This Episode:

This week on Goat Rodeo, Garrett Smith, Dave Caudle, and Simon Coon dive into the intersection of the Iran war, artificial intelligence, and the politics of modern warfare.

The conversation begins with the controversy surrounding a school strike in Iran and what it potentially reveals about AI-assisted targeting entering real combat operations. The crew explores how systems like Maven are accelerating the kill chain and what that means for decision-making in war.

They also unpack the growing clash between the Pentagon and Anthropic after the company’s models were banned from government systems, and what that fight signals about the future relationship between Silicon Valley and the national security state.

Finally, the discussion turns to the defense tech market, where massive venture rounds and rising valuations are reshaping the defense innovation and investing landscape.

Our Podcast:

National security, defense tech, and geopolitics; serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare.

Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take, because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms:

https://linktr.ee/GoatRodeoPodcast

This Episode:

This week on Goat Rodeo, Dave Caudle and Simon Coon are joined by Chris Booth, a former CIA officer with more than two decades of experience working Middle East and Iran-related issues.

The conversation focuses on the rapidly evolving conflict with Iran, including the decapitation of senior leadership, the uncertainty surrounding Tehran’s internal power structure, and what a potential collapse or fragmentation of the regime could mean for the region.

They also explore how the conflict is playing out operationally, from drone exchanges and maritime risk in the Strait of Hormuz to the economics of modern munitions and the limits of U.S. and allied stockpiles.

Finally, the discussion turns to Washington, where war powers debates, a DHS shutdown, and looming midterms are shaping how Congress responds to the conflict and what it could mean for defense spending and U.S. strategy going forward.

Our Podcast:

National security, defense tech, and geopolitics; serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare.

Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take, because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms:

https://linktr.ee/GoatRodeoPodcast

This Episode:

Four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Garrett sits down with Chris Naganuma for a frontline look at how the war has evolved and what it means going forward. They walk through the arc of the conflict, from the early days of trench assaults and artillery dominance to a battlefield now shaped by drones, jamming, and constant technological adaptation.

The discussion covers how casualty patterns have shifted, how supply chains matured from improvised imports to domestic production, and how movement on the frontlines has changed as automation and electronic warfare intensified.

The episode also examines morale, negotiation dynamics, and what the West should realistically be learning from Ukraine, including the role of decentralized innovation and the growing importance of a professional NCO corps in modern warfare.

Our Podcast:

National security, defense tech, and geopolitics; serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare.

Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take, because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms:

https://linktr.ee/GoatRodeoPodcast