School of War Ep 218: Lawerence Freedman on Endless Wars
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Jul 29, 2025 Lawerence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King’s College London and author of ‘The Age of Forever Wars’, shares his insights on the nature of protracted conflicts. He discusses the challenges military planners face balancing quick victories with the reality of enduring wars, using Iraq, Afghanistan, and Ukraine as key examples. Freedman critiques current military strategies and emphasizes the need for clear political goals. He also explores historical mistakes and the ongoing resilience of conflicts like Israel and Hamas, while questioning Putin's persistent aggression.
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Strategy Must Align with Politics
- Military strategy often fails due to misalignment with political strategy.
- Quick victories depend heavily on surprise, otherwise wars tend to drag on.
Iraq and Afghanistan: Two Conflict Stages
- Iraq and Afghanistan had quick conventional victories followed by prolonged insurgencies.
- These were different stages of the same overall conflict, shaped by political and military shifts.
Hamas' Survival Strategy
- Hamas survives by enduring, making a ceasefire difficult.
- Israel’s victories over stronger Iranian proxies have not ended the conflict.
