The acclaimed military historian explains why conflict in Iran, Ukraine and the erosion of alliances point to a deeper crisis in American strategy and details the critical nature of the 2026 midterm elections.

In the latest episode of the Steady State Sentinel, Phillips O'Brien, Professor of Strategic Studies at the University of St. Andrews and one of the sharpest contemporary writers on war and strategy joins host John Sipher to argue the Iran War revealed two devastating truths:

1. The U.S. government is strategically incoherent — it went to war without clear goals or an exit plan.
2. The U.S. military is showing signs of degradation, with weaker officers promoted and critical thinking suppressed.

He dissects the Memorandum of Understanding with Iran, calling it a capitulation: "Trump go ...