Jacob Shapiro and Marko Papic react in real time to Israel’s stunning military strikes on Iran. With key nuclear sites hit and top Iranian commanders killed, the cousins break down what this means for Iran’s capacity to retaliate, the role (or lack thereof) of U.S. strategy, and why Saudi Arabia’s response might be the most important of all. They explore the domestic politics behind Netanyahu’s actions, whether regime change is possible, and why oil markets barely flinched. A wide-ranging, unscripted conversation during a rapidly unfolding moment in Middle Eastern—and global—geopolitics.

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introduction

(00:27) - Initial Reactions and Context

(01:22) - Details of the Israel-Iran Conflict

(03:45) - Analysis of Military Actions

(08:11) - Geopolitical Implications

(17:48) - Potential Outcomes and Speculations

(32:52) - Civil War and Japan's Example

(33:25) - NATO's Campaign Against Serbia

(34:13) - Israel's Military Capabilities

(36:45) - US Options and Iran's Response

(38:46) - Conspiracy Theories and South Park

(41:36) - Iran's Limited Retaliation Options

(44:38) - Geopolitical Implications and Future Outlook

(56:34) - Closing Thoughts on Multipolarity

Referenced in the Show:

Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.com

Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap

Marko Papic Twitter: x.com/geo_papic

Geopolitical Cousins is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com

Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.

Marko Papic is a macro and geopolitical expert at BCA Research, a global investment research firm. He provides in-depth analysis that combines geopolitics and markets in a framework called GeoMacro. He is also the author of Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future.