Where the Lion Can’t Reach: Unconventional Warfare in Major War
Episode 153 of the Irregular Warfare Podcast examines how unconventional warfare (UW) can augment and sometimes replace conventional forces in large‑scale conflicts. The discussion highlights the 2003 Iraq invasion, where a handful of U.S. Special Forces partnered with Kurdish Peshmerga to open a northern front, generate intelligence, and tie down Iraqi troops. Guests stress that UW is not solely a SOF concern; joint commanders and policymakers must grasp its strategic value and limits. They also warn that successful UW requires years of relationship‑building, aligned objectives, and realistic feasibility assessments.
Chinese Eyes, Iranian Missiles: Intelligence Cooperation in the US/Israel–Iran War 2026
The 2026 US‑Israel‑Iran war saw Iran launch highly accurate missile and drone strikes against Israeli cities and U.S. bases, a capability analysts attribute to Chinese intelligence support. China has provided satellite imagery, BeiDou navigation signals, advanced radar and electronic‑warfare systems...
Geoeconomics of Irregular Warfare: Iran and the Global Ripple Effects — Part VII
In the seventh installment of the Irregular Warfare Initiative’s series, experts dissect how Iran is escalating the conflict through economic, legal, and cognitive tools. The panel highlights maritime enforcement actions, asset seizures, and targeted pressure on energy and financial systems,...
What the Hell Is Irregular Warfare Anyway?
Episode 152 of the Irregular Warfare Podcast convenes leading scholars and veterans to dissect why the term “irregular warfare” remains fluid. The panel—King’s College London’s Chris Tripodi, RAND’s Eric Robinson, and retired Lt. Gen. Mike Nagata—examines three competing definitional models: the...
Economic Warfare Reimagined: Insurance as a Tool of U.S. Strategic Influence
The Irregular Warfare Initiative paper proposes "insurance as economic security" (IAES), a parametric‑insurance‑based tool that the United States could deploy to counter China and Russia’s growing influence in the Global South. IAES would deliver rapid, pre‑funded payouts during natural disasters...
Conflict Has Memory: Why Local Wars Follow Distinct Trajectories
New research introduces a trajectories approach to irregular conflict, showing that local violence follows distinct, memory‑driven pathways rather than isolated incidents. An analysis of 3,700 African localities finds 77% experience brief, one‑year cycles, while recurrent zones endure 3‑4‑year episodes and...
Fireside Chat: Ukraine & the Future of European Security
The Irregular Warfare Institute hosted a Fireside Chat titled “Ukraine & the Future of European Security,” featuring experts Dr. Olga Chiriac, Dr. Nick Krohley, and Dr. John Pennell. The discussion examined whether Russia has learned that its long‑term hybrid campaign...
Capital Controls: The Evolution of Outbound Investment Security Strategy
The United States, with roughly $6.8 trillion in outbound investment, has launched the Outbound Investment Security Program (OISP) in January 2025, now being codified in the Comprehensive Outbound Investment National Security (COINS) Act. OISP obliges U.S. persons to notify the Treasury before...
Los Límites De La Decapitación De Líderes: Consecuencias Estratégicas Del Exceso De Confianza en La Fuerza Militar Para La Transformación...
The article argues that the United States’ two‑decade reliance on leadership decapitation—using military force to remove top officials—delivers quick tactical victories but often fails strategically because it leaves underlying coercive networks intact. It examines Iraq, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Iran and Cuba,...
Hannah Lamb’s “Angle of Attack” Featured on Chief of Staff of the Army’s March 2026 Recommended Articles List
An article by Army Aviation officer Hannah Lamb titled “Angle of Attack: Apache Attack Helicopters in Unmanned Skies” has been included in the Chief of Staff of the Army’s March 2026 Recommended Articles List. The piece examines how the AH‑64E...
The Limits of Leadership Decapitation: Strategic Consequences of Overreliance on Military Force for Political Transformation
The post argues that U.S. reliance on leadership decapitation—removing top officials with military force—produces rapid tactical successes but fails to achieve lasting political change. Cases from Iraq, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Iran and Cuba show that without dismantling the underlying patronage and...
Geoeconomics of Irregular Warfare: Iran and the Global Ripple Effects — Part VI
In the sixth installment of the Irregular Warfare Initiative’s series on Iran’s conflict, a panel of experts examined how private‑sector technologies and industrial capacity are reshaping modern warfare economics. They highlighted lessons from Ukraine, the rise of low‑cost autonomous platforms...
Geoeconomics of Irregular Warfare: Iran and the Global Ripple Effects — Part V
In the fifth installment of the Irregular Warfare Initiative series, a panel of experts dissected the geoeconomic fallout from the ongoing conflict with Iran. They highlighted how energy market volatility and supply‑chain disruptions are now tightly linked to battlefield dynamics....
Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare
Episode 151 of the Irregular Warfare Podcast unpacks how the United States wields economic power—through the dollar, sanctions, export controls and supply‑chain leverage—as a core element of great‑power competition. The discussion is anchored in Eddie Fishman’s book *Chokepoints* and features...
Commercial Pathways and Proxy Power: How Irregular Forces Acquire Advanced Capabilities
In June 2024 Italian customs uncovered disassembled Chinese Wing Loong II drone components hidden in containers labeled as wind‑turbine parts bound for Libya. The seizure revealed a sophisticated commercial supply chain—joint‑venture production in the UAE, software licensing, and integration‑hub models—that enables proxy...