How America Went Blind in Iran | EYES ON GEOPOLITICS

Luis Saucedo recounts his journey from the streets of Baghdad to high-value target raids in Afghanistan as a sniper in the 75th Ranger Regiment. He shares stories of brutal firefights, near-death experiences, and life inside one of America’s most elite combat units. Luis also reflects on the injury that ended his career, the difficult transition out of the military, and his new mission helping veterans rediscover purpose and brotherhood.Today's Sponsors:GhostBed ⬇️https://www.ghostbed.com/houseFOR 10% off! Stash ⬇️https://www.stash.com/HOUSE for 15% off your monthly subscription or 30% off your annual subscription.GLD ⬇️https://www.gld.com/code "teamhouse" for 40% your first orderQuince⬇️go to: https://www.quince.com/housefor free shipping and 365 day returns For ad free video and audio and access to live streams...JOIN OUR PATREON! https://www.patreon.com/c/TheTeamHouseTo help support the show and for all bonus content including:-live shows and asking guest questions -ad free audio and video-early access to shows-Access to ALL bonus segments with our guestsSubscribe to our Patreon! ⬇️https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouse___________________________________________________GRAB JACK'S NEW BOOK "THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN" ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/803651/the-most-dangerous-man-by-jack-murphy/paperback/Subscribe to the new EYES ON podcast here:⬇️https://www.youtube.com/@EyesOnGeopoliticsPod/featuredJack Murphy's book "We Defy: The Lost Chapters of Special Forces History" ⬇️https://www.amazon.com/We-Defy-Chapters-Special-History-ebook/dp/B0DCGC1N1N/Or make a one time donation at: ⬇️https://ko-fi.com/theteamhouseSocial Media: ⬇️The Team House Instagram:https://instagram.com/the.team.house?utm_medium=copy_linkThe Team House Twitter:https://twitter.com/TheTeamHousePodJack’s Instagram:https://instagram.com/jackmcmurph?utm_medium=copy_linkJack’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/jackmurphyrgr?s=21Team House Discord: ⬇️https://discord.gg/wHFHYM6"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio"00:00 – Start01:02 – How 9/11 Put Him on the Path to War05:57 – Iraq in 2004: Welcome to the Wild West13:00 – Baghdad During the Bloodiest Years of the War17:48 – The Night Their Outpost Was Nearly Overrun23:12 – The Haunted Iraqi Base No One Wanted to Enter31:15 – The Brutal Moment That Pushed Him Toward Regiment40:58 – From Ranger Selection Straight Into Combat42:41 – Surviving the Ruthless Culture of Ranger Regiment50:29 – Brawls, Booze and Life Behind the Brown Fence01:07:16 – Inside the Ranger Sniper Selection Process01:15:31 – Hunting High-Value Targets as a Ranger Sniper01:31:05 – When the Afghanistan War Began Feeling Pointless01:34:50 – Learning He Wasn’t as Good a Shooter as He Thought01:40:18 – Inside the Army’s Controversial SFAB Experiment01:53:21 – Running Sources and Watching Spies in Kurdistan02:01:29 – The Injury That Ended His Military Career02:10:08 – Turning Combat Veterans Into School Protectors02:17:31 – Why So Many Veterans Struggle After Leaving02:26:50 – Rebuilding the Brotherhood After the WarBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-team-house--5960890/support.

This week we trace four decades of American intelligence failure in Iran, from the 1953 CIA coup against Mossadegh through the 1979 embassy takeover that wiped out our human network overnight. Jonathan Hackett walks us through Stuxnet, the JCPOA, the 2019 rollup of our entire asset network, and why we're now dependent on Israeli intelligence to tell us what's happening underground.Support the show on Patreon:⬇️https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouseSubscribe to our newsletter!!!!https://teamhousepodcast.kit.com/joinJack's news outlet:⬇️https://thehighside.substack.com/Jack's new book:⬇️https://a.co/d/0gywUGvnFind Jon Hackett here:⬇️Jon's Twitter:https://x.com/jonathanhackettJon's LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejonathanhackettJon's books:https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0C5L659N5?ccs_id=e11a2062-f8d3-498e-bfd7-7d2f3869caf6Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejonathanhackettTwitter: https://x.com/jonathanhackett"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio"00:00 - Start02:04 - Before 1953: the Qajars, the Constitutional Revolution, and Sykes-Picot09:07 - Why Iranians haven't ruled themselves since Islam arrived12:42 - Operation Ajax: Mossadegh nationalizes the oil and the CIA moves in18:02 - Khomeini in exile: tapes, France, and the promises he made20:38 - The MEK, Jundallah, and the separatist groups nobody agrees with28:31 - Would removing the regime plunge Iran into civil war?34:13 - The Shah's Westernization push and the rise of Shia fanaticism40:16 - 1979: the embassy, the shredded documents, and losing every asset43:52 - Saddam's invasion is what made the revolution real46:42 - Backing both sides: the US strategy in the Iran-Iraq war50:35 - Iran-Contra and Operation Eagle Claw53:09 - Hezbollah's real origins: Berkeley, Amal, and the Israeli occupation01:02:38 - A.Q. Khan, Israel's undeclared arsenal, and the 2003 nuclear announcement01:09:31 - Stuxnet: five countries, a USB drive, and jumping the air gap01:14:20 - Building the JCPOA and what Trump's withdrawal actually accomplished01:19:39 - 2019: how the entire US spy network in Iran was rolled up01:22:50 - Why we went in this time, and the eight men in the room01:29:19 - No end state: where this leaves us and why carriers can't secure HormuzBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-team-house--5960890/support.

This week we break down the collapsed ceasefire and week two of American strikes on Iran, from the deaths of US service members in Jordan to the Chinese navigation system suddenly making Iranian missiles far more accurate. We get into why the air campaign can't achieve its goals, the intelligence gaps limiting US targeting, Saudi Arabia's controversial nuclear agreement, and the vulnerability of Gulf desalination plants. The uncomfortable conclusion: Iran is going to get the bomb, ground troops aren't a real option, and this is now entirely about the Strait of Hormuz.Support the show on Patreon:⬇️https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouseSubscribe to our newsletter!!!!https://teamhousepodcast.kit.com/joinJack's news outlet:⬇️https://thehighside.substack.com/Find Jon Hackett here:⬇️Jon's Twitter:https://x.com/jonathanhackettJon's LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejonathanhackettJon's books:https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0C5L659N5?ccs_id=e11a2062-f8d3-498e-bfd7-7d2f3869caf6Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejonathanhackettTwitter: https://x.com/jonathanhackettCheck out Mick's new podcast here:⬇️Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/at/podcast/pub-and-porch-applied-stoicism/id1836955475Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1k3QPmkAMwnGJxMLDwUSSd?si=n6piIu8XRcag1Z0K43A3bQYoutube:https://www.youtube.com/@UCd0Hq6QFk8CoTu5j-VU0Ong Find Mick Mulroy here: Fogbow ⬇️https://fogbow.com/Lobo Institute ⬇️https://www.loboinstitute.org/Twitter ⬇️https://x.com/mickmulroy?s=21&t=-Ze3F_Ix2vlJ18KFvORTCALinkedIn ⬇️https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-patrick-mulroy-31198b52/Whitefish security summit ⬇️https://whitefishsecuritysummit.comFind Marc P here:https://x.com/MpolymerFind Andy Milburn here: Twitter ⬇️https://twitter.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2Fandymilburn8LinkedIn ⬇️https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewmilburn2023Substack ⬇️https://amilburn.substack.com/Andy’s book ⬇️https://www.amazon.com/When-Tempest-Gathers-Mogadishu-Operations"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio"00:00 Start02:47 Why the air campaign strategy isn't working05:03 Iranian missiles are suddenly hitting: the China GPS factor08:04 High-value assets at risk and why Hormuz is the real objective10:07 Targeting explained: why bridges, bases, and tit-for-tat strikes12:30 The Jordan strike, American deaths, and the coming US response14:49 Intel limits: what we can't hit and why17:15 Holding back cyber: saving the exquisite tools20:47 Stuxnet blowback and how Iran built its cyber capability22:57 Escalation options: Pickaxe Mountain, the Houthis, Bab el-Mandeb26:36 Saudi Arabia's balancing act and the 123 nuclear agreement29:57 "Iran will get the bomb" — accepting the new red line39:11 Mick Mulroy joins: who's feeding Iran targeting data41:19 Desalination plants as targets and the Gulf's water vulnerability50:50 What are our actual options?53:45 The ground troops question: a Vietnam-like commitment59:44 Israeli and US elections could reset everything01:03:28 Hezbollah vs. the Iraqi militias — the real threat01:07:13 Criticism, hate mail, and wrap-upBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-team-house--5960890/support.

We speak with retired Green Beret Dave Harris about his path from the 82nd Airborne to 3rd Special Forces Group, including deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Africa. We also get into Special Forces selection, crisis-response missions, CQB training, and how he transitioned into training law enforcement after leaving the Army.Today's Sponsors:GhostBed ⬇️https://www.ghostbed.com/houseFOR 10% off! Blue Chew ⬇️https://bluechew.com/Get 1 month free when you buy 2 of BlueChew Gold with code "HOUSECALL"VanMan ⬇️Go to https://vanman.shop/teamhouse26 and use code TEAMHOUSE26 for 15%off your first order.For ad free video and audio and access to live streams and Eyes On Geopolitics...JOIN OUR PATREON! https://www.patreon.com/c/TheTeamHouseTo help support the show and for all bonus content including:-live shows and asking guest questions -ad free audio and video-early access to shows-Access to ALL bonus segments with our guestsSubscribe to our Patreon! ⬇️https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouseSupport the show here:⬇️https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouse___________________________________________________PRE ORDER JACK'S NEW BOOK "THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN" ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/803651/the-most-dangerous-man-by-jack-murphy/paperback/Subscribe to the new EYES ON podcast here:⬇️https://www.youtube.com/@EyesOnGeopoliticsPod/featured__________________________________Jack Murphy's new book "We Defy: The Lost Chapters of Special Forces History" ⬇️https://www.amazon.com/We-Defy-Chapters-Special-History-ebook/dp/B0DCGC1N1N/——————————————————————Or make a one time donation at: ⬇️https://ko-fi.com/theteamhouseSocial Media: ⬇️The Team House Instagram:https://instagram.com/the.team.house?utm_medium=copy_linkThe Team House Twitter:https://twitter.com/TheTeamHousePodJack’s Instagram:https://instagram.com/jackmcmurph?utm_medium=copy_linkJack’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/jackmurphyrgr?s=21Team House Discord: ⬇️https://discord.gg/wHFHYM6"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio"00:00 — Start00:56 — Growing Up in Richmond, California02:29 — Black Hawk Down and Joining the Army05:05 — Arriving at the 82nd Airborne During the Iraq War07:03 — Deciding to Attempt Special Forces Selection10:11 — SFAS and the “Never Quit” Mentality14:06 — Becoming an 18 Bravo in 3rd Special Forces Group16:24 — Training Pakistani Special Operations Forces19:27 — Accused of Plotting to Assassinate Pakistan’s President20:52 — Transitioning Into Advanced Special Operations22:32 — Afghanistan, Human Intelligence, and Building a Remote Base26:21 — Rocket Attacks on the Afghan Fire Base30:03 — Developing a Strategic Source in Afghanistan31:30 — Returning to Afghanistan With Almost No Dwell Time34:29 — Green-on-Blue Attacks and the Reality of Combat37:30 — The Path Into the Crisis Response Force43:50 — Joining the CRF and Training for Hostage Rescue49:10 — Taking Over the Africa Crisis Response Mission59:56 — Deploying Into a Civil War to Protect an Embassy01:06:32 — Planning Emergency Operations in Nigeria01:12:49 — Teaching Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat01:16:35 — Leaving the Army and Training With Vortex Optics01:20:12 — Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Dave HarrisBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-team-house--5960890/support.

We break down the renewed fighting with Iran, the Strait of Hormuz crisis, and whether the U.S. has any realistic military or diplomatic path forward. We also get into NATO, Ukraine’s air defense needs, the defense industrial base, and why America keeps spending more while producing less.Support the show on Patreon:⬇️https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouseMarc's new article:https://engelsbergideas.com/author/sam-worby-marc-polymeropoulos/Subscribe to our newsletter!!!!https://teamhousepodcast.kit.com/joinJack's news outlet:⬇️https://thehighside.substack.com/Find Jon Hackett here:⬇️Jon's Twitter:https://x.com/jonathanhackettJon's LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejonathanhackettJon's books:https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0C5L659N5?ccs_id=e11a2062-f8d3-498e-bfd7-7d2f3869caf6Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejonathanhackettTwitter: https://x.com/jonathanhackettCheck out Mick's new podcast here:⬇️Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/at/podcast/pub-and-porch-applied-stoicism/id1836955475Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1k3QPmkAMwnGJxMLDwUSSd?si=n6piIu8XRcag1Z0K43A3bQYoutube:https://www.youtube.com/@UCd0Hq6QFk8CoTu5j-VU0Ong Find Mick Mulroy here: Fogbow ⬇️https://fogbow.com/Lobo Institute ⬇️https://www.loboinstitute.org/Twitter ⬇️https://x.com/mickmulroy?s=21&t=-Ze3F_Ix2vlJ18KFvORTCALinkedIn ⬇️https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-patrick-mulroy-31198b52/Bluesky ⬇️https://bsky.app/profile/mickmulroy.bsky.socialMick’s publications ⬇️https://www.loboinstitute.org/publications/publications-of-michael-mick-patrick-mulroy/Whitefish security summit ⬇️https://whitefishsecuritysummit.comFind Marc P here:https://x.com/MpolymerFind Andy Milburn here: Twitter ⬇️https://twitter.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2Fandymilburn8LinkedIn ⬇️https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewmilburn2023Substack ⬇️https://amilburn.substack.com/Andy’s book ⬇️https://www.amazon.com/When-Tempest-Gathers-Mogadishu-OperationsBluesky ⬇️https://bsky.app/profile/andy-milburn.bsky.social00:00 – Remembering Senator Lindsey Graham04:44 – Iran Escalates Attacks Across the Middle East07:19 – Is U.S. Deterrence Against Iran Failing?09:04 – Can Military Force Reopen the Strait of Hormuz?12:30 – Iran’s Leadership Divide and Nuclear Ambitions14:10 – What Military Options Does the U.S. Have?16:19 – The Danger of Targeting Iran’s Leadership19:09 – Iranian Threats Against President Trump21:02 – Air Force One, Security Threats, and Intelligence22:27 – What Happens With Iran After the Midterms?24:25 – Intelligence Leadership and the New DNI Confirmation Hearing25:17 – Will America’s Allies Help Against Iran?31:03 – Building an International Coalition to Pressure Iran34:06 – How a Maritime Coalition Could Isolate Iran37:43 – Bears, Bison, Moose, and Surviving Montana41:35 – Could Ukraine Produce Its Own Patriot Missiles?42:53 – Why Time May Be Running Out for Putin45:22 – Is America Running Out of Missiles?46:28 – The Pentagon’s $1 Trillion Defense Spending Problem47:52 – Why the U.S. Defense Industry Is So Slow to Innovate50:47 – Can Congress Pass the Massive Defense Budget?52:23 – The Pentagon’s “Budget Dust” Problem53:01 – Final Thoughts and ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-team-house--5960890/support.

We speak with retired FBI agent Wayne Barnes about his career in counterintelligence, from undercover work with the Black Panthers and a hidden Nixon assassination plot to debriefing Cold War defectors and recruiting Soviet intelligence officers. We also dig into his book A Traitor in the FBI, the hunt for a Russian mole inside the Bureau, and the tradecraft, deception, and lucky breaks that shaped the case.Grab Wayne's book "A Traitor in the FBI: The Hunt for a Russian Mole"https://a.co/d/06ffYkg0Find Wayne here:https://www.waynebarneswriting.com/Today's Sponsors:GhostBed ⬇️https://www.ghostbed.com/houseFOR 10% off! Stash ⬇️https://www.stash.com/HOUSE for 15% off your monthly subscription or 30% off your annual subscription.GLD ⬇️https://www.gld.com/code "teamhouse" for 40% your first orderQuince⬇️go to: https://www.quince.com/housefor free shipping and 365 day returns For ad free video and audio and access to live streams...JOIN OUR PATREON! https://www.patreon.com/c/TheTeamHouseTo help support the show and for all bonus content including:-live shows and asking guest questions -ad free audio and video-early access to shows-Access to ALL bonus segments with our guestsSubscribe to our Patreon! ⬇️https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouse___________________________________________________GRAB JACK'S NEW BOOK "THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN" ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/803651/the-most-dangerous-man-by-jack-murphy/paperback/Subscribe to the new EYES ON podcast here:⬇️https://www.youtube.com/@EyesOnGeopoliticsPod/featuredJack Murphy's book "We Defy: The Lost Chapters of Special Forces History" ⬇️https://www.amazon.com/We-Defy-Chapters-Special-History-ebook/dp/B0DCGC1N1N/Or make a one time donation at: ⬇️https://ko-fi.com/theteamhouseSocial Media: ⬇️The Team House Instagram:https://instagram.com/the.team.house?utm_medium=copy_linkThe Team House Twitter:https://twitter.com/TheTeamHousePodJack’s Instagram:https://instagram.com/jackmcmurph?utm_medium=copy_linkJack’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/jackmurphyrgr?s=21Team House Discord: ⬇️https://discord.gg/wHFHYM6"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio"00:00 — Start01:16 — Debriefing Cold War Defectors02:28 — Wayne Barnes’ Origin Story07:13 — Penn State, Villanova, and the Road to the FBI14:08 — Early FBI Career Before Quantico17:39 — The Undercover Black Panther Operation26:38 — The Compton Vetting Test29:52 — Bill Cosby, Backstopping, and the Cover Story31:23 — George H.W. Bush and the UN Recognition Play35:59 — The Hidden Nixon Assassination Plot39:22 — Debriefing Defectors and the CIA-FBI Divide42:49 — Ion Pacepa and the Romanian Intelligence Collapse45:33 — Courtship: CIA and FBI Working Together48:08 — Country Music, Cover Legends, and Recruiting Soviets53:06 — The FBI Mole Hunt Begins59:21 — The Mission: Get a Russian to Identify the Mole01:04:25 — Robert Hanssen, Breach, and What the Movie Missed01:07:03 — Setting the Stage at the Santa Monica Film Festival01:11:17 — Hollywood Help, Polly Platt, and Backstopping Ivan01:20:03 — Staging the First Visual Contact01:25:43 — Who “Ivan” Was and Why He Mattered01:28:58 — The Poolside Setup That Made Contact Possible01:35:35 — Why Cold Pitches Don’t Work01:42:24 — What Happened After Ivan Pointed Out the Photo01:48:38 — Brian Kelley, False Leads, and Dead Drop Maps01:52:52 — Why the Case Almost Disappeared01:58:23 — Robert Redford, Three Days of the Condor, and Real-World Fallout02:06:37 — What Spy Movies Get Wrong02:09:01 — A Traitor in the FBI and Final ThoughtsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-team-house--5960890/support.

Jack Murphy joins us to break down his new High Side investigation into JSOC’s planned mission to recover highly enriched uranium from Iran, a raid some insiders compared to “Eagle Claw 2.0.” He explains why the operation would have required far more than a small special operations team, the risks of fighting in a CBRN environment, and why the mission may have been too dangerous to greenlight.The High Side:https://substack.com/@thehighside/note/p-192763347?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=mr77mJack's new book:https://a.co/d/0gywUGvn00:00 - Inside JSOC’s Planned Iran WMD Raid01:21 - Why Some Called It “Eagle Claw 2.0”03:41 - Why Getting Into Iran Was Only Half the Problem04:46 - Not a Quick Hit: Why This Required 1,000+ Troops06:40 - Moving Highly Enriched Uranium Out of Iran07:37 - Fighting Through a CBRN Environment08:04 - The Libya WMD Plan That Foreshadowed Iran09:55 - The Limits of Small Special Operations Teams11:10 - Why JSOC Wanted to Capture the Uranium12:29 - The Dirty Bomb Risk of Leaving Material Behind14:56 - Why Trump Did Not Greenlight the Raid18:14 - JSOC vs. CENTCOM Tensions Over the Mission20:37 - Iran’s Air Defenses and MQ-9 Reaper Losses25:20 - JSOC’s Counter-WMD Mission Before 9/1132:10 - Pakistan’s Fear of a U.S. Nuclear Weapons Raid"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio"Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-team-house--5960890/support.

We break down Ukraine’s deep strike campaign inside Russia, the fight over Crimea, and whether Moscow’s war machine is starting to crack under pressure. We also get into the NATO summit, Trump’s unpredictable foreign policy process, Iran’s reconstitution after the ceasefire, and the growing split between the U.S. and Europe.Support the show on Patreon:⬇️https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouseMarc's new article:https://engelsbergideas.com/author/sam-worby-marc-polymeropoulos/Subscribe to our newsletter!!!!https://teamhousepodcast.kit.com/joinJack's news outlet:⬇️https://thehighside.substack.com/Find Jon Hackett here:⬇️Jon's Twitter:https://x.com/jonathanhackettJon's LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejonathanhackettJon's books:https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0C5L659N5?ccs_id=e11a2062-f8d3-498e-bfd7-7d2f3869caf6Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejonathanhackettTwitter: https://x.com/jonathanhackettCheck out Mick's new podcast here:⬇️Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/at/podcast/pub-and-porch-applied-stoicism/id1836955475Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1k3QPmkAMwnGJxMLDwUSSd?si=n6piIu8XRcag1Z0K43A3bQYoutube:https://www.youtube.com/@UCd0Hq6QFk8CoTu5j-VU0Ong Find Mick Mulroy here: Fogbow ⬇️https://fogbow.com/Lobo Institute ⬇️https://www.loboinstitute.org/Twitter ⬇️https://x.com/mickmulroy?s=21&t=-Ze3F_Ix2vlJ18KFvORTCALinkedIn ⬇️https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-patrick-mulroy-31198b52/Bluesky ⬇️https://bsky.app/profile/mickmulroy.bsky.socialMick’s publications ⬇️https://www.loboinstitute.org/publications/publications-of-michael-mick-patrick-mulroy/Whitefish security summit ⬇️https://whitefishsecuritysummit.comFind Marc P here:https://x.com/MpolymerFind Andy Milburn here: Twitter ⬇️https://twitter.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2Fandymilburn8LinkedIn ⬇️https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewmilburn2023Substack ⬇️https://amilburn.substack.com/Andy’s book ⬇️https://www.amazon.com/When-Tempest-Gathers-Mogadishu-OperationsBluesky ⬇️https://bsky.app/profile/andy-milburn.bsky.socialFind Jason Lyons here: LinkedIn ⬇️https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-lyons-666873316?uBluesky ⬇️https://bsky.app/profile/bgsilverback73.bsky.social"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio00:00 — Start01:22 — Ukraine’s Deep Strikes Inside Russia04:28 — MAGA’s Shift on Ukraine and Israel05:13 — Russia’s Fuel Supply Gets Hit08:38 — Russia’s Grinding War in Donbas11:51 — The Kerch Bridge and Crimea’s Symbolic Value15:09 — Ukraine Is Isolating Crimea17:22 — The Next Major Russian Energy Target19:18 — Trump’s Calls With Putin and Zelensky20:26 — Russia’s Political Theory of Victory21:54 — U.S. Policy Confusion Before the NATO Summit24:22 — Turkey, the F-35, and the S-400 Problem26:12 — Europe Braces for U.S. Troop and Asset Cuts28:17 — European Allies Reading Truth Social for Policy30:49 — NATO, Ukraine Aid, and the Iran War Fallout31:43 — U.S. Bases, Europe, and Access for War34:44 — Iran Exposes the U.S.-Europe Split37:53 — Access, Basing, and Overflight Problems40:21 — Iraq, Iran, and Selling a War46:40 — Intelligence Failures and Political Bias50:47 — What to Expect From the NATO Summit54:38 — Iran Rebuilds While Negotiations Drag On57:09 — Why Sanctions Relief Helps Iran Reconstitute58:54 — NATO’s Goals: Defense Spending, Ukraine, and Turkey01:01:44 — Trump’s Unpredictable Foreign Policy Process01:03:07 — The Broken NSC Process01:07:14 — Closing Plugs and Final ThoughtsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-team-house--5960890/support.

We speak with journalist Colin Freeman about covering wars from Iraq and Somalia to Ukraine, including his own kidnapping by Somali pirates and the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion. We also dig into his book The Mad and the Brave, the foreign volunteers who joined Ukraine’s International Legion, and the chaos, courage, and darker realities they faced on the front lines.Colin's book: https://a.co/d/0j8oksfvToday's Sponsors:GhostBed ⬇️https://www.ghostbed.com/houseFOR 10% off! Mars Men⬇️For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, AND 3 Free Gifts at Mars Men at https://mengotomars.com/Quince⬇️go to: https://www.quince.com/housefor free shipping and 365 day returns For ad free video and audio and access to live streams...JOIN OUR PATREON! https://www.patreon.com/c/TheTeamHouseTo help support the show and for all bonus content including:-live shows and asking guest questions -ad free audio and video-early access to shows-Access to ALL bonus segments with our guestsSubscribe to our Patreon! ⬇️https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouse___________________________________________________GRAB JACK'S NEW BOOK "THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN" ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/803651/the-most-dangerous-man-by-jack-murphy/paperback/Subscribe to the new EYES ON podcast here:⬇️https://www.youtube.com/@EyesOnGeopoliticsPod/featuredJack Murphy's book "We Defy: The Lost Chapters of Special Forces History" ⬇️https://www.amazon.com/We-Defy-Chapters-Special-History-ebook/dp/B0DCGC1N1N/Or make a one time donation at: ⬇️https://ko-fi.com/theteamhouseSocial Media: ⬇️The Team House Instagram:https://instagram.com/the.team.house?utm_medium=copy_linkThe Team House Twitter:https://twitter.com/TheTeamHousePodJack’s Instagram:https://instagram.com/jackmcmurph?utm_medium=copy_linkJack’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/jackmurphyrgr?s=21Team House Discord: ⬇️https://discord.gg/wHFHYM6"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio"00:00 — Start01:26 — Colin Freeman’s Path Into Journalism05:28 — Going Freelance to Cover Iraq08:09 — The Reality of Freelance War Reporting11:26 — Kidnapped by Pirates in Somalia17:46 — Covering the Opening Days of the Ukraine War21:21 — Taking the Train Into Besieged Kyiv24:14 — Meeting Ukraine’s Foreign Volunteers32:04 — Fantasists, Screamers, and the Yavoriv Missile Strike36:36 — Douglas Carter and the Chaos of the Front Line42:04 — Hugh Lee and the Shock of Ukraine’s Battlefield49:08 — Pez and the Hunt for a Front Line55:19 — Pez’s Near Capture on a Dnipro Island59:30 — Foreign Volunteers Captured by Russia01:05:22 — Torture in a Russian Black Site01:14:05 — Mariupol, Azovstal, and John Harding01:25:45 — The Bizarre POW Release and Roman Abramovich01:31:40 — Ryan O’Leary, Chosen Company, and Jack Knight01:37:15 — The Dark Side of the Legion01:48:47 — Did Ukraine’s Foreign Legion Actually Matter?01:52:50 — Could the West Have Built a Better Legion?01:58:40 — The Mad and the Brave and Closing Thoughts#ukrainewar #ukraineforeignlegionBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-team-house--5960890/support.

original air date 12/1/23Michael Vickers joins us to discuss his path from 10th Special Forces Group to the CIA, including Cold War missions, Berlin tradecraft, Grenada, Beirut, and Ground Branch. We also get into the covert war in Afghanistan, the Reagan Doctrine, working with foreign partners like Pakistan and China, and how the U.S. helped drive the Soviet Union out by all means available.Grab Mike's book here:https://a.co/d/05Lzlki900:00 — Start02:19 — Michael Vickers’ Origin Story03:39 — 10th Special Forces Group During the Cold War07:14 — Berlin, Detachment A, and Denied-Area Tradecraft08:28 — Training With Man-Portable Nuclear Weapons12:30 — OCS, Panama, and 7th Special Forces Group15:16 — Embassy Rescue Prep and the RST Mission21:16 — Leaving Special Forces for the CIA22:27 — CIA Training, Suriname, and the Road to Grenada26:16 — First Combat in Grenada30:33 — Beirut, Hezbollah, and Failed Policy33:49 — Ground Branch and the Afghanistan Assignment40:31 — How the Afghan Covert Action Program Evolved45:12 — “By All Means Available”: Defeating the Soviets50:45 — Blowpipe, Stingers, and Escalating the War53:12 — Selling the Strategy to Foreign Partners56:18 — Working With Chinese Intelligence01:00:07 — The Soviet Withdrawal From Afghanistan01:03:32 — Reagan Doctrine and the Global Irregular War01:10:21 — CIA Covert Action vs. Special Forces01:18:23 — China, the New Cold War, and U.S. Power01:30:38 — Cyber Attacks as Acts of War01:37:09 — Chips, Rare Earths, and Protecting U.S. InfrastructureBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-team-house--5960890/support.