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Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu
Guest
What's up, guys? I have a powerhouse episode for you today with Eli Lake—one of the sharpest minds in foreign policy journalism. Eli's a columnist for the Free Press, the host of the Breaking History podcast, and a straight-up expert on everything from intelligence to Middle East geopolitics. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering what's really behind America’s relationship with Israel, Iran's nuclear ambitions, or the complex dance of power in the Middle East—this is the conversation you cannot miss.
Today, we're diving deep into the realities nobody talks about: conspiracy theories that just won’t die, why alliances in that region are shifting so fast, the truth about proxy wars, and what the future could look like if Iran’s regime falls or continues to escalate. Eli breaks down why the intelligence war matters, how successful military operations reshape global power, and what it will actually take for democratic change to happen in places like Iran.
SHOWNOTES
00:00 The "Israel Puppeteering" Myth & Its Origins
01:46 How US and Israeli Intelligence Stack Up
03:36 Technical vs. Human Intelligence—Who Excels and Why
04:01 Israel, Iran, and the Nuclear Umbrella Strategy
05:16 The Proxy War Web: Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranian Influence
06:31 October 7th, Retaliation & Demolishing Proxy Networks
07:56 Did Iran Really Take the “Next Step” to a Bomb?
09:16 What Actually Counts as “Success” Against Iran?
10:39 Democratic Uprising: Is Regime Change Possible from Within?
12:32 Tech, Starlink, and Empowering the Iranian People
14:20 Regime Humiliation & Authoritarian Vulnerability
16:06 The Tipping Point for Revolution
17:00 Internal Rot in the Iranian Regime
FOLLOW ELI LAKE
Twitter: @EliLake
Podcast: Breaking History
The Free Press Columns: thefp.com/author/eli-lake
CHECK OUT OUR SPONSORS
Vital Proteins: Get 20% off by going to https://www.vitalproteins.com and entering promo code IMPACT at check out
Allio Capital: Macro investing for people who want to understand the big picture. Download their app in the App Store or at Google Play, or text my name “TOM” to 511511.
iTrust Capital: Use code IMPACTGO when you sign up and fund your account to get a $100 bonus at https://www.itrustcapital.com/tombilyeu
SleepMe: Visit https://sleep.me/impact to get your Chilipad and save 20% with code IMPACT. Try it risk-free with their 30-night sleep trial and free shipping.
Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://shopify.com/impact
SKIMS: Shop SKIMS Mens at https://www.skims.com/impact #skimspartner
ButcherBox: Ready to level up your meals? Go to https://butcherbox.com/impact to get $20 off your first box and FREE bacon for life with the Bilyeu Box!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Continue reading...
Today, we're diving deep into the realities nobody talks about: conspiracy theories that just won’t die, why alliances in that region are shifting so fast, the truth about proxy wars, and what the future could look like if Iran’s regime falls or continues to escalate. Eli breaks down why the intelligence war matters, how successful military operations reshape global power, and what it will actually take for democratic change to happen in places like Iran.
SHOWNOTES
00:00 The "Israel Puppeteering" Myth & Its Origins
01:46 How US and Israeli Intelligence Stack Up
03:36 Technical vs. Human Intelligence—Who Excels and Why
04:01 Israel, Iran, and the Nuclear Umbrella Strategy
05:16 The Proxy War Web: Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranian Influence
06:31 October 7th, Retaliation & Demolishing Proxy Networks
07:56 Did Iran Really Take the “Next Step” to a Bomb?
09:16 What Actually Counts as “Success” Against Iran?
10:39 Democratic Uprising: Is Regime Change Possible from Within?
12:32 Tech, Starlink, and Empowering the Iranian People
14:20 Regime Humiliation & Authoritarian Vulnerability
16:06 The Tipping Point for Revolution
17:00 Internal Rot in the Iranian Regime
FOLLOW ELI LAKE
Twitter: @EliLake
Podcast: Breaking History
The Free Press Columns: thefp.com/author/eli-lake
CHECK OUT OUR SPONSORS
Vital Proteins: Get 20% off by going to https://www.vitalproteins.com and entering promo code IMPACT at check out
Allio Capital: Macro investing for people who want to understand the big picture. Download their app in the App Store or at Google Play, or text my name “TOM” to 511511.
iTrust Capital: Use code IMPACTGO when you sign up and fund your account to get a $100 bonus at https://www.itrustcapital.com/tombilyeu
SleepMe: Visit https://sleep.me/impact to get your Chilipad and save 20% with code IMPACT. Try it risk-free with their 30-night sleep trial and free shipping.
Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://shopify.com/impact
SKIMS: Shop SKIMS Mens at https://www.skims.com/impact #skimspartner
ButcherBox: Ready to level up your meals? Go to https://butcherbox.com/impact to get $20 off your first box and FREE bacon for life with the Bilyeu Box!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Continue reading...