Daryl Cooper, the mind behind Martyrmade Podcast and co-host of shows with Jocko Willink and Scott Horton, joins Kyle Anzalone for a riveting examination of the recent Israel-Iran "12-Day War" that peels back layers of conventional wisdom to reveal uncomfortable truths.

Drawing on his extensive background as a Department of Defense civilian engineer specializing in missile defense systems, Cooper delivers a masterclass in understanding the strategic realities that shaped the conflict. When Israel's initial attempt to trigger regime change in Iran failed, Netanyahu found himself without an exit strategy, leading to an escalating exchange that revealed both Israel's offensive capabilities and surprising vulnerabilities. "The Israelis really shot their shot on this one," Cooper explains, describing how years of carefully placed assets were burned in a high-stakes gamble.

Cooper's technical insights into missile defense expose why even the most sophisticated systems have practical limitations against ballistic missiles. "Unless you get a skin-to-skin hit," he explains, "the missile that's coming at us is actually traveling faster than the explosion itself of our missile." This reality, coupled with the need to fire multiple interceptors at each incoming threat, creates an unsustainable dynamic that depleted Israel's defensive capabilities within days and strained America's global military commitments.

Perhaps most consequential is Cooper's analysis of the dramatic shift in American public opinion, where support among younger Democrats has swung 70 points toward Palestinians in just eight years. This demographic transformation threatens to undermine the "unconditional" American backing that has long been Israel's strategic foundation. As Cooper observes, "Without our total, unconditional support, Israel can't continue to behave the way they have for the last several decades."

The conversation culminates in a nuanced discussion of how the conflict affects relationships between Israel, diaspora Jewish communities, and the broader world—highlighting the critical distinction between criticizing government policies and perpetuating harmful stereotypes. This episode offers essential context for understanding not just the recent conflict, but the rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape that will shape the Middle East's future.

Subscribe now and follow Daryl Cooper's deeper analyses at substack.com/@MartyrMade.