School of War

Is it a plane or a helicopter? The MV-22 Osprey has features from both, but that’s not what makes it one of the most controversial aircraft in the American military. Its history of deadly crashes has earned it a reputation as a dangerous machine, but former Marine Corps pilot Bubba Scott takes a different view Today, Scott joins School of War to explain why he believes the Osprey is “unfairly maligned,” what makes it so revolutionary, why the Marine Corps depends on it, and what it takes to fly one of the most demanding aircraft in military aviation. From a terrifying near-collision to harrowing nighttime landings, Scott offers a rare look inside the cockpit—and the extraordinary skill, training, and leadership required to operate at the limits of modern military aviation. 04:11 – Becoming a Marine Osprey Pilot 09:05 – A Lesson in Marine Corps Toughness 12:54 – Why the Military Needed the Osprey 18:54 – Operation Eagle Claw and the Osprey's Mission 24:07 – Is the Osprey Really Dangerous? 27:07 – The Osprey's Safety Record 30:46 – What Is It Like to Fly an Osprey? 34:34 – The Challenges of Flying the Osprey 38:56 – A Near-Fatal Midair Collision 46:35 – America's Night-Flying Capabilities 50:18 – American Military Excellence 52:20 – Leadership Lessons From the Cockpit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reporting from northern Israel, Aaron sits down with two unidentified Israeli army officers and Druze community leader Tamir Murad to explore the threats facing the country’s northern frontier. From drones changing the battlefield to the plight of Syria’s Druze, their conversations reveal how closely war touches everyday life. As one Israeli army officer puts it, “There’s no distance between the front line and home. Home is the front line.” 01:10 — Tamir Morad on Israel’s Druze 02:50 — Four generations of service 07:28 — October 7 11:02 — Hezbollah rockets and tunnels 13:55 — Majdal Shams and Druze identity 17:29 — Violence in Suwayda 25:06 — A Druze state? 36:28 — Israeli officers on the 1973 war 39:57 — Lessons from Ukraine 42:07 — Hezbollah’s drones 50:02 — AI on the battlefield 54:15 — Israel’s Syrian buffer zone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will Iran cost Republicans the midterms? What happens when half of the GOP turns against Israel? Middle East expert Mike Doran returns to School of War for a wide-ranging discussion of these questions as the midterms threaten to widen divisions on the American right over foreign policy. Taking aim at Tucker Carlson’s influence, Doran argues that the consequences of this divide reach far beyond Israel: “It sets us against ourselves, Americans against Americans, conservatives against conservatives.” He and Aaron MacLean explore the stakes of another escalation with Iran and when it might unfold, the future of America’s alliances, and what it all means for 2028. 03:59 Trump’s Next Move on Iran 11:29 Can Trump Force a Deal? 17:24 What Iran Really Wants 20:26 Is Renewed War Inevitable? 26:58 Targeting Iran’s Refineries 30:36 Trump, Putin, and Russian Oil 37:55 Israel and Turkey’s Rivalry 45:05 The Fight Over Syria 51:35 The Right Turns on Israel 53:19 The Debate With the NatCons 1:00:09 What Should Conservatives Defend? 1:10:56 Can America Find the Center? This episode of School of War is brought to you by Maven Smart System, the builder platform for the American warfighter, fielded across the force and live on the frontline today. Learn more at palantir.com. This episode of School of War is also brought to you by Stratolaunch, a leading pure-play hypersonics company.  Stratolaunch helps the U.S. and its allies move new hypersonic technologies from concept to capability, faster and cheaper.  Learn more about how Stratolaunch is accelerating the future of hypersonics at Stratolaunch.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“It feels like an election where the nature of the country, the future of this foundational ethos of solidarity, is at stake,” says Haviv Rettig Gur. The Free Press Middle East analyst and host of Ask Haviv Anything joins Aaron MacLean in Jerusalem to explore the history behind the election’s deepest divisions. From Zionism’s origins as a rescue project to the military service that shapes its leaders, Gur explains the shared responsibility that built Israel—and why Israelis fear it is unraveling. What does Benjamin Netanyahu offer voters that his opponents don’t? And can a country united against its enemies agree on what it owes its own citizens? 02:05 What Is Zionism? 09:53 Herzl’s Warning 15:13 A Jewish Rescue Project 26:38 Visions of the Jewish State 30:24 Netanyahu’s Security Message 35:21 American Jews and Israel 43:32 Military Service and Political Power 47:41 The Foundations of Israeli Democracy 52:40 The Ultra-Orthodox Draft Fight 1:01:42 The Army and Israeli Identity 1:12:35 What’s at Stake in the Election? 1:21:23 Antisemitism in America This episode of School of War is brought to you by Maven Smart System, the builder platform for the American warfighter, fielded across the force and live on the frontline today. Learn more at palantir.com. This episode of School of War is also brought to you by Stratolaunch, a leading pure-play hypersonics company.  Stratolaunch helps the U.S. and its allies move new hypersonic technologies from concept to capability, faster and cheaper.  Learn more about how Stratolaunch is accelerating the future of hypersonics at Stratolaunch.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sweden joined NATO in 2024. What took them so long? Historian Johan Wennström, author of The Stay Behinds: Sweden’s Cold War Guardians, joins Aaron MacLean to uncover how Sweden secretly collaborated with NATO for decades while remaining publicly neutral for fear the Soviet Union would invade Finland if they did. With Russia threatening Europe again, Wennström discusses the history of Sweden’s balancing act, how it built an army of sleeper cells, and whether NATO membership risks giving countries a false sense of security. 03:13 The Soviet Threat 08:00 Was Sweden Neutral? 15:52 Sweden in World War II 20:10 Sweden’s Military Might 20:50 Building the Resistance 25:11 Legalizing a Secret Army 28:35 Soviet Invasion Plans 33:05 The Resistance Leaders 37:09 Is Europe Prepared? 41:09 Was NATO a Mistake? 42:41 The Case for Deterrence 44:29 Preparing for Defeat This episode of School of War is brought to you by Maven Smart System, the builder platform for the American warfighter, fielded across the force and live on the frontline today. Learn more at palantir.com. This episode of School of War is also brought to you by Stratolaunch, a leading pure-play hypersonics company.  Stratolaunch helps the U.S. and its allies move new hypersonic technologies from concept to capability, faster and cheaper.  Learn more about how Stratolaunch is accelerating the future of hypersonics at Stratolaunch.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices