Kyle Atwell
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
Setting Out to Win: Why America Needs to Get Serious About Irregular Warfare
This episode explores why the United States has largely failed at irregular warfare over the past 75 years and what can be done to reverse that trend and win at irregular warfare. LTG (Ret.) Charles Cleveland and Dr. Rob Burrell are the guests.
Iran, Ukraine, and the Future of Naval Warfare
Episode 156 examines what the U.S.-Iran War and Russia-Ukraine War reveal about how weaker states and irregular actors contest navies, maritime commerce, and global energy flows. Summary This conversation examines naval irregular warfare in an era of drones, shadow fleets, contested chokepoints, and attacks on commercial shipping.
Where the Lion Can’t Reach: Unconventional Warfare in Major War
Description Episode 153 examines the role of unconventional warfare and special operations forces in conventional major war. Summary This conversation explores how unconventional warfare can support, shape, and sometimes substitute for conventional military operations in large-scale combat. Our guests examine what unconventional warfare is and why it matters beyond
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
Bridging the gap between irregular warfare scholars, practitioners, and policymakers.