Irregular Warfare Podcast

In this discussion, Dr. Philip A. Martin, an expert in political violence and civil wars, teams up with Brigadier General Allen J. Pepper, a seasoned commander familiar with African conflicts. They delve into the puzzling aftermath of victorious rebel groups, exploring why some maintain loyalty to new governments while others rebel again. The conversation reveals how wartime experiences shape military cohesion and the pitfalls of power-sharing. They also highlight the complexities of external assistance and its effects on post-conflict stability, offering insightful recommendations for policymakers.

Join Major General Peter Huntley, commander of Marine Forces Special Operations Command, and August Cole, author and futurist, as they delve into the future of warfare. They discuss how Marine Raiders will adapt to the challenges of proxy terrorism and AI-enabled surveillance. The conversation highlights the balance between advanced technology and essential human skills like trust and leadership. Listeners will also hear an immersive excerpt from Cole's narrative, showcasing the complexities Raiders may face in 2040.

Episode 134 of the Irregular Warfare Podcast explores the rising risks of conflict over Taiwan and how the United States and its allies can strengthen deterrence against Beijing. Our guests begin by assessing why deterrence is faltering globally, from the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and how those events inform Chinese perceptions of American resolve. They then discuss the stakes of a Taiwan contingency—economic, ideological, and strategic—highlighting the island’s critical role in global semiconductor supply chains and as a thriving democracy on China’s periphery. The conversation turns to the balance of forces across the Strait, Taiwan’s defense culture, and the full spectrum of Chinese coercive activity, from gray-zone operations to potential military invasion. Finally, our guests offer recommendations for how Taiwan, the United States, and partners like Japan, Australia, and Europe can bolster deterrence before conflict breaks out. Matt Pottinger is a distinguished national security professional who served as U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor from 2019 to 2021. He is the editor of The Boiling Moat, a new volume analyzing deterrence and security dynamics across the Taiwan Strait. Matt Turpin is a former U.S. National Security Council Director for China and a retired U.S. Army officer. He is currently a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, where his research focuses on U.S.-China relations and strategic competition. Ben Jebb and Katherine Michaelson are the hosts for this episode. Please reach out to Ben and Katherine with any questions about this episode or the Irregular Warfare Podcast.

Rebecca Patterson, an expert in international affairs from Georgetown University, and David W. Barno, a former Army general now at Johns Hopkins, dive into how the U.S. can leverage non-military tools to compete globally. They discuss integrating economic and informational strategies, critiquing U.S. national security approaches, and highlighting the importance of 'resilient interdependence.' Their insights reveal underused economic instruments that could enhance America's positioning against rivals, stressing the need for coordinated efforts against disinformation and unconventional threats.

Thomas X. Hammes, a Distinguished Research Fellow and retired Marine Colonel, teams up with Susan Bryant, an Adjunct Professor and retired Army Colonel, to dissect the intricacies of irregular warfare. They argue that America's strategic culture shapes its approach to competition in the gray zone, often to its disadvantage. Insights from their book highlight how cultural biases lead to oversimplified conflict understandings. The duo uses historical examples to illustrate the evolution of insurgencies and critiques the complexities of measuring military success.

Susan Bryant and Thomas X. Hammes dive into the complexities of strategic culture and its impact on irregular warfare. Bryant shares insights on how American beliefs and technological reliance create vulnerabilities in gray zone conflicts. Hammes emphasizes the need for a shift in military strategies, urging a focus on building partnerships over combat. They discuss historical examples from Afghanistan and Iraq, revealing how cultural biases can undermine effective military responses. The conversation highlights the importance of resilience and adaptability in modern conflict.

Sheena Chestnut Greitens, a scholar at the University of Texas focusing on authoritarian politics and security studies, and Jon Finer, former Deputy National Security Advisor, delve into the concept of "security hybridization." They discuss the simultaneous security assistance from the U.S. and China, illustrating how nations like Vietnam and Hungary navigate this dual approach. The conversation sheds light on the implications for global security partnerships and highlights the challenges the U.S. faces as it tries to compete with China's rapid support to resource-strapped countries.

Join Kip Kahler, a former Senior Defense Official in Ukraine, Brian Petit, a retired SF Army officer, and Kateryna Bondar, a CSIS fellow and advisor to Ukraine, as they dive into Operation Spider’s Web. They discuss Ukraine’s groundbreaking drone strategy, the innovative use of FPV drones, and how this operation is shifting paradigms in asymmetric warfare. Key points include the implications of disrupting Russian operations, the psychological impact on the Kremlin, and the importance of adapting military strategies in response to modern threats.

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 irregular warfare. Our guests begin by outlining AFSOC’s new strategic guidance—“Raise Air Commandos, Win Tonight’s Fight, and Sustain Relevance through Adaptation”—and describe how it builds on earlier reforms to balance crisis-response duties with preparation for peer competition. They then explore the “democratized skies” created by low-cost uncrewed aircraft systems, discussing implications for pallet-dropped drone swarms, counter-UAS, and agile acquisition. Finally, the conversation turns to force design and human capital, offering insights on cultivating Air Commandos who can integrate AI-enabled decision aids and out-cycle adversaries inside the OODA loop. Lieutenant General Michael E. Conley is the Commander of Air Force Special Operations Command. A career special-operations aviator with more than 2,400 flight hours in the UH-1, MH-53, and CV-22, he has commanded at the squadron, wing, and combined-joint task-force levels and previously served as Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His assignments have ranged from rescuing hostages to leading space-component forces, and his decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal and Bronze Star. As AFSOC’s chief, he oversees 20,800 Air Commandos and a $17 billion portfolio and champions “relevance through adaptation” to integrate SOF agility with Air Force mass. Dr Kerry Chávez is an assistant professor in the Military & Strategic Studies Department at the U.S. Air Force Academy and an advisor to IWI’s Project Air & Space Power. She is also a two-time nonresident research fellow with the Modern War Institute at West Point and a fellow with the Institute for Global Affairs. Her work blends political science and data science to analyze emerging military technologies; she curates the MONSTr dataset on U.S. operations with novel capabilities and a pioneering global database of non-state-actor drone adoption. Dr Chávez regularly briefs DoD and industry leaders on counter-UAS strategy, synthetic data methods, and technology governance.

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, trace its evolution from podcast to comprehensive platform including written content and fellowship programs, and discuss the strategic vision for the next five years—including new initiatives like a peer-reviewed journal and expanded efforts to reach broader audiences across the interagency and international community. Kyle Atwell is an IWI Co-founder and current Chairman of the Board. An active-duty Army officer and Atlantic Council Senior Fellow, he holds a PhD from Princeton University and previously served as an Assistant Professor at West Point. Kyle co-founded the Irregular Warfare Initiative while in graduate school, recognizing the need to make academic insights accessible to practitioners in the field. Shawna Sinnott is an IWI Co-founder and Chair of the Board of Advisors. She is an active-duty Marine Corps Major with operational deployments across the Middle East, West Asia, and Africa. Shawna holds a PhD in Political Science from Stanford University and previously served as IWI's Executive Director from 2020-2022. Guido Torres is IWI's Executive Director and a Harvard National Security Fellow alumnus. A U.S. Army veteran with extensive experience in Latin America and special operations, he also serves as an Atlantic Council Senior Fellow. Guido's journey with IWI began as an avid listener of the podcast before joining as a volunteer and ultimately assuming executive leadership of the organization. The Irregular Warfare Podcast is always seeking motivated prospective hosts. If you're a military officer on an educational sabbatical, contact us and get involved.