Western Way of War

Do Values define a Western Way of Warfare? Does the military understand the media?  What motivates Western politicians to make decisions?  Lucy Fisher (Defence Editor of The Times) joins Peter Roberts to talk about the 2013 Syria vote in UK Parliament, the revered status of Western militaries, and ignoring social media.

Does a successful and respected professional military force make a conversation with society at large over security and insurmountable conversation? Do government narratives over military threats alienate audiences?  Elisabeth Braw and Peter Roberts take about preppers, supply chains, a Western concept of peace, and the lack of imagination in politics.

Peter Roberts talks to chem/bio warfare guru Dan Kaszeta about the journey from weevils to sarin, political biological poisonings since 2000BCE, food security as a catalyst for chemical weapon research, and a reappraisal of President Nixon.  Busting some preconceptions and becoming more optimistic for the future was not what we expected from this episode.

Peter Roberts talks to US scholar-practitioner Dr Pete Mansoor (author of 'Baghdad at Sunrise', 'Surge', and 'The Culture of Military Organisations') about the Western Way of Warfare from the Peloponnesian war to Iraq: competition, economics, technology, logistics, and escalatory concepts. Plus some advice to those starting PME courses.

In this engaging conversation, Chilean general John Griffiths shares his unique insights on integrating Eastern and Western military strategies in modern warfare. He highlights the impact of cultural philosophies, like Taoism, on Chile's approach to conflict and diplomacy. Griffiths also discusses the disconnect between political leaders and military expertise, urging for educational reforms. With Chile’s strategic pivot in the Indo-Pacific, he emphasizes the necessity for innovative security strategies to address evolving global challenges.

Peter Roberts talks to Francois Villiaumey, formerly Deputy Director of Ecole de Guerre in Paris, about the Western Way of War from Charlemange to Eisenhower, the fallacy of linear doctrines, and why the law of the victor is a clearer end state to achieve militarily. Plus, advice for those starting PME course next month.

Stuart Atha, an expert in air force planning, and Peter Roberts, a commentator on military strategy, dive deep into the evolving role of air power in modern warfare. They discuss the shift from traditional air force tactics to strategies emphasizing synchronization and political utility. The conversation highlights the importance of adapting air power to counter adversaries like Russia and China and the significance of multi-domain operations involving drones. They underscore NATO's collaborative potential and the need for innovative approaches in modern military planning.

Peter Roberts talks drones, human control, and mowing the lawn with Dr Ulrike Franke. A great intro to the future of drone warfare, surveillance, aerial technology, remote warfare, and the offence/defence balance of air power in the future.

Peter Roberts talks to Dr Peter Layton from Australia on compromised air platform design, how you might conduct operations against a China-style adversary, and why the F35 was the perfect platform for the wars of the last two decades.

Tobias Ellwood (Chair UK Parliament's Defence Committee) talked to Peter Roberts about how political views on the military have changed (risk averse, reactive, lacklustre), the 'Special relationship', pandemic response, Trump, and moving from an operational design focused on punishment to one that denies. Russia, China, Iran, terrorism, and cyber threats, and why global institutions are obsolete. Plus, the lack of military leadership in the UK.