Episode Details

Iran, a nation with significant conventional military power, has been undermined and weakened because of its delay in securing its information space and thus political space sufficiently from foreign interference. And while it has acted decisively in recent weeks (and appears to have prepared at least months in advance) only time will tell if it is just in time or still too late.

References:

AP - Trump calls on Tehran to show protesters humanity amid reports of rising death toll in crackdown (Jan. 14, 2026):
https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-trump-80f937dfbb3e04e5322dae30db3ad4b3
Guardian - Trump warns US will ‘take very strong action’ if Iran starts executing arrested protesters (Jan. 14, 2026):
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/14/iran-protests-erfan-soltani-donald-trump-warning-executions-hangings
BBC - 'There wasn't even time for CPR': Iran medics describe hospitals overwhelmed with dead and injured protesters (Jan. 11, 2026):
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj9rengvnp9o
Guardian - An ecosystem of smuggled tech holds Iran’s last link to the outside world (Jan. 13, 2026):
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/13/ecosystem-smuggled-tech-iran-last-link-outside-world-internet
Forbes - ‘Kill Switch’—Iran Shuts Down Musk’s Starlink For First Time (Jan. 13, 2026):
https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2026/01/13/kill-switch-iran-shuts-down-starlink-internet-for-first-time/
Brookings Institution - Which Path to Persia? (2009):
https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/06_iran_strategy.pdf
Washington Post - Iran jams Starlink, protesters’ lifeline. Trump, Musk say that won’t stand. (Jan. 13, 2026):
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/01/13/iran-starlink-protest-musk-trump/
https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/06_iran_strategy.pdf
BBC - US removes Iran group MEK from terror list (2012):
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-19767043
Politico - Giuliani Took Money From a Group That Killed Americans. Does Trump Care? (2016):
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/11/giuliani-mek-terrorist-group-money-bolton-iran-214479/
CNN - CNN Exclusive: After Ukraine, Biden administration turns to Musk’s satellite internet for Iran (Oct. 2022):
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/10/21/politics/white-house-musk-starlink-iran-protests-ukraine
NYT - U.S. Groups Helped Nurture Arab Uprisings (2011):
https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/15/world/15aid.html

Where to Find My Work:

Website: https://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/
Telegram: https://t.me/brianlovethailand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianJBerletic
Rumble (YouTube alternative): https://rumble.com/c/c-1459863

How to Support my Work (and thank you!):

Buy Me A Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/TheNewAtlas
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/landdestroyer
PromptPay: 0851547235
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiJm4zwZZHY