Five Years After the Withdrawal: Insights from the Afghanistan War Commission
Ahead of the fifth anniversary of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, Dr. Colin Jackson and Colonel (Ret.) E.J. Degen join us to discuss initial insights from the Afghanistan War Commission’s work. In particular, the episode examines insights from Afghanistan for building partner armies.
Innovation Under Fire: What WWII’s Commandos Teach Us About War and the Future of Special Operations
Description Episode 160 examines the origins of Britain’s World War II commandos and the enduring role of special operations forces from Churchill’s era to today. Summary This episode explores the creation of Britain’s legendary commando force following the military disasters of 1940. Author Monty Halls and retired
From NATO to the Gulf: Allies, Access, and the Hidden Architecture of American Power
Description Episode 159 examines the relationship between alliances, military access, and U.S. global power projection. Summary This episode explores an often overlooked benefit of alliances: wartime access. Dr. Rachel Metz and Ambassador Douglas Lute explain why public debates about allies often focus narrowly on defense spending, while missing the
Preserving the American Edge: Revitalizing the Defense Industrial Base
✉️ Email header below is auto-generated from this post’s author tag. It only appears in the newsletter — please don’t edit or delete it. Episode 147 of the Irregular Warfare Podcast examines the past, present, and future of America’s defense industrial base—and why its strength may determine
Competitive Intervention, Proxy War, and Military Assistance: Anderson, Eyre, and Kuhlman
Episode 146 examines the impact of external military assistance on civil wars. Summary This conversation delves into the complexities of competitive intervention in civil wars, exploring the types of military aid provided, how external support influences conflict dynamics, and implications for practitioners and policymakers. The discussion highlights the prevalence of
Foreign Fighters in Ukraine and Beyond
Episode 145 examines the role of foreign fighters in war. Our guests begin by highlighting the long history of foreign fighters in conflict, from the early United States and the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s to contemporary cases such as the International Legion in Ukraine and foreign fighters in
The Future of War Part III: Strategic Sabotage in an Era of Great-Power
Episode 144 of theIrregular Warfare Podcast continues our four-part Future of War series with a focused examination of strategic sabotage, indirect action, and deterrence below the threshold of armed conflict. This episode centers on “Special Delivery,” a near-future short story by author and futurist August Cole, set in
What Determines Success in Guerrilla Warfare?
Episode 143 examines what enables guerrilla and insurgent forces to develop military effectiveness on the battlefield. https://open.spotify.com/episode/4pWsQqnILdT1Om2CXyaAFc Our guests discuss why ideological cohesion, social ties, and material resources are insufficient for insurgents to successfully implement guerrilla strategies. Drawing on historical examples and a detailed analysis
Is Resistance Working in Ukraine?
Episode 141 examines what the role of resistance operations are in the context of the broader war in Ukraine. Our guests begin by discussing whether resistance in occupied Ukraine is working. They argue that “Random Acts of Resistance” are not effective. Instead, resistance activities are most impactful when well synchronized
South America in Competition Conference: Bonus Episode 2
Episode 140 is a bonus episode built out of conversations held with panelists from the 2025 Irregular Warfare Initiative and Special Operations Association of America South America in Competition Conference. The South America in Competition Conference brought together over 250 researchers, practitioners, and members of industry for two days at
Bridging the gap between irregular warfare scholars, practitioners, and policymakers.
