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Irregular Warfare Podcast

Irregular Warfare Initiative
Irregular Warfare
Special Operations Forces
China
Russia
Ukraine
Security Force Assistance
Afghanistan
United States
NATO
Proxy Warfare
Great Power Competition
Hamas
Iran
National Defense Strategy
Information Warfare
Cyber Warfare
Terrorism
South America
Military Strategy
Israel

The Irregular Warfare Podcast explores an important component of war throughout history. Small wars, drone strikes, special operations forces, counterterrorism, proxies—this podcast covers the full range of topics related to irregular war and features in-depth conversations with guests from the military, academia, and the policy community. The podcast is a collaboration between the Modern War Inst... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes165Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Government

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Artwork for Irregular Warfare Podcast

Latest Episodes

This episode of the Irregular Warfare Podcast concludes our four-part Future of War series, pairing author and futurist August Cole with senior special operations leaders to explore how tomorrow’s conflicts may unfold.

Today’s episode centers on Ope... more

Today’s episode examines how Russian agents and local militants exploited ambiguity, weak state capacity, and fragmented local authority to transform unrest in the Donbas into an armed insurgency in 2014. At its core, it is a story about how a small ... more

Ahead of the fifth anniversary of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan this August, Dr. Colin Jackson and Colonel (Ret.) E.J. Degen join us to discuss initial insights from the Afghanistan War Commission’s work. The Afghanistan War Commission is ... more

Description

Episode 160 examines the origins of Britain’s World War II commandos and the enduring role of special operations forces from Churchill’s era to today.

Summary

This episode explores the creation of Britain’s legendary commando force fol... more

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People also subscribe to these shows.

Modern War Institute
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Recent Guests

Gil Ferguson
Lieutenant General, Commander of US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC)
US Army
Episode: The Future of War Part IV: Special Operations on a Global Battlefield
David Waldo
Command Sergeant Major, US Army Special Operations Command
US Army
Episode: The Future of War Part IV: Special Operations on a Global Battlefield
Celeste Wallander
Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs; former NSC official
U.S. government / academia
Episode: From Subversion to Resistance: Lessons from Russia’s War in Ukraine
Serhiy Kudelia
Professor of Political Science at Baylor University; author
Baylor University
Episode: From Subversion to Resistance: Lessons from Russia’s War in Ukraine
Colin Jackson
Co-chair of the Afghanistan War Commission
Afghanistan War Commission
Episode: Five Years After the Withdrawal: Insights from the Afghanistan War Commission
EJ Degen
Chief of the Military Operations and Security Forces Assistance Team at the Afghanistan War Commission
Afghanistan War Commission
Episode: Five Years After the Withdrawal: Insights from the Afghanistan War Commission
Scott Howell
Lieutenant General, retired US Air Force officer; former commanding general of US Joint Special Operations Command and vice commander of US Special Operations Command
US Air Force / Special Operations Command
Episode: Innovation Under Fire: What WWII’s Commandos Teach Us About War and the Future of Special Operations
Monty Halls
Former British Royal Marine; author of Churchill's Killing House
Royal Marines / author
Episode: Innovation Under Fire: What WWII’s Commandos Teach Us About War and the Future of Special Operations
Doug Lute
Former US Ambassador to NATO; retired US Army three-star general
U.S. Government/NATO
Episode: From NATO to the Gulf: Allies, Access, and the Hidden Architecture of American Power

Hosts

Alexandra Chinchilla
Host/Co-host with deep involvement in irregular warfare research and policy collaboration between MWI and Princeton ESSER.
Kyle Atwell
Host and co-host with practitioner experience in irregular warfare and collaboration with academic and policy initiatives.
Ben Jebb
Host with actionable perspectives on irregular warfare and policy-related analysis.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 762 ratings
  • Excellent

    Very interesting, technical discussions of topical subjects within the defence field from experienced and knowledgeable contributors.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bibliophenia
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • Timely Information

    Today’s episode about the Wars which Nuclear Weapons do not Prevent gives a great overview of where the world stands today. Thanks!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    acloisgreen
    United States2 months ago
  • Vocal fry

    Vocal fry fest :/

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    TabacMan123
    Sweden4 months ago
  • Fascinating

    An exceptional podcast that’s deeply informative. Can’t recommend more highly.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Review1299
    United States5 months ago
  • Thank you.

    I really enjoy listening to these discussions. Great to hear diverse views on topics, and interpretations of concepts and operations.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Natalie Treloar
    Australia9 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Clear, high-signal discussions with practitioners and researchers.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#34
United States/Government
Apple Podcasts
#11
United Kingdom/Government
Apple Podcasts
#99
Canada/Government
Apple Podcasts
#17
Germany/Government
Apple Podcasts
#18
Australia/Government
Apple Podcasts
#30
Italy/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Innovation Under Fire: What WWII’s Commandos Teach Us About War and the Future of Special Operations
Q: Was the primary impact of commando raids military, political, or psychological?
A blend of all three, with initial failures giving way to lessons that improved tactics, while the raids also diverted German resources and shaped strategic thinking; psychological impact on both sides was a major driver.
From NATO to the Gulf: Allies, Access, and the Hidden Architecture of American Power
Q: What are the implications of this conversation for policymakers, practitioners, and scholars?
Policymakers should recognize that access decisions are strategic, require ongoing consultation, and may hinge on domestic politics; peacetime security cooperation can shape wartime outcomes, and long-term alliances remain valuable even as transactional dynamics emerge.
From NATO to the Gulf: Allies, Access, and the Hidden Architecture of American Power
Q: Rachel, your paper argues that we've overlooked one of the most important benefits of alliances in the academic literature: access. Can you define allied access and why it matters?
Allied access is states allowing foreign military operations within their borders, which enables the projection of power and provides situational awareness and deterrence that are essential to modern warfare; it also carries costs and political risks for host states.
From NATO to the Gulf: Allies, Access, and the Hidden Architecture of American Power
Q: Today's episode focuses on an article you wrote, Rachel, Allies and Access, Implications of an American Turn Away from Alliances. What motivated you to write this piece?
The motivation was to broaden the conversation beyond burden sharing (defense spending) to include access, which is a crucial form of military cooperation that enables power projection and has been largely overlooked in public debate.
Setting Out to Win: Why America Needs to Get Serious About Irregular Warfare
Q: Can you summarize the practical shifts you advocate for policymakers and practitioners?
Three big shifts: acknowledge the current crisis, frame intrastate conflict through resilience and resistance, and reframe persistent engagement and contingency planning around these concepts, treating irregular warfare and competition as continuous forms of conflict.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Irregular Warfare Podcast

What is Irregular Warfare Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A rigorous, practitioner-forward show that examines irregular warfare, counterterrorism, great-power competition, and the role of special operations across history and current events. Conversations blend military experience with academic research and policy analysis, featuring generals, scholars, and policymakers who discuss alliance networks, resilience and resistance, space and cyber dimensions, and the evolving tools of economic and diplomatic statecraft. Notable strengths include a strong emphasis on practical lessons for design, coalition-building, and strategy, plus a willingness to tackle emerging domains like autonomous systems and space power. The format tends to mix historical context with forward-looking implications for policy, ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Irregular Warfare Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Irregular Warfare Podcast:

1. Modern War Institute
2. War on the Rocks
3. School of War
4. Net Assessment
5. NatSec Matters

How many episodes of Irregular Warfare Podcast are there?

Irregular Warfare Podcast launched 6 years ago and published 165 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Irregular Warfare Podcast?

Recent guests on Irregular Warfare Podcast include:

1. Gil Ferguson
2. David Waldo
3. Celeste Wallander
4. Serhiy Kudelia
5. Colin Jackson
6. EJ Degen
7. Scott Howell
8. Monty Halls

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