Lost Debate War Will Never Be the Same
11 snips
Aug 20, 2025 
Ravi chats with Dexter Filkins, a renowned war correspondent and author of The Forever War, about the seismic shifts in modern warfare. They discuss how drones and AI are reshaping combat, particularly in Ukraine with innovative yet lethal tactics. Filkins highlights U.S. military readiness and contrasts it with China's influence in defense. The conversation dives into the moral implications of algorithmic warfare in conflicts like Gaza, revealing the ethical dilemmas posed by autonomous weaponry. This thought-provoking dialogue examines the future of warfare.
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Secret Drone Factory Visit
- Dexter Filkins was blindfolded and led into a secret Ukrainian drone factory to avoid revealing its location.
- The small warehouse produced modern reconnaissance and attack drones with about a hundred mostly female workers.
Cheap Drones Shift Battlefield Economics
- Ukraine's cheap kamikaze drones are decisive because they're numerous, cheap, and effective against high-value Russian systems.
- Small $500 drones can destroy multi-million dollar missile batteries, shifting the economics of the battlefield.
Gamified Drone Warfare
- Ukrainian drone operations include gamified incentives where operators upload footage to earn points and more drones.
- Commanders reward kills with supplies, creating a video-game-like feedback loop for frontline operators.
