline keeps moving. Then we pivot hard into economics and national security: Iran sanctions, secondary sanctions, and the risk of weaponizing the U.S. dollar into irrelevance. We get specific about de-dollarization, SWIFT vs China’s CIPS, why more countries are buying gold, and how rising U.S. debt depends on global confidence that can disappear faster than policymakers expect. If you care about foreign policy, reserve currency status, and what happens when strategy turns into improvisation, this conversation is for you. Subscribe for more, share this with a friend who follows geopolitics, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway or your strongest disagreement. Chapter Markers 0:00 Cold Open On Moscow Visit 1:14 Welcome And Setting The Stakes 2:15 Why Fly A C-17 9:04 Car Bomb And Escalation Fears 10:21 Russia’s Offensive Outlook And Trust Gap 15:43 Kyiv, Odessa, And Endgame Scenarios 19:39 Drafting Ukrainian Women Into Combat 25:32 Iran Sanctions And Dollar Threats 31:16 De-Dollarization, Debt, And Gold 39:51 Planning Failures And What Comes Next 47:18 Closing And Conference Promo Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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DAVE BENNER : Trump’s Iran War Is Coming Home — The Midterms Could Be the Reckoning

A primary win in South Carolina kicks off a bigger question we can’t ignore: if voters keep saying they’re sick of endless wars and DC corruption, why do the same pro-war operators keep rising to the top? We unpack what the turnout numbers and candidate messaging suggest about a brewing “blue” shift, and why a populist economic message paired with anti-war clarity is landing with independents who feel squeezed by inflation, gas prices, and grocery bills. From there, we go deeper than campaign headlines. We argue about what changed in the American system when senators stopped being chosen by state legislatures, and why the 17th Amendment debate matters for federalism, lobbying influence, and who government actually serves. We also confront the modern surveillance state with plain language: FISA 702, hop analysis, Patriot Act logic, and how tools like Flock cameras and massive data platforms normalize warrantless tracking in everyday life, colliding with the Fourth Amendment’s original purpose. We then connect campaign finance and foreign influence to policy outcomes, including Citizens United, super PAC power, and the incentives that keep Washington addicted to escalation. Finally, we lay out why sanctions and “economic warfare” often operate as collective punishment that hardens resolve abroad while expanding state power at home, with Iran as the immediate case study and BRICS realignment and de-dollarization as long-term risks. If you care about US foreign policy, civil liberties, and how elections actually work, you’ll leave with sharper questions and clearer lines between cause and effect. Subscribe for more, share this with someone who argues politics in good faith, and leave a review with the one issue you think could realign American voters next. Chapter Markers 0:00 Welcome And What’s At Stake 1:55 South Carolina Primary Shockwaves 7:54 The 17th Amendment And Lobby Capture 13:52 FISA, Flock Cameras, And The Fourth 20:12 Citizens United And Foreign Election Money 25:27 Sanctions As Collective Punishment 34:43 Blue Wave Talk And Impeachment Risks 43:29 Iran War Fallout And Tulsi’s Role 48:12 Leadership, Pardons, And JFK Files 53:47 Zionism Through An Orthodox Jewish Lens 57:11 Where To Find Dave And Wrap Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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ROBERT BARNES : Bessent's BullSh*T Will Destroy the Dollar - Midterm Election Analysis

“Leave the dollar system” is the kind of tough talk that sounds powerful right up until you ask what it breaks and who it benefits. We dig into the idea of an “economic D-Day” aimed at Iran and why weaponizing secondary sanctions can undermine the very advantage the US thinks it’s using. The key distinction we keep coming back to is simple: the US dollar is one thing, but access to the US-led financial system is another, and threatening the “tracks” can push the world to lay new ones. We walk through SWIFT, OFAC, and the growing ecosystem of SWIFT alternatives and parallel payment rails, including China’s CIPS and broader BRICS-style efforts. We also get blunt about why sanctions regimes repeatedly fail to achieve political goals when targeted states are food self-sufficient, fuel self-sufficient, and able to sustain national security production. Add in China’s leverage through rare earth supply chains and refining capacity, and the downside risks start to look less theoretical and more like self-inflicted damage. Then we bring it home to US politics. We connect foreign policy escalation to midterm election dynamics, voter realignment, and the “kitchen table” effects that show up fast in consumer confidence, prices, and trust. We also argue that resilience is not just bombs and bases, it’s incentives: fixing corruption-driven procurement, reducing monopoly bottlenecks, and defending food freedom so people can buy directly from farmers and ranchers without needless barriers. If you’re worried about de-dollarization, sanctions backfire, and what all of this means for 2026 and beyond, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review if you want more clear-eyed analysis like this. What’s the bigger risk right now: overusing sanctions or underestimating the political blowback? Chapter Markers 0:00 Tech Trouble And The Big Warning 1:26 Economic D-Day And Dollar Threats 4:35 SWIFT Alternatives And De-Dollarization 6:02 Weaponizing Financial Rails Backfires 10:28 Why Iran Sanctions Won’t Work 19:35 New Middle East Power Alignments 25:40 Midterm Map And Voter Realignment 30:35 Corruption Incentives And Food Freedom 47:50 Odds Of Course Correction And Removal 51:00 Third-Party Pressure And Closing CTAs Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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KYLE ANZALONE : Trump's Economic Blockade will not work. American Farmers Fuming over Argentine Beef

Iran says it wants an off ramp. Washington says it wants a deal. Then Washington also says it wants regime collapse. That gap between messaging and policy is where wars start, and it’s exactly what we unpack with Kyle Anzalone of the Libertarian Institute and The Kyle Anzalone Show. We walk through Iran’s latest public statements about negotiations, why Tehran may believe American promises expire with the next administration, and how the JCPOA still hangs over every “better deal” claim. Kyle breaks down the logic of sanctions as economic warfare and why attempts to financially strangle Iran can push the conflict into the military domain, where retaliation becomes more likely and harder to control. Then we zoom in on the real-world pressure points: oil shipping, tanker movements, and what a serious confrontation in the Strait of Hormuz could mean for energy markets and regional bases. We also look at China’s role, strategic reserves, and the limits of the popular idea that the US can simply cut off Beijing’s oil. Finally, we pivot back home to the politics driving it all: the report of Israeli government-linked ad spending tied to Ted Cruz’s podcast and PAC activity, what Citizens United enables, and why foreign influence and campaign cash keep showing up in places voters actually feel, like the price and quality of beef at the store. If you got value from this conversation, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Chapter Markers 0:00 Welcome And Guest Catch Up 3:03 Iran Signals A Negotiation Off Ramp 6:47 Economic War And Regional Retaliation 9:12 Peace Messaging Through Religious History 13:32 Why Tehran Stops Trusting Washington 24:08 Strait Of Hormuz Oil Leverage 33:58 China’s Tanker Shield And Limits 34:02 Israel Sponsoring Ted Cruz’s Podcast 39:14 Citizens United And Voter Power 44:14 Argentina Beef Imports Hit US Ranchers 50:20 Where To Find Kyle And Closing Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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DARRYL COOPER - The Battle of Blair Mountain - PART TWO

A courthouse killing lights the fuse, and suddenly thousands of coal miners decide the only way to be heard is to march. We sit down with Darryl Cooper, author of Rough Extraction, to track how the West Virginia Mine Wars escalate into the Battle of Blair Mountain, a fight so large it forces the federal government to pay attention. This is not folklore or a vague “labor clash” story, it is trenches, machine guns, prisoners taken on both sides, and a state government openly admitting it cannot control its own territory. We dig into what pushes people past normal politics: martial law enforced along class lines, miners jailed without charges, tent colonies raided, and the shock of Sid Hatfield being gunned down on courthouse steps in front of his wife. Then we follow the march itself, including how World War I veterans bring leadership and small-unit discipline that turns a mass of angry men into something closer to an organized force. Along the way we talk about solidarity across race and nationality, the miners’ belief that “Uncle Sam” simply hasn’t been told the truth, and why figures like Mother Jones fail to stop what’s already in motion. Finally, we break down the decisive shift when Washington gets the call: the threat of U.S. Army intervention, early use of aircraft in domestic conflict, and the moment the uprising ends. We also wrestle with the long aftermath, what reforms actually change in the 1920s and 1930s, and the bigger question Blair Mountain leaves behind: what makes a government feel legitimate to the people living under it. If this episode hits you, subscribe, share it with a friend who loves American history, and leave a review telling us what you think the miners should have done instead. Chapter Markers 0:00 A Century Later At Blair Mountain 2:16 Martial Law Targets The Miners 12:57 Sid Hatfield’s Murder Ignites Everything 14:29 Veterans Turn Rage Into Organization 19:03 When Justice Depends On Rifles 25:41 On To Mingo The March Builds 29:43 Blair Mountain Fortifies For War 32:54 Mother Jones Tries To Stop It 37:30 Washington Gets The Emergency Call 42:18 Blair Mountain Becomes A Battlefield 49:43 The U.S. Army Ends The Uprising 55:35 What Changed After Blair Mountain 1:20:06 Wrap Up And Conference Plug Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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WAR PORN: Propaganda, Fear & the Business of Conflict

Watching someone run for the US Senate and casually admit they are “not informed” on national security should stop you cold, because the Senate doesn’t vote on vibes. We dig into that moment and what it reveals about how war gets normalized in American politics: “support the military” quietly becomes “ship them off,” and propaganda does the rest. From there, we zoom out to the machinery that makes candidates like that possible. I talk through why Congress looks so inept, why the balance of power feels broken, and why I’d seriously consider repealing the 17th Amendment. We also pull back the curtain on corporatized elections, where Super PAC money, consulting firms, and turnkey campaign operations can plug candidates in and yank them out like parts in a machine. Then we get into the defense industrial base and the munitions story that TV loves to soften with buzzwords. We break down a Fox News segment line by line, question the “unlimited weapons” narrative, and do the uncomfortable math on Tomahawks, Patriot interceptors, THAAD, and 155 artillery shells. The big takeaway is simple: you cannot spin your way out of depleted stockpiles, and you cannot rebuild real capacity on a timeline that matches cable news outrage. If you want more episodes like this, subscribe, share it with a friend who still believes the talking points, and leave a review telling us what part hit hardest. Chapter Markers 0:00 Bad Propaganda And War Porn 2:27 A Senate Candidate Shrugs At War 9:36 Why The Senate Became Trainable 14:15 The Election Machine Up Close 14:49 Fox Spins The Munitions Problem 24:23 Why Money Does Not Fix Systems 26:06 Stockpiles And Near Peer Reality 30:58 Seven Year Deals And Contractor Power 34:27 Tomahawk Math And Patriot Limits 39:50 End The War And Retool Smart 41:09 Wag Of The Finger For War Talk 45:47 Wrap Up And Tomorrow’s Preview Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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What the Lincoln Cover-Up Signals About Leadership: w/ Fmr Sec of the Navy / Senator James H. Webb

The fastest way to spot a leadership problem is to listen to how people talk about the troops who are actually doing the work. We start with the USS Abraham Lincoln and the strain of extended time at sea, then zoom out to the bigger issue: when deployments stretch, port calls vanish, and maintenance piles up, it is not just “part of the job” anymore. It becomes a signal that our commitments, our force structure, and our priorities are out of alignment. Jim Webb Sr. joins us with a rare perspective, from Marine infantry in Vietnam to Secretary of the Navy to the US Senate, and he keeps coming back to a simple planning truth: you do not start with tactics, you start with strategy. We get into what real war planning considers first, endpoints, casualty estimates, medical capacity, sustainment, and why ignoring those basics shows up later as exhausted crews and brittle readiness. We also dig into dwell time, retention, and why the all-volunteer force breaks when leaders treat people like interchangeable parts. From there, the map widens. We talk Indo-Pacific strategy, carrier availability, and what it means to pull attention from East Asia while China watches and Russia pressures Japan over the Kuril Islands. We cover South Korea’s role in deterrence, the danger of transactional alliance thinking, and the knock-on risk of nuclear proliferation. We also hit logistics and resupply realities, because strategy is only real if you can sustain it. If you care about US Navy readiness, aircraft carriers, military leadership, deployment tempo, Indo-Pacific security, and avoiding another Middle East ground war, this one is for you. Subscribe, share it with a friend who follows national security, and leave us a review with the question you want us to tackle next. Chapter Markers 0:00 Opening And Why Leadership Matters 3:05 The Lincoln Deployment And Respect 8:40 Strategy First Not Tactics 14:55 Navy Force Structure After Vietnam 23:40 Dwell Time Burnout And Retention 31:40 Carrier Readiness And Asia Risk 37:55 Korea Alliances And The Kuril Islands 43:55 Nuclear Proliferation And Nuclear Power 49:55 Logistics Failures Resupply And Subic Bay 53:55 Iran Posture Avoiding Ground Wars 56:05 Where To Follow Jim Webb And Closing Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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ARTA MOEINI : Fortress Iran - Mojtaba Khamenei is building a hardened, confrontational state

Dr. Arta Moeini is an international political theorist and a scholar of modernity and geopolitics whose research spans questions of civilizational power and cultural renewal, the role of ideology in statecraft, realist approaches to foreign policy, and global cultural pluralism. He was previously a visiting senior fellow with the U.S. Global Engagement initiative (USGE) at the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Relations. Learn More Here: https://peacediplomacy.org The fastest way to lose a war is to start one without a strategy, then pretend the other side will “capitulate.” That’s where we think U.S. policy toward Iran has landed, and jw Dr. Arta Moeini joins me to explain why the danger now is not just another round of strikes, but a widening escalation with fewer and fewer exits. We talk through how negotiations get teased, sabotaged, and replaced by coercion, and why that pattern convinces Iran the U.S. is an unreliable partner that only understands cost and force. A big chunk of our conversation centers on “Fortress Iran” and autarky: the way decades of sanctions, isolation, and hybrid pressure can actually produce resilience. Instead of triggering sudden regime collapse, external aggression can tighten elite cohesion, expand internal control, and build redundancies that make Iran harder to coerce the next time around. We also dig into the credibility problem on all sides, including why nuclear sovereignty is not a side issue for Iran, and why offering fuel “for free” does not solve the trust gap when past deals get undercut. We then zoom out to grand strategy: forward basing, exposed U.S. troops, naval blockades, and the alarming reality that tactical nukes are being discussed at all. Finally, we connect the Middle East to the China challenge, the limits of power projection, and a realist framework built around core national interests, industrial strength, and Washingtonian restraint. Subscribe, share this with a friend who follows foreign policy, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway or your sharpest disagreement. Chapter Markers 0:00 Blowback From Regime Change 1:31 Meet Arta Moini 2:40 Why Escalation Looks Likely 10:05 Off Ramps Get Sabotaged 20:10 Nukes Talk And Bad Options 31:45 Forward Basing Starts Failing 40:50 Autarky And Iran’s Resilience 52:00 Nuclear Sovereignty And Credibility 1:02:10 China Reality And Spheres 1:08:45 Washingtonian Realism To Close Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

JOE KENT : Is Iran overreach now a strategic disaster?

The scariest part of a standoff isn’t the loud headline, it’s the quiet assumption that we control the clock. We talk with Joe Kent about why the Iran war posture is so precarious right now: a fading diplomatic window, mixed signals from the White House, and troops and ships sitting inside an enemy’s strike envelope while Washington acts like escalation is optional. From the Gulf to the Strait of Hormuz, we unpack why regional partners may be rethinking US basing and security guarantees, and how that shifts leverage behind closed doors. Then we get concrete about US Navy readiness: carrier deployment tempo, redlined maintenance, shrinking logistics access, and how drones and ballistic missiles can disable the ports and resupply model the fleet has relied on for decades. The takeaway is blunt: you don’t have to sink a ship to strategically bleed a superpower. We also zoom out to the Indo-Pacific and China strategy. When resources move from Indo-Pacific Command to Central Command, allies notice, adversaries adapt, and credibility becomes harder to rebuild. That leads to a hard conversation about nuclear deterrence incentives, the message sent to partners like South Korea, and the uncomfortable reality that “limited” nuclear talk can surface when leaders refuse to change course. We close with the Afghanistan parallel and the Doha Accords lesson: leaving isn’t what creates humiliation, panicked exits after hubris do. If you found this useful, subscribe, share it with a friend who follows US foreign policy, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Chapter Markers 0:00 Stakes, Deadlines, And Confusion 2:04 Peace Deal Clock And Oman Threats 4:20 Gulf States Hedge Against US Bases 6:59 Navy Strain And Logistics Under Attack 12:46 Retention Burnout In Volunteer Forces 17:03 China Pivot Risks And Pacific Allies 26:42 How Nuclear Options Enter Planning 32:16 Leadership Silence And Career Incentives 35:22 Education, Propaganda, And Political Realignment 40:33 Afghanistan Withdrawal As A Warning 47:30 Closing, Upcoming Guests, And Events Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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DARRYL COOPER - The Battle of Blair Mountain

A private army controls a coal town, a young police chief refuses to bend, and the fight over union power spills out of the mines and into the streets. We’re back with Darryl Cooper for the first half of our two-part deep dive on the Battle of Blair Mountain, starting where the fuse really catches: the aftermath of Matewan and the slow collapse of any shared belief that the legal system will protect coal miners in West Virginia. We talk through why the southern West Virginia coalfields became such volatile ground in the first place. The operators tried to prevent union organizing by mixing immigrants, local Appalachian “home boys,” and Black workers in the same crews and company towns. Instead of weakening bonds, it melted old divisions and built a hard, practical solidarity rooted in dangerous work, family eviction, and daily intimidation by Baldwin-Felts guards and paid deputies. Layer on the post World War I shift, the First Red Scare paranoia, and a final UMWA organizing push, and you get a strike that turns into a rolling armed conflict. Then the story tightens around Sid Hatfield: his rise as a folk hero, the prosecutions that look like a rigged game, and the courtroom drama that exposes spies and backroom pressure. It all leads to a brutal courthouse assassination that convinces thousands of miners there’s no longer a lawful path forward and sets the stage for the march that becomes Blair Mountain. If you want American labor history with real stakes, hit follow, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the series. Chapter Markers 0:00 Cold Open And Guest Return 1:00 Picking Up After Matewan 2:05 How A Mixed Workforce United 10:45 Postwar Shock And Union Strategy 16:50 Frank Keeney Warns The Operators 22:30 The Matewan Gunfight Retold 31:20 Ninety Percent Union And Ultimatum 37:40 Strike Violence And Guerrilla Tactics 43:10 No Guard And Towns Flip Control 48:50 Martial Law And Army Occupation 55:30 Insurrection Powers And Mass Arrests 1:01:40 Feltz Targets Sid Hatfield 1:08:00 Trial Drama And The Spy Witness 1:16:30 Acquittal And The Pressure Returns 1:19:40 Sid Hatfield Gunned Down Outside Court 1:23:20 Why Thousands Now March To War Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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COL. Douglas Macgregor : “What’s in the Box?!” Did Trump’s Humiliation in Turkey Spark a Wider War?

A foreign intel tip lands, the CIA reportedly calls it unnecessary, and the US political machine still treats it like gospel. That is where we start, because it frames the larger problem: who actually drives American war decisions, and why do we keep sliding into deeper commitments even when the public is checked out and the strategic logic is thin? I’m joined by Col Douglas MacGregor to unpack what it means when trust shifts away from US institutions and toward outside actors, and how that shapes escalation in the Middle East and the broader Iran conflict. We then get painfully concrete about military readiness by talking through reports from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln: extended time at sea, morale strain, and leadership choices that grind sailors down. We connect those conditions to a culture at the top that avoids saying no, protects careers, and pretends indefinite posture is sustainable. If the Navy is the first line of defense, what happens when the fleet is exhausted before a real fight even starts? From there, we go upstream to the officer corps, the service academies, and the war colleges. We talk about standards, accountability, and why “truth to power” feels like an endangered trait. MacGregor lays out a rebuild concept focused on maturity, clear entry requirements, and reality-based screening, including combat-experienced NCOs in the selection process. We close by zooming out to modern warfare: drones, space-based ISR, precision missiles, and attrition that looks more like 1916 than 2003, plus the oil market shock and emerging alliances reshaping the global order. If this conversation sharpened your view of US foreign policy, military leadership, and modern war, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it. Chapter Markers 0:00 Cold Open And The Box Joke 2:12 Leading From The Front In War 8:36 Mossad Intel And Who Runs Policy 12:15 USS Abraham Lincoln Morale Crisis 19:40 Service Academies And Truth To Power 28:20 Rebuilding Officers From The Ground Up 39:36 Why Modern War Looks Like 1916 46:00 Oil Shock, New Blocs, End Of Hegemony 53:10 Closing Notes And Upcoming Guests Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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KELLEY B. VLAHOS : Do Hegseth’s Reforms to Military Universities Go Far Enough?

War doesn’t forgive flattering subordinates or comforting myths, so why do our military schools sometimes train leaders to protect narratives instead of testing reality? We sit down with Kelly Vlahos, editor-in-chief of Responsible Statecraft at the Quincy Institute, to unpack what she’s hearing from inside war colleges and service academies and what her reporting suggests is broken in professional military education. We start with the loud debate over “de-wokifying” the military and the promise of more “lethality,” then push past the slogans. Kelly argues that even if you strip out DEI mandates, you still haven’t solved the core failure: an officer culture that too often rewards career safety, conformity, and political savvy over independent judgment. We connect that to the long arc of Afghanistan, Iraq, Vietnam, and the counterinsurgency era, where the U.S. military can be tactically effective yet strategically trapped by bad assumptions and leaders unwilling to tell civilian decision-makers, “This will not work.” Then we get concrete about reforms: curriculum reviews, the debate over tenure, the need for more war gaming and real strategic education, and why 95%+ graduation rates raise hard questions about standards. We also dig into service academy incentives, including admissions prestige, athlete pipelines, and why ROTC outcomes complicate the case for expensive academy systems. The big takeaway is simple and brutal: if no one is held accountable for losing wars, the schools will keep producing leaders optimized for promotion, not victory. Subscribe, share this with a friend who cares about military reform, and leave a review with your biggest question: what would you change first to build leaders who can speak truth to power? Chapter Markers 0:00 War Quotes And A Warning 1:14 Meeting Kelly Vlahos 4:40 De-Wokify Orders And Lethality 11:10 The Deeper Failure: Yes Men 17:45 Strategy Over Slogans 25:30 War Colleges: Standards And Students 33:40 Teaching Defeat Without Myth 41:20 Service Academies And Elite Gatekeeping 48:20 Iran War And Missing Truth Tellers 52:10 Closing And What’s Next Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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From Trotsky to the White House: Connecting the Dots on Neoconservatism

They don’t win arguments by being right. They win by controlling the frame. We take a hard look at neoconservatism as an operating system for power, built on a simple assumption: if the end goal is “moral,” then lying, manipulation, and staged choices are justified. Pulling threads from recent conversations with Tucker Carlson, Scott Horton, and Daryl Cooper, we lay out why this mindset feels so anti-American to people who grew up believing leadership is earned through merit, public honor, and plain speech. We walk through the roots and mechanics of the “noble lie” and why it matters in real policy outcomes, not just theory. Iraq becomes the clearest example: a war that likely could not survive an honest debate, sold instead through fear cues and moral urgency. From there we connect the same narrative tactics to today’s Iran discourse, asking what the stated reasons miss, what gets simplified for public consumption, and how “permanent revolution” style logic shows up in modern “export democracy” messaging. Then we bring it home. The Patriot Act, FISA courts, and the surveillance state don’t just chase terrorists, they can be turned inward, scaled through massive data capture, and used to shape politics by pressure and leverage. We close with a practical “third way” checklist: get money out of politics, stop letting foreign policy serve hidden ends, and rebuild economic fairness so working communities can thrive again. If this resonates, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review. What part of this system do you want challenged first? Chapter Markers 0:00 Welcome And Recent Guest Threads 3:25 Defining Neocon Power And Tactics 9:55 Honor Culture And The Trust Trap 16:10 Noble Lies And The Iraq Model 24:30 Iran Narratives And Who Benefits 30:55 Patriot Act And The Surveillance State 37:55 A Third Way And Clear Litmus Tests 40:45 Final Thoughts And Where To Follow Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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SCOTT RITTER : Hormuz Held Hostage! Trump's Jimmy Carter Moment

War stories are easy. War planning is hard. That’s the line we keep coming back to as we sit down with former Marine and intelligence officer Scott Ritter to unpack what the headlines miss about Iran, military readiness, and the incentives that shape U.S. foreign policy. If you’ve ever wondered how a superpower can talk like it’s winning while acting like it’s scrambling for the exits, this conversation is for you. We get into Iran’s internal leadership shift and why the “moderate vs hardliner” frame can distort reality, especially when you’re dealing with a country that treats conflict as a serious, professional craft. From there we move into the unglamorous core of combat power: logistics, stockpiles, and sustainment. Scott argues that ammunition shortages and rushed assumptions aren’t just embarrassing, they’re strategic signals that something deeper is broken inside the system that plans wars and sends Americans to fight them. Then we widen the lens to the military-industrial complex, promotion pipelines, and how contractor priorities can quietly overtake battlefield needs. We also take a hard look at modern diplomacy, including political appointees, weakened State Department capacity, and why “amateur hour” negotiation teams can do lasting damage. We close by pressure-testing the viral claim that Russia is poised to attack NATO, and we talk about how narratives spread when fear becomes a tool. If you value clear thinking over talking points, subscribe, share this episode with a friend, and leave a review with the biggest question you still have after listening. Chapter Markers 0:00 Iran Tensions And Russia Rumors 1:14 Scott Ritter Joins The Show 1:50 Iran’s Hardliner Shift Explained 4:58 Did The U.S. Actually Lose? 13:40 Planning Failures And War By Assumption 20:18 Ammunition Shortages And System Rot 25:07 Promotions And Contractor-Driven Priorities 30:05 Redefining Security Through Peace 34:41 Political Diplomacy Replaces Professionals 44:07 Why Amateur Ambassadors Break Policy 50:12 Russia Attacking NATO Claims Scrutinized 58:37 Final Takeaways And Where To Follow Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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Karen Kwiatkowski : Did Hegseth Lie to Trump?

War claims are cheap. Logistics are not. Karen Kwiatkowski joins us for a loose Friday news roundup that turns into a serious argument about why U.S. foreign policy keeps drifting toward conflict while the basics of strategy, supply, and accountability get ignored. We start with a surprisingly clear warning from Henry Kissinger back in 2014: Ukraine can’t survive as an outpost for either “East” or “West” and needs to function as a bridge. That opens a bigger conversation about NATO expansion, realism and restraint, and the simplest goal that somehow gets forgotten: avoid a wider war. From there we dig into the leadership culture around the Pentagon, why public optimism can’t replace stockpiles and supply lines, and how the economics of drones versus high-dollar systems can turn “confidence” into a strategic disaster. Then we zoom out to the system that produces these outcomes. We talk defense acquisition reform, the military industrial complex, and the career incentives that reward cheerleading in both Congress and the officer corps. We also debate constitutional structure and accountability, including why keeping lawmakers closer to their districts and reconsidering the 17th Amendment could reduce the Washington echo chamber. Finally, we compare Iran’s message on the Strait of Hormuz and U.S. withdrawal from the Persian Gulf with Trump’s public posture, and we end with practical steps, including using AI to audit government contracts for waste, duplication, and fraud. If you want fewer slogans and more straight talk about U.S. national security strategy, Pentagon procurement, and how wars actually end, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a review. Chapter Markers 0:00 Welcome And Roundup Rules 2:20 Kissinger On Ukraine Neutrality 3:50 Hegseth Criticism And War Planning 13:15 Why The Logistics Math Breaks 19:30 Fixing Defense Starts With Definition 27:20 Deep State Bubbles And Bad Advice 29:05 Careerism In Congress And Military 32:05 Repeal The 17th Amendment Argument 38:25 Strait Of Hormuz And U.S. Exit 43:40 Trump’s Performance Versus War Reality 49:50 End The War And Fire People 54:05 Use AI To Find Waste 57:35 Plugs And Weekend Sign Off Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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Tucker Sounded the Alarm—Scott Horton Exposes the Neocon Machine : LIVE at 12p ET!

Tucker Carlson sounded the alarm about America’s political direction. Today, Scott Horton joins Jim Webb to expose the ideological machine that has driven U.S. foreign policy—and one war after another—for decades. How did neoconservatism move from the political margins into the commanding heights of Washington? Why has its influence survived Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Ukraine and the expanding conflict with Iran? And can the growing populist revolt finally break its grip on American power? Scott Horton is the director of The Libertarian Institute, host of The Scott Horton Show and the author of several books examining U.S. interventionism, including Enough Already and Provoked. This is a raw, unfiltered conversation about the people, institutions and ideas behind America’s forever wars—and what it will take to change course. Subscribe to The Jim Webb Podcast for candid conversations on war, foreign policy and American power. Chapter Markers 0:48 Welcome And Why Neocons Matter 2:00 Neocons Versus Generic Hawks 5:45 Israel Lobby Meets War Profiteers 11:17 Think Tanks And Media Megaphones 15:06 Trotsky Roots And Empire Faith 27:50 Noble Lies And Iraq Propaganda 32:02 Clean Break And Iraq War Planning 47:22 Fallout From Fallujah To Civil War 53:28 Iran War Endgame And Politics 59:30 Closing And Subscribe Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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TUCKER CARLSON : A Republic if you can keep it

Thanks to our channel sponsor: ExpatMoney.com/Jim. - get your free Plan B report today. Supporting our sponsors, supports the show. Download your free guide today. ExpatMoney.com/Jim A country can survive bad leaders, but can it survive a system that no longer responds to reality? That’s the question we keep circling as Tucker Carlson joins us for a wide-ranging talk on perpetual war, state power, and why so many Americans feel politically cornered even when elections never stop. We dig into how war with Iran and decades of foreign policy drift create executive overreach and a constant excuse to expand surveillance. From there, the conversation turns to the two fastest-moving threats on the horizon: nuclear escalation and artificial intelligence. We talk about AI not as a gadget but as a power-concentrating force, including the uncomfortable reality of machine-led targeting decisions on today’s battlefields and what that means for democratic oversight, privacy, and Fourth Amendment protections at home. Then we go personal and structural at the same time. Tucker walks through his public mea culpa on Iraq, what changed when he saw it up close, and why he believes the “uniparty” dynamic leaves voters with fewer real choices on the issues that shape everyday life: inflation, wages, debt, and the purpose of the economy. We also explore why truth telling matters when institutions punish certain statements, and why rebuilding sovereignty, fairness, and decency might be the simplest political platform that can actually unify people. If you got something from this conversation, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Chapter Markers 0:00 Introduction And National Crossroads 3:25 Perpetual War And Iran Escalation 7:28 Where Power Went For Citizens 15:05 AI Weapons And The Surveillance State 23:08 Tucker’s Iraq War Mea Culpa 33:08 Uniparty Politics And Class Anger 38:54 War Limits Faith And Civilization 47:36 Third Party Pressure And System Change 57:51 Money Corruption And Social Sanctions 1:00:40 Atomization Family And Control 1:03:04 Closing Thanks And Subscribe Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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LARRY JOHNSON : US military asks troops for ‘creative and unconventional’ ideas to punish Iran

Thanks to our channel sponsor: ExpatMoney.com/Jim. - get your free Plan B report today. Supporting our sponsors, supports the show. Download your free guide today. ExpatMoney.com/Jim The scariest part of a conflict isn’t always the headline strike. Sometimes it’s the quiet admission that nobody can explain the objective. Jim sits down with former CIA officer Larry Johnson to ask the basic question hanging over Iran: what’s the end state, and who in Washington can say it out loud without spinning? From there, we get concrete fast. We talk about why repeated threats followed by last-minute reversals teach adversaries to discount U.S. warnings, and how that ripple hits everything from regional retaliation planning to oil markets. Larry lays out a supply chain reality most people never hear: gallium and rare earth minerals are essential to modern radars and precision weapons, and China dominates the supply. That becomes a “chokehold” on U.S. production at the exact moment stockpiles matter most, including Tomahawks and air defense interceptors. We also dig into how war in one theater drains resources across every combatant command, why the scramble for Patriots and other interceptors exposes structural shortages, and what it means when reporting suggests CENTCOM is crowdsourcing ways to “pressure and punish” Iran. Along the way, we talk leadership where it counts: morale, reports of poor feeding on ships, retention, and the brutal suicide numbers that follow service members home. If you value clear-eyed national security analysis and defense readiness without the talking points, listen now, share this with a friend, and subscribe and leave a review so more people can find the show. Chapter Markers 0:00 Convention Recap And Iran Setup 2:35 Iran Calls Out U.S. Strategy 3:50 Trump Threats And Gulf Blowback 6:52 Gallium Chokehold And Missile Shortages 9:53 One War Drains Every Command 12:36 CENTCOM Crowdsources Pressure On Iran 15:52 Leaks And Internal Pushback 18:52 Underfed Sailors And Leadership Failure 25:56 No Escalation Ladder And Market Whiplash 28:34 Global Chokepoints And Recession Risk 30:44 Third Party Buzz And Beltway Corruption 38:00 Ending Profit Motives In Defense 45:11 F-35 Readiness And Procurement Madness 46:47 Ukraine Patriot Math And Hard Truths 51:31 Closing And Tomorrow’s Guests Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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DARRYL COOPER - Coal, Corruption & Bloodshed: The Matewan Massacre

Thanks to our channel sponsor: ExpatMoney.com/Jim. - get your free Plan B report today. Supporting our sponsors, supports the show. Download your free guide today. ExpatMoney.com/Jim A Gatling-gun armored train rolling through the West Virginia hollers at night sounds like something from a foreign war, but it’s part of America’s own coal war story. I’m joined again by Darryl Cooper (Martyr Made) to pick up after Paint Creek and Cabin Creek and track the moment the conflict stops looking like a strike and starts looking like a battlefield. We walk through the Bull Moose Special and the attack on the tent colony at Holly Grove, where families are living legally on private land and still end up under fire. From there, the fear spreads fast: rumors, militias, sabotage, and a state capitol that feels like an armed camp. We also dig into how company control reaches beyond pay and into daily life itself, including housing, speech, gatherings, and even access to medical care. That context makes Governor Henry Hatfield’s undercover trip as a doctor hit harder, especially when he finds Mother Jones gravely ill and detained under guard. Then we head to Mingo County and Matewan, the rare non-company town that becomes the pressure valve for organizing and confrontation. Daryl lays out why Sid Hatfield becomes a folk hero, how the eviction campaign sets the stage, and how a street-level showdown with Baldwin-Felts agents turns into the Battle of Matewan. If you care about U.S. labor history, Appalachia, the West Virginia coalfields, or the road to the Battle of Blair Mountain, this is a key chapter. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review with the biggest question you’re still wrestling with after listening. Chapter Markers 0:00 Intro And Paint Creek Recap 4:30 Bull Moose Special Hits Holly Grove 12:40 Violence Spreads And Muklow Panics 17:02 Miners Mobilize Under Martial Law 21:40 Governor Hatfield Ends The Strike 28:21 Company Town Reforms With Iron Fist 32:18 War Ends And Organizing Returns 37:59 Matewan Meets Sid Hatfield 42:21 Sponsor Expat Money Plan B 43:19 Evictions Spark The Matewan Shootout 58:57 Aftermath Points Toward Blair Mountain 1:10:32 Closing Thanks And Subscribe Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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