In this episode of The Winston Marshall Show, I sit down with former Judge Advocate General and Royal Navy veteran Jeff Blackett for a wide-ranging conversation on the Iran war, international law, and the growing weakness of Britain’s armed forces.

We examine the case that the United States and Israel have militarily defeated Iran, from the destruction of its military capabilities to the ongoing threat of its nuclear programme. Blackett explains the legal justification for the war under Article 51, the limits of regime change, and why ideology, not just military power, determines long-term outcomes.

The conversation explores the global consequences of the conflict, from rising energy prices and instability in the Strait of Hormuz to the future of NATO and American hegemony. We discuss the fragility of the Western alliance, the role of the United Nations, and whether the rules-based international order can survive in an increasingly multipolar world.

We also turn to Britain, where Blackett warns that the armed forces have been hollowed out after decades of cuts. From declining naval capacity to overstretched personnel and reduced readiness, he argues the UK is no longer capable of defending its interests against serious threats.

A sobering conversation about war, law, power, and whether Britain and the West are prepared for the conflicts of the future.

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WATCH THE EXTENDED CONVERSATION HERE: https://open.substack.com/pub/winstonmarshall/p/the-truth-about-the-iran-war-nobodys?r=18lfab&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction

02:56 Has Iran’s Military Actually Been Degraded?

03:53 US War Objectives: Military, Nuclear, and Regime Change

04:53 Can You Ever Truly Defeat an Ideology?

08:50 Iran’s Nuclear Enrichment: What Still Remains?

12:02 The $1 Billion-a-Day Cost of War

13:10 UN Resolution 2817 & Legality of the War

16:18 UK vs US: Starmer, NATO & Strategic Tensions

18:21 Britain’s Military Weakness & NATO Dependence

19:15 The State of the Royal Navy & Defence Cuts

22:33 Global Economic Fallout: Oil, Fertiliser & Food Prices

26:37 American Hegemony & the Future of NATO

30:00 Decline of Western Military Power Since the Cold War

33:12 Could Britain Defend the Falklands Today?

37:10 What Does “Winning a War” Actually Mean?

38:49 The Role (and Failure) of the United Nations

40:23 Could This Become Another Endless War?

44:07 NATO Fragility & UK-US Relations

45:31 Veteran Immunity Controversy Explained

47:17 The Overseas Operations Act & Legal Debate

49:56 Endless Investigations Into Soldiers — The Real Issue

51:11 The Blackman Case & Battlefield Ethics

53:57 Rules of War & the Geneva Conventions

55:55 Do Rules-Based Systems Still Work?

57:12 “Might Is Right” vs International Law Debate

59:31 Is Global Order Just Backed by Power?

1:00:44 Final Thoughts: UN Failure & UK Military Decline

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