What happened in this episode?
Bari Weiss interviews retired US Army major John Spencer, now an urban warfare researcher, on US and Israeli military policy and the politics surrounding current wars. Spencer argues the US is safer after its recent military action against Iran, saying it set back Tehran’s nuclear and missile capabilities and tested vulnerabilities such as interceptor stockpiles and basing. He describes strategic chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz as becoming less decisive over time as states build alternative pipelines, while also warning that perceived American weakness would encourage adversaries.
On capability and procurement, Spencer says the US relies on a single plant to assemble Patriot interceptors and contends recent wars have highlighted broader industrial fragility. He also recounts a claim that Mossad used text messages to lure Iranian generals to a meeting before a strike—an account he does not substantiate with evidence in the conversation.
Turning to Ukraine, Spencer rejects territorial concessions and frames the war as a test of the post-1945 international order, arguing the US and Europe were too risk-averse in early military assistance. On Gaza, he forcefully disputes genocide allegations and claims Israel has taken unmatched steps to reduce civilian harm, citing warnings and aid “pauses”, and supports a conditions-based post-war plan focused on demilitarisation and de-radicalisation. He closes with concerns about information warfare, including a personal anecdote about his child absorbing pro-Hamas framing from peers.
