Preparedness and Parallels: Lessons in Crisis Preparedness from Sweden and Latin America
Europe’s current geopolitical instability amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 has awakened fears of a larger war. The region’s growing complacency following decades of stability was largely a product of strong alliances, economic power, and NATO’s protective presence. But this period of calm
Once Upon a Proxy War: Chinese Support to the People’s Army of Vietnam (Book Review)
The Irregular Warfare Initiative (IWI) Editorial Team is proud to present the third installment in our series featuring leading thinkers in the irregular warfare community critically engaging with recent IW-related publications. Curated by IWI editors Barbara Elias and Lewis Fraser, this series goes beyond traditional book reviews. Contributors are encouraged
Putting Operation Spider’s Web in Context
On June 1, 2025, the Ukrainian special intelligence services launched Operation Spider’s Web, a remotely triggered drone attack that may have damaged or destroyed over 40 Russian strategic aircraft at four air bases deep inside the Russian Federation’s borders. Spider’s Web was undeniably successful: Russia’s capacity
Agile, Adaptable, AFSOC: Building Edge in Contested Skies
Episode 129 examines how Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) is recalibrating for great-power competition while still answering today’s crisis-response and counter-VEO demands. Lieutenant General Michael E. Conley and Dr Kerry Chávez join the Irregular Warfare Podcast to unpack strategy, technology, and talent development at the sharp edge of
Nine Critical Lessons from Israel’s October 7 War and What They Mean for SOF
Editor’s Note: this article is being republished with the permission of Small Wars Journal as part of a republishing arrangement between IWI and SWJ. The original article was published on 05.23.2025 and is available here. Early on the morning of October 7, 2023, Hamas launched one of
The Balkans Model and Conditions for Peace in Ukraine
Editor’s note: This article is part of Project Europe which focuses on European and European-adjacent security issues to deter and defend against irregular threats, develop IW knowledge, and advance the American understanding of allied, partner and competitor practices of IW. We invite you to contribute to the discussion, explore
South America in Competition Conference
Carahsoft HQ, Falls Church, VA - July 16 & 17 2025 The Irregular Warfare Initiative (IWI) and the Special Operations Association of America (SOAA) are proud to present the South America in Competition Conference on July 16th and July 17th, 2025. Bringing together ~200 leaders from government, academia, private industry,
Influence by Design: Reassessing U.S. Military Advising
The Irregular Warfare Initiative (IWI) Editorial Team is proud to present the second installment in our series featuring leading thinkers in the irregular warfare community critically engaging with recent IW-related publications. Curated by IWI editors Barbara Elias and Lewis Fraser, this series goes beyond traditional book reviews. Contributors are encouraged
Does China’s Growing Security Outreach Matter? Tracing Implications for Irregular Warfare and U.S. Security Cooperation
Editor’s Note: This article highlights key findings from a recent piece the authors published in MIT’s International Security Journal, titled “Security without Exclusivity: Hybrid Alignment in the Indo-Pacific”. The authors examine how states increasingly engage with both the United States and China for different forms of security cooperation—
Five Years of IWI: From Podcast to Platform
Episode 128 marks a special milestone as the Irregular Warfare Podcast celebrates its five-year anniversary. Our guests reflect on the journey from a simple podcast idea in a graduate school classroom to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with over 70 volunteers worldwide. They share the origin story of IWI,
Bridging the gap between irregular warfare scholars, practitioners, and policymakers.
