Insider: Short of War

In this episode, we unpack why Mexico’s two-decade security campaign against organized crime has operated as irregular warfare without a true network strategy. We discuss why capturing cartel leaders causes fragmentation and violent competition rather than stability, and why dismantling political protection networks is only part of the solution. Discover how engaging civil terrain—from searching mothers (madres buscadoras) to local journalists—can erode criminal governance and build an effective whole-of-society defense.

Join us for a deep dive into "AI in Cyber Conflict: Short-term Offensive Opportunities, Long-term Defensive Advantage." This episode unpacks the complex automation gap between cyber offense and defense. We explore why AI's struggle with deception hinders offensive operations, while its pattern recognition strengths empower defenders, offering a nuanced look at the future of irregular warfare.

This episode explores how rapid technological shifts, persistent gray-zone competition, and accelerating innovation are dissolving traditional military advantages. It argues that Special Operations Forces (SOF) must shed legacy habits to serve as vital "coherence agents" and "adaptation engines" capable of navigating the critical seams between emerging systems, strategy, and human judgment.

This episode argues that "irregular warfare" is an artificial construct rather than a cohesive concept, which has led to muddled doctrinal definitions that create strategic and policy confusion. To resolve this, author JP Clark proposes breaking the term down into four distinct, practical conversations centered on real-world problems: managing irregular adversaries, forces, situations, and methods.

The collapse of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces was not a conventional military defeat, but the inevitable culmination of two decades of systemic institutional failure and deep-seated corruption. This internal rot—characterized by pervasive patronage, diverted supplies, and "ghost soldiers"—was masked by superficial readiness metrics, leaving the military structurally dependent on U.S. support and unable to survive its withdrawal.

Public support for military force is heavily driven by the legitimacy of the weapon type and the prevention of civilian harm, rather than tactical effectiveness alone. Because of this, individuals consistently favor precise options like cyber and conventional strikes over indiscriminate systems like WMDs and cluster munitions, even when those precise options carry a much higher risk of operational failure.

This podcast explores how aircraft carriers have transitioned into highly vulnerable, conditional instruments of power, as demonstrated by mid-tier adversaries using low-cost drones and advanced precision missiles to force these multi-billion-dollar assets out of combat range during the 2025–2026 Middle East conflict. To counter these strategic and financial liabilities, it highlights critical naval adaptations, including a shift toward long-range unmanned systems, restructured escort economics, and a highly distributed strike architecture.

This episode explores how adversaries like Russia and China can exploit Alaska’s highly concentrated, commercially dependent logistics systems through below-threshold irregular warfare, and why building civil-military resilience across the state is the ultimate foundation for Arctic deterrence.

An in-depth, analytical discussion exploring the strategic shift of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups from armed confrontation to organized civil disobedience. This episode breaks down how clandestine networks, Starlink satellite mesh technology, and localized strikes circumvented state telecommunications blackouts, while examining the broader geopolitical tensions between Washington, Tehran, and regional Kurdish factions.

An analytical deep dive into North Korea's shifting strategic paradigm. This episode explores the emerging risk of gray zone operations in the West Sea following Pyongyang’s abandonment of its unification policy. We break down the historical friction surrounding the Northern Limit Line, examine how fishing fleets can be used to alter boundaries incrementally, and outline the necessary joint responses for the US-ROK alliance to mitigate escalation.