Talk War

Talk

This is Talk’s dedicated war and global security channel, covering conflicts from around the world. From Ukraine and Russia to Israel and Hamas, and the latest conflict with Iran, Talk War brings together the sharpest conversations from across the network in one place. Julia Hartley-Brewer, Jeremy Kyle, Ian Collins and Kevin O’Sullivan each bring their own approach — whether that’s on-the-ground reporting, geopolitical analysis or robust debate. You’ll hear from military voices, former intelligence figures, political heavyweights and people directly affected as events unfold. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 13 HR AGO

    Iran-Israel Conflict: UK Defence ‘Not Ready’, Hormuz Risk And Starmer Under Fire

    Alex Phillips speaks to Brendan O’Neill (Spiked), Rear Admiral Chris Parry (former NATO and Royal Navy commander) and Sir Liam Fox (former UK Defence Secretary) as the Iran conflict intensifies and Britain’s role comes under fierce scrutiny. O’Neill argues the UK should be “shoulder to shoulder” with allies, saying the Iranian regime and its proxies have targeted British citizens and that government hesitation is being dressed up as “legalism” instead of leadership. Rear Admiral Parry warns the crisis has exposed the UK’s hollowed-out readiness, calling it “ludicrous” that Britain cannot rapidly deploy an air-defence destroyer to the Eastern Mediterranean. He says politicians too often disregard professional military advice, and argues the real strategic risks include disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, threats to global energy supply, and the wider consequences of a prolonged conflict — from economic shock to pressure points elsewhere, including the Indo-Pacific. Sir Liam Fox says allies in Washington are alarmed by Britain’s direction of travel, accusing the government of reaching for lawyers instead of putting national security first. He raises fresh questions over the UK’s stance on Iran, the IRGC and the Chagos/Diego Garcia issue, warning that failure to project capability and clarity damages credibility abroad — and leaves the UK more vulnerable at home as security threats escalate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    40 min

  2. 14 HR AGO

    Iran War And UK Security: Tom Tugendhat Warns Britain Must ‘Lead, Not Lecture’

    Jeremy Kyle speaks to Dr Dan Diker, President of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, and Tom Tugendhat MP, former UK Security Minister, about the escalating Iran crisis and Britain’s response. Dr Diker says Israel sees the current confrontation with Iran as a defining moment for the Western alliance, warning the Iranian regime has threatened both Israel and the United States since 1979 and was close to obtaining nuclear weapons. He tells Talk the conflict represents a broader struggle for Western security and values. Discussing the UK’s response, Diker says there is growing disappointment in Israel and across Europe at what he describes as hesitation from Western governments. He argues the Iranian regime has long sponsored terrorism across the region and beyond, insisting the threat posed by Tehran extends far beyond the Middle East. Former Security Minister Tom Tugendhat also criticises the UK government’s preparedness, questioning why British naval assets were not deployed earlier to help protect UK bases and allies in the region. Tugendhat warns Britain risks appearing weak to partners and adversaries alike, arguing that leadership in times of crisis requires decisive action rather than legal hesitation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    19 min

  3. 15 HR AGO

    Iran War, UK Evacuation Chaos And ‘International Law’: Steve Baker Says Labour’s Approach Is ‘Naive’

    Jeremy Kyle speaks to former Conservative minister Steve Baker as criticism grows over the UK government’s handling of the escalating Iran crisis. The discussion comes after a British evacuation flight from Oman was delayed due to a technical fault, fuelling anger about what Jeremy calls a “terrible narrative of decline” in Britain’s ability to respond during international emergencies. Baker argues that the government’s reliance on interpretations of international law risks leaving democracies exposed to hostile regimes. Discussing the US and Israel strikes on Iran, he says Donald Trump acted largely out of fears that Tehran could eventually use nuclear weapons against Israel. “You can’t be too squeamish or idealistic when your own people are under threat,” Baker says, warning that Western countries must prioritise defending their citizens. The former MP also criticises what he sees as a wider breakdown in the international system, arguing treaty law created after the Second World War is no longer functioning as intended. Baker tells Talk that Britain risks appearing weak if it continues to rely on legal arguments rather than strategic realities, saying democracies must sometimes decide “what the right thing to do is” when confronting regimes like Iran. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    15 min

  4. 16 HR AGO

    Trump And Israel’s Iran War: Military Analyst Sean Bell Warns Trump Needs An “Off-Ramp”

    Jeremy Kyle speaks to former RAF fighter pilot and military analyst Sean Bell as the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran intensifies. Bell explains that while American forces have already degraded significant parts of Iran’s military capability, the situation remains unpredictable. He says Washington’s initial goals appeared to be stopping Iran’s nuclear programme and forcing regime change — but warns the longer the operation continues, the harder it will be for President Donald Trump to step back. “Eventually Trump needs an off-ramp,” Bell tells Talk. Bell says Iran cannot realistically win a direct confrontation with the United States but doesn’t necessarily have to lose either, raising concerns the conflict could drag on. He highlights Iran’s stockpile of ballistic missiles as a key threat, explaining they are extremely difficult to intercept. Rather than waiting for launches, he says US strategy appears to be destroying missiles and launch sites on the ground before they can be used. The military analyst also warns that modern warfare is limited by logistics as much as battlefield success. Both Israel and the United States are expending large quantities of weapons and interceptors, he says, and those stockpiles cannot be replenished quickly. Bell adds that while the UK faces theoretical risk from Iranian missile programmes in the future, Tehran’s immediate focus remains the United States and regional targets rather than Britain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    10 min

  5. 1 DAY AGO

    Israel-Iran War: Eylon Levy And Natasha Hausdorff Defend Strikes As Legal And ‘Existential’

    Ian Collins speaks to former Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy and international law barrister Natasha Hausdorff as Israel and the United States intensify strikes against Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure. Levy describes daily missile sirens and bomb shelter alerts inside Israel but says morale remains strong, insisting the conflict is about survival. “The Iranian regime has sworn death to Israel for decades,” he tells Talk, warning the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran is something Israel “cannot sweep under the rug”. Levy argues the joint US-Israel operation has dramatically shifted the battlefield, claiming air superiority over Iran and major blows against senior officials, missile launchers and regime infrastructure. Despite the disruption of repeated attacks and rocket alerts, he says Israelis understand the stakes — preventing Tehran from reaching the point where nuclear weapons and ballistic missile capabilities make it untouchable. Barrister Natasha Hausdorff, legal director at UK Lawyers for Israel, rejects claims the strikes breach international law, arguing critics are misrepresenting the legal framework. She says Israel has been in an ongoing armed conflict with Iran and its proxy forces for years, meaning military action against the regime and its nuclear programme can fall squarely within lawful self-defence. Hausdorff also warns that misusing “international law” as a political argument risks undermining the credibility of the entire global legal order. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    13 min

  6. 1 DAY AGO

    Trump: Starmer ‘No Churchill’ — Lord Daniel Hannan On Iran War, Chagos Islands And Britain’s Global Weakness

    Ian Collins is joined by Conservative peer Lord Daniel Hannan as Donald Trump’s “no Churchill” swipe at Sir Keir Starmer detonates across Westminster and Washington. Hannan says the criticism has simply “caught up with where 85% of the British public is”, arguing Starmer’s instinctive response to the Iran war has been driven by a rigid, legalistic worldview — and that it’s colliding head-on with a White House that has little patience for international law arguments. The conversation homes in on the Chagos Islands deal and the claim that Britain is being led by a tight circle of “human rights lawyers”, with Hannan warning the government is prioritising abstract legal principles over hard national interests. He suggests Starmer’s repeated insistence that the UK was not involved in the Iran strikes — including remarks made at a Ramadan event — risks looking like political pandering at a moment when Britain’s security, alliances and global credibility are under pressure. Elsewhere, The Times’ Washington Editor Katy Balls assesses the cooling “special relationship” and whether Trump’s anger is personal, strategic, or both — before veteran Middle East correspondent Patrick Cockburn delivers a stark warning: even with US-Israeli military dominance, Iran’s retaliation could trigger a wider economic shock through the Strait of Hormuz, energy infrastructure vulnerabilities and Gulf disruption, raising the risk of a conflict that spreads well beyond the battlefield. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    22 min

  7. 1 DAY AGO

    Iran War Explained: Everything You Need To Know with Samara Gill

    Samara Gill hosts a special Talk discussion on the escalating Iran crisis, speaking to Erol Morkoc of Republicans Overseas and Iranian political commentator Younes Sadaghiani about Donald Trump’s military strategy, the future of the Iranian regime and growing criticism of Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership. Moorcock argues US strikes were “inevitable”, describing Trump’s approach as “dovish on boots on the ground but hawkish on tactical strikes” — a strategy designed to weaken Iran’s regime without dragging America into another long war. Sadaghiani claims the reaction among many Iranians has been dramatically different to Western media narratives, insisting “90 per cent of Persians are celebrating” the weakening of the Islamic Republic. He argues Iran is fundamentally different from Iraq or Afghanistan — pointing to its history of democracy and strong national identity — and says regime change could open the door for a new political system led by figures such as Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a potential transition period. The conversation also explores the geopolitical fallout for the West, including tensions between Washington and London. Guests warn the biggest global risk now is instability if Iran fractures internally, but argue the ultimate goal is clear: dismantling the current regime and preventing Tehran from ever obtaining nuclear weapons — a move they say could reshape the Middle East and redefine Western alliances. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    20 min

  8. 1 DAY AGO

    Britain ‘Can’t Even Tell When It’s Raining’: Former Navy Commander Warns UK Unprepared For Global Threats

    Alex Phillips speaks to Tom Sharpe OBE, former Royal Navy Commander, about the state of Britain’s naval power as tensions rise globally and questions grow over the UK’s ability to protect its interests at sea. Sharpe warns the public often forgets the Navy’s importance, pointing out that “almost everything you own has been imported from the sea” — yet political support for naval investment typically only appears during wartime. Sharpe insists the current situation is not the fault of the Royal Navy itself, arguing military planners have repeatedly presented proposals to strengthen Britain’s maritime capability. However, he claims those plans have often been ignored by successive governments, leaving the UK struggling to project power or respond quickly to crises. The former commander says Britain has become too comfortable delaying action until it is too late, warning the country has grown so used to holding back resources “for a rainy day” that it now struggles to recognise when a crisis is already underway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    11 min
See All (24)

About

This is Talk’s dedicated war and global security channel, covering conflicts from around the world. From Ukraine and Russia to Israel and Hamas, and the latest conflict with Iran, Talk War brings together the sharpest conversations from across the network in one place. Julia Hartley-Brewer, Jeremy Kyle, Ian Collins and Kevin O’Sullivan each bring their own approach — whether that’s on-the-ground reporting, geopolitical analysis or robust debate. You’ll hear from military voices, former intelligence figures, political heavyweights and people directly affected as events unfold. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Channel
    Talk
  • Creator
    Talk
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Talk
  • Show Website
    Talk War

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