60 acast.com Angry Planet https://angryplanetpod.com en War College LLC war, conflict,politics Matthew Gault and Jason Fields Conversations about conflict on an angry planet. Conversations about conflict on an angry planet. Created, produced, and hosted by Matthew Gault and Jason Fields


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]]> Conversations about conflict on an angry planet. Created, produced, and hosted by Matthew Gault and Jason Fields


781951

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> true Matthew Gault info+3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4@mg-eu.acast.com 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 warcollege https://rss.acast.com/warcollege episodic https://assets.pippa.io/shows/61435638f581aa08d9520e67/show-cover.png https://angryplanetpod.com Angry Planet https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 Neutralizing Iran’s Nuclear Material During a War Is ‘Nearly Mission Impossible’ Neutralizing Iran’s Nuclear Material During a War Is ‘Nearly Mission Impossible’ Fri, 27 Mar 2026 17:53:40 GMT 54:06 69c6c425c2759aa9b12cf9f6 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/neutralizing-irans-nuclear-material-during-a-war-is-nearly-m 69c6c425c2759aa9b12cf9f6 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 neutralizing-irans-nuclear-material-during-a-war-is-nearly-m full America went to war in Iran, we’re told, because the idea of the country developing nuclear weapons was intolerable. Nukes are complicated and technical weapons that require scientists and experts to build, maintain, and manage. Highly enriched uranium (HEU) is core to the design and unless all of Iran’s HEU is accounted for the threat of it becoming a nuclear power will linger.


So what would it take to get rid of Iran’s stockpile HEU?


François Diaz-Maurin is on Angry Planet today to answer that question. Diaz-Maurin is editor for nuclear affairs at the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists where he recently published an article outlining what it would take for US troops to neutralize Iran’s highly enriched uranium.


  • How a civil engineer becomes a nuclear journalist
  • “You can’t bomb away nuclear material.”
  • “Technically, it’s nearly Mission Impossible.”
  • How much highly enriched uranium (HEU) was left after last year’s strikes?
  • Moving HEU around Iran
  • What we can learn from satellite photos and the International Atomic Energy Agency
  • Why 60%?
  • Managing scuba tanks full of gaseous toxins in a war zone
  • Why blowing up the cylinders won’t work
  • “Let me throw something weird at you.”
  • Downblending versus exporting
  • We’re living in the third nuclear age
  • Deterrence works and that’s, maybe, not great?


Trump may send US troops to neutralize Iran’s highly enriched uranium. There are no good options


Netanyahu says Iran no longer has uranium enrichment capacity


Iran willing to dilute uranium stockpile as fresh protests erupt

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> America went to war in Iran, we’re told, because the idea of the country developing nuclear weapons was intolerable. Nukes are complicated and technical weapons that require scientists and experts to build, maintain, and manage. Highly enriched uranium (HEU) is core to the design and unless all of Iran’s HEU is accounted for the threat of it becoming a nuclear power will linger.


So what would it take to get rid of Iran’s stockpile HEU?


François Diaz-Maurin is on Angry Planet today to answer that question. Diaz-Maurin is editor for nuclear affairs at the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists where he recently published an article outlining what it would take for US troops to neutralize Iran’s highly enriched uranium.


  • How a civil engineer becomes a nuclear journalist
  • “You can’t bomb away nuclear material.”
  • “Technically, it’s nearly Mission Impossible.”
  • How much highly enriched uranium (HEU) was left after last year’s strikes?
  • Moving HEU around Iran
  • What we can learn from satellite photos and the International Atomic Energy Agency
  • Why 60%?
  • Managing scuba tanks full of gaseous toxins in a war zone
  • Why blowing up the cylinders won’t work
  • “Let me throw something weird at you.”
  • Downblending versus exporting
  • We’re living in the third nuclear age
  • Deterrence works and that’s, maybe, not great?


Trump may send US troops to neutralize Iran’s highly enriched uranium. There are no good options


Netanyahu says Iran no longer has uranium enrichment capacity


Iran willing to dilute uranium stockpile as fresh protests erupt

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The ‘AI as Nuclear Weapons’ Obsession The ‘AI as Nuclear Weapons’ Obsession Fri, 13 Mar 2026 15:03:39 GMT 1:02:48 69b4274c4266c9b1c7808ae0 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-ai-as-nuclear-weapons-obsession 69b4274c4266c9b1c7808ae0 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-ai-as-nuclear-weapons-obsession full AI enthusiasts love to say that the technology is as revolutionary and important as nuclear weapons. Even the Trump administration has adopted the metaphor. The President and the Department of Energy have repeatedly referred to the development of AI in the US as “Manhattan Project 2.0.”


But is the buildout of LLMs and machine learning systems really as important as the development of the atom bomb? And what are the lessons from the atomic age that AI scientists should then learn? Do we need an AI Non Proliferation Treaty? An AI International Atomic Energy Agency?


On this episode of Angry Planet, Ankit Panda comes on to talk about the uses and limitations of the “AI as nuclear weapons” metaphor. Panda is an expert in nukes and a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He’s been sharing his extended thoughts on the AI-nuclear connection at his Nukesletter Substack.


  • Stanislav Petrov
  • AI as nuclear weapons
  • Why nuclear weapons resonate with people in the AI field
  • The Strategic Air Command story
  • That time we spilled nuclear material all over Greenland and Spain
  • NNSA and Anthropic
  • AI as the next Manhattan Project
  • A massive infrastructure project
  • Fissile material as silicon
  • What’s the AI version of an NPT and IAEA?
  • AI and nuclear are both dual use
  • On AI winters
  • What AI is actually being used for, what it might be used for
  • The socialization around AI will change.


AI Arms and Influence: Frontier Models Exhibit Sophisticated Reasoning in Simulated Nuclear Crisis

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> AI enthusiasts love to say that the technology is as revolutionary and important as nuclear weapons. Even the Trump administration has adopted the metaphor. The President and the Department of Energy have repeatedly referred to the development of AI in the US as “Manhattan Project 2.0.”


But is the buildout of LLMs and machine learning systems really as important as the development of the atom bomb? And what are the lessons from the atomic age that AI scientists should then learn? Do we need an AI Non Proliferation Treaty? An AI International Atomic Energy Agency?


On this episode of Angry Planet, Ankit Panda comes on to talk about the uses and limitations of the “AI as nuclear weapons” metaphor. Panda is an expert in nukes and a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He’s been sharing his extended thoughts on the AI-nuclear connection at his Nukesletter Substack.


  • Stanislav Petrov
  • AI as nuclear weapons
  • Why nuclear weapons resonate with people in the AI field
  • The Strategic Air Command story
  • That time we spilled nuclear material all over Greenland and Spain
  • NNSA and Anthropic
  • AI as the next Manhattan Project
  • A massive infrastructure project
  • Fissile material as silicon
  • What’s the AI version of an NPT and IAEA?
  • AI and nuclear are both dual use
  • On AI winters
  • What AI is actually being used for, what it might be used for
  • The socialization around AI will change.


AI Arms and Influence: Frontier Models Exhibit Sophisticated Reasoning in Simulated Nuclear Crisis

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[A Killer True Crime Fandom & Islamic State’s Digital Caliphate]]> Wed, 04 Mar 2026 18:49:09 GMT 1:22:27 69a87ea5f413fba64f6116de false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/a-killer-true-crime-fandom-islamic-states-digital-caliphate 69a87ea5f413fba64f6116de 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 a-killer-true-crime-fandom-islamic-states-digital-caliphate full Things have gotten very surreal in the dark corners of the internet. AI-generated prophets are preaching jihad in Facebook groups, Minecraft servers host digital caliphates, and school shooting fandoms gather to study their heroes and plot how to up beat their score. It’s a double bill on this episode of Angry Planet as two experts from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), a nonprofit that studies and works to mitigate violent extremists, discuss the brave new world of online-born violence.


First up is Milo Comerford, the co-author of a study about nihilistic violence. Then we’ve got Moustafa Ayad to talk about how the Islamic State is circumventing bans and pushing its message on social media.


  • Staying sane on the internet
  • Violence without ideology
  • The Comm
  • 764
  • True Crime Community
  • Saints Culture
  • When fandom becomes a killing
  • An aesthetics driven movement
  • Online and offline have merged
  • Moderation is impossible
  • You don’t have to hand it to ISIS
  • Broken text posting
  • Copyright strikes and the Islamic State
  • Facebook professional as the gold standard
  • AI resurrects dead influencers
  • Jihad influencers
  • Even IS is obsessed with the Epstein files
  • Virtual caliphates in Roblox and Minecraft
  • “We must be careful about what we pretend to be.”
  • Once again, it all comes back to 4chan
  • Saying nice things about twitter dot com


Beyond Extremism


‘The Comm’: The Group Linked to a Nationwide Swatting Rampage


How the True Crime Community generates its own killers

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Things have gotten very surreal in the dark corners of the internet. AI-generated prophets are preaching jihad in Facebook groups, Minecraft servers host digital caliphates, and school shooting fandoms gather to study their heroes and plot how to up beat their score. It’s a double bill on this episode of Angry Planet as two experts from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), a nonprofit that studies and works to mitigate violent extremists, discuss the brave new world of online-born violence.


First up is Milo Comerford, the co-author of a study about nihilistic violence. Then we’ve got Moustafa Ayad to talk about how the Islamic State is circumventing bans and pushing its message on social media.


  • Staying sane on the internet
  • Violence without ideology
  • The Comm
  • 764
  • True Crime Community
  • Saints Culture
  • When fandom becomes a killing
  • An aesthetics driven movement
  • Online and offline have merged
  • Moderation is impossible
  • You don’t have to hand it to ISIS
  • Broken text posting
  • Copyright strikes and the Islamic State
  • Facebook professional as the gold standard
  • AI resurrects dead influencers
  • Jihad influencers
  • Even IS is obsessed with the Epstein files
  • Virtual caliphates in Roblox and Minecraft
  • “We must be careful about what we pretend to be.”
  • Once again, it all comes back to 4chan
  • Saying nice things about twitter dot com


Beyond Extremism


‘The Comm’: The Group Linked to a Nationwide Swatting Rampage


How the True Crime Community generates its own killers

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> When Americans Became ‘Splendid Liberators’ When Americans Became ‘Splendid Liberators’ Fri, 20 Feb 2026 21:45:22 GMT 1:05:00 6998d5f01b49b62ccca6a901 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/when-americans-became-splendid-liberators 6998d5f01b49b62ccca6a901 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 when-americans-became-splendid-liberators full America spent most of the 19th century at war with itself. It conquered its western expanse then collapsed into civil war. Once the North beat the South, partisan politics consumed the country for a generation. A string of assassinations, progressive firebrands, and civil service reforms burned people out on domestic politics and a bored and febrile nation began to search for meaning beyond its borders. It noticed the Spanish Empire was awfully close.


In Splendid Liberators, award winning journalist Joe Jackson chronicles the beginning of the American myth of the “good war.” He’s on the show today to talk to us about Teddy Roosevelt, Mark Twain, and a general who lay in state at the Alamo.


  • Recurring patterns in American history
  • Roscoe Conkling jumpscare
  • Remnants of the Spanish-American War in South Carolina
  • What did liberty mean in the 19th century?
  • Clara Barton, Leonard Wood and the dual American personality
  • The first modern concentration camps
  • The Battleship of Maine
  • When Congress used to fight, physically
  • Drones won’t win a war
  • The US in the Philippines
  • ‘The water cure’
  • American historians facing reality in the Philippines
  • Teddy, finally
  • Laying in state at the Alamo


Buy Splendid Liberators


A Defense of General Funston

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> America spent most of the 19th century at war with itself. It conquered its western expanse then collapsed into civil war. Once the North beat the South, partisan politics consumed the country for a generation. A string of assassinations, progressive firebrands, and civil service reforms burned people out on domestic politics and a bored and febrile nation began to search for meaning beyond its borders. It noticed the Spanish Empire was awfully close.


In Splendid Liberators, award winning journalist Joe Jackson chronicles the beginning of the American myth of the “good war.” He’s on the show today to talk to us about Teddy Roosevelt, Mark Twain, and a general who lay in state at the Alamo.


  • Recurring patterns in American history
  • Roscoe Conkling jumpscare
  • Remnants of the Spanish-American War in South Carolina
  • What did liberty mean in the 19th century?
  • Clara Barton, Leonard Wood and the dual American personality
  • The first modern concentration camps
  • The Battleship of Maine
  • When Congress used to fight, physically
  • Drones won’t win a war
  • The US in the Philippines
  • ‘The water cure’
  • American historians facing reality in the Philippines
  • Teddy, finally
  • Laying in state at the Alamo


Buy Splendid Liberators


A Defense of General Funston

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Puffins, Zyn, and ‘Polar War’ Puffins, Zyn, and ‘Polar War’ Fri, 06 Feb 2026 19:50:00 GMT 55:44 698645e945f62cfe940af658 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/puffins-zyn-and-polar-war 698645e945f62cfe940af658 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 puffins-zyn-and-polar-war full Greenland fever has faded for now but it will return. The world’s polar region, you see, is pretty damn important. As the planet heats and the ice melts, what was once an impassible warren of ice and snow has become a geopolitical opportunity.


On today’s Angry Planet, we host journalist Kenneth R. Rosen who just published the book Polar War. He’s spent the past few years among the ice and snow, embedding with troops, yearning for snus, and smoking cigarettes with morticians in the long dark.


Rosen knows what makes the Arctic so important and can see the truths that undergird the obsession with Greenland.


  • Getting bombastic and angry about Greenland
  • “We already have Greenland”
  • How is Turkey “near Arctic?”
  • The Greenland obsession as proof of climate change
  • What makes a good Arctic force
  • Accession to NATO
  • Servicing subs in the Arctic
  • Trying to embed on a nuclear submarine
  • Mispronouncing place names
  • The most powerful navy in the world doesn’t have an icebreaker
  • Spies in the polar regions
  • “It should have been an article.”
  • Smoking under a tree in the dark
  • Snus vs Zyn
  • The death drive of the penguin


Buy Polar War: Submarines, Spies, and the Struggle for Power in a Melting Arctic


US Army Poorly Prepared for Arctic Operations: Finnish Troops Forced Them to Surrender During Exercises in Norway


Can we just appreciate the fact State secrets were just leaked on this sub?


Life Aboard a Nuclear Submarine as the US Responds to Threats Around the Globe

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Greenland fever has faded for now but it will return. The world’s polar region, you see, is pretty damn important. As the planet heats and the ice melts, what was once an impassible warren of ice and snow has become a geopolitical opportunity.


On today’s Angry Planet, we host journalist Kenneth R. Rosen who just published the book Polar War. He’s spent the past few years among the ice and snow, embedding with troops, yearning for snus, and smoking cigarettes with morticians in the long dark.


Rosen knows what makes the Arctic so important and can see the truths that undergird the obsession with Greenland.


  • Getting bombastic and angry about Greenland
  • “We already have Greenland”
  • How is Turkey “near Arctic?”
  • The Greenland obsession as proof of climate change
  • What makes a good Arctic force
  • Accession to NATO
  • Servicing subs in the Arctic
  • Trying to embed on a nuclear submarine
  • Mispronouncing place names
  • The most powerful navy in the world doesn’t have an icebreaker
  • Spies in the polar regions
  • “It should have been an article.”
  • Smoking under a tree in the dark
  • Snus vs Zyn
  • The death drive of the penguin


Buy Polar War: Submarines, Spies, and the Struggle for Power in a Melting Arctic


US Army Poorly Prepared for Arctic Operations: Finnish Troops Forced Them to Surrender During Exercises in Norway


Can we just appreciate the fact State secrets were just leaked on this sub?


Life Aboard a Nuclear Submarine as the US Responds to Threats Around the Globe

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Online Culture Is the Whole Culture Online Culture Is the Whole Culture Fri, 30 Jan 2026 19:25:07 GMT 1:24:46 697d0593f0f157225a542bb2 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/online-culture-is-the-whole-culture 697d0593f0f157225a542bb2 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 online-culture-is-the-whole-culture full There was a time, just before the pandemic, when folks would say “Twitter isn’t real life” as a means of dismissing the horrors of social media. This was a cope, a way to ignore the worst political and cultural actors who now dominate our psychic landscape. Now those people are in charge and they’ve manifested Twitter into real life in a way previously thought impossible.


The White House is posting Stardew Valley memes about whole milk. A Customs and Border Patrol official is asking people if they’re triggered when they respond with empathy to the murder of a woman. Laura Loomer, one of the most online gargoyles to ever live, is a serious policy player in administration. The Secretary of War has a video game tattoo.


How did we get here? Michael Senters, a PhD candidate at Virginia Tech, is here to explain how online culture became the culture.


  • It’s all for the posts
  • A YouTuber comes to town
  • What, exactly, does it mean to be terminally online?
  • The right goes all in on identity politics
  • The pandemic drove us all crazy
  • Turns out the post-modernists were correct
  • Posting yourself into a different form or reality
  • Survival tips for the extremely online
  • Depraved art and Hearts of Iron IV
  • Deus Vult?
  • Video games as propaganda
  • We should have been harder on the online Nazis
  • John Romero will make you his bitch
  • A brief history of Something Awful
  • Fighting the performance regime


How Fraud Swamped Minnesota’s Social Services System on Tim Walz’s Watch


Six Prosecutors Quit Over Push to Investigate ICE Shooting Victim’s Widow


Do you have stairs in your house?


Fuck You And Die: An Oral History of Something Awful

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> There was a time, just before the pandemic, when folks would say “Twitter isn’t real life” as a means of dismissing the horrors of social media. This was a cope, a way to ignore the worst political and cultural actors who now dominate our psychic landscape. Now those people are in charge and they’ve manifested Twitter into real life in a way previously thought impossible.


The White House is posting Stardew Valley memes about whole milk. A Customs and Border Patrol official is asking people if they’re triggered when they respond with empathy to the murder of a woman. Laura Loomer, one of the most online gargoyles to ever live, is a serious policy player in administration. The Secretary of War has a video game tattoo.


How did we get here? Michael Senters, a PhD candidate at Virginia Tech, is here to explain how online culture became the culture.


  • It’s all for the posts
  • A YouTuber comes to town
  • What, exactly, does it mean to be terminally online?
  • The right goes all in on identity politics
  • The pandemic drove us all crazy
  • Turns out the post-modernists were correct
  • Posting yourself into a different form or reality
  • Survival tips for the extremely online
  • Depraved art and Hearts of Iron IV
  • Deus Vult?
  • Video games as propaganda
  • We should have been harder on the online Nazis
  • John Romero will make you his bitch
  • A brief history of Something Awful
  • Fighting the performance regime


How Fraud Swamped Minnesota’s Social Services System on Tim Walz’s Watch


Six Prosecutors Quit Over Push to Investigate ICE Shooting Victim’s Widow


Do you have stairs in your house?


Fuck You And Die: An Oral History of Something Awful

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> How We Thought the First Year Would Go How We Thought the First Year Would Go Fri, 16 Jan 2026 20:04:22 GMT 1:02:39 696a99c74788cf9ec6eb6fd5 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/how-we-thought-the-first-year-would-go 696a99c74788cf9ec6eb6fd5 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-we-thought-the-first-year-would-go full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


On January 28, 2025, I sat down with Aram Shabanian to talk about how we thought the first year of the Trump administration would go. I put the audio in a vault and didn’t listen to it until now.


We focused on geopolitics and the American military and our hit rate for predictions was about fifty percent. Domestically, it’s been much worse than I expected. Abroad it’s been much weirder than I expected. The bit about America seeking violence though? Right now that feels spot on.


  • Hegseth’s reforms got worse for women (vindicated)
  • Conscription is not back (wrong)
  • The yearning for violence when the gloves come off (vindicated)
  • All the episodes that weren’t produced
  • Sicarioifciation continues apace
  • The bigger problem was that people felt bad
  • The dangers of boredom
  • “Drugs won the war on drugs and then looted the armories.”
  • Against burning it all down
  • Greenland is still on the table
  • The ceasefire didn’t last and war did not spread to Europe (wrong)
  • Elon Musk is out (vindicated)
  • X is still around, but it IS producing on-demand CSAM (wrong?)
  • WWIII and mass riots didn’t happen (wrong)
  • Martin O’Malley 2028?


The Cult of Sicario

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


On January 28, 2025, I sat down with Aram Shabanian to talk about how we thought the first year of the Trump administration would go. I put the audio in a vault and didn’t listen to it until now.


We focused on geopolitics and the American military and our hit rate for predictions was about fifty percent. Domestically, it’s been much worse than I expected. Abroad it’s been much weirder than I expected. The bit about America seeking violence though? Right now that feels spot on.


  • Hegseth’s reforms got worse for women (vindicated)
  • Conscription is not back (wrong)
  • The yearning for violence when the gloves come off (vindicated)
  • All the episodes that weren’t produced
  • Sicarioifciation continues apace
  • The bigger problem was that people felt bad
  • The dangers of boredom
  • “Drugs won the war on drugs and then looted the armories.”
  • Against burning it all down
  • Greenland is still on the table
  • The ceasefire didn’t last and war did not spread to Europe (wrong)
  • Elon Musk is out (vindicated)
  • X is still around, but it IS producing on-demand CSAM (wrong?)
  • WWIII and mass riots didn’t happen (wrong)
  • Martin O’Malley 2028?


The Cult of Sicario

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> On Spectacles of Cruelty On Spectacles of Cruelty Fri, 09 Jan 2026 22:12:39 GMT 52:56 69617d57b2f95918426eb915 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/on-spectacles-of-cruelty 69617d57b2f95918426eb915 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 on-spectacles-of-cruelty full On the last Angry Planet of 2025, novelist and Marine Corps veteran Phil Klay returns to reflect on a year of spectacle and cruelty.


Between the Pentagon’s boat strikes and the administration’s constant barrage of grotesque memes, it feels like America is a crueler and cruder place. For better and worse, the Presidency sets a moral standard for the country and Trump has lowered that standard. Klay wrote about all this in a piece at The New York Times and he’s here with us today to talk through it.


  • “It’s too easy to condemn.”
  • The project is spectacles of cruelty
  • “You’re not supposed to be joining a gang of thugs.”
  • What is this doing to us as a nation?
  • The lust for cruelty and domination
  • Klay’s review of Hegseth’s first year
  • War vs. Defense
  • “Read long things.”
  • Living in the Hell of opinions
  • Ending on a high note


What Trump Is Really Doing With His Boat Strikes


Trump Admin’s Racist Halo Memes Are ‘A New Level of Dehumanization of Immigrants’


Trump has accused boat crews of being narco-terrorists. The truth, AP found, is more nuanced

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> On the last Angry Planet of 2025, novelist and Marine Corps veteran Phil Klay returns to reflect on a year of spectacle and cruelty.


Between the Pentagon’s boat strikes and the administration’s constant barrage of grotesque memes, it feels like America is a crueler and cruder place. For better and worse, the Presidency sets a moral standard for the country and Trump has lowered that standard. Klay wrote about all this in a piece at The New York Times and he’s here with us today to talk through it.


  • “It’s too easy to condemn.”
  • The project is spectacles of cruelty
  • “You’re not supposed to be joining a gang of thugs.”
  • What is this doing to us as a nation?
  • The lust for cruelty and domination
  • Klay’s review of Hegseth’s first year
  • War vs. Defense
  • “Read long things.”
  • Living in the Hell of opinions
  • Ending on a high note


What Trump Is Really Doing With His Boat Strikes


Trump Admin’s Racist Halo Memes Are ‘A New Level of Dehumanization of Immigrants’


Trump has accused boat crews of being narco-terrorists. The truth, AP found, is more nuanced

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Google’s Former CEO Is Dancing in Ukraine Google’s Former CEO Is Dancing in Ukraine Fri, 19 Dec 2025 18:00:23 GMT 1:09:00 694592b7e2b7985fa23025c4 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/googles-former-ceo-is-dancing-in-ukraine 694592b7e2b7985fa23025c4 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 googles-former-ceo-is-dancing-in-ukraine full Earlier this year journalist Ben Makuch caught a glimpse of Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google, dancing at a club in Kyiv. It was a surreal moment, a snapshot of a tragic war that the West thinks is defining the future of conflict. Tech executives have flocked to Ukraine, courting the country in an attempt to get at a resource more precious than gold: data. Makuch was just there and has written about what he saw for The New Republic and he’s on the show today to talk about it.


  • Some light smoking banter
  • Ben’s timeline
  • Google’s CEO dancing in a bar in Kyiv
  • Ukraine as laboratory for war tech
  • The JSOC era is over
  • In defense of the majestic American turkey
  • The great America vs China speculation
  • War, cheaper
  • On the actual frontline
  • Wheat fields of fiber optic line
  • The buzz of the drone
  • Life in the bloodlands
  • The human suffering of living in Ukraine
  • FPV-made propaganda
  • “Never underestimate human innovation when it comes to killing other humans.”
  • What’s Erik Prince doing in Ukraine?


New York Times on Military Reform


The Medieval—and Highly Effective—Tactics of the Ukrainian Protests


Who Is St. Javelin and Why Is She a Symbol of the War in Ukraine?


‘Cope Cages’ on Busted Tanks Are a Symbol of Russia’s Military Failures


‘Unauthorized’ Edit to Ukraine’s Frontline Maps Point to Polymarket’s War Betting

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Earlier this year journalist Ben Makuch caught a glimpse of Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google, dancing at a club in Kyiv. It was a surreal moment, a snapshot of a tragic war that the West thinks is defining the future of conflict. Tech executives have flocked to Ukraine, courting the country in an attempt to get at a resource more precious than gold: data. Makuch was just there and has written about what he saw for The New Republic and he’s on the show today to talk about it.


  • Some light smoking banter
  • Ben’s timeline
  • Google’s CEO dancing in a bar in Kyiv
  • Ukraine as laboratory for war tech
  • The JSOC era is over
  • In defense of the majestic American turkey
  • The great America vs China speculation
  • War, cheaper
  • On the actual frontline
  • Wheat fields of fiber optic line
  • The buzz of the drone
  • Life in the bloodlands
  • The human suffering of living in Ukraine
  • FPV-made propaganda
  • “Never underestimate human innovation when it comes to killing other humans.”
  • What’s Erik Prince doing in Ukraine?


New York Times on Military Reform


The Medieval—and Highly Effective—Tactics of the Ukrainian Protests


Who Is St. Javelin and Why Is She a Symbol of the War in Ukraine?


‘Cope Cages’ on Busted Tanks Are a Symbol of Russia’s Military Failures


‘Unauthorized’ Edit to Ukraine’s Frontline Maps Point to Polymarket’s War Betting

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> ‘Capitalism Is a Series of Regime Changes’ ‘Capitalism Is a Series of Regime Changes’ Fri, 12 Dec 2025 20:35:30 GMT 48:02 693c7c91f3a6f9e20a3b4230 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/capitalism-is-a-series-of-regime-changes 693c7c91f3a6f9e20a3b4230 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 capitalism-is-a-series-of-regime-changes full Another week and another Angry Planet about the horrifying systems that rule our lives.


Is there a depressive theme running through the work right now? Possibly. I promise we’ll soon replace it with rage.


This week on the show we have Sven Beckert to talk about his new book Capitalism: A Global History. Beckert is a professor of history at Harvard and his tome is an attempt to capture the entire history of an economic system in one book. It’s a doorstop, but it’s also readable and clear-eyed. Some come with me on a journey that runs through the plantations of South Carolina to the tech markets of Shenzhen.


  • Cotton as an entry point to the history of capitalism
  • The economic big bang
  • Industrial Revolution as mutation
  • “It’s still being born.”
  • Human data is oil to be fracked
  • The Quaker Oats metaphor
  • “The market is God.”
  • Ascribing morality to economics
  • When Gary Hart ushered in Neoliberalism
  • “Capitalism is a series of regime changes.”
  • Moments of great change offer opportunities


Capitalism: A Global History


The Old Order Is Dead. Do Not Resuscitate.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Another week and another Angry Planet about the horrifying systems that rule our lives.


Is there a depressive theme running through the work right now? Possibly. I promise we’ll soon replace it with rage.


This week on the show we have Sven Beckert to talk about his new book Capitalism: A Global History. Beckert is a professor of history at Harvard and his tome is an attempt to capture the entire history of an economic system in one book. It’s a doorstop, but it’s also readable and clear-eyed. Some come with me on a journey that runs through the plantations of South Carolina to the tech markets of Shenzhen.


  • Cotton as an entry point to the history of capitalism
  • The economic big bang
  • Industrial Revolution as mutation
  • “It’s still being born.”
  • Human data is oil to be fracked
  • The Quaker Oats metaphor
  • “The market is God.”
  • Ascribing morality to economics
  • When Gary Hart ushered in Neoliberalism
  • “Capitalism is a series of regime changes.”
  • Moments of great change offer opportunities


Capitalism: A Global History


The Old Order Is Dead. Do Not Resuscitate.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The US Government’s AI Grand Bargain The US Government’s AI Grand Bargain Sat, 06 Dec 2025 16:40:12 GMT 54:22 69345c6b5a2f822f90d1df40 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-us-governments-ai-grand-bargain 69345c6b5a2f822f90d1df40 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-us-governments-ai-grand-bargain full The White House is portraying the race to adopt AI as an existential crisis. It’s the next Manhattan Project, they say, a technology so important it will require an unprecedented build out of energy infrastructure and massive data centers. But the Manhattan Project was a government-led technological drive whereas AI is led by salesmen and corporations.

What could possibly go wrong?


On this episode of Angry Planet, Ben Buchanan is here to tell us about the government’s role in fostering AI. Buchanan was an AI advisor during the Biden administration where he helped write the policy that paved the way for private-public partnerships between DC and AI companies. Now he’s a professor at John Hopkins and, though he’s still an AI advocate, he’s got concerns. Slop, public land use, and autonomous weapons. We get into it all on this episode of Angry Planet.


  • AI as an arm’s race
  • Nukes are cheaper than AI
  • Government’s role in the construction of AI infrastructure
  • What are the stakes of the AI competition between the United States and China?
  • “More powerful AI systems will enable more powerful cyber operations.”
  • “It’s the hardest thing we do as a species.”
  • Turning over federal lands to data centers
  • How Trump is shooting himself in the foot regarding AI
  • “We’re just chasing power all across the country.”
  • “We’re going to be building data centers for a very long time.”
  • How the AI expert uses AI
  • “There’s a long list of concerns.”
  • Accident reports and autonomous weapons


The AI Grand Bargain


Ben Buchanan


DOE on federal lands for data centers


Anthropic Has a Plan to Keep Its AI From Building a Nuclear Weapon. Will It Work?


DoD Direction 3000.09 Autonomy in Weapons Systems

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The White House is portraying the race to adopt AI as an existential crisis. It’s the next Manhattan Project, they say, a technology so important it will require an unprecedented build out of energy infrastructure and massive data centers. But the Manhattan Project was a government-led technological drive whereas AI is led by salesmen and corporations.

What could possibly go wrong?


On this episode of Angry Planet, Ben Buchanan is here to tell us about the government’s role in fostering AI. Buchanan was an AI advisor during the Biden administration where he helped write the policy that paved the way for private-public partnerships between DC and AI companies. Now he’s a professor at John Hopkins and, though he’s still an AI advocate, he’s got concerns. Slop, public land use, and autonomous weapons. We get into it all on this episode of Angry Planet.


  • AI as an arm’s race
  • Nukes are cheaper than AI
  • Government’s role in the construction of AI infrastructure
  • What are the stakes of the AI competition between the United States and China?
  • “More powerful AI systems will enable more powerful cyber operations.”
  • “It’s the hardest thing we do as a species.”
  • Turning over federal lands to data centers
  • How Trump is shooting himself in the foot regarding AI
  • “We’re just chasing power all across the country.”
  • “We’re going to be building data centers for a very long time.”
  • How the AI expert uses AI
  • “There’s a long list of concerns.”
  • Accident reports and autonomous weapons


The AI Grand Bargain


Ben Buchanan


DOE on federal lands for data centers


Anthropic Has a Plan to Keep Its AI From Building a Nuclear Weapon. Will It Work?


DoD Direction 3000.09 Autonomy in Weapons Systems

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Deadwood: The Town that Made the Wild West Deadwood: The Town that Made the Wild West Fri, 21 Nov 2025 19:05:53 GMT 51:12 6920b81153b254a53839fc42 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/deadwood-the-town-that-made-the-wild-west 6920b81153b254a53839fc42 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 deadwood-the-town-that-made-the-wild-west full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


This week on Angry Planet we’re taking a break from the horrors of the present to explore horrors of a past distant enough now that they’re entertaining. But then, America found those horrors pretty entertaining at the time, too. Even when it was still a thriving community and a going concern, the town of Deadwood, South Dakota, was the subject of dimestore novels and tall tales.


Peter Cozzens is here with us to talk about his new book Deadwood: Gold, Guns, and Greed in the American West. Cozzens is a historian who has written 17 books that focus on the U.S. Civil War, the Wild West, and the American Indian Wars. His latest work is all about Deadwood and the wild cast of characters who inhabited it. Come sit with us a spell and learn about the real Calamity Jane, Wild Bill Hickok, and Al Swearengen.


  • “Power comes to any man who has the color.”
  • Black Elk and how the West Was Lost
  • Conflicting perceptions of Wild Bill Hickock
  • Professional gamblers
  • Creating Calamity Jane
  • Softening George Hearst
  • “In the West, women didn’t wear underwear.”
  • Deadwood burns
  • How history becomes a dime store novel
  • “The most diabolical town on the face of the earth.”


Deadwood: Gold, Guns, and Greed in the American West

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


This week on Angry Planet we’re taking a break from the horrors of the present to explore horrors of a past distant enough now that they’re entertaining. But then, America found those horrors pretty entertaining at the time, too. Even when it was still a thriving community and a going concern, the town of Deadwood, South Dakota, was the subject of dimestore novels and tall tales.


Peter Cozzens is here with us to talk about his new book Deadwood: Gold, Guns, and Greed in the American West. Cozzens is a historian who has written 17 books that focus on the U.S. Civil War, the Wild West, and the American Indian Wars. His latest work is all about Deadwood and the wild cast of characters who inhabited it. Come sit with us a spell and learn about the real Calamity Jane, Wild Bill Hickok, and Al Swearengen.


  • “Power comes to any man who has the color.”
  • Black Elk and how the West Was Lost
  • Conflicting perceptions of Wild Bill Hickock
  • Professional gamblers
  • Creating Calamity Jane
  • Softening George Hearst
  • “In the West, women didn’t wear underwear.”
  • Deadwood burns
  • How history becomes a dime store novel
  • “The most diabolical town on the face of the earth.”


Deadwood: Gold, Guns, and Greed in the American West

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Learning to Love the Stagnant Order Learning to Love the Stagnant Order Fri, 14 Nov 2025 21:17:50 GMT 59:27 69179c7ee4a19aaf07eda8d9 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/learning-to-love-the-stagnant-order 69179c7ee4a19aaf07eda8d9 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 learning-to-love-the-stagnant-order full Is your Empire feeling less than fresh? Does it feel like the modern world’s best days are behind it? Do conquest and global power politics not hit as good as they used to? Welcome to the Age of Stagnation, a time when the fruits of the Industrial Revolution can be enjoyed but not replicated.


It’s making us all a little crazy, especially world leaders. With us today on the show is Michael Beckley, a political science professor at Tufts University and his career includes stretches at the Pentagon, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the RAND Corporation. To hear Beckley tell it, stagnation might not be such a bad thing. If we can avoid repeating the worst mistakes of the 20th century and let go of a “number go up” mind set, then maybe we can all learn to enjoy a long age of stabilization.


  • The diminishing returns of the Industrial Revolution
  • Winners and losers in the Age of Ascent
  • Moore’s Law sputters out
  • Stabilization isn’t so bad. “We’re some of the luckiest people who’ve ever lived.”
  • Shenanigans and shithousery
  • AI isn’t “ready” yet
  • Why conquest doesn’t work anymore
  • China as a paper tiger in the age of stabilization
  • America’s unique advantages
  • “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” - Mike Tyson


The Stagnant Order


I Tried the Robot That’s Coming to Live With You. It’s Still Part Human.


Michael Beckley

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Is your Empire feeling less than fresh? Does it feel like the modern world’s best days are behind it? Do conquest and global power politics not hit as good as they used to? Welcome to the Age of Stagnation, a time when the fruits of the Industrial Revolution can be enjoyed but not replicated.


It’s making us all a little crazy, especially world leaders. With us today on the show is Michael Beckley, a political science professor at Tufts University and his career includes stretches at the Pentagon, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the RAND Corporation. To hear Beckley tell it, stagnation might not be such a bad thing. If we can avoid repeating the worst mistakes of the 20th century and let go of a “number go up” mind set, then maybe we can all learn to enjoy a long age of stabilization.


  • The diminishing returns of the Industrial Revolution
  • Winners and losers in the Age of Ascent
  • Moore’s Law sputters out
  • Stabilization isn’t so bad. “We’re some of the luckiest people who’ve ever lived.”
  • Shenanigans and shithousery
  • AI isn’t “ready” yet
  • Why conquest doesn’t work anymore
  • China as a paper tiger in the age of stabilization
  • America’s unique advantages
  • “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” - Mike Tyson


The Stagnant Order


I Tried the Robot That’s Coming to Live With You. It’s Still Part Human.


Michael Beckley

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> ‘Goliath’s Curse’ and the Surprising Benefits of Societal Collapse ‘Goliath’s Curse’ and the Surprising Benefits of Societal Collapse Fri, 07 Nov 2025 21:17:37 GMT 1:04:29 690e61f3a17ebcde8895d413 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/goliaths-curse-and-the-surprising-benefits-of-societal-colla 690e61f3a17ebcde8895d413 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 goliaths-curse-and-the-surprising-benefits-of-societal-colla full We’re obsessed with apocalypses, big and small. We fantasize about what the future might look like after the fall of society and fear the coming tribulation. Rome fretted about decline until its end. Stories of the Sea Peoples terrified the monarchs of the Late Bronze Age. During the 30 Years’ War, Europeans imagined Armageddon had finally begun.


But a funny thing happens after the collapse: things tend to get a little better for everyone.


Luke Kemp is here to hold our hands through the end of the world as we know it. Kemp is a researcher at Cambridge’s Centre for the Study of Existential Risk and the author of the book Goliath’s Curse: The History and Future of Societal Collapse.


  • Beauty in collapse
  • Matthew’s AI test
  • The Doctor Doom mask
  • “Collapse was good for most people.”
  • Sea People’s mentioned
  • Why a Goliath and not a Leviathan?
  • Down with Thomas Hobbes
  • Fear of a mass panic driving collapse
  • “Emergency powers have a very funny tendency to stick around”
  • The problem with guns, germs, and steel
  • The Tree of Evil
  • On the purpose of human sacrifice
  • Doctor Doom is the belle of the ball
  • Are we ending on a high note?


Buy Goliath’s Curse


Centre for the Study of Existential Risk


The rewards of ruin

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> We’re obsessed with apocalypses, big and small. We fantasize about what the future might look like after the fall of society and fear the coming tribulation. Rome fretted about decline until its end. Stories of the Sea Peoples terrified the monarchs of the Late Bronze Age. During the 30 Years’ War, Europeans imagined Armageddon had finally begun.


But a funny thing happens after the collapse: things tend to get a little better for everyone.


Luke Kemp is here to hold our hands through the end of the world as we know it. Kemp is a researcher at Cambridge’s Centre for the Study of Existential Risk and the author of the book Goliath’s Curse: The History and Future of Societal Collapse.


  • Beauty in collapse
  • Matthew’s AI test
  • The Doctor Doom mask
  • “Collapse was good for most people.”
  • Sea People’s mentioned
  • Why a Goliath and not a Leviathan?
  • Down with Thomas Hobbes
  • Fear of a mass panic driving collapse
  • “Emergency powers have a very funny tendency to stick around”
  • The problem with guns, germs, and steel
  • The Tree of Evil
  • On the purpose of human sacrifice
  • Doctor Doom is the belle of the ball
  • Are we ending on a high note?


Buy Goliath’s Curse


Centre for the Study of Existential Risk


The rewards of ruin

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Yes, US Strikes On Alleged Drug Traffickers Are Illegal. That Won’t Stop Them Yes, US Strikes On Alleged Drug Traffickers Are Illegal. That Won’t Stop Them Fri, 31 Oct 2025 19:38:21 GMT 59:54 6905102ee4f1777b415711d9 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/yes-us-strikes-on-alleged-drug-traffickers-are-illegal-that 6905102ee4f1777b415711d9 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 yes-us-strikes-on-alleged-drug-traffickers-are-illegal-that full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


This week on Angry Planet we have returning guest and former judge advocate Dan Maurer. The last time he was on the show, Maurer walked us through the consequences of a Supreme Court ruling that asked the question: is it illegal for the President to order SEAL Team Six to kill people? It was a surreal question that now feels more pressing.


A US Carrier Strike Group is moving into South American waters to support America’s highly kinetic War on Drugs. Military lawyers might have advised the Trump administration that extra-judiciously executing alleged criminals in international waters is, in fact, illegal. But Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is no fan of military lawyers and fired the Judge Advocate General (JAG) of both the Army and the Air Force. The Pentagon plans to turn as many as 600 of the remaining military lawyers into immigration judges.


The second Trump administration is perverting the law and sidelining anyone that might tell them it’s a bad idea. Since he was last on the show, Maurer has retired from the Army and is now a professor at Ohio Northern University’s college of law. He’s here to tell us how bad things are and how much worse they might get.

  • The terminal parent metaphor
  • A story that only ends one way
  • What’s a JAG?
  • Hegseth’s JAG hate
  • Law as perversion
  • Are these strikes legal? “No.”
  • “It can be lawful, but not moral.”
  • Legally speaking, you can’t be a combatant and a criminal.
  • When Truman tried to take over the steel industry.
  • Can state authorities arrest the feds?
  • Life after Trump time


Are Military Lawyers Being Sidelined?


Defining ‘Rebellion’ in 10 U.S.C. § 12406 and the Insurrection Act


On Treason and Traitors


“Anna, Lindsey Halligan Here.”

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


This week on Angry Planet we have returning guest and former judge advocate Dan Maurer. The last time he was on the show, Maurer walked us through the consequences of a Supreme Court ruling that asked the question: is it illegal for the President to order SEAL Team Six to kill people? It was a surreal question that now feels more pressing.


A US Carrier Strike Group is moving into South American waters to support America’s highly kinetic War on Drugs. Military lawyers might have advised the Trump administration that extra-judiciously executing alleged criminals in international waters is, in fact, illegal. But Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is no fan of military lawyers and fired the Judge Advocate General (JAG) of both the Army and the Air Force. The Pentagon plans to turn as many as 600 of the remaining military lawyers into immigration judges.


The second Trump administration is perverting the law and sidelining anyone that might tell them it’s a bad idea. Since he was last on the show, Maurer has retired from the Army and is now a professor at Ohio Northern University’s college of law. He’s here to tell us how bad things are and how much worse they might get.

  • The terminal parent metaphor
  • A story that only ends one way
  • What’s a JAG?
  • Hegseth’s JAG hate
  • Law as perversion
  • Are these strikes legal? “No.”
  • “It can be lawful, but not moral.”
  • Legally speaking, you can’t be a combatant and a criminal.
  • When Truman tried to take over the steel industry.
  • Can state authorities arrest the feds?
  • Life after Trump time


Are Military Lawyers Being Sidelined?


Defining ‘Rebellion’ in 10 U.S.C. § 12406 and the Insurrection Act


On Treason and Traitors


“Anna, Lindsey Halligan Here.”

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Vanessa Guillén and the Importance of Speaking Up Vanessa Guillén and the Importance of Speaking Up Wed, 15 Oct 2025 14:48:24 GMT 47:49 68efb43aead096a6103b95b0 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/vanessa-guillen-and-the-importance-of-speaking-up 68efb43aead096a6103b95b0 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 vanessa-guillen-and-the-importance-of-speaking-up full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


The episode is about Vanessa Guillén, a US soldier who was murdered at Fort Hood in 2020. She also experienced sexual harassment while in the military. I spoke with ABC Special Correspondent John Quiñones about his new podcast, Vanished. It’s a good podcast that covers Guillén’s case in-depth and highlights the reforms the Pentagon instituted after.


We recorded the show on September 30, Guillén’s birthday. That morning, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth delivered a long speech about his own military reforms. Many of the changes Hegseth has pushed through conflict with the changes that Guillén’s death ushered in.


As such, I thought it was important to get John’s reaction to Hegseth’s speech. Before we began recording,I told him I planned to ask him about this and he agreed to talk about it.


When I asked the question during recording, a public relations person from ABC jumped on the line and asked me to stop talking about Hegseth. I pushed back, but not hard enough.


The next day, ABC PR reached out via email to ask if I would cut this moment from the show.


I will not. It’s included here in full.


Further, I want to take a moment at the top to highlight the reasons why I brought up Hegseth’s speech. There’s a lot to it and, honestly, it demands its own episode. Here are Hegseth’s thoughts on toxic leaders.


“Today, at my direction, we’re undertaking a full review of the Department’s Definitions of so-called toxic leadership, bullying and hazing, to empower leaders to enforce standards without fear of retribution or second guessing. Of course, you can’t do, like nasty bullying and hazing. We’re talking about words like bullying and hazing and toxic. They’ve been weaponized and bastardized inside our formations, undercutting commanders and NCOs. No more. Setting, achieving, and maintaining high standards is what you all do. And if that makes me toxic, then so be it.”


Guillén’s case also changed the way the Army investigates sexual harassment. Here are the secretary’s thoughts on the current state of official internal military investigations:


“We are overhauling an inspector-general process, the IG that has been weaponized, putting complainers, ideologues and poor performers in the driver’s seat. We’re doing the same with the Equal Opportunity and Military Equal Opportunity policies, the EO and MEO, at our department. No more frivolous complaints, no more anonymous complaints, no more repeat complaints, no more smearing reputations, no more endless waiting, no more legal limbo, no more side-tracking careers, no more walking on eggshells. “Of course, being a racist has been illegal in our formation since 1948. The same goes for sexual harassment. Both are wrong and illegal. Those kinds of infractions will be ruthlessly enforced.”


After the speech, Hegseth signed 11 memos that detailed these changes. I’ll link them in the show notes. The memos say that the military’s definition of “harassment” is overly broad, calls for the end of “anonymous complaints”—something Hegesth also said in his speech, and asks that investigations be completed quickly with the assistance of artificial intelligence.


I believe that is all important context for this episode. I also believe that Hegseth’s speech and the policy directives represent a regression in the American armed services. I will not pretend otherwise.


Listen to the All-New ‘Vanished: What Happened to Vanessa’ Podcast


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


The episode is about Vanessa Guillén, a US soldier who was murdered at Fort Hood in 2020. She also experienced sexual harassment while in the military. I spoke with ABC Special Correspondent John Quiñones about his new podcast, Vanished. It’s a good podcast that covers Guillén’s case in-depth and highlights the reforms the Pentagon instituted after.


We recorded the show on September 30, Guillén’s birthday. That morning, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth delivered a long speech about his own military reforms. Many of the changes Hegseth has pushed through conflict with the changes that Guillén’s death ushered in.


As such, I thought it was important to get John’s reaction to Hegseth’s speech. Before we began recording,I told him I planned to ask him about this and he agreed to talk about it.


When I asked the question during recording, a public relations person from ABC jumped on the line and asked me to stop talking about Hegseth. I pushed back, but not hard enough.


The next day, ABC PR reached out via email to ask if I would cut this moment from the show.


I will not. It’s included here in full.


Further, I want to take a moment at the top to highlight the reasons why I brought up Hegseth’s speech. There’s a lot to it and, honestly, it demands its own episode. Here are Hegseth’s thoughts on toxic leaders.


“Today, at my direction, we’re undertaking a full review of the Department’s Definitions of so-called toxic leadership, bullying and hazing, to empower leaders to enforce standards without fear of retribution or second guessing. Of course, you can’t do, like nasty bullying and hazing. We’re talking about words like bullying and hazing and toxic. They’ve been weaponized and bastardized inside our formations, undercutting commanders and NCOs. No more. Setting, achieving, and maintaining high standards is what you all do. And if that makes me toxic, then so be it.”


Guillén’s case also changed the way the Army investigates sexual harassment. Here are the secretary’s thoughts on the current state of official internal military investigations:


“We are overhauling an inspector-general process, the IG that has been weaponized, putting complainers, ideologues and poor performers in the driver’s seat. We’re doing the same with the Equal Opportunity and Military Equal Opportunity policies, the EO and MEO, at our department. No more frivolous complaints, no more anonymous complaints, no more repeat complaints, no more smearing reputations, no more endless waiting, no more legal limbo, no more side-tracking careers, no more walking on eggshells. “Of course, being a racist has been illegal in our formation since 1948. The same goes for sexual harassment. Both are wrong and illegal. Those kinds of infractions will be ruthlessly enforced.”


After the speech, Hegseth signed 11 memos that detailed these changes. I’ll link them in the show notes. The memos say that the military’s definition of “harassment” is overly broad, calls for the end of “anonymous complaints”—something Hegesth also said in his speech, and asks that investigations be completed quickly with the assistance of artificial intelligence.


I believe that is all important context for this episode. I also believe that Hegseth’s speech and the policy directives represent a regression in the American armed services. I will not pretend otherwise.


Listen to the All-New ‘Vanished: What Happened to Vanessa’ Podcast


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Assassinations Are Shitposts Now Assassinations Are Shitposts Now Thu, 02 Oct 2025 18:47:21 GMT 1:28:53 68dec8b9bd7f04b74f272ce6 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/assassinations-are-shitposts-now 68dec8b9bd7f04b74f272ce6 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 assassinations-are-shitposts-now full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


Political assassins often have incoherent politics and Tyler Robinson is no different. The young man who killed Charlie Kirk inscribed the shell casings of his bullets with obscure memes that say less about what he believed and more about where he spent time online. Robinson isn’t alone. Earlier this year the Annunciation Church shooter showed off a rifle inscribed with similar memes pulled from the internet. The Christchurch shooter in 2019 livestreamed their killing and left behind a meme laden manifesto.


So what the hell is going on? On this episode of Angry Planet, Michael Senters—a PhD candidate at Virginia Tech—has some unsatisfying answers. Senters painstakingly walks us through each message on Robinson’s bullets and explains the online spaces from whence they came.

If you don’t know a gropyer from a Helldiver or have never heard “OwO” said aloud, this episode is for you.


It will not make you feel better.


  • 4,000 hours in seven games
  • A painfully specific explanation of every shell casing meme
  • “It can’t be Helldivers”
  • “This kid has probably fried his brain online.”
  • Hearts of Iron IV’s place in online fascist discourse
  • Son, what’s a groyper?
  • There’s no compelling evidence Robinson was a Groyper
  • The terrible embarrassment of explaining memes out loud
  • The 10 year old meme on the shell that killed Kirk
  • Constructing an ideology here is a Sisyphian task
  • Being online is about irony and performance
  • How a moment in time becomes a memetic hieroglyph
  • Assassination as performance
  • Gamergate as a “critical junction” in the Republican party
  • How GG spread the irony-poisoned posting style like a virus
  • Filming a TikTok video at an assassination
  • Re-evaluating our relationship to the internet
  • A little bit about working in a bookstore
  • The charging documents drop at the end of our conversation


What the shell casings in the assassination of Charlie Kirk do – and don't – tell us


Yes, It’s the Guns. It’s Also the Phones.


Read the Charges Against Tyler Robinson


Exclusive: Leaked Messages from Charlie Kirk Assassin


The “Notices Bulge OwO” video


The “Loss” comic

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


Political assassins often have incoherent politics and Tyler Robinson is no different. The young man who killed Charlie Kirk inscribed the shell casings of his bullets with obscure memes that say less about what he believed and more about where he spent time online. Robinson isn’t alone. Earlier this year the Annunciation Church shooter showed off a rifle inscribed with similar memes pulled from the internet. The Christchurch shooter in 2019 livestreamed their killing and left behind a meme laden manifesto.


So what the hell is going on? On this episode of Angry Planet, Michael Senters—a PhD candidate at Virginia Tech—has some unsatisfying answers. Senters painstakingly walks us through each message on Robinson’s bullets and explains the online spaces from whence they came.

If you don’t know a gropyer from a Helldiver or have never heard “OwO” said aloud, this episode is for you.


It will not make you feel better.


  • 4,000 hours in seven games
  • A painfully specific explanation of every shell casing meme
  • “It can’t be Helldivers”
  • “This kid has probably fried his brain online.”
  • Hearts of Iron IV’s place in online fascist discourse
  • Son, what’s a groyper?
  • There’s no compelling evidence Robinson was a Groyper
  • The terrible embarrassment of explaining memes out loud
  • The 10 year old meme on the shell that killed Kirk
  • Constructing an ideology here is a Sisyphian task
  • Being online is about irony and performance
  • How a moment in time becomes a memetic hieroglyph
  • Assassination as performance
  • Gamergate as a “critical junction” in the Republican party
  • How GG spread the irony-poisoned posting style like a virus
  • Filming a TikTok video at an assassination
  • Re-evaluating our relationship to the internet
  • A little bit about working in a bookstore
  • The charging documents drop at the end of our conversation


What the shell casings in the assassination of Charlie Kirk do – and don't – tell us


Yes, It’s the Guns. It’s Also the Phones.


Read the Charges Against Tyler Robinson


Exclusive: Leaked Messages from Charlie Kirk Assassin


The “Notices Bulge OwO” video


The “Loss” comic

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The War On Terror on Drugs The War On Terror on Drugs Fri, 19 Sep 2025 14:38:33 GMT 1:02:39 68cd6ae9203f72ea57086526 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-war-on-terror-on-drugs 68cd6ae9203f72ea57086526 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-war-on-terror-on-drugs full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


On September 2, 2025 the United States escalated its decades long War on Drugs with a tactic borrowed from the War on Terror. It used a drone to blow up a boat it said was full of drugs then said the 11 people killed in the strike were terrorists.


Is this legal? Does that matter?


On this week’s Angry Planet, journalist Mike LaSusa of InSight Crime comes on the show to walk us through the ins and outs of America’s long-running War on Drugs and how War on Terror tactics are shaping the fight.


  • What’s Tren de Aragua?
  • The real connections between Tren de Aragua and the government of Venezuela
  • Is this legal?
  • How America’s drug interdiction works
  • Does violence deter?
  • On narcoterrorism
  • Cartel as misnomer
  • Violence isn’t sustainable
  • “We don’t even know these people’s names.”
  • America’s partners in the War on Terror on Drugs
  • “Motivations matter.”
  • How do you solve a problem like illicit drugs?
  • How the Trump admin hurt its own cause in the drug war
  • Poppies in Afghanistan
  • Drug use as a moral failing
  • 11 is a lot people for a drug boat
  • The Cartel of the Suns


How War-on-Terror Tactics Could Change the Fight Against Organized Crime


Boat Suspected of Smuggling Drugs Is Said to Have Turned Before U.S. Attacked It


Rand Paul Reveals Venezuela Boat Attack Was a Drone Strike


Tren de Aragua: Fact vs. Fiction


How Trump’s Anti-Money Laundering Rollback Could Help LatAm Criminals

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


On September 2, 2025 the United States escalated its decades long War on Drugs with a tactic borrowed from the War on Terror. It used a drone to blow up a boat it said was full of drugs then said the 11 people killed in the strike were terrorists.


Is this legal? Does that matter?


On this week’s Angry Planet, journalist Mike LaSusa of InSight Crime comes on the show to walk us through the ins and outs of America’s long-running War on Drugs and how War on Terror tactics are shaping the fight.


  • What’s Tren de Aragua?
  • The real connections between Tren de Aragua and the government of Venezuela
  • Is this legal?
  • How America’s drug interdiction works
  • Does violence deter?
  • On narcoterrorism
  • Cartel as misnomer
  • Violence isn’t sustainable
  • “We don’t even know these people’s names.”
  • America’s partners in the War on Terror on Drugs
  • “Motivations matter.”
  • How do you solve a problem like illicit drugs?
  • How the Trump admin hurt its own cause in the drug war
  • Poppies in Afghanistan
  • Drug use as a moral failing
  • 11 is a lot people for a drug boat
  • The Cartel of the Suns


How War-on-Terror Tactics Could Change the Fight Against Organized Crime


Boat Suspected of Smuggling Drugs Is Said to Have Turned Before U.S. Attacked It


Rand Paul Reveals Venezuela Boat Attack Was a Drone Strike


Tren de Aragua: Fact vs. Fiction


How Trump’s Anti-Money Laundering Rollback Could Help LatAm Criminals

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Traveling America’s ‘Murderland’ Traveling America’s ‘Murderland’ Fri, 12 Sep 2025 17:34:04 GMT 1:01:46 68c4598b8b1c6a48284c964d false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/traveling-americas-murderland 68c4598b8b1c6a48284c964d 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 traveling-americas-murderland full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


The Pacific Northwest is known for its startling natural beauty, precocious rainfall, and propensity to birth serial killers. Why? Caroline Fraser has a theory and it’s a good one.


This week on Angry Planet, Fraser takes us on a journey through the American past and into the dark heart of the PNW. Her new book Murderland weaves together memoir, true crime, history, and science into a compelling narrative that’s as beautiful and deadly as the forests around Tacoma.


  • Lead in the time of serial killers
  • Crazywall as map
  • America’s ultra-leaded 1970s
  • The killer hubristic roadways of the Pacific Northwest
  • The unique draw of Ted Bundy
  • The beauty and horror of the PNW’s woods
  • Lead poisoned psychos become pop culture geniuses
  • Anne Rule and the different eras of true crime writing
  • The Olympic–Wallowa lineament
  • The current state of the true crime genre


Murdlerand: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers


Tacoma Smelter Plume project


Houses of Butterflies


A look back at the I-90 floating bridges before light-rail work begins


The Domesday Book

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


The Pacific Northwest is known for its startling natural beauty, precocious rainfall, and propensity to birth serial killers. Why? Caroline Fraser has a theory and it’s a good one.


This week on Angry Planet, Fraser takes us on a journey through the American past and into the dark heart of the PNW. Her new book Murderland weaves together memoir, true crime, history, and science into a compelling narrative that’s as beautiful and deadly as the forests around Tacoma.


  • Lead in the time of serial killers
  • Crazywall as map
  • America’s ultra-leaded 1970s
  • The killer hubristic roadways of the Pacific Northwest
  • The unique draw of Ted Bundy
  • The beauty and horror of the PNW’s woods
  • Lead poisoned psychos become pop culture geniuses
  • Anne Rule and the different eras of true crime writing
  • The Olympic–Wallowa lineament
  • The current state of the true crime genre


Murdlerand: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers


Tacoma Smelter Plume project


Houses of Butterflies


A look back at the I-90 floating bridges before light-rail work begins


The Domesday Book

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> After Xi After Xi Fri, 05 Sep 2025 17:43:32 GMT 57:24 68bb214589487246207c9b5b false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/after-xi 68bb214589487246207c9b5b 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 after-xi full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


All things move towards their end, even seemingly omnipotent political leaders, and authoritarian systems are shaped by the question of succession long before the leader dies. Xi Jinping is 72 years old and the Chinese Communist Party has started to consider what comes next. Those conversations are shaping the political reality of the country.


On this episode of Angry Planet, Brown University professor Tyler Jost comes on the show to explain China is navigating what life may look like after Xi.


  • How succession shapes politics in an authoritarian system
  • How does China’s government actually work?
  • The path to the Chinese presidency
  • As always, it’s all about who you know
  • Princelings
  • Xi’s path to power
  • Corruption as influence
  • When the eye of the leader lands upon you
  • “Cyberpunk hellscape”
  • Some parting notes on American Maoism


After Xi—The Succession Question Obscuring China’s Future—and Unsettling Its Present


Bureaucracies at War

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


All things move towards their end, even seemingly omnipotent political leaders, and authoritarian systems are shaped by the question of succession long before the leader dies. Xi Jinping is 72 years old and the Chinese Communist Party has started to consider what comes next. Those conversations are shaping the political reality of the country.


On this episode of Angry Planet, Brown University professor Tyler Jost comes on the show to explain China is navigating what life may look like after Xi.


  • How succession shapes politics in an authoritarian system
  • How does China’s government actually work?
  • The path to the Chinese presidency
  • As always, it’s all about who you know
  • Princelings
  • Xi’s path to power
  • Corruption as influence
  • When the eye of the leader lands upon you
  • “Cyberpunk hellscape”
  • Some parting notes on American Maoism


After Xi—The Succession Question Obscuring China’s Future—and Unsettling Its Present


Bureaucracies at War

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Does the U.S. Need an Independent Cyber Force? Does the U.S. Need an Independent Cyber Force? Fri, 29 Aug 2025 20:43:55 GMT 1:04:53 68b2110b7c69e13c186d1652 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/does-the-us-need-an-independent-cyber-force 68b2110b7c69e13c186d1652 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 does-the-us-need-an-independent-cyber-force full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


If the internet is a battlefield, does that mean the United States needs a new military force to dominate it?


On this episode of Angry Planet, retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General Edward Charles Cardon and former House Armed Services Committee staffer Joshua Stiefel make the case for spinning off the Cyber Force into an independent branch. Both are part of a new commission at the Center for Strategic and International Studies — partnered with Jason’s new bosses at Foundation for Defense of Democracies — with the goal of preparing for a new branch that both feel is inevitable.


It’s a wild and wandering conversation that touches on Neuromancer, AI, and fighting a cyber war against the Islamic State.


  • “A Cyber Force is inevitable”
  • How cyber works now
  • From Army Air Service to Air Force to Space Force
  • Volt Typhoon as warning
  • It’s hard to recruit hackers
  • The Goldwater-Nichols Act mentioned, drink
  • Basic training for hackers?
  • A retired Lt. General at Defcon
  • The weird nebulous thinking of AI and cyber
  • The Army has soldiers, the Space Force has Guardians, what about Cyber Force?
  • Neuromancers? Hackers?
  • “The leaders of this domain have to understand the people they’re talking to.”
  • Change is only possible in the aftermath of something cataclysmic
  • “AI is gonna put the offense on steroids”
  • Glowing Symphony
  • Islamic State as the model conflict


CSIS Launches Commission on Cyber Force Generation in Partnership With Cyber Solarium


United States Cyber Force: A Defense Imperative


Volt Typhoon


Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986


The Rise of ‘Vibe Hacking’ Is the Next AI Nightmare


Russia Is Suspected to Be Behind Breach of Federal Court Filing System


Operation Glowing Symphony

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


If the internet is a battlefield, does that mean the United States needs a new military force to dominate it?


On this episode of Angry Planet, retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General Edward Charles Cardon and former House Armed Services Committee staffer Joshua Stiefel make the case for spinning off the Cyber Force into an independent branch. Both are part of a new commission at the Center for Strategic and International Studies — partnered with Jason’s new bosses at Foundation for Defense of Democracies — with the goal of preparing for a new branch that both feel is inevitable.


It’s a wild and wandering conversation that touches on Neuromancer, AI, and fighting a cyber war against the Islamic State.


  • “A Cyber Force is inevitable”
  • How cyber works now
  • From Army Air Service to Air Force to Space Force
  • Volt Typhoon as warning
  • It’s hard to recruit hackers
  • The Goldwater-Nichols Act mentioned, drink
  • Basic training for hackers?
  • A retired Lt. General at Defcon
  • The weird nebulous thinking of AI and cyber
  • The Army has soldiers, the Space Force has Guardians, what about Cyber Force?
  • Neuromancers? Hackers?
  • “The leaders of this domain have to understand the people they’re talking to.”
  • Change is only possible in the aftermath of something cataclysmic
  • “AI is gonna put the offense on steroids”
  • Glowing Symphony
  • Islamic State as the model conflict


CSIS Launches Commission on Cyber Force Generation in Partnership With Cyber Solarium


United States Cyber Force: A Defense Imperative


Volt Typhoon


Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986


The Rise of ‘Vibe Hacking’ Is the Next AI Nightmare


Russia Is Suspected to Be Behind Breach of Federal Court Filing System


Operation Glowing Symphony

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Hunting Nazis Online With Canadian Journalists Hunting Nazis Online With Canadian Journalists Fri, 15 Aug 2025 19:23:46 GMT 52:14 689f8944aabbc2ace3a27336 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/hunting-nazis-online-with-canadian-journalists 689f8944aabbc2ace3a27336 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 hunting-nazis-online-with-canadian-journalists full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


Journalists and Nazis have changed a lot in the years since the end of World War II; journalists are on the outs while Nazis are having a bit of a moment. Across the U.S. and Canada, avowed fascists have committed murder, attempted to destroy the power grid, and actively recruit online and in person. As these extremists work to hide their identity, journalists and law enforcement use advanced tech to expose them. But at what cost?


On this episode of Angry Planet, Jordan Pearson of the CBC’s visual investigations unit talks us through how he and his co-workers use open source intelligence to expose fascists. We also discuss the ethical struggles that come with using the tools of the surveillance state to track them down.


  • Nazis hiding their faces
  • Exercise as a path to fascism
  • What’s the public concern?
  • Hate speech in Canada vs America
  • How a journalist decides when to unmask a fascist
  • When a journalist uses facial recognition and leaked data in the public interest
  • Falling into OSINT
  • Using a boxing glove to find a specific gym
  • The lightswitch!
  • A gazebo with a chipped tooth
  • Can AI help journalists? (yes)
  • The nightmare of transcription
  • “It’s trending towards Nazis”


How a Northern Irish town descended into 3 days of anti-immigrant violence

Man accused of facilitating terrorism used quarry outside Quebec City for target practice

Tracking Canada’s fascist fight clubs

What’s an active club?

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


Journalists and Nazis have changed a lot in the years since the end of World War II; journalists are on the outs while Nazis are having a bit of a moment. Across the U.S. and Canada, avowed fascists have committed murder, attempted to destroy the power grid, and actively recruit online and in person. As these extremists work to hide their identity, journalists and law enforcement use advanced tech to expose them. But at what cost?


On this episode of Angry Planet, Jordan Pearson of the CBC’s visual investigations unit talks us through how he and his co-workers use open source intelligence to expose fascists. We also discuss the ethical struggles that come with using the tools of the surveillance state to track them down.


  • Nazis hiding their faces
  • Exercise as a path to fascism
  • What’s the public concern?
  • Hate speech in Canada vs America
  • How a journalist decides when to unmask a fascist
  • When a journalist uses facial recognition and leaked data in the public interest
  • Falling into OSINT
  • Using a boxing glove to find a specific gym
  • The lightswitch!
  • A gazebo with a chipped tooth
  • Can AI help journalists? (yes)
  • The nightmare of transcription
  • “It’s trending towards Nazis”


How a Northern Irish town descended into 3 days of anti-immigrant violence

Man accused of facilitating terrorism used quarry outside Quebec City for target practice

Tracking Canada’s fascist fight clubs

What’s an active club?

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> How Many Nukes Does It Take to Win a War? (Trick Question) How Many Nukes Does It Take to Win a War? (Trick Question) Fri, 08 Aug 2025 13:52:51 GMT 1:05:44 6896013486fca136286343f6 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/how-many-nukes-does-it-take-to-win-a-war-trick-question 6896013486fca136286343f6 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-many-nukes-does-it-take-to-win-a-war-trick-question full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


The world is living with a Cold War hangover. The logic of deterrence, which dominates the minds of the people who plan nuclear wars, means that America must have enough nuclear weapons to credibly threaten to destroy the world should someone launch nukes at it. That thinking led to a world with tens of thousands of nuclear weapons, and that was just when the U.S. had the Soviet Union to think about. Now it’s facing the twin threats of Russia and China. Does that mean America needs twice the nukes to handle twice the threats?


Some in the Pentagon seem to think so, and the world is embarking on a radical and expensive nuclear build up the likes of which it hasn’t seen in a generation.

What if there’s another way? James Acton is here to pitch us on a world where Optimal Deterrence does not mean spending trillions of dollars on new world-ending weapons just to make sure everyone else doesn’t use theirs.

Acton is a co-director of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Nuclear Policy Program and the author of a new article that outlines the 21st century nuclear arms race and a new plan to stop it.


  • Podcasting from an iPhone in a closet
  • The apocryphal camera lens story
  • The nuclear tease
  • What are nuclear weapons pointed at?
  • How to win a three-way nuclear war
  • The dread logic of counterforce targeting
  • Trump’s nuclear reticence
  • How many nukes are there anyway?
  • How to spend a trillion dollars on nuclear weapons upgrades
  • Acton’s big idea
  • “I don’t think we lose much by ceasing to target an adversary’s nuclear forces.”
  • “It doesn’t matter if they believe it or not.”


Optimal Deterrence


Russia’s nuclear torpedo


Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


The world is living with a Cold War hangover. The logic of deterrence, which dominates the minds of the people who plan nuclear wars, means that America must have enough nuclear weapons to credibly threaten to destroy the world should someone launch nukes at it. That thinking led to a world with tens of thousands of nuclear weapons, and that was just when the U.S. had the Soviet Union to think about. Now it’s facing the twin threats of Russia and China. Does that mean America needs twice the nukes to handle twice the threats?


Some in the Pentagon seem to think so, and the world is embarking on a radical and expensive nuclear build up the likes of which it hasn’t seen in a generation.

What if there’s another way? James Acton is here to pitch us on a world where Optimal Deterrence does not mean spending trillions of dollars on new world-ending weapons just to make sure everyone else doesn’t use theirs.

Acton is a co-director of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Nuclear Policy Program and the author of a new article that outlines the 21st century nuclear arms race and a new plan to stop it.


  • Podcasting from an iPhone in a closet
  • The apocryphal camera lens story
  • The nuclear tease
  • What are nuclear weapons pointed at?
  • How to win a three-way nuclear war
  • The dread logic of counterforce targeting
  • Trump’s nuclear reticence
  • How many nukes are there anyway?
  • How to spend a trillion dollars on nuclear weapons upgrades
  • Acton’s big idea
  • “I don’t think we lose much by ceasing to target an adversary’s nuclear forces.”
  • “It doesn’t matter if they believe it or not.”


Optimal Deterrence


Russia’s nuclear torpedo


Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> A History of the Iranian Nuclear Program A History of the Iranian Nuclear Program Wed, 23 Jul 2025 18:11:51 GMT 1:01:13 688125e6f6d4262b07e3258d false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/a-history-of-the-iranian-nuclear-program 688125e6f6d4262b07e3258d 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 a-history-of-the-iranian-nuclear-program full Sometimes it’s good to back up and ask the basic questions: How do we know Iran was even developing nuclear weapons?


On this episode of the show, the Arms Control Wonk Jeffrey Lewis walks us through the history of the Iranian nuclear (weapons and energy) program. It’s got it all: diplomacy, assassinations, cowardly politicians, and uranium fever.


Lewis is a professor at the Middlebury Institute, member of the National Academies Committee on International Security and Arms Control, and former member of the State Department's International Security Advisory Board. He knows the tale well and he’s here to tell it straight.


  • Damning the strikes with faint praise.
  • “The hard part of a nuclear weapon is not the explodey part.”
  • Making a nuclear weapon is a solved problem.
  • The Iran-Iraq war and the origins of Iran’s nuclear weapons program
  • The ladders of Natanz, how they cascade down
  • Energy programs are always bigger than weapons programs.
  • Unmasking the International Atomic Energy Agency
  • Israel’s war on the program
  • How to enrich uranium
  • The “torturous” process behind the Iran deal
  • Congressional cowards
  • “A new generation of suckers”
  • The French movie goodbye


The Deal

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Sometimes it’s good to back up and ask the basic questions: How do we know Iran was even developing nuclear weapons?


On this episode of the show, the Arms Control Wonk Jeffrey Lewis walks us through the history of the Iranian nuclear (weapons and energy) program. It’s got it all: diplomacy, assassinations, cowardly politicians, and uranium fever.


Lewis is a professor at the Middlebury Institute, member of the National Academies Committee on International Security and Arms Control, and former member of the State Department's International Security Advisory Board. He knows the tale well and he’s here to tell it straight.


  • Damning the strikes with faint praise.
  • “The hard part of a nuclear weapon is not the explodey part.”
  • Making a nuclear weapon is a solved problem.
  • The Iran-Iraq war and the origins of Iran’s nuclear weapons program
  • The ladders of Natanz, how they cascade down
  • Energy programs are always bigger than weapons programs.
  • Unmasking the International Atomic Energy Agency
  • Israel’s war on the program
  • How to enrich uranium
  • The “torturous” process behind the Iran deal
  • Congressional cowards
  • “A new generation of suckers”
  • The French movie goodbye


The Deal

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Talking With the Military Ethics Professor Who Resigned in Protest Talking With the Military Ethics Professor Who Resigned in Protest Wed, 16 Jul 2025 13:00:00 GMT 59:30 6871720ffe0897380efac6fd false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/talking-with-the-military-ethics-professor-who-resigned-in-p 6871720ffe0897380efac6fd 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 talking-with-the-military-ethics-professor-who-resigned-in-p full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


Pauline Shanks Kaurin PhD. was, until recently, the Stockdale Chair for Professional Military Ethics at the U.S. Naval War College. She’d been there since 2018, teaching philosophy and ethics to U.S. military officers and the occasional civilian. Then came Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth, and marching orders she said stifled academic freedom.

So she resigned.


On this episode of Angry Planet, Pauline talks us through her decision and tells us what she saw from the inside of one of the U.S. military’s most lauded academic institutions as the new administration seeks to restrict what’s taught in the classroom.


  • Disclosures and caveats
  • “A moral dilemma I couldn’t resolve”
  • On Obedience
  • Admiral James Stockdale
  • “We’re all in vacation mode.”
  • “The snitch line”
  • Purging books, telling professors what not to talk about
  • “I don’t want to be on Fox News”
  • It happened fast
  • Suggestions of pulling manuscripts at the editor
  • What happens to a military that isn’t taught honor and ethics?
  • Compliance versus deference
  • Avoiding discomfort as a policy position
  • Disagreements as combat
  • A heavy metal argument
  • The cost of taking a moral stand
  • “Everyday is ethics day”


A Military-Ethics Professor Resigns in Protest


Disgraceful Pardons: Dishonoring Our Honorable

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


Pauline Shanks Kaurin PhD. was, until recently, the Stockdale Chair for Professional Military Ethics at the U.S. Naval War College. She’d been there since 2018, teaching philosophy and ethics to U.S. military officers and the occasional civilian. Then came Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth, and marching orders she said stifled academic freedom.

So she resigned.


On this episode of Angry Planet, Pauline talks us through her decision and tells us what she saw from the inside of one of the U.S. military’s most lauded academic institutions as the new administration seeks to restrict what’s taught in the classroom.


  • Disclosures and caveats
  • “A moral dilemma I couldn’t resolve”
  • On Obedience
  • Admiral James Stockdale
  • “We’re all in vacation mode.”
  • “The snitch line”
  • Purging books, telling professors what not to talk about
  • “I don’t want to be on Fox News”
  • It happened fast
  • Suggestions of pulling manuscripts at the editor
  • What happens to a military that isn’t taught honor and ethics?
  • Compliance versus deference
  • Avoiding discomfort as a policy position
  • Disagreements as combat
  • A heavy metal argument
  • The cost of taking a moral stand
  • “Everyday is ethics day”


A Military-Ethics Professor Resigns in Protest


Disgraceful Pardons: Dishonoring Our Honorable

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The Iran Strikes Beg the Question: What Is Airpower For? The Iran Strikes Beg the Question: What Is Airpower For? Wed, 09 Jul 2025 16:55:39 GMT 54:34 686e9f0cfe0897380e30c1a2 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-iran-strikes-beg-the-question-what-is-airpower-for 686e9f0cfe0897380e30c1a2 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-iran-strikes-beg-the-question-what-is-airpower-for full You can’t win a war with airpower alone, despite what the U.S. Air Force will tell you. For more than 100 years, the masters of the air have promised that military and political objectives can be achieved if you just let them drop enough bombs.


It’s a theory that’s been tested, and fallen short, many times. Operation Midnight Hammer, the Trump administration’s use of 14 GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrators on Iranian nuclear sites, is just the latest test. The promise is that this has set back Iran’s nuclear program (it probably has) but Israel is hoping for much more—regime change in the Islamic Republic.


Time will tell, but I’m not betting on it.


On this episode of Angry Planet we zoom out and talk about the strategy behind airpower in the 21st century. Robert Farley, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Kentucky, is on the show today to give us his thoughts on the Iran strikes, airpower in general, and the lessons to be learned from watching the war in Ukraine.


  • Should we abolish the independent Air Force?
  • Was Israel’s war on Iran a success?
  • Has airpower ever forced regime change?
  • Curtis LeMay mentioned
  • Bombing doesn’t create revolutionary fervor
  • Airpower as theater
  • “Israel-splaining”
  • What’s a Golden Dome for anyway?
  • Are FPV drones part of the air force arsenal or infantry weapons?


Strikes on Iran Show the Force, and Limits, of Airpower


Robert on PBS in Kentucky


Buy Grounded: The Case for Abolishing the United States Air Force


The Five-Ring Circus: How Airpower Enthusiasts Forgot About Interdiction

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> You can’t win a war with airpower alone, despite what the U.S. Air Force will tell you. For more than 100 years, the masters of the air have promised that military and political objectives can be achieved if you just let them drop enough bombs.


It’s a theory that’s been tested, and fallen short, many times. Operation Midnight Hammer, the Trump administration’s use of 14 GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrators on Iranian nuclear sites, is just the latest test. The promise is that this has set back Iran’s nuclear program (it probably has) but Israel is hoping for much more—regime change in the Islamic Republic.


Time will tell, but I’m not betting on it.


On this episode of Angry Planet we zoom out and talk about the strategy behind airpower in the 21st century. Robert Farley, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Kentucky, is on the show today to give us his thoughts on the Iran strikes, airpower in general, and the lessons to be learned from watching the war in Ukraine.


  • Should we abolish the independent Air Force?
  • Was Israel’s war on Iran a success?
  • Has airpower ever forced regime change?
  • Curtis LeMay mentioned
  • Bombing doesn’t create revolutionary fervor
  • Airpower as theater
  • “Israel-splaining”
  • What’s a Golden Dome for anyway?
  • Are FPV drones part of the air force arsenal or infantry weapons?


Strikes on Iran Show the Force, and Limits, of Airpower


Robert on PBS in Kentucky


Buy Grounded: The Case for Abolishing the United States Air Force


The Five-Ring Circus: How Airpower Enthusiasts Forgot About Interdiction

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Libya, China, and the Outlaw Ocean Libya, China, and the Outlaw Ocean Wed, 25 Jun 2025 20:01:10 GMT 59:17 685c55860904b52e4683b40a false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/libya-china-and-the-outlaw-ocean 685c55860904b52e4683b40a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 libya-china-and-the-outlaw-ocean full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


The ocean is vast, beautiful, and lawless. Thousands of miles from any coast, power belongs to those who seize it.


On this episode of Angry Planet, journalist Ian Urbina stops by to discuss the Outlaw Ocean Project and the second season of its incredible podcast. Urbina and his team of investigative journalists are telling stories about human rights, labor, and the environment on the vast swaths of the planet covered in water.


  • The hidden cost of the seafood supply chain
  • Why the ocean is such a lawless place
  • “Crimes at the intersection of environment and human rights.”
  • Libya is “hell on earth” for migrants
  • Aliou’s journey to Libya
  • How Europe enables Libyan militias to police its borders
  • The migration to slavery pipeline
  • A team of journalists at gunpoint
  • Life on a Chinese squid fishing vessel
  • Low tech and high tech reporting gets the job done
  • “That is what life is like in that niche of hell.”


Listen to the Outlaw Ocean Podcast


Inside a migrant detention center in Libya


China: The Superpower of Seafood

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


The ocean is vast, beautiful, and lawless. Thousands of miles from any coast, power belongs to those who seize it.


On this episode of Angry Planet, journalist Ian Urbina stops by to discuss the Outlaw Ocean Project and the second season of its incredible podcast. Urbina and his team of investigative journalists are telling stories about human rights, labor, and the environment on the vast swaths of the planet covered in water.


  • The hidden cost of the seafood supply chain
  • Why the ocean is such a lawless place
  • “Crimes at the intersection of environment and human rights.”
  • Libya is “hell on earth” for migrants
  • Aliou’s journey to Libya
  • How Europe enables Libyan militias to police its borders
  • The migration to slavery pipeline
  • A team of journalists at gunpoint
  • Life on a Chinese squid fishing vessel
  • Low tech and high tech reporting gets the job done
  • “That is what life is like in that niche of hell.”


Listen to the Outlaw Ocean Podcast


Inside a migrant detention center in Libya


China: The Superpower of Seafood

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Silicon Valley Wants ‘More Everything Forever’ Silicon Valley Wants ‘More Everything Forever’ Tue, 17 Jun 2025 18:19:26 GMT 55:10 6851b1af259ce49e3e163d7e false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/silicon-valley-wants-more-everything-forever 6851b1af259ce49e3e163d7e 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 silicon-valley-wants-more-everything-forever full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


The futures of the past have curdled into the nightmares of the present. The richest and most powerful people the world has ever known want to colonize mars, live forever, and digitize human consciousness. To make these technological miracles come to pass, they say, will require people to dramatically change the way they live and work. Will it be worth it? Does science even say it’s possible?


On this Angry Planet, astrophysicist and author Adam Becker joins us to explain all the problems with Silicon Valley’s dreams of the future. It’s not a short list. Much of the tech, and even the physics, don’t work the way techno-utopians say it does. Some of the people hawking robot slaves and immortality are chasing the impossible for tragic personal reasons. Others are just trying to sell you something. It’s all the subject of Becker’s new book: More Everything Forever.

Share


  • Franics Fukuyama and the end of everything
  • “Death is the ultimate limit, the ultimate loss of control.”
  • Moore’s law, the singularity, and Ray Kurzweil’s father
  • The Face on Mars and large language models
  • Elizas all the way down
  • The false binaries of the tech bro future
  • Silicon Valley’s lost boys
  • “Death is avoidable and taxation is theft.”
  • Stasis for me but not for thee
  • “Mars sucks”


Against Life Extension by Francis Fukuyama


More Everything Forever on Bookshop


More Everything Forever on Amazon

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


The futures of the past have curdled into the nightmares of the present. The richest and most powerful people the world has ever known want to colonize mars, live forever, and digitize human consciousness. To make these technological miracles come to pass, they say, will require people to dramatically change the way they live and work. Will it be worth it? Does science even say it’s possible?


On this Angry Planet, astrophysicist and author Adam Becker joins us to explain all the problems with Silicon Valley’s dreams of the future. It’s not a short list. Much of the tech, and even the physics, don’t work the way techno-utopians say it does. Some of the people hawking robot slaves and immortality are chasing the impossible for tragic personal reasons. Others are just trying to sell you something. It’s all the subject of Becker’s new book: More Everything Forever.

Share


  • Franics Fukuyama and the end of everything
  • “Death is the ultimate limit, the ultimate loss of control.”
  • Moore’s law, the singularity, and Ray Kurzweil’s father
  • The Face on Mars and large language models
  • Elizas all the way down
  • The false binaries of the tech bro future
  • Silicon Valley’s lost boys
  • “Death is avoidable and taxation is theft.”
  • Stasis for me but not for thee
  • “Mars sucks”


Against Life Extension by Francis Fukuyama


More Everything Forever on Bookshop


More Everything Forever on Amazon

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> America’s Favorite Gunfighters and the Birth of the Old West America’s Favorite Gunfighters and the Birth of the Old West Sat, 07 Jun 2025 18:16:54 GMT 58:10 684482171dd9d3b33ffa6cdc false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/americas-favorite-gunfighters-and-the-birth-of-the-old-west 684482171dd9d3b33ffa6cdc 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 americas-favorite-gunfighters-and-the-birth-of-the-old-west full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


America loves the Western. Stories about frontier towns, outlaws and lawmen, and—most of all—killing. How did the myth and legend of the gunfighter come to permeate the U.S.? Were there rules to gunfights? How did you become famous by killing people? Did Texas, yes Texas, make all this possible?


We’ll answer those questions in this episode of the show as we discuss the new book The Gunfighters: How Texas Made the West Wild. It’s the work of returning guest (and Texan) Bryan Burrough.


  • Texas is both the West and the South
  • What made Texas so violent
  • What, exactly, is a gunfighter?
  • The rules of the duel
  • “Boys, I’m killed”
  • How to win friends while killin’ people
  • “What is more equalizing than a man alone with a gun?”
  • Olive, Isom Prentice
  • Historiography of the gunfighter
  • Modern bank robbers are boring
  • The cattle business is the perfect vehicle for violence
  • The future belongs ... to pirates?


Buy The Gunfighters from an independent bookstore or from Amazon

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


America loves the Western. Stories about frontier towns, outlaws and lawmen, and—most of all—killing. How did the myth and legend of the gunfighter come to permeate the U.S.? Were there rules to gunfights? How did you become famous by killing people? Did Texas, yes Texas, make all this possible?


We’ll answer those questions in this episode of the show as we discuss the new book The Gunfighters: How Texas Made the West Wild. It’s the work of returning guest (and Texan) Bryan Burrough.


  • Texas is both the West and the South
  • What made Texas so violent
  • What, exactly, is a gunfighter?
  • The rules of the duel
  • “Boys, I’m killed”
  • How to win friends while killin’ people
  • “What is more equalizing than a man alone with a gun?”
  • Olive, Isom Prentice
  • Historiography of the gunfighter
  • Modern bank robbers are boring
  • The cattle business is the perfect vehicle for violence
  • The future belongs ... to pirates?


Buy The Gunfighters from an independent bookstore or from Amazon

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The Horror of AI Generals Making Command Decisions The Horror of AI Generals Making Command Decisions Wed, 28 May 2025 22:54:29 GMT 56:22 68379425998551779fd16356 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-horror-of-ai-generals-making-command-decisions 68379425998551779fd16356 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-horror-of-ai-generals-making-command-decisions full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


Palantir, Anduril and a suite of other Tolkien-inspired tech nightmares want to integrate artificial intelligence into every aspect of the U.S. military. Both companies have software suites they’re pitching as agents that will help make command decisions during combat. An AI general, if you will.


Yes, that’s a terrible idea.


On this episode of Angry Planet, Cameron Hunter and Bleddyn Bowen will tell us why. Hunter is a researcher at the University of Copenhagen and Bowen is a professor of Astropolitics at Durham University. They’ve just written a paper that skewers the idea that AI will ever be able to make command decisions.


  • The narrow definition of AI
  • The folly of the AI general
  • The games AI can’t win
  • “Targeting things is a command decision”
  • The IDF’s use of Microsoft’s use of AI systems
  • “The enemy gets a vote”
  • Killing more doesn’t mean winning more
  • American military as a “glass tank”
  • Matthew gets lost in a rant
  • “They don’t even have an animal’s intelligence”
  • The very real military uses of AI

We’ll never have a model of an AI major-general: Artificial Intelligence, command decisions, and kitsch visions of war


Palantir’s pitch


Palmer Luckey on 60 Minutes


Scientists Explain Why Trump's $175 Billion Golden Dome Is a Fantasy


OpenAI Employees Say Firm's Chief Scientist Has Been Making Strange Spiritual Claims


Eastern Europe Wants to Build a ‘Drone Wall’ to Keep Out Russia


How Palantir Is Using AI in Ukraine

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


Palantir, Anduril and a suite of other Tolkien-inspired tech nightmares want to integrate artificial intelligence into every aspect of the U.S. military. Both companies have software suites they’re pitching as agents that will help make command decisions during combat. An AI general, if you will.


Yes, that’s a terrible idea.


On this episode of Angry Planet, Cameron Hunter and Bleddyn Bowen will tell us why. Hunter is a researcher at the University of Copenhagen and Bowen is a professor of Astropolitics at Durham University. They’ve just written a paper that skewers the idea that AI will ever be able to make command decisions.


  • The narrow definition of AI
  • The folly of the AI general
  • The games AI can’t win
  • “Targeting things is a command decision”
  • The IDF’s use of Microsoft’s use of AI systems
  • “The enemy gets a vote”
  • Killing more doesn’t mean winning more
  • American military as a “glass tank”
  • Matthew gets lost in a rant
  • “They don’t even have an animal’s intelligence”
  • The very real military uses of AI

We’ll never have a model of an AI major-general: Artificial Intelligence, command decisions, and kitsch visions of war


Palantir’s pitch


Palmer Luckey on 60 Minutes


Scientists Explain Why Trump's $175 Billion Golden Dome Is a Fantasy


OpenAI Employees Say Firm's Chief Scientist Has Been Making Strange Spiritual Claims


Eastern Europe Wants to Build a ‘Drone Wall’ to Keep Out Russia


How Palantir Is Using AI in Ukraine

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> America’s Pivot to the Pacific America’s Pivot to the Pacific Fri, 23 May 2025 21:18:51 GMT 1:15:15 6830e63be57506ea970abd91 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/americas-pivot-to-the-pacific 6830e63be57506ea970abd91 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 americas-pivot-to-the-pacific full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


The Pentagon has been trying to pivot to the Pacific for years now. Under President Donald Trump 2.0, who is focused on China, it just might happen. It’s a complicated body of water with dozens of players and a bloody history. One where Beijing is increasingly asserting itself.


Here to walk us through some of it is Angry Planet producer and Honolulu Star-Advertiser reporter Kevin Knodell. He’s just back from the Philippines where he spent two weeks reporting on a joint exercise between the U.S. and its allies in the Pacific.

  • Balikatan

  • Training exercises as signalling
  • How 40 years of Balikatan tells the story of U.S.-Philippines relations
  • “There are definitely some places where it is about the fish.”
  • The Chinese Maritime Militia
  • Duterte vs Marcos in 2025
  • Why America doesn’t understand China
  • Russia’s imperial history in the Pacific (Kevin misspoke here, it’s Fort Elizabeth not Fort Alexandria)
  • Why people like Pete Hegseth
  • The Nine-Dash line
  • The century of humiliation
  • Checking up on Red Hill


Hawaii troops forge alliances in Philippines


Army, allies ponder Pacific role

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


The Pentagon has been trying to pivot to the Pacific for years now. Under President Donald Trump 2.0, who is focused on China, it just might happen. It’s a complicated body of water with dozens of players and a bloody history. One where Beijing is increasingly asserting itself.


Here to walk us through some of it is Angry Planet producer and Honolulu Star-Advertiser reporter Kevin Knodell. He’s just back from the Philippines where he spent two weeks reporting on a joint exercise between the U.S. and its allies in the Pacific.

  • Balikatan

  • Training exercises as signalling
  • How 40 years of Balikatan tells the story of U.S.-Philippines relations
  • “There are definitely some places where it is about the fish.”
  • The Chinese Maritime Militia
  • Duterte vs Marcos in 2025
  • Why America doesn’t understand China
  • Russia’s imperial history in the Pacific (Kevin misspoke here, it’s Fort Elizabeth not Fort Alexandria)
  • Why people like Pete Hegseth
  • The Nine-Dash line
  • The century of humiliation
  • Checking up on Red Hill


Hawaii troops forge alliances in Philippines


Army, allies ponder Pacific role

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> India and Pakistan: Nuclear Neighbors on the Brink India and Pakistan: Nuclear Neighbors on the Brink Sat, 10 May 2025 14:36:32 GMT 59:43 681f6470ca7273465290d920 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/india-and-pakistan-nuclear-neighbors-on-the-brink 681f6470ca7273465290d920 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 india-and-pakistan-nuclear-neighbors-on-the-brink full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


Recorded 5/7/25


India and Pakistan have been unhappy neighbors since 1947 and Britain’s decolonization of the subcontinent. They’ve fought four wars and there have been countless skirmishes. As Indian jets streak over Pakistani skies and that Muslim nation threatens retaliation, it’s unclear if this is war or just another blip between nations that plain don’t like each other.


Joining us is Sushant Singh, a man with a background that includes academic, journalist and 20-year veteran in the Indian army. He’s written an article on the situation in Foreign Affairs, and brings us up to date.


  • The state of play on the morning of May 7th
  • The Pahalgam attack
  • ‘The Switzerland of India’
  • Matthew almost gets everyone into a lot of trouble
  • How Pakistan creates instability in Kashmir
  • The entire history of the conflict between India and Pakistan in about five minutes
  • China’s looming presence
  • ‘These are non-escaltory strikes’
  • Comparing the militaries
  • Getting into the nuclear options
  • Pakistan’s tactical nuclear arsenal
  • The incredible monetary cost of uncertain missile defense
  • We go out on a happy note for once


More than 20 killed after gunmen open fire on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


Recorded 5/7/25


India and Pakistan have been unhappy neighbors since 1947 and Britain’s decolonization of the subcontinent. They’ve fought four wars and there have been countless skirmishes. As Indian jets streak over Pakistani skies and that Muslim nation threatens retaliation, it’s unclear if this is war or just another blip between nations that plain don’t like each other.


Joining us is Sushant Singh, a man with a background that includes academic, journalist and 20-year veteran in the Indian army. He’s written an article on the situation in Foreign Affairs, and brings us up to date.


  • The state of play on the morning of May 7th
  • The Pahalgam attack
  • ‘The Switzerland of India’
  • Matthew almost gets everyone into a lot of trouble
  • How Pakistan creates instability in Kashmir
  • The entire history of the conflict between India and Pakistan in about five minutes
  • China’s looming presence
  • ‘These are non-escaltory strikes’
  • Comparing the militaries
  • Getting into the nuclear options
  • Pakistan’s tactical nuclear arsenal
  • The incredible monetary cost of uncertain missile defense
  • We go out on a happy note for once


More than 20 killed after gunmen open fire on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Donald Trump Wants to Divide Up the World With His ‘Friends’ Donald Trump Wants to Divide Up the World With His ‘Friends’ Fri, 02 May 2025 13:00:00 GMT 56:42 68123a7bf3c711a5d01261c1 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/donald-trump-wants-to-divide-up-the-world-with-his-friends 68123a7bf3c711a5d01261c1 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 donald-trump-wants-to-divide-up-the-world-with-his-friends full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


Great power competition has gotten old for President Donald Trump—never one for a fair fight. He’s looking for a little great power collusion instead, dividing the world with his best buds, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. This kind of thing isn’t new, though, Stacie Goddard, a professor at Wellesley, tells us, in fact it’s the 1800s on repeat. Well, look how that turned out… World War I, anybody?


BTW, check out her terrific article on this in Foreign Affairs magazine.


  • Welcome to the Concert of Europe
  • The post-Napoleon party
  • A taxonomy of aspirational Germans
  • Retvrn
  • Strong men, weak world
  • Government by Mafia
  • What becomes of the “middle powers”?
  • The era of aging dictators
  • The long breakdown
  • Empire without ickiness
  • Turns out might does, in fact, make right

The Rise and Fall of Great-Power Competition


The Concert of Europe

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


Great power competition has gotten old for President Donald Trump—never one for a fair fight. He’s looking for a little great power collusion instead, dividing the world with his best buds, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. This kind of thing isn’t new, though, Stacie Goddard, a professor at Wellesley, tells us, in fact it’s the 1800s on repeat. Well, look how that turned out… World War I, anybody?


BTW, check out her terrific article on this in Foreign Affairs magazine.


  • Welcome to the Concert of Europe
  • The post-Napoleon party
  • A taxonomy of aspirational Germans
  • Retvrn
  • Strong men, weak world
  • Government by Mafia
  • What becomes of the “middle powers”?
  • The era of aging dictators
  • The long breakdown
  • Empire without ickiness
  • Turns out might does, in fact, make right

The Rise and Fall of Great-Power Competition


The Concert of Europe

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Why An Empire Eats Why An Empire Eats Fri, 25 Apr 2025 21:00:00 GMT 59:06 680bc26b92c5c49bd10471a7 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/why-an-empire-eats 680bc26b92c5c49bd10471a7 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 why-an-empire-eats full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


Conquest is back baby! Eastern Europe, Taiwan, Greenland, Canada? It’s all on the table—and maybe up for grabs. Here to help us sort through this new age of empire building is University of Chicago political scientist Michael Albertus.


  • As always, climate change
  • Whither Canada?
  • The coming Canadian century
  • “Territorial ambitions sometimes bite back”
  • The biggest caveats ever uttered on the show
  • “An empire eats”
  • The stories nations tell themselves
  • “Getting more America”
  • Picking the winners and losers
  • A little optimism at the end
  • How land confers power
  • Those Were The Days
  • The false promise of abundance


The Coming Age of Territorial Expansion


Land Power: Who Has It, Who Doesn’t, and How That Determines the Fate of Societies

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


Conquest is back baby! Eastern Europe, Taiwan, Greenland, Canada? It’s all on the table—and maybe up for grabs. Here to help us sort through this new age of empire building is University of Chicago political scientist Michael Albertus.


  • As always, climate change
  • Whither Canada?
  • The coming Canadian century
  • “Territorial ambitions sometimes bite back”
  • The biggest caveats ever uttered on the show
  • “An empire eats”
  • The stories nations tell themselves
  • “Getting more America”
  • Picking the winners and losers
  • A little optimism at the end
  • How land confers power
  • Those Were The Days
  • The false promise of abundance


The Coming Age of Territorial Expansion


Land Power: Who Has It, Who Doesn’t, and How That Determines the Fate of Societies

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Erdogan’s Path to Pure Authoritarianism Erdogan’s Path to Pure Authoritarianism Tue, 15 Apr 2025 20:17:28 GMT 1:01:40 67febed7458cce1398a81f7b false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/erdogans-path-to-pure-authoritarianism 67febed7458cce1398a81f7b 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 erdogans-path-to-pure-authoritarianism full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


Turkey’s president has grabbed a bit more power for himself with the recent arrest of the mayor of Istanbul. The mayor was thought to be one of the few politicians who could challenge Erdogan.


Steven Cook will take us through it.


Talking about authoritarians is one of the things we do here, so strap in for another tale of turmoil on an angry planet.


  • Shilling for kagi.com
  • “Competitive authoritarianism”
  • Negotiating with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party
  • How to court the Kurdish vote while killing Kurds
  • A stable of failsons
  • “The Turkish Marc Andreessen”
  • Why Erdogan hates Pennsylvania
  • Disproving McDonald’s Diplomacy, once again
  • Leveling a park to build a mall
  • How Erdogan processed the Arab Spring
  • “Fools, knaves, and rubes”—Oh my!


Turkey Can’t Live With, or Without, Erdogan


Ukraine Has Written a Folk Song About Its Drone


Turkey and Israel are becoming deadly rivals in Syria

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


Turkey’s president has grabbed a bit more power for himself with the recent arrest of the mayor of Istanbul. The mayor was thought to be one of the few politicians who could challenge Erdogan.


Steven Cook will take us through it.


Talking about authoritarians is one of the things we do here, so strap in for another tale of turmoil on an angry planet.


  • Shilling for kagi.com
  • “Competitive authoritarianism”
  • Negotiating with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party
  • How to court the Kurdish vote while killing Kurds
  • A stable of failsons
  • “The Turkish Marc Andreessen”
  • Why Erdogan hates Pennsylvania
  • Disproving McDonald’s Diplomacy, once again
  • Leveling a park to build a mall
  • How Erdogan processed the Arab Spring
  • “Fools, knaves, and rubes”—Oh my!


Turkey Can’t Live With, or Without, Erdogan


Ukraine Has Written a Folk Song About Its Drone


Turkey and Israel are becoming deadly rivals in Syria

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Immigration Policy As Defense Policy Immigration Policy As Defense Policy Fri, 11 Apr 2025 13:00:00 GMT 58:47 67f52cbb4d32ba074971b7e5 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/immigration-policy-as-defense-policy 67f52cbb4d32ba074971b7e5 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 immigration-policy-as-defense-policy full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


Special for our international listeners, did you know you can now buy a pathway to U.S. citizenship for the low, low price of $5 million sent directly to the U.S. treasury? For decades America’s immigration policies were a boon to its national defense. No one has better intelligence on a rival country than a fleeing dissident with firsthand knowledge.


Times have changed.


Gil Guerra of the Niskanen Center is here to talk all about those changes. It’s an episode packed with bizarre anecdotes and interesting tidbits about how America runs now. You’ll learn why evangelical Christians are turning their back on refugees, why China won’t accept deportation flights, and how to navigate the Darien Gap using short form video posts.


  • Immigration is a foreign policy tool
  • Dissident refugees as a strategic win
  • What we know about how the “Gold Card” will work
  • “You simply can’t create greencards out of nowhere.”
  • How Mexico uses immigration to get concessions from the U.S.
  • “At a certain point the people who send you into the blades look like the bastards.”
  • Dealing with a dictator
  • 20,000 Chinese nationals at the southern border
  • The internet has made it easier to immigrate
  • Navigating the Darien Gap, one TikTok video at a time


Op-ed: Trump’s gold card visa, explained


Domestic debate, global strategy: Revisiting immigration in U.S. foreign policy


China owns 380,000 acres of land in the U.S. Here's where


Weapons of Mass Migration

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


Special for our international listeners, did you know you can now buy a pathway to U.S. citizenship for the low, low price of $5 million sent directly to the U.S. treasury? For decades America’s immigration policies were a boon to its national defense. No one has better intelligence on a rival country than a fleeing dissident with firsthand knowledge.


Times have changed.


Gil Guerra of the Niskanen Center is here to talk all about those changes. It’s an episode packed with bizarre anecdotes and interesting tidbits about how America runs now. You’ll learn why evangelical Christians are turning their back on refugees, why China won’t accept deportation flights, and how to navigate the Darien Gap using short form video posts.


  • Immigration is a foreign policy tool
  • Dissident refugees as a strategic win
  • What we know about how the “Gold Card” will work
  • “You simply can’t create greencards out of nowhere.”
  • How Mexico uses immigration to get concessions from the U.S.
  • “At a certain point the people who send you into the blades look like the bastards.”
  • Dealing with a dictator
  • 20,000 Chinese nationals at the southern border
  • The internet has made it easier to immigrate
  • Navigating the Darien Gap, one TikTok video at a time


Op-ed: Trump’s gold card visa, explained


Domestic debate, global strategy: Revisiting immigration in U.S. foreign policy


China owns 380,000 acres of land in the U.S. Here's where


Weapons of Mass Migration

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Life Inside Wagner Before and After Prigozhin Life Inside Wagner Before and After Prigozhin Fri, 04 Apr 2025 13:00:00 GMT 1:01:39 67ec09df506c6c628c9c4cf3 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/life-inside-wagner-before-and-after-prigozhin 67ec09df506c6c628c9c4cf3 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 life-inside-wagner-before-and-after-prigozhin full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


For mercenaries, death is a business. It’s all about finding the right market. Wagner and other Russian mercenary groups have found willing markets in Africa. Journalist John Lechner spent years in Africa among the mercenaries and he’s on the show today to tell us about what he learned.


Lechner tells us how Wagner’s men think the U.S. media killed Prigozhin, why every theater (or market) is different, and the training regimen of a fresh convict recruit. It’s all in his new book Death Is Our Business: Mercenaries and the New Era of Private Warfare.


The threats change…but the mercenaries stay the same.


  • Interlinking militant Islam and the rise of modern mercenaries
  • Russian mercenaries before Wagner
  • Prigozhin rising
  • Putin’s Chef was the father of ‘Hybrid War’
  • Wagner in Africa
  • ‘No one said mercenary life was gonna be easy.’
  • Life inside Wagner
  • ‘Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.’
  • You can’t judge intent by results
  • The Russian “royal” court is full of self starters and entrepreneurs


The Tip of Russia’s Spear


Death Is Our Business


Pardoned for Serving in Ukraine, They Return to Russia to Kill Again


Taliban Bureaucrats Hate Working Online All Day, ‘Miss the Days of Jihad’

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


For mercenaries, death is a business. It’s all about finding the right market. Wagner and other Russian mercenary groups have found willing markets in Africa. Journalist John Lechner spent years in Africa among the mercenaries and he’s on the show today to tell us about what he learned.


Lechner tells us how Wagner’s men think the U.S. media killed Prigozhin, why every theater (or market) is different, and the training regimen of a fresh convict recruit. It’s all in his new book Death Is Our Business: Mercenaries and the New Era of Private Warfare.


The threats change…but the mercenaries stay the same.


  • Interlinking militant Islam and the rise of modern mercenaries
  • Russian mercenaries before Wagner
  • Prigozhin rising
  • Putin’s Chef was the father of ‘Hybrid War’
  • Wagner in Africa
  • ‘No one said mercenary life was gonna be easy.’
  • Life inside Wagner
  • ‘Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.’
  • You can’t judge intent by results
  • The Russian “royal” court is full of self starters and entrepreneurs


The Tip of Russia’s Spear


Death Is Our Business


Pardoned for Serving in Ukraine, They Return to Russia to Kill Again


Taliban Bureaucrats Hate Working Online All Day, ‘Miss the Days of Jihad’

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The Cult of Rationalism in Silicon Valley The Cult of Rationalism in Silicon Valley Tue, 25 Mar 2025 18:25:36 GMT 1:01:34 67e2f521ff10fa253ffccdc5 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-cult-of-rationalism-in-silicon-valley 67e2f521ff10fa253ffccdc5 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-cult-of-rationalism-in-silicon-valley full A lot of the people designing America’s technology and close to the center of American power believe some deeply weird shit. We already talked to journalist Gil Duran about the Nerd Reich, the rise of the destructive anti-democratic ideology. In this episode, we dive into another weird section of Silicon Valley: the cult of Rationalism.


Max Read, the journalist behind the Read Max Substack, is here to help us through it. Rationalism is responsible for a lot more than you might think and Read lays out how it’s influenced the world we live in today and how it created the environment for a cult that’s got a body count.


  • Defining rationalism: “Something between a movement, a community, and a self-help program.”
  • Eliezer Yudkowsky and the dangers of AI
  • What the hell is AGI?
  • The Singleton Guide to Global Governance
  • The danger of thought experiments
  • As always, follow the money
  • Vulgar bayesianism
  • What’s a Zizian?
  • Sith Vegans
  • Anselm: Ontological Argument for God’s Existence
  • SBF and Effective Altruism


READ MAX!


The Zizians and the Rationalist death cults


Pausing AI Developments Isn’t Enough. We Need to Shut it All Down - Eliezer Yudkowsky’s TIME Magazine piece


Explaining Roko’s Basilisk, the Thought Experiment That Brought Elon Musk and Grimes Together


The Delirious, Violent, Impossible True Story of the Zizians


The Government Knows AGI is Coming | The Ezra Klein Show


The archived ‘Is Trump Racist’ rational post

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> A lot of the people designing America’s technology and close to the center of American power believe some deeply weird shit. We already talked to journalist Gil Duran about the Nerd Reich, the rise of the destructive anti-democratic ideology. In this episode, we dive into another weird section of Silicon Valley: the cult of Rationalism.


Max Read, the journalist behind the Read Max Substack, is here to help us through it. Rationalism is responsible for a lot more than you might think and Read lays out how it’s influenced the world we live in today and how it created the environment for a cult that’s got a body count.


  • Defining rationalism: “Something between a movement, a community, and a self-help program.”
  • Eliezer Yudkowsky and the dangers of AI
  • What the hell is AGI?
  • The Singleton Guide to Global Governance
  • The danger of thought experiments
  • As always, follow the money
  • Vulgar bayesianism
  • What’s a Zizian?
  • Sith Vegans
  • Anselm: Ontological Argument for God’s Existence
  • SBF and Effective Altruism


READ MAX!


The Zizians and the Rationalist death cults


Pausing AI Developments Isn’t Enough. We Need to Shut it All Down - Eliezer Yudkowsky’s TIME Magazine piece


Explaining Roko’s Basilisk, the Thought Experiment That Brought Elon Musk and Grimes Together


The Delirious, Violent, Impossible True Story of the Zizians


The Government Knows AGI is Coming | The Ezra Klein Show


The archived ‘Is Trump Racist’ rational post

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> How Israel Is Using Microsoft AI to Pick Targets in Gaza How Israel Is Using Microsoft AI to Pick Targets in Gaza Mon, 10 Mar 2025 21:44:27 GMT 29:10 67cf5d3c57424413a46f0e5a false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/how-israel-is-using-microsoft-ai-to-pick-targets-in-gaza 67cf5d3c57424413a46f0e5a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-israel-is-using-microsoft-ai-to-pick-targets-in-gaza full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


The Israeli military is using AI products from Microsoft to conduct its war in Gaza. Off the shelf AI products powered by the tech company’s Azure cloud computing system and OpenAI are helping the IDF sort through data, translate Arabic, and even pick targets. But AI translations aren’t perfect and these systems often make mistakes.


What happens when the consequences are life and death?


Associated Press global investigative reporters Garance Burke and Michael Biesecker are part of a team that broke the story about Israel’s use of Microsoft’s commercial AI in a war. They’re on the show today to help us sort through it all.


  • Defining “AI”
  • Off the shelf solutions for war
  • Microsoft Azure as war’s translator and search engine
  • “The Israel military is one of the leading militaries in the world adopting the use of AI to assist in its war efforts. They’ve been doing this for years.”
  • AI is picking targets
  • Students to militants
  • AI’s mistranslations
  • Blaming AI for human sins
  • Matthew’s vision of a hellish automated future
  • Employees push back
  • The money is just too good


How US tech giants supplied Israel with AI models, raising questions about tech’s role in warfare


As Israel uses US-made AI models in war, concerns arise about tech’s role in who lives and who dies


Microsoft workers protest sale of AI and cloud services to Israeli military

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


The Israeli military is using AI products from Microsoft to conduct its war in Gaza. Off the shelf AI products powered by the tech company’s Azure cloud computing system and OpenAI are helping the IDF sort through data, translate Arabic, and even pick targets. But AI translations aren’t perfect and these systems often make mistakes.


What happens when the consequences are life and death?


Associated Press global investigative reporters Garance Burke and Michael Biesecker are part of a team that broke the story about Israel’s use of Microsoft’s commercial AI in a war. They’re on the show today to help us sort through it all.


  • Defining “AI”
  • Off the shelf solutions for war
  • Microsoft Azure as war’s translator and search engine
  • “The Israel military is one of the leading militaries in the world adopting the use of AI to assist in its war efforts. They’ve been doing this for years.”
  • AI is picking targets
  • Students to militants
  • AI’s mistranslations
  • Blaming AI for human sins
  • Matthew’s vision of a hellish automated future
  • Employees push back
  • The money is just too good


How US tech giants supplied Israel with AI models, raising questions about tech’s role in warfare


As Israel uses US-made AI models in war, concerns arise about tech’s role in who lives and who dies


Microsoft workers protest sale of AI and cloud services to Israeli military

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Welcome to the Nerd Reich Welcome to the Nerd Reich Mon, 03 Mar 2025 19:45:32 GMT 1:04:53 67c606dbaed11c1d06de54d7 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/welcome-to-the-nerd-reich 67c606dbaed11c1d06de54d7 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 welcome-to-the-nerd-reich full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


We’re living in a bizarre age of technofascism. The richest man who has ever lived, a man who dreams of colonizing Mars with his children, is America’s CEO. Donald Trump, the man people voted for, is just the chairman of the board.


What does Elon Musk believe? Is there a playbook for DOGE? How bad are things going to get? On this episode of Angry Planet journalist Gil Duran, author of The Nerd Reich newsletter, walks us through what’s coming.


Over on The Shatter Zone, journalist and former Angry Planet guest Robert Evans has published a document that Democratic think tanks are passing around. It gives extra context to Duran’s reporting. All the major players and themes we talk about in this episode are there: Curtis Yarvin, Nick Land, the Butterfly Effect.

If you want to understand why so many federal workers are getting fired and the Silicon Valley ideology that’s infected D.C., then give us a listen.


  • Curtis Yarvin’s unimpressive programming career
  • “Democracy doesn’t work”
  • Bullshit and cherries
  • RAGE and Reboot
  • The Chairman of the Board
  • It’s always about the money
  • “Move fast and break things” comes to D.C.
  • The Engineer’s Disease
  • Nick Land is mentioned and I’m sorry
  • “Trump is more intellectual property than man.”
  • The horror of comedy
  • Selling the Nerd Reich to the Religious Right


The Nerd Reich


AI Video of Trump Sucking Musk's Toes Blasted on Government Office TVs


Trump’s AI Gaza Video Is the Tip of a Horrifying ‘Gaz-A-Lago’ Iceberg


Techno-Fascism Comes to America


Curtis Yarvin Says Democracy Is Done. Powerful Conservatives Are Listening.


'Reboot' Revealed: Elon Musk's CEO-Dictator Playbook

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


We’re living in a bizarre age of technofascism. The richest man who has ever lived, a man who dreams of colonizing Mars with his children, is America’s CEO. Donald Trump, the man people voted for, is just the chairman of the board.


What does Elon Musk believe? Is there a playbook for DOGE? How bad are things going to get? On this episode of Angry Planet journalist Gil Duran, author of The Nerd Reich newsletter, walks us through what’s coming.


Over on The Shatter Zone, journalist and former Angry Planet guest Robert Evans has published a document that Democratic think tanks are passing around. It gives extra context to Duran’s reporting. All the major players and themes we talk about in this episode are there: Curtis Yarvin, Nick Land, the Butterfly Effect.

If you want to understand why so many federal workers are getting fired and the Silicon Valley ideology that’s infected D.C., then give us a listen.


  • Curtis Yarvin’s unimpressive programming career
  • “Democracy doesn’t work”
  • Bullshit and cherries
  • RAGE and Reboot
  • The Chairman of the Board
  • It’s always about the money
  • “Move fast and break things” comes to D.C.
  • The Engineer’s Disease
  • Nick Land is mentioned and I’m sorry
  • “Trump is more intellectual property than man.”
  • The horror of comedy
  • Selling the Nerd Reich to the Religious Right


The Nerd Reich


AI Video of Trump Sucking Musk's Toes Blasted on Government Office TVs


Trump’s AI Gaza Video Is the Tip of a Horrifying ‘Gaz-A-Lago’ Iceberg


Techno-Fascism Comes to America


Curtis Yarvin Says Democracy Is Done. Powerful Conservatives Are Listening.


'Reboot' Revealed: Elon Musk's CEO-Dictator Playbook

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The American Iron Dome Is an Expensive Boondoggle That Won’t Work The American Iron Dome Is an Expensive Boondoggle That Won’t Work Wed, 19 Feb 2025 16:38:11 GMT 52:32 67b608f35033e3e15a07de46 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-american-iron-dome-is-an-expensive-boondoggle-that-wont- 67b608f35033e3e15a07de46 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-american-iron-dome-is-an-expensive-boondoggle-that-wont- full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


President Donald Trump wants to build an American Iron Dome. He even signed an executive order to make it happen. It’s a terrible idea, one we’ve tried before, and one that will make America less safe.


In this episode, Joseph Cirincione returns to the program to detail his personal history with complicated and costly missile defense systems.


  • It all starts during a snowstorm in 1982 and with the High Frontier
  • Zombie defense pitches
  • It’s almost impossible to knock a bullet out of space with a bullet
  • How Israel’s Iron Dome works
  • Slow and hot vs fast and cold
  • Lasers don’t work, thanks Teller
  • Pitch: lasers in space. Reality: missile batteries in Alaska
  • These systems only work half the time and only under perfect conditions
  • SpaceX contracts abound!
  • A Pentagon Powerpoint slide enters chat
  • Jason’s Superman reverie, starring Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor
  • How do China and Russia react?
  • “The enemy gets a vote.”
  • The last arms control treaty
  • Ronald Reagan: anti-nuclear advocate
  • How SDI kept us from eliminating nuclear weapons
  • Anatomy of an arms race
  • AI is coming to nuclear command and control


Project 2025 and Trump Are Cooking Up a Recipe for a New Nuclear Arms Race


The Iron Dome for America Executive Order


The national missile defense fantasy—again


Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture


Why the US General In Charge of Nuclear Weapons Said He Needs AI

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


President Donald Trump wants to build an American Iron Dome. He even signed an executive order to make it happen. It’s a terrible idea, one we’ve tried before, and one that will make America less safe.


In this episode, Joseph Cirincione returns to the program to detail his personal history with complicated and costly missile defense systems.


  • It all starts during a snowstorm in 1982 and with the High Frontier
  • Zombie defense pitches
  • It’s almost impossible to knock a bullet out of space with a bullet
  • How Israel’s Iron Dome works
  • Slow and hot vs fast and cold
  • Lasers don’t work, thanks Teller
  • Pitch: lasers in space. Reality: missile batteries in Alaska
  • These systems only work half the time and only under perfect conditions
  • SpaceX contracts abound!
  • A Pentagon Powerpoint slide enters chat
  • Jason’s Superman reverie, starring Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor
  • How do China and Russia react?
  • “The enemy gets a vote.”
  • The last arms control treaty
  • Ronald Reagan: anti-nuclear advocate
  • How SDI kept us from eliminating nuclear weapons
  • Anatomy of an arms race
  • AI is coming to nuclear command and control


Project 2025 and Trump Are Cooking Up a Recipe for a New Nuclear Arms Race


The Iron Dome for America Executive Order


The national missile defense fantasy—again


Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture


Why the US General In Charge of Nuclear Weapons Said He Needs AI

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The End of U.S. Soft Power The End of U.S. Soft Power Mon, 10 Feb 2025 14:00:00 GMT 58:48 67a68cfd3eadb4f808b21bbb false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-end-of-us-soft-power 67a68cfd3eadb4f808b21bbb 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-end-of-us-soft-power Nicole Widdersheim of Human Rights Watch is here to walk us through the consequences of the end of USAID. full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is the interim head of USAID, for however much longer the agency lasts. For 60 years, the massive bureaucracy was a vehicle for American soft power abroad. Trump, Elon Musk, and all their creatures don’t like it. It might soon be gone.


Nicole Widdersheim is the deputy Washington director of Human Rights Watch with a long history of humanitarian work. She’s here on Angry Planet today to walk us through this new era of the American Empire.



Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is the interim head of USAID, for however much longer the agency lasts. For 60 years, the massive bureaucracy was a vehicle for American soft power abroad. Trump, Elon Musk, and all their creatures don’t like it. It might soon be gone.


Nicole Widdersheim is the deputy Washington director of Human Rights Watch with a long history of humanitarian work. She’s here on Angry Planet today to walk us through this new era of the American Empire.



Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Lost Episode: ‘Goodbye Globalization: The Return of a Divided World’ Lost Episode: ‘Goodbye Globalization: The Return of a Divided World’ Wed, 29 Jan 2025 14:00:00 GMT 1:00:04 6797f6c3b6e07e5a2fdfcc19 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/lost-episode-goodbye-globalization-the-return-of-a-divided-w 6797f6c3b6e07e5a2fdfcc19 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 lost-episode-goodbye-globalization-the-return-of-a-divided-w full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com



Goodbye Globalization: The Return of a Divided

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]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com



Goodbye Globalization: The Return of a Divided

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Pete Hegseth and the Surreal World of the Civ-Mil Divide With Phil Klay Pete Hegseth and the Surreal World of the Civ-Mil Divide With Phil Klay Mon, 20 Jan 2025 14:00:00 GMT 57:19 678ad4f45dd9c67f1761e1a3 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/pete-hegseth-and-the-surreal-world-of-the-civ-mil-divide-wit 678ad4f45dd9c67f1761e1a3 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 pete-hegseth-and-the-surreal-world-of-the-civ-mil-divide-wit full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


Between the idea and the reality falls the shadow. Marine Corps veteran J.D. Vance will soon be vice president. Pete Hegseth, a man with a Crusader Kings tattoo who doesn’t want women to serve in combat roles, is probably going to be confirmed as secretary of defense. Over New Years, two members of the U.S. military committed domestic terror attacks.


Today on Angry Planet we get into the highs and lows of the American military with Marine Corps vet and author Phil Klay. 



Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


Between the idea and the reality falls the shadow. Marine Corps veteran J.D. Vance will soon be vice president. Pete Hegseth, a man with a Crusader Kings tattoo who doesn’t want women to serve in combat roles, is probably going to be confirmed as secretary of defense. Over New Years, two members of the U.S. military committed domestic terror attacks.


Today on Angry Planet we get into the highs and lows of the American military with Marine Corps vet and author Phil Klay. 



Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> ‘Putin’s Revenge.’ Lucian Kim on Why Russia Invaded Ukraine ‘Putin’s Revenge.’ Lucian Kim on Why Russia Invaded Ukraine Mon, 13 Jan 2025 14:00:00 GMT 51:48 67819311793854daae257e7d false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/putins-revenge-lucian-kim-on-why-russia-invaded-ukraine 67819311793854daae257e7d 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 putins-revenge-lucian-kim-on-why-russia-invaded-ukraine full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


It’s hard to read the mind of a dictator, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying.


When Russian President invaded Ukraine in February of 2022, there were a million columns, videos and podcasts explaining “the real reason” for such a “crazy” move.


Well, anyone who tells the story from February 2022 is missing decades of Russian interference in Ukraine, with low points coming during the Orange Revolution of 2005 and then in 2014. The Euromaidan protests ended with the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych and Russia’s annexation of Crimea.


But what made Putin take that next step eight years later?


Lucian Kim is a journalist with vast experience in the region, working in Berlin and as NPR’s bureau chief in Moscow. If you can trust anyone to know what brought the world to war, it’s him—hell, he wrote a book on the subject: Putin’s Revenge: Why Russia Invaded Ukraine.



Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


It’s hard to read the mind of a dictator, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying.


When Russian President invaded Ukraine in February of 2022, there were a million columns, videos and podcasts explaining “the real reason” for such a “crazy” move.


Well, anyone who tells the story from February 2022 is missing decades of Russian interference in Ukraine, with low points coming during the Orange Revolution of 2005 and then in 2014. The Euromaidan protests ended with the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych and Russia’s annexation of Crimea.


But what made Putin take that next step eight years later?


Lucian Kim is a journalist with vast experience in the region, working in Berlin and as NPR’s bureau chief in Moscow. If you can trust anyone to know what brought the world to war, it’s him—hell, he wrote a book on the subject: Putin’s Revenge: Why Russia Invaded Ukraine.



Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Syria, Authoritarianism, and U.S. Politics Syria, Authoritarianism, and U.S. Politics Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:00:32 GMT 51:10 6765d365575cbdaa9d8df674 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/syria-authoritarianism-and-us-politics 6765d365575cbdaa9d8df674 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 syria-authoritarianism-and-us-politics full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


This week on Angry Planet writer David Faris joins us to talk about his time in Syria and life in America.


  • David’s travels from Lebanon to Syria
  • When people hoped Bashar al-Assad would change Syria
  • What a real totalitarian state feels like
  • The nightmare that follows the collapse of a dictatorship
  • Once again, the ugly legacy of colonialism rears its head
  • The post-Assad players
  • After 15 years, everyone is tired of war
  • Turning to domestic politics
  • Don’t panic
  • “Trump will govern very corruptly.”
  • Talking politics with children
  • The Trump Cinematic Universe
  • “We need billionaires to fight billionaires.”
  • The collapse of the liberal intelligentsia


The McDonald’s bombing in Beirut

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


This week on Angry Planet writer David Faris joins us to talk about his time in Syria and life in America.


  • David’s travels from Lebanon to Syria
  • When people hoped Bashar al-Assad would change Syria
  • What a real totalitarian state feels like
  • The nightmare that follows the collapse of a dictatorship
  • Once again, the ugly legacy of colonialism rears its head
  • The post-Assad players
  • After 15 years, everyone is tired of war
  • Turning to domestic politics
  • Don’t panic
  • “Trump will govern very corruptly.”
  • Talking politics with children
  • The Trump Cinematic Universe
  • “We need billionaires to fight billionaires.”
  • The collapse of the liberal intelligentsia


The McDonald’s bombing in Beirut

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> A Crash Course on Indian Assassinations and ISIS in Canada A Crash Course on Indian Assassinations and ISIS in Canada Tue, 17 Dec 2024 19:36:10 GMT 57:51 6761d2a9e33879c6288e6d51 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/a-crash-course-on-indian-assassinations-and-isis-in-canada 6761d2a9e33879c6288e6d51 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 a-crash-course-on-indian-assassinations-and-isis-in-canada full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


This week Angry Planet turns its attention to Canada. Global News investigative journalist Stewart Bell joins us to walk through his two latest pieces and give Matthew a crash course on Canadian history. What do outlaw motorcycle gangs, extrajudicial assassinations, an Indian separatist movement, and a resurgent Islamic State all have in common?


Canada.


Bell is here to explain it all.


  • The pros and cons of extremists recruiting on social media
  • Are you talking to a fed?
  • Remembering Air India Flight 182 or Matthew learns Canadian history
  • The Khalistan movement
  • What makes a 14-year-old interested in Islamic State?
  • Eric Hoffer on what makes a True Believer
  • Spreading ideologies with an answering machine
  • The budding new era of political violence
  • Visas as a tool of foreign interference
  • Using gangs to assassinate your political enemies
  • The ups and downs of hiring biker gangs for intelligence work
  • India’s superpower glow up


ISIS arrests are spiking in Canada and youths are driving the resurgence


Investigation: Visas have become an Indian foreign interference tool

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


This week Angry Planet turns its attention to Canada. Global News investigative journalist Stewart Bell joins us to walk through his two latest pieces and give Matthew a crash course on Canadian history. What do outlaw motorcycle gangs, extrajudicial assassinations, an Indian separatist movement, and a resurgent Islamic State all have in common?


Canada.


Bell is here to explain it all.


  • The pros and cons of extremists recruiting on social media
  • Are you talking to a fed?
  • Remembering Air India Flight 182 or Matthew learns Canadian history
  • The Khalistan movement
  • What makes a 14-year-old interested in Islamic State?
  • Eric Hoffer on what makes a True Believer
  • Spreading ideologies with an answering machine
  • The budding new era of political violence
  • Visas as a tool of foreign interference
  • Using gangs to assassinate your political enemies
  • The ups and downs of hiring biker gangs for intelligence work
  • India’s superpower glow up


ISIS arrests are spiking in Canada and youths are driving the resurgence


Investigation: Visas have become an Indian foreign interference tool

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> U.S. Defense Contractors Are Using ‘Battle Tested in Ukraine’ As a Marketing Label U.S. Defense Contractors Are Using ‘Battle Tested in Ukraine’ As a Marketing Label Wed, 04 Dec 2024 14:00:37 GMT 1:02:59 674f7507f1e80b0eebb1e58b false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/us-defense-contractors-are-using-battle-tested-in-ukraine-as 674f7507f1e80b0eebb1e58b 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 us-defense-contractors-are-using-battle-tested-in-ukraine-as full On today’s episode, I talked to Kollen Post about how and why Silicon Valley markets their drones as “battle tested in Ukraine.” We recorded it on Thanksgiving, Jason was busy spending time with his family, and Post and I went down some weird philosophical rabbit holes.


  • Impromptu drone developers
  • The Western image of the Ukrainian drone operator
  • Open source is king
  • The decentralized nature of Ukrainian society
  • Fundraising for war
  • The ignorance of the American people
  • Trump’s promise: You can forget it
  • Americans want to be heroes
  • Palmer Luckey is selling drone piece loot crates
  • iPhone vs. Linux
  • Jamming with Github
  • Onshoring the drone manufacturing process


‘Battle-tested in Ukraine’ — How US drone makers turned Ukraine into a tagline to sell west


Ukraine’s drones have a reputation for low cost. Buntar Aerospace wants to make them boutique


How Palantir Is Using AI in Ukraine


The Anduril merch store

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> On today’s episode, I talked to Kollen Post about how and why Silicon Valley markets their drones as “battle tested in Ukraine.” We recorded it on Thanksgiving, Jason was busy spending time with his family, and Post and I went down some weird philosophical rabbit holes.


  • Impromptu drone developers
  • The Western image of the Ukrainian drone operator
  • Open source is king
  • The decentralized nature of Ukrainian society
  • Fundraising for war
  • The ignorance of the American people
  • Trump’s promise: You can forget it
  • Americans want to be heroes
  • Palmer Luckey is selling drone piece loot crates
  • iPhone vs. Linux
  • Jamming with Github
  • Onshoring the drone manufacturing process


‘Battle-tested in Ukraine’ — How US drone makers turned Ukraine into a tagline to sell west


Ukraine’s drones have a reputation for low cost. Buntar Aerospace wants to make them boutique


How Palantir Is Using AI in Ukraine


The Anduril merch store

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> North Korea and Russia—A Very Special Relationship North Korea and Russia—A Very Special Relationship Mon, 25 Nov 2024 15:30:15 GMT 59:35 67449808507c8fc412edca19 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/north-korea-and-russiaa-very-special-relationship 67449808507c8fc412edca19 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 north-korea-and-russiaa-very-special-relationship full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


North Korean troops are fighting alongside Russian ones in Ukraine. Bringing the two together hasn’t all gone smoothly. There are language barriers, cultural barriers, and a whole lot of Russian territory to recover. The results have been mixed, but the partnership points to a deepening of the special relationship between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation.


On this episode of Angry Planet, Jenny Town is here to explain the deepening ties between Russia and North Korea. Town is a Senior Fellow and Director at the Stimson center and writes at 38 North.


  • Initial reactions to the “ICBM attack” in Ukraine


  • The special relationship between Russia and North Korea


  • The growing anti-western sphere of influence


  • What the North Korean military is doing in Ukraine


  • 100,00 more North Korean troops in Ukraine?


  • Is Kim Jong Un preparing for war?


  • North Korea’s brand new uranium enrichment photos.


  • What would it take for South Korea to get a nuclear weapon?


  • Making use of the Kaesong Industrial Complex


Is Kim Jong Un Preparing for War?


First Look at North Korea’s Uranium Enrichment Capabilities


Kaesong Industrial Complex: A Tortured History and Uncertain Future


Quick Take: North Korea’s Coverage of Russian War Against Ukraine

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


North Korean troops are fighting alongside Russian ones in Ukraine. Bringing the two together hasn’t all gone smoothly. There are language barriers, cultural barriers, and a whole lot of Russian territory to recover. The results have been mixed, but the partnership points to a deepening of the special relationship between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation.


On this episode of Angry Planet, Jenny Town is here to explain the deepening ties between Russia and North Korea. Town is a Senior Fellow and Director at the Stimson center and writes at 38 North.


  • Initial reactions to the “ICBM attack” in Ukraine


  • The special relationship between Russia and North Korea


  • The growing anti-western sphere of influence


  • What the North Korean military is doing in Ukraine


  • 100,00 more North Korean troops in Ukraine?


  • Is Kim Jong Un preparing for war?


  • North Korea’s brand new uranium enrichment photos.


  • What would it take for South Korea to get a nuclear weapon?


  • Making use of the Kaesong Industrial Complex


Is Kim Jong Un Preparing for War?


First Look at North Korea’s Uranium Enrichment Capabilities


Kaesong Industrial Complex: A Tortured History and Uncertain Future


Quick Take: North Korea’s Coverage of Russian War Against Ukraine

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[Don't Fall for Donald the Dove]]> Thu, 14 Nov 2024 14:00:49 GMT 1:00:10 6733d502d2a59a725366f7a1 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/dont-fall-for-donald-the-dove 6733d502d2a59a725366f7a1 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 dont-fall-for-donald-the-dove full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


The planet isn’t going to get any less angry.


This week, Aram Shabanian comes on the show again to help us work through what the next Trump presidency may mean for America, Europe, and the rest of the world.


  • Matthew’s hippie metaphor
  • 1931 or 1939?
  • America’s allies know it’s all on them now
  • North Korea in Ukraine
  • Who gets a nuke first?
  • Musk diplomacy
  • A 50% chance of nuclear war is too high
  • Minuteman III’s for sale
  • Don’t turn inward
  • The future of news
  • Call of the Hat Man


Elon Musk joined Trump's call with Zelenskyy


Musk joined a phone call between Trump and a Serbian leader


The Donkey Kong painting





Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


The planet isn’t going to get any less angry.


This week, Aram Shabanian comes on the show again to help us work through what the next Trump presidency may mean for America, Europe, and the rest of the world.


  • Matthew’s hippie metaphor
  • 1931 or 1939?
  • America’s allies know it’s all on them now
  • North Korea in Ukraine
  • Who gets a nuke first?
  • Musk diplomacy
  • A 50% chance of nuclear war is too high
  • Minuteman III’s for sale
  • Don’t turn inward
  • The future of news
  • Call of the Hat Man


Elon Musk joined Trump's call with Zelenskyy


Musk joined a phone call between Trump and a Serbian leader


The Donkey Kong painting





Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> A Calm Conversation About Israeli Settlements and Blame vs Responsibility A Calm Conversation About Israeli Settlements and Blame vs Responsibility Mon, 04 Nov 2024 23:00:14 GMT 1:00:28 67295200dc854c95772707d7 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/a-calm-conversation-about-israeli-settlements-and-blame-vs-r 67295200dc854c95772707d7 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 a-calm-conversation-about-israeli-settlements-and-blame-vs-r full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


WARNING: This episode contains nuance in the discussion of subjects usually left to screaming and violence!


This week we get into a bunch of stuff around Israel that we normally avoid. Settlements. Blame versus responsibility. The definition of colonialism. The social media posts of IDF soldiers. It’s a calm, nuanced conversation with Shaiel Ben-Ephraim. No, really.


  • Netanyahu as an obstacle to peace
  • Why no one talks about what comes next
  • Israel loses Matthew
  • America and Israel’s “special relationship”
  • When Bush (senior) stood up to Israel
  • Going down the colonialism rabbit hole
  • The social media output of IDF soldiers on the ground in Gaza and Lebanon
  • “There’s terrible things they’re not taping.”
  • Explaining Ben-Gvir and Smotrich
  • How right wingers paralyze the Israeli government
  • Israel is eyeing settlements in the West Bank, Gaza, and Lebanon which is, in fact, colonialism
  • The difference between blame and responsibility
  • The episode is not anti-Israel, so save your letters and phone calls.


Shaiel Ben-Ephraim Explains Israel 


The History Of The Land Of Israel Podcast

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


WARNING: This episode contains nuance in the discussion of subjects usually left to screaming and violence!


This week we get into a bunch of stuff around Israel that we normally avoid. Settlements. Blame versus responsibility. The definition of colonialism. The social media posts of IDF soldiers. It’s a calm, nuanced conversation with Shaiel Ben-Ephraim. No, really.


  • Netanyahu as an obstacle to peace
  • Why no one talks about what comes next
  • Israel loses Matthew
  • America and Israel’s “special relationship”
  • When Bush (senior) stood up to Israel
  • Going down the colonialism rabbit hole
  • The social media output of IDF soldiers on the ground in Gaza and Lebanon
  • “There’s terrible things they’re not taping.”
  • Explaining Ben-Gvir and Smotrich
  • How right wingers paralyze the Israeli government
  • Israel is eyeing settlements in the West Bank, Gaza, and Lebanon which is, in fact, colonialism
  • The difference between blame and responsibility
  • The episode is not anti-Israel, so save your letters and phone calls.


Shaiel Ben-Ephraim Explains Israel 


The History Of The Land Of Israel Podcast

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Stephanie Baker on ‘Punishing Putin’ Stephanie Baker on ‘Punishing Putin’ Mon, 28 Oct 2024 14:13:08 GMT 58:17 671f9bf5e8ec1601a99972dc false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/stephanie-baker-on-punishing-putin 671f9bf5e8ec1601a99972dc 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 stephanie-baker-on-punishing-putin full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


How’s that sanctions regime working out for the U.S. and Russia? This week on the show, we have Stephanie Baker, a senior writer at Bloomberg, to try to answer the question. She just published Punishing Putin, a book all about it.


  • What’s a Russian oligarch like in person?
  • How America’s sanction regime against Russia works
  • The nuclear warfare of it all
  • Do Putin’s “red lines” mean anything?
  • The complex nature of the world’s oil economy
  • What are the limits of economic power?
  • Where are the semiconductors coming from?
  • What western technology tell us about Russia’s war machines
  • RT
  • Worshiping World War II
  • This is the end of globalization
  • The war doesn’t end without the end of Putin
  • What to do with Russia’s bank reserves?
  • Hungary?


He Had 5 Followers on YouTube. It Landed Him in Jail, Where He Died.


Go here to buy Punishing Putin

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com


How’s that sanctions regime working out for the U.S. and Russia? This week on the show, we have Stephanie Baker, a senior writer at Bloomberg, to try to answer the question. She just published Punishing Putin, a book all about it.


  • What’s a Russian oligarch like in person?
  • How America’s sanction regime against Russia works
  • The nuclear warfare of it all
  • Do Putin’s “red lines” mean anything?
  • The complex nature of the world’s oil economy
  • What are the limits of economic power?
  • Where are the semiconductors coming from?
  • What western technology tell us about Russia’s war machines
  • RT
  • Worshiping World War II
  • This is the end of globalization
  • The war doesn’t end without the end of Putin
  • What to do with Russia’s bank reserves?
  • Hungary?


He Had 5 Followers on YouTube. It Landed Him in Jail, Where He Died.


Go here to buy Punishing Putin

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> King Arthur at the End of the World King Arthur at the End of the World Thu, 17 Oct 2024 13:00:26 GMT 54:47 670eda6a7b5979efddbb57f7 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/king-arthur-at-the-end-of-the-world 670eda6a7b5979efddbb57f7 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 king-arthur-at-the-end-of-the-world full Do you ever feel you’re living in a world where all the good stuff happened to the previous generation? Does it seem like America’s best days are behind it? Were you born into an empire just as it began to collapse?


Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com/


We’d like to tell you about King Arthur.


The story of Arthur has been told hundreds of times in everything from song to story to movie. That makes it a pretty big deal when someone can tell the story of the ancient British king with freshness and originality.


Lev Grossman, author of the well-known The Magicians series, has done just that with The Bright Sword. While the characters may be familiar in large part, Sword will still keep you guessing all the way through.


Angry Planet got a chance to speak with Grossman who shared insights into the book, how it was written and Arthur himself. Take a listen.


  • “These stories about a lost golden age are a way of processing grief…grief, not over an apocalypse, but over massive change…I think that’s what stories like King Arthur are about.”
  • We can’t stop talking about Station 11 for some reason
  • Yes, Excalibur is the best Arthur adaptation
  • Why the fay are important
  • Radical social change and the apocalypse


Buy The Bright Sword here.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Do you ever feel you’re living in a world where all the good stuff happened to the previous generation? Does it seem like America’s best days are behind it? Were you born into an empire just as it began to collapse?


Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com/


We’d like to tell you about King Arthur.


The story of Arthur has been told hundreds of times in everything from song to story to movie. That makes it a pretty big deal when someone can tell the story of the ancient British king with freshness and originality.


Lev Grossman, author of the well-known The Magicians series, has done just that with The Bright Sword. While the characters may be familiar in large part, Sword will still keep you guessing all the way through.


Angry Planet got a chance to speak with Grossman who shared insights into the book, how it was written and Arthur himself. Take a listen.


  • “These stories about a lost golden age are a way of processing grief…grief, not over an apocalypse, but over massive change…I think that’s what stories like King Arthur are about.”
  • We can’t stop talking about Station 11 for some reason
  • Yes, Excalibur is the best Arthur adaptation
  • Why the fay are important
  • Radical social change and the apocalypse


Buy The Bright Sword here.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[Yaakov Katz on Israel's Invasion Of Lebanon]]> Mon, 07 Oct 2024 14:26:46 GMT 46:35 6703efa86f369dd035ba496a false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/yaakov-katz-on-israels-invasion-of-lebanon 6703efa86f369dd035ba496a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 yaakov-katz-on-israels-invasion-of-lebanon full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com/


Israel is at war-again. Adversaries include Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.


But behind all three is one enemy at the center of this web of violence: Iran.


Is this war the one where Israel and Iran finally confront each other directly? The missiles launched by the ayatollahs say yes, but what will the Jewish state do in return.


This week we look at a fight that could bring a whole world into war, with Yaakov Katz as our guide. He’s a former editor of the Jerusalem Post, and chronicler of modern combat in the Middle East.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com/


Israel is at war-again. Adversaries include Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.


But behind all three is one enemy at the center of this web of violence: Iran.


Is this war the one where Israel and Iran finally confront each other directly? The missiles launched by the ayatollahs say yes, but what will the Jewish state do in return.


This week we look at a fight that could bring a whole world into war, with Yaakov Katz as our guide. He’s a former editor of the Jerusalem Post, and chronicler of modern combat in the Middle East.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Tracer Burnout and Growing Up in the U.S. Military Tracer Burnout and Growing Up in the U.S. Military Mon, 23 Sep 2024 13:00:58 GMT 1:09:22 66ec7c360807ffb4e8797858 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/tracer-burnout-and-growing-up-in-the-us-military 66ec7c360807ffb4e8797858 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 tracer-burnout-and-growing-up-in-the-us-military full The American civilian-military divide is stark. Only about 1 percent of the U.S. population has served in the military. We here at Angry Planet like to do what we can to bridge that divide and have found that the easiest way to do that … is just to talk to veterans and service members.


That’s why you should listen to the podcast Tracer Burnout, a show where a pair of Army vets talk to other vets about their service. The guys at the center of it are Dan and Roger, two friends who both grew up as Army brats. On this episode of Angry Planet, Dan and Roger stop by the show to tell us about Tracer Burnout and what it was like to grow up on American military bases.


  • The origins of Tracer Burnout
  • How Fury inspired a veteran to start a podcast
  • Psychic soldiers in Fury
  • The difference between the branches
  • The changing relationship between the military and the American civilian population
  • Californians in Texas
  • The life of a military brat
  • Frontier re-enactors
  • Hardtack
  • The anti-authoritarian streak in veterans
  • What happens when the Army makes you to learn a language
  • Life as a personal trainer in the Army
  • Submariners
  • Where the name comes from


Listen to the Tracer Burnout podcast here


https://tracerburnout.com/

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The American civilian-military divide is stark. Only about 1 percent of the U.S. population has served in the military. We here at Angry Planet like to do what we can to bridge that divide and have found that the easiest way to do that … is just to talk to veterans and service members.


That’s why you should listen to the podcast Tracer Burnout, a show where a pair of Army vets talk to other vets about their service. The guys at the center of it are Dan and Roger, two friends who both grew up as Army brats. On this episode of Angry Planet, Dan and Roger stop by the show to tell us about Tracer Burnout and what it was like to grow up on American military bases.


  • The origins of Tracer Burnout
  • How Fury inspired a veteran to start a podcast
  • Psychic soldiers in Fury
  • The difference between the branches
  • The changing relationship between the military and the American civilian population
  • Californians in Texas
  • The life of a military brat
  • Frontier re-enactors
  • Hardtack
  • The anti-authoritarian streak in veterans
  • What happens when the Army makes you to learn a language
  • Life as a personal trainer in the Army
  • Submariners
  • Where the name comes from


Listen to the Tracer Burnout podcast here


https://tracerburnout.com/

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[Angry Planet's Resident Zionist Reckons With the Brutal Reality of Arab Life in Israel]]> Wed, 18 Sep 2024 15:05:18 GMT 55:55 66eaec2fec4ba464d56fe47d false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/angry-planets-resident-zionist-reckons-with-the-brutal-reali 66eaec2fec4ba464d56fe47d 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 angry-planets-resident-zionist-reckons-with-the-brutal-reali full This week on the show we’re honored to have Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nathan Thrall on the show. His 2023 book, A Day in the Life of Abed Salama cuts to the heart of daily life in and around Jerusalem.


In 2012, 5-year old Milad Salama was excited for a school field trip to a theme park. When his school bus hit a semi trailer, it upended the lives of everyone on the bus. What followed was a nightmare of bureaucracy that encapsulates what life is like for people living on the wrong side of the walls Israeli Arabs are forced to live behind. 


Masha Gessen and Nathan Thrall on The Whole Story of Israel and Palestine


A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem Tragedy

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> This week on the show we’re honored to have Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nathan Thrall on the show. His 2023 book, A Day in the Life of Abed Salama cuts to the heart of daily life in and around Jerusalem.


In 2012, 5-year old Milad Salama was excited for a school field trip to a theme park. When his school bus hit a semi trailer, it upended the lives of everyone on the bus. What followed was a nightmare of bureaucracy that encapsulates what life is like for people living on the wrong side of the walls Israeli Arabs are forced to live behind. 


Masha Gessen and Nathan Thrall on The Whole Story of Israel and Palestine


A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem Tragedy

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Presidents, Vice Presidents, and Assassinations Presidents, Vice Presidents, and Assassinations Mon, 09 Sep 2024 18:41:23 GMT 58:11 66df41558050843a934812bb false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/presidents-vice-presidents-and-assassinations 66df41558050843a934812bb 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 presidents-vice-presidents-and-assassinations full Hello and welcome to another conversation about conflict on an Angry Planet. Thanks for letting us kick up our heels this August, it was a rough one. We may not have been releasing, but we WERE recording.


The first episode upon our return is with terrorism and vice presidency expert Aaron Mannes. Mannes is lecturer at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy and was one of the first people to use big data sets to study terrorist group behavior. These days he’s really into vice presidents. We sat down with him for a wide-ranging conversation that covered everything from Aaron Burr to the Bonus Army.


  • Why are America and Israel all-in on assassination?
  • International relations versus the domestic tensions
  • Stats out of dead bodies
  • Assassination: Obama Style
  • The terrorist’s dilemma
  • Matthew immediately figures out how wrong he is
  • The case for Aaron Burr
  • The Bonus Army
  • Taking a shot at the vice president

Analyzing Assassination Plots Against VPs

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Hello and welcome to another conversation about conflict on an Angry Planet. Thanks for letting us kick up our heels this August, it was a rough one. We may not have been releasing, but we WERE recording.


The first episode upon our return is with terrorism and vice presidency expert Aaron Mannes. Mannes is lecturer at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy and was one of the first people to use big data sets to study terrorist group behavior. These days he’s really into vice presidents. We sat down with him for a wide-ranging conversation that covered everything from Aaron Burr to the Bonus Army.


  • Why are America and Israel all-in on assassination?
  • International relations versus the domestic tensions
  • Stats out of dead bodies
  • Assassination: Obama Style
  • The terrorist’s dilemma
  • Matthew immediately figures out how wrong he is
  • The case for Aaron Burr
  • The Bonus Army
  • Taking a shot at the vice president

Analyzing Assassination Plots Against VPs

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Doomsday Machines With Nuclear Historian Alex Wellserstein Doomsday Machines With Nuclear Historian Alex Wellserstein Mon, 12 Aug 2024 13:30:02 GMT 1:15:34 66ba0e5b3889f01ccfc2e6a2 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/doomsday-machines-with-nuclear-historian-alex-wellserstein 66ba0e5b3889f01ccfc2e6a2 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 doomsday-machines-with-nuclear-historian-alex-wellserstein full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com/


Nuclear historian Alex Wellerstein stops by Angry Planet this week to tell us all about his new project Doomsday Machines. It’s a deep dive into the weird post-nuclear futures we’ve built in pop culture.


  • How Warcraft orcs got ICBMs
  • Matthew confuses Camus and Sartre
  • Food poisoning as practice for the radical acceptance of death and suffering
  • Is there any hope in The Road?
  • Alex is hung up on the cannibals
  • The video game aesthetics of the post-nuclear world
  • Debunking gasoline futures
  • Working for the authoritarian government to get the petroleum industry back on its feet
  • The Civil Defense truncheon
  • Deep thoughts on the Fallout franchise
  • The American libertarian lone survivor


This American Life - Ends of the Earth

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com/


Nuclear historian Alex Wellerstein stops by Angry Planet this week to tell us all about his new project Doomsday Machines. It’s a deep dive into the weird post-nuclear futures we’ve built in pop culture.


  • How Warcraft orcs got ICBMs
  • Matthew confuses Camus and Sartre
  • Food poisoning as practice for the radical acceptance of death and suffering
  • Is there any hope in The Road?
  • Alex is hung up on the cannibals
  • The video game aesthetics of the post-nuclear world
  • Debunking gasoline futures
  • Working for the authoritarian government to get the petroleum industry back on its feet
  • The Civil Defense truncheon
  • Deep thoughts on the Fallout franchise
  • The American libertarian lone survivor


This American Life - Ends of the Earth

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> How Silicon Valley Seduced the Pentagon How Silicon Valley Seduced the Pentagon Mon, 29 Jul 2024 13:44:54 GMT 55:41 66a79cddec85576657473024 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/how-silicon-valley-seduced-the-pentagon 66a79cddec85576657473024 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-silicon-valley-seduced-the-pentagon AI won’t revolutionize defense, just defense spending. full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com/


Facing a friendly audience at an AI expo earlier this year, Palantir CEO Alex Karp let loose on a list of controversial topics. He talked about Israel, Gaza, and campus protests. “The peace activists are war activists,” Karp said. “We are the peace activists.”


Palantir, Karp’s company, is promising a bold new way to wage war using AI, one it’s testing out in Ukraine. Karp’s comments hit on an old promise. For generations, salesmen have tried to convince everyone they have a new way to conduct war that’s cleaner and better for everyone. That pitch is at the hard of dozens of new defense tech startups.


On today’s show we get into the weeds of the Pentagon’s Silicon Valley obsession with Michael Brenes. Brenes is a Yale historian who recently published a Quincy Institute brief about the rise of private finance and disruptors in the DoD contracting space. To hear Brenes tell it, companies have been trying to sell a peaceful way to make war for a hundred years.


It never quite turns out how they planned.


Private Finance and the Quest to Remake Modern Warfare


A.I. Won’t Transform War. It’ll Only Make Venture Capitalists Richer.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com/


Facing a friendly audience at an AI expo earlier this year, Palantir CEO Alex Karp let loose on a list of controversial topics. He talked about Israel, Gaza, and campus protests. “The peace activists are war activists,” Karp said. “We are the peace activists.”


Palantir, Karp’s company, is promising a bold new way to wage war using AI, one it’s testing out in Ukraine. Karp’s comments hit on an old promise. For generations, salesmen have tried to convince everyone they have a new way to conduct war that’s cleaner and better for everyone. That pitch is at the hard of dozens of new defense tech startups.


On today’s show we get into the weeds of the Pentagon’s Silicon Valley obsession with Michael Brenes. Brenes is a Yale historian who recently published a Quincy Institute brief about the rise of private finance and disruptors in the DoD contracting space. To hear Brenes tell it, companies have been trying to sell a peaceful way to make war for a hundred years.


It never quite turns out how they planned.


Private Finance and the Quest to Remake Modern Warfare


A.I. Won’t Transform War. It’ll Only Make Venture Capitalists Richer.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> On Presidential Assassins and the RNC With Rick Perlstein On Presidential Assassins and the RNC With Rick Perlstein Thu, 18 Jul 2024 14:31:05 GMT 1:02:44 6699272ae610c36c48ac0f48 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/on-presidential-assassins-and-the-rnc-with-rick-perlstein 6699272ae610c36c48ac0f48 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 on-presidential-assassins-and-the-rnc-with-rick-perlstein Early reactions to an attempted assassination of an American president. full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com/


Ronald Reagan carried a gun in his briefcase when he was president. According to Edmund Morris’ pseudo-historical memoir of Reagan, Dutch, Reagan got the gun in Iowa. “It is a fact … that RR did acquire a 1934 Walther PPK .380 pocket-sized police pistol early in his stay in Des Moines and kept it lovingly the rest of his life,” Morris wrote. “He even toted it in his briefcase as president.”


Reagan was obsessed with the idea that he was a target of assassination and had been since his days as the president of the Screen Actors Guild in the 1940s.


That’s just one of the bits of ephemera from this episode of Angry Planet where we’re joined by historian Rick Perlstein who is on the ground at the Republican National Convention. On Saturday, a gunman took a shot at former President Donald Trump. He missed, clipping his ear.


What can the lives of past assassins, both failed and successful tell us about Thomas Matthew Crooks? What is the duty of the historian at this moment? Is political violence on the rise in America or is this all business as usual?


Join us as we ask these questions and attempt to find some answers.


You Are Entering the Infernal Triangle


Gunman’s Phone Had Details About Both Trump and Biden, F.B.I. Officials Say


A Blind Spot and a Lost Trail: How the Gunman Got So Close to Trump


‘Stay Strapped or Get Clapped’

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com/


Ronald Reagan carried a gun in his briefcase when he was president. According to Edmund Morris’ pseudo-historical memoir of Reagan, Dutch, Reagan got the gun in Iowa. “It is a fact … that RR did acquire a 1934 Walther PPK .380 pocket-sized police pistol early in his stay in Des Moines and kept it lovingly the rest of his life,” Morris wrote. “He even toted it in his briefcase as president.”


Reagan was obsessed with the idea that he was a target of assassination and had been since his days as the president of the Screen Actors Guild in the 1940s.


That’s just one of the bits of ephemera from this episode of Angry Planet where we’re joined by historian Rick Perlstein who is on the ground at the Republican National Convention. On Saturday, a gunman took a shot at former President Donald Trump. He missed, clipping his ear.


What can the lives of past assassins, both failed and successful tell us about Thomas Matthew Crooks? What is the duty of the historian at this moment? Is political violence on the rise in America or is this all business as usual?


Join us as we ask these questions and attempt to find some answers.


You Are Entering the Infernal Triangle


Gunman’s Phone Had Details About Both Trump and Biden, F.B.I. Officials Say


A Blind Spot and a Lost Trail: How the Gunman Got So Close to Trump


‘Stay Strapped or Get Clapped’

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> So What Happens to SEAL Team 6 If They Do Assassinations for the President? So What Happens to SEAL Team 6 If They Do Assassinations for the President? Mon, 15 Jul 2024 14:15:42 GMT 1:13:11 66952f0f403dcbec7097e98a false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/so-what-happens-to-seal-team-6-if-they-do-assassinations-for 66952f0f403dcbec7097e98a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 so-what-happens-to-seal-team-6-if-they-do-assassinations-for Just because it’s legal for the president doesn’t mean it’s legal for the operator turned assassin. full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com/


On July 1, 2024 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that American presidents have immunity for “official acts” committed while in office. In the dissent opinion, Justice Sonia Sotomayor raised an interesting hypothetical.


“When he uses his official powers in any way, under the majority’s reasoning, he now will be insulated from criminal prosecution. Orders the Navy’s Seal Team 6 to assassinate a political rival? Immune.”


It’s the kind of hypothetical situation that people would roll their eyes at during a dinner party. Now it’s on everyone’s minds and in an official Supreme Court ruling. The president can order it, but that doesn’t mean the operators would carry it out. It also doesn’t mean state and local authorities would look the other way. 

On this episode of Angry Planet, Army lieutenant colonel and judge advocate Dan Maurer comes on the program to take the SEAL Team 6 hypothetical seriously. Maurer is an expert military legal scholar who was willing to answer our questions, no matter how absurd they might be.


Want to know what happens if the President hires Pinkertons? Interested in a definition of an “official act” or want an explanation of what the long term consequences of this might be? Looking for a bit of hope that cuts through the hysteria. We can help with that. We also ask a very silly question about Delta Force.

Maurer also wrote about the topic in Lawfare.


Can the Military Disobey Orders in the SEAL Team 6 Hypothetical?


Click here to join the Angry Planet Discord.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com/


On July 1, 2024 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that American presidents have immunity for “official acts” committed while in office. In the dissent opinion, Justice Sonia Sotomayor raised an interesting hypothetical.


“When he uses his official powers in any way, under the majority’s reasoning, he now will be insulated from criminal prosecution. Orders the Navy’s Seal Team 6 to assassinate a political rival? Immune.”


It’s the kind of hypothetical situation that people would roll their eyes at during a dinner party. Now it’s on everyone’s minds and in an official Supreme Court ruling. The president can order it, but that doesn’t mean the operators would carry it out. It also doesn’t mean state and local authorities would look the other way. 

On this episode of Angry Planet, Army lieutenant colonel and judge advocate Dan Maurer comes on the program to take the SEAL Team 6 hypothetical seriously. Maurer is an expert military legal scholar who was willing to answer our questions, no matter how absurd they might be.


Want to know what happens if the President hires Pinkertons? Interested in a definition of an “official act” or want an explanation of what the long term consequences of this might be? Looking for a bit of hope that cuts through the hysteria. We can help with that. We also ask a very silly question about Delta Force.

Maurer also wrote about the topic in Lawfare.


Can the Military Disobey Orders in the SEAL Team 6 Hypothetical?


Click here to join the Angry Planet Discord.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The Hard Limits of Cyber War and Subversion Operations The Hard Limits of Cyber War and Subversion Operations Tue, 02 Jul 2024 17:28:02 GMT 1:05:19 668438a49249f596b7114f1a false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-hard-limits-of-cyber-war-and-subversion-operations 668438a49249f596b7114f1a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-hard-limits-of-cyber-war-and-subversion-operations The effectiveness of influence operations have been greatly exaggerated. full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com/


Influence campaigns, both subtle and unsubtle, are as old as statecraft. Agencies like the CIA, KGB, and Israel’s Mossad have all attempted to force friends and rivals to change. It doesn’t work as often as you’d think. Subversion campaigns are often so secretive that their effectiveness is hard to quantify. But Lennart Maschmeyer decided to try.


Maschmeyer is on this episode of Angry Planet to tell us all about the limits of cyber war and subversion operations. It’s the subject of his new book Subversion: From Covert Operations to Cyber Conflict. Maschmeyer is a senior researcher at the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich and his book is a deep look at what works and what doesn’t when countries try to influence each other. It throws cold water on Russia’s much-hyped “Hybrid War” and the idea of cyber Pearl Harbor.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com/


Influence campaigns, both subtle and unsubtle, are as old as statecraft. Agencies like the CIA, KGB, and Israel’s Mossad have all attempted to force friends and rivals to change. It doesn’t work as often as you’d think. Subversion campaigns are often so secretive that their effectiveness is hard to quantify. But Lennart Maschmeyer decided to try.


Maschmeyer is on this episode of Angry Planet to tell us all about the limits of cyber war and subversion operations. It’s the subject of his new book Subversion: From Covert Operations to Cyber Conflict. Maschmeyer is a senior researcher at the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich and his book is a deep look at what works and what doesn’t when countries try to influence each other. It throws cold water on Russia’s much-hyped “Hybrid War” and the idea of cyber Pearl Harbor.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Inside the Congressional Nuclear Bunker Inside the Congressional Nuclear Bunker Mon, 24 Jun 2024 14:41:58 GMT 57:27 667985b7da1c2dde36cacc3e false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/inside-the-congressional-nuclear-bunker 667985b7da1c2dde36cacc3e 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 inside-the-congressional-nuclear-bunker Matt Farwell is here to take us on a tour of America’s apocalyptic aesthetic. full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com/


We used to build things in America, things like fallout shelters. There’s a luxury hotel on the border between Virginia and West Virginia that’s been a favorite retreat of the D.C. elite for generations. After the fall of the atom bombs in World War II, Washington commissioned an addition to the hotel: a secret fallout shelter that would house Congress in the event of a nuclear war.


Matt Farwell of The Hunt for Tom Clancy is here to tell that story and others from the golden age of Atomic America. There was a time when Las Vegas casinos sold tickets to watch nuclear tests. It was an era when the concrete flowed like water and America built bunkers under a hotel and a military base in the heart of a mountain.


We might even talk about Nazis and aliens. It’s a wild one. Join us.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com/


We used to build things in America, things like fallout shelters. There’s a luxury hotel on the border between Virginia and West Virginia that’s been a favorite retreat of the D.C. elite for generations. After the fall of the atom bombs in World War II, Washington commissioned an addition to the hotel: a secret fallout shelter that would house Congress in the event of a nuclear war.


Matt Farwell of The Hunt for Tom Clancy is here to tell that story and others from the golden age of Atomic America. There was a time when Las Vegas casinos sold tickets to watch nuclear tests. It was an era when the concrete flowed like water and America built bunkers under a hotel and a military base in the heart of a mountain.


We might even talk about Nazis and aliens. It’s a wild one. Join us.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> TEASER: Getting Away With Murder in Texas TEASER: Getting Away With Murder in Texas Thu, 13 Jun 2024 15:00:17 GMT 11:36 6663635fb6f3d90012dcf485 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/teaser-getting-away-with-murder-in-texas 6663635fb6f3d90012dcf485 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 teaser-getting-away-with-murder-in-texas It’s easy, just offer catharsis to the right political movement after a summer of unrest. full Sign up at angryplanetpod.com to get instant access to the full episode.


A direct link to the episode on Substack.


Back in 2020, Daniel Perry was driving for Uber to make ends meet. He ran a red light and dove his car into a crowd at a Black Lives Matter protest. Garret Foster was there to protect the crowd and he’d brought an AK-47 along to do it. Foster, an Air Force veteran, approached Perry’s car. Perry, an Army sergeant, pulled out a pistol and killed Foster from the car and drove away.


After a trial and a deep dive into Perry’s online history, a jury of his peers found him guilty of murder. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pardoned him. 


Why? Perry had become a symbol that transcended justice.


Christopher Hooks is here to walk us through the particulars of the case. Hooks is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and The Atlantic. He’s been writing about the Perry case and its consequences for Texas Monthly. Hooks tells us exactly what happened in 2020, when Perry committed the murder, and walks us through the colorful cast of Texas politicians who may soon take the national stage.


Why Did Greg Abbott Pardon a Racist Murderer?


Ken Paxton Takes Manhattan


What Azerbaijan Wants From Texas Politicians


D.A. Seeks to Overturn Texas Governor’s Pardon of Man Who Killed Protester

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Sign up at angryplanetpod.com to get instant access to the full episode.


A direct link to the episode on Substack.


Back in 2020, Daniel Perry was driving for Uber to make ends meet. He ran a red light and dove his car into a crowd at a Black Lives Matter protest. Garret Foster was there to protect the crowd and he’d brought an AK-47 along to do it. Foster, an Air Force veteran, approached Perry’s car. Perry, an Army sergeant, pulled out a pistol and killed Foster from the car and drove away.


After a trial and a deep dive into Perry’s online history, a jury of his peers found him guilty of murder. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pardoned him. 


Why? Perry had become a symbol that transcended justice.


Christopher Hooks is here to walk us through the particulars of the case. Hooks is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and The Atlantic. He’s been writing about the Perry case and its consequences for Texas Monthly. Hooks tells us exactly what happened in 2020, when Perry committed the murder, and walks us through the colorful cast of Texas politicians who may soon take the national stage.


Why Did Greg Abbott Pardon a Racist Murderer?


Ken Paxton Takes Manhattan


What Azerbaijan Wants From Texas Politicians


D.A. Seeks to Overturn Texas Governor’s Pardon of Man Who Killed Protester

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> How to Count Nuclear Weapons How to Count Nuclear Weapons Wed, 12 Jun 2024 14:00:19 GMT 59:42 66635b6eb6f3d90012dab433 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/how-to-count-nuclear-weapons 66635b6eb6f3d90012dab433 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-to-count-nuclear-weapons Every year, a small team at the Federation of American Scientists goes through the laborious process of counting world-ending weapons. full Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com/


No one is really sure how many nuclear weapons are out there. Every number you see is a best guess. Russia and the U.S. have the most, sitting at around 5,000 each. France has just under 200, China has about 500 (and is probably building more), and North Korea has around 50. The world’s nuclear powers love to keep the details of these weapons secret, but not too secret. It’s a complex game of signaling and secrets, one that can be difficult to parse from the outside.


Matt Korda of the Federation of American Scientists is here today to walk us through the world’s nuclear powers and the wannabes. Over at the FAS, Korda spends his days looking at high resolution satellite photos of Chinese deserts, pouring over footage of Russian military drills, and reading every line of Pentagon budgets. All that information is mixed together to produce the Nuclear Notebook: a constantly updated inventory of world ending weapons. 


The Nuclear Notebook


Nuclear Threats Are Looming, And Nobody Knows How Many Nukes Are Out There



Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.com/


No one is really sure how many nuclear weapons are out there. Every number you see is a best guess. Russia and the U.S. have the most, sitting at around 5,000 each. France has just under 200, China has about 500 (and is probably building more), and North Korea has around 50. The world’s nuclear powers love to keep the details of these weapons secret, but not too secret. It’s a complex game of signaling and secrets, one that can be difficult to parse from the outside.


Matt Korda of the Federation of American Scientists is here today to walk us through the world’s nuclear powers and the wannabes. Over at the FAS, Korda spends his days looking at high resolution satellite photos of Chinese deserts, pouring over footage of Russian military drills, and reading every line of Pentagon budgets. All that information is mixed together to produce the Nuclear Notebook: a constantly updated inventory of world ending weapons. 


The Nuclear Notebook


Nuclear Threats Are Looming, And Nobody Knows How Many Nukes Are Out There



Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> TEASER: Checking In On the Online Nazis With Jason Wilson TEASER: Checking In On the Online Nazis With Jason Wilson Thu, 06 Jun 2024 14:39:38 GMT 13:35 6661ca2cf688a100124b177e false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/teaser-checking-in-on-the-online-nazis-with-jason-wilson 6661ca2cf688a100124b177e 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 teaser-checking-in-on-the-online-nazis-with-jason-wilson Whatever happened to the alt-right? They’ve rebranded and doubled down on racism. trailer Sign up at angryplanetpod.com to get instant access to the full episode.


A direct link to the episode on Substack.


American politics was bizarre in 2016. Alt-right figures dominated many news cycles and shared pictures of cartoon frogs online. A lot of those personalities, like Baked Alaska and Richard Spencer, flamed out and vanished from the scene. But there’s always money to be made and political power to be gained by playing to people’s base fears and a new brand of online far right weirdo has risen to take their places.


On this episode of Angry Planet we check in on the so-called “New Right” with investigative journalist Jason Wilson. Wilson has chronicled far-right movements for years and recently exposed some of their thought leaders in The Guardian. If you want to learn why some people care about the “longhouse” or the importance of online anonymity when spreading weird ideas online, then this is the episode for you. 


Revealed: US university lecturer behind far-right Twitter account and publishing house


Revealed: the extremist Maga lobbying group driving far-right Republican policies


At least 66 members of far-right group in rural Oregon standing for office


Revealed: how a US far-right group is influencing anti-gay policies in Africa

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Sign up at angryplanetpod.com to get instant access to the full episode.


A direct link to the episode on Substack.


American politics was bizarre in 2016. Alt-right figures dominated many news cycles and shared pictures of cartoon frogs online. A lot of those personalities, like Baked Alaska and Richard Spencer, flamed out and vanished from the scene. But there’s always money to be made and political power to be gained by playing to people’s base fears and a new brand of online far right weirdo has risen to take their places.


On this episode of Angry Planet we check in on the so-called “New Right” with investigative journalist Jason Wilson. Wilson has chronicled far-right movements for years and recently exposed some of their thought leaders in The Guardian. If you want to learn why some people care about the “longhouse” or the importance of online anonymity when spreading weird ideas online, then this is the episode for you. 


Revealed: US university lecturer behind far-right Twitter account and publishing house


Revealed: the extremist Maga lobbying group driving far-right Republican policies


At least 66 members of far-right group in rural Oregon standing for office


Revealed: how a US far-right group is influencing anti-gay policies in Africa

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The FBI’s Chat App and the Biggest Sting Operation In History The FBI’s Chat App and the Biggest Sting Operation In History Wed, 05 Jun 2024 13:00:15 GMT 53:12 665f43a1aa134f00122bb61c false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-fbis-chat-app-and-the-biggest-sting-operation-in-history 665f43a1aa134f00122bb61c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-fbis-chat-app-and-the-biggest-sting-operation-in-history For three years, law enforcement across the planet had a backdoor into the private messages of transnational criminal empires. Then it shut it all down. full International criminal organizations are more concerned about message security than the average citizen. The end-to-end encryption of WhatsApp or Signal is great, but drug traffickers are looking for a little extra. Enter services like Anom, EncroChat, Sky, and Phantom Secure— discrete messaging services that charged big bucks and promised criminals a chat experience free from the prying eyes of law enforcement. But the cops always find a way. And one of those services was actually purpose built by the FBI to act as a spying tool on the world’s criminals.


In Dark Wire, investigative journalist Joseph Cox tells the story of how the FBI built and maintained a phone service just for criminals. He’s on Angry Plant today to tell us all about it.


Buy DARK WIRE here.


You could have heard an early, and commercial free, version of this episode. Sign up for the Angry Planet newsletter to get started.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> International criminal organizations are more concerned about message security than the average citizen. The end-to-end encryption of WhatsApp or Signal is great, but drug traffickers are looking for a little extra. Enter services like Anom, EncroChat, Sky, and Phantom Secure— discrete messaging services that charged big bucks and promised criminals a chat experience free from the prying eyes of law enforcement. But the cops always find a way. And one of those services was actually purpose built by the FBI to act as a spying tool on the world’s criminals.


In Dark Wire, investigative journalist Joseph Cox tells the story of how the FBI built and maintained a phone service just for criminals. He’s on Angry Plant today to tell us all about it.


Buy DARK WIRE here.


You could have heard an early, and commercial free, version of this episode. Sign up for the Angry Planet newsletter to get started.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[Ships: America Doesn't Build Them Like It Used To (Or at All)]]> Thu, 30 May 2024 13:00:35 GMT 1:00:13 665659441eb8ac001119f1ac false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/ships-america-doesnt-build-them-like-it-used-to-or-at-all 665659441eb8ac001119f1ac 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 ships-america-doesnt-build-them-like-it-used-to-or-at-all America has the largest navy in the history of the world. It isn’t great at maintaining it. full A lot goes into keeping a navy afloat. There’s ship husbanding, maintenance, and buckets of haze gray. The U.S. used to be good at this, but it hasn’t been on an active war-footing for a long time and the manufacturing base that created its massive navy has seen better days. So what happens if there’s a war and America doesn’t have enough welders, let alone drydocks, to build out its fleets?


Gil Barndollar is a senior analyst at Defense Priorities and the co-author of a recent piece in Foreign Policy about America’s inability to build new ships. Barndollar sounds the alarm on a number of different issues facing the U.S. military: the recruitment crisis, manufacturing issues, and sailors pushed to the limits of their physical abilities.


We might even talk about arming container ships with missile batteries to augment existing forces.


The U.S. Navy Can’t Build Ships


Converting Merchant Ships to Missile Ships for the Win

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> A lot goes into keeping a navy afloat. There’s ship husbanding, maintenance, and buckets of haze gray. The U.S. used to be good at this, but it hasn’t been on an active war-footing for a long time and the manufacturing base that created its massive navy has seen better days. So what happens if there’s a war and America doesn’t have enough welders, let alone drydocks, to build out its fleets?


Gil Barndollar is a senior analyst at Defense Priorities and the co-author of a recent piece in Foreign Policy about America’s inability to build new ships. Barndollar sounds the alarm on a number of different issues facing the U.S. military: the recruitment crisis, manufacturing issues, and sailors pushed to the limits of their physical abilities.


We might even talk about arming container ships with missile batteries to augment existing forces.


The U.S. Navy Can’t Build Ships


Converting Merchant Ships to Missile Ships for the Win

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> TEASER: The Case for World War III Breaking Out This Summer TEASER: The Case for World War III Breaking Out This Summer Wed, 22 May 2024 22:48:14 GMT 12:18 664e762f71bd5900118260a2 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/teaser-the-case-for-world-war-iii-breaking-out-this-summer 664e762f71bd5900118260a2 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 teaser-the-case-for-world-war-iii-breaking-out-this-summer full Sign up at angryplanetpod.com to get instant access to the full episode.


A direct link to the episode on Substack.


The big picture in Europe doesn’t look good. Russia is moving to encircle key cities in Ukraine and is shaking its nuclear saber at the West. Ukraine’s nearest neighbors are, understandably, concerned about Moscow’s aggression and militarizing at an alarming rate. This summer, NATO will conduct Operation Steadfast Defender, a military exercise the Pentagon said is the largest since the Cold War. To Moscow, an enormous military exercise on its border could seem a tad aggressive.


Add to this Russia’s recent nuclear rhetoric and missile exercise and the geopolitical situation is looking a bit tense. On this episode of Angry Planet, Aram Shabanian stops by to talk us through the troubling signs he’s seeing about a brewing conflict between Russia and NATO. Shabanian is the Open-Source Information Gathering Manager at the New Lines Institute. We also get into what happens when you mix Coke and Pepsi, how Reagan navigated a similar situation, and when it’s OK for everyone to stop worrying about the bomb. (Never.)

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Sign up at angryplanetpod.com to get instant access to the full episode.


A direct link to the episode on Substack.


The big picture in Europe doesn’t look good. Russia is moving to encircle key cities in Ukraine and is shaking its nuclear saber at the West. Ukraine’s nearest neighbors are, understandably, concerned about Moscow’s aggression and militarizing at an alarming rate. This summer, NATO will conduct Operation Steadfast Defender, a military exercise the Pentagon said is the largest since the Cold War. To Moscow, an enormous military exercise on its border could seem a tad aggressive.


Add to this Russia’s recent nuclear rhetoric and missile exercise and the geopolitical situation is looking a bit tense. On this episode of Angry Planet, Aram Shabanian stops by to talk us through the troubling signs he’s seeing about a brewing conflict between Russia and NATO. Shabanian is the Open-Source Information Gathering Manager at the New Lines Institute. We also get into what happens when you mix Coke and Pepsi, how Reagan navigated a similar situation, and when it’s OK for everyone to stop worrying about the bomb. (Never.)

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The Horrors Behind Your Frozen Shrimp The Horrors Behind Your Frozen Shrimp Mon, 20 May 2024 13:24:38 GMT 48:59 664b4f17e25fc50012e79662 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-horrors-behind-your-frozen-shrimp 664b4f17e25fc50012e79662 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-horrors-behind-your-frozen-shrimp full Americans love shrimp. They love it so much they don’t think too hard about where it comes from—or the virtual slaves who are farming them. Joshua Farinella doesn’t have that luxury.


A few years ago, Farinella took a job working for a shrimp production company in India. The money they were paying would set his family up for a long time to come, but what he saw when he landed in the country made him realize the cash wasn’t worth it. He chose to blow the whistle.


On this episode of Angry Planet, Farinella sits down with us to talk about what he saw in the shrimp factory. It all starts one fateful night when he receives a WhatsApp message telling him that one of the plant’s workers was caught in the place’s water treatment facility. “She was searching for a way out of there,” the message said. “Her contractor is not allowing her to go home.”


After Farinella decided to blow the whistle, he began to document what he saw at the plant. Video, audio, and documents he secured can be viewed at The Outlaw Ocean Project. 


Read The Whistleblower at The Outlaw Ocean Project


Read through the documents.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Americans love shrimp. They love it so much they don’t think too hard about where it comes from—or the virtual slaves who are farming them. Joshua Farinella doesn’t have that luxury.


A few years ago, Farinella took a job working for a shrimp production company in India. The money they were paying would set his family up for a long time to come, but what he saw when he landed in the country made him realize the cash wasn’t worth it. He chose to blow the whistle.


On this episode of Angry Planet, Farinella sits down with us to talk about what he saw in the shrimp factory. It all starts one fateful night when he receives a WhatsApp message telling him that one of the plant’s workers was caught in the place’s water treatment facility. “She was searching for a way out of there,” the message said. “Her contractor is not allowing her to go home.”


After Farinella decided to blow the whistle, he began to document what he saw at the plant. Video, audio, and documents he secured can be viewed at The Outlaw Ocean Project. 


Read The Whistleblower at The Outlaw Ocean Project


Read through the documents.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> TEASER: Russian Murderers Who Go to War and Come Home to Kill Again TEASER: Russian Murderers Who Go to War and Come Home to Kill Again Thu, 02 May 2024 23:27:09 GMT 11:15 6634214f19f78300127e84ce false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/teaser-russian-murderers-who-go-to-war-and-come-home-to-kill 6634214f19f78300127e84ce 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 teaser-russian-murderers-who-go-to-war-and-come-home-to-kill The Kremlin is emptying its prisons and turning convicts into ‘meat storms.’ trailer Sign up at angryplanetpod.com to get instant access to the full episode.


A direct link to the episode on Substack.


In Russia there’s a revolving door between prisons and the frontlines. What began as a Wanger program is now official: the Kremlin will pardon nearly any crime if the convict agrees to serve on the front lines in Ukraine. After a six month stint at war, murderers and rapists are free to return to the scene of the crime. Some come home to kill again.


On this episode of Angry Planet, New York Times journalist Milana Mazaeva is here to talk about what happens to Russian communities when criminals return to them after going to war. The first half of the conversation covers the articles and details harrowing stories of Russian murderers who became soldiers who became murderers again. 


The latter half of the episode is about how hard it is to report from Russia right now, the incredible games of telephone Mazaeva plays to get the stories she does, and what’s lost when you can’t visit the place you’re reporting on.


Pardoned for Serving in Ukraine, They Return to Russia to Kill Again

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Sign up at angryplanetpod.com to get instant access to the full episode.


A direct link to the episode on Substack.


In Russia there’s a revolving door between prisons and the frontlines. What began as a Wanger program is now official: the Kremlin will pardon nearly any crime if the convict agrees to serve on the front lines in Ukraine. After a six month stint at war, murderers and rapists are free to return to the scene of the crime. Some come home to kill again.


On this episode of Angry Planet, New York Times journalist Milana Mazaeva is here to talk about what happens to Russian communities when criminals return to them after going to war. The first half of the conversation covers the articles and details harrowing stories of Russian murderers who became soldiers who became murderers again. 


The latter half of the episode is about how hard it is to report from Russia right now, the incredible games of telephone Mazaeva plays to get the stories she does, and what’s lost when you can’t visit the place you’re reporting on.


Pardoned for Serving in Ukraine, They Return to Russia to Kill Again

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Americans in Ukraine Looking for ‘Daybreak’ Americans in Ukraine Looking for ‘Daybreak’ Mon, 29 Apr 2024 15:24:36 GMT 1:01:55 662fbbb6f51ce1001389dad2 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/americans-in-ukraine-looking-for-daybreak 662fbbb6f51ce1001389dad2 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 americans-in-ukraine-looking-for-daybreak Sometimes fiction does a better job of telling the truth than journalism. full Luke Paxton and Han Lee know a good cause when they see one. When Russia invades Ukraine in 2022, the American vets know what they need to do. Their time in Afghanistan has given them the skills to help fight a war and the moral clarity needed to know when a cause is just.


But are they going to fight in Ukraine for the right reason? Do Ukrainians want them there? And does either matter when bombs are dropping all over the country?

On this episode of Angry Planet, author Matt Gallagher returns to the podcast to talk about his novel Daybreak. It’s the story of Paxton and Lee as they travel to Ukraine to fight. It’s a work of fiction that strikes at deeper emotional truths about the conflict. It’s also pieced together from Gallagher’s own experiences in Ukraine, some of which wouldn’t fit neatly into a work of journalistic non-fiction.


  • What fiction can do that non-fiction can’t.
  • Exploring Lviv’s mystical toy barter alley.
  • The contractually required Joan Didion quote.
  • Why Ukrainians are suspicious of Americans who say “I want to help.”
  • The structure of a Daybreak movie.
  • Recorded 4/23/24


Go here to buy Daybreak.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Luke Paxton and Han Lee know a good cause when they see one. When Russia invades Ukraine in 2022, the American vets know what they need to do. Their time in Afghanistan has given them the skills to help fight a war and the moral clarity needed to know when a cause is just.


But are they going to fight in Ukraine for the right reason? Do Ukrainians want them there? And does either matter when bombs are dropping all over the country?

On this episode of Angry Planet, author Matt Gallagher returns to the podcast to talk about his novel Daybreak. It’s the story of Paxton and Lee as they travel to Ukraine to fight. It’s a work of fiction that strikes at deeper emotional truths about the conflict. It’s also pieced together from Gallagher’s own experiences in Ukraine, some of which wouldn’t fit neatly into a work of journalistic non-fiction.


  • What fiction can do that non-fiction can’t.
  • Exploring Lviv’s mystical toy barter alley.
  • The contractually required Joan Didion quote.
  • Why Ukrainians are suspicious of Americans who say “I want to help.”
  • The structure of a Daybreak movie.
  • Recorded 4/23/24


Go here to buy Daybreak.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[An Insider's Critique of Israel]]> Mon, 22 Apr 2024 13:00:09 GMT 1:03:07 6622d70e09a9320012ccefc4 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/an-insiders-critique-of-israel 6622d70e09a9320012ccefc4 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 an-insiders-critique-of-israel full The war between Israel and Hamas, which began on Oct. 7 when terrorists overran the Gaza frontier and killed more than 1,200 Israelis, is now more than six months old. More than 100 Israeli hostages are still being held in Gaza.


Israel, in return, has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians, with two thirds of that number likely to be civilians, including women and children. There are negotiations for a ceasefire going on—at least sporadically—but Dan Perry, former Associated Press bureau chief in the region, says that Hamas isn't playing by the same rules as Israel, or anyone else.


Hamas, according to Perry, welcomes the deaths of Palestinian civilians. Anyone and everyone can be a martyr for Hamas's cause, which is not peace, but a complete destruction of Israel. Whoever must be sacrificed in the process, well, other people's live are a price Hamas is willing to pay.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The war between Israel and Hamas, which began on Oct. 7 when terrorists overran the Gaza frontier and killed more than 1,200 Israelis, is now more than six months old. More than 100 Israeli hostages are still being held in Gaza.


Israel, in return, has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians, with two thirds of that number likely to be civilians, including women and children. There are negotiations for a ceasefire going on—at least sporadically—but Dan Perry, former Associated Press bureau chief in the region, says that Hamas isn't playing by the same rules as Israel, or anyone else.


Hamas, according to Perry, welcomes the deaths of Palestinian civilians. Anyone and everyone can be a martyr for Hamas's cause, which is not peace, but a complete destruction of Israel. Whoever must be sacrificed in the process, well, other people's live are a price Hamas is willing to pay.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> TEASER: Crawl Out Through the ‘Fallout’ TEASER: Crawl Out Through the ‘Fallout’ Fri, 19 Apr 2024 20:46:18 GMT 18:51 6622d81b092c1d00138e523f false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/teaser-crawl-out-through-the-fallout 6622d81b092c1d00138e523f 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 teaser-crawl-out-through-the-fallout full Sign up at angryplanetpod.com to get instant access to the full episode.


A direct link to the episode on Substack.


A successful TV adaptation of the Fallout video game franchise has everyone excited about the post-apocalypse again so we thought it was a good time to finally do a bonus episode we’ve been threatening for a long time.


Cultural critic, journalist, and YouTuber Noah Caldwell-Gervais comes on this episode of Angry Planet to discuss all things Fallout. It’s a long episode, we dive into a lot of topics including


  • Jason’s globe from 1937
  • The peculiar pleasure of vacuum tube technology
  • Cold War memories
  • The anxiety of worrying about dying in a nuclear blast
  • West Coast vs East Coast Fallout 
  • In defense of Fallout 76
  • Power armor and Soviet Tanks
  • Vault-Tec the ultimate villain

Full spoiler warning for all of the Fallout video games and the entire TV show.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Sign up at angryplanetpod.com to get instant access to the full episode.


A direct link to the episode on Substack.


A successful TV adaptation of the Fallout video game franchise has everyone excited about the post-apocalypse again so we thought it was a good time to finally do a bonus episode we’ve been threatening for a long time.


Cultural critic, journalist, and YouTuber Noah Caldwell-Gervais comes on this episode of Angry Planet to discuss all things Fallout. It’s a long episode, we dive into a lot of topics including


  • Jason’s globe from 1937
  • The peculiar pleasure of vacuum tube technology
  • Cold War memories
  • The anxiety of worrying about dying in a nuclear blast
  • West Coast vs East Coast Fallout 
  • In defense of Fallout 76
  • Power armor and Soviet Tanks
  • Vault-Tec the ultimate villain

Full spoiler warning for all of the Fallout video games and the entire TV show.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> What Happens to the World When China and the U.S. ‘Face Off’? What Happens to the World When China and the U.S. ‘Face Off’? Fri, 12 Apr 2024 13:00:32 GMT 1:02:06 6616fb2f5b8c180016ca9201 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/what-happens-to-the-world-when-china-and-the-us-face-off 6616fb2f5b8c180016ca9201 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 what-happens-to-the-world-when-china-and-the-us-face-off full Go here to listen to Face-Off


Jane Perlez is a veteran foreign correspondent, the former Bejing Bureau Chief for The New York Times, and host of the new podcast “Face-Off.” She’s on Angry Planet today to talk to us about the show and her experiences reporting on China. “Face-Off” is all about America’s complicated relationship with China. Perlez says she started the show because she was tired of the hysterical conversations she hears about Beijing in Washington.

In this episode we learn …


  • Why On the Beach is Perlez’s favorite nuclear war movie.


  • What it’s like to visit China for the first time at the height of the Cultural Revolution.


  • What “Communism” means in a country with a growing bourgeoisie.


  • What it takes for someone to lead China.


When Mao and Khrushchev Went Swimming

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Go here to listen to Face-Off


Jane Perlez is a veteran foreign correspondent, the former Bejing Bureau Chief for The New York Times, and host of the new podcast “Face-Off.” She’s on Angry Planet today to talk to us about the show and her experiences reporting on China. “Face-Off” is all about America’s complicated relationship with China. Perlez says she started the show because she was tired of the hysterical conversations she hears about Beijing in Washington.

In this episode we learn …


  • Why On the Beach is Perlez’s favorite nuclear war movie.


  • What it’s like to visit China for the first time at the height of the Cultural Revolution.


  • What “Communism” means in a country with a growing bourgeoisie.


  • What it takes for someone to lead China.


When Mao and Khrushchev Went Swimming

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The Origins of Haiti’s Gangs and What Comes Next The Origins of Haiti’s Gangs and What Comes Next Wed, 10 Apr 2024 13:00:55 GMT 44:05 661593bd9505bc00164995cb false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-origins-of-haitis-gangs-and-what-comes-next 661593bd9505bc00164995cb 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-origins-of-haitis-gangs-and-what-comes-next full Violence thrives in countries where political solutions to conflict have failed. On this episode of Angry Planet, Jeffsky Poincy comes on the show to walk us through the origins of Haiti’s gang problems and lay out the complicated history that gave rise to them.


Poincy, who is Haitian, is a program manager at PartnersGlobal, an NGO that helps foster democratic conflict resolution. Poincy’s perspective on the violence in Haiti is that it will require complicated and lengthy political solutions. The gangs thrive, he says, because of their place in a complicated transnational criminal network. It’s a local problem that requires local solutions. A thousand Kenyan soldiers on the ground in the devastated country won’t provide long term relief. Real political change will.


Recorded 4/5/24


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Violence thrives in countries where political solutions to conflict have failed. On this episode of Angry Planet, Jeffsky Poincy comes on the show to walk us through the origins of Haiti’s gang problems and lay out the complicated history that gave rise to them.


Poincy, who is Haitian, is a program manager at PartnersGlobal, an NGO that helps foster democratic conflict resolution. Poincy’s perspective on the violence in Haiti is that it will require complicated and lengthy political solutions. The gangs thrive, he says, because of their place in a complicated transnational criminal network. It’s a local problem that requires local solutions. A thousand Kenyan soldiers on the ground in the devastated country won’t provide long term relief. Real political change will.


Recorded 4/5/24


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA[TEASER: Haiti. Life in Empire's Shadow]]> Mon, 08 Apr 2024 22:35:21 GMT 10:24 6614712afcf85000165d7cea false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/teaser-haiti-life-in-empires-shadow 6614712afcf85000165d7cea 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 teaser-haiti-life-in-empires-shadow The root cause of many of Haiti’s problems can be laid at the feet of the U.S. Now, can it do anything to help? full Sign up at angryplanetpod.com to get instant access to the full episode.


  • Recorded 4/4/24


The U.S. State Department has been working hard to get Americans out of Haiti. The island nation’s government is in shambles and gangs run much of the urban center of Port-au-Prince. Haitians have struggled for hundreds of years at the hands of gangs, brutal authoritarian dictators, and colonial rule. One of its biggest problems has always been its nearest Imperial neighbor: America.


On this episode of Angry Planet, we get America’s side of the story. Keith Mines is the Vice President for Latin America at U.S. Institute of Peace. If you’ve never heard of the USIP, you aren’t alone. As Mines says in the show, it is bad at branding. Part of a Congressional initiative from 1984, the USIP was founded to pursue peaceful resolutions to worldwide conflict.


Mines has a storied career of government service. He’s worked for the State Department and been all across the world. His unique point of view gives listeners a window into the mind of a member of the U.S. political establishment. Mines has a deep knowledge of Haiti and a deeper understanding of how badly America has screwed up its efforts to help.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Sign up at angryplanetpod.com to get instant access to the full episode.


  • Recorded 4/4/24


The U.S. State Department has been working hard to get Americans out of Haiti. The island nation’s government is in shambles and gangs run much of the urban center of Port-au-Prince. Haitians have struggled for hundreds of years at the hands of gangs, brutal authoritarian dictators, and colonial rule. One of its biggest problems has always been its nearest Imperial neighbor: America.


On this episode of Angry Planet, we get America’s side of the story. Keith Mines is the Vice President for Latin America at U.S. Institute of Peace. If you’ve never heard of the USIP, you aren’t alone. As Mines says in the show, it is bad at branding. Part of a Congressional initiative from 1984, the USIP was founded to pursue peaceful resolutions to worldwide conflict.


Mines has a storied career of government service. He’s worked for the State Department and been all across the world. His unique point of view gives listeners a window into the mind of a member of the U.S. political establishment. Mines has a deep knowledge of Haiti and a deeper understanding of how badly America has screwed up its efforts to help.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> TEASER: The Shockingly Sophisticated Arsenal of the Houthis TEASER: The Shockingly Sophisticated Arsenal of the Houthis Fri, 29 Mar 2024 16:07:45 GMT 11:38 6606e752b31dbb001653ad4b false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/teaser-the-shockingly-sophisticated-arsenal-of-the-houthis 6606e752b31dbb001653ad4b 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 teaser-the-shockingly-sophisticated-arsenal-of-the-houthis full Yemen has become a battlefield of technological firsts. The Houthis have turned the Red Sea into a proving ground for Iranian weapons, and Tehran is learning what works and what doesn’t. It’s become a place where the Khamenei and his crew can test new technologies and new strategies. It’s a win for Iran and a win for the Houthis in the short-term, but missiles on their own don’t win wars.


On this bonus episode of Angry Planet, Fabian Hinz of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London comes on to tell us about the technological capabilities of the Houthis.


Recorded on 3/21/24


  • A quick and dirty history of the Houthi movement
  • Its mysterious founder
  • Jason learns about lasers
  • Matthew learns about Manhattan allergies

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Yemen has become a battlefield of technological firsts. The Houthis have turned the Red Sea into a proving ground for Iranian weapons, and Tehran is learning what works and what doesn’t. It’s become a place where the Khamenei and his crew can test new technologies and new strategies. It’s a win for Iran and a win for the Houthis in the short-term, but missiles on their own don’t win wars.


On this bonus episode of Angry Planet, Fabian Hinz of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London comes on to tell us about the technological capabilities of the Houthis.


Recorded on 3/21/24


  • A quick and dirty history of the Houthi movement
  • Its mysterious founder
  • Jason learns about lasers
  • Matthew learns about Manhattan allergies

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> How Palantir Is Using AI in Ukraine How Palantir Is Using AI in Ukraine Tue, 26 Mar 2024 15:53:35 GMT 58:00 6602ef817044d100163a9120 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/how-palantir-is-using-ai-in-ukraine 6602ef817044d100163a9120 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-palantir-is-using-ai-in-ukraine full Defense contractors and governments can run a thousand simulations, but the data they get will never be as good as what’s generated on a battlefield. When Russia invaded Ukraine, tech companies saw an opportunity. A land war in Europe presented a unique chance to test cutting-edge technologies. That’s why, a few months after the 2022 invasion, Palantir CEO Alex Karp drove into the capital to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. 


TIME Senior Correspondent Vera Bergengruen is here on Angry Planet to tell the story. She traveled to Ukraine herself to see how tech companies have turned the country into a test bed for AI and other advanced technologies. As the war grinds on, Kyiv is singing the praises of the companies that help keep it safe. But wars aren’t forever and what becomes of some of the more invasive technology like facial recognition when the fighting stops?


How Tech Giants Turned Ukraine Into an AI War Lab


A Palantir-published tech demo

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Defense contractors and governments can run a thousand simulations, but the data they get will never be as good as what’s generated on a battlefield. When Russia invaded Ukraine, tech companies saw an opportunity. A land war in Europe presented a unique chance to test cutting-edge technologies. That’s why, a few months after the 2022 invasion, Palantir CEO Alex Karp drove into the capital to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. 


TIME Senior Correspondent Vera Bergengruen is here on Angry Planet to tell the story. She traveled to Ukraine herself to see how tech companies have turned the country into a test bed for AI and other advanced technologies. As the war grinds on, Kyiv is singing the praises of the companies that help keep it safe. But wars aren’t forever and what becomes of some of the more invasive technology like facial recognition when the fighting stops?


How Tech Giants Turned Ukraine Into an AI War Lab


A Palantir-published tech demo

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> TEASER: War Literature as Culture War Fodder TEASER: War Literature as Culture War Fodder Wed, 20 Mar 2024 21:13:11 GMT 12:22 65fb51683c6a620017b20db8 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/teaser-war-literature-as-culture-war-fodder 65fb51683c6a620017b20db8 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 teaser-war-literature-as-culture-war-fodder full Sign up at angryplanetpod.com to get instant access to the full episode.


Writing, even fiction writing, about war provides a clear-eyed and honest view of conflict that the best movies and television shows can’t replicate. Civilians and soldiers on all sides of conflicts have always turned to poetry and prose to express feelings that are hard to articulate any other way. 


On March 10, the literary magazine Guernica published a personal essay from British-Israeli writer Joannna Chen about the Israel-Hamas War. After a backlash to the essay that came from both inside and out, Guernica pulled the piece.


“Guernica regrets having published this piece and has retracted it. A more fulsome explanation will follow,” the literary magazine published in place of the essay. As of this writing, that more fulsome explanation has not arrived.


On this bonus episode of Angry Planet, author, journalist, and veteran Matt Galagher comes on to the show to walk us through the Guernica dustup and the importance of war writing. He talks to us about his recent trips to Ukraine, his relationship with the literary world, and his new novel: Daybreak. In Daybreak, Gallagher tells the story of American veterans who travel to Ukraine looking to fight a war that isn’t their own.


Recorded on 3/14/24


“From the Edges of a Broken World,” republished by Washington Monthly. 


“Looking Back on the Spanish Civil War” by George Orwell


Buy Daybreak here.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Sign up at angryplanetpod.com to get instant access to the full episode.


Writing, even fiction writing, about war provides a clear-eyed and honest view of conflict that the best movies and television shows can’t replicate. Civilians and soldiers on all sides of conflicts have always turned to poetry and prose to express feelings that are hard to articulate any other way. 


On March 10, the literary magazine Guernica published a personal essay from British-Israeli writer Joannna Chen about the Israel-Hamas War. After a backlash to the essay that came from both inside and out, Guernica pulled the piece.


“Guernica regrets having published this piece and has retracted it. A more fulsome explanation will follow,” the literary magazine published in place of the essay. As of this writing, that more fulsome explanation has not arrived.


On this bonus episode of Angry Planet, author, journalist, and veteran Matt Galagher comes on to the show to walk us through the Guernica dustup and the importance of war writing. He talks to us about his recent trips to Ukraine, his relationship with the literary world, and his new novel: Daybreak. In Daybreak, Gallagher tells the story of American veterans who travel to Ukraine looking to fight a war that isn’t their own.


Recorded on 3/14/24


“From the Edges of a Broken World,” republished by Washington Monthly. 


“Looking Back on the Spanish Civil War” by George Orwell


Buy Daybreak here.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Nuclear War and Imagining the Unimaginable Nuclear War and Imagining the Unimaginable Mon, 18 Mar 2024 14:46:07 GMT 1:02:18 65f853b1704a7800163dcb5b false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/nuclear-war-and-imagining-the-unimaginable 65f853b1704a7800163dcb5b 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 nuclear-war-and-imagining-the-unimaginable full The U.S. is spending $2 trillion to overhaul its nuclear weapons. China is building ICBM silos in the desert. Russia has spent the last ten years talking about its fancy new nukes. After decades of drawdown, the world’s great powers are reversing course and rebuilding their nuclear arsenals. We have forgotten the power and terror of these weapons.


W.J. Hennigan of The New York Times wants the world to remember. 


On this episode of Angry Planet, Hennigan discusses the Time’s new series: At the Brink. He’s spent the last year interviewing experts about the threat of nuclear war. His reporting asks its reader to imagine the unimaginable.


Nuclear War Is Called Unimaginable. In Fact, It’s Not Imagined Enough.


How America Made Nuclear War the President's Decision

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The U.S. is spending $2 trillion to overhaul its nuclear weapons. China is building ICBM silos in the desert. Russia has spent the last ten years talking about its fancy new nukes. After decades of drawdown, the world’s great powers are reversing course and rebuilding their nuclear arsenals. We have forgotten the power and terror of these weapons.


W.J. Hennigan of The New York Times wants the world to remember. 


On this episode of Angry Planet, Hennigan discusses the Time’s new series: At the Brink. He’s spent the last year interviewing experts about the threat of nuclear war. His reporting asks its reader to imagine the unimaginable.


Nuclear War Is Called Unimaginable. In Fact, It’s Not Imagined Enough.


How America Made Nuclear War the President's Decision

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> What Would an End Game Look Like in Gaza? What Would an End Game Look Like in Gaza? Wed, 13 Mar 2024 04:00:54 GMT 59:58 65ef3a6f4025940017cc4a07 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/what-would-an-end-game-look-like-in-gaza 65ef3a6f4025940017cc4a07 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 what-would-an-end-game-look-like-in-gaza full It's easy to say the words "two-state solution" between Israel and the Palestinians, but as Steven Cook of the Council on Foreign Relations explains, there are plenty of reasons why there hasn't been one so far. We also take another look at "moral" war in a tight space. What's the difference between collateral damage and a war crime? And has world opinion turned permanently against Israel? 


We also talk to Steven about his upcoming book, The End of Ambition: American's Past, Present, and Future in the Middle East.


Recorded 3/8/24.


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Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> It's easy to say the words "two-state solution" between Israel and the Palestinians, but as Steven Cook of the Council on Foreign Relations explains, there are plenty of reasons why there hasn't been one so far. We also take another look at "moral" war in a tight space. What's the difference between collateral damage and a war crime? And has world opinion turned permanently against Israel? 


We also talk to Steven about his upcoming book, The End of Ambition: American's Past, Present, and Future in the Middle East.


Recorded 3/8/24.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> America’s Fight in the Red Sea America’s Fight in the Red Sea Mon, 11 Mar 2024 13:00:54 GMT 1:06:25 65eb5048128cfd0017169dbf false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/americas-fight-in-the-red-sea 65eb5048128cfd0017169dbf 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 americas-fight-in-the-red-sea full

Since the middle of December, a U.S.-led coalition has been trading munitions with Houthis in Yemen. The day after Christmas, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower began participating in strikes against targets along the coast. It hasn’t left since and the conflict between a group of international allies and the Houthis has continued.


On this episode of Angry Planet, former fighter pilot and current YouTuber Ward Carroll sits down to walk us through the ins and outs of Operation Prosperity Guardian. The conversation was recorded on February 20, 2023, and as Carroll predicted, the conflict remained remarkably static in the weeks that followed.


That changed on March 5, when a Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile struck the M/V True Confidence, killing three. 


Did the Houthis Cut Internet Cables in the Red Sea?


The fighter pilots hunting Houthi drones over the Red Sea


Ward’s initial thoughts on the "ace"


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]>

Since the middle of December, a U.S.-led coalition has been trading munitions with Houthis in Yemen. The day after Christmas, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower began participating in strikes against targets along the coast. It hasn’t left since and the conflict between a group of international allies and the Houthis has continued.


On this episode of Angry Planet, former fighter pilot and current YouTuber Ward Carroll sits down to walk us through the ins and outs of Operation Prosperity Guardian. The conversation was recorded on February 20, 2023, and as Carroll predicted, the conflict remained remarkably static in the weeks that followed.


That changed on March 5, when a Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile struck the M/V True Confidence, killing three. 


Did the Houthis Cut Internet Cables in the Red Sea?


The fighter pilots hunting Houthi drones over the Red Sea


Ward’s initial thoughts on the "ace"


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> It’s Time to Retire the Term ‘Proxy War’ It’s Time to Retire the Term ‘Proxy War’ Thu, 29 Feb 2024 16:39:02 GMT 58:44 65e0b328d3026b001789390c false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/its-time-to-retire-the-term-proxy-war 65e0b328d3026b001789390c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 its-time-to-retire-the-term-proxy-war full One of the persistent themes of Angry Planet has been that smaller countries in the spheres of influence of great powers have far greater control over their destinies than it would appear. If the recent fighting in the Middle East has taught us anything, it’s that local partners have plans of their own and it’s impossible for a patron to have complete control over what happens on the ground.


On this episode of Angry Planet, Barbara Elias of Bowdoin College comes on to make the case for retiring the term ‘proxy war.’ It’s a wide ranging conversation that covers Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and Vietnam. Tune in for a worthwhile discussion of geopolitical semantics and stick around for a wild story of million dollar goats in Afghanistan. 


Afghanistan’s Failed Goat Farm Is the Perfect American Disaster


Local Partners Are Not Proxies: The Case for Rethinking Proxy War


Why Allies Rebel: Defiant Local Partners in Counterinsurgency Wars


Subscribe to CYBER on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> One of the persistent themes of Angry Planet has been that smaller countries in the spheres of influence of great powers have far greater control over their destinies than it would appear. If the recent fighting in the Middle East has taught us anything, it’s that local partners have plans of their own and it’s impossible for a patron to have complete control over what happens on the ground.


On this episode of Angry Planet, Barbara Elias of Bowdoin College comes on to make the case for retiring the term ‘proxy war.’ It’s a wide ranging conversation that covers Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and Vietnam. Tune in for a worthwhile discussion of geopolitical semantics and stick around for a wild story of million dollar goats in Afghanistan. 


Afghanistan’s Failed Goat Farm Is the Perfect American Disaster


Local Partners Are Not Proxies: The Case for Rethinking Proxy War


Why Allies Rebel: Defiant Local Partners in Counterinsurgency Wars


Subscribe to CYBER on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Can You Fight a Moral War in a Tight Space? Can You Fight a Moral War in a Tight Space? Thu, 15 Feb 2024 18:10:06 GMT 1:00:02 65ce537ff7b25900169e96c9 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/can-you-fight-a-moral-war-in-a-tight-space 65ce537ff7b25900169e96c9 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 can-you-fight-a-moral-war-in-a-tight-space full Retired Colonel John Spencer, who is a combat veteran who now teaches at West Point, joins Matthew and Jason for a second time. This time we're not talking about how to carry out urban warfare, but we're looking at how you fight morally under impossible circumstances. John recently wrote a piece for Newsweek (Jason's day job), making the controversial case that the Israelis are doing more than any other modern military to limit civilian casualties. You can see if he's persuasive for yourself.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Retired Colonel John Spencer, who is a combat veteran who now teaches at West Point, joins Matthew and Jason for a second time. This time we're not talking about how to carry out urban warfare, but we're looking at how you fight morally under impossible circumstances. John recently wrote a piece for Newsweek (Jason's day job), making the controversial case that the Israelis are doing more than any other modern military to limit civilian casualties. You can see if he's persuasive for yourself.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Ore Is the New Oil Ore Is the New Oil Tue, 30 Jan 2024 20:23:31 GMT 49:04 65b95ac47133840016752bb7 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/ore-is-the-new-oil 65b95ac47133840016752bb7 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 ore-is-the-new-oil full Oil makes the world go ‘round, for now. But rare earth minerals such as lithium are increasingly in demand and, as a result, the source of conflict. With us on the show today is Reuters journalist Ernest Scheyder. His new book The War Below: Lithium, Copper, and the Global Battle to Power Our Lives explores the new resource war that’s sucking in community activists, titans of industry, and global superpowers.


Scheyder’s work at Reuters


The War Below: Lithium, Copper, and the Global Battle to Power Our Lives


We took questions from subscribers this week for the show. If you want in on the discussions and memes, and want to get an idea of what’s coming up click the link below.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Oil makes the world go ‘round, for now. But rare earth minerals such as lithium are increasingly in demand and, as a result, the source of conflict. With us on the show today is Reuters journalist Ernest Scheyder. His new book The War Below: Lithium, Copper, and the Global Battle to Power Our Lives explores the new resource war that’s sucking in community activists, titans of industry, and global superpowers.


Scheyder’s work at Reuters


The War Below: Lithium, Copper, and the Global Battle to Power Our Lives


We took questions from subscribers this week for the show. If you want in on the discussions and memes, and want to get an idea of what’s coming up click the link below.


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]]> How Ukraine Wins How Ukraine Wins Thu, 25 Jan 2024 22:11:03 GMT 56:08 65b2dc79c88e8800164805bf false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/how-ukraine-wins 65b2dc79c88e8800164805bf 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-ukraine-wins full

Joining your faithful Angry Planet crew this week are Rose Gottemoeller and Michael Ryan, both national security experts and both with a strong view that the war in Ukraine can still be won. And they'll even tell you how, if you listen to this week's show.


You can read more of their thoughts in Foreign Policy: Ukraine Has a Pathway to Victory


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]]>

Joining your faithful Angry Planet crew this week are Rose Gottemoeller and Michael Ryan, both national security experts and both with a strong view that the war in Ukraine can still be won. And they'll even tell you how, if you listen to this week's show.


You can read more of their thoughts in Foreign Policy: Ukraine Has a Pathway to Victory


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]]> One Year Reporting in Russia One Year Reporting in Russia Tue, 16 Jan 2024 18:29:35 GMT 57:44 65a6cb1143a7a100170f5635 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/one-year-reporting-in-russia 65a6cb1143a7a100170f5635 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 one-year-reporting-in-russia full Vice News reporter Any Hayward spent the better part of the last year in Russia reporting on the domestic situation there. His work has appeared in various segments on Vice’s website, but he’s got a new documentary coming out on the anniversary of fullscale invasion called Warped by War.


Hayward is here to walk us through what he saw, who he talked to, and the unique dangers of reporting in Putin’s Russia as a foreign journalist.

The Vice YouTube channel is here. Warped by War will be available there on February 24.


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]]> Vice News reporter Any Hayward spent the better part of the last year in Russia reporting on the domestic situation there. His work has appeared in various segments on Vice’s website, but he’s got a new documentary coming out on the anniversary of fullscale invasion called Warped by War.


Hayward is here to walk us through what he saw, who he talked to, and the unique dangers of reporting in Putin’s Russia as a foreign journalist.

The Vice YouTube channel is here. Warped by War will be available there on February 24.


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]]> A Throw of the Dice: Games the Pentagon Plays A Throw of the Dice: Games the Pentagon Plays Tue, 09 Jan 2024 18:26:30 GMT 57:51 659d8fd70ce394001774631a false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/a-throw-of-the-dice-games-the-pentagon-plays 659d8fd70ce394001774631a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 a-throw-of-the-dice-games-the-pentagon-plays full Welcome to the new year at Angry Planet.


For the last 100 years, American defense policy has been aided by elaborate war games. SIGMA, the Cold War Game, and the Millenium Challenge are just some of the most famous. Sometimes these games are played with dice and boards, other times they’re purely electronic. Why do we do this, when did we start, and what does it all mean? More importantly, how do we make sure the board games don’t play us?


Here to answer those questions is Director of the Hoover Wargaming and Crisis Simulation Initiative, Jacquelyn Schneider.


What War Games Really Reveal


One episode of The Crisis Game on YouTube


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]]> Welcome to the new year at Angry Planet.


For the last 100 years, American defense policy has been aided by elaborate war games. SIGMA, the Cold War Game, and the Millenium Challenge are just some of the most famous. Sometimes these games are played with dice and boards, other times they’re purely electronic. Why do we do this, when did we start, and what does it all mean? More importantly, how do we make sure the board games don’t play us?


Here to answer those questions is Director of the Hoover Wargaming and Crisis Simulation Initiative, Jacquelyn Schneider.


What War Games Really Reveal


One episode of The Crisis Game on YouTube


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]]> What, Exactly, Is the Military Industrial Complex? What, Exactly, Is the Military Industrial Complex? Fri, 15 Dec 2023 14:00:49 GMT 38:52 657a24228417640016bc463a false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/what-exactly-is-the-military-industrial-complex 657a24228417640016bc463a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 what-exactly-is-the-military-industrial-complex full When President Dwight David Eisenhower left the stage as president of the United States in 1961, he warned of the military-industrial complex he was leaving behind. Sounds ominous, right? And that complex has had 60 years to harden in place since Eisenhower’s farewell address.


But what is the military-industrial complex? Is it a war-mongering machine out to kill us all at a profit? Is it a bunch of old boys networking to sell $700 hammers to the Pentagon through no-bid deals? Was Eisenhower overstating a problem that only he could see?


We spoke with Emma Salisbury, who just finished a Ph.D. thesis on the subject. As with virtually everything on Angry Planet, the truth was more complicated than you might think.


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]]> When President Dwight David Eisenhower left the stage as president of the United States in 1961, he warned of the military-industrial complex he was leaving behind. Sounds ominous, right? And that complex has had 60 years to harden in place since Eisenhower’s farewell address.


But what is the military-industrial complex? Is it a war-mongering machine out to kill us all at a profit? Is it a bunch of old boys networking to sell $700 hammers to the Pentagon through no-bid deals? Was Eisenhower overstating a problem that only he could see?


We spoke with Emma Salisbury, who just finished a Ph.D. thesis on the subject. As with virtually everything on Angry Planet, the truth was more complicated than you might think.


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]]> The Movie That Scared Ronald Reagan Into Nuclear Détente The Movie That Scared Ronald Reagan Into Nuclear Détente Mon, 04 Dec 2023 20:54:51 GMT 1:05:22 656e3c9ca0bbe6001273d799 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-movie-that-scared-ronald-reagan-into-nuclear-detente 656e3c9ca0bbe6001273d799 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-movie-that-scared-ronald-reagan-into-nuclear-detente full Forty years ago, a made for TV movie aired on ABC that changed the world. It was called The Day After, and it depicted life in Kansas and Missouri after a nuclear exchange with the Soviet Union. More than 100 million people watched it when it aired. One of them was president Ronald Reagan.


“I ran the tape of the movie ABC is running on the air Nov. 20. It’s called “The Day After.” It has Lawrence Kansas wiped out in a nuclear war with Russia. It is powerfully done—all $7 mil. worth. It’s very effective & left me greatly depressed,” he wrote in his diary after watching an early screening in 1983. “So far they haven’t sold any of the 25 spot ads scheduled & I can see why. Whether it will be of help to the ‘anti nukes’ or not, I cant say. My own reaction was one of our having to do all we can to have a deterrent & to see there is never a nuclear war.”


This week on Angry Planet, we talk with David Craig about his new book Apocalypse Television: How the Day After Helped End the Cold War. More than just a “making-of” story, Craig’s book is a reminder of the transcendent power of art to change the world.


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]]> Forty years ago, a made for TV movie aired on ABC that changed the world. It was called The Day After, and it depicted life in Kansas and Missouri after a nuclear exchange with the Soviet Union. More than 100 million people watched it when it aired. One of them was president Ronald Reagan.


“I ran the tape of the movie ABC is running on the air Nov. 20. It’s called “The Day After.” It has Lawrence Kansas wiped out in a nuclear war with Russia. It is powerfully done—all $7 mil. worth. It’s very effective & left me greatly depressed,” he wrote in his diary after watching an early screening in 1983. “So far they haven’t sold any of the 25 spot ads scheduled & I can see why. Whether it will be of help to the ‘anti nukes’ or not, I cant say. My own reaction was one of our having to do all we can to have a deterrent & to see there is never a nuclear war.”


This week on Angry Planet, we talk with David Craig about his new book Apocalypse Television: How the Day After Helped End the Cold War. More than just a “making-of” story, Craig’s book is a reminder of the transcendent power of art to change the world.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> How Tom Clancy Explains America How Tom Clancy Explains America Fri, 24 Nov 2023 19:53:42 GMT 1:09:40 6560ff488a409c001267b9cf false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/how-tom-clancy-explains-america 6560ff488a409c001267b9cf 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-tom-clancy-explains-america full Here’s an episode for anyone who thinks art can’t change the world. Tom Clancy topped the best seller charts for decades. He’s so popular that even his death couldn’t stop sales, and the flow of new products. Books, TV shows, movies, and video games all bear his name. But Clancy wasn’t just a popular author—he was also a geopolitical player.


On the show this week is writer Matt Farwell, creator of the The Hunt For Tom Clancy substack. Farwell’s unique blend of memoir, history, and critique casts a light on the weird world we live in now. A world that Clancy helped create.


https://thehuntfortomclancy.substack.com/


I would have liked to have seen Montana


Over The Top in Texas


The Teeth of the The Tiger


The Sum of All Fears


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> Here’s an episode for anyone who thinks art can’t change the world. Tom Clancy topped the best seller charts for decades. He’s so popular that even his death couldn’t stop sales, and the flow of new products. Books, TV shows, movies, and video games all bear his name. But Clancy wasn’t just a popular author—he was also a geopolitical player.


On the show this week is writer Matt Farwell, creator of the The Hunt For Tom Clancy substack. Farwell’s unique blend of memoir, history, and critique casts a light on the weird world we live in now. A world that Clancy helped create.


https://thehuntfortomclancy.substack.com/


I would have liked to have seen Montana


Over The Top in Texas


The Teeth of the The Tiger


The Sum of All Fears


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribeAngry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> Ever More War: A Conflict Without End Ever More War: A Conflict Without End Fri, 17 Nov 2023 20:09:27 GMT 57:05 6557c8790418cd001228cff5 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/ever-more-war-a-conflict-without-end 6557c8790418cd001228cff5 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 ever-more-war-a-conflict-without-end full The war between Israel and Hamas shows no sign of slowing. More and more (just as was predicted on this show) sympathy for the Jewish State is drying up around the world amid horrific losses among Palestinian civilians, especially children. College campuses are flooded with students and faculty calling for the end of Israel itself.


In this episode, we look into the origins of the conflict, as well as its causes, with Steven Cook of the Council on Foreign relations. Everyone's done that, though. What makes this episode worth listening to—beyond our natural charms—is that we try to get a grip on the region and even what the end game could possibly look like.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> The war between Israel and Hamas shows no sign of slowing. More and more (just as was predicted on this show) sympathy for the Jewish State is drying up around the world amid horrific losses among Palestinian civilians, especially children. College campuses are flooded with students and faculty calling for the end of Israel itself.


In this episode, we look into the origins of the conflict, as well as its causes, with Steven Cook of the Council on Foreign relations. Everyone's done that, though. What makes this episode worth listening to—beyond our natural charms—is that we try to get a grip on the region and even what the end game could possibly look like.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> <![CDATA[What It's Like to Work in a Gazan Hospital]]> Wed, 15 Nov 2023 16:31:20 GMT 50:48 6554f25a1276b400123d7be4 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/what-its-like-to-work-in-a-gazan-hospital 6554f25a1276b400123d7be4 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 what-its-like-to-work-in-a-gazan-hospital full This week on the show we talked with Canadian-Palestinian doctor Tarek Loubani about his work as an emergency room doctor in Gaza. Loubani helped pioneer the use of 3D printers in Gaza to produce low-cost medical equipment like stethoscopes. In 2018, he was shot in the legs by the IDF while delivering medical supplies.


In this wide ranging conversation, he talks about the importance of low cost medical supplies, the 3D printing revolution, and what it’s like to work in a hospital under siege.


The Glia Project


Makers of 3D-Printed Medical Equipment Struggle to Save Lives In Gaza Under Siege


Israel Bombs Emergency Medical Equipment 3D-Printing Facility in Gaza (Published 2021)


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> This week on the show we talked with Canadian-Palestinian doctor Tarek Loubani about his work as an emergency room doctor in Gaza. Loubani helped pioneer the use of 3D printers in Gaza to produce low-cost medical equipment like stethoscopes. In 2018, he was shot in the legs by the IDF while delivering medical supplies.


In this wide ranging conversation, he talks about the importance of low cost medical supplies, the 3D printing revolution, and what it’s like to work in a hospital under siege.


The Glia Project


Makers of 3D-Printed Medical Equipment Struggle to Save Lives In Gaza Under Siege


Israel Bombs Emergency Medical Equipment 3D-Printing Facility in Gaza (Published 2021)


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> AI and Propaganda in the Israel-Hamas War AI and Propaganda in the Israel-Hamas War Mon, 06 Nov 2023 20:29:22 GMT 43:59 65494ca45ccbc000129da9d4 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/ai-and-propaganda-in-the-israel-hamas-war 65494ca45ccbc000129da9d4 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 ai-and-propaganda-in-the-israel-hamas-war full This episode was recorded on 10/10/23.


Every war comes with a fog that makes it hard, if not impossible, to tell what’s going on while it’s being fought. The Israel-Hamas War is no different. What sets it apart is a digital information space rife AI generated images, perverse incentives, and outright propaganda. 


This week on Angry Planet we sat down with Emauel Maiberg and Joseph Cox of 404 Media come on the show to talk about covering the war’s and how the digital world has supercharged disinformation.


‘Verified’ OSINT Accounts Are Destroying the Israel-Palestine Information Ecosystem


Elon Musk Broke All the Tools Historians Need to Archive Tweets About Israel-Gaza War


Netanyahu’s Government Is Trying to Suspend the Freedom of Information


AI Images Detectors Are Being Used to Discredit the Real Horrors of War


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]]> This episode was recorded on 10/10/23.


Every war comes with a fog that makes it hard, if not impossible, to tell what’s going on while it’s being fought. The Israel-Hamas War is no different. What sets it apart is a digital information space rife AI generated images, perverse incentives, and outright propaganda. 


This week on Angry Planet we sat down with Emauel Maiberg and Joseph Cox of 404 Media come on the show to talk about covering the war’s and how the digital world has supercharged disinformation.


‘Verified’ OSINT Accounts Are Destroying the Israel-Palestine Information Ecosystem


Elon Musk Broke All the Tools Historians Need to Archive Tweets About Israel-Gaza War


Netanyahu’s Government Is Trying to Suspend the Freedom of Information


AI Images Detectors Are Being Used to Discredit the Real Horrors of War


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]]> Causes and Consequences of War In Gaza Causes and Consequences of War In Gaza Wed, 25 Oct 2023 13:00:19 GMT 1:32:46 6536e610cbb2df00129b70e5 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/causes-and-consequences-of-war-in-gaza 6536e610cbb2df00129b70e5 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 causes-and-consequences-of-war-in-gaza full This week’s episode is a long conversation with Joey Ayoub about Gaza, Palestine, and Israel.


We cover a lot of ground and we’ve got a lot of show notes that accompany this episode.


Show notes from Joey:


Where the Palestinian Political Project Goes from Here


“Divide and Rule”: How Israel Helped Start Hamas to Weaken Palestinian Hopes for Statehood


Joey’s excellent podcast, The Fire These Times and its Patreon.


Follow Joey on Mastodon.


Show Notes on Robert Malley


The Smear Job


Inside Iran’s influence operation


House is investigating Biden’s former Iran envoy


An Iran mouthpiece’s ‘scoop’ draws Republican ire


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> This week’s episode is a long conversation with Joey Ayoub about Gaza, Palestine, and Israel.


We cover a lot of ground and we’ve got a lot of show notes that accompany this episode.


Show notes from Joey:


Where the Palestinian Political Project Goes from Here


“Divide and Rule”: How Israel Helped Start Hamas to Weaken Palestinian Hopes for Statehood


Joey’s excellent podcast, The Fire These Times and its Patreon.


Follow Joey on Mastodon.


Show Notes on Robert Malley


The Smear Job


Inside Iran’s influence operation


House is investigating Biden’s former Iran envoy


An Iran mouthpiece’s ‘scoop’ draws Republican ire


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> A First Take on the Situation in Gaza A First Take on the Situation in Gaza Sun, 15 Oct 2023 22:31:51 GMT 53:16 652c6859bf841200127c034e false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/a-first-take-on-the-situation-in-gaza 652c6859bf841200127c034e 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 a-first-take-on-the-situation-in-gaza full Writing a blurb to describe a podcast episode isn't typically a difficult thing to do—between myself and Matthew, we've been writing for about 50 years—but as all things with Israel and the Palestinians, even writing a blurb is bound to offend someone. That's not our goal, but if you listen to the show, don't be surprised if there are a few things that you don't agree with, or even some that make you angry. It's in the name of the show, after all.


This week we're talking about the Hamas attacks on Israel and their immediate aftermath. Joining us is Joseph Epstein. He's a fellow at the Endowment of Middle East Truth and a veteran of the Israel Defense Forces, and an all around smart guy.


This is only the first episode we're going to have on this developing war, not the last. If this POV isn't for you, we'll be looking at some others in the weeks to come.


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]]> Writing a blurb to describe a podcast episode isn't typically a difficult thing to do—between myself and Matthew, we've been writing for about 50 years—but as all things with Israel and the Palestinians, even writing a blurb is bound to offend someone. That's not our goal, but if you listen to the show, don't be surprised if there are a few things that you don't agree with, or even some that make you angry. It's in the name of the show, after all.


This week we're talking about the Hamas attacks on Israel and their immediate aftermath. Joining us is Joseph Epstein. He's a fellow at the Endowment of Middle East Truth and a veteran of the Israel Defense Forces, and an all around smart guy.


This is only the first episode we're going to have on this developing war, not the last. If this POV isn't for you, we'll be looking at some others in the weeks to come.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> A Righteous Conversation About Mark Milley A Righteous Conversation About Mark Milley Fri, 13 Oct 2023 18:41:34 GMT 40:20 65298f6074eb720012523a44 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/a-righteous-conversation-about-mark-milley 65298f6074eb720012523a44 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 a-righteous-conversation-about-mark-milley full Paul Rieckhoff is a veteran with a lot to say about the state of the world. He came on Angry Planet to help us understand what happened when former President Donald Trump and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley crossed paths. What does it mean to swear allegiance to the Constitution above all, rather than to any particular commander-in-chief? What do you do if that person at the top wants you to do something unlawful, and who gets to judge what is unlawful?


Fun stuff? Tough stuff—but Paul Rieckhoff is both. You can hear more from him at his fabulous Independent Americans podcast, where someone is finally talking a little sense about this country.


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]]> Paul Rieckhoff is a veteran with a lot to say about the state of the world. He came on Angry Planet to help us understand what happened when former President Donald Trump and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley crossed paths. What does it mean to swear allegiance to the Constitution above all, rather than to any particular commander-in-chief? What do you do if that person at the top wants you to do something unlawful, and who gets to judge what is unlawful?


Fun stuff? Tough stuff—but Paul Rieckhoff is both. You can hear more from him at his fabulous Independent Americans podcast, where someone is finally talking a little sense about this country.


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]]> <![CDATA[The UN's Annual Circus Comes to Town]]> Wed, 04 Oct 2023 19:20:19 GMT 43:17 651dbaf40934650010611ca6 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-uns-annual-circus-comes-to-town 651dbaf40934650010611ca6 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-uns-annual-circus-comes-to-town full Once a year, leaders from around the world leave their capitals behind them for a trip to the Big City, New York. What could pull these powerful men—and far fewer women—away from affairs of state? Is it the revival of Spamalot on Broadway? No, the opening is still a few weeks away. Could it be the glittering bars, restaurants, and hotels? The easy availability of the ingredients for every vice known to humanity? Is it simply the lights on Broadway?


Nope.


It’s the one, the only United Nations General Assembly, which comes to town every September and plays to rave reviews—if you ask the delegates themselves. In reality, many of these leaders are addressing empty seats or facing interns sharpening their pencils for notes they may never take.

So, why come?


We’re going to tell you why with the help of Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group, who knows the arcane, backroom secrets of this annual get together of the powerful and—if they’re stealing—the rich.


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]]> Once a year, leaders from around the world leave their capitals behind them for a trip to the Big City, New York. What could pull these powerful men—and far fewer women—away from affairs of state? Is it the revival of Spamalot on Broadway? No, the opening is still a few weeks away. Could it be the glittering bars, restaurants, and hotels? The easy availability of the ingredients for every vice known to humanity? Is it simply the lights on Broadway?


Nope.


It’s the one, the only United Nations General Assembly, which comes to town every September and plays to rave reviews—if you ask the delegates themselves. In reality, many of these leaders are addressing empty seats or facing interns sharpening their pencils for notes they may never take.

So, why come?


We’re going to tell you why with the help of Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group, who knows the arcane, backroom secrets of this annual get together of the powerful and—if they’re stealing—the rich.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> The Saddam Hussein of the Caucasus The Saddam Hussein of the Caucasus Mon, 25 Sep 2023 19:54:13 GMT 49:56 6511e56681ba1a0011248d8c false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-saddam-hussein-of-the-caucasus 6511e56681ba1a0011248d8c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-saddam-hussein-of-the-caucasus full Aram Shabanian stops by this week to talk to us about the strong men of the Caucasus.


We start with a deep dive into what’s going on in Armenia and Azerbaijan right now with a focus on the 1990s. Shabanian calls Azerbaijan’s President, Ilham Aliyevl, the “Saddam Hussein of the Caucasus” and comes to grip with the realpolitik of the conflict.


Then we turn our attention to Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov and discuss rumors of his failing health, mixed martial arts, and how a brutal warlord became an internet meme.


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]]> Aram Shabanian stops by this week to talk to us about the strong men of the Caucasus.


We start with a deep dive into what’s going on in Armenia and Azerbaijan right now with a focus on the 1990s. Shabanian calls Azerbaijan’s President, Ilham Aliyevl, the “Saddam Hussein of the Caucasus” and comes to grip with the realpolitik of the conflict.


Then we turn our attention to Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov and discuss rumors of his failing health, mixed martial arts, and how a brutal warlord became an internet meme.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> The Climate Doomer Episode The Climate Doomer Episode Mon, 18 Sep 2023 19:01:41 GMT 49:58 65089e97461df40011aa6afe false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-climate-doomer-episode 65089e97461df40011aa6afe 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-climate-doomer-episode full We’re taking another look at the climate here at Angry Planet. This week we’re joined by Peter Kalmus of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Talking to a scientist about how hot the planet is getting can be jarring. Kalmus, like other experts in the field, brings a sense of doom to the subject that fits perfectly in the Angry Planet cannon.


Kalmus talks about dining with oil executives and shares his thoughts on How to Blow Up a Pipeline. We cover a lot of ground in this episode and we’re happy to have our listeners along for the ride. Next week we’ll try to get back to something more traditionally depressing like Ramzan Kadyrov or Armenia and Azerbaijan.


Check out Peter’s research here.


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]]> We’re taking another look at the climate here at Angry Planet. This week we’re joined by Peter Kalmus of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Talking to a scientist about how hot the planet is getting can be jarring. Kalmus, like other experts in the field, brings a sense of doom to the subject that fits perfectly in the Angry Planet cannon.


Kalmus talks about dining with oil executives and shares his thoughts on How to Blow Up a Pipeline. We cover a lot of ground in this episode and we’re happy to have our listeners along for the ride. Next week we’ll try to get back to something more traditionally depressing like Ramzan Kadyrov or Armenia and Azerbaijan.


Check out Peter’s research here.


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]]> Fire Made Maui Look Like a War Zone Fire Made Maui Look Like a War Zone Thu, 07 Sep 2023 13:09:48 GMT 57:27 64f78af2060ba200117a3d1f false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/fire-made-maui-look-like-a-war-zone 64f78af2060ba200117a3d1f 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 fire-made-maui-look-like-a-war-zone full Mysterious producer Kevin Knodell comes on to Angry Planet this week to tell us about his recent reporting trip to Maui. 


  • A timeline of the fire
  • Playing the blame game
  • Matthew screws up island names
  • The politics of taro farming
  • Yakistan
  • The Range 12 Fire
  • Don’t ask him about the fucking tree
  • Our fiery future


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]]> Mysterious producer Kevin Knodell comes on to Angry Planet this week to tell us about his recent reporting trip to Maui. 


  • A timeline of the fire
  • Playing the blame game
  • Matthew screws up island names
  • The politics of taro farming
  • Yakistan
  • The Range 12 Fire
  • Don’t ask him about the fucking tree
  • Our fiery future


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> <![CDATA[The Cost of Africa's Latest Coup]]> Mon, 21 Aug 2023 16:12:11 GMT 56:44 64e38cdd755e350011e9ac4f false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-cost-of-africas-latest-coup 64e38cdd755e350011e9ac4f 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-cost-of-africas-latest-coup full On July 26, a military junta deposed and imprisoned Niger’s duly elected president, Mohamed Bazoum. You are probably saying three things—perhaps all at the same time:

Where the hell is Niger? Who is Bazoum? Why the fuck would I care?


That’s what this episode is all about. We answer those three questions and fill you in on the context around the event as well as the region where it happened, the Sahel, which is where Saharan Africa meets sub-Saharan Africa. It’s a place that’s at the mercy of natural disasters like severe drought and extreme flooding, and human disasters like mismanagement of the land and laws, jihadists, and just plain bandits.


Aneliese Bernard joins us and knows what she’s talking about to a simply frightening degree. When not slumming on podcasts like ours, Bernard is director at Strategic Stabilization Advisors and Director of Research and Programs at Elva Community Engagement, and formerly worked in the Sahel with the U.S. State Department.


She’s not a spy. She said so herself.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> On July 26, a military junta deposed and imprisoned Niger’s duly elected president, Mohamed Bazoum. You are probably saying three things—perhaps all at the same time:

Where the hell is Niger? Who is Bazoum? Why the fuck would I care?


That’s what this episode is all about. We answer those three questions and fill you in on the context around the event as well as the region where it happened, the Sahel, which is where Saharan Africa meets sub-Saharan Africa. It’s a place that’s at the mercy of natural disasters like severe drought and extreme flooding, and human disasters like mismanagement of the land and laws, jihadists, and just plain bandits.


Aneliese Bernard joins us and knows what she’s talking about to a simply frightening degree. When not slumming on podcasts like ours, Bernard is director at Strategic Stabilization Advisors and Director of Research and Programs at Elva Community Engagement, and formerly worked in the Sahel with the U.S. State Department.


She’s not a spy. She said so herself.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> What Modern Genocide Looks Like What Modern Genocide Looks Like Mon, 14 Aug 2023 15:03:04 GMT 1:04:45 64da422949c8ba00117bc0ab false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/what-modern-genocide-looks-like 64da422949c8ba00117bc0ab 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 what-modern-genocide-looks-like full Christopher Atwood returns to the show this week to talk about a report he helped write for at the New Lines Institute. It’s an in-depth analysis of Russia’s ongoing genocide in Ukraine.

Here’s a link to the report:


The Russian Federation’s Escalating Commission of Genocide in Ukraine: A Legal Analysis


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]]> Christopher Atwood returns to the show this week to talk about a report he helped write for at the New Lines Institute. It’s an in-depth analysis of Russia’s ongoing genocide in Ukraine.

Here’s a link to the report:


The Russian Federation’s Escalating Commission of Genocide in Ukraine: A Legal Analysis


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]]> The Science and Terror of Nuclear Weapons The Science and Terror of Nuclear Weapons Mon, 07 Aug 2023 15:56:48 GMT 42:33 64d1144247e493001103da1d false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-science-and-terror-of-nuclear-weapons 64d1144247e493001103da1d 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-science-and-terror-of-nuclear-weapons full Joe Cirincione is back on the podcast this week to walk us through the science of nuclear weapons and give us his preliminary thoughts on Oppenheimer.


Cirincione is a national security analyst and author with over 40 years of experience. He’s been a congressional staffer, a program director, a philanthropist, an advisor the the State Department and three presidential campaigns. Now, he writes at a substack.


He’s recently completed a six part series detaling the history of the nuclear world. Get started on it by clicking below.


https://joecirincione.substack.com/p/history-of-the-nuclear-world-part


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]]> Joe Cirincione is back on the podcast this week to walk us through the science of nuclear weapons and give us his preliminary thoughts on Oppenheimer.


Cirincione is a national security analyst and author with over 40 years of experience. He’s been a congressional staffer, a program director, a philanthropist, an advisor the the State Department and three presidential campaigns. Now, he writes at a substack.


He’s recently completed a six part series detaling the history of the nuclear world. Get started on it by clicking below.


https://joecirincione.substack.com/p/history-of-the-nuclear-world-part


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]]> <![CDATA[What Makes 'Oppenheimer' Great and Why It Sucks]]> Fri, 28 Jul 2023 13:00:46 GMT 1:11:40 64c2cd596e09090011d30428 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/what-makes-oppenheimer-great-and-why-it-sucks 64c2cd596e09090011d30428 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 what-makes-oppenheimer-great-and-why-it-sucks full Freelance journalist Kelsey Atherton joins Angry Planet to talk about Oppenheimer. The movie does a good, but not perfect, job with history and tends toward mythmaking. Matthew loved it and Atherton had some issues with it. In this wide-ranging conversation that covers nuclear history, our renewed atomic fears, and the people left out of the story, the two nuclear journalists dissect Hollywood’s latest blockbuster.


The People Building AI with 'Existential Risk' Are Really Not Getting 'Oppenheimer'


We Are All Oppenheimer


Atherton’s Wars of the Future Past


12 Books and Movies to Check Out After 'Oppenheimer'


What ‘Oppenheimer’ doesn’t tell you about atomic bombs


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]]> Freelance journalist Kelsey Atherton joins Angry Planet to talk about Oppenheimer. The movie does a good, but not perfect, job with history and tends toward mythmaking. Matthew loved it and Atherton had some issues with it. In this wide-ranging conversation that covers nuclear history, our renewed atomic fears, and the people left out of the story, the two nuclear journalists dissect Hollywood’s latest blockbuster.


The People Building AI with 'Existential Risk' Are Really Not Getting 'Oppenheimer'


We Are All Oppenheimer


Atherton’s Wars of the Future Past


12 Books and Movies to Check Out After 'Oppenheimer'


What ‘Oppenheimer’ doesn’t tell you about atomic bombs


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.

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]]> The Support System That Keeps Ukraine Going The Support System That Keeps Ukraine Going Tue, 18 Jul 2023 18:53:18 GMT 42:32 64b6df9ffecdfb0011f2a328 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-support-system-that-keeps-ukraine-going 64b6df9ffecdfb0011f2a328 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-support-system-that-keeps-ukraine-going full When you’re talking about disasters, natural and manmade, it’s always the first responders—soldiers, police, EMTs—who get all the credit. But what about the people who not only support the first responders, but who help people once the front line has moved on?


On this show, we talk a lot about wars and weapons and such. We talk about geopolitics and strategy. We rarely talk about people who are working to make things just that little bit better.

Today we’re changing that in the case of Ukraine. We’re going to talk about humanitarian efforts and what’s happening to people—not just soldiers—on the ground.


Joining us are Britta Ellwanger of For Peace and Nelli Isaieva of Helping to Leave. Their efforts, and the efforts of those they work with make a huge difference in people’s lives in Ukraine, getting civilians and soldiers the aid they need when they need it, but also helping people get out of some pretty sticky situations using mostly the power of the mobile phone.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> When you’re talking about disasters, natural and manmade, it’s always the first responders—soldiers, police, EMTs—who get all the credit. But what about the people who not only support the first responders, but who help people once the front line has moved on?


On this show, we talk a lot about wars and weapons and such. We talk about geopolitics and strategy. We rarely talk about people who are working to make things just that little bit better.

Today we’re changing that in the case of Ukraine. We’re going to talk about humanitarian efforts and what’s happening to people—not just soldiers—on the ground.


Joining us are Britta Ellwanger of For Peace and Nelli Isaieva of Helping to Leave. Their efforts, and the efforts of those they work with make a huge difference in people’s lives in Ukraine, getting civilians and soldiers the aid they need when they need it, but also helping people get out of some pretty sticky situations using mostly the power of the mobile phone.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> <![CDATA[TEASER: Inside Putin's Medieval Court]]> Mon, 10 Jul 2023 19:14:17 GMT 22:00 64ac588a062a1f001156af02 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/teaser-inside-putins-medieval-court 64ac588a062a1f001156af02 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 teaser-inside-putins-medieval-court full On this subscribers only episode of Angry Planet, Kremlin expert Mark Galeotti comes on to walk us through the military and political machinations of Russia’s “adhocracy.” According to Galeotti, Russia is a modern state that’s run by a Medieval court.


He walks us through the implications of the Wagner mutiny, the different court players, and what the future of Putin’s court might be.

Here’s Mark’s piece in The Economist that details Putin’s “self inflicted wounds.”


Mark’s excellent podcast In Moscow’s Shadows is avaiable everywhere.


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Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> On this subscribers only episode of Angry Planet, Kremlin expert Mark Galeotti comes on to walk us through the military and political machinations of Russia’s “adhocracy.” According to Galeotti, Russia is a modern state that’s run by a Medieval court.


He walks us through the implications of the Wagner mutiny, the different court players, and what the future of Putin’s court might be.

Here’s Mark’s piece in The Economist that details Putin’s “self inflicted wounds.”


Mark’s excellent podcast In Moscow’s Shadows is avaiable everywhere.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> A Closer Look at the Wagner Mutiny A Closer Look at the Wagner Mutiny Mon, 03 Jul 2023 17:41:53 GMT 44:57 64a308638604cf0011c3046c false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/a-closer-look-at-the-wagner-mutiny 64a308638604cf0011c3046c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 a-closer-look-at-the-wagner-mutiny full Nobody outside of the Kremlin—and maybe inside the Kremlin, too—knows exactly what happened over the last weekend. We do know that Yevgeny Prigozhin led something that looked like a rebellion against Vladimir Putin’s government. 


Columns of troops and tanks turned toward the motherland and elements of the Wagner Group made it inside of 200 miles from Moscow. What did Prigozhin really want? And what happened to end the crisis? And is the crisis really over?


Joining us today is Mark Katz of George Mason University. He’s a longtime Russia watcher and a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, in addition to his teaching duties.


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]]> Nobody outside of the Kremlin—and maybe inside the Kremlin, too—knows exactly what happened over the last weekend. We do know that Yevgeny Prigozhin led something that looked like a rebellion against Vladimir Putin’s government. 


Columns of troops and tanks turned toward the motherland and elements of the Wagner Group made it inside of 200 miles from Moscow. What did Prigozhin really want? And what happened to end the crisis? And is the crisis really over?


Joining us today is Mark Katz of George Mason University. He’s a longtime Russia watcher and a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, in addition to his teaching duties.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> The Human Stories Behind the Counteroffensive The Human Stories Behind the Counteroffensive Mon, 26 Jun 2023 19:29:51 GMT 40:42 6499e7309071cd00100460e2 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-human-stories-behind-the-counteroffensive 6499e7309071cd00100460e2 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-human-stories-behind-the-counteroffensive full Ukraine’s counteroffensive is well under way. One of the best places to go to get stories and reporting about what’s happening is counteroffensive.news, a substack run by former U.S. Army Medic and NPR investigative journalist Tim Mak.


He’s here with us today to talk about the war, the counteroffensive, and the charms of Kyiv.


This is my mom’s brain on Russian propaganda


French fighter for Ukraine, musing about God, heads to the frontlines; update on early counteroffensive


She secretly sneaks to the frontlines to feed cats and dogs in the ruins of her city


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> Ukraine’s counteroffensive is well under way. One of the best places to go to get stories and reporting about what’s happening is counteroffensive.news, a substack run by former U.S. Army Medic and NPR investigative journalist Tim Mak.


He’s here with us today to talk about the war, the counteroffensive, and the charms of Kyiv.


This is my mom’s brain on Russian propaganda


French fighter for Ukraine, musing about God, heads to the frontlines; update on early counteroffensive


She secretly sneaks to the frontlines to feed cats and dogs in the ruins of her city


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> Teaser: Why Erdogan Feels Like Forever Teaser: Why Erdogan Feels Like Forever Mon, 05 Jun 2023 20:12:16 GMT 7:53 647e41a2d2c79000110e48f9 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/teaser-why-erdogan-feels-like-forever 647e41a2d2c79000110e48f9 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 teaser-why-erdogan-feels-like-forever full The results of Turkey's presidential election are finally in and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had been forced into a runoff against his chief opponent, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, gets to keep his job as leader of NATO’s most troublesome member.


Were the elections free and fair? Meh, says Foreign Policy/Council on Foreign Relations expert Steven Cook. This week he joins us to wrap up one of the world’s most anticipated elections—even if the suspense was never more than mild.


Erdogan isn’t either a benevolent dictator or a tyrant. He's an authoritarian of his own flavor—and at least 52 percent of Turks can’t get enough of it. In the 20 years he's been in power, he's mostly been a man for his moment, mixing Islamist beliefs with strong ties to at least military modernity. Before the May 28 vote, the 69-year-old had won many elections—by a lot. He was a popular reformist mayor of Turkey’s largest and most storied city, Istanbul. He did so well there that he and his Islamist Justice and Development Party, AKP, moved up to the national stage.


So, Steven, what’s next for Erdogan and the rest of the world that has to deal with him?


Listen to the show to find out.


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]]> The results of Turkey's presidential election are finally in and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had been forced into a runoff against his chief opponent, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, gets to keep his job as leader of NATO’s most troublesome member.


Were the elections free and fair? Meh, says Foreign Policy/Council on Foreign Relations expert Steven Cook. This week he joins us to wrap up one of the world’s most anticipated elections—even if the suspense was never more than mild.


Erdogan isn’t either a benevolent dictator or a tyrant. He's an authoritarian of his own flavor—and at least 52 percent of Turks can’t get enough of it. In the 20 years he's been in power, he's mostly been a man for his moment, mixing Islamist beliefs with strong ties to at least military modernity. Before the May 28 vote, the 69-year-old had won many elections—by a lot. He was a popular reformist mayor of Turkey’s largest and most storied city, Istanbul. He did so well there that he and his Islamist Justice and Development Party, AKP, moved up to the national stage.


So, Steven, what’s next for Erdogan and the rest of the world that has to deal with him?


Listen to the show to find out.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> World War II Is Still Killing People in the Pacific World War II Is Still Killing People in the Pacific Tue, 30 May 2023 19:51:00 GMT 42:10 647653a69aab2f00111ff808 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/world-war-ii-is-still-killing-people-in-the-pacific 647653a69aab2f00111ff808 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 world-war-ii-is-still-killing-people-in-the-pacific full World War II is still killing people. Unexploded ordnance, the remnants of globe spanning conflict, litters the fields of Europe and the waters of the Pacific. The world spends a lot of money and time cleaning up UX in Europe and helping its victims. In the Pacific? Well, there it’s a different story. Especially in the Solomon Islands.


Thomas Heaton is a reporter for Civil Beat and the author of its ‘Lethal Legacy’ series, which focuses on the devastation World War II is still wreaking in the Pacific.


Civil Beat’s Lethal Legacy series.


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]]> World War II is still killing people. Unexploded ordnance, the remnants of globe spanning conflict, litters the fields of Europe and the waters of the Pacific. The world spends a lot of money and time cleaning up UX in Europe and helping its victims. In the Pacific? Well, there it’s a different story. Especially in the Solomon Islands.


Thomas Heaton is a reporter for Civil Beat and the author of its ‘Lethal Legacy’ series, which focuses on the devastation World War II is still wreaking in the Pacific.


Civil Beat’s Lethal Legacy series.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> Mega Prisons and Bitcoin in El Salvador Mega Prisons and Bitcoin in El Salvador Mon, 22 May 2023 15:50:28 GMT 41:39 646b8f4621fbf20011cee05c false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/mega-prisons-and-bitcoin-in-el-salvador 646b8f4621fbf20011cee05c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 mega-prisons-and-bitcoin-in-el-salvador full It’s 2023. It’s time for authoritarian leaders to update their aesthetic. Sure a stuffy military uniform used to lend an air of authority, but today’s young leaders are looking more and more like silicon valley tech billionaires. A backwards baseball cap. Laser eyes on their Twitter profile. Plans to build a city powered by a volcano that mines bitcoin. Mega-prisons ripped from the pages of Judge Dredd. That kind of thing.


This week we’re talking about El Salvador and its millennial leader Nayib Bukele. With us here to do that is Tiziano Breda, an expert on the region who has covered it for the International Crisis Group and is now with IAI, the Italian international affairs institute.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T6atCMAVfE


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]]> It’s 2023. It’s time for authoritarian leaders to update their aesthetic. Sure a stuffy military uniform used to lend an air of authority, but today’s young leaders are looking more and more like silicon valley tech billionaires. A backwards baseball cap. Laser eyes on their Twitter profile. Plans to build a city powered by a volcano that mines bitcoin. Mega-prisons ripped from the pages of Judge Dredd. That kind of thing.


This week we’re talking about El Salvador and its millennial leader Nayib Bukele. With us here to do that is Tiziano Breda, an expert on the region who has covered it for the International Crisis Group and is now with IAI, the Italian international affairs institute.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T6atCMAVfE


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> Talking Turkey Ahead of the Vote Talking Turkey Ahead of the Vote Fri, 12 May 2023 22:06:08 GMT 45:02 645eb85301a21a00119418ab false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/talking-turkey-ahead-of-the-vote 645eb85301a21a00119418ab 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 talking-turkey-ahead-of-the-vote full There are authoritarians and there are tyrants, and sometimes they’re the same person. But would a true tyrant put himself up to face the people in an election that could be free and maybe even fair?


With Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, we’re going to find out the exact flavor of authoritarian he is on Sunday, May 14, and in the days immediately following. Erdogan has been in power in his nation of more than 80 million people for nearly two decades, and in some ways, he’s brought it to near ruin, with economic policies based more on his gut than sound economic theory.

He’s also not much on newspapers, freedom of information, or freedom of speech.


On the other hand, no one is going to doubt the importance of his country on the world stage. Erdogan has become something like the Bosporus itself, a gateway or meeting point between NATO and Moscow, and even Iran occasionally. That sounds good, but it hasn’t made the West particularly happy. In one of the most recent examples, Turkey’s veto is the only thing standing between Sweden and NATO membership. Erdogan says it has to do with Sweden harboring Kurdish terrorists, but, like buying S-400 missile batteries from Russia, it could just be a thumb in the eye of all concerned.


Maybe the U.S. should just sell Turkey those F-16s it wants.


The main question, however, is what Erdogan will do when all the votes are counted. If he loses, does he go away? If he wins, does he take away more freedoms from Turks and become the tyrant he always had the potential of becoming?


To answer these questions, Angry Planet spoke with Steven Cook of the Council on Foreign relations. He had some surprising thoughts—and a wager.


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]]> There are authoritarians and there are tyrants, and sometimes they’re the same person. But would a true tyrant put himself up to face the people in an election that could be free and maybe even fair?


With Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, we’re going to find out the exact flavor of authoritarian he is on Sunday, May 14, and in the days immediately following. Erdogan has been in power in his nation of more than 80 million people for nearly two decades, and in some ways, he’s brought it to near ruin, with economic policies based more on his gut than sound economic theory.

He’s also not much on newspapers, freedom of information, or freedom of speech.


On the other hand, no one is going to doubt the importance of his country on the world stage. Erdogan has become something like the Bosporus itself, a gateway or meeting point between NATO and Moscow, and even Iran occasionally. That sounds good, but it hasn’t made the West particularly happy. In one of the most recent examples, Turkey’s veto is the only thing standing between Sweden and NATO membership. Erdogan says it has to do with Sweden harboring Kurdish terrorists, but, like buying S-400 missile batteries from Russia, it could just be a thumb in the eye of all concerned.


Maybe the U.S. should just sell Turkey those F-16s it wants.


The main question, however, is what Erdogan will do when all the votes are counted. If he loses, does he go away? If he wins, does he take away more freedoms from Turks and become the tyrant he always had the potential of becoming?


To answer these questions, Angry Planet spoke with Steven Cook of the Council on Foreign relations. He had some surprising thoughts—and a wager.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly.

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]]> Teaser: Why UAPs Are So Hard to Talk About Teaser: Why UAPs Are So Hard to Talk About Tue, 09 May 2023 18:16:21 GMT 20:06 645a8df7d2b1090011d2a137 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/teaser-why-uaps-are-so-hard-to-talk-about 645a8df7d2b1090011d2a137 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 teaser-why-uaps-are-so-hard-to-talk-about full It’s a subscriber only episode of Angry Planet where we sit down with drone and UAP journalist Kelsey Atherton to deliver on an old promise: making up for a balloon-related episode from February some of you didn’t like.


But first, we got into the news of the drone attack on the Kremlin, which occurred a few hours before we sat down to record. After that, Atherton takes us through his thoughts on the great high altitude object panic of 2023 and we dig into the meat of the episode: why it’s so hard to report on UAPs and why it’s often deeply professionally unpleasant to do so.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> It’s a subscriber only episode of Angry Planet where we sit down with drone and UAP journalist Kelsey Atherton to deliver on an old promise: making up for a balloon-related episode from February some of you didn’t like.


But first, we got into the news of the drone attack on the Kremlin, which occurred a few hours before we sat down to record. After that, Atherton takes us through his thoughts on the great high altitude object panic of 2023 and we dig into the meat of the episode: why it’s so hard to report on UAPs and why it’s often deeply professionally unpleasant to do so.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Why War Never Changes Why War Never Changes Mon, 01 May 2023 21:15:42 GMT 45:12 64502c0037e8240011b8df41 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/why-war-never-changes 64502c0037e8240011b8df41 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 why-war-never-changes full You may have noticed that we end our show with a snippet of the video game Fallout (my favorite). “War - war never changes.”


What if that’s both true and not true? You have to love a dichotomy. Anyway, we are lucky today to have University of Chicago professor Paul Poast on the show. He looks at foreign policy—war—using statistics to make some sense of it all.


This is a break down of why wars popular on the history channel (World War II, the Civil War) aren’t indicative of how wars are actually fought. The smaller proxy wars the U.S. and Russia have been fighting for the past 30 years are the status-quo, not some new kind of conflict.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> You may have noticed that we end our show with a snippet of the video game Fallout (my favorite). “War - war never changes.”


What if that’s both true and not true? You have to love a dichotomy. Anyway, we are lucky today to have University of Chicago professor Paul Poast on the show. He looks at foreign policy—war—using statistics to make some sense of it all.


This is a break down of why wars popular on the history channel (World War II, the Civil War) aren’t indicative of how wars are actually fought. The smaller proxy wars the U.S. and Russia have been fighting for the past 30 years are the status-quo, not some new kind of conflict.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> How a 21-Year-Old Edgelord Stole Pentagon Secrets How a 21-Year-Old Edgelord Stole Pentagon Secrets Mon, 24 Apr 2023 19:11:43 GMT 54:55 6446d471996c170011392079 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/how-a-21-year-old-edgelord-stole-pentagon-secrets 6446d471996c170011392079 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-a-21-year-old-edgelord-stole-pentagon-secrets full How is that a 21-year-old Air National Guardsman posted government secrets to a private Discord group for almost a year before anyone noticed? On today’s episode of Angry Planet, Bellingcat’s Aric Toler walks us through the culture that created poster and edgelord Jack Teixeira.


Toler also talks about working with The New York Times, dodging phone calls from the FBI, and the digital forensics he used to identify Teixeira. We talk about the Something Awful Forums, 4chan and KiwiFarms, and why Teixeira isn’t a “leaker” at all, he’s a poster.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> How is that a 21-year-old Air National Guardsman posted government secrets to a private Discord group for almost a year before anyone noticed? On today’s episode of Angry Planet, Bellingcat’s Aric Toler walks us through the culture that created poster and edgelord Jack Teixeira.


Toler also talks about working with The New York Times, dodging phone calls from the FBI, and the digital forensics he used to identify Teixeira. We talk about the Something Awful Forums, 4chan and KiwiFarms, and why Teixeira isn’t a “leaker” at all, he’s a poster.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA[Why the West Loves 'ISIS Brides']]> Mon, 17 Apr 2023 19:14:39 GMT 52:35 643d9aa1d4189400116e7aeb false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/why-the-west-loves-isis-brides 643d9aa1d4189400116e7aeb 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 why-the-west-loves-isis-brides full The Islamic State has largely fallen out of the western press with the weird exception of ISIS brides. And when we talk about the Islamic State, western press often ignores its broader crimes. The plight of the Yazidi, specifically, is largely ignored by press and NGOs.


The plight of the so-called “ISIS bride,” however, is very much in fasion. But I wanted that photo and that testimony to lead off this post. Today’s episode is mostly about the women of the Islamic State, but the Yazidis are a crucial part of that story and we shouldn’t forget them.


When Islamic State still had a caliphate that galvanized Western militaries, young men and women from around the world left their homes to join up. Their reasons were varied but their passion seems unwavering. Now the Islamic State is fractured and the Caliphate is in ruin but many of the fighters and so-called ISIS brides remain. Now, some of them want to go home, and Western media has looked at them with a shockingly sympathetic eye.


Today’s show is a long interview with journalist Norma Costello, who has spent time in al-Hol where many of the women of the Islamic State now live. She’s written about them in UnHerd.

Around the beginning of the pandemic, family and friends of Isis members began to gently craft a new narrative about their women. They had never supported the caliphate. They were innocents forced to travel there by men. They were, in their own way, victims. These grown women had been “trafficked” into Isis territory. Ignore the fact that many of them bought their own tickets.

After we’re done talking about the Islamic State, Norma and I switch gears and get onto a very Angry Planet topic: Irish tankies and their strained relationship with Russia and its war in Ukraine.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The Islamic State has largely fallen out of the western press with the weird exception of ISIS brides. And when we talk about the Islamic State, western press often ignores its broader crimes. The plight of the Yazidi, specifically, is largely ignored by press and NGOs.


The plight of the so-called “ISIS bride,” however, is very much in fasion. But I wanted that photo and that testimony to lead off this post. Today’s episode is mostly about the women of the Islamic State, but the Yazidis are a crucial part of that story and we shouldn’t forget them.


When Islamic State still had a caliphate that galvanized Western militaries, young men and women from around the world left their homes to join up. Their reasons were varied but their passion seems unwavering. Now the Islamic State is fractured and the Caliphate is in ruin but many of the fighters and so-called ISIS brides remain. Now, some of them want to go home, and Western media has looked at them with a shockingly sympathetic eye.


Today’s show is a long interview with journalist Norma Costello, who has spent time in al-Hol where many of the women of the Islamic State now live. She’s written about them in UnHerd.

Around the beginning of the pandemic, family and friends of Isis members began to gently craft a new narrative about their women. They had never supported the caliphate. They were innocents forced to travel there by men. They were, in their own way, victims. These grown women had been “trafficked” into Isis territory. Ignore the fact that many of them bought their own tickets.

After we’re done talking about the Islamic State, Norma and I switch gears and get onto a very Angry Planet topic: Irish tankies and their strained relationship with Russia and its war in Ukraine.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[Reagan's Failed Attempt to Put Lasers in Space]]> Wed, 05 Apr 2023 15:55:44 GMT 44:16 642d9a0265d9170011a4378f false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/reagans-failed-attempt-to-put-lasers-in-space 642d9a0265d9170011a4378f 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 reagans-failed-attempt-to-put-lasers-in-space full In 1983, President Ronald Reagan stood before the American public and promised to put lasers in space. The Strategic Defense Initiative was meant to be the ultimate bulwark against communist intercontinental ballistic missile. It didn’t work.


Deriseively called Star Wars, the system never worked. To this day, methods for shooting an ICBM out of the sky are shoddy at best and fantasy at worst.

Joining us today is Joe Cirincione. In his own words on his substack at joecirincione.substack.com. He is a national security expert and author with 40 years of experience on these issues in Washington, D.C. and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has held a number of prestigious roles in the nation’s capitol.


To see the clip of science fiction authors Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven talking about meeting with Reagan and “winnninng the Cold War with Star Wars” go here:


https://youtu.be/i-lSr2ud8Nc


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> In 1983, President Ronald Reagan stood before the American public and promised to put lasers in space. The Strategic Defense Initiative was meant to be the ultimate bulwark against communist intercontinental ballistic missile. It didn’t work.


Deriseively called Star Wars, the system never worked. To this day, methods for shooting an ICBM out of the sky are shoddy at best and fantasy at worst.

Joining us today is Joe Cirincione. In his own words on his substack at joecirincione.substack.com. He is a national security expert and author with 40 years of experience on these issues in Washington, D.C. and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has held a number of prestigious roles in the nation’s capitol.


To see the clip of science fiction authors Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven talking about meeting with Reagan and “winnninng the Cold War with Star Wars” go here:


https://youtu.be/i-lSr2ud8Nc


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> <![CDATA[Russia's Fascist Youth Groups]]> Wed, 29 Mar 2023 20:47:32 GMT 47:26 6424a3e6c18b8b0011204608 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/russias-fascist-youth-groups 6424a3e6c18b8b0011204608 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 russias-fascist-youth-groups full Dictatorships of the last century had some famous youth groups. Hitler had his Youth, Lenin had his Young Pioneers, and Mussolini had his Opera Nazionale Balilla.

Such groups once attracted huge followings but have largely fallen out of favor in the West. But, like so much else with the irredentist Vladimir Putin, he’s bringing it back.

To help us understand this new youth movement and what it means for the future, we have the perfect guest.


Ian Garner is a historian and analyst of Russian culture and war propaganda. He’s got a new book that’s coming out this spring Z Generation Into the Heart of Russia’s Fascist Youth. He’s also a professor. Queens University Kingston Ontario.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Dictatorships of the last century had some famous youth groups. Hitler had his Youth, Lenin had his Young Pioneers, and Mussolini had his Opera Nazionale Balilla.

Such groups once attracted huge followings but have largely fallen out of favor in the West. But, like so much else with the irredentist Vladimir Putin, he’s bringing it back.

To help us understand this new youth movement and what it means for the future, we have the perfect guest.


Ian Garner is a historian and analyst of Russian culture and war propaganda. He’s got a new book that’s coming out this spring Z Generation Into the Heart of Russia’s Fascist Youth. He’s also a professor. Queens University Kingston Ontario.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> The Drones Above Ukraine The Drones Above Ukraine Tue, 21 Mar 2023 16:43:17 GMT 46:34 6419dea7e1925b00113cb46e false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-drones-above-ukraine 6419dea7e1925b00113cb46e 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-drones-above-ukraine full You know, we wanted to talk about European (and especially German) views of the war in Ukraine today. And we still will. What’s an IRIS-T, for example. What’s up with those Leopard tanks? But then a Russian Su-27 fighter jet crashed into an American MQ-9 Reaper above the Black Sea and the guest we planned to have on, well, she knows a lot about drones.


With us today is Ulrike Franke. Franke is a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. She’s an expert in all things Germany, drones, and AI. She got a PhD from Oxford and she hosts a podcast on German defense, the name of which I will absolutely butcher if I attempt to pronounce.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> You know, we wanted to talk about European (and especially German) views of the war in Ukraine today. And we still will. What’s an IRIS-T, for example. What’s up with those Leopard tanks? But then a Russian Su-27 fighter jet crashed into an American MQ-9 Reaper above the Black Sea and the guest we planned to have on, well, she knows a lot about drones.


With us today is Ulrike Franke. Franke is a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. She’s an expert in all things Germany, drones, and AI. She got a PhD from Oxford and she hosts a podcast on German defense, the name of which I will absolutely butcher if I attempt to pronounce.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Ukraine: Back to the Front One Year On Ukraine: Back to the Front One Year On Mon, 13 Mar 2023 17:12:23 GMT 49:16 640f59789760530011cfa341 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/ukraine-back-to-the-front-one-year-on 640f59789760530011cfa341 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 ukraine-back-to-the-front-one-year-on full This week, Angry Planet talks with Caleb Larson who has been working as a journalist in and around Ukraine’s Donbas region where much of the war is currently being fought. He paints a picture of the situation on the ground and tells us where to buy groceries in time of war.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> This week, Angry Planet talks with Caleb Larson who has been working as a journalist in and around Ukraine’s Donbas region where much of the war is currently being fought. He paints a picture of the situation on the ground and tells us where to buy groceries in time of war.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA[What's a Planet Worth?]]> Mon, 06 Mar 2023 14:12:13 GMT 54:50 6405f4bd1d175d00115d58f8 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/whats-a-planet-worth 6405f4bd1d175d00115d58f8 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whats-a-planet-worth full As the planet slowly broils, we keep hoping that some technological revolution will save us. Not just carbon capture or seeding the oceans with iron to grow algae that will drink in all the carbon dioxide right out of the atmosphere, but solutions that we can power our homes with and drive around. But what if we’ve put all of our money on the wrong horse? David Ko and Richard Busellato former hedge fund managers, have a different solution, but can it really save the Earth?

After you listen to the show, you can check out:

https://rethinkingchoices.com/

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> As the planet slowly broils, we keep hoping that some technological revolution will save us. Not just carbon capture or seeding the oceans with iron to grow algae that will drink in all the carbon dioxide right out of the atmosphere, but solutions that we can power our homes with and drive around. But what if we’ve put all of our money on the wrong horse? David Ko and Richard Busellato former hedge fund managers, have a different solution, but can it really save the Earth?

After you listen to the show, you can check out:

https://rethinkingchoices.com/

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> 50 Years Since the Draft 50 Years Since the Draft Mon, 27 Feb 2023 18:39:57 GMT 28:31 63fcf8fd188c360011994f6a false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/50-years-since-the-draft 63fcf8fd188c360011994f6a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 50-years-since-the-draft full In 1973, as most American troops left Vietnam, President Richard M. Nixon ended compulsory military service for males over the age of 18. It was an end of system that had been in place since the Second World War and came in answer—at least in part—to an ever-growing anti-war, anti-draft movement. Historian and writer Max Boot joins us to talk about the history of the draft and the all-volunteer force that now has 50 years under its belt.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> In 1973, as most American troops left Vietnam, President Richard M. Nixon ended compulsory military service for males over the age of 18. It was an end of system that had been in place since the Second World War and came in answer—at least in part—to an ever-growing anti-war, anti-draft movement. Historian and writer Max Boot joins us to talk about the history of the draft and the all-volunteer force that now has 50 years under its belt.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA[It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's a ... Balloon?]]> Tue, 21 Feb 2023 18:22:49 GMT 50:43 63f50bfb8ab43100105116e5 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/its-a-bird-its-a-plane-its-a-balloon 63f50bfb8ab43100105116e5 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 its-a-bird-its-a-plane-its-a-balloon full 7 39 What’s the biggest Chinese threat to the United States? Well, if you ask security expert Stephanie Carvin, it’s not a balloon—no matter how large and how many missiles it takes to shoot down. So, what should we really be worried about from China’s security apparatus? Well, you could start with more traditional spying, but there’s a lot more to it than that.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> What’s the biggest Chinese threat to the United States? Well, if you ask security expert Stephanie Carvin, it’s not a balloon—no matter how large and how many missiles it takes to shoot down. So, what should we really be worried about from China’s security apparatus? Well, you could start with more traditional spying, but there’s a lot more to it than that.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The Rise of South Korea The Rise of South Korea Mon, 13 Feb 2023 18:45:24 GMT 1:00:47 63ea854502ceee00119da031 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-rise-of-south-korea 63ea854502ceee00119da031 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-rise-of-south-korea full All three Angry Planet guys are on the show today. Kevin went to South Korea in September and he’s here to tell us all about it.


  • “A shrimp stuck between two whales.”
  • Shopping for a frigate in a glossy catalog
  • Why America doesn’t remember the Korean War
  • The Don Draper connection
  • “MASH was about Vietnam.”
  • A nuclear penninsula?
  • No one knows what’s going in in North Korea.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.



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]]> All three Angry Planet guys are on the show today. Kevin went to South Korea in September and he’s here to tell us all about it.


  • “A shrimp stuck between two whales.”
  • Shopping for a frigate in a glossy catalog
  • Why America doesn’t remember the Korean War
  • The Don Draper connection
  • “MASH was about Vietnam.”
  • A nuclear penninsula?
  • No one knows what’s going in in North Korea.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.



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]]> <![CDATA[The Complexities of China's Liberal Nationalism]]> Mon, 30 Jan 2023 14:00:51 GMT 37:20 63d4236b8f070800109138bc false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-complexities-of-chinas-liberal-nationalism 63d4236b8f070800109138bc 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-complexities-of-chinas-liberal-nationalism full Only Nixon can go to China. The now-forgotten aphorism once represented so much in American politics. After Nixon met with Mao, relations between the Communist country and America thawed. Trade opened up and, the popular notion went, with economic benefits would come a lessening of authoritarianism in China and the eventual end of Communism.


Here in 2023 the idea that economic modernization and prosperity would lead to a flourishing of democracy in China seems quaint. What happened? And do the West’s preconceptions of what democracy and freedom are vibe with what’s actually going on in China.


That’s what we’re here today to talk about. With us is Sungmin Cho, the author of the new article Does China’s Case Falsify Modernization Theory? Cho is a professor at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Only Nixon can go to China. The now-forgotten aphorism once represented so much in American politics. After Nixon met with Mao, relations between the Communist country and America thawed. Trade opened up and, the popular notion went, with economic benefits would come a lessening of authoritarianism in China and the eventual end of Communism.


Here in 2023 the idea that economic modernization and prosperity would lead to a flourishing of democracy in China seems quaint. What happened? And do the West’s preconceptions of what democracy and freedom are vibe with what’s actually going on in China.


That’s what we’re here today to talk about. With us is Sungmin Cho, the author of the new article Does China’s Case Falsify Modernization Theory? Cho is a professor at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> What a War Game Tells Us About Taiwan What a War Game Tells Us About Taiwan Mon, 23 Jan 2023 14:00:59 GMT 41:11 63cad3cabd286200113aabb6 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/what-a-war-game-tells-us-about-taiwan 63cad3cabd286200113aabb6 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 what-a-war-game-tells-us-about-taiwan full It’s only human to play games. Some might argue it’s in the DNA. Games are part of how we learn, and can be the best way to teach or solve a problem. But some games are more serious than others. 


A game recently played at a Washington think tank is about as serious as it gets. It looked at what might happen if China attacked Taiwan, and the results weren’t pretty for anyone.


Joining us today to discuss what they found in playing the game is Mark Cancian. He is a retired marine corps colonel and is a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies International Security Program.


Here’s a link to the report.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> It’s only human to play games. Some might argue it’s in the DNA. Games are part of how we learn, and can be the best way to teach or solve a problem. But some games are more serious than others. 


A game recently played at a Washington think tank is about as serious as it gets. It looked at what might happen if China attacked Taiwan, and the results weren’t pretty for anyone.


Joining us today to discuss what they found in playing the game is Mark Cancian. He is a retired marine corps colonel and is a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies International Security Program.


Here’s a link to the report.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> The Long Weird History of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle The Long Weird History of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle Mon, 16 Jan 2023 14:00:41 GMT 36:09 63c1aeb865ae3d0011282c97 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-long-weird-history-of-the-bradley-fighting-vehicle 63c1aeb865ae3d0011282c97 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-long-weird-history-of-the-bradley-fighting-vehicle full The Bradley Fighting Vehicle is on its way to Ukraine. Fifty of them, to be precise. This armored personnel carrier on tracks is not a tank. Don’t call it a tank. Once maligned as a boondoggle that represented everything wrong with Pentagon weapon’s programs, the Bradley is now a much desired piece of armor.


With us today to suss this all out is Sebastian Roblin. Roblin is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in NBC, Forbes, and—of course—War Is Boring.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> The Bradley Fighting Vehicle is on its way to Ukraine. Fifty of them, to be precise. This armored personnel carrier on tracks is not a tank. Don’t call it a tank. Once maligned as a boondoggle that represented everything wrong with Pentagon weapon’s programs, the Bradley is now a much desired piece of armor.


With us today to suss this all out is Sebastian Roblin. Roblin is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in NBC, Forbes, and—of course—War Is Boring.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> <![CDATA[Israel's New Coalition from Hell]]> Mon, 09 Jan 2023 14:00:15 GMT 35:19 63b861858d926b00117952cf false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/israels-new-coalition-from-hell 63b861858d926b00117952cf 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 israels-new-coalition-from-hell full Benjamin Netanyahu is back and he's brought a right-wing coalition like nothing Israel has seen.


Dan Perry knows the game and all the players and and he joins Angry Planet to talk about what might be the end of democracy in the Jewish State and what it means for the Palestinians and relations with the U.S.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Benjamin Netanyahu is back and he's brought a right-wing coalition like nothing Israel has seen.


Dan Perry knows the game and all the players and and he joins Angry Planet to talk about what might be the end of democracy in the Jewish State and what it means for the Palestinians and relations with the U.S.


Angry Planet has a Substack! Join to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> The Wagner Group Gives Putin Implausible Deniability The Wagner Group Gives Putin Implausible Deniability Mon, 19 Dec 2022 14:00:00 GMT 36:05 639cd6b1fff91900114096ee false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-wagner-group-gives-putin-implausible-deniability 639cd6b1fff91900114096ee 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-wagner-group-gives-putin-implausible-deniability full The shine has come off Russia’s regular armed forces. We’ve all seen the pictures in Ukraine of burned out vehicles and crashed drones, everything already starting to rust. Casualties for the Russian military are estimated to be over 100,000. 


But the Russian Army isn’t the only force in Ukraine fighting on Moscow’s behalf. The Wagner Group is there, too, and we know far less about them and what they’re doing.


To help us get a better view, we’re joined by Jason Blazakis. He’s Director of the Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, and a senior research fellow at the Soufan Group. and wrote an op-ed for Newsweek on Wagner last week.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> The shine has come off Russia’s regular armed forces. We’ve all seen the pictures in Ukraine of burned out vehicles and crashed drones, everything already starting to rust. Casualties for the Russian military are estimated to be over 100,000. 


But the Russian Army isn’t the only force in Ukraine fighting on Moscow’s behalf. The Wagner Group is there, too, and we know far less about them and what they’re doing.


To help us get a better view, we’re joined by Jason Blazakis. He’s Director of the Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, and a senior research fellow at the Soufan Group. and wrote an op-ed for Newsweek on Wagner last week.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> The Precarious Nature of Being Jewish The Precarious Nature of Being Jewish Mon, 12 Dec 2022 15:36:23 GMT 53:22 63974a7977b6050010755786 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-precarious-nature-of-being-jewish 63974a7977b6050010755786 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-precarious-nature-of-being-jewish full Or: Why Jason has a Velcro mezuzah.


An episode about Kanye West and violent family histories.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Or: Why Jason has a Velcro mezuzah.


An episode about Kanye West and violent family histories.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> <![CDATA[Talking Russia with the CIA's Former Eurasian Bureau Chief ]]> Mon, 05 Dec 2022 14:00:57 GMT 42:20 638a468dfde7e300112e69f7 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/talking-russia-with-the-cias-former-eurasian-bureau-chief 638a468dfde7e300112e69f7 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 talking-russia-with-the-cias-former-eurasian-bureau-chief full We’ve talked a lot on this program about electronic intelligence—the amazing stuff you can do with satellites, user generated content and sophisticated software.

Nice.


But we’ve left out all the men and women who still do work on the ground, all over the world.


Paul Kolbe is here to remind us about human intelligence and the role it plays. Kolbe is a CIA veteran, having worked in the directorate of operations for 25 years before moving on to private industry. He’s currently director of the Intelligence project at the Belfer Center at Harvard.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> We’ve talked a lot on this program about electronic intelligence—the amazing stuff you can do with satellites, user generated content and sophisticated software.

Nice.


But we’ve left out all the men and women who still do work on the ground, all over the world.


Paul Kolbe is here to remind us about human intelligence and the role it plays. Kolbe is a CIA veteran, having worked in the directorate of operations for 25 years before moving on to private industry. He’s currently director of the Intelligence project at the Belfer Center at Harvard.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> <![CDATA[The History of 'Putin's Wars']]> Fri, 25 Nov 2022 18:27:47 GMT 1:00:29 6381092430520500110696f0 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-history-of-putins-wars 6381092430520500110696f0 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-history-of-putins-wars full Russian President Vladimir Putin’s reign has been defined by constant conflict. From Chechnya to Ukraine and many other wars in between, Putin’s Russia has constantly been pushing at its borders and sending troops abroad. How have those wars shaped Russia and the world? And what does it all have to do with Ukraine?


That’s the subject of the new book Putin’s Wars. Its author is here with us today. Its friend of the show: Mark Galeotti. Galeotti is a public policy fellow at the Wilson Center in Washington, DC. He’s also the host of the excellent In Moscow’s Shadows podcast.


Click here to buy Mark's book, Putin's Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine.


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]]> Russian President Vladimir Putin’s reign has been defined by constant conflict. From Chechnya to Ukraine and many other wars in between, Putin’s Russia has constantly been pushing at its borders and sending troops abroad. How have those wars shaped Russia and the world? And what does it all have to do with Ukraine?


That’s the subject of the new book Putin’s Wars. Its author is here with us today. Its friend of the show: Mark Galeotti. Galeotti is a public policy fellow at the Wilson Center in Washington, DC. He’s also the host of the excellent In Moscow’s Shadows podcast.


Click here to buy Mark's book, Putin's Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> ICYMI: A Timothy Snyder Double Feature ICYMI: A Timothy Snyder Double Feature Thu, 17 Nov 2022 14:00:00 GMT 59:28 6373f71d7fdb600012e32a8c false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/icymi-a-timothy-snyder-double-feature 6373f71d7fdb600012e32a8c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-a-timothy-snyder-double-feature full We’re running our Thanksgiving break episode a week early. We’ll be back next week to talk with Mark Galeotti about Russia, Kherson, and the missiles that just hit Poland.


This week, we’re going far back into our past. It’s a Timothy Snyder double feature. Both of these episodes are from our “War College” days and feature the famous historian at two different points in his journey to the cable news pundit we feel (well, I feel) weirdly ambivalent towards today.


The first is from 2015, and is a disucssion about his book Black Earth. The second is from 2018 and is about his book Road to Unfreedom.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> We’re running our Thanksgiving break episode a week early. We’ll be back next week to talk with Mark Galeotti about Russia, Kherson, and the missiles that just hit Poland.


This week, we’re going far back into our past. It’s a Timothy Snyder double feature. Both of these episodes are from our “War College” days and feature the famous historian at two different points in his journey to the cable news pundit we feel (well, I feel) weirdly ambivalent towards today.


The first is from 2015, and is a disucssion about his book Black Earth. The second is from 2018 and is about his book Road to Unfreedom.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> <![CDATA[The Pentagon's Scary New Nuclear Plan]]> Fri, 11 Nov 2022 21:08:49 GMT 41:12 636d686ea9261f0011dfbd24 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-pentagons-scary-new-nuclear-plan 636d686ea9261f0011dfbd24 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-pentagons-scary-new-nuclear-plan full Today it’s all about the bomb. Nuclear weapons are back in a big way and everything about the Cold War suddenly feels very fresh. Nukes are strange things. They’ve only been used twice and the language and knowledge around them can often feel arcane, almost religious. There’s all these little rituals in nuclear space. 


We’re gonna talk about one of those rituals today—the Nuclear Posture Review. Once in every U.S. presidential administration, the nuclear curtain is withdrawn and we get a glimpse at what the Pentagon, and critically, the President is thinking. But what is the Nuclear Posture Review? Who writes it? And what does it have to do with the price of gas in an apocalyptic nuclear hellscape.


Here to answer some of those questions for us today is Stephen Young. Young is the Senior Washington Representative for the Union of Concerned Scientists, the former Deputy Director of the Coalition to Reduce Nuclear Dangers, and consulted on this most recent review.


The Nuclear Posture Review


Nuke Experts Are Horrified by Biden’s New ‘Nuclear Posture Review’


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> Today it’s all about the bomb. Nuclear weapons are back in a big way and everything about the Cold War suddenly feels very fresh. Nukes are strange things. They’ve only been used twice and the language and knowledge around them can often feel arcane, almost religious. There’s all these little rituals in nuclear space. 


We’re gonna talk about one of those rituals today—the Nuclear Posture Review. Once in every U.S. presidential administration, the nuclear curtain is withdrawn and we get a glimpse at what the Pentagon, and critically, the President is thinking. But what is the Nuclear Posture Review? Who writes it? And what does it have to do with the price of gas in an apocalyptic nuclear hellscape.


Here to answer some of those questions for us today is Stephen Young. Young is the Senior Washington Representative for the Union of Concerned Scientists, the former Deputy Director of the Coalition to Reduce Nuclear Dangers, and consulted on this most recent review.


The Nuclear Posture Review


Nuke Experts Are Horrified by Biden’s New ‘Nuclear Posture Review’


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> <![CDATA[Likewar and the Weird National Security Implications of Musk's Twitter Takeover]]> Fri, 04 Nov 2022 13:50:35 GMT 45:34 636518ada8f89a0011da595c false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/likewar-and-the-weird-national-security-implications-of-musk 636518ada8f89a0011da595c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 likewar-and-the-weird-national-security-implications-of-musk full I’m sorry, we have to talk about Elon Musk one more time. Or, as Jason said. “Twitter: Now With More Musk!”


But seriously. This episode is about more than Musk. It’s about how conflict has gotten … weird. We start with a conversation about a new podcast about the weird future of war. Then we asked one question about Musk and things spiraled out of control.


Has conflict gotten …weirder? Have the lines gotten blurrier? Why are cartoon Shiba Inu dogs yelling at Russian officials online? Why is the JAVELIN weapons system a saint? Why does that HIMARS system look … horny? When is an innocent meme not an innocent meme and what has the internet done to the way we fight?


War … was has changed. Shitposts, disinformation, trolls farms in Macedonia, and Telegram channels full of gore videos that would make the average Ogrish visitor weep. (That was for you very old heads)


So much of this feels like war …. Not exactly war but … something close. If only there were a podcast that explored these various phenomena and explained the recent origin of them.


Well … it just so happens there is. It’s called LikeWar and returning guest Peter W. Singer is one of its hosts. He’s here with us today to talk about the show.

Listen to Likewar on iTunes.


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]]> I’m sorry, we have to talk about Elon Musk one more time. Or, as Jason said. “Twitter: Now With More Musk!”


But seriously. This episode is about more than Musk. It’s about how conflict has gotten … weird. We start with a conversation about a new podcast about the weird future of war. Then we asked one question about Musk and things spiraled out of control.


Has conflict gotten …weirder? Have the lines gotten blurrier? Why are cartoon Shiba Inu dogs yelling at Russian officials online? Why is the JAVELIN weapons system a saint? Why does that HIMARS system look … horny? When is an innocent meme not an innocent meme and what has the internet done to the way we fight?


War … was has changed. Shitposts, disinformation, trolls farms in Macedonia, and Telegram channels full of gore videos that would make the average Ogrish visitor weep. (That was for you very old heads)


So much of this feels like war …. Not exactly war but … something close. If only there were a podcast that explored these various phenomena and explained the recent origin of them.


Well … it just so happens there is. It’s called LikeWar and returning guest Peter W. Singer is one of its hosts. He’s here with us today to talk about the show.

Listen to Likewar on iTunes.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Why We Have to Care About Elon Musk Why We Have to Care About Elon Musk Thu, 27 Oct 2022 13:21:01 GMT 28:36 635a85bd7d15c3001187cb17 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/why-we-have-to-care-about-elon-musk 635a85bd7d15c3001187cb17 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 why-we-have-to-care-about-elon-musk full Today we’re talking about Elon Musk — not because we want to, but because we have to. As we all know, the man is rich. I don’t mean merely wealthy, I mean he could pay off a good portion of the national deficit.


He’s also not shy, to the point where he likes to tell entire countries what to do. They may not do it, but they’re forced to react.

Bloomberg’s Iain Marlow, who covers diplomacy, has written a great piece about what Musk is up to now.


Musk Tweets Complicate US Diplomacy From Ukraine to Taiwan


The CNN piece where the DoD throws Musk under the bus


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Today we’re talking about Elon Musk — not because we want to, but because we have to. As we all know, the man is rich. I don’t mean merely wealthy, I mean he could pay off a good portion of the national deficit.


He’s also not shy, to the point where he likes to tell entire countries what to do. They may not do it, but they’re forced to react.

Bloomberg’s Iain Marlow, who covers diplomacy, has written a great piece about what Musk is up to now.


Musk Tweets Complicate US Diplomacy From Ukraine to Taiwan


The CNN piece where the DoD throws Musk under the bus


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The Second American Civil War Is (Not) Coming The Second American Civil War Is (Not) Coming Thu, 20 Oct 2022 13:00:21 GMT 43:27 634dc4ea80624e00123ae520 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-second-american-civil-war-is-not-coming 634dc4ea80624e00123ae520 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-second-american-civil-war-is-not-coming full Alt Weeklies are an important part of America’s media landscape. It’s local reporting from people with a different point of view and different goals. If you’re mad at mainstream narratives you could do worse than picking up, say, the Inlander out of the Pacific Northwest. If you want to know what’s really going on there, how worried you should be about budding extremist movements, and what role politicians are playing in our current various crises, it’s a good place to start.


With us today is Daniel Walters. Walters is an award-winning investigative journalist at the Inlander where he covers right-wing extremism, politics, and maybe just a little bit of pop culture.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Alt Weeklies are an important part of America’s media landscape. It’s local reporting from people with a different point of view and different goals. If you’re mad at mainstream narratives you could do worse than picking up, say, the Inlander out of the Pacific Northwest. If you want to know what’s really going on there, how worried you should be about budding extremist movements, and what role politicians are playing in our current various crises, it’s a good place to start.


With us today is Daniel Walters. Walters is an award-winning investigative journalist at the Inlander where he covers right-wing extremism, politics, and maybe just a little bit of pop culture.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Drinking With the Russians Who Fled to Georgia Drinking With the Russians Who Fled to Georgia Thu, 13 Oct 2022 13:43:49 GMT 32:57 634816177397bb0012a8a33c false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/drinking-with-the-russians-who-fled-to-georgia 634816177397bb0012a8a33c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 drinking-with-the-russians-who-fled-to-georgia full In an attempt to shore up its rapidly crumbling position in Ukraine, Moscow has partially mobilized the people. In response, many of those people are fleeing. But where can they go? Russia has spent the last 100 years bullying, invading, and killing its immediate neighbors. Places like Georgia are seeing a huge influx of Russian military aged males. How do the Georgians feel about this? It’s complicated.


With us today to talk about this is James Jackson. Jackson is a freelance journalist in German and Central and Eastern Europe. He was in Tbilisi, the capitol of Georgia when Russians fleeing mobilization started to show up. And he’s here with us today to talk about it. It’s the subject of his latest in Time: Why a Fresh Russian Exodus to Georgia is So Polarizing.


Here’s a link to the video Jackson describes in the show.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> In an attempt to shore up its rapidly crumbling position in Ukraine, Moscow has partially mobilized the people. In response, many of those people are fleeing. But where can they go? Russia has spent the last 100 years bullying, invading, and killing its immediate neighbors. Places like Georgia are seeing a huge influx of Russian military aged males. How do the Georgians feel about this? It’s complicated.


With us today to talk about this is James Jackson. Jackson is a freelance journalist in German and Central and Eastern Europe. He was in Tbilisi, the capitol of Georgia when Russians fleeing mobilization started to show up. And he’s here with us today to talk about it. It’s the subject of his latest in Time: Why a Fresh Russian Exodus to Georgia is So Polarizing.


Here’s a link to the video Jackson describes in the show.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> <![CDATA[Iran's Cycle of Protest and Suppression]]> Thu, 06 Oct 2022 13:00:04 GMT 43:44 633c4e84a8028900117b0088 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/irans-cycle-of-protest-and-suppression 633c4e84a8028900117b0088 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 irans-cycle-of-protest-and-suppression full There’s unrest in Iran right now. People have taken to the streets, the internet has been restricted for “security reasons” authorities say, and there’s been clashes with police. This all started after a young woman, Mahsa Amini, was arrested by Iranian moral police. She died while in custody. Her death and the circumstances around it kicked off the current protests, but the unrest is part of a long continuum of uprising and suppression in Iran that’s as old as the Islamic Revolution of 1979.


With us today is Maral Karimi. Karimi is a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto and the author of The Iranian Green Movement of 2009, Reverberating Echoes of Resistance.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> There’s unrest in Iran right now. People have taken to the streets, the internet has been restricted for “security reasons” authorities say, and there’s been clashes with police. This all started after a young woman, Mahsa Amini, was arrested by Iranian moral police. She died while in custody. Her death and the circumstances around it kicked off the current protests, but the unrest is part of a long continuum of uprising and suppression in Iran that’s as old as the Islamic Revolution of 1979.


With us today is Maral Karimi. Karimi is a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto and the author of The Iranian Green Movement of 2009, Reverberating Echoes of Resistance.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA[The Report the U.N. Didn't Want You to See]]> Mon, 26 Sep 2022 13:00:53 GMT 33:03 632e1374d577300012d086cd false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-report-the-un-didnt-want-you-to-see 632e1374d577300012d086cd 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-report-the-un-didnt-want-you-to-see full The vast majority of Chinese people come from a single ethnic group—the Han. So what’s life like for the millions of people who aren’t Han? Tough, it’s fair to say. Ask any Tibetan.


But one group has been singled out for particular persecution, the Uyghurs. There are about 12 million Uyghurs, they mostly live in a province called Xinjiang and mostly Muslim.


And the Chinese appear to be trying to wipe out at least their culture. Many countries have condemned the Chinese for this, but the United Nations has been slow, slow, slow to take any action.


That’s finally changed with a new report.


Joining us to talk about the situation are two people working for Human Rights Watch, Louis Charboneau, at the UN, and Sophie Richardson, who works on issues in China.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> The vast majority of Chinese people come from a single ethnic group—the Han. So what’s life like for the millions of people who aren’t Han? Tough, it’s fair to say. Ask any Tibetan.


But one group has been singled out for particular persecution, the Uyghurs. There are about 12 million Uyghurs, they mostly live in a province called Xinjiang and mostly Muslim.


And the Chinese appear to be trying to wipe out at least their culture. Many countries have condemned the Chinese for this, but the United Nations has been slow, slow, slow to take any action.


That’s finally changed with a new report.


Joining us to talk about the situation are two people working for Human Rights Watch, Louis Charboneau, at the UN, and Sophie Richardson, who works on issues in China.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> How Ukraine Routed the Russian Military How Ukraine Routed the Russian Military Mon, 19 Sep 2022 13:00:16 GMT 31:54 6324d33d5f9bcd001417fb0f false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/how-ukraine-routed-the-russian-military 6324d33d5f9bcd001417fb0f 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-ukraine-routed-the-russian-military full What seemed unthinkable a year ago has come to pass. Ukraine has started its counter offensive and in a shockingly short amount of time has pushed Russia out of much of its territory. The Russian military appears to be collapsing with a rapidity that is shocking pretty much everyone.


Well, maybe not everyone. People who’ve been paying attention to the minutiae of the war aren’t as surprised as the rest of us. That’s kind of been a pattern in coverage and punditry of Russia’s invasion.


One of those smart guys is here to talk with us today on Angry Planet. It’s returning guest Aram Shabanian. He’s the Open-Source Information Gathering Manager at New Lines Institute, one of the minds behind The Fulda Gap, and one of the best Twitter follows you can snag @ShabanianAram.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> What seemed unthinkable a year ago has come to pass. Ukraine has started its counter offensive and in a shockingly short amount of time has pushed Russia out of much of its territory. The Russian military appears to be collapsing with a rapidity that is shocking pretty much everyone.


Well, maybe not everyone. People who’ve been paying attention to the minutiae of the war aren’t as surprised as the rest of us. That’s kind of been a pattern in coverage and punditry of Russia’s invasion.


One of those smart guys is here to talk with us today on Angry Planet. It’s returning guest Aram Shabanian. He’s the Open-Source Information Gathering Manager at New Lines Institute, one of the minds behind The Fulda Gap, and one of the best Twitter follows you can snag @ShabanianAram.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> A Classical View of the Afghan Collapse A Classical View of the Afghan Collapse Wed, 07 Sep 2022 15:53:11 GMT 32:20 6318be68c473950012e70e9b false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/a-classical-view-of-the-afghan-collapse 6318be68c473950012e70e9b 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 a-classical-view-of-the-afghan-collapse full This will be the last episode we do on Afghanistan for a bit. We wanted to give the final word to a U.S. Marine who served there.

We’re now a year out from the fall of Kabul and what looks like the end of America’s uniformed involvement in Afghanistan. There are as many as 70,000 Afghans who helped the United States during the war who are still looking to get out.


Elliot Ackerman, who served in the region as a Marine and as a CIA operative, was trying to help as the last flights were taking off from Kabul’s Airport.


It was, as Ackerman saw it, the Fifth Act of the Afghan War.


He’s joining us today to talk about both his war and his views of the fall. He’s the author of both novels and non-fiction, including Dark at the Crossing, Green on Blue, and Red Dress in Black and White. We’ll put the full list in the show notes.


His latest book, looking at these final days is The Fifth Act: America’s End in Afghanistan.


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]]> This will be the last episode we do on Afghanistan for a bit. We wanted to give the final word to a U.S. Marine who served there.

We’re now a year out from the fall of Kabul and what looks like the end of America’s uniformed involvement in Afghanistan. There are as many as 70,000 Afghans who helped the United States during the war who are still looking to get out.


Elliot Ackerman, who served in the region as a Marine and as a CIA operative, was trying to help as the last flights were taking off from Kabul’s Airport.


It was, as Ackerman saw it, the Fifth Act of the Afghan War.


He’s joining us today to talk about both his war and his views of the fall. He’s the author of both novels and non-fiction, including Dark at the Crossing, Green on Blue, and Red Dress in Black and White. We’ll put the full list in the show notes.


His latest book, looking at these final days is The Fifth Act: America’s End in Afghanistan.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Steve Inskeep Is Back From Afghanistan Steve Inskeep Is Back From Afghanistan Wed, 31 Aug 2022 16:09:45 GMT 39:40 630f87cb0711690012789f1a false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/steve-inskeep-is-back-from-afghanistan 630f87cb0711690012789f1a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 steve-inskeep-is-back-from-afghanistan full It’s been a year since the U.S. left Afghanistan in disarray. We’ve spoken to a number of people who have been to Afghanistan over the years on this show. That includes journalists who walked into Kabul with the Taliban the first time, in 1996, soldiers who fought in Afghanistan throughout the war, and more recently, a man who was supposed to be fighting corruption but found it to be worse than a losing battle.


Today, NPR’s Steve Inskeep joins us. He recently visited Afghanistan and spent some time with the Taliban.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> It’s been a year since the U.S. left Afghanistan in disarray. We’ve spoken to a number of people who have been to Afghanistan over the years on this show. That includes journalists who walked into Kabul with the Taliban the first time, in 1996, soldiers who fought in Afghanistan throughout the war, and more recently, a man who was supposed to be fighting corruption but found it to be worse than a losing battle.


Today, NPR’s Steve Inskeep joins us. He recently visited Afghanistan and spent some time with the Taliban.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> <![CDATA[When Soldiers Tell the Pentagon That It's Wrong]]> Thu, 25 Aug 2022 15:24:25 GMT 34:51 63079429c7252d0012826ecf false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/when-soldiers-tell-the-pentagon-that-its-wrong 63079429c7252d0012826ecf 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 when-soldiers-tell-the-pentagon-that-its-wrong full Dissent. It’s a word people don’t like to hear, especially coming from the military. But it’s also a vitally important component of any vibrant democracy. Dissent, especially informed dissent, can pull us back from the brink and help us make better choices. We are one year out from the end of America’s direct involvement in Afghanistan and, after two decades of war, it’s time to start listening to the dissenters.


That’s what the new book Paths of Dissent: Soldiers Speak Out Against America’s Misguided Wars hopes to do: give voice to that informed dissent.


With us today is one of the books’ editors, returning guest Andrew Bacevich. Bacevich is a West Point graduate, a 23 year U.S. Army Veteran, a professor emeritus of history and international relations at Boston University, and … a dissenter.


Buy the book here.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Dissent. It’s a word people don’t like to hear, especially coming from the military. But it’s also a vitally important component of any vibrant democracy. Dissent, especially informed dissent, can pull us back from the brink and help us make better choices. We are one year out from the end of America’s direct involvement in Afghanistan and, after two decades of war, it’s time to start listening to the dissenters.


That’s what the new book Paths of Dissent: Soldiers Speak Out Against America’s Misguided Wars hopes to do: give voice to that informed dissent.


With us today is one of the books’ editors, returning guest Andrew Bacevich. Bacevich is a West Point graduate, a 23 year U.S. Army Veteran, a professor emeritus of history and international relations at Boston University, and … a dissenter.


Buy the book here.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> When War Became a Crime When War Became a Crime Fri, 12 Aug 2022 14:49:49 GMT 31:39 62f6688fd54b3b00123c42c2 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/when-war-became-a-crime 62f6688fd54b3b00123c42c2 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 when-war-became-a-crime full To say there are widespread reports of abuses by Russian troops in Ukraine is to undersell it. There have been hundreds and hundreds of cases claiming rape, torture, and murder. Last week, a video of the torture and execution of a Ukrainian soldier at the hands of Russian soldiers shocked the world.


We call these things war crimes and crimes against humanity. But that’s a relatively new concept. Today we’re going to talk about the Nuremberg Trials, which took some vague ideals and put them into practice.


Joining us today to talk about the Nuremberg Trials is John Barrett. He’s a Professor of Law at St. John's University, a biographer of former U.S. Attorney General and Nuremberg chief prosecutor Robert H. Jackson.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> To say there are widespread reports of abuses by Russian troops in Ukraine is to undersell it. There have been hundreds and hundreds of cases claiming rape, torture, and murder. Last week, a video of the torture and execution of a Ukrainian soldier at the hands of Russian soldiers shocked the world.


We call these things war crimes and crimes against humanity. But that’s a relatively new concept. Today we’re going to talk about the Nuremberg Trials, which took some vague ideals and put them into practice.


Joining us today to talk about the Nuremberg Trials is John Barrett. He’s a Professor of Law at St. John's University, a biographer of former U.S. Attorney General and Nuremberg chief prosecutor Robert H. Jackson.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Who Is Viktor Bout? Who Is Viktor Bout? Fri, 05 Aug 2022 19:42:23 GMT 34:31 62ed72a0ba423c00120b0711 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/who-is-viktor-bout 62ed72a0ba423c00120b0711 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 who-is-viktor-bout full WNBA star Britney Griner is imprisoned in Russia and, apparently, the U.S. is making Russia an incredible offer to get her out. Last week Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that America had “put a substantial proposal on the table.”


That proposal? The return to Russia of convicted international arms dealer Viktor Bout. This so-called Merchant of Death’s story is an amazing one. It even inspired a 2005 Nicolas Cage movie, some six years before Bout’s arrest. 


With us today to talk about it is Sean Williams. Williams is a journalist and the co-host of the excellent Underworld Pod, a show about the worldwide phenomenon of organized crime.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> WNBA star Britney Griner is imprisoned in Russia and, apparently, the U.S. is making Russia an incredible offer to get her out. Last week Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that America had “put a substantial proposal on the table.”


That proposal? The return to Russia of convicted international arms dealer Viktor Bout. This so-called Merchant of Death’s story is an amazing one. It even inspired a 2005 Nicolas Cage movie, some six years before Bout’s arrest. 


With us today to talk about it is Sean Williams. Williams is a journalist and the co-host of the excellent Underworld Pod, a show about the worldwide phenomenon of organized crime.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA[Ukraine's Alamo: The Siege of Azovstal]]> Fri, 29 Jul 2022 13:54:54 GMT 29:34 62e3e6af1acb5f00126d5bab false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/ukraines-alamo-the-siege-of-azovstal 62e3e6af1acb5f00126d5bab 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 ukraines-alamo-the-siege-of-azovstal full Imagine being trapped below ground for weeks, surrounded by soldiers, bombs dropping just a few feet above your head.


Food is scarce, rats are everywhere. Is survival possible? And what would it even look like? A trip back home, or to a Russian prison?


That was the situation during the siege of the Azovstal Steel Plant in Mariupol, Ukraine. 


Michael Schwirtz of the New York Times has put together a comprehensive look at the siege, which is being called Ukraine’s Alamo and he’s joining us today to describe what he found.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> Imagine being trapped below ground for weeks, surrounded by soldiers, bombs dropping just a few feet above your head.


Food is scarce, rats are everywhere. Is survival possible? And what would it even look like? A trip back home, or to a Russian prison?


That was the situation during the siege of the Azovstal Steel Plant in Mariupol, Ukraine. 


Michael Schwirtz of the New York Times has put together a comprehensive look at the siege, which is being called Ukraine’s Alamo and he’s joining us today to describe what he found.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Biden in Jerusalem Biden in Jerusalem Fri, 22 Jul 2022 17:07:36 GMT 34:07 62dad95900f3e30012e25b7e false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/biden-in-jerusalem 62dad95900f3e30012e25b7e 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 biden-in-jerusalem full I think we can all assume why Joe Biden visited Saudi Arabia recently. In fact, we just did a show on why the world can’t quit Saudi oil.


But it’s interesting to pull apart the other part of his journey — to Israel and, very briefly, the Palestinian Authority.


Joining us to do just that is independent journalist Noga Tarnopolsky. She’s written for everyone from the New York Times to the LA Times, as well as many other international outlets.


So, why visit Israel and why now? Was he just in the neighborhood?


Why is Israel still so important to the U.S.?


One stop on Biden’s visit was the Israeli Holocaust Memorial, Yad Vashem. There he did something that seems to have melted hardened Israeli hearts. What was the significance of the way he spoke to two of the few remaining survivors of the Holocaust.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> I think we can all assume why Joe Biden visited Saudi Arabia recently. In fact, we just did a show on why the world can’t quit Saudi oil.


But it’s interesting to pull apart the other part of his journey — to Israel and, very briefly, the Palestinian Authority.


Joining us to do just that is independent journalist Noga Tarnopolsky. She’s written for everyone from the New York Times to the LA Times, as well as many other international outlets.


So, why visit Israel and why now? Was he just in the neighborhood?


Why is Israel still so important to the U.S.?


One stop on Biden’s visit was the Israeli Holocaust Memorial, Yad Vashem. There he did something that seems to have melted hardened Israeli hearts. What was the significance of the way he spoke to two of the few remaining survivors of the Holocaust.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA[ICYMI: The Origins of Russia's War in Ukraine]]> Fri, 15 Jul 2022 19:40:43 GMT 56:33 62d1c2bdf1b8cb0012379165 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/icymi-the-origins-of-russias-war-in-ukraine 62d1c2bdf1b8cb0012379165 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-the-origins-of-russias-war-in-ukraine full We’re digging into the archives one more time to bring you two episodes from the early days of the show. They’re all about Russia and Ukraine. I chose these two because I think they give a unique view of the origins of the war and reflect how much our thinking on Russia has changed since its “official” invasion in February of 2022.


We’ll be back next week with a brand new episode. Stay safe until then.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> We’re digging into the archives one more time to bring you two episodes from the early days of the show. They’re all about Russia and Ukraine. I chose these two because I think they give a unique view of the origins of the war and reflect how much our thinking on Russia has changed since its “official” invasion in February of 2022.


We’ll be back next week with a brand new episode. Stay safe until then.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> ICYMI: The Roots of Political Violence ICYMI: The Roots of Political Violence Fri, 08 Jul 2022 20:45:28 GMT 27:20 62c8976a6cad700013e70366 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/icymi-the-roots-of-political-violence 62c8976a6cad700013e70366 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-the-roots-of-political-violence full This one is a blast from the past. Jason is on Vacation and Matthew is going in for a minor surgery so we're resurrecting some old episodes. Here's what we said five years ago when this first aired:


"Antifa and white nationalists clash in the streets. Students on college campuses patrol the sidewalks armed with bats. A man in Portland stabbed several people on a bus and another in Virginia opened fire on Republican legislators on a baseball field. This week on War College, Joe Young – college professor and contributing editor at Political Violence @ a Glance – walks us through what does and doesn’t scare him about the new rash of political violence in America. For Young, the times may be scary but they’re a far cry from the radical sixties and seventies when groups such as the Weather Underground bombed government buildings."


My how things have changed in just five years.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> This one is a blast from the past. Jason is on Vacation and Matthew is going in for a minor surgery so we're resurrecting some old episodes. Here's what we said five years ago when this first aired:


"Antifa and white nationalists clash in the streets. Students on college campuses patrol the sidewalks armed with bats. A man in Portland stabbed several people on a bus and another in Virginia opened fire on Republican legislators on a baseball field. This week on War College, Joe Young – college professor and contributing editor at Political Violence @ a Glance – walks us through what does and doesn’t scare him about the new rash of political violence in America. For Young, the times may be scary but they’re a far cry from the radical sixties and seventies when groups such as the Weather Underground bombed government buildings."


My how things have changed in just five years.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> The Hooligans Fighting for Ukraine The Hooligans Fighting for Ukraine Fri, 01 Jul 2022 16:51:37 GMT 43:05 62bf261a0122660012ea6a4f false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-hooligans-fighging-for-ukraine 62bf261a0122660012ea6a4f 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-hooligans-fighging-for-ukraine full If you’re a fan of this show, you’ve probably seen and read a lot of things about the war in Ukraine. But you’ve never seen anything quite like the new Popular Front documentary Frontline Hooligan.


Today’s guest is the creator of that documentary. He’s been on the show many times. You know him. Jake Hanrahan. He’s an independent journalist and the host of Popular Front, a podcast that focuses on the niche details of modern warfare and under-reported conflict.


Today we’re gonna talk about Frontline Hooligan, Hanrahan’s travels in Ukraine, and how places like YouTube make it hard, if not impossible, for independent journalists like him.


Watch the documentary here:


https://youtu.be/nsodbPkjO3c


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> If you’re a fan of this show, you’ve probably seen and read a lot of things about the war in Ukraine. But you’ve never seen anything quite like the new Popular Front documentary Frontline Hooligan.


Today’s guest is the creator of that documentary. He’s been on the show many times. You know him. Jake Hanrahan. He’s an independent journalist and the host of Popular Front, a podcast that focuses on the niche details of modern warfare and under-reported conflict.


Today we’re gonna talk about Frontline Hooligan, Hanrahan’s travels in Ukraine, and how places like YouTube make it hard, if not impossible, for independent journalists like him.


Watch the documentary here:


https://youtu.be/nsodbPkjO3c


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> On the Frontlines of Ukraine and a Roe Reaction in Real Time On the Frontlines of Ukraine and a Roe Reaction in Real Time Mon, 27 Jun 2022 20:11:01 GMT 45:15 62ba0ed83beca400139500da false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/on-the-frontlines-of-ukraine-and-a-roe-reaction-in-real-time 62ba0ed83beca400139500da 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 on-the-frontlines-of-ukraine-and-a-roe-reaction-in-real-time full The war in Ukraine grinds on. As the West’s attention wanes, Ukrainians fight for their lives and freedom. They need more of everything. Weapons, ammunition, supplies, people.


Today we have various stories from the war, as told by returning guest Danny Gold. Gold is a writer and producer who focuses on crime and conflict. He’s also a reluctant podcaster who co-hosts the excellent Underworld Podcast.


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]]> The war in Ukraine grinds on. As the West’s attention wanes, Ukrainians fight for their lives and freedom. They need more of everything. Weapons, ammunition, supplies, people.


Today we have various stories from the war, as told by returning guest Danny Gold. Gold is a writer and producer who focuses on crime and conflict. He’s also a reluctant podcaster who co-hosts the excellent Underworld Podcast.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> Proud Boys, January 6, and When a U-Haul Is a Clown Car Proud Boys, January 6, and When a U-Haul Is a Clown Car Fri, 17 Jun 2022 19:23:34 GMT 53:49 62acd4b75bb5870014f99cac false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/proud-boys-january-6-and-when-a-u-haul-is-a-clown-car 62acd4b75bb5870014f99cac 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 proud-boys-january-6-and-when-a-u-haul-is-a-clown-car full The January 6th committee has gone public with its hearings and once again the Proud Boys are in the news. Charges against 5 members of the group, including its leader, Enrique Tarrio have been superseded. Now, we’re talking about straight up sedition.


So, it’s time to look again at what this group — and related groups — did on January 6, and just how dangerous they really are. We’ll also talk about accelerationism, what it is and what accelerationists want.


Joining us are two people who are following the situation closely:


Matthew Kriner is a Senior Research Scholar at the Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism.


And Jon Lewis is a Research Fellow at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University.


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]]> The January 6th committee has gone public with its hearings and once again the Proud Boys are in the news. Charges against 5 members of the group, including its leader, Enrique Tarrio have been superseded. Now, we’re talking about straight up sedition.


So, it’s time to look again at what this group — and related groups — did on January 6, and just how dangerous they really are. We’ll also talk about accelerationism, what it is and what accelerationists want.


Joining us are two people who are following the situation closely:


Matthew Kriner is a Senior Research Scholar at the Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism.


And Jon Lewis is a Research Fellow at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.

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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> The Dream of the Kurds Is Alive and in Danger The Dream of the Kurds Is Alive and in Danger Fri, 10 Jun 2022 16:49:20 GMT 48:23 62a37611711c070014270201 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-dream-of-the-kurds-is-alive-and-in-danger 62a37611711c070014270201 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-dream-of-the-kurds-is-alive-and-in-danger full With America’s retreat from Afghanistan still fresh, it’s popular for politicians and pundits to bemoan America’s inability to fight and win a war. That line ignores an important bit of recent history we’ve memory-holed—the war against he Islamic State.


America didn’t fight that war alone, however. Far from it. An international coalition of trained soldiers and volunteer troops recognized a horrifying threat and came together to defeat it. As terrifying as the Islamic State is, the successful campaign against it simply isn’t talked about much anymore.


Today let’s resurrect the memory. With me here to talk about the war is someone who fought in it: Till ‘Baaz’ Paasche.


Along with fellow soldiers John Foxx and Shaun Murray, 'Baz' is the author of America’s War in Syria: Fighting With Kurdish Anti-ISIS Forces.


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]]> With America’s retreat from Afghanistan still fresh, it’s popular for politicians and pundits to bemoan America’s inability to fight and win a war. That line ignores an important bit of recent history we’ve memory-holed—the war against he Islamic State.


America didn’t fight that war alone, however. Far from it. An international coalition of trained soldiers and volunteer troops recognized a horrifying threat and came together to defeat it. As terrifying as the Islamic State is, the successful campaign against it simply isn’t talked about much anymore.


Today let’s resurrect the memory. With me here to talk about the war is someone who fought in it: Till ‘Baaz’ Paasche.


Along with fellow soldiers John Foxx and Shaun Murray, 'Baz' is the author of America’s War in Syria: Fighting With Kurdish Anti-ISIS Forces.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.

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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> We All Believe Conspiracy Theories We All Believe Conspiracy Theories Thu, 26 May 2022 19:59:49 GMT 39:05 628fdc366b1c7b0012351188 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/we-all-believe-conspiracy-theories 628fdc366b1c7b0012351188 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 we-all-believe-conspiracy-theories full Conspiracy Theories are part of the foundation of the United States. Our first strong third party, the Anti-Masonic party, had its roots in the belief in a conspiracy theory. Years later the John Birch society shaped American politics.


Things feel different now. Lies are doing something to the United States that no foreign enemy has been able to achieve: Shredding it.


The bizarre QAnon, imaginary purple elephant and, far more dangerous, the big lie of a stolen election.


It’s time to talk about our gaslit nation and what this conspiratorial bullshit means going forward.


Joining us to do just that is Joseph Uscinski. He’s professor of political science at the University of Miami. He’s the coauthor of American Conspiracy Theories (Oxford, 2014) and editor of Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them (Oxford, 2018). And we’re lucky to have him.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> Conspiracy Theories are part of the foundation of the United States. Our first strong third party, the Anti-Masonic party, had its roots in the belief in a conspiracy theory. Years later the John Birch society shaped American politics.


Things feel different now. Lies are doing something to the United States that no foreign enemy has been able to achieve: Shredding it.


The bizarre QAnon, imaginary purple elephant and, far more dangerous, the big lie of a stolen election.


It’s time to talk about our gaslit nation and what this conspiratorial bullshit means going forward.


Joining us to do just that is Joseph Uscinski. He’s professor of political science at the University of Miami. He’s the coauthor of American Conspiracy Theories (Oxford, 2014) and editor of Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them (Oxford, 2018). And we’re lucky to have him.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> When the Battlefield Is the Home Front When the Battlefield Is the Home Front Thu, 19 May 2022 19:16:10 GMT 34:32 6286977c89e28d00140b649c false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/when-the-battlefield-is-the-home-front 6286977c89e28d00140b649c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 when-the-battlefield-is-the-home-front full Right now, Russia is learning a lesson as old as combat, morale is at the center of any fighting force. How does it change things when you can pick up your cell phone and call your mom to share your experiences, or even complain about your commander?


How do you build a band of brothers when home is just a phone call away?


Colonel John Spencer asked himself these questions and wrote a book about it called Connected Soldiers: Life, Leadership, and Social Connections in Modern War. Spencer is the chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the modern war institute at West Point.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> Right now, Russia is learning a lesson as old as combat, morale is at the center of any fighting force. How does it change things when you can pick up your cell phone and call your mom to share your experiences, or even complain about your commander?


How do you build a band of brothers when home is just a phone call away?


Colonel John Spencer asked himself these questions and wrote a book about it called Connected Soldiers: Life, Leadership, and Social Connections in Modern War. Spencer is the chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the modern war institute at West Point.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> SPONSORED: The Mega-Tank of the Future SPONSORED: The Mega-Tank of the Future Wed, 18 May 2022 16:00:00 GMT 39:39 6285048d5392fe00110dd741 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/sponsored-the-mega-tank-of-the-future 6285048d5392fe00110dd741 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 sponsored-the-mega-tank-of-the-future bonus Today’s episode is brought to you by Auroch Digital, makers of many fine video games including the one we’re here to talk about today: Ogre.


For almost fifty years, it has terrorized our future. The Ogre. A massive AI-controlled tank hell bent on the destruction of the human race. Ogre. That’s both the name of the game and the name of the game’s strongest unit. First published in 1977, Ogre became a phenomenon in the wargame scene. It was asymmetric, deceptively simple, and has endured for 45 years.


Ogre is out now on the PlayStation and Xbox. It will hit the Nintendo Switch on May 25.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Today’s episode is brought to you by Auroch Digital, makers of many fine video games including the one we’re here to talk about today: Ogre.


For almost fifty years, it has terrorized our future. The Ogre. A massive AI-controlled tank hell bent on the destruction of the human race. Ogre. That’s both the name of the game and the name of the game’s strongest unit. First published in 1977, Ogre became a phenomenon in the wargame scene. It was asymmetric, deceptively simple, and has endured for 45 years.


Ogre is out now on the PlayStation and Xbox. It will hit the Nintendo Switch on May 25.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA[Checking In With The White House's New Disinformation Czar]]> Fri, 06 May 2022 17:44:31 GMT 51:39 62755e80ae754500155c3421 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/checking-in-with-the-white-houses-new-disinformation-czar 62755e80ae754500155c3421 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 checking-in-with-the-white-houses-new-disinformation-czar full Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Will There Be a Nuclear War? Will There Be a Nuclear War? Thu, 28 Apr 2022 19:45:07 GMT 41:03 626aeec5162abf001417b7a1 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/will-there-be-a-nuclear-war 626aeec5162abf001417b7a1 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 will-there-be-a-nuclear-war full When it comes to U.S.-Russia relations, everything old is new again. Russia and the West are separating. Fast. For those of us who were alive in the 1980s, it all feels bracingly familiar. That includes, especially, nuclear saber rattling. Putin, the Duman, and Russian TV feel like they’ve gone out of their way to remind the rest of the world: hey, we’ve got nukes.


But how likely is the possibility of nuclear war, really? And what are Russia’s nuclear capabilities exactly?


Here to help us answer those questions is Emma Claire Foley. Foley is an Associate Partner for Research & Policy at Global Zero, an organization working to reduce the likelihood of nuclear war and ultimately eliminate nuclear weapons.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> When it comes to U.S.-Russia relations, everything old is new again. Russia and the West are separating. Fast. For those of us who were alive in the 1980s, it all feels bracingly familiar. That includes, especially, nuclear saber rattling. Putin, the Duman, and Russian TV feel like they’ve gone out of their way to remind the rest of the world: hey, we’ve got nukes.


But how likely is the possibility of nuclear war, really? And what are Russia’s nuclear capabilities exactly?


Here to help us answer those questions is Emma Claire Foley. Foley is an Associate Partner for Research & Policy at Global Zero, an organization working to reduce the likelihood of nuclear war and ultimately eliminate nuclear weapons.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA["America Is an Idealist Power in a Reapolitik World"]]> Fri, 15 Apr 2022 16:50:45 GMT 39:39 6259a2662133440012100846 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/america-is-an-idealist-power-in-a-reapolitik-world 6259a2662133440012100846 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 america-is-an-idealist-power-in-a-reapolitik-world full Over the past month, we’ve discussed a lot of specifics regarding the War in Ukraine. We’ve gone over the role of tanks, talked about Putin’s motives, and discussed War Crimes. What we haven’t done, really, is look at the big picture.


What does this war mean, not just for Ukraine, but for Europe and America. What is the future of NATO? Increasingly, it feels like we’re on the precipice of something … new and, perhaps, frightening.


With us today to talk through all this is Charles A. Kupchan. Kupchan is a professor of international affairs at Georgetown University and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.


He’s just written an op-ed in the New York Times titled Putin’s War in Ukraine Is a Watershed. Time for America to Get Real.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Over the past month, we’ve discussed a lot of specifics regarding the War in Ukraine. We’ve gone over the role of tanks, talked about Putin’s motives, and discussed War Crimes. What we haven’t done, really, is look at the big picture.


What does this war mean, not just for Ukraine, but for Europe and America. What is the future of NATO? Increasingly, it feels like we’re on the precipice of something … new and, perhaps, frightening.


With us today to talk through all this is Charles A. Kupchan. Kupchan is a professor of international affairs at Georgetown University and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.


He’s just written an op-ed in the New York Times titled Putin’s War in Ukraine Is a Watershed. Time for America to Get Real.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Bucha, Chechnya, and Russian War Crimes Bucha, Chechnya, and Russian War Crimes Sat, 09 Apr 2022 16:18:33 GMT 49:42 6251b1d91f5d580012551aec false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/bucha-chechnya-and-russian-war-crimes 6251b1d91f5d580012551aec 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 bucha-chechnya-and-russian-war-crimes full Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine are being revealed as its military is pushed back. In the Kyiv suburbs, evidence of summary executions, torture and rape are being revealed.


All countries are guilty of crimes during war, but Russia deserves special mention for its actions in the last hundred years.


At the end of World War II and the occupation of Germany after, at least 2 million German women were raped by Russian soldiers, along with other atrocities on the most brutal front in the war.


In the Afghan war, Russia was infamous for using landmines that looked like toys for kids to pick up.


And in Chechnya more rape, bombardment of civilians and executions.


Joining us to talk about this cheery topic today is Professor Amir Weiner of Stanford. He studies the Soviet Union and Russia and their way of war.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine are being revealed as its military is pushed back. In the Kyiv suburbs, evidence of summary executions, torture and rape are being revealed.


All countries are guilty of crimes during war, but Russia deserves special mention for its actions in the last hundred years.


At the end of World War II and the occupation of Germany after, at least 2 million German women were raped by Russian soldiers, along with other atrocities on the most brutal front in the war.


In the Afghan war, Russia was infamous for using landmines that looked like toys for kids to pick up.


And in Chechnya more rape, bombardment of civilians and executions.


Joining us to talk about this cheery topic today is Professor Amir Weiner of Stanford. He studies the Soviet Union and Russia and their way of war.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA[You're Wrong. Tanks Aren't Done Yet]]> Fri, 01 Apr 2022 17:13:41 GMT 30:33 624732c7b68b3c0012ae3422 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/youre-wrong-tanks-arent-done-yet 624732c7b68b3c0012ae3422 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 youre-wrong-tanks-arent-done-yet full The tank is an iconic weapon of modern war, but the truth is that it’s more than a century old. When we think of tanks we think of the battles of World War II. The Tiger and the Sherman squaring off, the relentless push of the Soviet T-34s into Eastern Europe. Or maybe you think of beige ones driving through the deserts of Iraq, keeping its crew snug and safe.


But how safe are you?


In Ukraine, Russia is losing many tanks. It’s hard to know how many exactly, and what is wartime propaganda. But, as of this podcast, the OSINT researchers at Oryx have documented a loss of 345 Russian tanks. 155  of which were destroyed.


Is the tank no longer an important part of war? Is it as outdated as the cavalry charge in the face of the Maxim gun?


Here to answer that question is Nicholas Drummond. Drummond is an Ex-British Army officer, a Defense industry analyst, and an advisor to the House of Commons defense committee. He writes at UKlandpower.com.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> The tank is an iconic weapon of modern war, but the truth is that it’s more than a century old. When we think of tanks we think of the battles of World War II. The Tiger and the Sherman squaring off, the relentless push of the Soviet T-34s into Eastern Europe. Or maybe you think of beige ones driving through the deserts of Iraq, keeping its crew snug and safe.


But how safe are you?


In Ukraine, Russia is losing many tanks. It’s hard to know how many exactly, and what is wartime propaganda. But, as of this podcast, the OSINT researchers at Oryx have documented a loss of 345 Russian tanks. 155  of which were destroyed.


Is the tank no longer an important part of war? Is it as outdated as the cavalry charge in the face of the Maxim gun?


Here to answer that question is Nicholas Drummond. Drummond is an Ex-British Army officer, a Defense industry analyst, and an advisor to the House of Commons defense committee. He writes at UKlandpower.com.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> <![CDATA[Russia and the West's Love/Hate History]]> Fri, 25 Mar 2022 19:27:46 GMT 32:10 623e17b21c2d6d00145b42aa false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/russia-and-the-wests-lovehate-history 623e17b21c2d6d00145b42aa 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 russia-and-the-wests-lovehate-history full Relations between Russia and the western world are complicated. In the grand scheme of things, America is but a recent addition to a long simmering rivalry that runs back a thousand years. Putin and Ukraine? Well, that’s just the latest dust up in a very long history.


So let’s talk about it.


Here with us today to suss all this out is Michael Hirsh. Hirsh is a senior correspondent at Foreign Policy and the author of the excellent piece there, Putin’s Thousand-Year War.


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]]> Relations between Russia and the western world are complicated. In the grand scheme of things, America is but a recent addition to a long simmering rivalry that runs back a thousand years. Putin and Ukraine? Well, that’s just the latest dust up in a very long history.


So let’s talk about it.


Here with us today to suss all this out is Michael Hirsh. Hirsh is a senior correspondent at Foreign Policy and the author of the excellent piece there, Putin’s Thousand-Year War.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> <![CDATA[Eastern Europe's Fascist Salad]]> Sat, 19 Mar 2022 16:03:17 GMT 47:00 6235fec6b218860011c56e48 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/eastern-europes-fascist-salad 6235fec6b218860011c56e48 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 eastern-europes-fascist-salad full According to Vladimir Putin, he’s on a quest to de-Nazify Ukraine. But what about the Nazis in his own backyard? Hell, what about the Nazis all over Central and Eastern Europe.


Right now, the Azov Regiment in Ukraine is dominating the conversation. Pictures of the ultra nationalist group are circulating online and being used to justify Russia’s invasion. But they aren’t the only fascists in the area. Far from it. But it’s complicated and Azov is part of a broad tapestry of Fascist movements in the region, including in Russia.


Here to get into all this is Michael Colborne. Colborne is a journalist working at Bellingcat where he writes about extremist movements in Europe. He’s written a lot about Azov, but his latest is about the fascists in Russia. Male State: The Russian Online Hate Group Backing Putin’s War is at Bellingcat now.


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]]> According to Vladimir Putin, he’s on a quest to de-Nazify Ukraine. But what about the Nazis in his own backyard? Hell, what about the Nazis all over Central and Eastern Europe.


Right now, the Azov Regiment in Ukraine is dominating the conversation. Pictures of the ultra nationalist group are circulating online and being used to justify Russia’s invasion. But they aren’t the only fascists in the area. Far from it. But it’s complicated and Azov is part of a broad tapestry of Fascist movements in the region, including in Russia.


Here to get into all this is Michael Colborne. Colborne is a journalist working at Bellingcat where he writes about extremist movements in Europe. He’s written a lot about Azov, but his latest is about the fascists in Russia. Male State: The Russian Online Hate Group Backing Putin’s War is at Bellingcat now.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> UNLOCKED: Coping in the New Age of Nuclear Anxiety UNLOCKED: Coping in the New Age of Nuclear Anxiety Thu, 17 Mar 2022 21:11:03 GMT 1:07:04 6233a3e7184fb10012c83ffd false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/coping-in-the-new-age-of-nuclear-anxiety 6233a3e7184fb10012c83ffd 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 coping-in-the-new-age-of-nuclear-anxiety full Russia is at war with Ukraine and Vladimir Putin is making vague nuclear threats. Both Russian and U.S. officials are, mostly, trying to dial things down. A Russian defense official said they don’t have their hands on the button and the Pentagon said it had canceled the test of a Minuteman missile. And yet … days later the U.S. head of Strategic Command said America needed to modernize its nuclear forces and reminded everyone that the test had been postponed and not canceled.


If all this is leaving you a bit anxious about the possibility of nuclear war, you’re not alone. To be clear, the possibility of nuclear war is still damn low … but that doesn’t always make the anxiety go away. Something that has always helped me deal with the threat of nuclear hellfire … is pop culture.


That’s what we’re gonna talk about today.


Here to help me with that is Jacqueline Bryk. Bryk is an analog Roleplaying Game personality, a nuclear policy dilettante, and a nuke wonk gadfly. She’s the writer of many fine games including the Ten Candles hack, Nuke: “A simple, stark game about slowly dying in a city hit by a nuclear weapon.”


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]]> Russia is at war with Ukraine and Vladimir Putin is making vague nuclear threats. Both Russian and U.S. officials are, mostly, trying to dial things down. A Russian defense official said they don’t have their hands on the button and the Pentagon said it had canceled the test of a Minuteman missile. And yet … days later the U.S. head of Strategic Command said America needed to modernize its nuclear forces and reminded everyone that the test had been postponed and not canceled.


If all this is leaving you a bit anxious about the possibility of nuclear war, you’re not alone. To be clear, the possibility of nuclear war is still damn low … but that doesn’t always make the anxiety go away. Something that has always helped me deal with the threat of nuclear hellfire … is pop culture.


That’s what we’re gonna talk about today.


Here to help me with that is Jacqueline Bryk. Bryk is an analog Roleplaying Game personality, a nuclear policy dilettante, and a nuke wonk gadfly. She’s the writer of many fine games including the Ten Candles hack, Nuke: “A simple, stark game about slowly dying in a city hit by a nuclear weapon.”


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> <![CDATA[What's Behind Putin's Nazi Bullshit]]> Fri, 11 Mar 2022 19:23:28 GMT 37:17 622ba1b2e8fb640012cd9293 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/whats-behind-putins-nazi-bullshit 622ba1b2e8fb640012cd9293 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whats-behind-putins-nazi-bullshit full

This episode was originally going to be called something like not everything is the Holocaust. We were going to talk about how the Nazi attempt to kill all of Europe’s Jews during World War II wasn’t much like being told to get a vaccine or wear a mask.


But events have overtaken us. Mask mandates are falling and the war in Ukraine is all I can think about nowadays - I don’t know about you.


When Vladimir Putin ordered his invasion, he claimed he was going to de-Nazify Ukraine’s government.


That was bullshit, but like a lot of bullshit, there’s a germ of truth.


Today we’re going to talk about what it means to de-Nazify a government with a Jew at it’s head and an ambivalent history.


Joining me today is Edna Friedberg, a historian at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, who hosts, among other things their Facebook live show.


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]>

This episode was originally going to be called something like not everything is the Holocaust. We were going to talk about how the Nazi attempt to kill all of Europe’s Jews during World War II wasn’t much like being told to get a vaccine or wear a mask.


But events have overtaken us. Mask mandates are falling and the war in Ukraine is all I can think about nowadays - I don’t know about you.


When Vladimir Putin ordered his invasion, he claimed he was going to de-Nazify Ukraine’s government.


That was bullshit, but like a lot of bullshit, there’s a germ of truth.


Today we’re going to talk about what it means to de-Nazify a government with a Jew at it’s head and an ambivalent history.


Joining me today is Edna Friedberg, a historian at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, who hosts, among other things their Facebook live show.


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> What the War Means for Russia What the War Means for Russia Wed, 02 Mar 2022 20:06:53 GMT 48:13 621fce5e029cf0001641792f false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/what-the-war-means-for-russia 621fce5e029cf0001641792f 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 what-the-war-means-for-russia full Returning guest and Russia expert Mark Galeotti comes on the show to give his perspective on the war in Ukraine.



You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> Returning guest and Russia expert Mark Galeotti comes on the show to give his perspective on the war in Ukraine.



You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> <![CDATA[Russia's War in Ukraine Isn't Going to Plan]]> Sun, 27 Feb 2022 20:57:25 GMT 44:03 621be5b63753980012fc27d5 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/russias-war-in-ukraine-isnt-going-to-plan 621be5b63753980012fc27d5 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 russias-war-in-ukraine-isnt-going-to-plan full We talk about war a lot on this show. It’s kind of the foundation of what we do.


But the war in Ukraine is different. Frankly, it’s scarier. It makes everyone think of World War II and World War III at the same time.


So, let’s talk about it. Was there ever a chance to stop it, and what do we think will happen next?


With us today is James Miller. He’s a foreign policy analyst and journalist who has spent extensive time in Ukraine.


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> We talk about war a lot on this show. It’s kind of the foundation of what we do.


But the war in Ukraine is different. Frankly, it’s scarier. It makes everyone think of World War II and World War III at the same time.


So, let’s talk about it. Was there ever a chance to stop it, and what do we think will happen next?


With us today is James Miller. He’s a foreign policy analyst and journalist who has spent extensive time in Ukraine.


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> A Brief Apology and a Discussion of Sanctions A Brief Apology and a Discussion of Sanctions Fri, 25 Feb 2022 21:21:34 GMT 41:04 621948605cdbb40012563bbe false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/a-brief-apology-and-a-discussion-of-sanctions 621948605cdbb40012563bbe 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 a-brief-apology-and-a-discussion-of-sanctions full Once upon a time, an enemy would pull up to your gates with his army and surround your city so that nothing could get in or out. In a short time, you’d be eating the horses, maybe the rats and, if things got bad enough and you weren’t entirely suicidal, you’d open the gates. Sometimes that would work out OK. Sometimes not.


Nowadays, countries wanting something from each other seem to have more options, but one that’s still around is the siege. We just call the sanctions. 


To discuss sanctions, their effectiveness and where they are currently applied by the United States, we are joined by Ambassador Daniel Fried. Fried spent a lifetime working at the state department, is an expert on sanctions, and is now at the Atlantic Council, a prominent Washington think tank. He’s got a new paper coming out on Nov. 17 with recommendations for the incoming administration.


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> Once upon a time, an enemy would pull up to your gates with his army and surround your city so that nothing could get in or out. In a short time, you’d be eating the horses, maybe the rats and, if things got bad enough and you weren’t entirely suicidal, you’d open the gates. Sometimes that would work out OK. Sometimes not.


Nowadays, countries wanting something from each other seem to have more options, but one that’s still around is the siege. We just call the sanctions. 


To discuss sanctions, their effectiveness and where they are currently applied by the United States, we are joined by Ambassador Daniel Fried. Fried spent a lifetime working at the state department, is an expert on sanctions, and is now at the Atlantic Council, a prominent Washington think tank. He’s got a new paper coming out on Nov. 17 with recommendations for the incoming administration.


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> Russia and China Aren’t BFFs Russia and China Aren’t BFFs Fri, 18 Feb 2022 18:48:30 GMT 28:57 620fe9ffc149f00013e4f29b false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/russia-and-china-arent-bffs 620fe9ffc149f00013e4f29b 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 russia-and-china-arent-bffs full It’s been a concern lurking in the minds of America’s leaders for a long time: what if Russia and China could successfully work together against the United States?


A combined Russo-China empire is the stuff of science fiction, perhaps, but what’s the reality today? What goals do they share and how well can they work together? 


And how does that cooperation affect the potential war in Ukraine?


To help us understand this situation we have Andrew Radin, who is a political scientist at the RAND Corporation. He researches European security, NATO, and Russia’s foreign and security policy.


Also joining me is Andrew Scobel.  is a distinguished fellow at the U.S. Institute of Peace, an adjunct political scientist at the RAND Corporation and an adjunct professor at the Georgetown School of Foreign Service.


They both worked on a RAND report called: China-Russia Cooperation Determining Factors, Future Trajectories, Implications for the United States


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> It’s been a concern lurking in the minds of America’s leaders for a long time: what if Russia and China could successfully work together against the United States?


A combined Russo-China empire is the stuff of science fiction, perhaps, but what’s the reality today? What goals do they share and how well can they work together? 


And how does that cooperation affect the potential war in Ukraine?


To help us understand this situation we have Andrew Radin, who is a political scientist at the RAND Corporation. He researches European security, NATO, and Russia’s foreign and security policy.


Also joining me is Andrew Scobel.  is a distinguished fellow at the U.S. Institute of Peace, an adjunct political scientist at the RAND Corporation and an adjunct professor at the Georgetown School of Foreign Service.


They both worked on a RAND report called: China-Russia Cooperation Determining Factors, Future Trajectories, Implications for the United States


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> The Weird Way Americans Talk About Ukraine As War Looms The Weird Way Americans Talk About Ukraine As War Looms Mon, 14 Feb 2022 20:06:00 GMT 38:14 620ab62ae1582b001325bd47 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-weird-way-americans-talk-about-ukraine-as-war-looms 620ab62ae1582b001325bd47 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-weird-way-americans-talk-about-ukraine-as-war-looms full Ukraine. Things are changing rapidly, but at this moment the Kremlin has the country surrounded. It’s conducting military drills in the Black Sea, marshaling troops in neighboring Belarus, and recalling mercenaries from Africa. Recently Putin even made a rape joke during a press conference to imply what he wanted from Ukraine.


It doesn’t look good. But to hear Ben & Jerry's Ice cream tell it, this is all because of the imperial U.S.-led aggression in Eastern Europe. Why does it seem like some Americans, from right-wing pundits to your terminally online socialist friend, can’t seem to take the Kremlin’s threats seriously?


With us today to answer that question is Christopher Atwood. Atwood senior advisor at the Souspilnist Foundation in Kyiv. He’s lived in both Russia and Ukraine.


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Ukraine. Things are changing rapidly, but at this moment the Kremlin has the country surrounded. It’s conducting military drills in the Black Sea, marshaling troops in neighboring Belarus, and recalling mercenaries from Africa. Recently Putin even made a rape joke during a press conference to imply what he wanted from Ukraine.


It doesn’t look good. But to hear Ben & Jerry's Ice cream tell it, this is all because of the imperial U.S.-led aggression in Eastern Europe. Why does it seem like some Americans, from right-wing pundits to your terminally online socialist friend, can’t seem to take the Kremlin’s threats seriously?


With us today to answer that question is Christopher Atwood. Atwood senior advisor at the Souspilnist Foundation in Kyiv. He’s lived in both Russia and Ukraine.


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> <![CDATA[It's Later Than You think. The Doomsday Clock at 75]]> Fri, 04 Feb 2022 19:38:49 GMT 29:17 61fd80cafe38e4001321989c false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/its-later-than-you-think-the-doomsday-clock-at-75 61fd80cafe38e4001321989c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 its-later-than-you-think-the-doomsday-clock-at-75 full The Doomsday Clock is always ticking down. Between climate change, technological advances, new diseases, and the ever present threat of nuclear war … it often feels like we’re close to the end of civilization. How close? According to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists … we’re 100 seconds to midnight. The closest we’ve ever been.


But what, exactly, is the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and this bizarre clock they oversee? Why, when we imagine the end of the world, do we see a clock ticking down to midnight. Where did this visual metaphor come from? Here to give us the history of the clock and explain how it has permeated our consciousness is Robert K. Elder.


Elder is the Chief Digital Editor of the Bulletin and a journalist who has authored many fine books. His latest is The Doomsday Clock at 75.


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> The Doomsday Clock is always ticking down. Between climate change, technological advances, new diseases, and the ever present threat of nuclear war … it often feels like we’re close to the end of civilization. How close? According to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists … we’re 100 seconds to midnight. The closest we’ve ever been.


But what, exactly, is the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and this bizarre clock they oversee? Why, when we imagine the end of the world, do we see a clock ticking down to midnight. Where did this visual metaphor come from? Here to give us the history of the clock and explain how it has permeated our consciousness is Robert K. Elder.


Elder is the Chief Digital Editor of the Bulletin and a journalist who has authored many fine books. His latest is The Doomsday Clock at 75.


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> <![CDATA[Putin, Ukraine, and Russia's Daddy Issues]]> Fri, 28 Jan 2022 17:50:12 GMT 47:07 61f42cd5f89a4d001259d227 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/putin-ukraine-and-russias-daddy-issues 61f42cd5f89a4d001259d227 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 putin-ukraine-and-russias-daddy-issues full Everyone has an opinion about Ukraine, but something I’ve noticed in Western media is that no one really seems to be asking Russians what they think of the situation. The reasons for that are extremely complicated. So let’s talk about them.


Here to talk about Russia’s view of the Ukraine conflict, Putin’s motivations, and to do a little … psychoanalysis … is Peter Pomerantsev. Pomerantsev is a returning guest, his latest in Time Magazine is What the West Will Never Understand About Putin's Ukraine Obsession. His latest book, which is also excellent, is This Is Not Propaganda.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Everyone has an opinion about Ukraine, but something I’ve noticed in Western media is that no one really seems to be asking Russians what they think of the situation. The reasons for that are extremely complicated. So let’s talk about them.


Here to talk about Russia’s view of the Ukraine conflict, Putin’s motivations, and to do a little … psychoanalysis … is Peter Pomerantsev. Pomerantsev is a returning guest, his latest in Time Magazine is What the West Will Never Understand About Putin's Ukraine Obsession. His latest book, which is also excellent, is This Is Not Propaganda.


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]]> Why People Online Defend the Uighur Genocide Why People Online Defend the Uighur Genocide Fri, 21 Jan 2022 21:14:47 GMT 37:27 61eb224967286e0012cb1495 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/why-people-online-defend-the-uighur-genocide 61eb224967286e0012cb1495 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 why-people-online-defend-the-uighur-genocide full Genocide and disinformation. That’s the topic of today’s heady program. I hope none of you have had the pleasure of debating the Uighur genocide with friends or with, god forbid, with anonymous people on the internet. If you have, you may have noticed a certain … uniformity to the arguments despite a mountain of evidence to the contrary.


It turns out there may be a reason for that.


Here to help us untangle it all is Alexander Reid Ross. Ross is a senior fellow at the Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right and senior data analyst at the Network Contagion Research Institute. He’s also the co-author of the report we’re talking about here today The Big Business of Uyghur Genocide Denial.

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]]> Genocide and disinformation. That’s the topic of today’s heady program. I hope none of you have had the pleasure of debating the Uighur genocide with friends or with, god forbid, with anonymous people on the internet. If you have, you may have noticed a certain … uniformity to the arguments despite a mountain of evidence to the contrary.


It turns out there may be a reason for that.


Here to help us untangle it all is Alexander Reid Ross. Ross is a senior fellow at the Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right and senior data analyst at the Network Contagion Research Institute. He’s also the co-author of the report we’re talking about here today The Big Business of Uyghur Genocide Denial.

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]]> <![CDATA[Inside Africa's ISIS Franchises]]> Fri, 14 Jan 2022 19:55:41 GMT 35:37 61e1d53ff1cd4c0012eb4f5f false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/inside-africas-isis-franchises 61e1d53ff1cd4c0012eb4f5f 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 inside-africas-isis-franchises full The Islamic State has fallen out of the headlines, but it’s still a major force around the world. Affiliates flourish across the Middle East and, especially, in Africa. The spread of the group there has some analysts calling it the Next Jihadist Battlefront.


Here to help us with all this is Ryan O'Farrell. O'Farrell is a Senior Analyst at the Bridgeway Foundation and a researcher focusing on Islamist movements in east and central Africa.


He’s also a contributing author of the book The Islamic State In Africa: The Emergence, Evolution, and Future of the Next Jihadist Battlefront.


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]]> The Islamic State has fallen out of the headlines, but it’s still a major force around the world. Affiliates flourish across the Middle East and, especially, in Africa. The spread of the group there has some analysts calling it the Next Jihadist Battlefront.


Here to help us with all this is Ryan O'Farrell. O'Farrell is a Senior Analyst at the Bridgeway Foundation and a researcher focusing on Islamist movements in east and central Africa.


He’s also a contributing author of the book The Islamic State In Africa: The Emergence, Evolution, and Future of the Next Jihadist Battlefront.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> A War for the Former Soviet Union A War for the Former Soviet Union Sat, 08 Jan 2022 16:38:54 GMT 29:08 61d9be1fcc27c20014d7bd58 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/a-war-for-the-former-soviet-union 61d9be1fcc27c20014d7bd58 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 a-war-for-the-former-soviet-union full The former Soviet Union is looking a bit restive nowadays - putting it mildly. 


Russia has more than one hundred thousand troops on Ukraine’s borders - and has invaded Ukraine before - and has been fighting a war there ever since.


And in the last few days, many Americans have learned there is a country called Kazakhstan, even if they can’t find it on a map. And Russia is playing a role to prop up the authoritarian government there.


To help us understand what’s going on, we have the perfect guest. William Courtney is the former ambassador to Kazakhstan and is now a senior fellow at the Rand Corporation.


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]]> The former Soviet Union is looking a bit restive nowadays - putting it mildly. 


Russia has more than one hundred thousand troops on Ukraine’s borders - and has invaded Ukraine before - and has been fighting a war there ever since.


And in the last few days, many Americans have learned there is a country called Kazakhstan, even if they can’t find it on a map. And Russia is playing a role to prop up the authoritarian government there.


To help us understand what’s going on, we have the perfect guest. William Courtney is the former ambassador to Kazakhstan and is now a senior fellow at the Rand Corporation.


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]]> ICYMI: Taliban Memories ICYMI: Taliban Memories Fri, 31 Dec 2021 17:00:56 GMT 1:00:24 61bcd033d2c9ae0014458d19 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/icymi-taliban-memories 61bcd033d2c9ae0014458d19 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-taliban-memories full The Taliban - we all know them, few of us love them, and it looks like they’re going to rule Afghanistan - again.

So, what was it like the first time the Islamic militants took over, in 1996?


Today, we have two journalists who were in Afghanistan in the 90s. Scott Neuman was working for United Press International and wrote from the scene.


Alan Chin is a photographer who went to Afghanistan to take pictures for The New York Times.

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]]> The Taliban - we all know them, few of us love them, and it looks like they’re going to rule Afghanistan - again.

So, what was it like the first time the Islamic militants took over, in 1996?


Today, we have two journalists who were in Afghanistan in the 90s. Scott Neuman was working for United Press International and wrote from the scene.


Alan Chin is a photographer who went to Afghanistan to take pictures for The New York Times.

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]]> ICYMI: Fake Journalists Are the Latest Disinformation Twist ICYMI: Fake Journalists Are the Latest Disinformation Twist Fri, 24 Dec 2021 17:00:20 GMT 57:25 61bccf36d2c9ae001445883e false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/icymi-fake-journalists-are-the-latest-disinformation-twist 61bccf36d2c9ae001445883e 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-fake-journalists-are-the-latest-disinformation-twist full Last week The Daily Beast broke some bizarre news. Several news outlets, including The Washington Examiner, RealClear Markets, and The National Interest, had been running op-eds of journalists that did not exist. AI generated photos attached to profiles and credentials that, once scrutinized, collapsed. It was a massive effort at digital propaganda and questions still remain about its provenance and purpose.


Here to explain just what is going on is Marc Owen Jones. Jones is an assistant professor in Middle East Studies and Digital Humanities at Hamad bin Khalifa University and an expert in social media disinformation who helped sound the alarm about this campaign.


  • Recorded 7/13/20
  • Fake journalists have joined the fray
  • Tracking response of the dupe outlets
  • The difference between misinformation and disinformation
  • Media literacy in Estonia and Finland
  • A website that generates people who don’t exist


War College has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Last week The Daily Beast broke some bizarre news. Several news outlets, including The Washington Examiner, RealClear Markets, and The National Interest, had been running op-eds of journalists that did not exist. AI generated photos attached to profiles and credentials that, once scrutinized, collapsed. It was a massive effort at digital propaganda and questions still remain about its provenance and purpose.


Here to explain just what is going on is Marc Owen Jones. Jones is an assistant professor in Middle East Studies and Digital Humanities at Hamad bin Khalifa University and an expert in social media disinformation who helped sound the alarm about this campaign.


  • Recorded 7/13/20
  • Fake journalists have joined the fray
  • Tracking response of the dupe outlets
  • The difference between misinformation and disinformation
  • Media literacy in Estonia and Finland
  • A website that generates people who don’t exist


War College has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://warcollege.substack.com/

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Booze, Bribes, and Prostitutes: How Fat Leonard Seduced the U.S. Navy Booze, Bribes, and Prostitutes: How Fat Leonard Seduced the U.S. Navy Fri, 17 Dec 2021 20:10:28 GMT 37:17 61bceeb574b6190012753146 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/fatleonardscandal 61bceeb574b6190012753146 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 fatleonardscandal full It’s the greatest story you probably don’t know anything about. Or, at least, you have no idea how bad it actually is. The U.S. 7th Fleet is the most powerful Navy in the history of the world. Its area of operations stretches throughout the Pacific. It comprised of up of upwards of 70 ships, 400 aircraft, and around 40,000 sailors and Marines. For about a far too many years it was the plaything of a Malaysian playboy who grifted a fortune off the American taxpayer.


We’re finally doing it. We’re finally doing a Fat Leonard episode.


Our guest today is journalist, best selling author, and host of the incredible Fat Leonard Podcast, Tom Wright. The nine part Fat Leonard Podcast is, for my money, the most comprehensive and well researched version of the story we’re going to lay out for you here. If you’re interested at all in what you’re about to hear, you must check it out.

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]]> It’s the greatest story you probably don’t know anything about. Or, at least, you have no idea how bad it actually is. The U.S. 7th Fleet is the most powerful Navy in the history of the world. Its area of operations stretches throughout the Pacific. It comprised of up of upwards of 70 ships, 400 aircraft, and around 40,000 sailors and Marines. For about a far too many years it was the plaything of a Malaysian playboy who grifted a fortune off the American taxpayer.


We’re finally doing it. We’re finally doing a Fat Leonard episode.


Our guest today is journalist, best selling author, and host of the incredible Fat Leonard Podcast, Tom Wright. The nine part Fat Leonard Podcast is, for my money, the most comprehensive and well researched version of the story we’re going to lay out for you here. If you’re interested at all in what you’re about to hear, you must check it out.

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]]> How Assad Clings to Power How Assad Clings to Power Fri, 10 Dec 2021 17:02:02 GMT 39:07 61b3880de1c4aa001465e84e false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/how-assad-clings-to-power 61b3880de1c4aa001465e84e 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-assad-clings-to-power full Is the Syrian civil war over? Did Bashar al Assad win it? And if he did, what does winning even mean for a country of rubble?


And most importantly, what’s next for the dictator and the people who live within the sort-of nation’s borders?


To help us understand what’s happening, we’ve got Washington Post correspondent Liz Sly. She’s covered the war since it began in 2011 and has made many trips to Syria. She’s also a fantastic writer and multiple award winner.


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]]> Is the Syrian civil war over? Did Bashar al Assad win it? And if he did, what does winning even mean for a country of rubble?


And most importantly, what’s next for the dictator and the people who live within the sort-of nation’s borders?


To help us understand what’s happening, we’ve got Washington Post correspondent Liz Sly. She’s covered the war since it began in 2011 and has made many trips to Syria. She’s also a fantastic writer and multiple award winner.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> <![CDATA[ICYMI: The Air Force's Chicken Gun]]> Fri, 26 Nov 2021 17:58:16 GMT 30:12 61a12067b89dbc00138e50a0 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/icymi-the-air-forces-chicken-gun 61a12067b89dbc00138e50a0 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-the-air-forces-chicken-gun full When the United States Air Force tests a new aircraft it needs to make sure it won't crash should a stray bird slam into the plane's side. Thankfully, the military has an artillery piece with a 60-foot barrel that hurls chicken more than 400 miles an hour. The chicken gun allows the military to make sure no stray bird will foul up its expensive jets while they're mid-flight. If you think the chicken gun is weird, it’s only the tip of a strange and fascinating iceberg.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> When the United States Air Force tests a new aircraft it needs to make sure it won't crash should a stray bird slam into the plane's side. Thankfully, the military has an artillery piece with a 60-foot barrel that hurls chicken more than 400 miles an hour. The chicken gun allows the military to make sure no stray bird will foul up its expensive jets while they're mid-flight. If you think the chicken gun is weird, it’s only the tip of a strange and fascinating iceberg.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Ukraine on the Brink Ukraine on the Brink Sat, 20 Nov 2021 18:56:22 GMT 42:46 619944d8fab9b0001969346a false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/ukraine-on-the-brink 619944d8fab9b0001969346a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 ukraine-on-the-brink full Ukraine. It started with pro European protests in the Winter of 2013. Then came the annexation of Crimea, the little green men, Igor Strelkov, the Donbas, and a long simmering war in the Eastern Ukraine. Things are changing. Ukraine’s president said that Russia has amassed 100,000 troops on the border, Latvia has mobilized its National Guard, and Poland called for an emergency meeting of NATO. To say tensions are rising would be an understatement. 


Here to walk us through what’s happening is Coffee or Die Magazine senior editor Nolan Peterson. Peterson is a journalist and a former United States Air Force special operations pilot. He’s published a lot of great journalism from the frontlines of the war in the Donbas. His latest is A Brief History of Russia’s War Against Ukraine.


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]]> Ukraine. It started with pro European protests in the Winter of 2013. Then came the annexation of Crimea, the little green men, Igor Strelkov, the Donbas, and a long simmering war in the Eastern Ukraine. Things are changing. Ukraine’s president said that Russia has amassed 100,000 troops on the border, Latvia has mobilized its National Guard, and Poland called for an emergency meeting of NATO. To say tensions are rising would be an understatement. 


Here to walk us through what’s happening is Coffee or Die Magazine senior editor Nolan Peterson. Peterson is a journalist and a former United States Air Force special operations pilot. He’s published a lot of great journalism from the frontlines of the war in the Donbas. His latest is A Brief History of Russia’s War Against Ukraine.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> UNLOCKED: Inside Europe’s 3D Printed Gun Scene UNLOCKED: Inside Europe’s 3D Printed Gun Scene Fri, 12 Nov 2021 20:29:46 GMT 1:05:30 618ecebc69556a001469dc96 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/unlocked-inside-europes-3d-printed-gun-scene 618ecebc69556a001469dc96 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 unlocked-inside-europes-3d-printed-gun-scene full Guns. Guns. Guns. We Americans love them, don’t we folks?


But the culture is different in other parts of the world and people who want to build their own weapons, make their own Ammo, and fire down range with a sweet semi-automatic have to break the rules to do so. Thanks to 3D printing, that’s getting a lot easier to do as groups like Deterrence Dispensed spread the good word—and the plans—of making guns at home. Is it for home defense? Is it all in good fun? Or is it part of a broader ideology? 


Here to help answer those questions is journalist, podcaster, and documentarian Jake Hanrahan. Deterrence Dispensed and 3D guns in Europe is the subject of Jake’s latest Popular Front documentary Plastic Defence, which is on YouTube.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Guns. Guns. Guns. We Americans love them, don’t we folks?


But the culture is different in other parts of the world and people who want to build their own weapons, make their own Ammo, and fire down range with a sweet semi-automatic have to break the rules to do so. Thanks to 3D printing, that’s getting a lot easier to do as groups like Deterrence Dispensed spread the good word—and the plans—of making guns at home. Is it for home defense? Is it all in good fun? Or is it part of a broader ideology? 


Here to help answer those questions is journalist, podcaster, and documentarian Jake Hanrahan. Deterrence Dispensed and 3D guns in Europe is the subject of Jake’s latest Popular Front documentary Plastic Defence, which is on YouTube.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> How Militaries Camouflage Their Carbon Emissions How Militaries Camouflage Their Carbon Emissions Fri, 05 Nov 2021 17:17:45 GMT 34:33 6185673b0e056a00131dcb7e false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/how-militaries-camouflage-their-carbon-emissions 6185673b0e056a00131dcb7e 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-militaries-camouflage-their-carbon-emissions full Militaries around the world are preparing for climate change. That’s true even in countries where politicians are indifferent to global warming.


But what about the emissions being spewed by those militaries themselves?


Joining us to talk about that today is Doug Weir. He’s Research and Policy Director, The Conflict and Environment Observatory, and has studied the issue.


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]]> Militaries around the world are preparing for climate change. That’s true even in countries where politicians are indifferent to global warming.


But what about the emissions being spewed by those militaries themselves?


Joining us to talk about that today is Doug Weir. He’s Research and Policy Director, The Conflict and Environment Observatory, and has studied the issue.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> <![CDATA[Hawaii's Place at the Crossroads of Empire]]> Fri, 29 Oct 2021 16:56:21 GMT 23:47 617c27b676fb34001333eda2 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/hawaiis-place-at-the-crossroads-of-empire 617c27b676fb34001333eda2 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 hawaiis-place-at-the-crossroads-of-empire full Hawaii. America’s latest state is a tropical paradise, a vacation hotspot, and an important strategic military asset. If you’ve never been to Hawaii you might be shocked at how much of a presence the Pentagon has on the islands.


It’s America’s gateway to the Pacific and an important part of its Naval might. Something we’re going to learn the broader importance of in an upcoming episode. Here with us today to talk about Hawaii is someone who has spent the last few years there covering the military. It’s Angry Planet producer Kevin Knodell.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> Hawaii. America’s latest state is a tropical paradise, a vacation hotspot, and an important strategic military asset. If you’ve never been to Hawaii you might be shocked at how much of a presence the Pentagon has on the islands.


It’s America’s gateway to the Pacific and an important part of its Naval might. Something we’re going to learn the broader importance of in an upcoming episode. Here with us today to talk about Hawaii is someone who has spent the last few years there covering the military. It’s Angry Planet producer Kevin Knodell.


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]]> <![CDATA[Patrolling the Seven Seas Isn't Cheap]]> Mon, 25 Oct 2021 16:52:44 GMT 39:17 6176e0ded1762d00151db3d6 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/patrolling-the-seven-seas-isnt-cheap 6176e0ded1762d00151db3d6 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 patrolling-the-seven-seas-isnt-cheap full Sea power was the secret of the Phoenicians, the Greeks - even the landlubber Romans when they took the upper hand against Carthage. More recently - which isn’t hard - the British Empire was won on the seas and an empire with tall ships.


But how much navy is enough navy? And can a smaller, lighter, more advanced fleet do the job?


Joining us today to talk about the future of the US Navy is Dr. Jerry Hendrix. Hendrix serviced 26 years in the Navy and retired a captain. He is now a vice president at Telemus Group, a strategic consultancy.


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]]> Sea power was the secret of the Phoenicians, the Greeks - even the landlubber Romans when they took the upper hand against Carthage. More recently - which isn’t hard - the British Empire was won on the seas and an empire with tall ships.


But how much navy is enough navy? And can a smaller, lighter, more advanced fleet do the job?


Joining us today to talk about the future of the US Navy is Dr. Jerry Hendrix. Hendrix serviced 26 years in the Navy and retired a captain. He is now a vice president at Telemus Group, a strategic consultancy.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> <![CDATA[How 9/11 Led to a 'Reign of Terror']]> Fri, 15 Oct 2021 18:17:32 GMT 39:19 6169c5bf7e154a0012213532 true https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/how-911-led-to-a-reign-of-terror 6169c5bf7e154a0012213532 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-911-led-to-a-reign-of-terror full The Forever War. It may be gone from Afghanistan but it’s not gone from our hearts. Our minds. Our souls. The body politic is riddled with the consequences of the last twenty years of conflict. The Department of Homeland Security is my go to. The first half of my life it didn’t exist. Now I am faced with the consequences of its disastrous policies on a daily basis.


With us today is Spencer Ackerman. Ackerman is a journalist and war correspondent who has spent his entire career reporting one the Forever War. His new book is Reign of Terror: How the 9/11 Era Destabilized America and Produced Trump. It’s an excellent book. It has the feel of a journalist stopping midway through a career turning behind them and asking “What the fuck just happened?”


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]]> The Forever War. It may be gone from Afghanistan but it’s not gone from our hearts. Our minds. Our souls. The body politic is riddled with the consequences of the last twenty years of conflict. The Department of Homeland Security is my go to. The first half of my life it didn’t exist. Now I am faced with the consequences of its disastrous policies on a daily basis.


With us today is Spencer Ackerman. Ackerman is a journalist and war correspondent who has spent his entire career reporting one the Forever War. His new book is Reign of Terror: How the 9/11 Era Destabilized America and Produced Trump. It’s an excellent book. It has the feel of a journalist stopping midway through a career turning behind them and asking “What the fuck just happened?”


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> ISIS-K Is Coming For the Taliban ISIS-K Is Coming For the Taliban Fri, 08 Oct 2021 19:23:53 GMT 38:45 61609aca08fa520012aec8bb true https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/isis-k-is-coming-for-the-taliban 61609aca08fa520012aec8bb 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 isis-k-is-coming-for-the-taliban full The idea of terrorism as a franchise isn’t new, maybe, but nobody’s done it better than Islamic State. Most Americans thought the fight against ISIS was over with the fall of Raqqa. But on August 26, at least 169 Afghans and 13 US troops were killed in Kabul by a group calling itself ISIS-K. 


Islamic State, apparently, lives on.


Joby Warrick of the Washington Post joins us to talk about ISIS - how it started and what it is now.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> The idea of terrorism as a franchise isn’t new, maybe, but nobody’s done it better than Islamic State. Most Americans thought the fight against ISIS was over with the fall of Raqqa. But on August 26, at least 169 Afghans and 13 US troops were killed in Kabul by a group calling itself ISIS-K. 


Islamic State, apparently, lives on.


Joby Warrick of the Washington Post joins us to talk about ISIS - how it started and what it is now.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> Is North Korea a Hypersonic Threat? Is North Korea a Hypersonic Threat? Fri, 01 Oct 2021 16:00:41 GMT 40:44 61572e62bfd0b200146cba86 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/is-north-korea-a-hypersonic-threat 61572e62bfd0b200146cba86 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 is-north-korea-a-hypersonic-threat full North Korea is back in the headlines, and as usual, it’s not because they’ve invented a new soft drink. No, Kim Jong Un’s fiefdom has once again launched missiles into the sea, claims to have invented hypersonic ones, is building up their capability to launch nuclear-tipped missiles from submarines and is restarting everyone’s favorite nuclear reactor at Yong Byon.


So, why are we here again, and what does it mean?


Well, Jean Lee rejoins the show to help us understand what’s going on and what we can expect next.


In a first for America, Jean opened the Associated Press’ bureau in Pyongyang in 2012. She’s now a North Korea expert at the Wilson Center and is co-host of the Lazarus Heist, a podcast from the BBC.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> North Korea is back in the headlines, and as usual, it’s not because they’ve invented a new soft drink. No, Kim Jong Un’s fiefdom has once again launched missiles into the sea, claims to have invented hypersonic ones, is building up their capability to launch nuclear-tipped missiles from submarines and is restarting everyone’s favorite nuclear reactor at Yong Byon.


So, why are we here again, and what does it mean?


Well, Jean Lee rejoins the show to help us understand what’s going on and what we can expect next.


In a first for America, Jean opened the Associated Press’ bureau in Pyongyang in 2012. She’s now a North Korea expert at the Wilson Center and is co-host of the Lazarus Heist, a podcast from the BBC.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Why Criminals Post Evidence on Instagram Why Criminals Post Evidence on Instagram Fri, 24 Sep 2021 19:41:14 GMT 31:46 614e28dea015be0014a53b00 false https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/why-criminals-post-evidence-on-instagram 614e28dea015be0014a53b00 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 why-criminals-post-evidence-on-instagram full Instagram is a world of influencers, models, bizarre ads and aspirational living. It’s a place where artists share their work and people go to see and be seen. It’s also the epicenter of gang violence in America and, increasingly, an important resource for law enforcement looking to solve murders and disrupt street violence. Read the charging documents or warrants of a gang-violence related case and you’ll be confronted by a wealth of Instagram posts.


Why?


With us today is Danny Gold. Gold—a returning guest—is a writer and producer who focuses on crime and conflict. He’s also a reluctant podcaster who co-hosts the excellent Underworld Podcast.


The Underworld Podcast.


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]]> Instagram is a world of influencers, models, bizarre ads and aspirational living. It’s a place where artists share their work and people go to see and be seen. It’s also the epicenter of gang violence in America and, increasingly, an important resource for law enforcement looking to solve murders and disrupt street violence. Read the charging documents or warrants of a gang-violence related case and you’ll be confronted by a wealth of Instagram posts.


Why?


With us today is Danny Gold. Gold—a returning guest—is a writer and producer who focuses on crime and conflict. He’s also a reluctant podcaster who co-hosts the excellent Underworld Podcast.


The Underworld Podcast.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> UNLOCKED: The Drones of the Vietnam War UNLOCKED: The Drones of the Vietnam War Fri, 17 Sep 2021 16:58:36 GMT 36:36 6144c5d29096e200123fb4fa true https://shows.acast.com/warcollege/episodes/the-drones-of-the-vietnam-war 6144c5d29096e200123fb4fa 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-drones-of-the-vietnam-war full A special production of Angry Planet and David Axe explores how a group of scruffy contractors pioneered the use of drones during the Vietnam War.

Axe’s book, Drone War Vietnam, is out now.




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]]> A special production of Angry Planet and David Axe explores how a group of scruffy contractors pioneered the use of drones during the Vietnam War.

Axe’s book, Drone War Vietnam, is out now.




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]]> <![CDATA[America's Liaison to the Taliban on What Went Wrong]]> Fri, 10 Sep 2021 17:48:58 GMT 32:35 a44fcd3a-ac6f-4618-8fe0-2a2b366077c8 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/americasliaisontothetalibanonwhatwentwrong a44fcd3a-ac6f-4618-8fe0-2a2b366077c8 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 americasliaisontothetalibanonwhatwentwrong The facts on the ground are undeniable. The U.S. is out, the Taliban is back in.The end was ugly and there were plenty of ugly spots along the way.Since we’re all doing what ifs, here’s ours: what would the off-ramp have looked like, and did we e... full The facts on the ground are undeniable. The U.S. is out, the Taliban is back in.


The end was ugly and there were plenty of ugly spots along the way.


Since we’re all doing what ifs, here’s ours: what would the off-ramp have looked like, and did we ever at least have our turn signal on?


Joining us today is a guy who was in the room. Former diplomat Frank Ruggiero dealt directly with the Taliban, as well as managing U.S relations with Afghanistan and Pakistan between 2010 and 2012. Hillary Clinton gave him the State Department’s distinguished honor award.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> The facts on the ground are undeniable. The U.S. is out, the Taliban is back in.


The end was ugly and there were plenty of ugly spots along the way.


Since we’re all doing what ifs, here’s ours: what would the off-ramp have looked like, and did we ever at least have our turn signal on?


Joining us today is a guy who was in the room. Former diplomat Frank Ruggiero dealt directly with the Taliban, as well as managing U.S relations with Afghanistan and Pakistan between 2010 and 2012. Hillary Clinton gave him the State Department’s distinguished honor award.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> <![CDATA[Space: Final Frontier or Billionaire's Playground?]]> Fri, 03 Sep 2021 18:19:02 GMT 34:33 fe8386d0-90d1-4e31-abfb-29e1a6e55342 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/space-finalfrontierorbillionairesplayground- fe8386d0-90d1-4e31-abfb-29e1a6e55342 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 space-finalfrontierorbillionairesplayground- Space… Is it still the final frontier? And does anyone really care about it anymore, aside from a few billionaires and maybe a millionaire or two?Does NASA have any mojo left? And are any of us alive now going to see a landing on Mars?These are all... full Space… Is it still the final frontier? And does anyone really care about it anymore, aside from a few billionaires and maybe a millionaire or two?

Does NASA have any mojo left? And are any of us alive now going to see a landing on Mars?


These are all questions dear to my heart, so we have Christian Davenport who covers space for the Washington Post and is the author of the Space Barons on the show today. 



Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Space… Is it still the final frontier? And does anyone really care about it anymore, aside from a few billionaires and maybe a millionaire or two?

Does NASA have any mojo left? And are any of us alive now going to see a landing on Mars?


These are all questions dear to my heart, so we have Christian Davenport who covers space for the Washington Post and is the author of the Space Barons on the show today. 



Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> A Brief History of Lying About Afghanistan A Brief History of Lying About Afghanistan Fri, 27 Aug 2021 17:39:40 GMT 40:36 1c0f70b8-2efa-4fc5-9fcd-326d64dd0485 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/abriefhistoryoflyingaboutafghanistan 1c0f70b8-2efa-4fc5-9fcd-326d64dd0485 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 abriefhistoryoflyingaboutafghanistan Afghanistan. If you’re listening to this show you’ve probably been following the news. Despite what the Pentagon or White House will tell you, the evacuation isn’t going great. There is a dichotomy between what officials tell us and what’s actually hap... full Afghanistan. If you’re listening to this show you’ve probably been following the news. Despite what the Pentagon or White House will tell you, the evacuation isn’t going great. There is a dichotomy between what officials tell us and what’s actually happening that—in the age of mass communication—seems … insulting.


That dichotomy and how it affected America’s view of Afghanistan is at the heart of the new book—The Afghanistan Papers. Craig Whitlock, its author, is here with us today. Whitlock is an investigative reporter for The Washington Post who has covered America’s War on Terror since the beginning.


Recorded August 25, the day before the attacks.


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]]> Afghanistan. If you’re listening to this show you’ve probably been following the news. Despite what the Pentagon or White House will tell you, the evacuation isn’t going great. There is a dichotomy between what officials tell us and what’s actually happening that—in the age of mass communication—seems … insulting.


That dichotomy and how it affected America’s view of Afghanistan is at the heart of the new book—The Afghanistan Papers. Craig Whitlock, its author, is here with us today. Whitlock is an investigative reporter for The Washington Post who has covered America’s War on Terror since the beginning.


Recorded August 25, the day before the attacks.


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]]> When the Soviets Fled Afghanistan When the Soviets Fled Afghanistan Wed, 18 Aug 2021 19:49:59 GMT 53:18 03818a9b-aefd-467b-85d4-d9e74ad37faa false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whenthesovietsfledafghanistan 03818a9b-aefd-467b-85d4-d9e74ad37faa 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whenthesovietsfledafghanistan full Conquerors and nations have been trying to rebuild Afghanistan in their own image for thousands of years. The U.S. is just the latest to fail.

The Soviet Union also failed, with a little push from the United States. But they learned their lesson in only 10 years, from 1979-1989.

Mark Galeotti joins us today to talk about the lessons the U.S. probably should have learned from the USSR. He’s Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute and has literally written the book - no three books! - on this very subject. We’ll put links in the show notes.


Storm-333: KGB and Spetsnaz seize Kabul, Soviet-Afghan War 1979


The Panjshir Valley 1980–86


Afghanistan: The Soviet Union's Last War

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]]> Conquerors and nations have been trying to rebuild Afghanistan in their own image for thousands of years. The U.S. is just the latest to fail.

The Soviet Union also failed, with a little push from the United States. But they learned their lesson in only 10 years, from 1979-1989.

Mark Galeotti joins us today to talk about the lessons the U.S. probably should have learned from the USSR. He’s Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute and has literally written the book - no three books! - on this very subject. We’ll put links in the show notes.


Storm-333: KGB and Spetsnaz seize Kabul, Soviet-Afghan War 1979


The Panjshir Valley 1980–86


Afghanistan: The Soviet Union's Last War

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]]> <![CDATA[UNLOCKED: America's Moral Duty to Afghan Interpreters]]> Fri, 06 Aug 2021 16:49:56 GMT 32:15 a69ffac8-504a-4e7d-8111-26d4dda725d2 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/unlocked-americasmoraldutytoafghaninterpreters a69ffac8-504a-4e7d-8111-26d4dda725d2 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 unlocked-americasmoraldutytoafghaninterpreters America is leaving Afghanistan. President Joe Biden has set a September 11th withdrawal date and things are continuing apace. As America packs up its gear and goes home it’s leaving behind something far more valuable than MRAPs and M16s—people.For t... full America is leaving Afghanistan. President Joe Biden has set a September 11th withdrawal date and things are continuing apace. As America packs up its gear and goes home it’s leaving behind something far more valuable than MRAPs and M16s—people.


For two decades individual Afghans have stepped up to help the United States and as it leaves the battlefield, some of these interpreters are being left behind.

With us today is former Marine Sergeant, Afghanistan War veteran, and Purple Heart recipient Michael Wendt. He’s an advocate for interpreters and recently published an op-ed in The Hill titled “Getting Afghan interpreters out of Afghanistan isn't progressive: It's the right thing to do.”

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]]> America is leaving Afghanistan. President Joe Biden has set a September 11th withdrawal date and things are continuing apace. As America packs up its gear and goes home it’s leaving behind something far more valuable than MRAPs and M16s—people.


For two decades individual Afghans have stepped up to help the United States and as it leaves the battlefield, some of these interpreters are being left behind.

With us today is former Marine Sergeant, Afghanistan War veteran, and Purple Heart recipient Michael Wendt. He’s an advocate for interpreters and recently published an op-ed in The Hill titled “Getting Afghan interpreters out of Afghanistan isn't progressive: It's the right thing to do.”

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Rome Was Always in Decline Rome Was Always in Decline Fri, 30 Jul 2021 19:26:40 GMT 49:06 39c6f65a-d485-40f8-962e-50e8f4ae572d false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/romewasalwaysindecline 39c6f65a-d485-40f8-962e-50e8f4ae572d 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 romewasalwaysindecline Are we living in a declining empire in need of renewal? Maybe.But one thing to keep in mind? Romans thought the same thing centuries before the great empire fell.So what’s up with the fascination with the decline and fall of Rome? And what lesson... full Are we living in a declining empire in need of renewal? Maybe.


But one thing to keep in mind? Romans thought the same thing centuries before the great empire fell.


So what’s up with the fascination with the decline and fall of Rome? And what lessons does it have for US politics?


To help us answer that question, we’ve got Edward J. Watts. He’s a professor of history at UC San Diego and the author of a new book, The Eternal Decline and Fall of Rome.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Are we living in a declining empire in need of renewal? Maybe.


But one thing to keep in mind? Romans thought the same thing centuries before the great empire fell.


So what’s up with the fascination with the decline and fall of Rome? And what lessons does it have for US politics?


To help us answer that question, we’ve got Edward J. Watts. He’s a professor of history at UC San Diego and the author of a new book, The Eternal Decline and Fall of Rome.


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]]> <![CDATA[On the Assassination of Haiti's President]]> Fri, 23 Jul 2021 18:34:23 GMT 36:03 edf65639-74cc-4009-bd8e-d14c60eacdf3 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/ontheassassinationofhaitispresident edf65639-74cc-4009-bd8e-d14c60eacdf3 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 ontheassassinationofhaitispresident Life in Haiti has rarely been easy. It’s the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Corruption is rampant. And it’s been invaded more than once since independence, including by the United States.It’s little wonder that the half-Island nation has... full Life in Haiti has rarely been easy. It’s the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Corruption is rampant. And it’s been invaded more than once since independence, including by the United States.


It’s little wonder that the half-Island nation has suffered repression and political turmoil


And, on July 7, it’s president, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated.


To help us understand the current situation -- and a bit of the history as well -- I’m joined by Francois Pierre-Louis of Queens College in New York.


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]]> Life in Haiti has rarely been easy. It’s the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Corruption is rampant. And it’s been invaded more than once since independence, including by the United States.


It’s little wonder that the half-Island nation has suffered repression and political turmoil


And, on July 7, it’s president, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated.


To help us understand the current situation -- and a bit of the history as well -- I’m joined by Francois Pierre-Louis of Queens College in New York.


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]]> Lies, Damn Lies, and the Alamo Lies, Damn Lies, and the Alamo Thu, 15 Jul 2021 16:41:00 GMT 42:08 e3685574-eb2a-4988-af9d-238808224010 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/lies-damnlies-andthealamo e3685574-eb2a-4988-af9d-238808224010 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 lies-damnlies-andthealamo full When I was a kid I learned about the Alamo. It’s 1836. Houston said to Travis, fortify the Alamo. Volunteers came from across the continent to fight and die for the dream of a free and independent Texas. 


Like the Ballad said, One hundred and eighty five holding back five thousand.


In the southern part of Texas, near the town of San Antone, like a statue on his pinto rides a cowboy all alone. And he sees the cattle grazing where a century before Santa Anna’s guns were blazing and the cannons used to roar. And his eyes turn sorta misty and his heart begins to glow and he takes his hat off slowly. To the men of the Alamo. To the thirteen days of glory at the siege of Alamo.


What a load of bullshit.


The Alamo and its effect on Texas, the country, and Phil Collins, is the subject of the new book Forget the Alamo: The Rise and Fall of An American Myth. Two of its three authors are here with me today, Bryan Burrough and Chris Tomlinson. They’re both writers and they’re both from Texas, so you can be sure that what you’re about to hear is the gospel truth.


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]]> When I was a kid I learned about the Alamo. It’s 1836. Houston said to Travis, fortify the Alamo. Volunteers came from across the continent to fight and die for the dream of a free and independent Texas. 


Like the Ballad said, One hundred and eighty five holding back five thousand.


In the southern part of Texas, near the town of San Antone, like a statue on his pinto rides a cowboy all alone. And he sees the cattle grazing where a century before Santa Anna’s guns were blazing and the cannons used to roar. And his eyes turn sorta misty and his heart begins to glow and he takes his hat off slowly. To the men of the Alamo. To the thirteen days of glory at the siege of Alamo.


What a load of bullshit.


The Alamo and its effect on Texas, the country, and Phil Collins, is the subject of the new book Forget the Alamo: The Rise and Fall of An American Myth. Two of its three authors are here with me today, Bryan Burrough and Chris Tomlinson. They’re both writers and they’re both from Texas, so you can be sure that what you’re about to hear is the gospel truth.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> The View From Kabul The View From Kabul Fri, 09 Jul 2021 19:51:49 GMT 50:36 b1616b66-0007-4698-ad6f-d01aaeed16ad false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/theviewfromkabul b1616b66-0007-4698-ad6f-d01aaeed16ad 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 theviewfromkabul Afghanistan, the site of America’s longest war, is changing. The Taliban is gaining ground in the North while peace talks stall. The U.S. continues its withdrawal and the Afghan military is left to pick up the pieces.Here to help us understand what’s ... full Afghanistan, the site of America’s longest war, is changing. The Taliban is gaining ground in the North while peace talks stall. The U.S. continues its withdrawal and the Afghan military is left to pick up the pieces.

Here to help us understand what’s going on is Ali M. Latifi.


Latifi is an Afghan journalist living in Kabul. His work has appeared in Al Jazeera, Business Insider, and NBC News.

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]]> Afghanistan, the site of America’s longest war, is changing. The Taliban is gaining ground in the North while peace talks stall. The U.S. continues its withdrawal and the Afghan military is left to pick up the pieces.

Here to help us understand what’s going on is Ali M. Latifi.


Latifi is an Afghan journalist living in Kabul. His work has appeared in Al Jazeera, Business Insider, and NBC News.

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]]> Can the US Win the Wars of the Future? Can the US Win the Wars of the Future? Thu, 01 Jul 2021 15:49:52 GMT 41:33 ea82675a-a6f7-4b0f-bdfa-b5f4233691b6 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/cantheuswinthewarsofthefuture- ea82675a-a6f7-4b0f-bdfa-b5f4233691b6 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 cantheuswinthewarsofthefuture- It doesn’t take high technology to kill someone. Simple chemicals propel pieces of lead out of steel tubes. Other simple chemicals are placed in larger vessels and are triggered by the weight of a vehicle or even a human body. Some are even set off by ... full It doesn’t take high technology to kill someone. Simple chemicals propel pieces of lead out of steel tubes. Other simple chemicals are placed in larger vessels and are triggered by the weight of a vehicle or even a human body. Some are even set off by strings attached to fuses. Not one computer involved.


But the weapons of warfare do evolve - some into trillion dollar monsters that gobble up whole defense budgets and can destroy life on earth with the turn of a key. And new weapons are always on the horizon.


Today, we’ve brought on Patrick Tucker to talk about some recent developments and what may lie ahead. Patrick is the technology editor at Defense One and writes about weapons technology every day.



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]]> It doesn’t take high technology to kill someone. Simple chemicals propel pieces of lead out of steel tubes. Other simple chemicals are placed in larger vessels and are triggered by the weight of a vehicle or even a human body. Some are even set off by strings attached to fuses. Not one computer involved.


But the weapons of warfare do evolve - some into trillion dollar monsters that gobble up whole defense budgets and can destroy life on earth with the turn of a key. And new weapons are always on the horizon.


Today, we’ve brought on Patrick Tucker to talk about some recent developments and what may lie ahead. Patrick is the technology editor at Defense One and writes about weapons technology every day.



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]]> <![CDATA[Can an Apolitical Military Survive Democracy's Crisis?]]> Fri, 25 Jun 2021 16:43:51 GMT 41:21 9cf3dc0e-65ab-4e52-92e5-53bc0bb9f73f false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/cananapoliticalmilitarysurvivedemocracyscrisis- 9cf3dc0e-65ab-4e52-92e5-53bc0bb9f73f 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 cananapoliticalmilitarysurvivedemocracyscrisis- So far, in the political battles at the heart of our democracy, they have been AWOL. Just as they should be.The military is an expressly non-political institution, even if they do report to an elected commander-in-chief.But with political divisio... full So far, in the political battles at the heart of our democracy, they have been AWOL. Just as they should be.


The military is an expressly non-political institution, even if they do report to an elected commander-in-chief.


But with political divisions deepening, could that change?

Eliott Ackerman took on just that issue in a recent column for the New York Times. Ackerman is a combat veteran, journalist and author. And he’s here to talk to us today.


Ackermans’ article is here:


https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/14/opinion/contested-elections-military.html


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]]> So far, in the political battles at the heart of our democracy, they have been AWOL. Just as they should be.


The military is an expressly non-political institution, even if they do report to an elected commander-in-chief.


But with political divisions deepening, could that change?

Eliott Ackerman took on just that issue in a recent column for the New York Times. Ackerman is a combat veteran, journalist and author. And he’s here to talk to us today.


Ackermans’ article is here:


https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/14/opinion/contested-elections-military.html


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> One Place, Two Peoples One Place, Two Peoples Thu, 17 Jun 2021 19:40:42 GMT 58:25 083fc1ed-cb27-4d90-86be-b059aa227a1a false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/oneplace-twopeoples 083fc1ed-cb27-4d90-86be-b059aa227a1a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 oneplace-twopeoples Over the past few months the world watched as the conflict between Israel and Palestine flared up. I’m not interested in litigating the facts of that conflict in this opening and you’ve likely already decided where you stand on the conflict.For some... full Over the past few months the world watched as the conflict between Israel and Palestine flared up. I’m not interested in litigating the facts of that conflict in this opening and you’ve likely already decided where you stand on the conflict.


For some, it’s complicated. For others, the very idea that someone would call it complicated is an insult.


Here to help us untangle some of what’s happened and to discuss the future of Palestine is Joey Ayoub. Joey is a writer, scholar, and podcaster who grew up in Lebanon and is of Palestinian descent. He writes, broadly, about the experiences of displaced peoples with a particular focus on the Middle East.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> Over the past few months the world watched as the conflict between Israel and Palestine flared up. I’m not interested in litigating the facts of that conflict in this opening and you’ve likely already decided where you stand on the conflict.


For some, it’s complicated. For others, the very idea that someone would call it complicated is an insult.


Here to help us untangle some of what’s happened and to discuss the future of Palestine is Joey Ayoub. Joey is a writer, scholar, and podcaster who grew up in Lebanon and is of Palestinian descent. He writes, broadly, about the experiences of displaced peoples with a particular focus on the Middle East.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe


You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> <![CDATA['Homegrown Hate' and the Modern Crusades]]> Fri, 11 Jun 2021 17:15:47 GMT 41:56 c15fb7cc-e3c4-4577-9001-a31ff4562c46 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/homegrownhateandthemoderncrusades c15fb7cc-e3c4-4577-9001-a31ff4562c46 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 homegrownhateandthemoderncrusades For the last two decades, America has been possessed with a Global War on Terror. The threat of militant Islam has funded the security state and given the Pentagon an overarching goal. But that threat feels increasingly distant and a new specter is hau... full For the last two decades, America has been possessed with a Global War on Terror. The threat of militant Islam has funded the security state and given the Pentagon an overarching goal. But that threat feels increasingly distant and a new specter is haunting America—that of white nationalism.


Both groups are complicated, varied, and prone to in-fighting. Both groups rely on apocalyptic visions of the future to drive home their message. Both groups are waging war against the United States.

With us to talk through all this is Dr. Sara Kamali. Kamali is a scholar of white nationalism, militant Islam, and systemic inequality. Her new book is Homegrown Hate: Why White Nationalists and Military Islamists Are Waging War Against the United States.

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]]> For the last two decades, America has been possessed with a Global War on Terror. The threat of militant Islam has funded the security state and given the Pentagon an overarching goal. But that threat feels increasingly distant and a new specter is haunting America—that of white nationalism.


Both groups are complicated, varied, and prone to in-fighting. Both groups rely on apocalyptic visions of the future to drive home their message. Both groups are waging war against the United States.

With us to talk through all this is Dr. Sara Kamali. Kamali is a scholar of white nationalism, militant Islam, and systemic inequality. Her new book is Homegrown Hate: Why White Nationalists and Military Islamists Are Waging War Against the United States.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> ICYMI: This Is (Not) Sparta! ICYMI: This Is (Not) Sparta! Fri, 04 Jun 2021 13:00:00 GMT 47:31 a688b9f7-b3e8-4e22-8863-aac5c269209c false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-thisis-not-sparta- a688b9f7-b3e8-4e22-8863-aac5c269209c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-thisis-not-sparta- When you hear the word Sparta, there’s an immediate association with war and the military. Of the Greek City States, it’s the one most associated with battle. Spartan men were expected to be warriors and their society was geared almost entirely toward ... full When you hear the word Sparta, there’s an immediate association with war and the military. Of the Greek City States, it’s the one most associated with battle. Spartan men were expected to be warriors and their society was geared almost entirely toward training for war. For generations, military leaders have drawn inspiration from Sparta.


Much of the romance around Sparta centers Around the battle of Thermopylae in 480 BCE, where the Persian Empire crushed a small and ill-equipped collection of elite soldiers. Since then, historians, propagandists, Hollywood, and the American military have turned Sparta’s epic defeat at the gates of fire into a myth of slavery vs freedom, east vs west, and democracy vs despotism. But the thing is … a lot of what hear about the Spartans is bullshit, the truth is more complicated.


Here to help us unpack modern day mythos around Sparta is Pauline Kaurin. Kaurin is the Chair of Military Ethics at the US Naval War College and the author of The Warrior, Military Ethics and Contemporary Warfare: Achilles Goes Asymmetrical.


Disclaimer: Pauline Kaurin's opinions are her own and do not reflect the opinions or policy of the US Naval War College.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> When you hear the word Sparta, there’s an immediate association with war and the military. Of the Greek City States, it’s the one most associated with battle. Spartan men were expected to be warriors and their society was geared almost entirely toward training for war. For generations, military leaders have drawn inspiration from Sparta.


Much of the romance around Sparta centers Around the battle of Thermopylae in 480 BCE, where the Persian Empire crushed a small and ill-equipped collection of elite soldiers. Since then, historians, propagandists, Hollywood, and the American military have turned Sparta’s epic defeat at the gates of fire into a myth of slavery vs freedom, east vs west, and democracy vs despotism. But the thing is … a lot of what hear about the Spartans is bullshit, the truth is more complicated.


Here to help us unpack modern day mythos around Sparta is Pauline Kaurin. Kaurin is the Chair of Military Ethics at the US Naval War College and the author of The Warrior, Military Ethics and Contemporary Warfare: Achilles Goes Asymmetrical.


Disclaimer: Pauline Kaurin's opinions are her own and do not reflect the opinions or policy of the US Naval War College.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> <![CDATA[UNLOCKED: The Failure of McDonald's Peace Theory]]> Fri, 28 May 2021 19:11:32 GMT 52:55 d186947b-3e90-4312-8414-938b056dc3ae false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/unlocked-thefailureofmcdonaldspeacetheory d186947b-3e90-4312-8414-938b056dc3ae 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 unlocked-thefailureofmcdonaldspeacetheory full There’s a maxim that says “No two countries that both have a McDonald’s have ever fought a war against each other.” This so-called Golden Arches theory enjoyed a brief moment of prominence in the 1990s, got shaky after 9/11, and has been out-right assaulted by pundits and political theorists in the past ten years. It died it’s final death in October when McDonald’s Azerbaijan took public sides in the fight between Armenia and Azerbaijan.


Here to walk us through the Golden Arches Theory and what the hell was wrong with all of us in the 1990s is Paul Musgrave. Musgrave is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His recent article in Foreign Policy about this topic is titled “The Beautiful, Dumb Dream of McDonald’s Peace Theory.”


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> There’s a maxim that says “No two countries that both have a McDonald’s have ever fought a war against each other.” This so-called Golden Arches theory enjoyed a brief moment of prominence in the 1990s, got shaky after 9/11, and has been out-right assaulted by pundits and political theorists in the past ten years. It died it’s final death in October when McDonald’s Azerbaijan took public sides in the fight between Armenia and Azerbaijan.


Here to walk us through the Golden Arches Theory and what the hell was wrong with all of us in the 1990s is Paul Musgrave. Musgrave is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His recent article in Foreign Policy about this topic is titled “The Beautiful, Dumb Dream of McDonald’s Peace Theory.”


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> <![CDATA[Antifa's Car Brigades]]> Thu, 20 May 2021 20:48:05 GMT 43:55 dda7d77e-a7df-40cf-8b1b-57d111f0b89a false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/antifascarbrigades dda7d77e-a7df-40cf-8b1b-57d111f0b89a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 antifascarbrigades In the summer of 2020, violent riots broke out across America between ordinary citizens and police. These riots led to groups finding ways to develop their own security forces to deal with violence from police, opposition groups, and other antagonists ... full In the summer of 2020, violent riots broke out across America between ordinary citizens and police. These riots led to groups finding ways to develop their own security forces to deal with violence from police, opposition groups, and other antagonists on the ground.


Here to help us understand what’s going on is Nikki West. West is a local Seattle photojournalist who was previously on the show talking about the Chapel Hill Autonomous Zone. She’s documented the push and pull between protestors and tracked the development of new tactics.


One particularly unique tactic is the development of Seattle’s car brigade. This protection force consists of a multi-layered security system that is centered around a highly organized car brigade. 


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> In the summer of 2020, violent riots broke out across America between ordinary citizens and police. These riots led to groups finding ways to develop their own security forces to deal with violence from police, opposition groups, and other antagonists on the ground.


Here to help us understand what’s going on is Nikki West. West is a local Seattle photojournalist who was previously on the show talking about the Chapel Hill Autonomous Zone. She’s documented the push and pull between protestors and tracked the development of new tactics.


One particularly unique tactic is the development of Seattle’s car brigade. This protection force consists of a multi-layered security system that is centered around a highly organized car brigade. 


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> What Is Happening in Jerusalem Right Now? What Is Happening in Jerusalem Right Now? Mon, 10 May 2021 18:00:49 GMT 33:04 1a445514-7598-42ad-903d-d9463419b1b3 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whatishappeninginjerusalemrightnow- 1a445514-7598-42ad-903d-d9463419b1b3 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whatishappeninginjerusalemrightnow- Literally recorded as missiles hit and news broke.Guest: Noga Tarnopolsky, a reporter on Israel and Palestine.Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a w... full Literally recorded as missiles hit and news broke.


Guest: Noga Tarnopolsky, a reporter on Israel and Palestine.


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]]> Literally recorded as missiles hit and news broke.


Guest: Noga Tarnopolsky, a reporter on Israel and Palestine.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> Ukraine in the Crosshairs Ukraine in the Crosshairs Thu, 06 May 2021 16:48:29 GMT 48:36 1b59cd4f-6d04-4376-ab26-bd86aebb88d6 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/ukraineinthecrosshairs 1b59cd4f-6d04-4376-ab26-bd86aebb88d6 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 ukraineinthecrosshairs Russia and Ukraine have been fighting ever since Little Green Men invaded Crimea in 2014. That wasn’t enough for Russia. The former evil empire then aided separatist enclaves inside the rest of Ukraine.The Ukrainian military was unprepared, the worl... full Russia and Ukraine have been fighting ever since Little Green Men invaded Crimea in 2014. That wasn’t enough for Russia. The former evil empire then aided separatist enclaves inside the rest of Ukraine.


The Ukrainian military was unprepared, the world mostly sat back and watched, and an ugly stalemate ensued. If a stalemate includes tanks firing at each other.


Recently, Russia massed troops on Ukraine’s border as rhetoric ratcheted up.


To help us understand what exactly is going on, we have Michael Kofman. He’s a Senior Research Scientist at CNA Corporation, which advises governments and organizations on security issues.



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]]> Russia and Ukraine have been fighting ever since Little Green Men invaded Crimea in 2014. That wasn’t enough for Russia. The former evil empire then aided separatist enclaves inside the rest of Ukraine.


The Ukrainian military was unprepared, the world mostly sat back and watched, and an ugly stalemate ensued. If a stalemate includes tanks firing at each other.


Recently, Russia massed troops on Ukraine’s border as rhetoric ratcheted up.


To help us understand what exactly is going on, we have Michael Kofman. He’s a Senior Research Scientist at CNA Corporation, which advises governments and organizations on security issues.



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]]> Comics, Garth Ennis, and the Golden Age of Tanks Comics, Garth Ennis, and the Golden Age of Tanks Thu, 22 Apr 2021 17:02:38 GMT 48:05 04ed143f-8852-47a3-8cef-f758a72442d8 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/comics-garthennis-andthegoldenageoftanks 04ed143f-8852-47a3-8cef-f758a72442d8 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 comics-garthennis-andthegoldenageoftanks “From mud, through blood, to the green fields beyond.” The tank was meant to push through entrenched enemy lines and put an end to the stale-mate of trench warfare during The Great War. It created a whole new kind of combat. It was high risk, high rewa... full “From mud, through blood, to the green fields beyond.” The tank was meant to push through entrenched enemy lines and put an end to the stale-mate of trench warfare during The Great War. It created a whole new kind of combat. It was high risk, high reward, as men in armored units trundled across the world.


With us today is comics writer Garth Ennis. Ennis is the diabolical mind behind Sara, Hitman, War Stories, The Boys, and Preacher. He’s here today talking about his new collection of war stories—Tankies. Set during WWII and the Korean War, Tankies tells the story of British tank crews as they fight across Europe and Asia.


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]]> “From mud, through blood, to the green fields beyond.” The tank was meant to push through entrenched enemy lines and put an end to the stale-mate of trench warfare during The Great War. It created a whole new kind of combat. It was high risk, high reward, as men in armored units trundled across the world.


With us today is comics writer Garth Ennis. Ennis is the diabolical mind behind Sara, Hitman, War Stories, The Boys, and Preacher. He’s here today talking about his new collection of war stories—Tankies. Set during WWII and the Korean War, Tankies tells the story of British tank crews as they fight across Europe and Asia.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Taliban Memories Taliban Memories Fri, 16 Apr 2021 17:59:43 GMT 59:27 8d54cc38-7ae0-48b8-ab80-44969c6c9769 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/talibanmemories 8d54cc38-7ae0-48b8-ab80-44969c6c9769 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 talibanmemories The Taliban - we all know them, few of us love them, and it looks like they’re going to rule Afghanistan - again.So, what was it like the first time the Islamic militants took over, in 1996?Today, we have two journalists who were in Afghanistan i... full The Taliban - we all know them, few of us love them, and it looks like they’re going to rule Afghanistan - again.


So, what was it like the first time the Islamic militants took over, in 1996?


Today, we have two journalists who were in Afghanistan in the 90s. Scott Neuman was working for United Press International and wrote from the scene.


Alan Chin is a photographer who went to Afghanistan to take pictures for The New York Times. 


I’ve known them both for more than 20 years.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> The Taliban - we all know them, few of us love them, and it looks like they’re going to rule Afghanistan - again.


So, what was it like the first time the Islamic militants took over, in 1996?


Today, we have two journalists who were in Afghanistan in the 90s. Scott Neuman was working for United Press International and wrote from the scene.


Alan Chin is a photographer who went to Afghanistan to take pictures for The New York Times. 


I’ve known them both for more than 20 years.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> <![CDATA[How 'The Daughters of Kobani' Defeated ISIS]]> Fri, 09 Apr 2021 14:45:11 GMT 35:56 f980caab-ade5-4c0e-89c8-114411037b4e false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/howthedaughtersofkobanidefeatedisis f980caab-ade5-4c0e-89c8-114411037b4e 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 howthedaughtersofkobanidefeatedisis When Islamic State’s capital, Raqqa, finally fell in late 2017, America wasn’t really paying close attention. We’d had nearly a year of turmoil here at home, and, in many ways, Islamic State was old news.And if we weren’t paying that much attention to... full When Islamic State’s capital, Raqqa, finally fell in late 2017, America wasn’t really paying close attention. We’d had nearly a year of turmoil here at home, and, in many ways, Islamic State was old news.

And if we weren’t paying that much attention to the fight, we paid even less attention to the fighters. So, today we’ll tell the story of the Kurdish men and women who led the Syrian Democratic Forces.

To take us through it, we have Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, who’s just published Daughters of Kobani, which tells the story of the Kurdish fight against Islamic State. Lemmon is a journalist and best-selling author who last appeared on the show to talk about her book Ashley’s War.


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]]> When Islamic State’s capital, Raqqa, finally fell in late 2017, America wasn’t really paying close attention. We’d had nearly a year of turmoil here at home, and, in many ways, Islamic State was old news.

And if we weren’t paying that much attention to the fight, we paid even less attention to the fighters. So, today we’ll tell the story of the Kurdish men and women who led the Syrian Democratic Forces.

To take us through it, we have Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, who’s just published Daughters of Kobani, which tells the story of the Kurdish fight against Islamic State. Lemmon is a journalist and best-selling author who last appeared on the show to talk about her book Ashley’s War.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> Tacticool Girlfriend Explains Why America Loves Guns Tacticool Girlfriend Explains Why America Loves Guns Thu, 01 Apr 2021 17:47:46 GMT 47:21 d818e102-ee15-426a-a59a-0a733d0c7ed8 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/tacticoolgirlfriendexplainswhyamericalovesguns d818e102-ee15-426a-a59a-0a733d0c7ed8 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 tacticoolgirlfriendexplainswhyamericalovesguns Guns, guns, guns. America loves them and their use is enshrined in the second amendment. It’s such a big deal here that an entire culture has grown around it. From the outside looking in, gun culture can seem...surreal and fetishistic. The truth is mor... full Guns, guns, guns. America loves them and their use is enshrined in the second amendment. It’s such a big deal here that an entire culture has grown around it. From the outside looking in, gun culture can seem...surreal and fetishistic. The truth is more complicated. The overwhelming majority of American gun owners are responsible and are not taking photos of themselves aiming a loaded weapon at their own dick. Yes, that’s a thing.


Here to talk to us about the second amendment and gun culture is Tacticool Girlfriend. Tacticool Girlfriend is a YouTuber whose channel covers gun safety and gun culture. And she does it all with style and flair that you don’t normally see in the space.


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]]> Guns, guns, guns. America loves them and their use is enshrined in the second amendment. It’s such a big deal here that an entire culture has grown around it. From the outside looking in, gun culture can seem...surreal and fetishistic. The truth is more complicated. The overwhelming majority of American gun owners are responsible and are not taking photos of themselves aiming a loaded weapon at their own dick. Yes, that’s a thing.


Here to talk to us about the second amendment and gun culture is Tacticool Girlfriend. Tacticool Girlfriend is a YouTuber whose channel covers gun safety and gun culture. And she does it all with style and flair that you don’t normally see in the space.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> The Fish Wars Are Coming The Fish Wars Are Coming Fri, 26 Mar 2021 17:29:42 GMT 34:58 3bee6c32-3807-433a-9ee0-9a5e4e398d78 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thefishwarsarecoming 3bee6c32-3807-433a-9ee0-9a5e4e398d78 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thefishwarsarecoming Billions of people eat fish every day and as the global population has exploded, so too have human efforts to catch more and more fish. As more people take to the high seas looking for protein, very human problems have followed them. We’re fighting ove... full Billions of people eat fish every day and as the global population has exploded, so too have human efforts to catch more and more fish. As more people take to the high seas looking for protein, very human problems have followed them. We’re fighting over fish.


Here to walk us through this is someone actively working on the problem in Washington D.C. Captain Kate Higgins-Bloom is the Strategic Foresight Director for the U.S. Coast Guard.


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]]> Billions of people eat fish every day and as the global population has exploded, so too have human efforts to catch more and more fish. As more people take to the high seas looking for protein, very human problems have followed them. We’re fighting over fish.


Here to walk us through this is someone actively working on the problem in Washington D.C. Captain Kate Higgins-Bloom is the Strategic Foresight Director for the U.S. Coast Guard.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> UNLOCKED: Syria, Chemical Weapons, and Crossing the Red Line UNLOCKED: Syria, Chemical Weapons, and Crossing the Red Line Mon, 22 Mar 2021 20:51:35 GMT 36:40 75fb2666-f9ef-4cb3-a473-e2223a8d64ac false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/unlocked-syria-chemicalweapons-andcrossingtheredline 75fb2666-f9ef-4cb3-a473-e2223a8d64ac 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 unlocked-syria-chemicalweapons-andcrossingtheredline Syria’s Bashar Al Assad had no such hesitancy. Thousands of people died. The U.S. threatened to strike Syria, but Russia suggested striking a deal instead.It was weird.To talk us through the Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons throughout the cou... full Syria’s Bashar Al Assad had no such hesitancy. Thousands of people died. The U.S. threatened to strike Syria, but Russia suggested striking a deal instead.

It was weird.


To talk us through the Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons throughout the country’s civil war is Joby Warrick of the Washington Post. Warrick is the winner of an improbable two Pulitzer Prizes, including one for his book on ISIS, Black Flags. His new book, Red Line: The Unraveling of Syria and America's Race to Destroy the Most Dangerous Arsenal in the World, is just out.


  • Recorded 3/19/21


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]]> Syria’s Bashar Al Assad had no such hesitancy. Thousands of people died. The U.S. threatened to strike Syria, but Russia suggested striking a deal instead.

It was weird.


To talk us through the Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons throughout the country’s civil war is Joby Warrick of the Washington Post. Warrick is the winner of an improbable two Pulitzer Prizes, including one for his book on ISIS, Black Flags. His new book, Red Line: The Unraveling of Syria and America's Race to Destroy the Most Dangerous Arsenal in the World, is just out.


  • Recorded 3/19/21


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]]> <![CDATA[What's 'The Deal' With Iran's Nukes?]]> Fri, 19 Mar 2021 16:26:09 GMT 39:54 ef37405d-e5ed-4dfa-ac1a-d27d15b7fd41 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whatsthedealwithiransnukes--acastd88752be ef37405d-e5ed-4dfa-ac1a-d27d15b7fd41 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whatsthedealwithiransnukes--acastd88752be What do mid-century funnyman Tom Lehrer, nuclear Armageddon, and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action have in common? They’re all features of the excellent podcast The Deal—a show all about the Iran nuclear deal.As its host once said, he’s not her... full What do mid-century funnyman Tom Lehrer, nuclear Armageddon, and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action have in common? They’re all features of the excellent podcast The Deal—a show all about the Iran nuclear deal.


As its host once said, he’s not here to fix problems. He’s just here to narrate the collapse. Well, that narrator is here with us today. Dr. Jeffrey Lewis is an expert on all things nuclear, the host of The Deal, and Director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Project at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.


  • Recorded 3/11 because amber is the color of our energy
  • Faulkner and hot toddies
  • how to make sure someone gets nuclear weapons
  • the Libya of it all


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> What do mid-century funnyman Tom Lehrer, nuclear Armageddon, and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action have in common? They’re all features of the excellent podcast The Deal—a show all about the Iran nuclear deal.


As its host once said, he’s not here to fix problems. He’s just here to narrate the collapse. Well, that narrator is here with us today. Dr. Jeffrey Lewis is an expert on all things nuclear, the host of The Deal, and Director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Project at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.


  • Recorded 3/11 because amber is the color of our energy
  • Faulkner and hot toddies
  • how to make sure someone gets nuclear weapons
  • the Libya of it all


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Welcome to the Angry Ocean Welcome to the Angry Ocean Fri, 12 Mar 2021 22:27:08 GMT 46:26 f2fb6860-e102-408f-9af7-d849302a26aa false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/welcometotheangryocean f2fb6860-e102-408f-9af7-d849302a26aa 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 welcometotheangryocean Ah international waters. A quiet place to do some crimes or have crimes done to you. Welcome to Angry Ocean, a series we’re doing that examines the underreported topic of conflict on the high seas. This is part one - Outlaw Ocean.With us today is Ia... full Ah international waters. A quiet place to do some crimes or have crimes done to you. Welcome to Angry Ocean, a series we’re doing that examines the underreported topic of conflict on the high seas. This is part one - Outlaw Ocean.


With us today is Ian Urbina. Urbina is an investigative reporter and the director of The Outlaw Ocean Project, a non-profit journalism organization based in Washington, D.C., that focuses on reporting about environmental and human rights crimes at sea.


https://www.theoutlawocean.com/


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Ah international waters. A quiet place to do some crimes or have crimes done to you. Welcome to Angry Ocean, a series we’re doing that examines the underreported topic of conflict on the high seas. This is part one - Outlaw Ocean.


With us today is Ian Urbina. Urbina is an investigative reporter and the director of The Outlaw Ocean Project, a non-profit journalism organization based in Washington, D.C., that focuses on reporting about environmental and human rights crimes at sea.


https://www.theoutlawocean.com/


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> COVID, Extremists, and Readiness: How Is the U.S. Military? COVID, Extremists, and Readiness: How Is the U.S. Military? Fri, 05 Mar 2021 17:43:12 GMT 39:39 6e592bf6-6467-4065-a033-cb9d1504099a false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/covid-extremists-andreadiness-howistheu.s.military- 6e592bf6-6467-4065-a033-cb9d1504099a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 covid-extremists-andreadiness-howistheu.s.military- It’s a weird time for the US military.Endless small-scale wars.Veterans joining the riots at the capital.Right-wing extremism in the ranks.Tens of thousands of troops refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.So, time for a status check. To help us ... full It’s a weird time for the US military.


Endless small-scale wars.


Veterans joining the riots at the capital.


Right-wing extremism in the ranks.


Tens of thousands of troops refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.


So, time for a status check. To help us understand what’s going on, we have Meghann Myers who is the Pentagon Bureau Chief for Military Times.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> It’s a weird time for the US military.


Endless small-scale wars.


Veterans joining the riots at the capital.


Right-wing extremism in the ranks.


Tens of thousands of troops refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.


So, time for a status check. To help us understand what’s going on, we have Meghann Myers who is the Pentagon Bureau Chief for Military Times.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> How 9/11 Changed the British Military How 9/11 Changed the British Military Fri, 26 Feb 2021 19:58:51 GMT 52:32 c3554c46-753a-48ce-b862-1cbdfe2bae3d false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/how9-11changedthebritishmilitary c3554c46-753a-48ce-b862-1cbdfe2bae3d 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how9-11changedthebritishmilitary It’s been a long time since the sun set on the British Empire and many institutions in British society have changed a great deal. In some ways, the British Army is the exception - a living linkage between imperial great power status and the current pos... full It’s been a long time since the sun set on the British Empire and many institutions in British society have changed a great deal. In some ways, the British Army is the exception - a living linkage between imperial great power status and the current post-colonial European nation. In other ways, like the US military, the British Army has been comprehensively transformed by the long campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11. 


The way the British Army has altered - and also failed to react - over the last two decades is the subject of the new book The Changing of the Guard: The British Army Since 9/11. Here to talk about it is the book’s author Simon Akam. Akam is a journalist whose work has appeared basically everywhere, including Reuters, the Economist, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Outside, Bloomberg Businessweek and GQ.

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]]> It’s been a long time since the sun set on the British Empire and many institutions in British society have changed a great deal. In some ways, the British Army is the exception - a living linkage between imperial great power status and the current post-colonial European nation. In other ways, like the US military, the British Army has been comprehensively transformed by the long campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11. 


The way the British Army has altered - and also failed to react - over the last two decades is the subject of the new book The Changing of the Guard: The British Army Since 9/11. Here to talk about it is the book’s author Simon Akam. Akam is a journalist whose work has appeared basically everywhere, including Reuters, the Economist, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Outside, Bloomberg Businessweek and GQ.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> How the Iran-Iraq War Shaped the Modern World How the Iran-Iraq War Shaped the Modern World Fri, 19 Feb 2021 21:08:22 GMT 44:46 9a09a258-30c4-4c3e-bcaf-32f91f82db92 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/howtheiran-iraqwarshapedthemodernworld 9a09a258-30c4-4c3e-bcaf-32f91f82db92 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 howtheiran-iraqwarshapedthemodernworld We live in a world shaped by the Iraq War. No, not that Iraq War. No, not that one either. We’re talking about the Iran-Iraq war. Just after Iran’s Islamic Revolution, it fought an eight year war with Iraq. The details of that war are incredible, and i... full We live in a world shaped by the Iraq War. No, not that Iraq War. No, not that one either. We’re talking about the Iran-Iraq war. Just after Iran’s Islamic Revolution, it fought an eight year war with Iraq. The details of that war are incredible, and in the west, little known. Children cleared minefields, Iraq used chemical weapons, drones flew through the air, and helicopters engaged in dog fights with jets. And the consequences of that war shaped the region and the world. The effects are still with us today.


Here to help us untangle all of this is Aram Shabanian, a graduate student of Non-Proliferation and Terrorism Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. He also runs The Fulda Gap, a site dedicated to using OSINT to understand modern war.

  • Recorded 2/18/21


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]]> We live in a world shaped by the Iraq War. No, not that Iraq War. No, not that one either. We’re talking about the Iran-Iraq war. Just after Iran’s Islamic Revolution, it fought an eight year war with Iraq. The details of that war are incredible, and in the west, little known. Children cleared minefields, Iraq used chemical weapons, drones flew through the air, and helicopters engaged in dog fights with jets. And the consequences of that war shaped the region and the world. The effects are still with us today.


Here to help us untangle all of this is Aram Shabanian, a graduate student of Non-Proliferation and Terrorism Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. He also runs The Fulda Gap, a site dedicated to using OSINT to understand modern war.

  • Recorded 2/18/21


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> Service Without a Smile: A History of the Draft Service Without a Smile: A History of the Draft Fri, 12 Feb 2021 18:20:23 GMT 39:20 c40c1fef-4bda-4dfc-b46c-9f67aa94687e false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/servicewithoutasmile-ahistoryofthedraft c40c1fef-4bda-4dfc-b46c-9f67aa94687e 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 servicewithoutasmile-ahistoryofthedraft The United States’ military is an all volunteer force and has been since 1973. The people who fought both Gulf Wars and the war in Afghanistan asked to join up. They had as many reasons as there are troops, but not one was compelled by the government.... full The United States’ military is an all volunteer force and has been since 1973. The people who fought both Gulf Wars and the war in Afghanistan asked to join up. They had as many reasons as there are troops, but not one was compelled by the government. 


Today, we’re talking to Beth Bailey, Distinguished Professor at Kansas University and the author of AMERICA'S ARMY: Making the All-Volunteer Force. We’re going to talk about the history of the draft and what came after.


  • Recorded 1/19/21

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]]> The United States’ military is an all volunteer force and has been since 1973. The people who fought both Gulf Wars and the war in Afghanistan asked to join up. They had as many reasons as there are troops, but not one was compelled by the government. 


Today, we’re talking to Beth Bailey, Distinguished Professor at Kansas University and the author of AMERICA'S ARMY: Making the All-Volunteer Force. We’re going to talk about the history of the draft and what came after.


  • Recorded 1/19/21

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]]> Why Navalny Went Back to Russia Why Navalny Went Back to Russia Fri, 05 Feb 2021 21:23:09 GMT 48:55 ae08dea4-f18d-4517-b7c1-61eb263c8bac false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whynavalnywentbacktorussia ae08dea4-f18d-4517-b7c1-61eb263c8bac 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whynavalnywentbacktorussia After surviving a poisoning attempt, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny returned to his home country and was arrested. Now he’s been sentenced to serve a 3 and a ½ year prison sentence. After Navalny’s arrest in mid-January, people took to the st... full After surviving a poisoning attempt, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny returned to his home country and was arrested. Now he’s been sentenced to serve a 3 and a ½ year prison sentence. After Navalny’s arrest in mid-January, people took to the streets of Russia’s cities to protest. We’ve seen this before, but there is a sense that this time is different.


Is it? 


Here to help us answer that question is Mark Galleotti. Galeotti is a frequent guest on the show, a Russia expert, and is currently the director of the consultancy firm Mayak Intelligence. His most recent books are We Need To Talk About Putin, and A Short History of Russia.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> After surviving a poisoning attempt, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny returned to his home country and was arrested. Now he’s been sentenced to serve a 3 and a ½ year prison sentence. After Navalny’s arrest in mid-January, people took to the streets of Russia’s cities to protest. We’ve seen this before, but there is a sense that this time is different.


Is it? 


Here to help us answer that question is Mark Galleotti. Galeotti is a frequent guest on the show, a Russia expert, and is currently the director of the consultancy firm Mayak Intelligence. His most recent books are We Need To Talk About Putin, and A Short History of Russia.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> TEASER: The Cold War Conspiracy That Shaped the Modern GOP TEASER: The Cold War Conspiracy That Shaped the Modern GOP Thu, 04 Feb 2021 22:34:41 GMT 8:45 21a3687b-b456-4f6a-a54c-f4b7e47f0058 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/teaser-thecoldwarconspiracythatshapedthemoderngop 21a3687b-b456-4f6a-a54c-f4b7e47f0058 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 teaser-thecoldwarconspiracythatshapedthemoderngop full Here's a look at what we've been working on in the premium feed. Sign up at angryplanetpod.com or angryplanet.substack.com.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Here's a look at what we've been working on in the premium feed. Sign up at angryplanetpod.com or angryplanet.substack.com.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Spartans, Confederates, and the Cult of the Loser Spartans, Confederates, and the Cult of the Loser Fri, 29 Jan 2021 17:19:10 GMT 40:26 fb106d56-9335-4c3f-9652-5dab025c393c false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/spartans-confederates-andthecultoftheloser fb106d56-9335-4c3f-9652-5dab025c393c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 spartans-confederates-andthecultoftheloser State Houses across the country are filled with monuments to losers, traitors, and terrorists. General Robert E Lee and Benjamin Tillman are lauded alongside figures like George Washington. The reasons why are complicated, but they’re bound up in somet... full State Houses across the country are filled with monuments to losers, traitors, and terrorists. General Robert E Lee and Benjamin Tillman are lauded alongside figures like George Washington. The reasons why are complicated, but they’re bound up in something called The Myth of the Lost Cause. If you’ve never heard of this or don’t understand why it’s so critical to understanding American history well, honey, you probably ain’t from the South.


Here to help us understand what’s going on is Dr. Robert Thompson. Thompson is a historian working for Army University Press and the author of the forthcoming book Clear, Hold, and Destroy which is about the American war in Vietnam.

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]]> State Houses across the country are filled with monuments to losers, traitors, and terrorists. General Robert E Lee and Benjamin Tillman are lauded alongside figures like George Washington. The reasons why are complicated, but they’re bound up in something called The Myth of the Lost Cause. If you’ve never heard of this or don’t understand why it’s so critical to understanding American history well, honey, you probably ain’t from the South.


Here to help us understand what’s going on is Dr. Robert Thompson. Thompson is a historian working for Army University Press and the author of the forthcoming book Clear, Hold, and Destroy which is about the American war in Vietnam.

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]]> Turning QAnon QAnoff Turning QAnon QAnoff Fri, 22 Jan 2021 21:30:29 GMT 32:01 ce20d10e-2836-4427-a7b4-28bd7daaca83 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/turningqanonqanoff ce20d10e-2836-4427-a7b4-28bd7daaca83 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 turningqanonqanoff Please blame Jason Fields for that headline.Human trafficking and modern slavery are at the top of the news in the United States in the form of the QAnon conspiracy theory. It links together Democrats, child sex trafficking and a pizza place about a... full Please blame Jason Fields for that headline.


Human trafficking and modern slavery are at the top of the news in the United States in the form of the QAnon conspiracy theory. It links together Democrats, child sex trafficking and a pizza place about a mile from my house.


The pizza at Comet Ping Pong is just OK, but don’t ask to see the basement. There isn’t one.


QAnon is one of the more whacko things going on in this country. Today we’re going to talk about the reality of human trafficking and how it actually works.


We’re joined by Kieran Guilbert who covers human trafficking and modern slavery for the Thomson Reuters foundation. I worked for Kieran and learned a lot from him.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> Please blame Jason Fields for that headline.


Human trafficking and modern slavery are at the top of the news in the United States in the form of the QAnon conspiracy theory. It links together Democrats, child sex trafficking and a pizza place about a mile from my house.


The pizza at Comet Ping Pong is just OK, but don’t ask to see the basement. There isn’t one.


QAnon is one of the more whacko things going on in this country. Today we’re going to talk about the reality of human trafficking and how it actually works.


We’re joined by Kieran Guilbert who covers human trafficking and modern slavery for the Thomson Reuters foundation. I worked for Kieran and learned a lot from him.


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.


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]]> Free Speech Vs. the Big Lie Free Speech Vs. the Big Lie Wed, 13 Jan 2021 21:01:13 GMT 51:37 23651b62-3e99-4b51-9ef0-05cf8ba354db false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/freespeechvs.thebiglie 23651b62-3e99-4b51-9ef0-05cf8ba354db 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 freespeechvs.thebiglie It finally happened. Twitter finally suspended Trump’s account. After the capitol riots on January 6, tech companies such as Google, Apple, and Twitter took the unprecedented step of invoking their first amendment rights and removing several users from... full It finally happened. Twitter finally suspended Trump’s account. After the capitol riots on January 6, tech companies such as Google, Apple, and Twitter took the unprecedented step of invoking their first amendment rights and removing several users from their various platforms. I just want to remind everyone that the 1958 Supreme Court Decision in  NAACP v. Alabama outlined an implied part of the first amendment—that of Freedom of Association.


Is this big tech censorship? Are private companies silencing conservative voices or merely deciding who they want to do business with? Is Twitter the new townsquare or just another site among a sea of websites.


Here to help us figure some of this out is Dr. Alexi Drew. Drew is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Policy Institute at King’s College London. On Monday she published the policy paper “Disinformation Kills. Now what are we going to do about it?”


  • recorded 1/12/21


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> It finally happened. Twitter finally suspended Trump’s account. After the capitol riots on January 6, tech companies such as Google, Apple, and Twitter took the unprecedented step of invoking their first amendment rights and removing several users from their various platforms. I just want to remind everyone that the 1958 Supreme Court Decision in  NAACP v. Alabama outlined an implied part of the first amendment—that of Freedom of Association.


Is this big tech censorship? Are private companies silencing conservative voices or merely deciding who they want to do business with? Is Twitter the new townsquare or just another site among a sea of websites.


Here to help us figure some of this out is Dr. Alexi Drew. Drew is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Policy Institute at King’s College London. On Monday she published the policy paper “Disinformation Kills. Now what are we going to do about it?”


  • recorded 1/12/21


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Democracy on the Run in Belarus Democracy on the Run in Belarus Sat, 09 Jan 2021 17:56:04 GMT 37:01 973ae850-c880-47d0-861b-87e911f30c53 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/democracyontheruninbelarus 973ae850-c880-47d0-861b-87e911f30c53 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 democracyontheruninbelarus Sometimes referred to as Europe’s last dictator, Aleksandr Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union.Lukashenko, formerly in charge of a collective farm, has kept a tight grip on power and on the past. Belarus... full Sometimes referred to as Europe’s last dictator, Aleksandr Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union.


Lukashenko, formerly in charge of a collective farm, has kept a tight grip on power and on the past. Belarus has kept Soviet symbols and economic policies long after they’ve gone out of favor elsewhere.


Elections have been held regularly in the country, but have been neither free nor fair. The latest, in August 2020, is considered to be the least fair of all. Since then, there has been a cycle of lies, protests and repression.


To help us understand the situation, we are joined by journalist and advocate Serge Kharytonau.


  • Recorded 1/9/21


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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]]> Sometimes referred to as Europe’s last dictator, Aleksandr Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union.


Lukashenko, formerly in charge of a collective farm, has kept a tight grip on power and on the past. Belarus has kept Soviet symbols and economic policies long after they’ve gone out of favor elsewhere.


Elections have been held regularly in the country, but have been neither free nor fair. The latest, in August 2020, is considered to be the least fair of all. Since then, there has been a cycle of lies, protests and repression.


To help us understand the situation, we are joined by journalist and advocate Serge Kharytonau.


  • Recorded 1/9/21


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> UNLOCKED: How 3D Printed Guns Will Rewrite Our Laws UNLOCKED: How 3D Printed Guns Will Rewrite Our Laws Thu, 24 Dec 2020 16:53:29 GMT 53:17 406e694d-49c2-444f-ab8e-36d5a77ebf22 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/unlocked-how3dprintedgunswillrewriteourlaws 406e694d-49c2-444f-ab8e-36d5a77ebf22 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 unlocked-how3dprintedgunswillrewriteourlaws full Ghost guns. Untraceable weapons manufactured in the home. They’ve been with us forever, but they’ve taken on a new menace in the age of 3D printers and digital distribution. 

Here to walk us through the new phenomenon is Mark A Tallman. Tallman is an Assistant Professor of Homeland Security & Emergency Management at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. He’s also the author of Ghost Guns. Ghost Guns is an in depth, data driven, and dare I say nerdy deep dive into homemade weapons in the post-industrial age.

You can buy Ghost Guns here.

  • Recorded on 8/25/20
  • The second amendment
  • Cody Wilson and his terrible gun
  • Working on guns is like working on cars
  • “Most gun nerds are low risk”
  • Why ban the bump stock?
  • Additive manufacturing and the DIY weapons of mass destruction
  • Recycling plastics into weapons
  • The security implications of the fourth industrial revolution
  • Raytheon has 3D printed a missile
  • The tech backlash
  • The costs of compliance only hit the open sectors, but don’t halt illicit activity
  • The rise of the surveillance state

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Ghost guns. Untraceable weapons manufactured in the home. They’ve been with us forever, but they’ve taken on a new menace in the age of 3D printers and digital distribution. 

Here to walk us through the new phenomenon is Mark A Tallman. Tallman is an Assistant Professor of Homeland Security & Emergency Management at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. He’s also the author of Ghost Guns. Ghost Guns is an in depth, data driven, and dare I say nerdy deep dive into homemade weapons in the post-industrial age.

You can buy Ghost Guns here.

  • Recorded on 8/25/20
  • The second amendment
  • Cody Wilson and his terrible gun
  • Working on guns is like working on cars
  • “Most gun nerds are low risk”
  • Why ban the bump stock?
  • Additive manufacturing and the DIY weapons of mass destruction
  • Recycling plastics into weapons
  • The security implications of the fourth industrial revolution
  • Raytheon has 3D printed a missile
  • The tech backlash
  • The costs of compliance only hit the open sectors, but don’t halt illicit activity
  • The rise of the surveillance state

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> ICYMI: The Highs and Lows of U.S. Special Operations Forces ICYMI: The Highs and Lows of U.S. Special Operations Forces Wed, 16 Dec 2020 23:46:12 GMT 1:14:39 f3c0ccee-c9f2-48f8-99b4-15fd08a90ef5 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-thehighsandlowsofu.s.specialoperationsforces f3c0ccee-c9f2-48f8-99b4-15fd08a90ef5 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-thehighsandlowsofu.s.specialoperationsforces Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribeYou can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, G... full Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> <![CDATA[The Life and Death of Iran's Shadow Commander]]> Thu, 10 Dec 2020 21:12:02 GMT 48:46 e8af7255-bdfd-4e93-92e3-081996cbcb21 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thelifeanddeathofiransshadowcommander e8af7255-bdfd-4e93-92e3-081996cbcb21 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thelifeanddeathofiransshadowcommander If you’ve ever heard the phrase one-man wrecking crew, they might well have been talking about Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s Shadow Commander.Soleimani’s first fight was against Iraq in the war that started right after Iran’s revolution and lasted until ... full If you’ve ever heard the phrase one-man wrecking crew, they might well have been talking about Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s Shadow Commander.


Soleimani’s first fight was against Iraq in the war that started right after Iran’s revolution and lasted until 1988. He went on to great success fighting bandits and drug lords, eventually taking over Iran’s Quds Force - Iran’s tool for diplomacy by other means.


For more than 20 years, Soleimani helped Ayatollah Khamanei project power around the region-becoming a force to be reckoned with in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and more.


In January, Qassem Soleimani was killed by the United States.


Today, we’re joined by Arash Azizi, who literally wrote the book on Soleimani. It’s called The Shadow Commander: Soleimani, the US and Iran’s Global Ambitions, and it was published in November.

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]]> If you’ve ever heard the phrase one-man wrecking crew, they might well have been talking about Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s Shadow Commander.


Soleimani’s first fight was against Iraq in the war that started right after Iran’s revolution and lasted until 1988. He went on to great success fighting bandits and drug lords, eventually taking over Iran’s Quds Force - Iran’s tool for diplomacy by other means.


For more than 20 years, Soleimani helped Ayatollah Khamanei project power around the region-becoming a force to be reckoned with in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and more.


In January, Qassem Soleimani was killed by the United States.


Today, we’re joined by Arash Azizi, who literally wrote the book on Soleimani. It’s called The Shadow Commander: Soleimani, the US and Iran’s Global Ambitions, and it was published in November.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The Lingering Aftertaste of Fascism The Lingering Aftertaste of Fascism Thu, 03 Dec 2020 21:36:34 GMT 55:42 f3dc4b82-8e8a-4730-b5f5-487bac0e38b0 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thelingeringaftertasteoffascism f3dc4b82-8e8a-4730-b5f5-487bac0e38b0 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thelingeringaftertasteoffascism What’s a fascist anyway?It’s a word we heard a lot over the past few years. If you’re on one side of the political debate you probably used this word earnestly. If you’re on the other side, you probably think people use it because they’re too embarr... full What’s a fascist anyway?


It’s a word we heard a lot over the past few years. If you’re on one side of the political debate you probably used this word earnestly. If you’re on the other side, you probably think people use it because they’re too embarrassed to call their political opponent Hitler.


But it’s an important word with several very real definitions. Musolini is not Hitler is not, dare I say it, Tr0ump. But, from a certain point of view, all these men are fascists. Worth noting at the top here that Jason doesn’t  agree with me on this point. Or, at least, doesn’t always agree with me. With all this baggage around the term fascist, is it even worth using?


Here to help us figure that out is Jason Stanely. Stanley is a professor of Philosophy at Yale and the author of the book How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them. Sir, thank you so much for joining us.


  • 11/23/20


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


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You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> What’s a fascist anyway?


It’s a word we heard a lot over the past few years. If you’re on one side of the political debate you probably used this word earnestly. If you’re on the other side, you probably think people use it because they’re too embarrassed to call their political opponent Hitler.


But it’s an important word with several very real definitions. Musolini is not Hitler is not, dare I say it, Tr0ump. But, from a certain point of view, all these men are fascists. Worth noting at the top here that Jason doesn’t  agree with me on this point. Or, at least, doesn’t always agree with me. With all this baggage around the term fascist, is it even worth using?


Here to help us figure that out is Jason Stanely. Stanley is a professor of Philosophy at Yale and the author of the book How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them. Sir, thank you so much for joining us.


  • 11/23/20


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> A Journey into the Jungles of ‘Pulp Vietnam’ A Journey into the Jungles of ‘Pulp Vietnam’ Thu, 19 Nov 2020 03:02:46 GMT 42:51 51fc469a-88f8-4216-9aba-6fd2b85eea48 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/ajourneyintothejunglesof-pulpvietnam- 51fc469a-88f8-4216-9aba-6fd2b85eea48 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 ajourneyintothejunglesof-pulpvietnam- PULP EPIC. MALE. MAN’S ILLUSTRATED. MAN’S ADVENTURE. BRIGADE. VALOR. You’ve seen these magazines before. You either grew up with them or you’ve seen their bizarre covers online. There’s always a man with rippling muscles, sometimes he’s fighting a pack... full PULP EPIC. MALE. MAN’S ILLUSTRATED. MAN’S ADVENTURE. BRIGADE. VALOR. You’ve seen these magazines before. You either grew up with them or you’ve seen their bizarre covers online. There’s always a man with rippling muscles, sometimes he’s fighting a pack of weasels, other times he’s eying a scantily clad dame. Sometime’s there’s a Nazi, sometime’s there’s a woman in an SS uniform with a few buttons missing.


The Pulp magazines of the Cold War shaped the culture and thinking of an entire generation of men. The sons of World War II veterans learned a fantasy version of the war from lads mags and then took those fantasies with them when they rushed headlong into their own war: Vietnam.


Here to tell us all about the Pulp magazines and how they shaped our perceptions of the Cold War and Vietnam is Gregory A Daddis. Daddis is a retired Army Colonel who served in both Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He’s a professor of history and the USS Midway Chair in Modern History at San Diego State University. His new book is Pulp Vietnam: War and Gender in Cold War Men’s Adventure Magazines.


  • Recorded 10/29

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]]> PULP EPIC. MALE. MAN’S ILLUSTRATED. MAN’S ADVENTURE. BRIGADE. VALOR. You’ve seen these magazines before. You either grew up with them or you’ve seen their bizarre covers online. There’s always a man with rippling muscles, sometimes he’s fighting a pack of weasels, other times he’s eying a scantily clad dame. Sometime’s there’s a Nazi, sometime’s there’s a woman in an SS uniform with a few buttons missing.


The Pulp magazines of the Cold War shaped the culture and thinking of an entire generation of men. The sons of World War II veterans learned a fantasy version of the war from lads mags and then took those fantasies with them when they rushed headlong into their own war: Vietnam.


Here to tell us all about the Pulp magazines and how they shaped our perceptions of the Cold War and Vietnam is Gregory A Daddis. Daddis is a retired Army Colonel who served in both Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He’s a professor of history and the USS Midway Chair in Modern History at San Diego State University. His new book is Pulp Vietnam: War and Gender in Cold War Men’s Adventure Magazines.


  • Recorded 10/29

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Fragility, War, Genocide and Climate Change Fragility, War, Genocide and Climate Change Thu, 05 Nov 2020 20:25:17 GMT 33:02 6210d2fa-709d-4766-b081-0e72a0e70245 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/fragility-war-genocideandclimatechange 6210d2fa-709d-4766-b081-0e72a0e70245 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 fragility-war-genocideandclimatechange The phrase climate change was originally created to soft-pedal global warming. A hotter planet doesn’t sound good, but, hey, climates change all the time - from winter to summer and back again.But it turned out to be an accurate description for what... full The phrase climate change was originally created to soft-pedal global warming. A hotter planet doesn’t sound good, but, hey, climates change all the time - from winter to summer and back again.


But it turned out to be an accurate description for what’s really going on. Deserts are drying, wet places are getting wetter. Crops are dying, and so is livestock and in some places it’s increasingly unsafe to go out during the day?


So, how is this affecting human conflict? The assumption is that climate change will make things worse, but how much worse?


To tell us, we have Stanford Professor Marshall Burke, who has studied the issue extensively and written numerous papers on the subject.


  • Recorded 10/22/20


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The phrase climate change was originally created to soft-pedal global warming. A hotter planet doesn’t sound good, but, hey, climates change all the time - from winter to summer and back again.


But it turned out to be an accurate description for what’s really going on. Deserts are drying, wet places are getting wetter. Crops are dying, and so is livestock and in some places it’s increasingly unsafe to go out during the day?


So, how is this affecting human conflict? The assumption is that climate change will make things worse, but how much worse?


To tell us, we have Stanford Professor Marshall Burke, who has studied the issue extensively and written numerous papers on the subject.


  • Recorded 10/22/20


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Looking for Crime in All the Wrong Places Looking for Crime in All the Wrong Places Thu, 29 Oct 2020 15:07:47 GMT 45:20 40aad50c-0082-4d08-b397-2b68ed1e2260 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/lookingforcrimeinallthewrongplaces 40aad50c-0082-4d08-b397-2b68ed1e2260 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 lookingforcrimeinallthewrongplaces Law and order, it’s one of the catchphrases of this election. Crime rates, in some cities in America, are on the rise but crime, in general, is down. But 2020 has been a chaotic year and our news feeds are filled with violent images of militant groups,... full Law and order, it’s one of the catchphrases of this election. Crime rates, in some cities in America, are on the rise but crime, in general, is down. But 2020 has been a chaotic year and our news feeds are filled with violent images of militant groups, protestors, riots, burning buildings, and everything in between. The sad fact is that not all crime in America is reported on in the same way, that the protest movement is overwhelmingly peaceful, but not always, and that police militarization has exacerbated all our current problems.


Here to help us untangle some of this is Danny Gold. Gold is a Pulitzer Center grantee, a documentary producer whose work has appeared in VICE Nice, The New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. He’s also the host of the new Underworld Podcast—a series about the global criminal underworld.


  • Recorded 10/6/20


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Law and order, it’s one of the catchphrases of this election. Crime rates, in some cities in America, are on the rise but crime, in general, is down. But 2020 has been a chaotic year and our news feeds are filled with violent images of militant groups, protestors, riots, burning buildings, and everything in between. The sad fact is that not all crime in America is reported on in the same way, that the protest movement is overwhelmingly peaceful, but not always, and that police militarization has exacerbated all our current problems.


Here to help us untangle some of this is Danny Gold. Gold is a Pulitzer Center grantee, a documentary producer whose work has appeared in VICE Nice, The New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. He’s also the host of the new Underworld Podcast—a series about the global criminal underworld.


  • Recorded 10/6/20


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

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]]> TEASER: How Music Videos Explain the War Between Armenia and Azerbaijan TEASER: How Music Videos Explain the War Between Armenia and Azerbaijan Tue, 27 Oct 2020 21:09:51 GMT 5:06 8d901b88-ab1f-4826-9fce-50fc6b3e7e41 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/teaser-howmusicvideosexplainthewarbetweenarmeniaandazerbaijan 8d901b88-ab1f-4826-9fce-50fc6b3e7e41 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 teaser-howmusicvideosexplainthewarbetweenarmeniaandazerbaijan https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe to listenArmenia and Azerbaijan are at war. Why? It’s complicated. What’s the nature of the conflict? That’s also very complicated. It’s so complicated, in fact, that Russia, Syria, and Turkey are all invol... full https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe to listen


Armenia and Azerbaijan are at war. Why? It’s complicated. What’s the nature of the conflict? That’s also very complicated. It’s so complicated, in fact, that Russia, Syria, and Turkey are all involved. And it threatens to pull in their allies, all over a war that’s been “frozen” since 1988.


Here to help us untangle all of this is Aram Shabanian, a graduate student of Non-Proliferation and Terrorism Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. He also runs The Fulda Gap, a site dedicated to using OSINT to understand modern war. And he’s a member of the Armenian diaspora community in the United States.


  • Recorded 10/16/20
  • The Roots of the conflict
  • Nagorno-Karabakh
  • Why this war got so violent so fast
  • Extrajudicial killing
  • How the war was announced via a music video on YouTube
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSh5tm2Hmn0
  • Why 2020 has been going on for at least four years
  • The Iran of it all
  • Military spending on either side
  • What happened when the Soviet Union ended
  • The regional players, explained
  • How this all ends


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.



Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe to listen


Armenia and Azerbaijan are at war. Why? It’s complicated. What’s the nature of the conflict? That’s also very complicated. It’s so complicated, in fact, that Russia, Syria, and Turkey are all involved. And it threatens to pull in their allies, all over a war that’s been “frozen” since 1988.


Here to help us untangle all of this is Aram Shabanian, a graduate student of Non-Proliferation and Terrorism Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. He also runs The Fulda Gap, a site dedicated to using OSINT to understand modern war. And he’s a member of the Armenian diaspora community in the United States.


  • Recorded 10/16/20
  • The Roots of the conflict
  • Nagorno-Karabakh
  • Why this war got so violent so fast
  • Extrajudicial killing
  • How the war was announced via a music video on YouTube
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSh5tm2Hmn0
  • Why 2020 has been going on for at least four years
  • The Iran of it all
  • Military spending on either side
  • What happened when the Soviet Union ended
  • The regional players, explained
  • How this all ends


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.



Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The Man Who Navigated the End of History The Man Who Navigated the End of History Wed, 21 Oct 2020 20:32:04 GMT 27:34 bfab923a-511d-418a-884a-0ca64e19a6bd false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/themanwhonavigatedtheendofhistory bfab923a-511d-418a-884a-0ca64e19a6bd 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 themanwhonavigatedtheendofhistory Remember back when the Berlin Wall fell and history ended? Back when we won the Cold War and America was embraced by allies old and new, becoming the world’s only superpower. The Gulf War was fought and seemingly won.Actually, maybe you don’t. It wa... full Remember back when the Berlin Wall fell and history ended? Back when we won the Cold War and America was embraced by allies old and new, becoming the world’s only superpower. The Gulf War was fought and seemingly won.


Actually, maybe you don’t. It was the end of the 1980s, after all.


George Bush - no, not that one - stood at the center of events, and inside that center stood James A. Baker III.


To tell us about the man who ran Washington, and why he remains important, we welcome Peter Baker of the New York Times who wrote the book with his wife Susan Glasser of the New Yorker. The couple’s book, coincidentally, is called The Man Who Ran Washington.


  • Recorded 10/9/20
  • Hey, remember the 1980s?
  • Who was the man who ran Washington?
  • Foreign policy as the presidential big leagues
  • The nightmare of facing Jim Baker in an election
  • “Baker was Bush”
  • How to win the Iraq war only to lose it later
  • How to navigate the end of history
  • Sibling rivalry between Bush and Baker


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Remember back when the Berlin Wall fell and history ended? Back when we won the Cold War and America was embraced by allies old and new, becoming the world’s only superpower. The Gulf War was fought and seemingly won.


Actually, maybe you don’t. It was the end of the 1980s, after all.


George Bush - no, not that one - stood at the center of events, and inside that center stood James A. Baker III.


To tell us about the man who ran Washington, and why he remains important, we welcome Peter Baker of the New York Times who wrote the book with his wife Susan Glasser of the New Yorker. The couple’s book, coincidentally, is called The Man Who Ran Washington.


  • Recorded 10/9/20
  • Hey, remember the 1980s?
  • Who was the man who ran Washington?
  • Foreign policy as the presidential big leagues
  • The nightmare of facing Jim Baker in an election
  • “Baker was Bush”
  • How to win the Iraq war only to lose it later
  • How to navigate the end of history
  • Sibling rivalry between Bush and Baker


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> America Is Losing the Information War America Is Losing the Information War Thu, 15 Oct 2020 16:40:31 GMT 50:05 c45504b4-4153-48f9-92da-0d1c88d20c0f false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/americaislosingtheinformationwar c45504b4-4153-48f9-92da-0d1c88d20c0f 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 americaislosingtheinformationwar Things feel surreal all the time now. We’re told that some of our favorite online personalities may just be sock puppet accounts for foreing governments. Russia, in particular, is supposedly a master at the new soft power internet based information war... full Things feel surreal all the time now. We’re told that some of our favorite online personalities may just be sock puppet accounts for foreing governments. Russia, in particular, is supposedly a master at the new soft power internet based information warfare. Some people still believe that Trump is a Russian agent, the end result of a longcon forged years ago by the KGB and ushered into power by Russian trolls. Qanon, anti-vaxers, ant-maskers, shitposts, and doing it for the lulz. It can be exhausting. But understanding the myths of the modern age and how they permeate online is a key to understanding our world today. 


Here to help us figure this all out is Nina Janckowicz. Janckowicz studies the intersection of democracy and technology in Central and Eastern Europe as a fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in DC. She’s also the author of How to Lose the Information War: Russia, Fake News, and the Future of Conflict. She’s also … a huge musical theater fan.


  • Recorded 10/8/20
  • A brief digression into musical theater
  • What is an information war anyway?
  • Russia and active measures
  • Why Russia is better at it than America
  • Ukraine and the human cost
  • Poland and the dangers of building a government on conspiracy
  • Allowing RT on American soil
  • The responsibility of Twitter and Facebook
  • Finishing up with a little Sondheim


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Things feel surreal all the time now. We’re told that some of our favorite online personalities may just be sock puppet accounts for foreing governments. Russia, in particular, is supposedly a master at the new soft power internet based information warfare. Some people still believe that Trump is a Russian agent, the end result of a longcon forged years ago by the KGB and ushered into power by Russian trolls. Qanon, anti-vaxers, ant-maskers, shitposts, and doing it for the lulz. It can be exhausting. But understanding the myths of the modern age and how they permeate online is a key to understanding our world today. 


Here to help us figure this all out is Nina Janckowicz. Janckowicz studies the intersection of democracy and technology in Central and Eastern Europe as a fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in DC. She’s also the author of How to Lose the Information War: Russia, Fake News, and the Future of Conflict. She’s also … a huge musical theater fan.


  • Recorded 10/8/20
  • A brief digression into musical theater
  • What is an information war anyway?
  • Russia and active measures
  • Why Russia is better at it than America
  • Ukraine and the human cost
  • Poland and the dangers of building a government on conspiracy
  • Allowing RT on American soil
  • The responsibility of Twitter and Facebook
  • Finishing up with a little Sondheim


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> TEASER: The Care and Feeding of a Republic TEASER: The Care and Feeding of a Republic Tue, 13 Oct 2020 20:16:03 GMT 7:27 90fe3aa0-2283-46d8-9575-a1587d1c4d90 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/teaser-thecareandfeedingofarepublic 90fe3aa0-2283-46d8-9575-a1587d1c4d90 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 teaser-thecareandfeedingofarepublic Nations rise and nations fall, as do their governments. Today, some people say the United States and its treasured republican virtues stand at a crossroads.But how can you tell? Are we dealing with the mere panic of the moment, or something worth pa... full Nations rise and nations fall, as do their governments. Today, some people say the United States and its treasured republican virtues stand at a crossroads.


But how can you tell? Are we dealing with the mere panic of the moment, or something worth panicking about?


To help us get a grip on what’s going on, we’re going to reach into the past, today, to see if history is repeating or just rhyming.


Joining us to help us get a grip—and we could probably all use to get grip right about now—is Patrick Wyman.


Wyman is the host of the Tides of History podcast, which looks at moments when the world changed, including recent examinations of the world’s first farmers and the effects of plague on the Roman world.


  • Recorded on 10/2/20
  • What defines a Republic anyway?
  • The Res publica
  • “Don’t quote laws to men with swords”
  • How the Roman republic worked
  • A contract with the gods
  • How the grain dole worked
  • The private sector
  • Why it’s so hard to maintain a Republic
  • How cynicism degrades the political system


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Nations rise and nations fall, as do their governments. Today, some people say the United States and its treasured republican virtues stand at a crossroads.


But how can you tell? Are we dealing with the mere panic of the moment, or something worth panicking about?


To help us get a grip on what’s going on, we’re going to reach into the past, today, to see if history is repeating or just rhyming.


Joining us to help us get a grip—and we could probably all use to get grip right about now—is Patrick Wyman.


Wyman is the host of the Tides of History podcast, which looks at moments when the world changed, including recent examinations of the world’s first farmers and the effects of plague on the Roman world.


  • Recorded on 10/2/20
  • What defines a Republic anyway?
  • The Res publica
  • “Don’t quote laws to men with swords”
  • How the Roman republic worked
  • A contract with the gods
  • How the grain dole worked
  • The private sector
  • Why it’s so hard to maintain a Republic
  • How cynicism degrades the political system


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribe

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Proud Boys, the Boogaloo, and Everything in Between Proud Boys, the Boogaloo, and Everything in Between Wed, 07 Oct 2020 20:10:59 GMT 52:54 81bbfa5b-4914-4a5b-a6a4-2fdd8009c880 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/proudboys-theboogaloo-andeverythinginbetween 81bbfa5b-4914-4a5b-a6a4-2fdd8009c880 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 proudboys-theboogaloo-andeverythinginbetween What’s the difference between a Proud Boy and a Boogaloo Boi? Are Patriot Prayer and Patriot Front the same thing? If I wear a Hawaiian shirt while eating a bowl of Lucky Charms, does that make me a member of a far right group? How many of these tactic... full What’s the difference between a Proud Boy and a Boogaloo Boi? Are Patriot Prayer and Patriot Front the same thing? If I wear a Hawaiian shirt while eating a bowl of Lucky Charms, does that make me a member of a far right group? How many of these tacticool bearded weirdos are there, really, and are they dangerous? If it feels like the world today is weirder, wilder, and grosser than the one in the past … I feel you. 2020 has seen an explosion of Far Right groups and if you find it hard to keep track of them all, you’re not alone.


Here to help us order and sort the Proud from the Boogaloo is Jason Wilson. Wilson is an independent journalist whose work has appeared in The Guardian and Bellingcat.


  • Recorded 10/1/20
  • What’s a proud boy?
  • The Proud Boys debate moment
  • Why Portland is the rallying point for far right groups
  • What the Justice Department knows and what it’s doing
  • Shirt movements, modern and historic
  • Boogaloo bois
  • What the numbers tell us
  • The John Birch Society
  • The Eisenhower Conspiracy


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> What’s the difference between a Proud Boy and a Boogaloo Boi? Are Patriot Prayer and Patriot Front the same thing? If I wear a Hawaiian shirt while eating a bowl of Lucky Charms, does that make me a member of a far right group? How many of these tacticool bearded weirdos are there, really, and are they dangerous? If it feels like the world today is weirder, wilder, and grosser than the one in the past … I feel you. 2020 has seen an explosion of Far Right groups and if you find it hard to keep track of them all, you’re not alone.


Here to help us order and sort the Proud from the Boogaloo is Jason Wilson. Wilson is an independent journalist whose work has appeared in The Guardian and Bellingcat.


  • Recorded 10/1/20
  • What’s a proud boy?
  • The Proud Boys debate moment
  • Why Portland is the rallying point for far right groups
  • What the Justice Department knows and what it’s doing
  • Shirt movements, modern and historic
  • Boogaloo bois
  • What the numbers tell us
  • The John Birch Society
  • The Eisenhower Conspiracy


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> How Reagan Made Us the Armaggedon Generation How Reagan Made Us the Armaggedon Generation Sat, 03 Oct 2020 17:17:39 GMT 1:00:22 af3aa7bf-0d37-466e-9348-4443d86e7ba4 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/howreaganmadeusthearmaggedongeneration af3aa7bf-0d37-466e-9348-4443d86e7ba4 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 howreaganmadeusthearmaggedongeneration America is perhaps more conservative today than it’s ever been. For some on the right, Obama, Biden and Clinton look like socialists. For people on the left, they look like moderate republicans. There’s a reason for both of those views that’s steeped i... full America is perhaps more conservative today than it’s ever been. For some on the right, Obama, Biden and Clinton look like socialists. For people on the left, they look like moderate republicans. There’s a reason for both of those views that’s steeped in America’s recent past. U.S. culture was shaped by a suave and smooth talking President who promised we could be a beacon of hope for the world and a shining city on a hill.


Here to talk about what happened is Rick Perlstein. Perlstein is a returning guest and the author of the new book Reaganland: America's Right Turn 1976-1980. The book is, among other things, the story of how a Southern Evangelical Democrat paved the way for a divorced actor from California to ascend to the presidency and shape America’s destiny.


  • Recorded 9/10/20
  • How voters go from voting for Johnson to voting for Nixon
  • America’s moral reckoning, from Vietnam to Watergate
  • What Star Wars tells us about America today
  • Stable government under a crook vs unstable government under an honest man
  • Call of Duty: Cold War and the hero worship of Reagan
  • Jimmy Carter as the redeemer of America’s sins
  • The nightly hostage wrap up
  • How the Camp David Accords set the Middle East against Carter
  • Afghanistan as a stop on the Hippie trail
  • When Carter cancelled the Olympics
  • Nuclear debates
  • Rick’s Reagan impersonation
  • How the press and politicians misread the moment


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> America is perhaps more conservative today than it’s ever been. For some on the right, Obama, Biden and Clinton look like socialists. For people on the left, they look like moderate republicans. There’s a reason for both of those views that’s steeped in America’s recent past. U.S. culture was shaped by a suave and smooth talking President who promised we could be a beacon of hope for the world and a shining city on a hill.


Here to talk about what happened is Rick Perlstein. Perlstein is a returning guest and the author of the new book Reaganland: America's Right Turn 1976-1980. The book is, among other things, the story of how a Southern Evangelical Democrat paved the way for a divorced actor from California to ascend to the presidency and shape America’s destiny.


  • Recorded 9/10/20
  • How voters go from voting for Johnson to voting for Nixon
  • America’s moral reckoning, from Vietnam to Watergate
  • What Star Wars tells us about America today
  • Stable government under a crook vs unstable government under an honest man
  • Call of Duty: Cold War and the hero worship of Reagan
  • Jimmy Carter as the redeemer of America’s sins
  • The nightly hostage wrap up
  • How the Camp David Accords set the Middle East against Carter
  • Afghanistan as a stop on the Hippie trail
  • When Carter cancelled the Olympics
  • Nuclear debates
  • Rick’s Reagan impersonation
  • How the press and politicians misread the moment


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> TEASER: The Military Needs Gamers TEASER: The Military Needs Gamers Wed, 30 Sep 2020 17:53:13 GMT 6:34 fdf0c844-0694-4e50-9ebd-3450f9acb16b false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/teaser-themilitaryneedsgamers fdf0c844-0694-4e50-9ebd-3450f9acb16b 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 teaser-themilitaryneedsgamers The Military needs gamers. Over the past few months, the U.S. Army and Navy have spent a considerable amount of time playing video games. The Pentagon is streaming on Twitch, showing up at video game tournaments, and sponsoring esports events. And it’s... full The Military needs gamers. Over the past few months, the U.S. Army and Navy have spent a considerable amount of time playing video games. The Pentagon is streaming on Twitch, showing up at video game tournaments, and sponsoring esports events. And it’s all in a bid to reach a younger crowd and fill out the ranks. The military is trying to meet young people where they live and, increasingly, they live online playing video games.

Is the military’s use of video games as a recruitment tool crossing the line or business as usual? To help us figure that out, we’ve got two guests today. Both returning champions.

Here to help us untangle this mess is Pauline Kaurin. Kaurin is the Stockdale Chair in Professional Military Ethics at the US Naval War College and the author of the new book On Obedience: Contrasting Philosophies for the Military Citizenry and Community.

We’ve also got Marty Skovlund Jr. Skovlund is a veteran of 1st Ranger Battalion and the Executive Editor of Coffee or Die Magazine.

  • Recorded 8/28/20
  • The long weird story of the Military going online
  • Activists, trolls, and AOC
  • Why the military is allowed to recruit at high schools
  • The wild questions you get working as a recruiter
  • Scumbag recruiters
  • Military service as a path to a middle class life and education


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The Military needs gamers. Over the past few months, the U.S. Army and Navy have spent a considerable amount of time playing video games. The Pentagon is streaming on Twitch, showing up at video game tournaments, and sponsoring esports events. And it’s all in a bid to reach a younger crowd and fill out the ranks. The military is trying to meet young people where they live and, increasingly, they live online playing video games.

Is the military’s use of video games as a recruitment tool crossing the line or business as usual? To help us figure that out, we’ve got two guests today. Both returning champions.

Here to help us untangle this mess is Pauline Kaurin. Kaurin is the Stockdale Chair in Professional Military Ethics at the US Naval War College and the author of the new book On Obedience: Contrasting Philosophies for the Military Citizenry and Community.

We’ve also got Marty Skovlund Jr. Skovlund is a veteran of 1st Ranger Battalion and the Executive Editor of Coffee or Die Magazine.

  • Recorded 8/28/20
  • The long weird story of the Military going online
  • Activists, trolls, and AOC
  • Why the military is allowed to recruit at high schools
  • The wild questions you get working as a recruiter
  • Scumbag recruiters
  • Military service as a path to a middle class life and education


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> War, Death, and Financial Collapse in the Middle East War, Death, and Financial Collapse in the Middle East Thu, 24 Sep 2020 01:44:57 GMT 37:46 b5083c69-6ef9-4b59-9ec1-1aa0398995a1 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/war-death-andfinancialcollapseinthemiddleeast b5083c69-6ef9-4b59-9ec1-1aa0398995a1 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 war-death-andfinancialcollapseinthemiddleeast Civil wars, proxy wars, cold wars, hot wars. Economic collapse, the collapse of civil societies and governments. Hunger, torture, disease.Many parts of the world seem to be falling apart in 2020, but even then, the Middle East is its own special cas... full Civil wars, proxy wars, cold wars, hot wars. Economic collapse, the collapse of civil societies and governments. Hunger, torture, disease.


Many parts of the world seem to be falling apart in 2020, but even then, the Middle East is its own special case.


To talk about the state of one of the world’s most turbulent regions, Steven Cook joins us. Cook is the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.


He recently wrote an overview for Foreign Policy magazine that captures much of what’s going on—“The End of Hope in the Middle East”


  • Recorded 9/10
  • How bad are things really?
  • How Western powers created a sectarian system in Lebanon
  • Who is fighting on the ground in Libya?
  • Russian mercenaries and air assets
  • Iraq as America’s original sin of the current troubles, and why that’s wrong
  • How Saddam held Iraq together
  • Fragmentation of the Middle East
  • Is Saudi Arabia as stable as it seems?
  • The importance of having a vision for the future


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Civil wars, proxy wars, cold wars, hot wars. Economic collapse, the collapse of civil societies and governments. Hunger, torture, disease.


Many parts of the world seem to be falling apart in 2020, but even then, the Middle East is its own special case.


To talk about the state of one of the world’s most turbulent regions, Steven Cook joins us. Cook is the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.


He recently wrote an overview for Foreign Policy magazine that captures much of what’s going on—“The End of Hope in the Middle East”


  • Recorded 9/10
  • How bad are things really?
  • How Western powers created a sectarian system in Lebanon
  • Who is fighting on the ground in Libya?
  • Russian mercenaries and air assets
  • Iraq as America’s original sin of the current troubles, and why that’s wrong
  • How Saddam held Iraq together
  • Fragmentation of the Middle East
  • Is Saudi Arabia as stable as it seems?
  • The importance of having a vision for the future


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> What the Hell Is Going on at Fort Hood? What the Hell Is Going on at Fort Hood? Thu, 17 Sep 2020 21:25:36 GMT 1:15:13 478a10c5-70cd-4879-8758-3bc04e598a7a false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whatthehellisgoingonatforthood- 478a10c5-70cd-4879-8758-3bc04e598a7a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whatthehellisgoingonatforthood- Fort Hood. One of America’s largest military bases is off the long stretch of highway between Dallas and Austin. Its Commander was set to transfer out and take over command of a division at Fort Bliss, but the Army announced on Sept. 1 that wouldn’t be... full Fort Hood. One of America’s largest military bases is off the long stretch of highway between Dallas and Austin. Its Commander was set to transfer out and take over command of a division at Fort Bliss, but the Army announced on Sept. 1 that wouldn’t be happening.


To anyone who’s been following the news, the reasons are pretty clear. At last count, 26 soldiers have died at Fort Hood in 2020. That’s more than have died fighting in Afghanistan this year. Some have been accidents, others suicides. Five were murdered. For Fort Hood, 2020 isn’t an outlier but part of a broader trend that’s tied up in the base’s history and culture as well as its relationship to the neighboring city of Killeen.


The story is so complicated and terrible that we needed to speak with two reporters to make sense of it. First we get the big picture from Task & Purpose’s Haley Britzky. Britzky is a journalist working for Task & Purpose whose recent article there This all could have been prevented’ — Inside the disappearance and death of Vanessa Guillén is a must read on this topic.


Next, we speak with Rose Thayer of Stars & Stripes to dig deeper into the story and get details and specifics. Thayer is a reporter who’s been covering the story for Stars and Stripes, a native Texan, and the former military editor for the Killeen Daily Herald.


  • Rose Thayer recorded on 9/3/20
  • Haley Britzky recorded on 9/16/20
  • What happened to Vanessa Guillén
  • How the Army handles sexual assault
  • What the numbers really tell us
  • Who are the investigators?
  • What it’s like to live in Killeen? 
  • The Texas of it all
  • On parachute reporting
  • How to build a better military


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Fort Hood. One of America’s largest military bases is off the long stretch of highway between Dallas and Austin. Its Commander was set to transfer out and take over command of a division at Fort Bliss, but the Army announced on Sept. 1 that wouldn’t be happening.


To anyone who’s been following the news, the reasons are pretty clear. At last count, 26 soldiers have died at Fort Hood in 2020. That’s more than have died fighting in Afghanistan this year. Some have been accidents, others suicides. Five were murdered. For Fort Hood, 2020 isn’t an outlier but part of a broader trend that’s tied up in the base’s history and culture as well as its relationship to the neighboring city of Killeen.


The story is so complicated and terrible that we needed to speak with two reporters to make sense of it. First we get the big picture from Task & Purpose’s Haley Britzky. Britzky is a journalist working for Task & Purpose whose recent article there This all could have been prevented’ — Inside the disappearance and death of Vanessa Guillén is a must read on this topic.


Next, we speak with Rose Thayer of Stars & Stripes to dig deeper into the story and get details and specifics. Thayer is a reporter who’s been covering the story for Stars and Stripes, a native Texan, and the former military editor for the Killeen Daily Herald.


  • Rose Thayer recorded on 9/3/20
  • Haley Britzky recorded on 9/16/20
  • What happened to Vanessa Guillén
  • How the Army handles sexual assault
  • What the numbers really tell us
  • Who are the investigators?
  • What it’s like to live in Killeen? 
  • The Texas of it all
  • On parachute reporting
  • How to build a better military


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> TEASER: How 3D Printed Guns Will Rewrite Our Laws TEASER: How 3D Printed Guns Will Rewrite Our Laws Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:17:21 GMT 5:23 344fad34-3422-4e52-8aad-ac5a2acf5707 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/teaser-how3dprintedgunswillrewriteourlaws 344fad34-3422-4e52-8aad-ac5a2acf5707 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 teaser-how3dprintedgunswillrewriteourlaws full Ghost guns. Untraceable weapons manufactured in the home. They’ve been with us forever, but they’ve taken on a new menace in the age of 3D printers and digital distribution. 


Here to walk us through the new phenomenon is Mark A Tallman. Tallman is an Assistant Professor of Homeland Security & Emergency Management at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. He’s also the author of Ghost Guns. Ghost Guns is an in depth, data driven, and dare I say nerdy deep dive into homemade weapons in the post-industrial age.


SUBSCRIBE FOR INSTANT ACCESS: angryplanetpod.com


  • Recorded on 8/25/20
  • The second amendment
  • Cody Wilson and his terrible gun
  • Working on guns is like working on cars
  • “Most gun nerds are low risk”
  • Why ban the bump stock?
  • Additive manufacturing and the DIY weapons of mass destruction
  • Recycling plastics into weapons
  • The security implications of the fourth industrial revolution
  • Raytheon has 3D printed a missile
  • The tech backlash
  • The costs of compliance only hit the open sectors, but don’t halt illicit activity
  • The rise of the surveillance state

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Ghost guns. Untraceable weapons manufactured in the home. They’ve been with us forever, but they’ve taken on a new menace in the age of 3D printers and digital distribution. 


Here to walk us through the new phenomenon is Mark A Tallman. Tallman is an Assistant Professor of Homeland Security & Emergency Management at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. He’s also the author of Ghost Guns. Ghost Guns is an in depth, data driven, and dare I say nerdy deep dive into homemade weapons in the post-industrial age.


SUBSCRIBE FOR INSTANT ACCESS: angryplanetpod.com


  • Recorded on 8/25/20
  • The second amendment
  • Cody Wilson and his terrible gun
  • Working on guns is like working on cars
  • “Most gun nerds are low risk”
  • Why ban the bump stock?
  • Additive manufacturing and the DIY weapons of mass destruction
  • Recycling plastics into weapons
  • The security implications of the fourth industrial revolution
  • Raytheon has 3D printed a missile
  • The tech backlash
  • The costs of compliance only hit the open sectors, but don’t halt illicit activity
  • The rise of the surveillance state

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Beirut Wants to do More Than Survive Beirut Wants to do More Than Survive Wed, 09 Sep 2020 20:52:40 GMT 59:41 686e13e0-3036-4432-91fd-2344dcfbc883 true https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/beirutwantstodomorethansurvive 686e13e0-3036-4432-91fd-2344dcfbc883 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 beirutwantstodomorethansurvive On August 4, an explosion levelled a port in the Lebanese city of Beirut. Aging ammonium nitrate was the direct cause, but that the explosive fertilizer had been left for almost a decade in a storage warehouse speaks to the broader problems in Lebanon.... full On August 4, an explosion levelled a port in the Lebanese city of Beirut. Aging ammonium nitrate was the direct cause, but that the explosive fertilizer had been left for almost a decade in a storage warehouse speaks to the broader problems in Lebanon. A corrupt government, a financial crisis, a protest movement, and suffering citizens.


Here to walk us through what’s going on is Blu Fiefer. Fiefer is a Lebanese performance artist who lives in Beirut who believes in signing truth to power. As the protest movement began, she performed for the crowds and livestreamed her set to the world.


  • Recorded 8/24/20
  • Cleaning up the streets
  • The economic collapse
  • Lebanon as the “Rising Phoenix” of the Middle East
  • “It wasn’t this bad during the revolution”
  • The day of the explosion
  • Exploiting Beirut’s “survivor mentality”
  • The cost of staying in Lebanon
  • What was lost in the explosion
  • The Game of Thrones analogy


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> On August 4, an explosion levelled a port in the Lebanese city of Beirut. Aging ammonium nitrate was the direct cause, but that the explosive fertilizer had been left for almost a decade in a storage warehouse speaks to the broader problems in Lebanon. A corrupt government, a financial crisis, a protest movement, and suffering citizens.


Here to walk us through what’s going on is Blu Fiefer. Fiefer is a Lebanese performance artist who lives in Beirut who believes in signing truth to power. As the protest movement began, she performed for the crowds and livestreamed her set to the world.


  • Recorded 8/24/20
  • Cleaning up the streets
  • The economic collapse
  • Lebanon as the “Rising Phoenix” of the Middle East
  • “It wasn’t this bad during the revolution”
  • The day of the explosion
  • Exploiting Beirut’s “survivor mentality”
  • The cost of staying in Lebanon
  • What was lost in the explosion
  • The Game of Thrones analogy


Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/

You can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Syria, Russia, and Iran’s Complicated Relationship Syria, Russia, and Iran’s Complicated Relationship Fri, 28 Aug 2020 20:14:19 GMT 35:12 fba43aac-2e43-42c4-8b6e-c58faa242ad1 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/syria-russia-andiran-scomplicatedrelationship fba43aac-2e43-42c4-8b6e-c58faa242ad1 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 syria-russia-andiran-scomplicatedrelationship Hello and welcome to the final episode of War College.Don’t worry, we’re not going anywhere. We’re just becoming Angry Planet.From time to time we record things that, for whatever reason, don’t quite work. Sometimes the audio is bad. Sometimes th... full Hello and welcome to the final episode of War College.


Don’t worry, we’re not going anywhere. We’re just becoming Angry Planet.


From time to time we record things that, for whatever reason, don’t quite work. Sometimes the audio is bad. Sometimes the news cycle destroys the story. Sometimes the the very famous, big name podcast host you have on as a guest is clearly drunk and loses his end of the audio. Sometimes you find out the guest is a CIA agent who never set foot in the country he’s talking about and decide to scrap the episode.


The following audio is almost one of those episodes, but I think it’s still worth a listen. Back in May just before Jason returned to the show I talked with the British journalist Gareth Browne about Syria, Russia, and Iran. We talked the geopolitics of the region and what’s been happening since Solemani’s death.


Some of the information here is out of date, and there’s places where the audio is a little … scratchy. But I think this was a good conversation about some vital stuff and I thought it’d be nice to go out on something like this before we officially launch Angry Planet. 


We’re clearing the backlog, so to speak.


Thanks for listening, we’ll miss War College but we know we’ll be happier as Angry Planet.


  • Recording 5/26/20
  • Russia’s goals in Syria
  • The roots of Russia and the Assad family’s relationship
  • How much of the country does Assad still control?
  • Iran backed militias in Syria
  • “War has changed”
  • How the death of Qasem Soleimani changes everything
  • The court politics of Russia, Syria, and Iran
  • The legacy of Hafez al-Assad

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Hello and welcome to the final episode of War College.


Don’t worry, we’re not going anywhere. We’re just becoming Angry Planet.


From time to time we record things that, for whatever reason, don’t quite work. Sometimes the audio is bad. Sometimes the news cycle destroys the story. Sometimes the the very famous, big name podcast host you have on as a guest is clearly drunk and loses his end of the audio. Sometimes you find out the guest is a CIA agent who never set foot in the country he’s talking about and decide to scrap the episode.


The following audio is almost one of those episodes, but I think it’s still worth a listen. Back in May just before Jason returned to the show I talked with the British journalist Gareth Browne about Syria, Russia, and Iran. We talked the geopolitics of the region and what’s been happening since Solemani’s death.


Some of the information here is out of date, and there’s places where the audio is a little … scratchy. But I think this was a good conversation about some vital stuff and I thought it’d be nice to go out on something like this before we officially launch Angry Planet. 


We’re clearing the backlog, so to speak.


Thanks for listening, we’ll miss War College but we know we’ll be happier as Angry Planet.


  • Recording 5/26/20
  • Russia’s goals in Syria
  • The roots of Russia and the Assad family’s relationship
  • How much of the country does Assad still control?
  • Iran backed militias in Syria
  • “War has changed”
  • How the death of Qasem Soleimani changes everything
  • The court politics of Russia, Syria, and Iran
  • The legacy of Hafez al-Assad

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Why the U.S. May Come Out on Top Against China Why the U.S. May Come Out on Top Against China Wed, 26 Aug 2020 16:21:05 GMT 32:37 24a4641f-5ff1-4076-bc1d-ad109d9706da false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whytheu.s.maycomeoutontopagainstchina 24a4641f-5ff1-4076-bc1d-ad109d9706da 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whytheu.s.maycomeoutontopagainstchina Great powers don’t always go great together, often viewing each other as rivals, if not enemies. After the Cold War, the United States was viewed as the last superpower standing. But not only has Russia and its nuclear arsenal stubbornly refused to go ... full Great powers don’t always go great together, often viewing each other as rivals, if not enemies. After the Cold War, the United States was viewed as the last superpower standing. But not only has Russia and its nuclear arsenal stubbornly refused to go away, China has kept on rising.


Now, people at the highest levels of government are trying to figure out whether China and the United States can play nice together, but whether the 21st will be the Chinese Century.


Joining us to help understand the situation is Matthew Kroenig. Kroenig is both a political scientist and national security strategist at the Atlantic Council. 


He is also the author of the Return of Great Power Rivalry: Democracy Versus Autocracy from the Ancient World to the U.S. and China Matthew Kroenig.


  • Recorded 8/21/20
  • The innovators
  • Innovating with government money
  • Where China’s labor comes from
  • China’s soft power strategy
  • A coming generational struggle


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Great powers don’t always go great together, often viewing each other as rivals, if not enemies. After the Cold War, the United States was viewed as the last superpower standing. But not only has Russia and its nuclear arsenal stubbornly refused to go away, China has kept on rising.


Now, people at the highest levels of government are trying to figure out whether China and the United States can play nice together, but whether the 21st will be the Chinese Century.


Joining us to help understand the situation is Matthew Kroenig. Kroenig is both a political scientist and national security strategist at the Atlantic Council. 


He is also the author of the Return of Great Power Rivalry: Democracy Versus Autocracy from the Ancient World to the U.S. and China Matthew Kroenig.


  • Recorded 8/21/20
  • The innovators
  • Innovating with government money
  • Where China’s labor comes from
  • China’s soft power strategy
  • A coming generational struggle


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> What it’s Like to Spend 30 Years As a Journalist in Turkey What it’s Like to Spend 30 Years As a Journalist in Turkey Thu, 20 Aug 2020 20:36:36 GMT 1:01:12 3c051d0f-9f38-4d69-9a4d-bb1c08be71d1 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whatit-sliketospend30yearsasajournalistinturkey 3c051d0f-9f38-4d69-9a4d-bb1c08be71d1 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whatit-sliketospend30yearsasajournalistinturkey Many people may not realize, but Turkey is a relatively new country--just shy of 100 years old. It was created as a republic out of the ashes of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, largely by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who stuck around as president until... full Many people may not realize, but Turkey is a relatively new country--just shy of 100 years old. It was created as a republic out of the ashes of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, largely by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who stuck around as president until 1938.


Since then there have been elected governments, military coups and now a -- well, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reshaped the country in his own likeness - or at least how he likes.


To help us make sense of it all, we’ve invited Andrew Finkel onto the show. Finkel has been a journalist based in Istanbul since 1989, corresponding and freelancing for a variety of print and broadcast media that has included The New York Times, The Times, TIME, The Economist, The Guardian, the Observer, CNN, and the Financial Times as well as Turkish language media. His popular handbook: Turkey What Everyone Needs to Know” is published by OUP (2012).


  • Recorded on 7/8/20
  • Is Turkey a free country? “No.”
  • Who is Erdogan?
  • What went down during the coup of 2016
  • The Gülen of it all
  • The state of Turkish journalism
  • The fight over social media
  • The immunity of Western media
  • How Covid is effecting things
  • Strangling the economy
  • What are the lessons of Turkey’s rise of authoritarianism? 


War College has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Many people may not realize, but Turkey is a relatively new country--just shy of 100 years old. It was created as a republic out of the ashes of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, largely by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who stuck around as president until 1938.


Since then there have been elected governments, military coups and now a -- well, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reshaped the country in his own likeness - or at least how he likes.


To help us make sense of it all, we’ve invited Andrew Finkel onto the show. Finkel has been a journalist based in Istanbul since 1989, corresponding and freelancing for a variety of print and broadcast media that has included The New York Times, The Times, TIME, The Economist, The Guardian, the Observer, CNN, and the Financial Times as well as Turkish language media. His popular handbook: Turkey What Everyone Needs to Know” is published by OUP (2012).


  • Recorded on 7/8/20
  • Is Turkey a free country? “No.”
  • Who is Erdogan?
  • What went down during the coup of 2016
  • The Gülen of it all
  • The state of Turkish journalism
  • The fight over social media
  • The immunity of Western media
  • How Covid is effecting things
  • Strangling the economy
  • What are the lessons of Turkey’s rise of authoritarianism? 


War College has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> When Mere Anarchy Was Loosed Upon Seattle When Mere Anarchy Was Loosed Upon Seattle Thu, 13 Aug 2020 17:57:07 GMT 56:04 ff290b73-f772-40fb-91a4-75d3e85a34db false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whenmereanarchywaslooseduponseattle ff290b73-f772-40fb-91a4-75d3e85a34db 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whenmereanarchywaslooseduponseattle The Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, the CHAZ, the CHOP. It had many names, but from about June 8 to July 1, protesters occupied a portion of the Capitol Hill neighborhood in Seattle Washington. A utopia to some, a nightmare to others, the CHAZ became a s... full The Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, the CHAZ, the CHOP. It had many names, but from about June 8 to July 1, protesters occupied a portion of the Capitol Hill neighborhood in Seattle Washington. A utopia to some, a nightmare to others, the CHAZ became a symbol to the left and the right. The reality on the ground, as is always the case, is far more complicated.


With us today to talk about that messy reality is Nikki West. West is a freelance journalist and former Congressional staffer who lives in Capitol Hill in Seattle. She catalogued life in the CHAZ on her Instagram.


  • Recorded on 8/10/20
  • Daily life in the CHAZ
  • Violence in the autonomous zone
  • “The worst Coachella ever”
  • The CHAZ’s well organized systems
  • Ring wing violence
  • Competing activist agendas
  • How to build a city overnight
  • Decolonization cafe
  • White Wokes
  • Struggle sessions
  • What’s a tankie?
  • Violence and the end
  • Those aren’t fireworks


War College has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, the CHAZ, the CHOP. It had many names, but from about June 8 to July 1, protesters occupied a portion of the Capitol Hill neighborhood in Seattle Washington. A utopia to some, a nightmare to others, the CHAZ became a symbol to the left and the right. The reality on the ground, as is always the case, is far more complicated.


With us today to talk about that messy reality is Nikki West. West is a freelance journalist and former Congressional staffer who lives in Capitol Hill in Seattle. She catalogued life in the CHAZ on her Instagram.


  • Recorded on 8/10/20
  • Daily life in the CHAZ
  • Violence in the autonomous zone
  • “The worst Coachella ever”
  • The CHAZ’s well organized systems
  • Ring wing violence
  • Competing activist agendas
  • How to build a city overnight
  • Decolonization cafe
  • White Wokes
  • Struggle sessions
  • What’s a tankie?
  • Violence and the end
  • Those aren’t fireworks


War College has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Why China and India are Fighting With Clubs Why China and India are Fighting With Clubs Wed, 05 Aug 2020 22:24:10 GMT 36:09 b589b4b3-aea8-421e-914a-3a47ab37c3ba false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whychinaandindiaarefightingwithclubs b589b4b3-aea8-421e-914a-3a47ab37c3ba 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whychinaandindiaarefightingwithclubs A few weeks ago, two nuclear-armed neighbors got into a fistfight. Actually, there were some clubs and other handheld weapons, too. It was bizarre and people died, more than 20 on the Indian side. The Chinese have been more coy about their numbers.T... full A few weeks ago, two nuclear-armed neighbors got into a fistfight. Actually, there were some clubs and other handheld weapons, too. It was bizarre and people died, more than 20 on the Indian side. The Chinese have been more coy about their numbers.


To get a grip on what happened and what it means for the future, we have Maria Abi-Habib of the New York Times on the show. Abi-Habib is a South Asia correspondent who is based in India’s capital of Delhi.


  • Recorded 7/22/20
  • India’s army focus
  • How the battle went down
  • How to project power without even trying
  • How to lose friends and influence your enemies


War College has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> A few weeks ago, two nuclear-armed neighbors got into a fistfight. Actually, there were some clubs and other handheld weapons, too. It was bizarre and people died, more than 20 on the Indian side. The Chinese have been more coy about their numbers.


To get a grip on what happened and what it means for the future, we have Maria Abi-Habib of the New York Times on the show. Abi-Habib is a South Asia correspondent who is based in India’s capital of Delhi.


  • Recorded 7/22/20
  • India’s army focus
  • How the battle went down
  • How to project power without even trying
  • How to lose friends and influence your enemies


War College has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://angryplanet.substack.com/

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The Entire History of Russia in One Hour The Entire History of Russia in One Hour Wed, 29 Jul 2020 22:35:42 GMT 53:45 6c95a39f-a5d7-40d7-aefb-fba5ae1cd5ac false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/theentirehistoryofrussiainonehour 6c95a39f-a5d7-40d7-aefb-fba5ae1cd5ac 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 theentirehistoryofrussiainonehour If there’s one thing that’s always changing, it’s history. And no, we’re not talking about the Confederacy today. We’re back to one of our favorite subjects: Russia.Under the Soviet regime, history was malleable. Events appeared or disappeared like ... full If there’s one thing that’s always changing, it’s history. And no, we’re not talking about the Confederacy today. We’re back to one of our favorite subjects: Russia.


Under the Soviet regime, history was malleable. Events appeared or disappeared like characters in a play. Stalin was a savior, he was a devil. It was all in the telling. But that urge to rewrite history goes way back in Russia, and he who controls the past controls the future, as they say.


Joining us today is friend of the show Mark Galeotti. His new book, A Short History of Russia, from Pagans to Putin has got it all covered. 


Galeotti is an expert on the Russian military, politics, and underworld, the author of many fine books, an honorary professor at University College London and a Senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute.


  • Recorded 7/17/20

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> If there’s one thing that’s always changing, it’s history. And no, we’re not talking about the Confederacy today. We’re back to one of our favorite subjects: Russia.


Under the Soviet regime, history was malleable. Events appeared or disappeared like characters in a play. Stalin was a savior, he was a devil. It was all in the telling. But that urge to rewrite history goes way back in Russia, and he who controls the past controls the future, as they say.


Joining us today is friend of the show Mark Galeotti. His new book, A Short History of Russia, from Pagans to Putin has got it all covered. 


Galeotti is an expert on the Russian military, politics, and underworld, the author of many fine books, an honorary professor at University College London and a Senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute.


  • Recorded 7/17/20

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> On the Frontlines of the Battle of Portland On the Frontlines of the Battle of Portland Fri, 24 Jul 2020 20:40:49 GMT 1:47:29 17375848-f209-4ed6-b53f-ddcb53955d2b false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/onthefrontlinesofthebattleofportland 17375848-f209-4ed6-b53f-ddcb53955d2b 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 onthefrontlinesofthebattleofportland This episode is a special double feature. We here at War College think that the deployment of Federal officers to American cities is one of the most important stories of 2020 and we booked two different guests to discuss it.First, we speak with Robe... full This episode is a special double feature. We here at War College think that the deployment of Federal officers to American cities is one of the most important stories of 2020 and we booked two different guests to discuss it.


First, we speak with Robert Evans. Evans is a conflict journalist whose work has appeared in Bellingcat. His most recent article there is What You Need to Know About the Battle of Portland and is required reading on this topic. He’s also the host of the Behind the Bastards podcast, and a Portland resident who has been on the street of the city covering the events for weeks now.


We also spoke with Alan Chin. Chin is a photographer, professor, and writer. He’s covered conflict in Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Tunisia … and now, the United States. He gives us a broader perspective on the protests and what’s happening outside of Portland.


Oh, and he and Jason are childhood friends.


  • Robert Evans recorded 7/23/20
  • Evans report on the Battle of Portland
  • Who are the Portland protests?
  • The rhythm of nightly street combat
  • The history of the Portland Police Department
  • Tear gas, flash bangs, and murder holes


  • Alan Chin recorded 7/22/20
  • The stress of the pandemic
  • Burning police cars in NYC
  • Lessons learned from Occupy Wall Street
  • China’s protests



War College has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://warcollege.substack.com/

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> This episode is a special double feature. We here at War College think that the deployment of Federal officers to American cities is one of the most important stories of 2020 and we booked two different guests to discuss it.


First, we speak with Robert Evans. Evans is a conflict journalist whose work has appeared in Bellingcat. His most recent article there is What You Need to Know About the Battle of Portland and is required reading on this topic. He’s also the host of the Behind the Bastards podcast, and a Portland resident who has been on the street of the city covering the events for weeks now.


We also spoke with Alan Chin. Chin is a photographer, professor, and writer. He’s covered conflict in Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Tunisia … and now, the United States. He gives us a broader perspective on the protests and what’s happening outside of Portland.


Oh, and he and Jason are childhood friends.


  • Robert Evans recorded 7/23/20
  • Evans report on the Battle of Portland
  • Who are the Portland protests?
  • The rhythm of nightly street combat
  • The history of the Portland Police Department
  • Tear gas, flash bangs, and murder holes


  • Alan Chin recorded 7/22/20
  • The stress of the pandemic
  • Burning police cars in NYC
  • Lessons learned from Occupy Wall Street
  • China’s protests



War College has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://warcollege.substack.com/

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Saying Goodbye to Afghanistan Saying Goodbye to Afghanistan Wed, 22 Jul 2020 14:18:57 GMT 36:26 047f337f-91ff-4fbb-9034-59d9aee545c9 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/sayinggoodbyetoafghanistan 047f337f-91ff-4fbb-9034-59d9aee545c9 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 sayinggoodbyetoafghanistan Afghanistan. U.S. troops have been leaving for years, fast, then slowly, then fast again. There is some kind of peace deal between the United States and the Taliban, but it doesn’t involve peace. The Afghan government isn’t even a party to it.Russia... full Afghanistan. U.S. troops have been leaving for years, fast, then slowly, then fast again. There is some kind of peace deal between the United States and the Taliban, but it doesn’t involve peace. The Afghan government isn’t even a party to it.


Russia—which lost its own war in Afghanistan a generation ago--may have been paying the Taliban to kill U.S. troops.


Soon, though, Afghanistan will ostensibly be on its own again. What’s next, aside from more war, of course.


To help us understand all of this, we have Kathy Gannon. She is a veteran reporter with the Associated Press based in Pakistan and Afghanistan. She witnessed the Taliban’s victory in 1996, the U.S. invasion in 2001, and has won numerous awards for her work. She is the author of I is for Infidel: From Holy War to Holy Terror in Afghanistan.


  • Recorded 7/21/20
  • The lay of the land
  • What the Taliban wants
  • Taliban VS Kabul 
  • The strength of Afghanistan’s warlords
  • Rumors of bounties on U.S. soldiers
  • No one wants chaos in Afghanistan


War College has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://warcollege.substack.com/

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Afghanistan. U.S. troops have been leaving for years, fast, then slowly, then fast again. There is some kind of peace deal between the United States and the Taliban, but it doesn’t involve peace. The Afghan government isn’t even a party to it.


Russia—which lost its own war in Afghanistan a generation ago--may have been paying the Taliban to kill U.S. troops.


Soon, though, Afghanistan will ostensibly be on its own again. What’s next, aside from more war, of course.


To help us understand all of this, we have Kathy Gannon. She is a veteran reporter with the Associated Press based in Pakistan and Afghanistan. She witnessed the Taliban’s victory in 1996, the U.S. invasion in 2001, and has won numerous awards for her work. She is the author of I is for Infidel: From Holy War to Holy Terror in Afghanistan.


  • Recorded 7/21/20
  • The lay of the land
  • What the Taliban wants
  • Taliban VS Kabul 
  • The strength of Afghanistan’s warlords
  • Rumors of bounties on U.S. soldiers
  • No one wants chaos in Afghanistan


War College has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://warcollege.substack.com/

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Fake Journalists Are the Latest Disinformation Twist Fake Journalists Are the Latest Disinformation Twist Wed, 15 Jul 2020 15:10:52 GMT 57:25 c3200843-d0f5-4ba3-8ea3-a8d90982cbd1 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/fakejournalistsarethelatestdisinformationtwist c3200843-d0f5-4ba3-8ea3-a8d90982cbd1 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 fakejournalistsarethelatestdisinformationtwist Last week The Daily Beast broke some bizarre news. Several news outlets, including The Washington Examiner, RealClear Markets, and The National Interest, had been running op-eds of journalists that did not exist. AI generated photos attached to profile... full Last week The Daily Beast broke some bizarre news. Several news outlets, including The Washington Examiner, RealClear Markets, and The National Interest, had been running op-eds of journalists that did not exist. AI generated photos attached to profiles and credentials that, once scrutinized, collapsed. It was a massive effort at digital propaganda and questions still remain about its provenance and purpose.


Here to explain just what is going on is Marc Owen Jones. Jones is an assistant professor in Middle East Studies and Digital Humanities at Hamad bin Khalifa University and an expert in social media disinformation who helped sound the alarm about this campaign.


  • Recorded 7/13/20
  • Fake journalists have joined the fray
  • Tracking response of the dupe outlets
  • The difference between misinformation and disinformation
  • Media literacy in Estonia and Finland
  • A website that generates people who don’t exist


War College has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://warcollege.substack.com/

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Last week The Daily Beast broke some bizarre news. Several news outlets, including The Washington Examiner, RealClear Markets, and The National Interest, had been running op-eds of journalists that did not exist. AI generated photos attached to profiles and credentials that, once scrutinized, collapsed. It was a massive effort at digital propaganda and questions still remain about its provenance and purpose.


Here to explain just what is going on is Marc Owen Jones. Jones is an assistant professor in Middle East Studies and Digital Humanities at Hamad bin Khalifa University and an expert in social media disinformation who helped sound the alarm about this campaign.


  • Recorded 7/13/20
  • Fake journalists have joined the fray
  • Tracking response of the dupe outlets
  • The difference between misinformation and disinformation
  • Media literacy in Estonia and Finland
  • A website that generates people who don’t exist


War College has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.


https://warcollege.substack.com/

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> How Cocaine Fuels America’s Longest War How Cocaine Fuels America’s Longest War Wed, 08 Jul 2020 15:56:08 GMT 1:07:26 ac8d44d6-5373-4d94-936b-a7db12334825 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/howcocainefuelsamerica-slongestwar ac8d44d6-5373-4d94-936b-a7db12334825 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 howcocainefuelsamerica-slongestwar Cocaine is the second most popular illicit drug in the world and it’s controlled by a black market regulated by violence. As America’s drug war edges close to its fiftieth birthday, there is no end in sight, the conflicts it fuels have expanded to an u... full Cocaine is the second most popular illicit drug in the world and it’s controlled by a black market regulated by violence. As America’s drug war edges close to its fiftieth birthday, there is no end in sight, the conflicts it fuels have expanded to an unprecedented scale and cocaine remains incredibly profitable.


Here to talk to us about cartels and cocaine is Toby Muse. Muse is a journalist and documentarian whose work has appeared in The Guardian, The New York Times, and CNN. He’s just published the book Kilo: Inside the Deadliest Cocaine Cartels—From the Jungles to the Streets.


  • Recorded on 7/6/20
  • We’re living in the golden age of cocaine
  • How cocaine shaped Colombian politics
  • What happened when the FARC negotiated peace
  • The myth and reality of the sicario
  • What happens with a Hitman retires
  • “As long as cocaine is illegal, Colombia will never know peace.”
  • It never ends. It never ever ends

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Cocaine is the second most popular illicit drug in the world and it’s controlled by a black market regulated by violence. As America’s drug war edges close to its fiftieth birthday, there is no end in sight, the conflicts it fuels have expanded to an unprecedented scale and cocaine remains incredibly profitable.


Here to talk to us about cartels and cocaine is Toby Muse. Muse is a journalist and documentarian whose work has appeared in The Guardian, The New York Times, and CNN. He’s just published the book Kilo: Inside the Deadliest Cocaine Cartels—From the Jungles to the Streets.


  • Recorded on 7/6/20
  • We’re living in the golden age of cocaine
  • How cocaine shaped Colombian politics
  • What happened when the FARC negotiated peace
  • The myth and reality of the sicario
  • What happens with a Hitman retires
  • “As long as cocaine is illegal, Colombia will never know peace.”
  • It never ends. It never ever ends

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The Robot Revolution Is Already Here The Robot Revolution Is Already Here Fri, 03 Jul 2020 17:12:23 GMT 1:01:53 073bfdc6-b21e-46a2-a328-a2ac9373d1d2 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/therobotrevolutionisalreadyhere 073bfdc6-b21e-46a2-a328-a2ac9373d1d2 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 therobotrevolutionisalreadyhere full This week we’re joined by P.W. Singer, co-author of Burn-In: A Novel of the Real Robotic Revolution.


  • The future is here, it's just not evenly distributed.
  • Stray thoughts on the Bonus Army.
  • The future of policing might be AI and that’s terrifying.
  • Domestic terrorism is about to get even weirder than it already is.
  • War has already changed.

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> This week we’re joined by P.W. Singer, co-author of Burn-In: A Novel of the Real Robotic Revolution.


  • The future is here, it's just not evenly distributed.
  • Stray thoughts on the Bonus Army.
  • The future of policing might be AI and that’s terrifying.
  • Domestic terrorism is about to get even weirder than it already is.
  • War has already changed.

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> European Policing From the Carabinieri to the Stasi European Policing From the Carabinieri to the Stasi Fri, 26 Jun 2020 18:28:01 GMT 1:02:25 cf2785c1-34f0-4f0d-a480-6dc6b88bb1bd false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/europeanpolicingfromthecarabinieritothestasi cf2785c1-34f0-4f0d-a480-6dc6b88bb1bd 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 europeanpolicingfromthecarabinieritothestasi Elisabeth Braw​ is a Senior Research Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies in London. RUSI is the oldest defense think tank in the world and Braw leads its Modern Deterrence program. She’s also a columnist at Fo... full Elisabeth Braw​ is a Senior Research Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies in London. RUSI is the oldest defense think tank in the world and Braw leads its Modern Deterrence program. She’s also a columnist at Foreign Policy and the host of the On the Cusp podcast.


  • Welcoming back Jason Fields to the fold
  • What a difference training makes
  • Europe’s different policing styles
  • The darkside of European policing
  • A brief history of the Stasi 

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Elisabeth Braw​ is a Senior Research Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies in London. RUSI is the oldest defense think tank in the world and Braw leads its Modern Deterrence program. She’s also a columnist at Foreign Policy and the host of the On the Cusp podcast.


  • Welcoming back Jason Fields to the fold
  • What a difference training makes
  • Europe’s different policing styles
  • The darkside of European policing
  • A brief history of the Stasi 

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The Difference Between Obedience and Deference The Difference Between Obedience and Deference Thu, 18 Jun 2020 19:55:17 GMT 1:03:03 e8032bbd-8afc-425e-aff7-40ef1a98748c true https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thedifferencebetweenobedienceanddeference e8032bbd-8afc-425e-aff7-40ef1a98748c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thedifferencebetweenobedienceanddeference Our guest this week is Pauline Kaurin. Kaurin is the Stockdale Chair in Professional Military Ethics at the US Naval War College and the author of the new book On Obedience: Contrasting Philosophies for the Military Citizenry and Community. - What o... full Our guest this week is Pauline Kaurin. Kaurin is the Stockdale Chair in Professional Military Ethics at the US Naval War College and the author of the new book On Obedience: Contrasting Philosophies for the Military Citizenry and Community.


  • What obedience means
  • When civil disobedience is warranted
  • The difference between difference and obedience
  • The civl-mil divide
  • How to re-negotiate the social contract
  • Misreading “A Few Good Men”

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Our guest this week is Pauline Kaurin. Kaurin is the Stockdale Chair in Professional Military Ethics at the US Naval War College and the author of the new book On Obedience: Contrasting Philosophies for the Military Citizenry and Community.


  • What obedience means
  • When civil disobedience is warranted
  • The difference between difference and obedience
  • The civl-mil divide
  • How to re-negotiate the social contract
  • Misreading “A Few Good Men”

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Why These Protests Are Different Than 1968 Why These Protests Are Different Than 1968 Fri, 05 Jun 2020 21:21:25 GMT 59:36 e11bc2af-2f24-41bd-86df-ac58efb251cf true https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whytheseprotestsaredifferentthan1968 e11bc2af-2f24-41bd-86df-ac58efb251cf 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whytheseprotestsaredifferentthan1968 Our guest today is Rick Perlstein. Perlstein is a historian and author best known for Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America. He’s also written the forthcoming Reaganland: America’s Right Turn. - This is more WTO in 1999 th... full Our guest today is Rick Perlstein. Perlstein is a historian and author best known for Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America. He’s also written the forthcoming Reaganland: America’s Right Turn.


  • This is more WTO in 1999 than it is 1968


  • Why we don’t remember Newark


  • Is the press doing better this time?


  • The Jimmy Carter Crisis.


  • How the Presidency shapes the American people.


  • Defining Fascism

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Our guest today is Rick Perlstein. Perlstein is a historian and author best known for Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America. He’s also written the forthcoming Reaganland: America’s Right Turn.


  • This is more WTO in 1999 than it is 1968


  • Why we don’t remember Newark


  • Is the press doing better this time?


  • The Jimmy Carter Crisis.


  • How the Presidency shapes the American people.


  • Defining Fascism

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The Rise of The Teenage Terrorist The Rise of The Teenage Terrorist Fri, 29 May 2020 20:48:41 GMT 52:31 818b277d-0f16-4a76-b11d-78d83273f0cf false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/theriseoftheteenageterrorist 818b277d-0f16-4a76-b11d-78d83273f0cf 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 theriseoftheteenageterrorist The neo-Nazi movement can’t keep it together. After a series of high profile outings, murders, conspiracy charges, and other assorted run-ins with authorities, the leadership of the Neo-Nazi movement has gotten younger, more online, and more extreme.... full The neo-Nazi movement can’t keep it together. After a series of high profile outings, murders, conspiracy charges, and other assorted run-ins with authorities, the leadership of the Neo-Nazi movement has gotten younger, more online, and more extreme.


Here to walk us through this today is Zaron Burnett. Burnett is an investigative journalist and longform features writer based in Los Angeles. He covers culture, politics, race, and other perplexing mysteries for MEL Magazine.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The neo-Nazi movement can’t keep it together. After a series of high profile outings, murders, conspiracy charges, and other assorted run-ins with authorities, the leadership of the Neo-Nazi movement has gotten younger, more online, and more extreme.


Here to walk us through this today is Zaron Burnett. Burnett is an investigative journalist and longform features writer based in Los Angeles. He covers culture, politics, race, and other perplexing mysteries for MEL Magazine.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> How (Not) To Plan Coup in Venezuela How (Not) To Plan Coup in Venezuela Mon, 18 May 2020 21:01:46 GMT 52:02 69827d39-8aed-4a23-acce-9cce154e2c2c false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/how-not-toplancoupinvenezuela 69827d39-8aed-4a23-acce-9cce154e2c2c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-not-toplancoupinvenezuela Bellingcat’s Giancarlo Fiorella is here to walk us through what may go down in history as the dumbest attempted coup of all time. On May 3, American mercenaries and Venezuelan exiles attempted to enter the country with the goal of overthrowing the Madu... full Bellingcat’s Giancarlo Fiorella is here to walk us through what may go down in history as the dumbest attempted coup of all time. On May 3, American mercenaries and Venezuelan exiles attempted to enter the country with the goal of overthrowing the Maduro regime. It didn’t go well.


  • The Associated Press busted your coup but you went ahead anyway?


  • What the hell is Silvercorp USA?


  • A contract is great, but it’s not the same as paycheck.


  • Who brings an Airsoft rifle to a warzone?


  • Rember Óscar Alberto Pérez?


  • How does Maduro stay in power? 


  • Why Venezuela became one of America’s favorite political footballs.


With us today Giancarlo Fiorella. Fiorella is an investigator and journalist who’s been covering the story at Bellingcat. His May 5th and May 7th articles at Bellingcat demand to be read if you want to understand the weird comedy of errors playing out in Venezuela right now.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Bellingcat’s Giancarlo Fiorella is here to walk us through what may go down in history as the dumbest attempted coup of all time. On May 3, American mercenaries and Venezuelan exiles attempted to enter the country with the goal of overthrowing the Maduro regime. It didn’t go well.


  • The Associated Press busted your coup but you went ahead anyway?


  • What the hell is Silvercorp USA?


  • A contract is great, but it’s not the same as paycheck.


  • Who brings an Airsoft rifle to a warzone?


  • Rember Óscar Alberto Pérez?


  • How does Maduro stay in power? 


  • Why Venezuela became one of America’s favorite political footballs.


With us today Giancarlo Fiorella. Fiorella is an investigator and journalist who’s been covering the story at Bellingcat. His May 5th and May 7th articles at Bellingcat demand to be read if you want to understand the weird comedy of errors playing out in Venezuela right now.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA[The Ecoterrorists Acting in "Feral Defense of Wild Nature"]]> Sat, 09 May 2020 16:42:46 GMT 1:05:28 a14511c8-8f1e-4fbb-a60e-8e7b05649c14 true https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/theecoterroristsactinginferaldefenseofwildnature a14511c8-8f1e-4fbb-a60e-8e7b05649c14 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 theecoterroristsactinginferaldefenseofwildnature full Ecoterrorism isn’t a word you hear a lot these days and it’s usually associated with groups like Greenpeace. That might be changing. In 2011, a biotechnology researcher was shot and killed in Mexico. A group called ITS took credit. "We have said it before, we act without any compassion in the feral defense of Wild Nature," reads the group’s manifesto.


Is the new generation of activists using violence to save the planet or satisfy a darker, more nihilist urge?


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Ecoterrorism isn’t a word you hear a lot these days and it’s usually associated with groups like Greenpeace. That might be changing. In 2011, a biotechnology researcher was shot and killed in Mexico. A group called ITS took credit. "We have said it before, we act without any compassion in the feral defense of Wild Nature," reads the group’s manifesto.


Is the new generation of activists using violence to save the planet or satisfy a darker, more nihilist urge?


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Stranded in Iraq During a Pandemic Stranded in Iraq During a Pandemic Thu, 30 Apr 2020 17:44:23 GMT 59:51 9f89136d-f8bd-4132-b60a-0a4add26c13d false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/strandediniraqduringapandemic 9f89136d-f8bd-4132-b60a-0a4add26c13d 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 strandediniraqduringapandemic This week on War College, producer Kevin Knodell is back in the states after an extended stay in Iraq. He walks us through his journey and the impact of the pandemic on the Middle East.You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play o... full This week on War College, producer Kevin Knodell is back in the states after an extended stay in Iraq. He walks us through his journey and the impact of the pandemic on the Middle East.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> This week on War College, producer Kevin Knodell is back in the states after an extended stay in Iraq. He walks us through his journey and the impact of the pandemic on the Middle East.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> What Gold Plated AK-47s Tell Us About War What Gold Plated AK-47s Tell Us About War Mon, 13 Apr 2020 17:23:19 GMT 55:05 7674913e-ba24-4532-8a82-fca5ed627ba0 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whatgoldplatedak-47stellusaboutwar-acast79d35199 7674913e-ba24-4532-8a82-fca5ed627ba0 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whatgoldplatedak-47stellusaboutwar-acast79d35199 As I keep saying, war has changed. It’s the recent theme of War College. And it’s not just conflict, but the way people cover conflict. Increasingly, journalists and researchers are using open source intelligence, social media, and academic disciplines... full As I keep saying, war has changed. It’s the recent theme of War College. And it’s not just conflict, but the way people cover conflict. Increasingly, journalists and researchers are using open source intelligence, social media, and academic disciplines such as history and anthropology to explain the complicated conflicts of the modern world.


One of the groups doing that is Silah Report. “Silah Report is a non-commercial research project exploring contemporary and historical small arms & light weapons in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA), and Central Asia regions.”


Here to talk about that work is Miles Vining and Adham Sharif. Vining is the co-founder of Silah Report and Sharif is its Podcast Coordinator and author specializing in Egyptian small arms history.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> As I keep saying, war has changed. It’s the recent theme of War College. And it’s not just conflict, but the way people cover conflict. Increasingly, journalists and researchers are using open source intelligence, social media, and academic disciplines such as history and anthropology to explain the complicated conflicts of the modern world.


One of the groups doing that is Silah Report. “Silah Report is a non-commercial research project exploring contemporary and historical small arms & light weapons in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA), and Central Asia regions.”


Here to talk about that work is Miles Vining and Adham Sharif. Vining is the co-founder of Silah Report and Sharif is its Podcast Coordinator and author specializing in Egyptian small arms history.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA[Turkey Is Turning Off Syria's Water During a Pandemic]]> Sat, 28 Mar 2020 20:07:49 GMT 29:07 ed266529-edef-48ad-a98b-d6a4aeb1e640 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/turkeyisturningoffsyriaswaterduringapandemic ed266529-edef-48ad-a98b-d6a4aeb1e640 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 turkeyisturningoffsyriaswaterduringapandemic War is about logistics. “An army marches on its stomach,” the idiom goes. Well, a populace can’t survive without water. One water station in Northeast Syria is the heart of a growing conflict between Turkish backed rebels and the local Kurdish populati... full War is about logistics. “An army marches on its stomach,” the idiom goes. Well, a populace can’t survive without water. One water station in Northeast Syria is the heart of a growing conflict between Turkish backed rebels and the local Kurdish population. As war rages in Syria and the COVID-19 pandemic begins, water is more important than ever. 


Here to help us figure that out is Kimberly Westenhiser. Westenhiser is a journalist, photographer and artist. Her work has appeared at The Seattle Globalist, Foreign Policy, War Is Boring and Playboy. Her story on Turkey and Rojava’s water supply appeared on Popular Front.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> War is about logistics. “An army marches on its stomach,” the idiom goes. Well, a populace can’t survive without water. One water station in Northeast Syria is the heart of a growing conflict between Turkish backed rebels and the local Kurdish population. As war rages in Syria and the COVID-19 pandemic begins, water is more important than ever. 


Here to help us figure that out is Kimberly Westenhiser. Westenhiser is a journalist, photographer and artist. Her work has appeared at The Seattle Globalist, Foreign Policy, War Is Boring and Playboy. Her story on Turkey and Rojava’s water supply appeared on Popular Front.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Dealing With Our COVID Fear and Panic Dealing With Our COVID Fear and Panic Sat, 21 Mar 2020 16:50:26 GMT 56:26 e710019d-4cc9-4a70-bd29-9e6c330919d3 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/dealingwithourcovidfearandpanic e710019d-4cc9-4a70-bd29-9e6c330919d3 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 dealingwithourcovidfearandpanic full This week we're taking a moment to work through our fear, panic, and axiety.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> This week we're taking a moment to work through our fear, panic, and axiety.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> A Military History of Metal Gear Solid A Military History of Metal Gear Solid Fri, 13 Mar 2020 22:09:37 GMT 47:10 385258bd-3363-4e42-a2ca-40d2180176a7 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/amilitaryhistoryofmetalgearsolid 385258bd-3363-4e42-a2ca-40d2180176a7 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 amilitaryhistoryofmetalgearsolid War. War never changes.Except … that’s not exactly true is it? I’d argue that war has changed demonstrably in the past two decades. It’s gotten longer, somehow less deadly, and far weirder. Also. Despite America being engaged in multiple conflicts o... full War. War never changes.


Except … that’s not exactly true is it? I’d argue that war has changed demonstrably in the past two decades. It’s gotten longer, somehow less deadly, and far weirder. Also. Despite America being engaged in multiple conflicts on multiple continents … Americans are paying less attention to foreign military engagements than ever before. The current international situation, I’d say, is a bit of an anomaly.


Worse, the country is fractured in a way that can be hard to understand. There’s more information than ever before and, instead of uniting us, it’s making it hard for us to settle on a consensus reality. We live in confusing, stressful, and bizarre times.


How did we get here?


I don’t know. If I did, I’d be selling a book and not here, with you, podcasting. What I can do is discuss a piece of art. A prescient piece of art I think helps explain how we got here.


Here to discuss that piece of art is Cameron Kunzelman. Kunzelman is a media critic who has published in may illustrious publications. 


Cameron, thank you so much for joining us.


OK. So I’m talking about Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. This is it. We’re doing the Metal Gear Solid episode.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.



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]]> War. War never changes.


Except … that’s not exactly true is it? I’d argue that war has changed demonstrably in the past two decades. It’s gotten longer, somehow less deadly, and far weirder. Also. Despite America being engaged in multiple conflicts on multiple continents … Americans are paying less attention to foreign military engagements than ever before. The current international situation, I’d say, is a bit of an anomaly.


Worse, the country is fractured in a way that can be hard to understand. There’s more information than ever before and, instead of uniting us, it’s making it hard for us to settle on a consensus reality. We live in confusing, stressful, and bizarre times.


How did we get here?


I don’t know. If I did, I’d be selling a book and not here, with you, podcasting. What I can do is discuss a piece of art. A prescient piece of art I think helps explain how we got here.


Here to discuss that piece of art is Cameron Kunzelman. Kunzelman is a media critic who has published in may illustrious publications. 


Cameron, thank you so much for joining us.


OK. So I’m talking about Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. This is it. We’re doing the Metal Gear Solid episode.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.



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]]> Space Force Is Boring Space Force Is Boring Wed, 04 Mar 2020 18:00:09 GMT 40:03 96554eb3-f0df-4206-a29b-ee89b8309bca false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/spaceforceisboring 96554eb3-f0df-4206-a29b-ee89b8309bca 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 spaceforceisboring Space Force. It’s here. It’s the newest branch of the U.S. military and it’s got it’s own uniforms and a snazzy new patch that looks a lot like the emblem for the United Federation of Planets. But it’s only got one member at the moment and what, exactl... full Space Force. It’s here. It’s the newest branch of the U.S. military and it’s got it’s own uniforms and a snazzy new patch that looks a lot like the emblem for the United Federation of Planets. But it’s only got one member at the moment and what, exactly, is it doing?


Here to help us figure out what’s going on is Joseph Trevithick of The War Zone.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


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]]> Space Force. It’s here. It’s the newest branch of the U.S. military and it’s got it’s own uniforms and a snazzy new patch that looks a lot like the emblem for the United Federation of Planets. But it’s only got one member at the moment and what, exactly, is it doing?


Here to help us figure out what’s going on is Joseph Trevithick of The War Zone.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


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]]> When the Allies Burned a German City to Cinders When the Allies Burned a German City to Cinders Fri, 21 Feb 2020 21:24:54 GMT 43:34 23bf9355-d146-48e4-bb82-ad9587659f15 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whenthealliesburnedagermancitytocinders 23bf9355-d146-48e4-bb82-ad9587659f15 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whenthealliesburnedagermancitytocinders In the closing days of World War II, the British Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force dropped more than 3,900 tons of high explosives and fire bombs on the city of Dresden. It was not, strictly, only a military target and the story of the b... full In the closing days of World War II, the British Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force dropped more than 3,900 tons of high explosives and fire bombs on the city of Dresden. It was not, strictly, only a military target and the story of the bombing has captured the imagination of everyone who survived it and those who study the war.


One of those people is Sinclair McKay. McKay is a literary critic for the Telegraph and The Spectator in the UK. His latest book is The Fire and Darkness: The Bombing of Dresden 1945.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> In the closing days of World War II, the British Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force dropped more than 3,900 tons of high explosives and fire bombs on the city of Dresden. It was not, strictly, only a military target and the story of the bombing has captured the imagination of everyone who survived it and those who study the war.


One of those people is Sinclair McKay. McKay is a literary critic for the Telegraph and The Spectator in the UK. His latest book is The Fire and Darkness: The Bombing of Dresden 1945.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> America’s Low Yield Nukes and the New Atomic Scare America’s Low Yield Nukes and the New Atomic Scare Fri, 14 Feb 2020 21:47:19 GMT 34:45 4e5a2641-2218-448d-b303-832821625d98 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/america-slowyieldnukesandthenewatomicscare 4e5a2641-2218-448d-b303-832821625d98 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 america-slowyieldnukesandthenewatomicscare From the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty to, probably, New START, all the old treaties are failing. Nuclear weapons are back in the public consciousness in a big way and old Cold War ideas that we once thought relegated to the dustbin of histo... full From the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty to, probably, New START, all the old treaties are failing. Nuclear weapons are back in the public consciousness in a big way and old Cold War ideas that we once thought relegated to the dustbin of history are back.


One of those are so-called low yield nuclear weapons. The U.S. Navy recently fielded some of these SLBMs for the first time on its nuclear capable submarines. Are these weapons actually a game changer? When it comes to nukes, what’s the difference between yields anyway?


Here to help us figure out how much trouble we’re in is David Wright. Wright is a Senior Scientist and Co-Director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> From the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty to, probably, New START, all the old treaties are failing. Nuclear weapons are back in the public consciousness in a big way and old Cold War ideas that we once thought relegated to the dustbin of history are back.


One of those are so-called low yield nuclear weapons. The U.S. Navy recently fielded some of these SLBMs for the first time on its nuclear capable submarines. Are these weapons actually a game changer? When it comes to nukes, what’s the difference between yields anyway?


Here to help us figure out how much trouble we’re in is David Wright. Wright is a Senior Scientist and Co-Director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> The Fight Over 5G and Chinese Spies The Fight Over 5G and Chinese Spies Mon, 03 Feb 2020 17:47:38 GMT 24:46 7301d4ef-db5b-41ed-a54c-18dcf8d4e0f1 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thefightover5gandchinesespies 7301d4ef-db5b-41ed-a54c-18dcf8d4e0f1 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thefightover5gandchinesespies There’s a battle raging for the future of the internet. No, it has nothing to do with net neutrality or broadband access. This is about 5G, the shadowy world of global intelligence agencies, and a telecom giant with $108 billion in revenue that most Am... full There’s a battle raging for the future of the internet. No, it has nothing to do with net neutrality or broadband access. This is about 5G, the shadowy world of global intelligence agencies, and a telecom giant with $108 billion in revenue that most Americans haven’t heard of.


The company is Huawei, a Chinese manufacturer known the world over for its cell phones. It also makes radio arrays and is building 5G infrastructure all across the planet. Recently, the UK announced it would allow Huawei limited access to some British 5G mobile networks. The Trump White House doesn't like that and claimed Huawei’s tech is an elaborate trojan horse for a Chinese spying network.


Here to help us understand the world of 5G networks and spies is Amanda Macias. Macias is CNBC’s National Security Reporter. She specializes in the business of war. Amanda, thank you so much for joining us.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> There’s a battle raging for the future of the internet. No, it has nothing to do with net neutrality or broadband access. This is about 5G, the shadowy world of global intelligence agencies, and a telecom giant with $108 billion in revenue that most Americans haven’t heard of.


The company is Huawei, a Chinese manufacturer known the world over for its cell phones. It also makes radio arrays and is building 5G infrastructure all across the planet. Recently, the UK announced it would allow Huawei limited access to some British 5G mobile networks. The Trump White House doesn't like that and claimed Huawei’s tech is an elaborate trojan horse for a Chinese spying network.


Here to help us understand the world of 5G networks and spies is Amanda Macias. Macias is CNBC’s National Security Reporter. She specializes in the business of war. Amanda, thank you so much for joining us.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> <![CDATA[What Iraq's Protestors Want and Why it Matters]]> Fri, 24 Jan 2020 17:22:03 GMT 46:11 ff1e0900-f48c-456e-aea0-b3bacddd86b4 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whatiraqsprotestorswantandwhyitmatters ff1e0900-f48c-456e-aea0-b3bacddd86b4 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whatiraqsprotestorswantandwhyitmatters Iraq. Since October of last year, a protest movement has taken hold of the country. After 16 years of conflict, Iraq is tired. Its people want political and economic reforms.America didn’t pay attention. Until, that was, a militia stormed an embassy... full Iraq. Since October of last year, a protest movement has taken hold of the country. After 16 years of conflict, Iraq is tired. Its people want political and economic reforms.


America didn’t pay attention. Until, that was, a militia stormed an embassy, America killed an Iranian General, and tensions between the U.S. and Iran flared. For a moment, the whole world paid attention.


They should keep paying attention.


Here to explain why is Rasha Al Aqeedi.


Rasha is from the Iraqi city of Mosul. She’s the Managing Editor of Raise Your Voice, an Arabic language platform covering politics and Society in Iraq. Her work has appeared in The Atlantic and her research has appeared at George Washington University and in stories by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Associated Press.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Iraq. Since October of last year, a protest movement has taken hold of the country. After 16 years of conflict, Iraq is tired. Its people want political and economic reforms.


America didn’t pay attention. Until, that was, a militia stormed an embassy, America killed an Iranian General, and tensions between the U.S. and Iran flared. For a moment, the whole world paid attention.


They should keep paying attention.


Here to explain why is Rasha Al Aqeedi.


Rasha is from the Iraqi city of Mosul. She’s the Managing Editor of Raise Your Voice, an Arabic language platform covering politics and Society in Iraq. Her work has appeared in The Atlantic and her research has appeared at George Washington University and in stories by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Associated Press.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> American Troops Navigate Complicated Political Realities in Iraq American Troops Navigate Complicated Political Realities in Iraq Fri, 17 Jan 2020 22:20:30 GMT 24:24 6a727b42-411c-448a-8ebc-1a42225ed5d3 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/americantroopsnavigatecomplicatedpoliticalrealitiesiniraq 6a727b42-411c-448a-8ebc-1a42225ed5d3 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 americantroopsnavigatecomplicatedpoliticalrealitiesiniraq This week, producer Kevin Knodell walks us through his recent reporting in Iraq.https://coffeeordie.com/american-troops-iraq/You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodca... full This week, producer Kevin Knodell walks us through his recent reporting in Iraq.


https://coffeeordie.com/american-troops-iraq/


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> This week, producer Kevin Knodell walks us through his recent reporting in Iraq.


https://coffeeordie.com/american-troops-iraq/


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> How to Down a Drone How to Down a Drone Wed, 08 Jan 2020 23:28:01 GMT 38:44 8bcd2a35-2823-4b43-87be-f9440007a906 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/howtodownadrone 8bcd2a35-2823-4b43-87be-f9440007a906 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 howtodownadrone Drones are everywhere. Military drones buzz war zones dropping missiles; surveillance drones hover above neighborhoods, looking for anything out of place; even now, commercial drones hide in holiday wrapping, waiting for excited enthusiasts to fly them... full Drones are everywhere. Military drones buzz war zones dropping missiles; surveillance drones hover above neighborhoods, looking for anything out of place; even now, commercial drones hide in holiday wrapping, waiting for excited enthusiasts to fly them in a park.


As the market for drones has grown, so too has the market for tools to take them down. There’s jamming rifles, spoofing software, and hundreds of other solutions for downing a drone. But what to buy the budding enthusiast?


A new report from the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College could be of some help. The report is a list of 537 counter-drone systems. What works, what doesn’t, and what is just hype.


Arthur Holland Michel is the author of the report, co-director of the Center for the Study of the Drone, and also the author of the book Eyes in the Sky: The Secret Rise of Gorgon Stare and How It WIll Watch Us All.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Drones are everywhere. Military drones buzz war zones dropping missiles; surveillance drones hover above neighborhoods, looking for anything out of place; even now, commercial drones hide in holiday wrapping, waiting for excited enthusiasts to fly them in a park.


As the market for drones has grown, so too has the market for tools to take them down. There’s jamming rifles, spoofing software, and hundreds of other solutions for downing a drone. But what to buy the budding enthusiast?


A new report from the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College could be of some help. The report is a list of 537 counter-drone systems. What works, what doesn’t, and what is just hype.


Arthur Holland Michel is the author of the report, co-director of the Center for the Study of the Drone, and also the author of the book Eyes in the Sky: The Secret Rise of Gorgon Stare and How It WIll Watch Us All.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> The Afghanistan Papers and the Unwinnable Forever War The Afghanistan Papers and the Unwinnable Forever War Fri, 20 Dec 2019 21:27:54 GMT 37:06 8e93c401-c7e1-4fa2-9de5-f5d1f284a640 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/theafghanistanpapersandtheunwinnableforeverwar 8e93c401-c7e1-4fa2-9de5-f5d1f284a640 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 theafghanistanpapersandtheunwinnableforeverwar Last week the Washington Post published The Afghanistan Papers—a blockbuster piece of reporting that details every little thing about what’s gone wrong with the Afghanistan War. As the war grinds through its second decade, the Afghanistan Papers make c... full Last week the Washington Post published The Afghanistan Papers—a blockbuster piece of reporting that details every little thing about what’s gone wrong with the Afghanistan War. As the war grinds through its second decade, the Afghanistan Papers make clear what many defense reporters, government officials, and soldiers have known for years. The Afghanistan War is a costly, pointless, unwinnable mess.


Here to walk us through the Afghanistan Papers and its implications is Craig Whitlock. Whitlock is the author of the Washington Post report and an investigative reporter who specializes in national security issues. He has covered the Pentagon, served as the Berlin bureau chief and reported from more than 60 countries.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Last week the Washington Post published The Afghanistan Papers—a blockbuster piece of reporting that details every little thing about what’s gone wrong with the Afghanistan War. As the war grinds through its second decade, the Afghanistan Papers make clear what many defense reporters, government officials, and soldiers have known for years. The Afghanistan War is a costly, pointless, unwinnable mess.


Here to walk us through the Afghanistan Papers and its implications is Craig Whitlock. Whitlock is the author of the Washington Post report and an investigative reporter who specializes in national security issues. He has covered the Pentagon, served as the Berlin bureau chief and reported from more than 60 countries.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> ICYMI - What Star Wars Can Teach the American Military ICYMI - What Star Wars Can Teach the American Military Fri, 13 Dec 2019 21:11:20 GMT 33:42 eec0f095-5d11-4c2a-bc9f-4950d02c8321 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-whatstarwarscanteachtheamericanmilitary eec0f095-5d11-4c2a-bc9f-4950d02c8321 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-whatstarwarscanteachtheamericanmilitary Luke Skywalker is a household name. Carl von Clausewitz not so much. Learning about the military—especially about strategy and tactics—is a jargon filled slog. War has a language all its own and for decades, military minds have struggled to find an eas... full Luke Skywalker is a household name. Carl von Clausewitz not so much. Learning about the military—especially about strategy and tactics—is a jargon filled slog. War has a language all its own and for decades, military minds have struggled to find an easy way to teach conflict to the common citizen and aspiring officer alike.


Star Wars is that language. That’s the theory behind a new book, Strategy Strikes Back, How Star Wars Explains Modern Military Conflict, which teaches military lessons using language and stories from a long time ago and a galaxy far, far away. This week on War College, Military strategist ML Cavanaugh and Max Brooks (author of World War Z) take us through the connections between George Lucas’ battlefields and our own.


You can listen to War College on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/war-c…d1023774600?mt=2, Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/jason-fields/war-college, Google Play: play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/…yfrxlbf6e6ec6difm or follow our RSS directly: rss.acast.com/warcollege. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College: twitter.com/War_College.

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]]> Luke Skywalker is a household name. Carl von Clausewitz not so much. Learning about the military—especially about strategy and tactics—is a jargon filled slog. War has a language all its own and for decades, military minds have struggled to find an easy way to teach conflict to the common citizen and aspiring officer alike.


Star Wars is that language. That’s the theory behind a new book, Strategy Strikes Back, How Star Wars Explains Modern Military Conflict, which teaches military lessons using language and stories from a long time ago and a galaxy far, far away. This week on War College, Military strategist ML Cavanaugh and Max Brooks (author of World War Z) take us through the connections between George Lucas’ battlefields and our own.


You can listen to War College on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/war-c…d1023774600?mt=2, Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/jason-fields/war-college, Google Play: play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/…yfrxlbf6e6ec6difm or follow our RSS directly: rss.acast.com/warcollege. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College: twitter.com/War_College.

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]]> How 3-D Printers Could Spread Weapons of Mass Destruction How 3-D Printers Could Spread Weapons of Mass Destruction Fri, 06 Dec 2019 19:12:12 GMT 38:46 f7d3c5a3-ea28-47b2-8e2c-b377b838d534 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/how3-dprinterscouldspreadweaponsofmassdestruction f7d3c5a3-ea28-47b2-8e2c-b377b838d534 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how3-dprinterscouldspreadweaponsofmassdestruction We are living on the precipice of a manufacturing revolution. 3D Printing is more than just a hobby your weird rich friends use to make guns, it’s the dawn of a new process of prototype and creation. Additive manufacturing, if you believe the hype, wil... full We are living on the precipice of a manufacturing revolution. 3D Printing is more than just a hobby your weird rich friends use to make guns, it’s the dawn of a new process of prototype and creation. Additive manufacturing, if you believe the hype, will make it easier to make everything. Including weapons of Mass Destruction. But how real is that threat and how close are we to making chemical weapons at home for fun and profit?


Here to help answer that question is Grant Christopher. Grant is a senior researcher at Vertic, a London based think tank that works to strengthen verification of international agreements. He was part of the research team at CERN that discovered the Higgs Boson, and he’s the co-author of a research paper titled WMD Capabilities Enabled by Additive Manufacturing.

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]]> We are living on the precipice of a manufacturing revolution. 3D Printing is more than just a hobby your weird rich friends use to make guns, it’s the dawn of a new process of prototype and creation. Additive manufacturing, if you believe the hype, will make it easier to make everything. Including weapons of Mass Destruction. But how real is that threat and how close are we to making chemical weapons at home for fun and profit?


Here to help answer that question is Grant Christopher. Grant is a senior researcher at Vertic, a London based think tank that works to strengthen verification of international agreements. He was part of the research team at CERN that discovered the Higgs Boson, and he’s the co-author of a research paper titled WMD Capabilities Enabled by Additive Manufacturing.

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]]> <![CDATA[Pardoning War Criminals Is Not 'Sticking Up for Our Armed Forces']]> Wed, 27 Nov 2019 18:51:03 GMT 36:09 c56f1ab5-9403-47f2-b144-5576f3c50328 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/pardoningwarcriminalsisnotstickingupforourarmedforces c56f1ab5-9403-47f2-b144-5576f3c50328 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 pardoningwarcriminalsisnotstickingupforourarmedforces Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for tuning into this special podcast. Last week was a busy one for President Trump and the military. Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer was fired. Or did he quit? No, he was fired. Why? Because of how he handled controv... full Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for tuning into this special podcast. Last week was a busy one for President Trump and the military. Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer was fired. Or did he quit? No, he was fired. Why? Because of how he handled controversy surrounding Navy SEAL and accused War Criminal Eddie Gallagher. That’s … that’s if he was actually fired, which he probably was.


Here to help us untangle this mess is Pauline Kaurin. Kaurin is the Stockdale Chair in Professional Military Ethics at the US Naval War College and the author of The Warrior, Military Ethics and Contemporary Warfare: Achilles Goes Asymmetrical.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for tuning into this special podcast. Last week was a busy one for President Trump and the military. Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer was fired. Or did he quit? No, he was fired. Why? Because of how he handled controversy surrounding Navy SEAL and accused War Criminal Eddie Gallagher. That’s … that’s if he was actually fired, which he probably was.


Here to help us untangle this mess is Pauline Kaurin. Kaurin is the Stockdale Chair in Professional Military Ethics at the US Naval War College and the author of The Warrior, Military Ethics and Contemporary Warfare: Achilles Goes Asymmetrical.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> <![CDATA[How America's Refugee Policy Hurts its War Effort]]> Wed, 20 Nov 2019 19:42:25 GMT 31:10 1f6fb5fc-9c9f-4f46-b022-4cd85537eee4 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/howamericasrefugeepolicyhurtsitswareffort 1f6fb5fc-9c9f-4f46-b022-4cd85537eee4 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 howamericasrefugeepolicyhurtsitswareffort Refugees. People from countries in crisis fleeing oppression and death. America was once a beacon to the world’s tired, poor, huddled masses yearning to breathe free. But things have changed. In the last term of President Barack Obama the U.S. said it ... full Refugees. People from countries in crisis fleeing oppression and death. America was once a beacon to the world’s tired, poor, huddled masses yearning to breathe free. But things have changed. In the last term of President Barack Obama the U.S. said it would accept 110,000 refugees. That number is now just 18,000. There’s a moral argument here, but also a compelling strategic one. The enemy of my enemy is my friend … but only if you let them be your friend.


Here to help us sort this all out is Joe Coon. Coon did a tour of duty in Iraq as a Cavalry Scout for the U.S. Army National Guard. Now, he’s the Senior Vice President and co-founder of the Niskanen Center.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Refugees. People from countries in crisis fleeing oppression and death. America was once a beacon to the world’s tired, poor, huddled masses yearning to breathe free. But things have changed. In the last term of President Barack Obama the U.S. said it would accept 110,000 refugees. That number is now just 18,000. There’s a moral argument here, but also a compelling strategic one. The enemy of my enemy is my friend … but only if you let them be your friend.


Here to help us sort this all out is Joe Coon. Coon did a tour of duty in Iraq as a Cavalry Scout for the U.S. Army National Guard. Now, he’s the Senior Vice President and co-founder of the Niskanen Center.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> How the AK-74 Became a Fashion Statement How the AK-74 Became a Fashion Statement Mon, 11 Nov 2019 21:56:35 GMT 26:32 ff84f2e8-7216-4eb5-9c58-1d30512155bc false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/howtheak-74becameafashionstatement ff84f2e8-7216-4eb5-9c58-1d30512155bc 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 howtheak-74becameafashionstatement If there’s been a recent throughline or theme on this season of War College, it’s that war has changed. And it’s not just conflict, but the way we cover conflict. Increasingly, people are using open source intelligence and social media to study and rep... full If there’s been a recent throughline or theme on this season of War College, it’s that war has changed. And it’s not just conflict, but the way we cover conflict. Increasingly, people are using open source intelligence and social media to study and report on the changing nature of conflict.


Calbre Obscura is one of those people. He’s an independent arms researcher interested in non-state groups in the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia. He is extremely online, and he knows more about AK variants and homemade mortar rounds than anyone else in the world. Follow him online @CalibreObscura and visit his website at calibreobscura.com.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> If there’s been a recent throughline or theme on this season of War College, it’s that war has changed. And it’s not just conflict, but the way we cover conflict. Increasingly, people are using open source intelligence and social media to study and report on the changing nature of conflict.


Calbre Obscura is one of those people. He’s an independent arms researcher interested in non-state groups in the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia. He is extremely online, and he knows more about AK variants and homemade mortar rounds than anyone else in the world. Follow him online @CalibreObscura and visit his website at calibreobscura.com.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> This Is (Probably) How the World Ends This Is (Probably) How the World Ends Fri, 01 Nov 2019 21:54:54 GMT 43:23 27238309-63a2-4373-9c9d-6dc5f71cc9da false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thisis-probably-howtheworldends 27238309-63a2-4373-9c9d-6dc5f71cc9da 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thisis-probably-howtheworldends It’s the end of the world as we know it and I’m fine. It’s fine. It’s fine. Stop asking.Between the climate Apocalypse, tensions in the Middle East, the dissolution of decades old nuclear treaties, artificial intelligence, 3D printed weapons of mass... full It’s the end of the world as we know it and I’m fine. It’s fine. It’s fine. Stop asking.


Between the climate Apocalypse, tensions in the Middle East, the dissolution of decades old nuclear treaties, artificial intelligence, 3D printed weapons of mass destruction, immortal humans, CRISPR, and drone swarms, it feels like we’re closer to a science fiction apocalypse everyday. 


These days it’s not a question of when the end of human civilization comes but how. Mike Pearl has spent years obsessing over The Day it Finally Happens. That’s the title of his new book, which studies the various methods by which humanity could achieve mass extinction.


Pearl is a journalist whose work has appeared in VICE, The Outline, The Awl, and the Hollywood Reporter. 


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


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]]> It’s the end of the world as we know it and I’m fine. It’s fine. It’s fine. Stop asking.


Between the climate Apocalypse, tensions in the Middle East, the dissolution of decades old nuclear treaties, artificial intelligence, 3D printed weapons of mass destruction, immortal humans, CRISPR, and drone swarms, it feels like we’re closer to a science fiction apocalypse everyday. 


These days it’s not a question of when the end of human civilization comes but how. Mike Pearl has spent years obsessing over The Day it Finally Happens. That’s the title of his new book, which studies the various methods by which humanity could achieve mass extinction.


Pearl is a journalist whose work has appeared in VICE, The Outline, The Awl, and the Hollywood Reporter. 


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


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]]> Why People Defend Dictators Online Why People Defend Dictators Online Tue, 22 Oct 2019 19:22:29 GMT 48:50 fd0c94bb-8118-4ae8-b592-838a7da51b13 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whypeopledefenddictatorsonline fd0c94bb-8118-4ae8-b592-838a7da51b13 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whypeopledefenddictatorsonline There’s anti-government protests in Hong Kong, Venezuela, and Russia. The civil war in Syria rages on and, thanks to Twitter, VK, Facebook, anyone can share their opinion about world events. Elements of both the left and right say that any anti-governm... full There’s anti-government protests in Hong Kong, Venezuela, and Russia. The civil war in Syria rages on and, thanks to Twitter, VK, Facebook, anyone can share their opinion about world events. Elements of both the left and right say that any anti-government protest in one of America’s rivals is a CIA plot and dictators such as Bashar Al Assad are good, actually. 


Is this information warfare or just shitposting? Here to help us figure that out is Idrees Ahmad. Ahmad is Lecturer in Digital Journalism at the University of Stirling and a contributing editor at the Los Angeles Review of Books. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Vice, and The Atlantic.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> There’s anti-government protests in Hong Kong, Venezuela, and Russia. The civil war in Syria rages on and, thanks to Twitter, VK, Facebook, anyone can share their opinion about world events. Elements of both the left and right say that any anti-government protest in one of America’s rivals is a CIA plot and dictators such as Bashar Al Assad are good, actually. 


Is this information warfare or just shitposting? Here to help us figure that out is Idrees Ahmad. Ahmad is Lecturer in Digital Journalism at the University of Stirling and a contributing editor at the Los Angeles Review of Books. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Vice, and The Atlantic.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> ICYMI: Syria, the Kurds, and Civil War ICYMI: Syria, the Kurds, and Civil War Wed, 16 Oct 2019 00:53:12 GMT 1:26:10 44f31573-5993-484c-8738-be2259834f3a false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-syria-thekurds-andcivilwar 44f31573-5993-484c-8738-be2259834f3a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-syria-thekurds-andcivilwar full This week on War College, Syrian journalist Loubna Mrie walks us through life in the early days of the Syrian revolution, how it turned into a nightmarish Civil War, and the consequences of US Withdrawal.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> This week on War College, Syrian journalist Loubna Mrie walks us through life in the early days of the Syrian revolution, how it turned into a nightmarish Civil War, and the consequences of US Withdrawal.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> US SpecOps Is Training to Fight Russian Tanks and Memes US SpecOps Is Training to Fight Russian Tanks and Memes Wed, 09 Oct 2019 20:29:10 GMT 32:53 8ec82a3f-2eb1-496f-86c9-359e5ed73674 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/usspecopsistrainingtofightrussiantanksandmemes 8ec82a3f-2eb1-496f-86c9-359e5ed73674 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 usspecopsistrainingtofightrussiantanksandmemes There’s war all over these days, but it’s different. War has, in fact changed, and the operators of the future are preparing for different challenges in different theaters. The bulk of US involved conflict is happening in the Middle East and North Afri... full There’s war all over these days, but it’s different. War has, in fact changed, and the operators of the future are preparing for different challenges in different theaters. The bulk of US involved conflict is happening in the Middle East and North Africa, but the Pentagon is preparing for fighting in more traditional theaters.


Marty Skovlund Jr. is a veteran of 1st Ranger Battalion, the Executive Editor of Coffee or Die Magazine and a frequent guest of the show. He’s been covering military training in Europe where he witnessed America’s special operation forces training alongside their European counterparts. The threat they think they might face? It’s decidedly Russian.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> There’s war all over these days, but it’s different. War has, in fact changed, and the operators of the future are preparing for different challenges in different theaters. The bulk of US involved conflict is happening in the Middle East and North Africa, but the Pentagon is preparing for fighting in more traditional theaters.


Marty Skovlund Jr. is a veteran of 1st Ranger Battalion, the Executive Editor of Coffee or Die Magazine and a frequent guest of the show. He’s been covering military training in Europe where he witnessed America’s special operation forces training alongside their European counterparts. The threat they think they might face? It’s decidedly Russian.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Houthi Drones in Saudia Arabia Prove Pseudowar Has Come to the Middle East Houthi Drones in Saudia Arabia Prove Pseudowar Has Come to the Middle East Tue, 01 Oct 2019 18:57:30 GMT 35:07 4be605d5-80b8-4f26-99a9-e00956ea4991 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/houthidronesinsaudiaarabiaprovepseudowarhascometothemiddleeast 4be605d5-80b8-4f26-99a9-e00956ea4991 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 houthidronesinsaudiaarabiaprovepseudowarhascometothemiddleeast On September 14, explosions rocked oil infrastructure in Saudia Arabia. Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack and the early headlines stated that the rebel group had attacked the Kingdom with drones. As always, the truth of the a... full On September 14, explosions rocked oil infrastructure in Saudia Arabia. Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack and the early headlines stated that the rebel group had attacked the Kingdom with drones. As always, the truth of the attack is a little more complicated. It’s a story of cruise missiles, Iran, and open source intelligence. It’s also a story where how we know what we know is just as interesting as the story itself.


With us today is to help untangle this is Fabian Hinz. Hinz is a Research Associate at James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey, CA. Hinz is also the author of an excellent post at Arms Control Wonk 


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> On September 14, explosions rocked oil infrastructure in Saudia Arabia. Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack and the early headlines stated that the rebel group had attacked the Kingdom with drones. As always, the truth of the attack is a little more complicated. It’s a story of cruise missiles, Iran, and open source intelligence. It’s also a story where how we know what we know is just as interesting as the story itself.


With us today is to help untangle this is Fabian Hinz. Hinz is a Research Associate at James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey, CA. Hinz is also the author of an excellent post at Arms Control Wonk 


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> ICYMI : How Commercial Drones Changed War ICYMI : How Commercial Drones Changed War Wed, 25 Sep 2019 15:20:19 GMT 23:43 0f6c2d0d-d4ee-4323-91c5-818619337b92 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-howcommercialdroneschangedwar 0f6c2d0d-d4ee-4323-91c5-818619337b92 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-howcommercialdroneschangedwar For the past decade, unmanned aerial vehicles have been a cornerstone of America’s campaign against Islamic insurgents in the Greater Middle East. Predator and Reaper drones crisscross the globe firing hellfire missiles on U.S. enemies. Other countries... full For the past decade, unmanned aerial vehicles have been a cornerstone of America’s campaign against Islamic insurgents in the Greater Middle East. Predator and Reaper drones crisscross the globe firing hellfire missiles on U.S. enemies. Other countries have operational drone fleets, but few match the might and ubiquity of America’s.


But journalists on the front lines in Iraq have seen a disturbing new trend - Islamic State using retail quadcopters to drop their own munitions with surprising accuracy. Mosul is the frontline in the fight against ISIS as well as the frontline in a new arm’s race. One that pits the tiny drones of the Islamic State against the budding anti-drone technology of the West.


To be clear, Islamic State’s commercial quadcopters rigged with grenades and manufactured missiles is nothing compared to the power of a Predator firing off hellfire missiles with pinpoint accuracy. But that’s cold comfort to a civilian killed by a handmade explosive dropped by a quadcopter over the streets of Mosul.


This week on War College, Wall Street Journal reporter Ben Kesling walks us through the drones of Islamic State. He’s back from the fighting in Mosul and saw his share of quadcopters as well as the innovative solutions coalition and Iraqi forces are using to fight against them.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> For the past decade, unmanned aerial vehicles have been a cornerstone of America’s campaign against Islamic insurgents in the Greater Middle East. Predator and Reaper drones crisscross the globe firing hellfire missiles on U.S. enemies. Other countries have operational drone fleets, but few match the might and ubiquity of America’s.


But journalists on the front lines in Iraq have seen a disturbing new trend - Islamic State using retail quadcopters to drop their own munitions with surprising accuracy. Mosul is the frontline in the fight against ISIS as well as the frontline in a new arm’s race. One that pits the tiny drones of the Islamic State against the budding anti-drone technology of the West.


To be clear, Islamic State’s commercial quadcopters rigged with grenades and manufactured missiles is nothing compared to the power of a Predator firing off hellfire missiles with pinpoint accuracy. But that’s cold comfort to a civilian killed by a handmade explosive dropped by a quadcopter over the streets of Mosul.


This week on War College, Wall Street Journal reporter Ben Kesling walks us through the drones of Islamic State. He’s back from the fighting in Mosul and saw his share of quadcopters as well as the innovative solutions coalition and Iraqi forces are using to fight against them.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> How the Future of War and Propaganda Started in Russia How the Future of War and Propaganda Started in Russia Mon, 16 Sep 2019 20:57:36 GMT 40:17 0ee341e8-c932-4eea-9ef9-3d4972d192e6 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/howthefutureofwarandpropagandastartedinrussia 0ee341e8-c932-4eea-9ef9-3d4972d192e6 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 howthefutureofwarandpropagandastartedinrussia Does it feel like there’s just too much information out there and you can’t get a handle on it? Do you have trouble parsing the lies from the truth? Do you know all the places America is at war? Can we even technically call them wars? Are your Twitter ... full Does it feel like there’s just too much information out there and you can’t get a handle on it? Do you have trouble parsing the lies from the truth? Do you know all the places America is at war? Can we even technically call them wars? Are your Twitter followers even real or are they just bots? Are Antifa and the Proud Boys rumbling in the streets a natural extension of electoral politics or just street theater organized online? What if it’s both? Are you tired ALL THE TIME, like me?


The answers, or kind of answers, to these questions and more at the heart of the new book This Is Not Propaganda: Adventures in the War Against Reality. Its author is Peter Pomerantsev, a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Global Affairs at the London School of Economics, and a former Russian TV producer.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Does it feel like there’s just too much information out there and you can’t get a handle on it? Do you have trouble parsing the lies from the truth? Do you know all the places America is at war? Can we even technically call them wars? Are your Twitter followers even real or are they just bots? Are Antifa and the Proud Boys rumbling in the streets a natural extension of electoral politics or just street theater organized online? What if it’s both? Are you tired ALL THE TIME, like me?


The answers, or kind of answers, to these questions and more at the heart of the new book This Is Not Propaganda: Adventures in the War Against Reality. Its author is Peter Pomerantsev, a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Global Affairs at the London School of Economics, and a former Russian TV producer.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> <![CDATA[On the Frontlines of America's Neo-Fascist Insurgency]]> Tue, 03 Sep 2019 21:41:24 GMT 49:00 cdad6100-05af-4d29-9ec4-673edaf89ea9 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/onthefrontlinesofamericasneo-fascistinsurgency-f7f9d22f cdad6100-05af-4d29-9ec4-673edaf89ea9 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 onthefrontlinesofamericasneo-fascistinsurgency-f7f9d22f Fascism. It’s back and it’s….Ironic?From Hungary to Brazil to the United States of America, facism—yes, fascism—is back in a big way. When our grandfathers beat back the Nazis in World War II, we assumed we’d beaten the ideology into dust. The probl... full Fascism. It’s back and it’s….Ironic?


From Hungary to Brazil to the United States of America, facism—yes, fascism—is back in a big way. When our grandfathers beat back the Nazis in World War II, we assumed we’d beaten the ideology into dust. The problem is that fascism isn’t so much a coherent set of beliefs as it is a mutation, perversion, and reaction to the politics of the moment. The truth is, fascism is as American as apple pie and it’s been lingering in the wings for years.


Here with us today to talk about the neo-fascist movement and its rise to current prominence is Robert Evans. Evans works with Bellingcat and is the host of the Behind the Bastards Podcast and has just published a free audiobook, The War On Everyone, that charts the rise of America’s fascists.

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]]> Fascism. It’s back and it’s….Ironic?


From Hungary to Brazil to the United States of America, facism—yes, fascism—is back in a big way. When our grandfathers beat back the Nazis in World War II, we assumed we’d beaten the ideology into dust. The problem is that fascism isn’t so much a coherent set of beliefs as it is a mutation, perversion, and reaction to the politics of the moment. The truth is, fascism is as American as apple pie and it’s been lingering in the wings for years.


Here with us today to talk about the neo-fascist movement and its rise to current prominence is Robert Evans. Evans works with Bellingcat and is the host of the Behind the Bastards Podcast and has just published a free audiobook, The War On Everyone, that charts the rise of America’s fascists.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA[The Brewing Conflict in Syria's Refugee Camps]]> Mon, 26 Aug 2019 16:56:54 GMT 44:01 221083db-82b2-460d-8c67-f7ed47067fee true https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thebrewingconflictinsyriasrefugeecamps 221083db-82b2-460d-8c67-f7ed47067fee 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thebrewingconflictinsyriasrefugeecamps Do you like independent journalism? Do you like learning about conflict from the best in the business. Well Jake Hanrahan is one of the best in the business and he’s the mind behind Popular Front—a podcast, a website, a documentary series, and a home t... full Do you like independent journalism? Do you like learning about conflict from the best in the business. Well Jake Hanrahan is one of the best in the business and he’s the mind behind Popular Front—a podcast, a website, a documentary series, and a home to independent journalism. Popular Front goes places other journalists don’t go and asks questions other journalist don’t ask.


Jake Hanrahan is here with us today to tell us about his recent trip to Rojava, and a new campaign he’s launched on Indiegogo to raise money to keep reporting from the frontlines. If you like this conversation with Jake, you have to check out his podcast Popular Front. He’s also got a great new mini-doc where he goes on patrol in Raqqa and sees what it takes to guard against Islamic State sleeper cells. That’s on youtube.com/popularfront


If you can, I urge you to go to popularfront.co/10k and donate what you can. You can also pledge monthly support at Patreon.com/popularfront


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Do you like independent journalism? Do you like learning about conflict from the best in the business. Well Jake Hanrahan is one of the best in the business and he’s the mind behind Popular Front—a podcast, a website, a documentary series, and a home to independent journalism. Popular Front goes places other journalists don’t go and asks questions other journalist don’t ask.


Jake Hanrahan is here with us today to tell us about his recent trip to Rojava, and a new campaign he’s launched on Indiegogo to raise money to keep reporting from the frontlines. If you like this conversation with Jake, you have to check out his podcast Popular Front. He’s also got a great new mini-doc where he goes on patrol in Raqqa and sees what it takes to guard against Islamic State sleeper cells. That’s on youtube.com/popularfront


If you can, I urge you to go to popularfront.co/10k and donate what you can. You can also pledge monthly support at Patreon.com/popularfront


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> ICYMI: On the frontlines during the last days of Standing Rock ICYMI: On the frontlines during the last days of Standing Rock Mon, 19 Aug 2019 14:19:10 GMT 30:32 25253412-ab7b-47f1-a39a-b0fb7e65e50c false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-onthefrontlinesduringthelastdaysofstandingrock 25253412-ab7b-47f1-a39a-b0fb7e65e50c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-onthefrontlinesduringthelastdaysofstandingrock After a year of protests, Standing Rock began to die down in late winter this year. But to one observer, the standoff stood out for how much it resembled a war zone.Marty Skovlund Jr. is a U.S. Army veteran who served in the 1st Ranger Battalion. He... full After a year of protests, Standing Rock began to die down in late winter this year. But to one observer, the standoff stood out for how much it resembled a war zone.


Marty Skovlund Jr. is a U.S. Army veteran who served in the 1st Ranger Battalion. He served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Since coming home he’s run a small business, written books and freelanced for several news outlets. In December, he chronicled the final days of the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, where state and local police milled with private military contractors and some of the remaining protesters set structures on fire.


This week on War College, Skovlund Jr. walks us through the end of one of the largest protracted protests in American history. According to Skovlund, the scene reminded him of forward operating bases in Iraq. In the end, he thinks the police changed the paradigm for how to deal with peaceful protests and, to this day, he can’t believe that no one died.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> After a year of protests, Standing Rock began to die down in late winter this year. But to one observer, the standoff stood out for how much it resembled a war zone.


Marty Skovlund Jr. is a U.S. Army veteran who served in the 1st Ranger Battalion. He served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Since coming home he’s run a small business, written books and freelanced for several news outlets. In December, he chronicled the final days of the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, where state and local police milled with private military contractors and some of the remaining protesters set structures on fire.


This week on War College, Skovlund Jr. walks us through the end of one of the largest protracted protests in American history. According to Skovlund, the scene reminded him of forward operating bases in Iraq. In the end, he thinks the police changed the paradigm for how to deal with peaceful protests and, to this day, he can’t believe that no one died.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Nuclear Sponges and the New Nuclear Arms Race Nuclear Sponges and the New Nuclear Arms Race Sat, 10 Aug 2019 19:26:43 GMT 29:09 8bb79f03-9e8b-4a3b-a6fe-c7c5616695b1 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/nuclearspongesandthenewnucleararmsrace 8bb79f03-9e8b-4a3b-a6fe-c7c5616695b1 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 nuclearspongesandthenewnucleararmsrace Nuclear war. These days it feels like we’re closer to Global Thermonuclear Annihilation than at any time since the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists—an organization of experts that calculates humanity’s odd of Armageddon—seems... full Nuclear war. These days it feels like we’re closer to Global Thermonuclear Annihilation than at any time since the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists—an organization of experts that calculates humanity’s odd of Armageddon—seems to agree. The Doomsday Clock is set at two midnight to midnight. 


It’s easy to see why. On August 2, the US pulled out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, North Korea continues to test ballistic missiles, Russia keeps talking about all its fancy new nuclear weapons, and Democratic presidential candidates are on stage talking about America’s lack of a “no first use” policy. Here to help us figure out how doomed we are is John Carl Baker.


Baker is the Nuclear Field Coordinator and Senior Program Officer at Ploughshares Fund. His work has appeared in The New Republic and the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Nuclear war. These days it feels like we’re closer to Global Thermonuclear Annihilation than at any time since the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists—an organization of experts that calculates humanity’s odd of Armageddon—seems to agree. The Doomsday Clock is set at two midnight to midnight. 


It’s easy to see why. On August 2, the US pulled out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, North Korea continues to test ballistic missiles, Russia keeps talking about all its fancy new nuclear weapons, and Democratic presidential candidates are on stage talking about America’s lack of a “no first use” policy. Here to help us figure out how doomed we are is John Carl Baker.


Baker is the Nuclear Field Coordinator and Senior Program Officer at Ploughshares Fund. His work has appeared in The New Republic and the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


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]]> Libya Is the Future of War Libya Is the Future of War Sat, 03 Aug 2019 18:20:10 GMT 46:40 c6964fa2-96d1-4620-adac-142aeed12ca7 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/libyaisthefutureofwar c6964fa2-96d1-4620-adac-142aeed12ca7 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 libyaisthefutureofwar Libya. Dictator Muammar Gaddafi ruled the country from 1969 to 2011. The Arab Spring led to a Civil War and the deposition and death of Gadaffi in 2011. The country never quite recovered and remains in the throws of a violent Civil War. One most of us ... full Libya. Dictator Muammar Gaddafi ruled the country from 1969 to 2011. The Arab Spring led to a Civil War and the deposition and death of Gadaffi in 2011. The country never quite recovered and remains in the throws of a violent Civil War. One most of us in the West, myself included, have not paid much attention to.


Someone who did pay attention is today’s guest Robert Young Pelton. Pelton is an author and documentarian with extensive experience covering conflicts. He’s just back from Libya.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Libya. Dictator Muammar Gaddafi ruled the country from 1969 to 2011. The Arab Spring led to a Civil War and the deposition and death of Gadaffi in 2011. The country never quite recovered and remains in the throws of a violent Civil War. One most of us in the West, myself included, have not paid much attention to.


Someone who did pay attention is today’s guest Robert Young Pelton. Pelton is an author and documentarian with extensive experience covering conflicts. He’s just back from Libya.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Eating at KFC in Kurdistan Eating at KFC in Kurdistan Sat, 27 Jul 2019 20:10:15 GMT 55:54 3192f58f-37a8-4001-9cdb-a670c2de96ce false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/eatingatkfcinkurdistan 3192f58f-37a8-4001-9cdb-a670c2de96ce 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 eatingatkfcinkurdistan This week on War College, producer Kevin Knodell is back from his trip to the Middle East and he’s got stories. He shares his experiences climbing a mountain in Kurdistan, eating at KFCs that are better than the ones in America, and talks about the f... full

This week on War College, producer Kevin Knodell is back from his trip to the Middle East and he’s got stories. He shares his experiences climbing a mountain in Kurdistan, eating at KFCs that are better than the ones in America, and talks about the future of the region.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]>

This week on War College, producer Kevin Knodell is back from his trip to the Middle East and he’s got stories. He shares his experiences climbing a mountain in Kurdistan, eating at KFCs that are better than the ones in America, and talks about the future of the region.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> America’s Foreign Policy Has a Cold War Hangover America’s Foreign Policy Has a Cold War Hangover Fri, 19 Jul 2019 18:54:50 GMT 41:41 407418ce-3082-4361-9063-37a587f2b2b7 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/america-sforeignpolicyhasacoldwarhangover 407418ce-3082-4361-9063-37a587f2b2b7 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 america-sforeignpolicyhasacoldwarhangover Thinking about geopolitics is all about picking the right metaphor. After World War II, America’s elite conceived of a world engaged in a Cold War, where the United States and Soviet Union played a game of spies and skirmishes to spread political ideol... full Thinking about geopolitics is all about picking the right metaphor. After World War II, America’s elite conceived of a world engaged in a Cold War, where the United States and Soviet Union played a game of spies and skirmishes to spread political ideology across the planet. In the 19th century, the British and Russian Empires engaged in the Great Game, a political and diplomatic game of shadows that played out in Afghanistan and its neighboring territories. The problem with metaphors is that the map is not the territory. The menu is not the meal and if you get caught up in a great power competition, it can be hard to see the world any other way.


Here to help us sort through this, and try to figure out what metaphors best fit our troubled times, is Ali Wyne. Wyne is a policy analyst at RAND, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center on International Security, and a nonresident fellow at the Modern War Institute. His work, especially on this topic, has appeared in The National Interest.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.



Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Thinking about geopolitics is all about picking the right metaphor. After World War II, America’s elite conceived of a world engaged in a Cold War, where the United States and Soviet Union played a game of spies and skirmishes to spread political ideology across the planet. In the 19th century, the British and Russian Empires engaged in the Great Game, a political and diplomatic game of shadows that played out in Afghanistan and its neighboring territories. The problem with metaphors is that the map is not the territory. The menu is not the meal and if you get caught up in a great power competition, it can be hard to see the world any other way.


Here to help us sort through this, and try to figure out what metaphors best fit our troubled times, is Ali Wyne. Wyne is a policy analyst at RAND, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center on International Security, and a nonresident fellow at the Modern War Institute. His work, especially on this topic, has appeared in The National Interest.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.



Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> ICYMI: How the Allies Trolled Hitler With Magick ICYMI: How the Allies Trolled Hitler With Magick Fri, 05 Jul 2019 16:58:51 GMT 32:12 327ff780-25dd-4dab-bc7f-7b8cf60bb774 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-howthealliestrolledhitlerwithmagick 327ff780-25dd-4dab-bc7f-7b8cf60bb774 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-howthealliestrolledhitlerwithmagick Adolf Hitler’s deputy, Rudolf Hess, was obsessed with the occult. He attempted to read minds and used astrological star charts to inform his battle plans. On the allied side, English magician Aleister Crowley kept in contact with German occultists, fed... full Adolf Hitler’s deputy, Rudolf Hess, was obsessed with the occult. He attempted to read minds and used astrological star charts to inform his battle plans. On the allied side, English magician Aleister Crowley kept in contact with German occultists, fed them false information, and even created the V for Victory.


Today on War College, we sit down with media theorist, documentarian and author Douglas Rushkoff to talk about the bizarre occult history of World War II and how it affected strategic decisions during the war.


His latest book – Aleister & Adolf – is a historical fiction that tells the story of a strange ‘magickal’ battle between the Allies and Axis powers during World War II. It spans the globe, and connects Crowley, Hitler, General Patton, Heinrich Himmler and even Ian Fleming – the creator of super spy James Bond.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Adolf Hitler’s deputy, Rudolf Hess, was obsessed with the occult. He attempted to read minds and used astrological star charts to inform his battle plans. On the allied side, English magician Aleister Crowley kept in contact with German occultists, fed them false information, and even created the V for Victory.


Today on War College, we sit down with media theorist, documentarian and author Douglas Rushkoff to talk about the bizarre occult history of World War II and how it affected strategic decisions during the war.


His latest book – Aleister & Adolf – is a historical fiction that tells the story of a strange ‘magickal’ battle between the Allies and Axis powers during World War II. It spans the globe, and connects Crowley, Hitler, General Patton, Heinrich Himmler and even Ian Fleming – the creator of super spy James Bond.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Bellingcat Talks Tankers, Deepfakes, and State Propaganda Bellingcat Talks Tankers, Deepfakes, and State Propaganda Fri, 28 Jun 2019 19:23:30 GMT 32:06 bdab30ca-f6a8-4e6c-bbd2-8325cd6c3a76 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/bellingcattalkstankers-deepfakes-andstatepropaganda bdab30ca-f6a8-4e6c-bbd2-8325cd6c3a76 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 bellingcattalkstankers-deepfakes-andstatepropaganda Misinformation. Grainy and low resolution images from government sources. Signals intelligence. Satellite imagery. Photographs and social media posts from those nearby. Online databases of vast and public knowledge. These, and more, are the tools by wh... full Misinformation. Grainy and low resolution images from government sources. Signals intelligence. Satellite imagery. Photographs and social media posts from those nearby. Online databases of vast and public knowledge. These, and more, are the tools by which Eliot Higgins and Bellingcat suss out truth in a complicated world.


On June 13, something attacked two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. The United States blamed Iran, producing footage it claimed linked Iran’s Revolutionary Guard to the incident. Iran denied responsibility and people aboard the tanker say the story the US is telling doesn’t add up.


So is this a clever sleight of hand from Iran, a Gulf of Tonkin style operation meant to draw the US into war, or something else entirely. Here to help us figure that out, and more importantly how he came to the conclusion, is Eliot Higgins of Bellingcat.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Misinformation. Grainy and low resolution images from government sources. Signals intelligence. Satellite imagery. Photographs and social media posts from those nearby. Online databases of vast and public knowledge. These, and more, are the tools by which Eliot Higgins and Bellingcat suss out truth in a complicated world.


On June 13, something attacked two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. The United States blamed Iran, producing footage it claimed linked Iran’s Revolutionary Guard to the incident. Iran denied responsibility and people aboard the tanker say the story the US is telling doesn’t add up.


So is this a clever sleight of hand from Iran, a Gulf of Tonkin style operation meant to draw the US into war, or something else entirely. Here to help us figure that out, and more importantly how he came to the conclusion, is Eliot Higgins of Bellingcat.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Iran and America’s Complicated Recent History Iran and America’s Complicated Recent History Fri, 21 Jun 2019 22:09:31 GMT 1:21:34 98151fa2-c5d5-41bb-85a0-fe1b36607a42 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/iranandamerica-scomplicatedrecenthistory 98151fa2-c5d5-41bb-85a0-fe1b36607a42 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 iranandamerica-scomplicatedrecenthistory On June 13, explosions—probably from Limpet Mines—hit two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. The United States has blamed Iran. On June 20, Iran shot down one of the United States’ Navy RQ-4 Global Hawk drones, basically a fancy unmanned spy plane.In ... full On June 13, explosions—probably from Limpet Mines—hit two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. The United States has blamed Iran. On June 20, Iran shot down one of the United States’ Navy RQ-4 Global Hawk drones, basically a fancy unmanned spy plane.


In the aftermath, US President Donald Trump considered a retaliatory action, then pulled back. I’m recording this at 5pm on Friday, June 21. It’s possible between then and the time you hear this, the situation will have changed again.


Iran is complicated. In the American imagination, it’s become a stand in for a power in direct opposition to the United States. It’s famously part of George W Bush’s Axis of evil and, it often feels, Washington’s Hawks have long wanted an excuse to go to war there.


So. Today. Three shows from War College’s past that, strung together, represent a closer and more nuanced look at Iran. All with remastered audio.


The first is a look at the strength of the Iranian military during the end of the Obama presidency, and before the signing of the Nuclear Deal. The second is an interview with New York Times journalist Ben Hubbard about Iran’s use of Hezbollah. The third is deep dive into Iranian domestic politics and its role in Syria circa 2018.


I present all of it in an attempt to paint a picture of how we got where we are today. America’s relationship with Iran is deeper, bigger, and more complicated than one President in one moment.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> On June 13, explosions—probably from Limpet Mines—hit two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. The United States has blamed Iran. On June 20, Iran shot down one of the United States’ Navy RQ-4 Global Hawk drones, basically a fancy unmanned spy plane.


In the aftermath, US President Donald Trump considered a retaliatory action, then pulled back. I’m recording this at 5pm on Friday, June 21. It’s possible between then and the time you hear this, the situation will have changed again.


Iran is complicated. In the American imagination, it’s become a stand in for a power in direct opposition to the United States. It’s famously part of George W Bush’s Axis of evil and, it often feels, Washington’s Hawks have long wanted an excuse to go to war there.


So. Today. Three shows from War College’s past that, strung together, represent a closer and more nuanced look at Iran. All with remastered audio.


The first is a look at the strength of the Iranian military during the end of the Obama presidency, and before the signing of the Nuclear Deal. The second is an interview with New York Times journalist Ben Hubbard about Iran’s use of Hezbollah. The third is deep dive into Iranian domestic politics and its role in Syria circa 2018.


I present all of it in an attempt to paint a picture of how we got where we are today. America’s relationship with Iran is deeper, bigger, and more complicated than one President in one moment.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> War Robots, AI Targeting in Megacities, and Other Things We Learned From the US Army War Robots, AI Targeting in Megacities, and Other Things We Learned From the US Army Fri, 14 Jun 2019 21:21:10 GMT 32:22 339c0f79-415f-4de1-90d8-bee675d4cc14 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/warrobots-aitargetinginmegacities-andotherthingswelearnedfromtheusarmy 339c0f79-415f-4de1-90d8-bee675d4cc14 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 warrobots-aitargetinginmegacities-andotherthingswelearnedfromtheusarmy China and America are two of the world’s great powers. Their economies are intertwined, their military’s powerful, and their soft power spreading across the globe. And tensions are rising. Neither side wants to go to war, but both sides are committed t... full China and America are two of the world’s great powers. Their economies are intertwined, their military’s powerful, and their soft power spreading across the globe. And tensions are rising. Neither side wants to go to war, but both sides are committed to winning that war should the unthinkable ever occur.


Recently, War College’s own Kevin Knodell spent time at the Army’s Joint Warfighting Assessment at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington State. The weeks long training brought together military personnel from seven different countries to train together for a nightmare scenario—a new war in the Pacific.


Kevin is the producer of War College, but also a journalist whose work has appeared in Playboy, The Daily Beast, and McClatchy. He’s the co-author of several non-fiction graphic novels—including The ‘Stan and Machete Squad.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> China and America are two of the world’s great powers. Their economies are intertwined, their military’s powerful, and their soft power spreading across the globe. And tensions are rising. Neither side wants to go to war, but both sides are committed to winning that war should the unthinkable ever occur.


Recently, War College’s own Kevin Knodell spent time at the Army’s Joint Warfighting Assessment at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington State. The weeks long training brought together military personnel from seven different countries to train together for a nightmare scenario—a new war in the Pacific.


Kevin is the producer of War College, but also a journalist whose work has appeared in Playboy, The Daily Beast, and McClatchy. He’s the co-author of several non-fiction graphic novels—including The ‘Stan and Machete Squad.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA[Navy Pilots Keep Seeing UFOs Because They're Real]]> Fri, 07 Jun 2019 20:03:12 GMT 31:08 eb899184-73d0-428a-b54c-4b379be54248 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/navypilotskeepseeingufosbecausetheyrereal eb899184-73d0-428a-b54c-4b379be54248 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 navypilotskeepseeingufosbecausetheyrereal Flying saucers. Little Green Men. UFOs. Over the past few years, reports from US Navy Pilots of strange flying objects has been hitting the pages of America’s newspapers. And no, not just the tabloids. The New York Times is talking about UFOs. So wh... full Flying saucers. Little Green Men. UFOs. Over the past few years, reports from US Navy Pilots of strange flying objects has been hitting the pages of America’s newspapers. And no, not just the tabloids. The New York Times is talking about UFOs.


So what is going on? Is this evidence of extraterrestrial life? Lights reflecting off of swamp gas, or dastardly new tech designed by America’s enemies? Here to help us answer these tough questions is the editor-in-chief of The War Zone, Tyler Rogoway.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Flying saucers. Little Green Men. UFOs. Over the past few years, reports from US Navy Pilots of strange flying objects has been hitting the pages of America’s newspapers. And no, not just the tabloids. The New York Times is talking about UFOs.


So what is going on? Is this evidence of extraterrestrial life? Lights reflecting off of swamp gas, or dastardly new tech designed by America’s enemies? Here to help us answer these tough questions is the editor-in-chief of The War Zone, Tyler Rogoway.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> America Once Planned to Nuke the Moon America Once Planned to Nuke the Moon Fri, 31 May 2019 19:29:14 GMT 32:50 628c196a-7cd1-4fd7-b333-1ba8630fcf0b false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/americaonceplannedtonukethemoon 628c196a-7cd1-4fd7-b333-1ba8630fcf0b 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 americaonceplannedtonukethemoon The Soviet Union sent Sputnik into space in 1957. By 1958, thanks in part to the work of famed scientist Carl Sagan, the Pentagon had a plan to show the commies what for by nuking the moon. Thankfully, it was just a plan. One that the U.S. never acted ... full The Soviet Union sent Sputnik into space in 1957. By 1958, thanks in part to the work of famed scientist Carl Sagan, the Pentagon had a plan to show the commies what for by nuking the moon. Thankfully, it was just a plan. One that the U.S. never acted on. But it’s far from the only military scheme the US and others cooked up over the years. From bat bombs to an aircraft carrier built from an iceberg, military history is full of outlandish and ridiculous schemes best left abandoned at the planning stages.


Here to help us untangle these James Bond sounding plots is Vince Houghton. Houghton is a U.S. Army vet who served in the Balkans. Now, he is the historian and curator at the international Spy Museum in Washington D.C. He collected the wild schemes from America’s past in the new book Nuking the Moon and Other Intelligence Schemes and Military Plots Left on the Drawing Board.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The Soviet Union sent Sputnik into space in 1957. By 1958, thanks in part to the work of famed scientist Carl Sagan, the Pentagon had a plan to show the commies what for by nuking the moon. Thankfully, it was just a plan. One that the U.S. never acted on. But it’s far from the only military scheme the US and others cooked up over the years. From bat bombs to an aircraft carrier built from an iceberg, military history is full of outlandish and ridiculous schemes best left abandoned at the planning stages.


Here to help us untangle these James Bond sounding plots is Vince Houghton. Houghton is a U.S. Army vet who served in the Balkans. Now, he is the historian and curator at the international Spy Museum in Washington D.C. He collected the wild schemes from America’s past in the new book Nuking the Moon and Other Intelligence Schemes and Military Plots Left on the Drawing Board.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[ICYMI: Why QANON Matters And Why It Won't Go Away]]> Fri, 24 May 2019 18:29:48 GMT 1:18:15 e45ac5be-3b47-4bd5-8f9f-b7160c20f379 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-whyqanonmattersandwhyitwontgoaway e45ac5be-3b47-4bd5-8f9f-b7160c20f379 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-whyqanonmattersandwhyitwontgoaway full Conspiracy theories are as old as the republic. Actually, they're a lot older than OUR republic. In every country, in every culture, people believe powerful forces are colluding in ways they know nothing about.


Why is that?


In this week's bonus episode we talk with Jesse Walker, books editor of Reason magazine and author of "The United States of Paranoia: A Conspiracy Theory."


-----------------------------------


Qanon is a conspiracy theory that supposes President Donald Trump is at war with an ancient pedophile cult. When Qanon believers began to show up at Trump rallies, the mainstream media took notice. In early August, BuzzFeed published an article: www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanha…-is-probably-a that theorized the whole thing was an elaborate prank by leftists activists. Their evidence was a 1999 book about religious rebellions during the 16th century. It’s title? Q: www.amazon.com/Q-Luther-Blissett…e=&qid=1538017365.


Wu Ming 1, one of the authors of that book joins us today to talk about Q, Qanon, and the importance of conspiracy theories in modern life.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Conspiracy theories are as old as the republic. Actually, they're a lot older than OUR republic. In every country, in every culture, people believe powerful forces are colluding in ways they know nothing about.


Why is that?


In this week's bonus episode we talk with Jesse Walker, books editor of Reason magazine and author of "The United States of Paranoia: A Conspiracy Theory."


-----------------------------------


Qanon is a conspiracy theory that supposes President Donald Trump is at war with an ancient pedophile cult. When Qanon believers began to show up at Trump rallies, the mainstream media took notice. In early August, BuzzFeed published an article: www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanha…-is-probably-a that theorized the whole thing was an elaborate prank by leftists activists. Their evidence was a 1999 book about religious rebellions during the 16th century. It’s title? Q: www.amazon.com/Q-Luther-Blissett…e=&qid=1538017365.


Wu Ming 1, one of the authors of that book joins us today to talk about Q, Qanon, and the importance of conspiracy theories in modern life.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[America's War In Somalia Is Heating Up Again]]> Fri, 17 May 2019 21:15:36 GMT 34:25 b2179ff0-5ed5-4228-b255-5c0c6553de36 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/americaswarinsomaliaisheatingupagain b2179ff0-5ed5-4228-b255-5c0c6553de36 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 americaswarinsomaliaisheatingupagain Civilian casualties are a fact of war. The Pentagon, we’re told, does its best to minimize them but war is messy and it’s impossible to achieve the number zero. Unless you’re talking about Somalia. America has been at war in the African country for y... full

Civilian casualties are a fact of war. The Pentagon, we’re told, does its best to minimize them but war is messy and it’s impossible to achieve the number zero. Unless you’re talking about Somalia. America has been at war in the African country for years and, according to the Pentagon, it has conducted that war with almost no civilian casualties. Amnesty International—a non-governmental organization focused on human rights—says that’s not true and has conducted its own investigation into the war and uncovered evidence of civilian casualties.


Amnesty International's report is called The Hidden US War In Somalia Daphne Eviatar is here with us to discuss it. Eviatar is Amnesty International’s director of Security with Human Rights.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]>

Civilian casualties are a fact of war. The Pentagon, we’re told, does its best to minimize them but war is messy and it’s impossible to achieve the number zero. Unless you’re talking about Somalia. America has been at war in the African country for years and, according to the Pentagon, it has conducted that war with almost no civilian casualties. Amnesty International—a non-governmental organization focused on human rights—says that’s not true and has conducted its own investigation into the war and uncovered evidence of civilian casualties.


Amnesty International's report is called The Hidden US War In Somalia Daphne Eviatar is here with us to discuss it. Eviatar is Amnesty International’s director of Security with Human Rights.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA[Japan's Surprisingly Large Military]]> Fri, 10 May 2019 21:55:10 GMT 38:39 b8b64242-69b4-45f2-b3f6-2fc4e887d6d9 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/japanssurprisinglylargemilitary b8b64242-69b4-45f2-b3f6-2fc4e887d6d9 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 japanssurprisinglylargemilitary On paper, Japan is no longer a military power. Article 9 of the Japanese constitution states that “the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes” a... full On paper, Japan is no longer a military power. Article 9 of the Japanese constitution states that “the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes” and that “land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained.” Japan is, on paper, to rely on its allies for military defense and, since World War II, American military bases have dotted its islands. But attitudes and policies are changing and as the South China sea looks more and more like a flashpoint, some are wondering if Japan will amend its constitution and re-arm.


Here to help us figure that out is Kimberly Westenhiser is a journalist, photographer and artist. She writes for the Eatonville Dispatch and her work has appeared at The Seattle Globalist, Foreign Policy, War Is Boring and Playboy.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> On paper, Japan is no longer a military power. Article 9 of the Japanese constitution states that “the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes” and that “land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained.” Japan is, on paper, to rely on its allies for military defense and, since World War II, American military bases have dotted its islands. But attitudes and policies are changing and as the South China sea looks more and more like a flashpoint, some are wondering if Japan will amend its constitution and re-arm.


Here to help us figure that out is Kimberly Westenhiser is a journalist, photographer and artist. She writes for the Eatonville Dispatch and her work has appeared at The Seattle Globalist, Foreign Policy, War Is Boring and Playboy.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Romanticizing History Can Be Worse Than Repeating It Romanticizing History Can Be Worse Than Repeating It Fri, 03 May 2019 19:25:41 GMT 35:04 66ea7c09-f128-416b-9b37-85c560911dab false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/romanticizinghistorycanbeworsethanrepeatingit 66ea7c09-f128-416b-9b37-85c560911dab 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 romanticizinghistorycanbeworsethanrepeatingit The cliche goes that those who don’t study history are doomed to repeat it. But history is more than just a memory and a lesson, sometimes it’s a tool and a weapon. Some pundits are concerned that historians in their ivory tower of academia are neglect... full The cliche goes that those who don’t study history are doomed to repeat it. But history is more than just a memory and a lesson, sometimes it’s a tool and a weapon. Some pundits are concerned that historians in their ivory tower of academia are neglecting the study of war and policy in favor of identity politics, and in some cases shirking their role of educating the public in favor of an academic elitism that is mostly aimed producing work for themselves and their colleagues to consume.


Brian Laslie is the Deputy Command Historian at NORAD and United States Northern Command.  He previously served as the Historian of the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley Air Force Base from December 2009 to August 2012.  In 2011, he deployed as the Air Forces Central Command (Forward) Historian to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, from September 2011 to January 2012. It was while deployed that Brian wrote the majority of what would become his first book.


Brian’s views expressed here are his own and don’t reflect those of the United States government.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.



Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The cliche goes that those who don’t study history are doomed to repeat it. But history is more than just a memory and a lesson, sometimes it’s a tool and a weapon. Some pundits are concerned that historians in their ivory tower of academia are neglecting the study of war and policy in favor of identity politics, and in some cases shirking their role of educating the public in favor of an academic elitism that is mostly aimed producing work for themselves and their colleagues to consume.


Brian Laslie is the Deputy Command Historian at NORAD and United States Northern Command.  He previously served as the Historian of the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley Air Force Base from December 2009 to August 2012.  In 2011, he deployed as the Air Forces Central Command (Forward) Historian to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, from September 2011 to January 2012. It was while deployed that Brian wrote the majority of what would become his first book.


Brian’s views expressed here are his own and don’t reflect those of the United States government.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.



Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Can Psychonauts Win America’s Wars? Can Psychonauts Win America’s Wars? Fri, 26 Apr 2019 22:53:41 GMT 49:32 714c51f2-f199-4e2b-9bed-62867953270c false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/canpsychonautswinamerica-swars- 714c51f2-f199-4e2b-9bed-62867953270c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 canpsychonautswinamerica-swars- Drugs and war go together like peanut butter and jelly. American soldier boys smoked the reefer in Vietnam, the Wehrmacht ran on amphetamine, and Viking Berserkers were probably on something. Soldiers have enhanced and altered perception using chemical... full Drugs and war go together like peanut butter and jelly. American soldier boys smoked the reefer in Vietnam, the Wehrmacht ran on amphetamine, and Viking Berserkers were probably on something. Soldiers have enhanced and altered perception using chemicals for centuries, but in the annals of getting fucked up and going to war you don’t hear a lot about psychedelics such as LSD and MDMA.


But that might be changing. With us today is Marine Corps officer Emre Albayrak. Albayrak is an Expeditionary Ground Reconnaissance officer and has served as an intelligence officer for 12 years. He’s also the author of an interesting article in the February issue of the Marine Corps Gazette—a professional journal published by the Marine Corps Association. It’s titled Microdosing: Improving Performance Enhancements in Intelligence Analysis. It suggests, very basically, that military intelligence operations could get a boost if Marines dropped a little acid


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Drugs and war go together like peanut butter and jelly. American soldier boys smoked the reefer in Vietnam, the Wehrmacht ran on amphetamine, and Viking Berserkers were probably on something. Soldiers have enhanced and altered perception using chemicals for centuries, but in the annals of getting fucked up and going to war you don’t hear a lot about psychedelics such as LSD and MDMA.


But that might be changing. With us today is Marine Corps officer Emre Albayrak. Albayrak is an Expeditionary Ground Reconnaissance officer and has served as an intelligence officer for 12 years. He’s also the author of an interesting article in the February issue of the Marine Corps Gazette—a professional journal published by the Marine Corps Association. It’s titled Microdosing: Improving Performance Enhancements in Intelligence Analysis. It suggests, very basically, that military intelligence operations could get a boost if Marines dropped a little acid


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> How A Legendary Black Samurai Became an Anti-Imperialist Icon How A Legendary Black Samurai Became an Anti-Imperialist Icon Fri, 19 Apr 2019 19:51:20 GMT 34:11 34de444c-308d-4484-8b19-b130d4bcdcfb false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/howalegendaryblacksamuraibecameananti-imperialisticon 34de444c-308d-4484-8b19-b130d4bcdcfb 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 howalegendaryblacksamuraibecameananti-imperialisticon It’s a story some of you may know, it’s been told over and over in different forms. A gaijin, an outsider, comes to Japan and ingratiates themselves with the local military power. From James Clavell’s Shogun, to a bad Tom Cruise movie, to William Adams... full It’s a story some of you may know, it’s been told over and over in different forms. A gaijin, an outsider, comes to Japan and ingratiates themselves with the local military power. From James Clavell’s Shogun, to a bad Tom Cruise movie, to William Adams, it’s a story told over and over in both Japan and the West. Some of those stories have a kernel of truth and few are as fascinating as that of Yasuke—a Samurai born in Africa.  


Here to help us unravel the mystery and history of this legendary Samurai is Thomas Lockley. Lockley is a professor at Nihon University College in Tokyo and a visiting scholar at the University of London. Along with Geoffrey Girard, Lockley is the author of the book African SamuraI: The True Story of Yasuke, a Legendary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.



Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> It’s a story some of you may know, it’s been told over and over in different forms. A gaijin, an outsider, comes to Japan and ingratiates themselves with the local military power. From James Clavell’s Shogun, to a bad Tom Cruise movie, to William Adams, it’s a story told over and over in both Japan and the West. Some of those stories have a kernel of truth and few are as fascinating as that of Yasuke—a Samurai born in Africa.  


Here to help us unravel the mystery and history of this legendary Samurai is Thomas Lockley. Lockley is a professor at Nihon University College in Tokyo and a visiting scholar at the University of London. Along with Geoffrey Girard, Lockley is the author of the book African SamuraI: The True Story of Yasuke, a Legendary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.



Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> ICYMI: Inside the Occult Neo-Nazis Killing People in America ICYMI: Inside the Occult Neo-Nazis Killing People in America Fri, 12 Apr 2019 17:31:58 GMT 28:44 0d3b45ec-9507-450e-8489-d830c35fa18a false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-insidetheoccultneo-naziskillingpeopleinamerica 0d3b45ec-9507-450e-8489-d830c35fa18a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-insidetheoccultneo-naziskillingpeopleinamerica From the Silver Legion to the Aryan Nation, the U.S. has had its share of fascist organizations but its never had anything quite like Atomwaffen Division. Grown and organized online, the group has been linked to five murders and a bomb plot in the past... full From the Silver Legion to the Aryan Nation, the U.S. has had its share of fascist organizations but its never had anything quite like Atomwaffen Division. Grown and organized online, the group has been linked to five murders and a bomb plot in the past eight months. The group is so extreme that even prominent leaders of the Alt-Right have denounced it.


This week on War College, journalist Jake Hanrahan takes us through what the group believes, what it wants, and what it might be willing to do to get it.


You can listen to War College on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/war-c…d1023774600?mt=2, Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/jason-fields/war-college, Google Play: play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/…yfrxlbf6e6ec6difm or follow our RSS directly: rss.acast.com/warcollege. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College: twitter.com/War_College.

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]]> From the Silver Legion to the Aryan Nation, the U.S. has had its share of fascist organizations but its never had anything quite like Atomwaffen Division. Grown and organized online, the group has been linked to five murders and a bomb plot in the past eight months. The group is so extreme that even prominent leaders of the Alt-Right have denounced it.


This week on War College, journalist Jake Hanrahan takes us through what the group believes, what it wants, and what it might be willing to do to get it.


You can listen to War College on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/war-c…d1023774600?mt=2, Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/jason-fields/war-college, Google Play: play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/…yfrxlbf6e6ec6difm or follow our RSS directly: rss.acast.com/warcollege. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College: twitter.com/War_College.

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]]> The History of Preparing for Nuclear War The History of Preparing for Nuclear War Fri, 05 Apr 2019 21:21:37 GMT 53:52 a97a37bb-dfc6-401d-bf24-f190a7ce0c05 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thehistoryofpreparingfornuclearwar a97a37bb-dfc6-401d-bf24-f190a7ce0c05 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thehistoryofpreparingfornuclearwar Civil Defense! From the dawn of World War II and throughout the 1960s, America had a plan to keep its civilians safe and fit to fight in case of invasion or, god forbid, nuclear armageddon. From duck and cover to the aesthetic of the Fallout video game... full Civil Defense! From the dawn of World War II and throughout the 1960s, America had a plan to keep its civilians safe and fit to fight in case of invasion or, god forbid, nuclear armageddon. From duck and cover to the aesthetic of the Fallout video games, American popular culture is enmeshed in the history of its Civil Defense. But what, exactly, is Civil Defense. Where did it come from and do we still practice it today?


Here to help with this history is Alex Wellerstein. Wellerstein is a historian of science, secrecy, and nuclear weapons. He lectures on this and more at Stevens Institute of Technology. You may know him as the guy who created the nuke map, a website that allows you to simulate the effect of various nuclear weapons on an interactive map.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Civil Defense! From the dawn of World War II and throughout the 1960s, America had a plan to keep its civilians safe and fit to fight in case of invasion or, god forbid, nuclear armageddon. From duck and cover to the aesthetic of the Fallout video games, American popular culture is enmeshed in the history of its Civil Defense. But what, exactly, is Civil Defense. Where did it come from and do we still practice it today?


Here to help with this history is Alex Wellerstein. Wellerstein is a historian of science, secrecy, and nuclear weapons. He lectures on this and more at Stevens Institute of Technology. You may know him as the guy who created the nuke map, a website that allows you to simulate the effect of various nuclear weapons on an interactive map.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> The Era of Shitposting White Nationalist Terrorism The Era of Shitposting White Nationalist Terrorism Sat, 30 Mar 2019 04:15:48 GMT 1:26:08 8a3d62b5-0211-4880-ba93-2f5abcf83065 true https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/theeraofshitpostingwhitenationalistterrorism 8a3d62b5-0211-4880-ba93-2f5abcf83065 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 theeraofshitpostingwhitenationalistterrorism On March 15, a shooter entered two Mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. He killed fifty and injured 50 more. He left behind a bizarre and meme-laden manifesto. In February, authorities arrested a Coast Guard lieutenant who had been stockpiling weapons... full On March 15, a shooter entered two Mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. He killed fifty and injured 50 more. He left behind a bizarre and meme-laden manifesto. In February, authorities arrested a Coast Guard lieutenant who had been stockpiling weapons in anticipation of kicking off a race war. When it comes to terrorism, America’s problems are overwhelmingly white and nationalist. In terms or raw numbers, it’s not even close.


With us here today to talk about our collective white nationalism problem is Robert Evans. Evans is a conflict journalist who has reported on the fighting in Ukraine and Mosul, the host of Behind the Bastards—a podcast that explores the origin stories of the worst people in history, and and author of fine articles at Bellingcat where he charts the growth of online fueled right-wing terrorism. It’s the subject of his forthcoming audiobook—The War on Everyone.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> On March 15, a shooter entered two Mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. He killed fifty and injured 50 more. He left behind a bizarre and meme-laden manifesto. In February, authorities arrested a Coast Guard lieutenant who had been stockpiling weapons in anticipation of kicking off a race war. When it comes to terrorism, America’s problems are overwhelmingly white and nationalist. In terms or raw numbers, it’s not even close.


With us here today to talk about our collective white nationalism problem is Robert Evans. Evans is a conflict journalist who has reported on the fighting in Ukraine and Mosul, the host of Behind the Bastards—a podcast that explores the origin stories of the worst people in history, and and author of fine articles at Bellingcat where he charts the growth of online fueled right-wing terrorism. It’s the subject of his forthcoming audiobook—The War on Everyone.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> <![CDATA[The War In America's Backyard]]> Fri, 22 Mar 2019 21:04:09 GMT 44:43 7b2a15e3-91cf-4a12-9a8b-5bf7aae796f6 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thewarinamericasbackyard 7b2a15e3-91cf-4a12-9a8b-5bf7aae796f6 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thewarinamericasbackyard America is at war across the world, but it’s also at war at home. For decades, violent crime has been at record lows across the country—but that’s slowly changing as cities such as Baltimore, Chicago, and St. Louis see terrifying amounts of murders and... full America is at war across the world, but it’s also at war at home. For decades, violent crime has been at record lows across the country—but that’s slowly changing as cities such as Baltimore, Chicago, and St. Louis see terrifying amounts of murders and gang violence. To make things worse, the way cops do their job in some of these cities looks more like counterinsurgency than it does community policing.


Here to help us unpack what’s going on is Patrick Burke, Burke is a freelance journalist who covered the war at home for War Is Boring, Al Jazeera and the Huffington Post  He’s also a former researcher at the Chicago Project on Security and Terrorism.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> America is at war across the world, but it’s also at war at home. For decades, violent crime has been at record lows across the country—but that’s slowly changing as cities such as Baltimore, Chicago, and St. Louis see terrifying amounts of murders and gang violence. To make things worse, the way cops do their job in some of these cities looks more like counterinsurgency than it does community policing.


Here to help us unpack what’s going on is Patrick Burke, Burke is a freelance journalist who covered the war at home for War Is Boring, Al Jazeera and the Huffington Post  He’s also a former researcher at the Chicago Project on Security and Terrorism.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Everything You Know about Putin (and Russia) Is Wrong Everything You Know about Putin (and Russia) Is Wrong Fri, 15 Mar 2019 19:24:36 GMT 51:49 54ee30de-7585-4d17-bea0-6828eb39f7b3 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/everythingyouknowaboutputin-andrussia-iswrong 54ee30de-7585-4d17-bea0-6828eb39f7b3 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 everythingyouknowaboutputin-andrussia-iswrong We need to talk about Putin. Of all the leaders of state nobody is as maligned, studied, and over-analyzed as Russian President Vladimir Putin. He’s a KGB thug, he’s playing three dimensional chess while everyone else is playing checkers, and he’s turn... full We need to talk about Putin. Of all the leaders of state nobody is as maligned, studied, and over-analyzed as Russian President Vladimir Putin. He’s a KGB thug, he’s playing three dimensional chess while everyone else is playing checkers, and he’s turned a state into decline into a global superpower through information warfare. No one is as cunning as Putin.


But that’s not quite true. Here to help us dispel myths and set the record straightish is friend of the show Mark Galeotti. Galeotti is an expert on the Russian military, politics, and underworld, the author of many fine books and  an honorary professor at University of College London and a Senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute.


He’s got three books coming out this month. One is We Need to Talk About Putin: How the West Gets Him Wrong and another is Russian Political War: Moving Beyond the Hybrid.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


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]]> We need to talk about Putin. Of all the leaders of state nobody is as maligned, studied, and over-analyzed as Russian President Vladimir Putin. He’s a KGB thug, he’s playing three dimensional chess while everyone else is playing checkers, and he’s turned a state into decline into a global superpower through information warfare. No one is as cunning as Putin.


But that’s not quite true. Here to help us dispel myths and set the record straightish is friend of the show Mark Galeotti. Galeotti is an expert on the Russian military, politics, and underworld, the author of many fine books and  an honorary professor at University of College London and a Senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute.


He’s got three books coming out this month. One is We Need to Talk About Putin: How the West Gets Him Wrong and another is Russian Political War: Moving Beyond the Hybrid.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


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]]> The Arms Business is Booming The Arms Business is Booming Fri, 08 Mar 2019 22:40:30 GMT 32:28 f365cb6f-499f-4671-94bf-ff03925ee069 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thearmsbusinessisbooming f365cb6f-499f-4671-94bf-ff03925ee069 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thearmsbusinessisbooming War is a racket and damn, business is good. When it comes to the global arms trade, no one sells more weapons than the United States of America. The US controls about a third of the nearly 100 billion global arms trade. Its next closest competitor—Russ... full War is a racket and damn, business is good. When it comes to the global arms trade, no one sells more weapons than the United States of America. The US controls about a third of the nearly 100 billion global arms trade. Its next closest competitor—Russia—doesn’t do even half the business America does. January 2019 was a record year for the defense industry—profits were up across the board. It was the best month for arms sales in a decade.


Here to help us understand the war racket is Amanda Macias. Macias is CNBC’s National Security Reporter. She specializes in the business of war. Amanda, thank you so much for joining us.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> War is a racket and damn, business is good. When it comes to the global arms trade, no one sells more weapons than the United States of America. The US controls about a third of the nearly 100 billion global arms trade. Its next closest competitor—Russia—doesn’t do even half the business America does. January 2019 was a record year for the defense industry—profits were up across the board. It was the best month for arms sales in a decade.


Here to help us understand the war racket is Amanda Macias. Macias is CNBC’s National Security Reporter. She specializes in the business of war. Amanda, thank you so much for joining us.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


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]]> Breaking Down Complex Conflict Between India and Pakistan Breaking Down Complex Conflict Between India and Pakistan Fri, 01 Mar 2019 21:52:33 GMT 52:57 8161bfdd-a7b6-4bed-8d98-ee0071a94360 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/breakingdowncomplexconflictbetweenindiaandpakistan 8161bfdd-a7b6-4bed-8d98-ee0071a94360 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 breakingdowncomplexconflictbetweenindiaandpakistan On February 14, a 20-year old man drove a car packed with explosives into a bus full of Indian Central Reserve Police Forces. 40 of the police officers died in the attack. This happened in an Indian controlled portion of Kashmir and India responded by ... full On February 14, a 20-year old man drove a car packed with explosives into a bus full of Indian Central Reserve Police Forces. 40 of the police officers died in the attack. This happened in an Indian controlled portion of Kashmir and India responded by launching an air strike on a village in Pakistan. Things have escalated since then and, as so often happens in modern conflict, gotten confusing and muddied.


With us today to help untangle all this is Suchitra Vijayan. Vijayan is a writer, photographer, and lawyer. Her work has appeared in GQ, the Telegraph, and Foreign Policy. As a lawyer she worked for the United States war crimes tribunal for Yugoslavia and Rwanda. As a journalist, she was embedded with NATO-led troops along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and is currently studying the conflict in Kashmir and India’s borderlands.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> On February 14, a 20-year old man drove a car packed with explosives into a bus full of Indian Central Reserve Police Forces. 40 of the police officers died in the attack. This happened in an Indian controlled portion of Kashmir and India responded by launching an air strike on a village in Pakistan. Things have escalated since then and, as so often happens in modern conflict, gotten confusing and muddied.


With us today to help untangle all this is Suchitra Vijayan. Vijayan is a writer, photographer, and lawyer. Her work has appeared in GQ, the Telegraph, and Foreign Policy. As a lawyer she worked for the United States war crimes tribunal for Yugoslavia and Rwanda. As a journalist, she was embedded with NATO-led troops along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and is currently studying the conflict in Kashmir and India’s borderlands.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA[The Secret History of the Pentagon's Hollywood Studio]]> Fri, 22 Feb 2019 22:50:11 GMT 32:35 57fd52f1-08b8-4824-89b8-17018ea1317a false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thesecrethistoryofthepentagonshollywoodstudio 57fd52f1-08b8-4824-89b8-17018ea1317a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thesecrethistoryofthepentagonshollywoodstudio At the end of World War II and deep into the Cold War, the American Military operated a strange building deep in the Hollywood Hills. It was the 1352nd Photographic Group of the United States Air Force, and for two decades it served as a nexus between ... full At the end of World War II and deep into the Cold War, the American Military operated a strange building deep in the Hollywood Hills. It was the 1352nd Photographic Group of the United States Air Force, and for two decades it served as a nexus between the Pentagon and Hollywood. Part movie studio, part propaganda machine, and part meeting hall—it attempted to shaped American minds for a generation. And it’s story is largely untold.


Here to tell us the story is Kevin Hamilton and Ned O’Gorman. Hamilton and O’Gorman are both professors at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. They’ve worked together on articles and books about the American Military, the Cold War, and the role of images in the US consciousness. Their new book is Lookout America! The Secret Hollywood Studio at the Heart of the Cold War


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> At the end of World War II and deep into the Cold War, the American Military operated a strange building deep in the Hollywood Hills. It was the 1352nd Photographic Group of the United States Air Force, and for two decades it served as a nexus between the Pentagon and Hollywood. Part movie studio, part propaganda machine, and part meeting hall—it attempted to shaped American minds for a generation. And it’s story is largely untold.


Here to tell us the story is Kevin Hamilton and Ned O’Gorman. Hamilton and O’Gorman are both professors at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. They’ve worked together on articles and books about the American Military, the Cold War, and the role of images in the US consciousness. Their new book is Lookout America! The Secret Hollywood Studio at the Heart of the Cold War


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA[The Kurds are In a "Double Colonial Bind"]]> Fri, 15 Feb 2019 16:06:37 GMT 50:14 74f9adee-b367-461d-a637-2bd1eacef6b5 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thekurdsareinadoublecolonialbind 74f9adee-b367-461d-a637-2bd1eacef6b5 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thekurdsareinadoublecolonialbind The Kurds are a people without a country. They occupy large swaths of land in Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Iran but have no central government. Kurdish fighters have been constant allies in America’s fight against ISIS, and Peshmerga troops fighting on beh... full The Kurds are a people without a country. They occupy large swaths of land in Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Iran but have no central government. Kurdish fighters have been constant allies in America’s fight against ISIS, and Peshmerga troops fighting on behalf of the semi-autonomous Kurdish Regional Government in Iraq fought against the militants after they stormed Mosul.


Without the help of Kurdish forces in Mosul, Raqqa, and across the Levant, America couldn’t have defeated ISIS so handily. In December, after a conversation with Turkey’s president, President Donald Trump announced U.S. troops would be leaving Syria on grounds that ISIS is defeated.


Things have gotten complicated since then.


It’s unclear if the withdrawal will actually take place, Turkey thinks the Kurds are terrorists, and the Kurds are caught between regional power in one of the most complicated conflicts in the world.


Here to help us sort this out is Mohammed Salih. Mohammed spent years working as a journalist for international media in Kurdistan. He’s currently a doctoral student at University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> The Kurds are a people without a country. They occupy large swaths of land in Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Iran but have no central government. Kurdish fighters have been constant allies in America’s fight against ISIS, and Peshmerga troops fighting on behalf of the semi-autonomous Kurdish Regional Government in Iraq fought against the militants after they stormed Mosul.


Without the help of Kurdish forces in Mosul, Raqqa, and across the Levant, America couldn’t have defeated ISIS so handily. In December, after a conversation with Turkey’s president, President Donald Trump announced U.S. troops would be leaving Syria on grounds that ISIS is defeated.


Things have gotten complicated since then.


It’s unclear if the withdrawal will actually take place, Turkey thinks the Kurds are terrorists, and the Kurds are caught between regional power in one of the most complicated conflicts in the world.


Here to help us sort this out is Mohammed Salih. Mohammed spent years working as a journalist for international media in Kurdistan. He’s currently a doctoral student at University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> This Is (Not) Sparta! This Is (Not) Sparta! Sat, 09 Feb 2019 19:22:42 GMT 46:32 b47de981-bf17-483b-b4a3-cfe10be58927 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thisis-not-sparta- b47de981-bf17-483b-b4a3-cfe10be58927 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thisis-not-sparta- When you hear the word Sparta, there’s an immediate association with war and the military. Of the Greek City States, it’s the one most associated with battle. Spartan men were expected to be warriors and their society was geared almost entirely toward ... full When you hear the word Sparta, there’s an immediate association with war and the military. Of the Greek City States, it’s the one most associated with battle. Spartan men were expected to be warriors and their society was geared almost entirely toward training for war. For generations, military leaders have drawn inspiration from Sparta.


Much of the romance around Sparta centers Around the battle of Thermopylae in 480 BCE, where the Persian Empire crushed a small and ill-equipped collection of elite soldiers. Since then, historians, propagandists, Hollywood, and the American military have turned Sparta’s epic defeat at the gates of fire into a myth of slavery vs freedom, east vs west, and democracy vs despotism. But the thing is … a lot of what hear about the Spartans is bullshit, the truth is more complicated.


Here to help us unpack modern day mythos around Sparta is Pauline Kaurin. Kaurin is the Chair of Military Ethics at the US Naval War College and the author of The Warrior, Military Ethics and Contemporary Warfare: Achilles Goes Asymmetrical.


Disclaimer: Pauline Kaurin's opinions are her own and do not reflect the opinions or policy of the US Naval War College.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> When you hear the word Sparta, there’s an immediate association with war and the military. Of the Greek City States, it’s the one most associated with battle. Spartan men were expected to be warriors and their society was geared almost entirely toward training for war. For generations, military leaders have drawn inspiration from Sparta.


Much of the romance around Sparta centers Around the battle of Thermopylae in 480 BCE, where the Persian Empire crushed a small and ill-equipped collection of elite soldiers. Since then, historians, propagandists, Hollywood, and the American military have turned Sparta’s epic defeat at the gates of fire into a myth of slavery vs freedom, east vs west, and democracy vs despotism. But the thing is … a lot of what hear about the Spartans is bullshit, the truth is more complicated.


Here to help us unpack modern day mythos around Sparta is Pauline Kaurin. Kaurin is the Chair of Military Ethics at the US Naval War College and the author of The Warrior, Military Ethics and Contemporary Warfare: Achilles Goes Asymmetrical.


Disclaimer: Pauline Kaurin's opinions are her own and do not reflect the opinions or policy of the US Naval War College.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> What Cigarettes Tell Us About the Military-Industrial Complex What Cigarettes Tell Us About the Military-Industrial Complex Fri, 01 Feb 2019 19:48:57 GMT 39:10 361ee075-9db1-47b3-9b02-6966d62d83ea false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whatcigarettestellusaboutthemilitary-industrialcomplex 361ee075-9db1-47b3-9b02-6966d62d83ea 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whatcigarettestellusaboutthemilitary-industrialcomplex Drugs and the battlefield go together like peanut butter and jelly. The Third Reich’s soldier ran on methamphetamine and American soldiers smoked like chimneys. The picture of the US GI with a burning cigarette pressed between their lips is so iconic t... full Drugs and the battlefield go together like peanut butter and jelly. The Third Reich’s soldier ran on methamphetamine and American soldiers smoked like chimneys. The picture of the US GI with a burning cigarette pressed between their lips is so iconic that few people question it...or realize how young the image really is.


Joel R. Bius, assistant professor of national security studies at the U.S. Air Force Air Command and Staff College, is here to help us dispel the myth of the great American military cigarette and walk us through the fascinating history of how cigarettes ended up in the US military kit, and how they left. It’s the subject of his new book, Smoke Em If You Got Em: The Rise and Fall of the Military Cigarette Ration.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Drugs and the battlefield go together like peanut butter and jelly. The Third Reich’s soldier ran on methamphetamine and American soldiers smoked like chimneys. The picture of the US GI with a burning cigarette pressed between their lips is so iconic that few people question it...or realize how young the image really is.


Joel R. Bius, assistant professor of national security studies at the U.S. Air Force Air Command and Staff College, is here to help us dispel the myth of the great American military cigarette and walk us through the fascinating history of how cigarettes ended up in the US military kit, and how they left. It’s the subject of his new book, Smoke Em If You Got Em: The Rise and Fall of the Military Cigarette Ration.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> The Syrian Revolution Is Over, but the War Rages On The Syrian Revolution Is Over, but the War Rages On Fri, 25 Jan 2019 02:39:28 GMT 35:38 4f35c38a-22a8-427f-96b4-925db923aae0 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thesyrianrevolutionisover-butthewarrageson 4f35c38a-22a8-427f-96b4-925db923aae0 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thesyrianrevolutionisover-butthewarrageson full This week on War College, Syrian journalist Loubna Mrie walks us through life in the early days of the Syrian revolution, how it turned into a nightmarish Civil War, and the consequences of  US Withdrawal.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


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]]> This week on War College, Syrian journalist Loubna Mrie walks us through life in the early days of the Syrian revolution, how it turned into a nightmarish Civil War, and the consequences of  US Withdrawal.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


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]]> A Green Beret Cyber Ninja, The Avengers of Terrorism, and the Missile Defense Review A Green Beret Cyber Ninja, The Avengers of Terrorism, and the Missile Defense Review Sat, 19 Jan 2019 02:34:40 GMT 40:03 c82e5569-3394-4266-91f7-40cdf59ad5bb true https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/agreenberetcyberninja-theavengersofterrorism-andthemissiledefensereview c82e5569-3394-4266-91f7-40cdf59ad5bb 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 agreenberetcyberninja-theavengersofterrorism-andthemissiledefensereview New voices and new topics. It’s War College 3.0. The music is staying the same, but some of the voices are changing. Former Green Beret and current cyber ninja, Derek Gannon comes on the show to co-host and journalist Kevin Knodell steps in to help pro... full New voices and new topics. It’s War College 3.0. The music is staying the same, but some of the voices are changing. Former Green Beret and current cyber ninja, Derek Gannon comes on the show to co-host and journalist Kevin Knodell steps in to help produce.


This week’s show is all about introductions, as we go on a long winded and bizarre discussion that covers everything from Derek’s obsession with Linux to African terror squads to Stuxnet to Missile Defense Review.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.



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]]> New voices and new topics. It’s War College 3.0. The music is staying the same, but some of the voices are changing. Former Green Beret and current cyber ninja, Derek Gannon comes on the show to co-host and journalist Kevin Knodell steps in to help produce.


This week’s show is all about introductions, as we go on a long winded and bizarre discussion that covers everything from Derek’s obsession with Linux to African terror squads to Stuxnet to Missile Defense Review.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.



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]]> The Unsung Heroes of the National Guard The Unsung Heroes of the National Guard Fri, 18 Jan 2019 00:56:03 GMT 30:15 7a17d202-9aee-422c-868f-b58d71a5fa36 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/theunsungheroesofthenationalguard 7a17d202-9aee-422c-868f-b58d71a5fa36 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 theunsungheroesofthenationalguard The National Guard gets a bad rap, but they’re an important part of the military that’s little understood.This week on War College we try to change that.You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Ou... full The National Guard gets a bad rap, but they’re an important part of the military that’s little understood.


This week on War College we try to change that.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


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]]> The National Guard gets a bad rap, but they’re an important part of the military that’s little understood.


This week on War College we try to change that.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Goodbye to Jason Fields and Thanks for All the Podcasts Goodbye to Jason Fields and Thanks for All the Podcasts Thu, 10 Jan 2019 15:00:00 GMT 29:54 68819362-bd1b-4c8b-ac92-0955d48f656b true https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/goodbyetojasonfieldsandthanksforallthepodcasts 68819362-bd1b-4c8b-ac92-0955d48f656b 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 goodbyetojasonfieldsandthanksforallthepodcasts Jason Fields is leaving War College and War College is entering a new era.Tune into to get some behind the scenes anecdotes and hear a special treat from Jason. full Jason Fields is leaving War College and War College is entering a new era.


Tune into to get some behind the scenes anecdotes and hear a special treat from Jason.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Jason Fields is leaving War College and War College is entering a new era.


Tune into to get some behind the scenes anecdotes and hear a special treat from Jason.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA[ICYMI: Erik Prince's Terrible Plan for Afghanistan]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2019 23:27:05 GMT 50:31 93dafbfd-45bb-41e1-84f8-2520e92253c5 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-erikprincesterribleplanforafghanistan 93dafbfd-45bb-41e1-84f8-2520e92253c5 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-erikprincesterribleplanforafghanistan full The United State's war in Afghanistan drags on with no end in sight. Worse, the current administration doesn’t have a clear vision of how it wants to proceed in the country. With all options on the table, private military contractor and entrepreneur Erik Prince - the founder of Blackwater - has gone on a lobbying tour around the U.S. pitching his own plan.


Prince’s vision for Afghanistan calls for a viceroy to take over the country, drive out the Taliban and exploit the country’s natural resources. He’s likened it to the Marshall Plan or the Dutch East India company’s exploitation of India.


This week on War College, author Robert Young Pelton and retired Green Beret Derek Gannon sit down to walk us through why Prince’s plan is bad for Afghanistan and bad for America.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The United State's war in Afghanistan drags on with no end in sight. Worse, the current administration doesn’t have a clear vision of how it wants to proceed in the country. With all options on the table, private military contractor and entrepreneur Erik Prince - the founder of Blackwater - has gone on a lobbying tour around the U.S. pitching his own plan.


Prince’s vision for Afghanistan calls for a viceroy to take over the country, drive out the Taliban and exploit the country’s natural resources. He’s likened it to the Marshall Plan or the Dutch East India company’s exploitation of India.


This week on War College, author Robert Young Pelton and retired Green Beret Derek Gannon sit down to walk us through why Prince’s plan is bad for Afghanistan and bad for America.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The Sad and Dumb Reality of Russia’s Kerch Kerfuffle The Sad and Dumb Reality of Russia’s Kerch Kerfuffle Thu, 20 Dec 2018 22:09:51 GMT 35:18 e95f1f3b-84c3-41ef-bce0-69dfa1289cb7 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thesadanddumbrealityofrussia-skerchkerfuffle e95f1f3b-84c3-41ef-bce0-69dfa1289cb7 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thesadanddumbrealityofrussia-skerchkerfuffle On November 25, Russia seized three Ukranian gunboats in the Kerch strait—a strip of water connecting the Black Sea to Azov Sea. Ukraine claimed it was an act of aggression and, possibly, a prelude to war. Russia said it was just policing its territory... full On November 25, Russia seized three Ukranian gunboats in the Kerch strait—a strip of water connecting the Black Sea to Azov Sea. Ukraine claimed it was an act of aggression and, possibly, a prelude to war. Russia said it was just policing its territory. Then Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko attempted to institute martial law and things got … weird.


With us today to unpack what’s going on is Michael Kofman. Kofman is a Senior Research Scientist with the Center for Naval Analyses. He’s an expert on Russia and he’s been following the Kerch kerfuffle.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> On November 25, Russia seized three Ukranian gunboats in the Kerch strait—a strip of water connecting the Black Sea to Azov Sea. Ukraine claimed it was an act of aggression and, possibly, a prelude to war. Russia said it was just policing its territory. Then Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko attempted to institute martial law and things got … weird.


With us today to unpack what’s going on is Michael Kofman. Kofman is a Senior Research Scientist with the Center for Naval Analyses. He’s an expert on Russia and he’s been following the Kerch kerfuffle.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> The Extraordinary Life and Death of War Correspondent Marie Colvin The Extraordinary Life and Death of War Correspondent Marie Colvin Fri, 07 Dec 2018 01:15:23 GMT 28:57 708ef2cb-24aa-4bcd-aab0-df5791d1e6b0 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/theextraordinarylifeanddeathofwarcorrespondentmariecolvin 708ef2cb-24aa-4bcd-aab0-df5791d1e6b0 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 theextraordinarylifeanddeathofwarcorrespondentmariecolvin War correspondents risk life and limb to report on conflict. Increasingly, it’s a leath profession. Marie Colvin was one of the best in the business. She was so good that Bashar al Assad’s regime ordered her execution.This week on War College, Linds... full War correspondents risk life and limb to report on conflict. Increasingly, it’s a leath profession. Marie Colvin was one of the best in the business. She was so good that Bashar al Assad’s regime ordered her execution.


This week on War College, Lindsey Hilsum walks us through Colvin’s life and death. Hilsum is a journalist and friend of Colvins. She’s just published a new book, In Extremis, that follows Colvin’s fascinating and heartbreaking career.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> War correspondents risk life and limb to report on conflict. Increasingly, it’s a leath profession. Marie Colvin was one of the best in the business. She was so good that Bashar al Assad’s regime ordered her execution.


This week on War College, Lindsey Hilsum walks us through Colvin’s life and death. Hilsum is a journalist and friend of Colvins. She’s just published a new book, In Extremis, that follows Colvin’s fascinating and heartbreaking career.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA[Why America Can't Quit Saudi Arabia]]> Thu, 29 Nov 2018 23:09:51 GMT 33:45 62d4ba6f-8df4-4548-b91e-0da5b579d3ce false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whyamericacantquitsaudiarabia 62d4ba6f-8df4-4548-b91e-0da5b579d3ce 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whyamericacantquitsaudiarabia The alliance between the United States and Saudi Arabia helped define America’s role in the Middle East after World War II. Lately, Saudi Arabia has tested the limits of that relationship. This week on War College, Shadi Hamid walks us through the comp... full The alliance between the United States and Saudi Arabia helped define America’s role in the Middle East after World War II. Lately, Saudi Arabia has tested the limits of that relationship. This week on War College, Shadi Hamid walks us through the complicated alliance and what it means for the world.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> The alliance between the United States and Saudi Arabia helped define America’s role in the Middle East after World War II. Lately, Saudi Arabia has tested the limits of that relationship. This week on War College, Shadi Hamid walks us through the complicated alliance and what it means for the world.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA[ICYMI: The Air Force's Frozen Chicken Gun]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2018 21:57:39 GMT 30:01 eb095b40-86ae-4601-8507-bbf0cdf37de5 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-theairforcesfrozenchickengun eb095b40-86ae-4601-8507-bbf0cdf37de5 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-theairforcesfrozenchickengun full When the United States Air Force tests a new aircraft it needs to make sure it won't crash should a stray bird slam into the plane's side. Thankfully, the military has an artillery piece with a 60-foot barrel that hurls chicken more than 400 miles an hour. The chicken gun allows the military to make sure no stray bird will foul up its expensive jets while they're mid-flight. If you think the chicken gun is weird, it’s only the tip of a strange and fascinating iceberg.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> When the United States Air Force tests a new aircraft it needs to make sure it won't crash should a stray bird slam into the plane's side. Thankfully, the military has an artillery piece with a 60-foot barrel that hurls chicken more than 400 miles an hour. The chicken gun allows the military to make sure no stray bird will foul up its expensive jets while they're mid-flight. If you think the chicken gun is weird, it’s only the tip of a strange and fascinating iceberg.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Dissecting Today’s Apocalyptic Nuclear Culture Dissecting Today’s Apocalyptic Nuclear Culture Thu, 15 Nov 2018 22:24:39 GMT 38:20 3e099f4a-5ea7-4d89-a100-aa19547fd4e3 true https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/dissectingtoday-sapocalypticnuclearculture 3e099f4a-5ea7-4d89-a100-aa19547fd4e3 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 dissectingtoday-sapocalypticnuclearculture From Roadside Picnic to Fallout, the stories a culture tells about can tell you a lot about the culture. On this bonus episode of War College, Matthew and Jake Hanrahan of the Popular Front podcast sit down to puzzle out what’s going on these days with... full From Roadside Picnic to Fallout, the stories a culture tells about can tell you a lot about the culture. On this bonus episode of War College, Matthew and Jake Hanrahan of the Popular Front podcast sit down to puzzle out what’s going on these days with nuclear culture.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> From Roadside Picnic to Fallout, the stories a culture tells about can tell you a lot about the culture. On this bonus episode of War College, Matthew and Jake Hanrahan of the Popular Front podcast sit down to puzzle out what’s going on these days with nuclear culture.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> When Political Violence Exploded in America When Political Violence Exploded in America Wed, 14 Nov 2018 21:37:42 GMT 32:42 6cb31d1b-84e3-4d93-8c1a-1822fca44694 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whenpoliticalviolenceexplodedinamerica 6cb31d1b-84e3-4d93-8c1a-1822fca44694 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whenpoliticalviolenceexplodedinamerica From 1971 to 1972, the FBI reported more than 2,500 bombings in America. That’s five explosions a day, and most were tied to radical underground political movements. Political violence is on the rise in the US but many of its perpetrators are disorgani... full From 1971 to 1972, the FBI reported more than 2,500 bombings in America. That’s five explosions a day, and most were tied to radical underground political movements. Political violence is on the rise in the US but many of its perpetrators are disorganized loners, attached to fringe movements that foment online but rarely follow through. In the 1970s and into the 1980s, dozens of violent political groups agitated for change and attempted the violent overthrow of the government.


Today’s political violence is scary and terrible, but it’s a far cry from the explosive 1970s. Here to help us understand it is Bryan Burrough, author of Barbarians at the Gate, Public Enemies and Days of Rage: America’s Radical Underground, the FBI, and the Forgotten Age of Revolutionary Violence.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> From 1971 to 1972, the FBI reported more than 2,500 bombings in America. That’s five explosions a day, and most were tied to radical underground political movements. Political violence is on the rise in the US but many of its perpetrators are disorganized loners, attached to fringe movements that foment online but rarely follow through. In the 1970s and into the 1980s, dozens of violent political groups agitated for change and attempted the violent overthrow of the government.


Today’s political violence is scary and terrible, but it’s a far cry from the explosive 1970s. Here to help us understand it is Bryan Burrough, author of Barbarians at the Gate, Public Enemies and Days of Rage: America’s Radical Underground, the FBI, and the Forgotten Age of Revolutionary Violence.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> America’s Foreign Policy is Broken, Here’s How it Got That Way America’s Foreign Policy is Broken, Here’s How it Got That Way Thu, 08 Nov 2018 20:27:19 GMT 31:54 5f3bcd79-a36f-4edc-9813-a47a8334559b false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/america-sforeignpolicyisbroken-here-showitgotthatway 5f3bcd79-a36f-4edc-9813-a47a8334559b 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 america-sforeignpolicyisbroken-here-showitgotthatway America is at war all over the planet and the American public doesn’t seem to care. Since the end of the Cold War, Americans have largely checked out of foreign policy concerns. Today on War College, American foreign policy analyst Stephen M. Walt walk... full America is at war all over the planet and the American public doesn’t seem to care. Since the end of the Cold War, Americans have largely checked out of foreign policy concerns. Today on War College, American foreign policy analyst Stephen M. Walt walks us through how we got here, and how to fix it.


Walt’s new book is The Hell of Good Intentions: America's Foreign Policy Elite and the Decline of U.S. Primacy.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> America is at war all over the planet and the American public doesn’t seem to care. Since the end of the Cold War, Americans have largely checked out of foreign policy concerns. Today on War College, American foreign policy analyst Stephen M. Walt walks us through how we got here, and how to fix it.


Walt’s new book is The Hell of Good Intentions: America's Foreign Policy Elite and the Decline of U.S. Primacy.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The ‘Machete Squad’ Saved Lives in Afghanistan The ‘Machete Squad’ Saved Lives in Afghanistan Tue, 30 Oct 2018 18:39:36 GMT 35:21 94b60617-dfbb-4221-8a11-5ec172c7f131 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/the-machetesquad-savedlivesinafghanistan 94b60617-dfbb-4221-8a11-5ec172c7f131 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-machetesquad-savedlivesinafghanistan The life of a combat medic is hard. When you’re a combat medic in Afghanistan, it’s hard and surreal. This week on War College former U.S. Army medic walks us through what it’s like to save lives in Afghanistan and how he, and his squad, avoided self d... full The life of a combat medic is hard. When you’re a combat medic in Afghanistan, it’s hard and surreal. This week on War College former U.S. Army medic walks us through what it’s like to save lives in Afghanistan and how he, and his squad, avoided self destruction, the Taliban, and America’s own Special Forces.


It’s all captured in Dulak’s new comic book memoir Machete Squad.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The life of a combat medic is hard. When you’re a combat medic in Afghanistan, it’s hard and surreal. This week on War College former U.S. Army medic walks us through what it’s like to save lives in Afghanistan and how he, and his squad, avoided self destruction, the Taliban, and America’s own Special Forces.


It’s all captured in Dulak’s new comic book memoir Machete Squad.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> From Vikings to Zombies: A History of Drug Use in the Military From Vikings to Zombies: A History of Drug Use in the Military Mon, 22 Oct 2018 04:00:00 GMT 35:36 9ed7aa7e-1138-4080-a6af-47ff2a8687e4 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/fromvikingstozombies-ahistoryofdruguseinthemilitary 9ed7aa7e-1138-4080-a6af-47ff2a8687e4 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 fromvikingstozombies-ahistoryofdruguseinthemilitary Why do soldiers fight? Maybe it’s patriotism. Maybe it’s comradeship. Maybe it’s fear of their own side.Or maybe it’s the drugs.For as long as there have been people, there have been people trying to get high. It’s no different in warfare. Fighters h... full Why do soldiers fight? Maybe it’s patriotism. Maybe it’s comradeship. Maybe it’s fear of their own side.

Or maybe it’s the drugs.

For as long as there have been people, there have been people trying to get high. It’s no different in warfare. Fighters have used drugs to make themselves bloodier, stronger, more able to go without sleep. Lukasz Kamienski, author of "Shooting Up: A Short History of Drugs and War," joins us.



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]]> Why do soldiers fight? Maybe it’s patriotism. Maybe it’s comradeship. Maybe it’s fear of their own side.

Or maybe it’s the drugs.

For as long as there have been people, there have been people trying to get high. It’s no different in warfare. Fighters have used drugs to make themselves bloodier, stronger, more able to go without sleep. Lukasz Kamienski, author of "Shooting Up: A Short History of Drugs and War," joins us.



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]]> <![CDATA[What 'War by Other Means' Means Now]]> Mon, 15 Oct 2018 04:00:00 GMT 32:29 c4269ddc-db1a-47a5-b539-3fba2ce12e70 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whatwarbyothermeansmeansnow c4269ddc-db1a-47a5-b539-3fba2ce12e70 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whatwarbyothermeansmeansnow Taylor Swift and Islamic State are in a battle for our hearts, minds and eyeballs. Russia wants your vote, or for you not to vote at all. And if you think the amount of false information out there online is dangerous now, just wait. Artificial intellig... full Taylor Swift and Islamic State are in a battle for our hearts, minds and eyeballs. Russia wants your vote, or for you not to vote at all. And if you think the amount of false information out there online is dangerous now, just wait. Artificial intelligence is about to make fake news virtually indistinguishable from the real thing.


Peter W. Singer, author of the new book "LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media," takes us beyond the troll farms and into some even creepier territory.

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]]> Taylor Swift and Islamic State are in a battle for our hearts, minds and eyeballs. Russia wants your vote, or for you not to vote at all. And if you think the amount of false information out there online is dangerous now, just wait. Artificial intelligence is about to make fake news virtually indistinguishable from the real thing.


Peter W. Singer, author of the new book "LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media," takes us beyond the troll farms and into some even creepier territory.

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]]> Why an Ancient Greek Historian Is Still Taught at West Point Why an Ancient Greek Historian Is Still Taught at West Point Mon, 08 Oct 2018 19:02:59 GMT 29:26 b32b5819-b50e-4785-9e9e-31ac32033c89 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thewarthatinspiredassassinscreedodyssey b32b5819-b50e-4785-9e9e-31ac32033c89 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thewarthatinspiredassassinscreedodyssey full More than 2,400 years ago, Thucydides of Athens wrote about his city's war with Sparta. Today, that book is still read at military academies all over the world.

Why?

That's what we asked Dr. Cliff Rogers of West Point.

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]]> More than 2,400 years ago, Thucydides of Athens wrote about his city's war with Sparta. Today, that book is still read at military academies all over the world.

Why?

That's what we asked Dr. Cliff Rogers of West Point.

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]]> ICYMI - How Modern China Got That Way ICYMI - How Modern China Got That Way Wed, 03 Oct 2018 19:55:55 GMT 37:43 67e9c450-7645-423a-8ae0-17f4099f2355 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-howmodernchinagotthatway 67e9c450-7645-423a-8ae0-17f4099f2355 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-howmodernchinagotthatway Xi Jinping’s China tends to look at itself as a historical victim, an underdog fighting to roll back indignities of the past and prove its strength. Author and journalist Paul French has been chronicling China’s rise since the 1980s, but has also focus... full Xi Jinping’s China tends to look at itself as a historical victim, an underdog fighting to roll back indignities of the past and prove its strength. Author and journalist Paul French has been chronicling China’s rise since the 1980s, but has also focused on understanding the development of the country since the Opium Wars of the 19th century.


In this episode, French offers his view of how China’s past is informing its aggressive foreign policy now.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Xi Jinping’s China tends to look at itself as a historical victim, an underdog fighting to roll back indignities of the past and prove its strength. Author and journalist Paul French has been chronicling China’s rise since the 1980s, but has also focused on understanding the development of the country since the Opium Wars of the 19th century.


In this episode, French offers his view of how China’s past is informing its aggressive foreign policy now.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Interviewing the Alleged Secret Master of the Qanon Conspiracy Interviewing the Alleged Secret Master of the Qanon Conspiracy Thu, 27 Sep 2018 03:07:46 GMT 48:18 7ef79f82-0f8b-4f82-acc4-e4c52f519776 true https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/interviewingtheallegedsecretmasteroftheqanonconspiracy 7ef79f82-0f8b-4f82-acc4-e4c52f519776 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 interviewingtheallegedsecretmasteroftheqanonconspiracy Qanon is a conspiracy theory that supposes President Donald Trump is at war with an ancient pedophile cult. When Qanon believers began to show up at Trump rallies, the mainstream media took notice. In early August, BuzzFeed published an article that th... full Qanon is a conspiracy theory that supposes President Donald Trump is at war with an ancient pedophile cult. When Qanon believers began to show up at Trump rallies, the mainstream media took notice. In early August, BuzzFeed published an article that theorized the whole thing was an elaborate prank by leftists activists. Their evidence was a 1999 book about religious rebellions during the 16th century. It’s title? Q.


Wu Ming 1, one of the authors of that book joins us today to talk about Q, Qanon, and the importance of conspiracy theories in modern life.


Take our listener survey!


https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/C5LsSO

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]]> Qanon is a conspiracy theory that supposes President Donald Trump is at war with an ancient pedophile cult. When Qanon believers began to show up at Trump rallies, the mainstream media took notice. In early August, BuzzFeed published an article that theorized the whole thing was an elaborate prank by leftists activists. Their evidence was a 1999 book about religious rebellions during the 16th century. It’s title? Q.


Wu Ming 1, one of the authors of that book joins us today to talk about Q, Qanon, and the importance of conspiracy theories in modern life.


Take our listener survey!


https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/C5LsSO

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]]> Erik Prince Wants a Private Air Force Erik Prince Wants a Private Air Force Tue, 18 Sep 2018 23:17:10 GMT 33:54 d7073245-fc0a-4357-a49b-e873194c327f false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/erikprincewantsaprivateairforce d7073245-fc0a-4357-a49b-e873194c327f 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 erikprincewantsaprivateairforce The man behind defunct mercenary provider Blackwater sees private air power as the key to winning the war in Afghanistan. A new report links Erik Prince to efforts to buy or build private gunships - the kind of weapon only the United States and a few o... full The man behind defunct mercenary provider Blackwater sees private air power as the key to winning the war in Afghanistan. A new report links Erik Prince to efforts to buy or build private gunships - the kind of weapon only the United States and a few other countries have at their disposal.


David Axe, who writes for the Daily Beast, joins us to discuss the results of his investigation.

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]]> The man behind defunct mercenary provider Blackwater sees private air power as the key to winning the war in Afghanistan. A new report links Erik Prince to efforts to buy or build private gunships - the kind of weapon only the United States and a few other countries have at their disposal.


David Axe, who writes for the Daily Beast, joins us to discuss the results of his investigation.

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]]> Venezuela: A Riches to Rags Story Venezuela: A Riches to Rags Story Mon, 10 Sep 2018 04:00:00 GMT 26:37 0ae3e19c-616e-447e-893e-8451d10eba7d false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/venezuela-arichestoragsstory 0ae3e19c-616e-447e-893e-8451d10eba7d 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 venezuela-arichestoragsstory People in Venezuela are murdering each other at the highest rate in the world. Workers are fainting on the job because of hunger. Citizens have lost 20 pounds on average since the country’s economic crisis began. It’s a nation in collapse with no clear... full People in Venezuela are murdering each other at the highest rate in the world. Workers are fainting on the job because of hunger. Citizens have lost 20 pounds on average since the country’s economic crisis began. It’s a nation in collapse with no clear way out.


How did Venezuela, once one of the world’s richest countries, plummet so far? Keith Johnson of Foreign Policy helps us understand.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> People in Venezuela are murdering each other at the highest rate in the world. Workers are fainting on the job because of hunger. Citizens have lost 20 pounds on average since the country’s economic crisis began. It’s a nation in collapse with no clear way out.


How did Venezuela, once one of the world’s richest countries, plummet so far? Keith Johnson of Foreign Policy helps us understand.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> ICYMI - Why Nuclear War Looks Inevitable ICYMI - Why Nuclear War Looks Inevitable Sat, 08 Sep 2018 20:25:56 GMT 30:58 294564ba-8572-4c63-86bf-350df5bdabb0 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-whynuclearwarlooksinevitable 294564ba-8572-4c63-86bf-350df5bdabb0 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-whynuclearwarlooksinevitable full Several recent developments have the potential to move the hands of the nuclear doom clock closer to midnight. In this episode from a while back, we talked with the Washington Post's Dan Zak about his reporting on the potential for nuclear war. What he had to say wasn't cheering.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Several recent developments have the potential to move the hands of the nuclear doom clock closer to midnight. In this episode from a while back, we talked with the Washington Post's Dan Zak about his reporting on the potential for nuclear war. What he had to say wasn't cheering.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> From JFK to Qanon: Why Conspiracy Theories Won’t Go Away From JFK to Qanon: Why Conspiracy Theories Won’t Go Away Tue, 04 Sep 2018 04:00:00 GMT 30:40 4469c214-8863-4f91-88b1-d4144e19812f false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/fromjfktoqanon-whyconspiracytheorieswon-tgoaway 4469c214-8863-4f91-88b1-d4144e19812f 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 fromjfktoqanon-whyconspiracytheorieswon-tgoaway bonus Conspiracy theories are as old as the republic. Actually, they're a lot older than OUR republic. In every country, in every culture, people believe powerful forces are colluding in ways they know nothing about.

Why is that?

In this week's bonus episode we talk with Jesse Walker, books editor of Reason magazine and author of "The United States of Paranoia: A Conspiracy Theory."

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Conspiracy theories are as old as the republic. Actually, they're a lot older than OUR republic. In every country, in every culture, people believe powerful forces are colluding in ways they know nothing about.

Why is that?

In this week's bonus episode we talk with Jesse Walker, books editor of Reason magazine and author of "The United States of Paranoia: A Conspiracy Theory."

You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Insider Attack Leaves Wounded Marine, Lingering Questions Insider Attack Leaves Wounded Marine, Lingering Questions Mon, 27 Aug 2018 22:53:46 GMT 26:49 84ef4e65-f910-4d45-b32f-0956a8e8fd99 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/insiderattackleaveswoundedmarine-lingeringquestions 84ef4e65-f910-4d45-b32f-0956a8e8fd99 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 insiderattackleaveswoundedmarine-lingeringquestions Sometimes called insider, or “green on blue” attacks, when U.S. forces are assaulted by their allies, it usually makes the news. That wasn’t the case in Syria when a member of the Syrian Defense Forces shot a Marine sergeant twice in the leg. Instead, ... full Sometimes called insider, or “green on blue” attacks, when U.S. forces are assaulted by their allies, it usually makes the news. That wasn’t the case in Syria when a member of the Syrian Defense Forces shot a Marine sergeant twice in the leg. Instead, there was no mention of it by the military, no press release. Instead, there was contradictory information and a curious reporter who refused to let it lie.


When Paul Szoldra of Task & Purpose first heard of the incident, the only thing that was clear was that more questions needed to be asked. He tells us what he found on this week’s episode.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Sometimes called insider, or “green on blue” attacks, when U.S. forces are assaulted by their allies, it usually makes the news. That wasn’t the case in Syria when a member of the Syrian Defense Forces shot a Marine sergeant twice in the leg. Instead, there was no mention of it by the military, no press release. Instead, there was contradictory information and a curious reporter who refused to let it lie.


When Paul Szoldra of Task & Purpose first heard of the incident, the only thing that was clear was that more questions needed to be asked. He tells us what he found on this week’s episode.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Space Is Dangerous, but Is Space Force the Answer? Space Is Dangerous, but Is Space Force the Answer? Mon, 20 Aug 2018 22:15:14 GMT 31:13 e479e72c-b40e-48c2-b685-06ad2f613741 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/spaceisdangerous-butisspaceforcetheanswer- e479e72c-b40e-48c2-b685-06ad2f613741 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 spaceisdangerous-butisspaceforcetheanswer- Humanity has never been farther from home than the moon (and that was nearly 50 years ago), but the United States may soon be getting its own Space Force. So, what are the dangers a Space Force is meant to grapple with? And what would it do that isn’t ... full Humanity has never been farther from home than the moon (and that was nearly 50 years ago), but the United States may soon be getting its own Space Force. So, what are the dangers a Space Force is meant to grapple with? And what would it do that isn’t being done now by the Air Force and the other services?


The War Zone’s Joseph Trevithick joins us to explain that the dangers in space are very real, even if it isn’t clear that a Space Force is the answer.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Humanity has never been farther from home than the moon (and that was nearly 50 years ago), but the United States may soon be getting its own Space Force. So, what are the dangers a Space Force is meant to grapple with? And what would it do that isn’t being done now by the Air Force and the other services?


The War Zone’s Joseph Trevithick joins us to explain that the dangers in space are very real, even if it isn’t clear that a Space Force is the answer.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Different Perspectives on America’s Wars Different Perspectives on America’s Wars Mon, 13 Aug 2018 22:00:11 GMT 27:18 7bdf1982-737c-4651-bf7a-ea84174fa49f false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/differentperspectivesonamerica-swars 7bdf1982-737c-4651-bf7a-ea84174fa49f 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 differentperspectivesonamerica-swars Children born on Sept. 11 are old enough to fight in the war that began that day. When they go into battle, they will only know the video of the Twin Towers falling, of the Pentagon wounded and smoking, as historical footage, much like the Zapruder fil... full Children born on Sept. 11 are old enough to fight in the war that began that day. When they go into battle, they will only know the video of the Twin Towers falling, of the Pentagon wounded and smoking, as historical footage, much like the Zapruder film of the Kennedy assassination looks to an earlier generation.


Will they know why they’re fighting in Iraq in Afghanistan? Do we still know?


CJ Chivers of The New York Times joins us to talk it through.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Children born on Sept. 11 are old enough to fight in the war that began that day. When they go into battle, they will only know the video of the Twin Towers falling, of the Pentagon wounded and smoking, as historical footage, much like the Zapruder film of the Kennedy assassination looks to an earlier generation.


Will they know why they’re fighting in Iraq in Afghanistan? Do we still know?


CJ Chivers of The New York Times joins us to talk it through.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> <![CDATA[How the US May Have Lost a War It Didn't Fight]]> Mon, 06 Aug 2018 21:50:15 GMT 29:55 dd343fe2-0218-4f27-8b68-4e124b32a27d false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/howtheusmayhavelostawaritdidntfight dd343fe2-0218-4f27-8b68-4e124b32a27d 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 howtheusmayhavelostawaritdidntfight When Syria was pulled apart seven years ago, the United States opted to stay on the sidelines. It was clear that President Bashar Al-Assad was a bad guy, but it was far less clear who the good guys were. Unfortunately, inaction has also had its price f... full When Syria was pulled apart seven years ago, the United States opted to stay on the sidelines. It was clear that President Bashar Al-Assad was a bad guy, but it was far less clear who the good guys were. Unfortunately, inaction has also had its price for the U.S., according to our guest Steven A. Cook, who is the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> When Syria was pulled apart seven years ago, the United States opted to stay on the sidelines. It was clear that President Bashar Al-Assad was a bad guy, but it was far less clear who the good guys were. Unfortunately, inaction has also had its price for the U.S., according to our guest Steven A. Cook, who is the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> What We Learned From an Attack on Facebook What We Learned From an Attack on Facebook Fri, 03 Aug 2018 20:48:19 GMT 28:15 3ff3722b-b2c8-4223-aecf-7fe4f6eec551 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whatwelearnedfromanattackonfacebook 3ff3722b-b2c8-4223-aecf-7fe4f6eec551 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whatwelearnedfromanattackonfacebook Bonus Episode: Facebook recently revealed that trolls had been at it again: creating pages intended to drive Americans ever further apart, turning the volume of online political discourse up to 11. All signs point to Russia as the instigator. Graham Br... full Bonus Episode: Facebook recently revealed that trolls had been at it again: creating pages intended to drive Americans ever further apart, turning the volume of online political discourse up to 11. All signs point to Russia as the instigator. Graham Brookie of the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab joins us to explain what the perpetrators revealed about themselves and what we have to look forward to in the midterms.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Bonus Episode: Facebook recently revealed that trolls had been at it again: creating pages intended to drive Americans ever further apart, turning the volume of online political discourse up to 11. All signs point to Russia as the instigator. Graham Brookie of the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab joins us to explain what the perpetrators revealed about themselves and what we have to look forward to in the midterms.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Why Germany Isn’t Picking Up More of NATO’s Tab Why Germany Isn’t Picking Up More of NATO’s Tab Tue, 31 Jul 2018 19:43:21 GMT 30:58 db0e0809-9be0-4b3c-a83a-3acd5eb1a134 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whygermanyisn-tpickingupmoreofnato-stab db0e0809-9be0-4b3c-a83a-3acd5eb1a134 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whygermanyisn-tpickingupmoreofnato-stab One of the great strains on NATO is the question of who’s paying how much for what. But that’s not a new problem. Almost as long as the alliance has been around - 69 years - there’s been arguing over the bills. Germany has been a particular target of l... full One of the great strains on NATO is the question of who’s paying how much for what. But that’s not a new problem. Almost as long as the alliance has been around - 69 years - there’s been arguing over the bills. Germany has been a particular target of late, with the United States calling on the economic powerhouse to pay up. Kathleen Hicks of the Center for Strategic and International Studies offers some needed perspective.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> One of the great strains on NATO is the question of who’s paying how much for what. But that’s not a new problem. Almost as long as the alliance has been around - 69 years - there’s been arguing over the bills. Germany has been a particular target of late, with the United States calling on the economic powerhouse to pay up. Kathleen Hicks of the Center for Strategic and International Studies offers some needed perspective.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollegepodcast.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> The Taboo Against Chemical Weapons Is Eroding The Taboo Against Chemical Weapons Is Eroding Thu, 26 Jul 2018 00:12:08 GMT 42:56 086b1d8a-e4f3-4b27-abb7-a46f6a1155b9 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thetabooagainstchemicalweaponsiseroding 086b1d8a-e4f3-4b27-abb7-a46f6a1155b9 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thetabooagainstchemicalweaponsiseroding Bashar Al Assad has gassed his own people. An assassin used VX to murder Kim Jong Un’s half-brother. Now, Russia has allegedly used an obscure Cold War era chemical weapon to assassinate an old spy on British soil. The taboo against chemical weapons ha... full Bashar Al Assad has gassed his own people. An assassin used VX to murder Kim Jong Un’s half-brother. Now, Russia has allegedly used an obscure Cold War era chemical weapon to assassinate an old spy on British soil. The taboo against chemical weapons has eroded and, for those willing to use them, they’re an effective weapon of war.


This week on War College, The Daily Beast reporter Adam Rawnsley walks us through the lastest on the chemical weapon attacks in Britain and what these eroding norms might mean for the future.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Bashar Al Assad has gassed his own people. An assassin used VX to murder Kim Jong Un’s half-brother. Now, Russia has allegedly used an obscure Cold War era chemical weapon to assassinate an old spy on British soil. The taboo against chemical weapons has eroded and, for those willing to use them, they’re an effective weapon of war.


This week on War College, The Daily Beast reporter Adam Rawnsley walks us through the lastest on the chemical weapon attacks in Britain and what these eroding norms might mean for the future.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Your Handy-Dandy Guide to the Russian Mafia Your Handy-Dandy Guide to the Russian Mafia Mon, 16 Jul 2018 16:24:15 GMT 49:37 0abe860e-4909-4ac8-81a7-e92e84616182 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/yourhandy-dandyguidetotherussianmafia 0abe860e-4909-4ac8-81a7-e92e84616182 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 yourhandy-dandyguidetotherussianmafia From blue-tattooed psychopaths to “businessmen” with a twist, Russia’s vory developed a code all their own - if you can call it that. Mark Galeotti takes us through the history of Russia’s mafia and how that history helped to shape Vladimir Putin’s sta... full From blue-tattooed psychopaths to “businessmen” with a twist, Russia’s vory developed a code all their own - if you can call it that. Mark Galeotti takes us through the history of Russia’s mafia and how that history helped to shape Vladimir Putin’s state. For a more detailed look, check out his book “The Vory: Russia’s Super Mafia.”


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


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]]> From blue-tattooed psychopaths to “businessmen” with a twist, Russia’s vory developed a code all their own - if you can call it that. Mark Galeotti takes us through the history of Russia’s mafia and how that history helped to shape Vladimir Putin’s state. For a more detailed look, check out his book “The Vory: Russia’s Super Mafia.”


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


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]]> Is the Land of the Free on the ‘Road to Unfreedom’? Is the Land of the Free on the ‘Road to Unfreedom’? Mon, 09 Jul 2018 18:30:21 GMT 21:59 a9b3f9fe-f0a3-4d5d-bfa5-2f4dbf954f6c false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/isthelandofthefreeonthe-roadtounfreedom- a9b3f9fe-f0a3-4d5d-bfa5-2f4dbf954f6c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 isthelandofthefreeonthe-roadtounfreedom- This week we talk with the author of “Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin,” Timothy Snyder, about the current threat coming out of the East. He argues, in “The Road to Unfreedom,” that there’s more than greed behind Russian President Vladimir ... full This week we talk with the author of “Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin,” Timothy Snyder, about the current threat coming out of the East. He argues, in “The Road to Unfreedom,” that there’s more than greed behind Russian President Vladimir Putin - there’s also an ideology that directly targets democracy.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page:


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]]> This week we talk with the author of “Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin,” Timothy Snyder, about the current threat coming out of the East. He argues, in “The Road to Unfreedom,” that there’s more than greed behind Russian President Vladimir Putin - there’s also an ideology that directly targets democracy.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page:


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]]> Rumors of Peace While Embedded With Special Operations Forces in Afghanistan Rumors of Peace While Embedded With Special Operations Forces in Afghanistan Tue, 03 Jul 2018 22:16:12 GMT 29:47 25b291e2-d580-4a24-af49-b441d4a7fc92 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/rumorsofpeacewhileembeddedwithspecialoperationsforcesinafghanistan 25b291e2-d580-4a24-af49-b441d4a7fc92 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 rumorsofpeacewhileembeddedwithspecialoperationsforcesinafghanistan Afghanistan is America’s longest war and the cynical view is that it’ll never end. Marty Skovlund Jr. doesn’t think that’s true. He just returned from Afghanistan where he embedded with American Special Operations Forces on the ground and though he say... full Afghanistan is America’s longest war and the cynical view is that it’ll never end. Marty Skovlund Jr. doesn’t think that’s true. He just returned from Afghanistan where he embedded with American Special Operations Forces on the ground and though he says the war he saw now looks a lot like the war he himself fought years ago, there’s plenty of reasons to hope.


Skovlund Jr. is a documentarian, writer, and journalist. He’s a frequent guest of the show and wrote about his recent embed in Afghanistan for Coffee or Die Magazine in a piece titled “The Valley of Boys: How a Lone Special Forces Team Is Fighting ISIS in Remote Mountains of Afghanistan”


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Afghanistan is America’s longest war and the cynical view is that it’ll never end. Marty Skovlund Jr. doesn’t think that’s true. He just returned from Afghanistan where he embedded with American Special Operations Forces on the ground and though he says the war he saw now looks a lot like the war he himself fought years ago, there’s plenty of reasons to hope.


Skovlund Jr. is a documentarian, writer, and journalist. He’s a frequent guest of the show and wrote about his recent embed in Afghanistan for Coffee or Die Magazine in a piece titled “The Valley of Boys: How a Lone Special Forces Team Is Fighting ISIS in Remote Mountains of Afghanistan”


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> China’s Stealing Our AI, but May Not Have to for Long China’s Stealing Our AI, but May Not Have to for Long Tue, 26 Jun 2018 17:59:31 GMT 26:25 f2266b48-64e1-486c-9e21-2a189f5171cb false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/china-sstealingourai-butmaynothavetoforlong f2266b48-64e1-486c-9e21-2a189f5171cb 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 china-sstealingourai-butmaynothavetoforlong Artificial intelligence poses a number of different threats. It can make existing weapons more sophisticated and dangerous, it can help develop new weapons entirely and it can easily be used to create the ultimate surveillance state.All of that is h... full Artificial intelligence poses a number of different threats. It can make existing weapons more sophisticated and dangerous, it can help develop new weapons entirely and it can easily be used to create the ultimate surveillance state.


All of that is happening particularly quickly in China, which has stated ambitions to lead the world in AI in the near future. Security expert Elsa Kania joins us to explain what’s going on.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Artificial intelligence poses a number of different threats. It can make existing weapons more sophisticated and dangerous, it can help develop new weapons entirely and it can easily be used to create the ultimate surveillance state.


All of that is happening particularly quickly in China, which has stated ambitions to lead the world in AI in the near future. Security expert Elsa Kania joins us to explain what’s going on.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Nazis in Syria, and What the Media Gets Wrong About Conflict Nazis in Syria, and What the Media Gets Wrong About Conflict Fri, 22 Jun 2018 16:54:21 GMT 31:42 3fe7b0dc-30f4-48a8-bcc1-51c7c26d0657 true https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/nazisinsyria-andwhatthemediagetswrongaboutconflict 3fe7b0dc-30f4-48a8-bcc1-51c7c26d0657 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 nazisinsyria-andwhatthemediagetswrongaboutconflict Among the hundreds of groups fighting in Syria, one stands out. They’re the ones carrying the swastika flag. Independent journalist Jake Hanrahan joins the show to tell us about them and also why, more and more, people covering war are having to go it ... full -3 Among the hundreds of groups fighting in Syria, one stands out. They’re the ones carrying the swastika flag. Independent journalist Jake Hanrahan joins the show to tell us about them and also why, more and more, people covering war are having to go it alone.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Among the hundreds of groups fighting in Syria, one stands out. They’re the ones carrying the swastika flag. Independent journalist Jake Hanrahan joins the show to tell us about them and also why, more and more, people covering war are having to go it alone.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> The Occult Ideologies Powering Modern Politics The Occult Ideologies Powering Modern Politics Fri, 15 Jun 2018 22:23:37 GMT 50:31 0e2a30f4-afe1-408e-99c4-5f12dc432991 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/theoccultideologiespoweringmodernpolitics 0e2a30f4-afe1-408e-99c4-5f12dc432991 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 theoccultideologiespoweringmodernpolitics Things got weird in 2016. From meme magick to Alexander Dugin, from Kek to Chaos, occult ideas have become mainstream. Steve Bannon talked about occult fascist philosopher Julius Evola. U.S. President Donald Trump is an adherent of the Norman Vincent P... full Things got weird in 2016. From meme magick to Alexander Dugin, from Kek to Chaos, occult ideas have become mainstream. Steve Bannon talked about occult fascist philosopher Julius Evola. U.S. President Donald Trump is an adherent of the Norman Vincent Peale and The Power of Positive Thinking. Some in America’s burgeoning neo-Nazi movement see a cartoon frog as an avatar of an Egyptian chaos god.


What the hell is going on?


On a bonus episode of War College author Gary Lachman joins us to explain it all. It’s the topic of his new book Dark Star Rising: Magick and Power in the Age of Trump. It may sound strange, but even if you and I don’t believe it, people in power do.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Things got weird in 2016. From meme magick to Alexander Dugin, from Kek to Chaos, occult ideas have become mainstream. Steve Bannon talked about occult fascist philosopher Julius Evola. U.S. President Donald Trump is an adherent of the Norman Vincent Peale and The Power of Positive Thinking. Some in America’s burgeoning neo-Nazi movement see a cartoon frog as an avatar of an Egyptian chaos god.


What the hell is going on?


On a bonus episode of War College author Gary Lachman joins us to explain it all. It’s the topic of his new book Dark Star Rising: Magick and Power in the Age of Trump. It may sound strange, but even if you and I don’t believe it, people in power do.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Getting the Navy Back to Ready Will Cost Tens of Billions Getting the Navy Back to Ready Will Cost Tens of Billions Wed, 13 Jun 2018 16:48:07 GMT 25:19 292757d3-509d-4962-8774-56ead345707c false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/gettingthenavybacktoreadywillcosttensofbillions 292757d3-509d-4962-8774-56ead345707c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 gettingthenavybacktoreadywillcosttensofbillions With just over 270 ships doing the work intended to be done by more than 350, the U.S. Navy is stretched thin enough for the seams to show. In order to keep enough ships at sea, training is getting short shrift, and so is sleep. And that means accident... full With just over 270 ships doing the work intended to be done by more than 350, the U.S. Navy is stretched thin enough for the seams to show. In order to keep enough ships at sea, training is getting short shrift, and so is sleep. And that means accidents, some of which have been deadly.


What’s to be done about it? Dave Majumdar of National Interest shares a few suggestions, but none of them come cheap.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> With just over 270 ships doing the work intended to be done by more than 350, the U.S. Navy is stretched thin enough for the seams to show. In order to keep enough ships at sea, training is getting short shrift, and so is sleep. And that means accidents, some of which have been deadly.


What’s to be done about it? Dave Majumdar of National Interest shares a few suggestions, but none of them come cheap.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> When German Housewives Stood Up To Hitler When German Housewives Stood Up To Hitler Thu, 07 Jun 2018 00:21:18 GMT 30:01 98c41e08-7ed3-445a-987f-a557df12d28e false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whengermanhousewivesstooduptohitler 98c41e08-7ed3-445a-987f-a557df12d28e 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whengermanhousewivesstooduptohitler Berlin in 1943. Hitler has all but conquered Europe and millions of Jews have already died in the Holocaust. In the midst of this, a group of women gathered on Rose Street to demand action. They had lost their brothers, fathers, and husbands and wanted... full Berlin in 1943. Hitler has all but conquered Europe and millions of Jews have already died in the Holocaust. In the midst of this, a group of women gathered on Rose Street to demand action. They had lost their brothers, fathers, and husbands and wanted to know what had happened to them. They wanted them back and the protested for answers. It worked.


This week on War College, Carnegie Mellon University professor Jessica Hammer and Moira Turkington of War Birds Games takes us through the Rosenstrasse protest and the emotional new game they’ve based on it.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Berlin in 1943. Hitler has all but conquered Europe and millions of Jews have already died in the Holocaust. In the midst of this, a group of women gathered on Rose Street to demand action. They had lost their brothers, fathers, and husbands and wanted to know what had happened to them. They wanted them back and the protested for answers. It worked.


This week on War College, Carnegie Mellon University professor Jessica Hammer and Moira Turkington of War Birds Games takes us through the Rosenstrasse protest and the emotional new game they’ve based on it.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Confronting the Reality of War Confronting the Reality of War Tue, 29 May 2018 21:56:27 GMT 24:34 776d6d14-6a61-4cf5-a831-32879d13bfa3 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/confrontingtherealityofwar 776d6d14-6a61-4cf5-a831-32879d13bfa3 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 confrontingtherealityofwar Only 1 percent of all Americans serve in the military. Even fewer ever see combat. All of those who do are changed by the experience. This week Tony Russo shares some of the stories he’s gathered from combat veterans for the This Is War podcast.Yo... full Only 1 percent of all Americans serve in the military. Even fewer ever see combat. All of those who do are changed by the experience. This week Tony Russo shares some of the stories he’s gathered from combat veterans for the This Is War podcast.



You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Only 1 percent of all Americans serve in the military. Even fewer ever see combat. All of those who do are changed by the experience. This week Tony Russo shares some of the stories he’s gathered from combat veterans for the This Is War podcast.



You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Catching Up With Killer Robots Catching Up With Killer Robots Tue, 22 May 2018 22:37:37 GMT 37:10 96356631-9d32-42fa-a3e1-6858ba0fc796 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/catchingupwithkillerrobots 96356631-9d32-42fa-a3e1-6858ba0fc796 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 catchingupwithkillerrobots When the United States put a machine gun on top of what looked like a bomb-squad robot, it didn’t care much who it was aiming at. But on the whole, drones and other killer robots are pretty effective, and there’s more to come. This week we speak with K... full When the United States put a machine gun on top of what looked like a bomb-squad robot, it didn’t care much who it was aiming at. But on the whole, drones and other killer robots are pretty effective, and there’s more to come. This week we speak with Kelsey Atherton, a writer for C4ISRNet and Fifth Domain, who brings us up to speed on these deadly machines.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> When the United States put a machine gun on top of what looked like a bomb-squad robot, it didn’t care much who it was aiming at. But on the whole, drones and other killer robots are pretty effective, and there’s more to come. This week we speak with Kelsey Atherton, a writer for C4ISRNet and Fifth Domain, who brings us up to speed on these deadly machines.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Everything We Know About Fifth Generation Fighters Everything We Know About Fifth Generation Fighters Wed, 16 May 2018 22:00:05 GMT 36:45 20642eb5-683f-40c5-87ec-e97fc34e5e46 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/everythingweknowaboutfifthgenerationfighters 20642eb5-683f-40c5-87ec-e97fc34e5e46 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 everythingweknowaboutfifthgenerationfighters Why did the United States stop building the F-22, a fifth generation fighter the Air Force loves? Especially if the F-35 program is very much up in the air - pun intended - with each batch of fighters rolling off the line at least slightly different fr... full Why did the United States stop building the F-22, a fifth generation fighter the Air Force loves? Especially if the F-35 program is very much up in the air - pun intended - with each batch of fighters rolling off the line at least slightly different from previous batches? And are China and Russia having better luck with their fifth gen programs? Tyler Rogaway of The War Zone joins us to shed some light.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Why did the United States stop building the F-22, a fifth generation fighter the Air Force loves? Especially if the F-35 program is very much up in the air - pun intended - with each batch of fighters rolling off the line at least slightly different from previous batches? And are China and Russia having better luck with their fifth gen programs? Tyler Rogaway of The War Zone joins us to shed some light.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> North Korea’s Long Game North Korea’s Long Game Tue, 08 May 2018 23:54:08 GMT 49:59 ad3ec339-6768-42f7-888d-254b88af9962 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/northkorea-slonggame ad3ec339-6768-42f7-888d-254b88af9962 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 northkorea-slonggame North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in have met. The Trump administration is on its way to talk denuclearization and the formal end of a war that’s lasted 65 years. Is it peace in our time?Here to help us cut through ... full North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in have met. The Trump administration is on its way to talk denuclearization and the formal end of a war that’s lasted 65 years. Is it peace in our time?


Here to help us cut through the noise and make sense of the news is B.R. Myers. Myers is a professor of international studies at Dongseo University in Busan, South Korea.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in have met. The Trump administration is on its way to talk denuclearization and the formal end of a war that’s lasted 65 years. Is it peace in our time?


Here to help us cut through the noise and make sense of the news is B.R. Myers. Myers is a professor of international studies at Dongseo University in Busan, South Korea.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> What Star Wars Can Teach the American Military What Star Wars Can Teach the American Military Tue, 01 May 2018 15:12:18 GMT 32:12 8f896d6a-6108-4352-b273-0581d817486c false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whatstarwarscanteachtheamericanmilitary 8f896d6a-6108-4352-b273-0581d817486c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whatstarwarscanteachtheamericanmilitary Luke Skywalker is a household name. Carl von Clausewitz not so much. Learning about the military—especially about strategy and tactics—is a jargon filled slog. War has a language all its own and for decades, military minds have struggled to find an eas... full Luke Skywalker is a household name. Carl von Clausewitz not so much. Learning about the military—especially about strategy and tactics—is a jargon filled slog. War has a language all its own and for decades, military minds have struggled to find an easy way to teach conflict to the common citizen and aspiring officer alike.


Star Wars is that language. That’s the theory behind a new book, Strategy Strikes Back, How Star Wars Explains Modern Military Conflict, which teaches military lessons using language and stories from a long time ago and a galaxy far, far away. This week on War College, Military strategist ML Cavanaugh and Max Brooks (author of World War Z) take us through the connections between George Lucas’ battlefields and our own.



You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Luke Skywalker is a household name. Carl von Clausewitz not so much. Learning about the military—especially about strategy and tactics—is a jargon filled slog. War has a language all its own and for decades, military minds have struggled to find an easy way to teach conflict to the common citizen and aspiring officer alike.


Star Wars is that language. That’s the theory behind a new book, Strategy Strikes Back, How Star Wars Explains Modern Military Conflict, which teaches military lessons using language and stories from a long time ago and a galaxy far, far away. This week on War College, Military strategist ML Cavanaugh and Max Brooks (author of World War Z) take us through the connections between George Lucas’ battlefields and our own.



You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> The Life of a Special Operations Physician Assistant The Life of a Special Operations Physician Assistant Tue, 24 Apr 2018 18:47:21 GMT 31:58 3bed84b7-8730-4e73-a110-083df9074cf0 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thelifeofaspecialoperationsphysicianassistant 3bed84b7-8730-4e73-a110-083df9074cf0 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thelifeofaspecialoperationsphysicianassistant War is a bloody business and few people know this better than the medics, physician assistants, and assorted battlefield doctors. Since Vietnam, the U.S. has gotten a lot better at saving the lives of the fallen.This week on War College, we talk c... full War is a bloody business and few people know this better than the medics, physician assistants, and assorted battlefield doctors. Since Vietnam, the U.S. has gotten a lot better at saving the lives of the fallen.



This week on War College, we talk combat medicine with Andrew Fisher. Fisher is a physician assistant with the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment. As a participant in more than 600 missions, Fisher knows first hand how to save lives on the battlefield and, with the help of his colleagues, pioneered new life saving techniques.



You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> War is a bloody business and few people know this better than the medics, physician assistants, and assorted battlefield doctors. Since Vietnam, the U.S. has gotten a lot better at saving the lives of the fallen.



This week on War College, we talk combat medicine with Andrew Fisher. Fisher is a physician assistant with the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment. As a participant in more than 600 missions, Fisher knows first hand how to save lives on the battlefield and, with the help of his colleagues, pioneered new life saving techniques.



You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is warcollege.co. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Is NASA Lost in Space? Is NASA Lost in Space? Tue, 17 Apr 2018 23:00:17 GMT 34:56 0c0ee033-92e7-4bdd-9a30-75370c1961d2 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/isnasalostinspace- 0c0ee033-92e7-4bdd-9a30-75370c1961d2 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 isnasalostinspace- What does the United States get out of having a human spaceflight program? For that matter, what do Russia and China get out of having one? Especially if it’s not about getting the “ultimate high ground” in any fight here on Earth.NASA historian Ste... full What does the United States get out of having a human spaceflight program? For that matter, what do Russia and China get out of having one? Especially if it’s not about getting the “ultimate high ground” in any fight here on Earth.


NASA historian Steven Garber takes us through what the agency is really all about and what lessons can be drawn from the space race so far.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> What does the United States get out of having a human spaceflight program? For that matter, what do Russia and China get out of having one? Especially if it’s not about getting the “ultimate high ground” in any fight here on Earth.


NASA historian Steven Garber takes us through what the agency is really all about and what lessons can be drawn from the space race so far.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> How Germany Kicked France’s Ass So Fast in World War II How Germany Kicked France’s Ass So Fast in World War II Mon, 09 Apr 2018 21:43:56 GMT 29:08 5370de57-17a7-4c59-80a6-c33e04725715 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/howgermanykickedfrance-sasssofastinworldwarii 5370de57-17a7-4c59-80a6-c33e04725715 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 howgermanykickedfrance-sasssofastinworldwarii When France fell less than two months after Germany invaded in the spring of 1940, conspiracy theories grew to explain the loss. One of the most common was the idea of a massive German spy network, a “Fifth Column.”Historian Marc Masurovsky takes us... full When France fell less than two months after Germany invaded in the spring of 1940, conspiracy theories grew to explain the loss. One of the most common was the idea of a massive German spy network, a “Fifth Column.”


Historian Marc Masurovsky takes us through what really happened. Was it subterfuge, or were the Nazi armies just that good?


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> When France fell less than two months after Germany invaded in the spring of 1940, conspiracy theories grew to explain the loss. One of the most common was the idea of a massive German spy network, a “Fifth Column.”


Historian Marc Masurovsky takes us through what really happened. Was it subterfuge, or were the Nazi armies just that good?


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> ICYMI: How the West Has Aided Democracy’s Decline ICYMI: How the West Has Aided Democracy’s Decline Wed, 04 Apr 2018 01:10:05 GMT 30:36 83f46671-a67f-4672-9afd-b76169ad547f false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-howthewesthasaideddemocracy-sdecline 83f46671-a67f-4672-9afd-b76169ad547f 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-howthewesthasaideddemocracy-sdecline full According to Presidents John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, the United States is a shining “city upon a hill." It’s a beacon of democracy in a dark world full of cruel dictators and vicious despots. But history shows the United States has also been willing to side with despots in the name of stability.


This week on War College, we talk to Brian Klaas, a Oxford University graduate and expert on political violence, about his new book – The Despot’s Accomplice: How the West is Aiding and Abetting the Decline of Democracy.


According to Klaas, powerful countries should stop forcing democracy down the throats of their less stable counterparts and avoid settling for despots to achieve stability. He makes the case for co-opting the rank-and-file of old regimes into new ones to prevent state collapse, and for using measured military force and foreign aid money to coax tyrants out of power. Plus, he explores “counterfeit democracies,” and a new city upon a hill in West Africa: The Gambia.

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]]> According to Presidents John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, the United States is a shining “city upon a hill." It’s a beacon of democracy in a dark world full of cruel dictators and vicious despots. But history shows the United States has also been willing to side with despots in the name of stability.


This week on War College, we talk to Brian Klaas, a Oxford University graduate and expert on political violence, about his new book – The Despot’s Accomplice: How the West is Aiding and Abetting the Decline of Democracy.


According to Klaas, powerful countries should stop forcing democracy down the throats of their less stable counterparts and avoid settling for despots to achieve stability. He makes the case for co-opting the rank-and-file of old regimes into new ones to prevent state collapse, and for using measured military force and foreign aid money to coax tyrants out of power. Plus, he explores “counterfeit democracies,” and a new city upon a hill in West Africa: The Gambia.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The Return of Nuclear Anxiety The Return of Nuclear Anxiety Mon, 26 Mar 2018 14:00:00 GMT 27:28 b16bd246-59f5-460a-9291-db125a31d5c6 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thereturnofnuclearanxiety b16bd246-59f5-460a-9291-db125a31d5c6 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thereturnofnuclearanxiety Everything old is new again, including living with the constant threat of nuclear annihilation. North Korea is a nuclear power. The President of the United States has said he’d meet any aggression with fire and fury. Russia is manufacturing tactical nu... full Everything old is new again, including living with the constant threat of nuclear annihilation. North Korea is a nuclear power. The President of the United States has said he’d meet any aggression with fire and fury. Russia is manufacturing tactical nuclear weapons. It’s the Cold War all over again, but this time leaders can snipe at each other via Twitter.


This week on War College, PhD student and upcoming nuclear anthropologist Martin Pfeiffer walks us through how culture’s shifting views on nuclear weapons tells us a lot about culture.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Everything old is new again, including living with the constant threat of nuclear annihilation. North Korea is a nuclear power. The President of the United States has said he’d meet any aggression with fire and fury. Russia is manufacturing tactical nuclear weapons. It’s the Cold War all over again, but this time leaders can snipe at each other via Twitter.


This week on War College, PhD student and upcoming nuclear anthropologist Martin Pfeiffer walks us through how culture’s shifting views on nuclear weapons tells us a lot about culture.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Surprise! It’s President Putin All Over Again Surprise! It’s President Putin All Over Again Sat, 17 Mar 2018 14:00:00 GMT 33:56 bf732792-4018-487d-9905-5dc2e246e89a false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/surprise-it-spresidentputinalloveragain bf732792-4018-487d-9905-5dc2e246e89a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 surprise-it-spresidentputinalloveragain Mark Galeotti joins us for War College’s Russian election special. The winner, Vladimir Putin, was never in doubt, but what’s the sham election all about? And what comes next for Russia and its relations with the world.And by the way, is there a Ger... full Mark Galeotti joins us for War College’s Russian election special. The winner, Vladimir Putin, was never in doubt, but what’s the sham election all about? And what comes next for Russia and its relations with the world.


And by the way, is there a Gerasimov Doctrine? No, no there isn’t.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


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]]> Mark Galeotti joins us for War College’s Russian election special. The winner, Vladimir Putin, was never in doubt, but what’s the sham election all about? And what comes next for Russia and its relations with the world.


And by the way, is there a Gerasimov Doctrine? No, no there isn’t.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


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]]> Inside the Occult Neo-Nazis Killing People in America Inside the Occult Neo-Nazis Killing People in America Mon, 12 Mar 2018 14:00:33 GMT 28:43 968d85fc-d313-4db8-89cc-c7bb77211f1b false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/insidetheoccultneo-naziskillingpeopleinamerica 968d85fc-d313-4db8-89cc-c7bb77211f1b 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 insidetheoccultneo-naziskillingpeopleinamerica From the Silver Legion to the Aryan Nation, the U.S. has had its share of fascist organizations but its never had anything quite like Atomwaffen Division. Grown and organized online, the group has been linked to five murders and a bomb plot in the past... full From the Silver Legion to the Aryan Nation, the U.S. has had its share of fascist organizations but its never had anything quite like Atomwaffen Division. Grown and organized online, the group has been linked to five murders and a bomb plot in the past eight months. The group is so extreme that even prominent leaders of the Alt-Right have denounced it.


This week on War College, journalist Jake Hanrahan takes us through what the group believes, what it wants, and what it might be willing to do to get it.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> From the Silver Legion to the Aryan Nation, the U.S. has had its share of fascist organizations but its never had anything quite like Atomwaffen Division. Grown and organized online, the group has been linked to five murders and a bomb plot in the past eight months. The group is so extreme that even prominent leaders of the Alt-Right have denounced it.


This week on War College, journalist Jake Hanrahan takes us through what the group believes, what it wants, and what it might be willing to do to get it.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> The Double Agent Who Busted a Russian Spy at Hooters The Double Agent Who Busted a Russian Spy at Hooters Mon, 05 Mar 2018 15:00:00 GMT 30:53 4c0e1ed3-5fb0-4859-92e8-d9d0f129bd5a false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thedoubleagentwhobustedarussianspyathooters 4c0e1ed3-5fb0-4859-92e8-d9d0f129bd5a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thedoubleagentwhobustedarussianspyathooters In the minds of many Russians, the Cold War never ended. When the Soviet Union collapsed, many spies never came in from the cold and the intricate game of espionage and counter-espionage has continued to the present day.This week on War College, U.S... full In the minds of many Russians, the Cold War never ended. When the Soviet Union collapsed, many spies never came in from the cold and the intricate game of espionage and counter-espionage has continued to the present day.


This week on War College, U.S. Naval intelligence officer Naveed Jamali shares his story about working as a double agent in the years after 9/11. Jamali posed as a Russian asset for years while passing on information to the FBI. He recounted the story in his memoir, How to Catch a Russian Spy, which is out now in paperback.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> In the minds of many Russians, the Cold War never ended. When the Soviet Union collapsed, many spies never came in from the cold and the intricate game of espionage and counter-espionage has continued to the present day.


This week on War College, U.S. Naval intelligence officer Naveed Jamali shares his story about working as a double agent in the years after 9/11. Jamali posed as a Russian asset for years while passing on information to the FBI. He recounted the story in his memoir, How to Catch a Russian Spy, which is out now in paperback.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> <![CDATA[ICYMI: What's the Point of Nuclear Weapons?]]> Tue, 27 Feb 2018 15:04:40 GMT 30:49 d9d61f77-828d-4191-bb9b-45ccc6359808 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-whatsthepointofnuclearweapons- d9d61f77-828d-4191-bb9b-45ccc6359808 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-whatsthepointofnuclearweapons- full This week we've got a blast from the past. Here's what we said back then:


This week Thomas Nichols helps us understand America’s current nuclear strategy … or lack thereof.


This August marked the 70th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Seven decades later, Washington and the Kremlin control more than 7,000 nuclear warheads … each. Not all of those weapons are active. The two nations have deployed some, stockpiled more and disarmed far too few. And those numbers are down from where they were just a few years ago.


Which is good because nuclear arms are the most terrifying weapons ever created. But with Russia and the United States sitting on so many potential Armageddons — not to mention other nuclear states such as China, India and Pakistan — and so many warheads unused for decades, it begs the question: just what are nuclear weapons good for?

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]]> This week we've got a blast from the past. Here's what we said back then:


This week Thomas Nichols helps us understand America’s current nuclear strategy … or lack thereof.


This August marked the 70th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Seven decades later, Washington and the Kremlin control more than 7,000 nuclear warheads … each. Not all of those weapons are active. The two nations have deployed some, stockpiled more and disarmed far too few. And those numbers are down from where they were just a few years ago.


Which is good because nuclear arms are the most terrifying weapons ever created. But with Russia and the United States sitting on so many potential Armageddons — not to mention other nuclear states such as China, India and Pakistan — and so many warheads unused for decades, it begs the question: just what are nuclear weapons good for?

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Iran’s Red State Revolt Iran’s Red State Revolt Mon, 19 Feb 2018 15:10:42 GMT 26:10 d5075377-ba06-4671-af30-7a91e90964dc false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/iran-sredstaterevolt d5075377-ba06-4671-af30-7a91e90964dc 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 iran-sredstaterevolt Iran is at war beyond its borders in Syria, Afghanistan, and other places, too. It’s a bit weird to hear it, but our guest, Amir Handjani, explains that one reason they’re fighting is a very similar principle to what drives the United States: Fight the... full Iran is at war beyond its borders in Syria, Afghanistan, and other places, too. It’s a bit weird to hear it, but our guest, Amir Handjani, explains that one reason they’re fighting is a very similar principle to what drives the United States: Fight them over there, so we don’t have to fight them here. But that’s not easy with an economy in shambles and protests cropping up where you’d least expect them.

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]]> Iran is at war beyond its borders in Syria, Afghanistan, and other places, too. It’s a bit weird to hear it, but our guest, Amir Handjani, explains that one reason they’re fighting is a very similar principle to what drives the United States: Fight them over there, so we don’t have to fight them here. But that’s not easy with an economy in shambles and protests cropping up where you’d least expect them.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> On the Frontlines of Turkey’s Invasion of Syria On the Frontlines of Turkey’s Invasion of Syria Mon, 12 Feb 2018 15:00:00 GMT 37:56 656f3fa1-6f89-440f-a6d2-e2e942420215 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/onthefrontlinesofturkey-sinvasionofsyria 656f3fa1-6f89-440f-a6d2-e2e942420215 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 onthefrontlinesofturkey-sinvasionofsyria NATO’s second largest army has invaded Syria. Turkey is conducting military operations in Afrin—a Kurdish city on Syria’s north western border. Russia and the U.S. wait on the edges as the world’s most complicated war zone gets even more so.This wee... full NATO’s second largest army has invaded Syria. Turkey is conducting military operations in Afrin—a Kurdish city on Syria’s north western border. Russia and the U.S. wait on the edges as the world’s most complicated war zone gets even more so.


This week on War College, Afrin native Can Êzîdxelo and freelance photographer Joey L. walk us through the conflict, what it means for the Kurds, and what it means for the unending Syrian Civil War.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


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]]> NATO’s second largest army has invaded Syria. Turkey is conducting military operations in Afrin—a Kurdish city on Syria’s north western border. Russia and the U.S. wait on the edges as the world’s most complicated war zone gets even more so.


This week on War College, Afrin native Can Êzîdxelo and freelance photographer Joey L. walk us through the conflict, what it means for the Kurds, and what it means for the unending Syrian Civil War.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The Most Important Middle Eastern Country You’ve Never Heard Of The Most Important Middle Eastern Country You’ve Never Heard Of Tue, 06 Feb 2018 15:00:00 GMT 26:17 1e97284a-73e1-41ce-99ec-c2152e41b3e5 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/themostimportantmiddleeasterncountryyou-veneverheardof 1e97284a-73e1-41ce-99ec-c2152e41b3e5 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 themostimportantmiddleeasterncountryyou-veneverheardof Yemen. Saudi Arabia. Iran. Syria. These are the countries that cross most of our minds when we think of the Middle East, but there’s an important actor in the region that we almost never hear about--Oman.Next door to Yemen and Saudi Arabia and acros... full Yemen. Saudi Arabia. Iran. Syria. These are the countries that cross most of our minds when we think of the Middle East, but there’s an important actor in the region that we almost never hear about--Oman.


Next door to Yemen and Saudi Arabia and across the gulf from Iran, Oman sits in the middle of instability and war. Yet it’s politically and economically stable, friendly to the West, and fends off Islamic extremism with ease. What’s its secret?


This week on War College, Tom Orderman joins us to explain the “Switzerland of the Middle East” and what’s at stake if it falls.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Yemen. Saudi Arabia. Iran. Syria. These are the countries that cross most of our minds when we think of the Middle East, but there’s an important actor in the region that we almost never hear about--Oman.


Next door to Yemen and Saudi Arabia and across the gulf from Iran, Oman sits in the middle of instability and war. Yet it’s politically and economically stable, friendly to the West, and fends off Islamic extremism with ease. What’s its secret?


This week on War College, Tom Orderman joins us to explain the “Switzerland of the Middle East” and what’s at stake if it falls.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> How Modern China Got That Way How Modern China Got That Way Mon, 29 Jan 2018 15:00:00 GMT 37:43 2b2cca69-25c4-44ce-88c9-dbec108718ca false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/howmodernchinagotthatway 2b2cca69-25c4-44ce-88c9-dbec108718ca 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 howmodernchinagotthatway Xi Jinping’s China tends to look at itself as a historical victim, an underdog fighting to roll back indignities of the past and prove its strength. Author and journalist Paul French has been chronicling China’s rise since the 1980s, but has also focus... full Xi Jinping’s China tends to look at itself as a historical victim, an underdog fighting to roll back indignities of the past and prove its strength. Author and journalist Paul French has been chronicling China’s rise since the 1980s, but has also focused on understanding the development of the country since the Opium Wars of the 19th century.


In this episode, French offers his view of how China’s past is informing its aggressive foreign policy now.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Xi Jinping’s China tends to look at itself as a historical victim, an underdog fighting to roll back indignities of the past and prove its strength. Author and journalist Paul French has been chronicling China’s rise since the 1980s, but has also focused on understanding the development of the country since the Opium Wars of the 19th century.


In this episode, French offers his view of how China’s past is informing its aggressive foreign policy now.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> DARPA Is the Disney of the Defense Department DARPA Is the Disney of the Defense Department Mon, 22 Jan 2018 15:00:00 GMT 41:59 bae8f0bf-a153-4d56-8ee9-05bc63d14d3e false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/darpaisthedisneyofthedefensedepartment bae8f0bf-a153-4d56-8ee9-05bc63d14d3e 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 darpaisthedisneyofthedefensedepartment Without America’s Defense Advanced Research Project Agency there would be no internet, no GPS, no M16, and no Agent Orange. The mysterious group of scientists and soldiers created much of today’s military and civilian technology, but the average citize... full Without America’s Defense Advanced Research Project Agency there would be no internet, no GPS, no M16, and no Agent Orange. The mysterious group of scientists and soldiers created much of today’s military and civilian technology, but the average citizen doesn’t know much about them. That’s by design.


This week on War College, Sharon Weinberger—the executive editor Foreign Policy—reveals the hidden world of the Pentagon’s mad scientists.The agency is the subject of her book Imagineers of War: The Untold Story of DARPA, the Pentagon Agency That Changed the World, which comes out in Paperback on February 20.


Weinberger walks us through DARPA’s strangest and most savage projects—from it’s early days helping out the space program to its current foray into artificial intelligence and robotics.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Without America’s Defense Advanced Research Project Agency there would be no internet, no GPS, no M16, and no Agent Orange. The mysterious group of scientists and soldiers created much of today’s military and civilian technology, but the average citizen doesn’t know much about them. That’s by design.


This week on War College, Sharon Weinberger—the executive editor Foreign Policy—reveals the hidden world of the Pentagon’s mad scientists.The agency is the subject of her book Imagineers of War: The Untold Story of DARPA, the Pentagon Agency That Changed the World, which comes out in Paperback on February 20.


Weinberger walks us through DARPA’s strangest and most savage projects—from it’s early days helping out the space program to its current foray into artificial intelligence and robotics.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Prestige Weapons Systems are Busting the Pentagon’s Budget Prestige Weapons Systems are Busting the Pentagon’s Budget Tue, 16 Jan 2018 15:00:00 GMT 38:52 f9d6b70c-fa13-4db8-9dd1-3aa0647a0ba8 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/prestigeweaponssystemsarebustingthepentagon-sbudget f9d6b70c-fa13-4db8-9dd1-3aa0647a0ba8 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 prestigeweaponssystemsarebustingthepentagon-sbudget The Pentagon always wants more money and it usually gets its way. Between sequestration and the War on Terror, America’s military often feels like it’s stretched thin. The Navy says it needs more sailors to prevent disaster, U.S. nukes need upkeep to s... full The Pentagon always wants more money and it usually gets its way. Between sequestration and the War on Terror, America’s military often feels like it’s stretched thin. The Navy says it needs more sailors to prevent disaster, U.S. nukes need upkeep to stay safe, and the Special Operations Forces need more and more support to do their job.


Yet the American military outspends every other major military power on the planet and watch dogs constantly complain of waste, fraud, and abuse at the Pentagon. What’s going on? Here to help us sort it out is one of the watchdogs, former Marine Corps officer and current Project on Government Oversight employee Dan Grazier.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> The Pentagon always wants more money and it usually gets its way. Between sequestration and the War on Terror, America’s military often feels like it’s stretched thin. The Navy says it needs more sailors to prevent disaster, U.S. nukes need upkeep to stay safe, and the Special Operations Forces need more and more support to do their job.


Yet the American military outspends every other major military power on the planet and watch dogs constantly complain of waste, fraud, and abuse at the Pentagon. What’s going on? Here to help us sort it out is one of the watchdogs, former Marine Corps officer and current Project on Government Oversight employee Dan Grazier.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Will the B-21 Bomber Break the Mold, or the Budget? Will the B-21 Bomber Break the Mold, or the Budget? Mon, 08 Jan 2018 15:00:00 GMT 29:31 86b28e52-9211-494c-b291-3e7c0d43ebcc false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/willtheb-21bomberbreakthemold-orthebudget- 86b28e52-9211-494c-b291-3e7c0d43ebcc 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 willtheb-21bomberbreakthemold-orthebudget- Will the B-21 Bomber Break the Mold, or the Budget? full It’s been a while since the Air Force built a new bomber. In fact, it’s still flying an aircraft that’s 60 years old, the B-52. The more recent B-1 and B-2 bombers were beset by problems during their development and construction, and are now long in the tooth themselves.


So, here comes the B-21, still in its development stage. In this episode, we talk with retired Air Force General David A. Deptula about what the new plane’s mission and capabilities will be.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> It’s been a while since the Air Force built a new bomber. In fact, it’s still flying an aircraft that’s 60 years old, the B-52. The more recent B-1 and B-2 bombers were beset by problems during their development and construction, and are now long in the tooth themselves.


So, here comes the B-21, still in its development stage. In this episode, we talk with retired Air Force General David A. Deptula about what the new plane’s mission and capabilities will be.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The Military Reality Behind Star Wars The Military Reality Behind Star Wars Tue, 02 Jan 2018 15:00:00 GMT 34:38 e3f2c1e7-7b16-4f3e-bac6-754f6f7a4110 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/untitledepisode-------------------------------------------------------------- e3f2c1e7-7b16-4f3e-bac6-754f6f7a4110 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 untitledepisode-------------------------------------------------------------- full It's a blast from the past this week and Jason and Matthew get ready for 2018. Here's what we said back then:


From Star Wars to Battlestar Galactica, few battlefields are as fought over in pop-culture as space. Which makes sense. Since the end of World War Two, people have looked to the stars as the next great frontier of both exploration and warfare.


For the United States, the Space Race was about both prestige and gaining an advantage over its Cold War enemies. And since the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, peopled have looked to the skies above and wondered if the next great war might take place in literal vacuum.

But according to David Axe, editor-in-chief of War Is Boring, the war in space won’t look anything like what Hollywood has long pictured. Slow moving robots, lasers and logistics will dominate combat above the skies.


In this week’s War College, Axe dispels the popular myths of space as a battlefield and let’s us know what’s really going on in Earth’s orbit. Axe describes how to weaponize existing satellites, the missiles America and China have developed to knock those satellites out of the sky and the low-cost plans the Pentagon has to maintain its edge in the stratosphere.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> It's a blast from the past this week and Jason and Matthew get ready for 2018. Here's what we said back then:


From Star Wars to Battlestar Galactica, few battlefields are as fought over in pop-culture as space. Which makes sense. Since the end of World War Two, people have looked to the stars as the next great frontier of both exploration and warfare.


For the United States, the Space Race was about both prestige and gaining an advantage over its Cold War enemies. And since the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, peopled have looked to the skies above and wondered if the next great war might take place in literal vacuum.

But according to David Axe, editor-in-chief of War Is Boring, the war in space won’t look anything like what Hollywood has long pictured. Slow moving robots, lasers and logistics will dominate combat above the skies.


In this week’s War College, Axe dispels the popular myths of space as a battlefield and let’s us know what’s really going on in Earth’s orbit. Axe describes how to weaponize existing satellites, the missiles America and China have developed to knock those satellites out of the sky and the low-cost plans the Pentagon has to maintain its edge in the stratosphere.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[ICYMI: This Is How Republic's Fall]]> Tue, 26 Dec 2017 16:00:00 GMT 26:36 50c3aaef-04d5-4684-b335-04a3643de891 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-thisishowrepublicsfall 50c3aaef-04d5-4684-b335-04a3643de891 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-thisishowrepublicsfall full ICYMI: This holiday week we're re-running the first episode of the new era! We'll be back after the new year.


The Weimar Republic was doomed from the start. World War I left Germany in a precarious position. The Treaty of Versailles ended outright aggression but it also left the German economy crippled and saddled its people with a government they never quite believed in. Worse, it stipulated that Germany take full responsibility for the most devastating war in human history.


This week on War College, Jason Fields--the show’s co-creator and digital editor at the Holocaust Museum--returns to walk us through how the Nazis came to power during the interwar years. From the beer halls to Hugo Boss and the Night of Long Knives, Fields tells the story of how streetfights and national shame led to “blood and soil.”

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> ICYMI: This holiday week we're re-running the first episode of the new era! We'll be back after the new year.


The Weimar Republic was doomed from the start. World War I left Germany in a precarious position. The Treaty of Versailles ended outright aggression but it also left the German economy crippled and saddled its people with a government they never quite believed in. Worse, it stipulated that Germany take full responsibility for the most devastating war in human history.


This week on War College, Jason Fields--the show’s co-creator and digital editor at the Holocaust Museum--returns to walk us through how the Nazis came to power during the interwar years. From the beer halls to Hugo Boss and the Night of Long Knives, Fields tells the story of how streetfights and national shame led to “blood and soil.”

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Optimism in America’s Forever War Optimism in America’s Forever War Mon, 18 Dec 2017 15:00:00 GMT 31:12 3a22eb33-f448-4c31-8aef-6ff68fc15234 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/optimisminamerica-sforeverwar 3a22eb33-f448-4c31-8aef-6ff68fc15234 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 optimisminamerica-sforeverwar Marty Skovlund Jr. first went to Afghanistan as an Army Ranger. This year he returned as a journalist. His reports offer a sharp contrast to the main narrative about a place that’s been at war for decades. He sees some hope in the form of Special Opera... full Marty Skovlund Jr. first went to Afghanistan as an Army Ranger. This year he returned as a journalist. His reports offer a sharp contrast to the main narrative about a place that’s been at war for decades. He sees some hope in the form of Special Operations forces, along with well-trained commandos and police units. But are these really signs of peace to come?


Check out Skovlund’s excellent reporting on the War in Afghanistan over at Task and Purpose.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Marty Skovlund Jr. first went to Afghanistan as an Army Ranger. This year he returned as a journalist. His reports offer a sharp contrast to the main narrative about a place that’s been at war for decades. He sees some hope in the form of Special Operations forces, along with well-trained commandos and police units. But are these really signs of peace to come?


Check out Skovlund’s excellent reporting on the War in Afghanistan over at Task and Purpose.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Social Media Has Changed War Forever Social Media Has Changed War Forever Tue, 12 Dec 2017 15:00:00 GMT 34:27 b0bc645a-88c4-4862-b8e5-d15d5a2e3f6b false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/socialmediahaschangedwarforever b0bc645a-88c4-4862-b8e5-d15d5a2e3f6b 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 socialmediahaschangedwarforever War. War has changed.Anyone can keep up to date with the latest conflict on Twitter. Facebook is a great place to watch the propaganda game of entire countries unfold. YouTube amplifies previously marginalized conspiracy theories to millions. Everyt... full War. War has changed.


Anyone can keep up to date with the latest conflict on Twitter. Facebook is a great place to watch the propaganda game of entire countries unfold. YouTube amplifies previously marginalized conspiracy theories to millions. Everything is different now.


This week on War College, we talk to author and journalist David Patrikarakos about his new book War in 140 Characters: How Social Media Is Reshaping Conflict in the Twenty-First Century.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> War. War has changed.


Anyone can keep up to date with the latest conflict on Twitter. Facebook is a great place to watch the propaganda game of entire countries unfold. YouTube amplifies previously marginalized conspiracy theories to millions. Everything is different now.


This week on War College, we talk to author and journalist David Patrikarakos about his new book War in 140 Characters: How Social Media Is Reshaping Conflict in the Twenty-First Century.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> How a Medieval Battle Invented English Pride and Made the Longbow a Legend How a Medieval Battle Invented English Pride and Made the Longbow a Legend Tue, 05 Dec 2017 15:00:00 GMT 44:30 525df0ba-df72-423b-a577-6660576185cd false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/howamedievalbattleinventedenglishprideandmadethelongbowalegend 525df0ba-df72-423b-a577-6660576185cd 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 howamedievalbattleinventedenglishprideandmadethelongbowalegend The birth of a legend full On a Summer day in 1346, a small army of upstart British peasants cut the heart out of the French aristocracy. That’s the story anyway.


The Battle of Crécy was one of the most important of the Hundred Years War. A British army led by Edward III faced an overwhelming French force backed by Genoese crossbowmen. The French outnumbered the British two to one, had the initiative, and attacked in its own territory.


The British won, killed hundreds of French nobles, and showed the world a new way to go to war. This week on War College, David Crowther—host of The History of England Podcast—walks us through the battle. The truth, as always, is more complicated than the legend but no less fascinating.


You can listen to The History of England on iTunes, Stitcher, or follow it directly on Crowther’s website. If you like the series, consider supporting him on Patreon.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> On a Summer day in 1346, a small army of upstart British peasants cut the heart out of the French aristocracy. That’s the story anyway.


The Battle of Crécy was one of the most important of the Hundred Years War. A British army led by Edward III faced an overwhelming French force backed by Genoese crossbowmen. The French outnumbered the British two to one, had the initiative, and attacked in its own territory.


The British won, killed hundreds of French nobles, and showed the world a new way to go to war. This week on War College, David Crowther—host of The History of England Podcast—walks us through the battle. The truth, as always, is more complicated than the legend but no less fascinating.


You can listen to The History of England on iTunes, Stitcher, or follow it directly on Crowther’s website. If you like the series, consider supporting him on Patreon.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> ICYMI: Talking About Russian Propaganda in 2015 ICYMI: Talking About Russian Propaganda in 2015 Mon, 27 Nov 2017 15:00:00 GMT 32:45 d773bcc0-97ec-4aef-977a-0e65ec13286a false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-talkingaboutrussianpropagandain2015 d773bcc0-97ec-4aef-977a-0e65ec13286a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-talkingaboutrussianpropagandain2015 As Jason and Matthew sleep off their holiday induced Turkey Comas, War College presents an episode from the early days of the show. Here’s what we said back then—The media in Russia is lively, often entertaining and largely state controlled. Still, ... full As Jason and Matthew sleep off their holiday induced Turkey Comas, War College presents an episode from the early days of the show. Here’s what we said back then—


The media in Russia is lively, often entertaining and largely state controlled. Still, an illusion of freedom remains key for the Kremlin to maintain its grasp over a country that spans 11 time zones.


In this episode of War College, we look at how Russian president Vladimir Putin crafts his message for both internal and external consumption.


For many in the West, watching Russian TV is like staring into a broken mirror. At first glance, networks such as RT seem like any other channel, but viewers who watch long enough are treated to a bevy of bizarre pundits and conspiratorial spin.


That’s by design.


We’re speaking with journalist, author and former Russian TV producer Peter Pomerantsev. His book Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible explores Putin’s postmodern dictatorship and how the Kremlin uses television to control the country.


“If Stalin was 75 percent violence and 25 percent propaganda,” Pomerantsev explains. “Putin is 75 percent propaganda and 25 percent violence.”


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> As Jason and Matthew sleep off their holiday induced Turkey Comas, War College presents an episode from the early days of the show. Here’s what we said back then—


The media in Russia is lively, often entertaining and largely state controlled. Still, an illusion of freedom remains key for the Kremlin to maintain its grasp over a country that spans 11 time zones.


In this episode of War College, we look at how Russian president Vladimir Putin crafts his message for both internal and external consumption.


For many in the West, watching Russian TV is like staring into a broken mirror. At first glance, networks such as RT seem like any other channel, but viewers who watch long enough are treated to a bevy of bizarre pundits and conspiratorial spin.


That’s by design.


We’re speaking with journalist, author and former Russian TV producer Peter Pomerantsev. His book Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible explores Putin’s postmodern dictatorship and how the Kremlin uses television to control the country.


“If Stalin was 75 percent violence and 25 percent propaganda,” Pomerantsev explains. “Putin is 75 percent propaganda and 25 percent violence.”


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> America’s Secret Nuclear Upgrades America’s Secret Nuclear Upgrades Mon, 20 Nov 2017 15:00:00 GMT 23:38 9f886841-9c3e-46a6-a0d2-802e720bd2b0 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/america-ssecretnuclearupgrades 9f886841-9c3e-46a6-a0d2-802e720bd2b0 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 america-ssecretnuclearupgrades If you just look at the number of warheads, the U.S. nuclear arsenal is a small fraction of the size it was during the Cold War. But is that even the right measure anymore? This week on War College, Reuters’ Scott Paltrow discusses a special report the... full If you just look at the number of warheads, the U.S. nuclear arsenal is a small fraction of the size it was during the Cold War. But is that even the right measure anymore? This week on War College, Reuters’ Scott Paltrow discusses a special report the wire service will release this week.


Paltrow’s investigation discovered vast improvements to bombs whose names have stayed the same as their power increased tenfold, and weapons with adjustable yields that could lead to the ultimate temptation—dropping the big one.

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]]> If you just look at the number of warheads, the U.S. nuclear arsenal is a small fraction of the size it was during the Cold War. But is that even the right measure anymore? This week on War College, Reuters’ Scott Paltrow discusses a special report the wire service will release this week.


Paltrow’s investigation discovered vast improvements to bombs whose names have stayed the same as their power increased tenfold, and weapons with adjustable yields that could lead to the ultimate temptation—dropping the big one.

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]]> A Deadly Warrior’s Peaceful Homecoming A Deadly Warrior’s Peaceful Homecoming Mon, 13 Nov 2017 15:00:00 GMT 30:19 19b11b7e-1a94-4220-a7eb-778139e3b24a false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/adeadlywarrior-speacefulhomecoming 19b11b7e-1a94-4220-a7eb-778139e3b24a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 adeadlywarrior-speacefulhomecoming War is hell and the people who fight often have a hard time coming home. Kevin Lacz didn’t. Lacz is a former U.S. Navy SEAL who served alongside Chris Kyle in the battle of Ramadi. He survived, came home, and thrived. He’s written books, spoken to crow... full War is hell and the people who fight often have a hard time coming home. Kevin Lacz didn’t. Lacz is a former U.S. Navy SEAL who served alongside Chris Kyle in the battle of Ramadi. He survived, came home, and thrived. He’s written books, spoken to crowds, and even played himself in Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper.


This week on War College, Lacz tells us what it’s like to go to war, what it’s like to want to kill people, and how to turn off the warrior when you come home.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> War is hell and the people who fight often have a hard time coming home. Kevin Lacz didn’t. Lacz is a former U.S. Navy SEAL who served alongside Chris Kyle in the battle of Ramadi. He survived, came home, and thrived. He’s written books, spoken to crowds, and even played himself in Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper.


This week on War College, Lacz tells us what it’s like to go to war, what it’s like to want to kill people, and how to turn off the warrior when you come home.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> The Apocalyptic Religion of Stalin’s Russia The Apocalyptic Religion of Stalin’s Russia Mon, 06 Nov 2017 15:00:00 GMT 31:47 db2ca04d-872e-4815-b14f-3b0bf74a6d63 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/theapocalypticreligionofstalin-srussia db2ca04d-872e-4815-b14f-3b0bf74a6d63 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 theapocalypticreligionofstalin-srussia Joseph Stalin’s Bolsheviks were atheists. At least in the traditional sense. But that didn’t mean they didn’t believe in prophecy. In fact, it was prophecy that guided their nearly every action.If people would just obey the rules of communism, peace... full Joseph Stalin’s Bolsheviks were atheists. At least in the traditional sense. But that didn’t mean they didn’t believe in prophecy. In fact, it was prophecy that guided their nearly every action.


If people would just obey the rules of communism, peace, prosperity, justice and brotherhood would grow from the soil and be mass produced in the factories.


So, what happens when a decade passes and the Bolshevik bible has no answers?


Blood.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Joseph Stalin’s Bolsheviks were atheists. At least in the traditional sense. But that didn’t mean they didn’t believe in prophecy. In fact, it was prophecy that guided their nearly every action.


If people would just obey the rules of communism, peace, prosperity, justice and brotherhood would grow from the soil and be mass produced in the factories.


So, what happens when a decade passes and the Bolshevik bible has no answers?


Blood.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Congress No Longer Sends America to War Congress No Longer Sends America to War Mon, 30 Oct 2017 14:00:00 GMT 35:57 7c140024-7b25-43f6-a3e8-bc48c9339631 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/no-thereisnoclearandpresentdangerinniger 7c140024-7b25-43f6-a3e8-bc48c9339631 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 no-thereisnoclearandpresentdangerinniger An ambush killed four U.S. Special Operations soldiers in the North African country of Niger. Before the incident, few Americans had ever heard of Niger and fewer knew American soldiers were fighting and dying on the continent.What were the troops (... full An ambush killed four U.S. Special Operations soldiers in the North African country of Niger. Before the incident, few Americans had ever heard of Niger and fewer knew American soldiers were fighting and dying on the continent.


What were the troops (a mix of Green Berets and support troops) doing there, and who is ultimately responsible for their deaths? This week, War College looks for some answers along with Derek Gannon, a retired Green Beret, and Joseph Trevithick, who’s been studying the fluid situation in Africa for years.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> An ambush killed four U.S. Special Operations soldiers in the North African country of Niger. Before the incident, few Americans had ever heard of Niger and fewer knew American soldiers were fighting and dying on the continent.


What were the troops (a mix of Green Berets and support troops) doing there, and who is ultimately responsible for their deaths? This week, War College looks for some answers along with Derek Gannon, a retired Green Beret, and Joseph Trevithick, who’s been studying the fluid situation in Africa for years.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> How the Kurds Defeated ISIS and Lost a Nation In the Same Week How the Kurds Defeated ISIS and Lost a Nation In the Same Week Mon, 23 Oct 2017 14:00:00 GMT 48:58 9fa1b442-ba0e-4beb-948b-06dfd5d0d80a false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/howthekurdsdefeatedisisandlostanationinthesameweek 9fa1b442-ba0e-4beb-948b-06dfd5d0d80a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 howthekurdsdefeatedisisandlostanationinthesameweek full The Kurds live in Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq but have no country to call their own. When they decided to create one for themselves inside Iraq, it didn’t go well.


After Iraq's Kurds held an independence referendum—which passed with more than 90 percent of the vote—Baghdad's armed forces moved fast. Its armies and allied Shi'ite militias took the city of Kirkuk and the surrounding oil fields. Within days, the Kurd’s economic engine was gone.


At the same time, Kurds in Syria captured Islamic State's capital, Raqqa. The United States, which has backed Kurds in both countries, had little to say about either event.


So what's really going on with this U.S. ally without a country?


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


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]]> The Kurds live in Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq but have no country to call their own. When they decided to create one for themselves inside Iraq, it didn’t go well.


After Iraq's Kurds held an independence referendum—which passed with more than 90 percent of the vote—Baghdad's armed forces moved fast. Its armies and allied Shi'ite militias took the city of Kirkuk and the surrounding oil fields. Within days, the Kurd’s economic engine was gone.


At the same time, Kurds in Syria captured Islamic State's capital, Raqqa. The United States, which has backed Kurds in both countries, had little to say about either event.


So what's really going on with this U.S. ally without a country?


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


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]]> Death Math: Here’s How Many People Would Die in a Nuclear War Death Math: Here’s How Many People Would Die in a Nuclear War Mon, 16 Oct 2017 14:00:00 GMT 39:03 ce1128aa-38d5-417a-8ad8-00dc55345387 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/deathmath-here-showmanypeoplewoulddieinanuclearwar ce1128aa-38d5-417a-8ad8-00dc55345387 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 deathmath-here-showmanypeoplewoulddieinanuclearwar Tensions between North Korea and the United States are at a fever pitch. The DPRK’s nukes are scary, but once the first missile flies there’s no way to know who might join the fight and how it might end. That’s scarier.So just how bad could it get? ... full Tensions between North Korea and the United States are at a fever pitch. The DPRK’s nukes are scary, but once the first missile flies there’s no way to know who might join the fight and how it might end. That’s scarier.


So just how bad could it get? Would global nuclear war leave nothing alive but the cockroaches? We talked with Neil Halloran, who has literally done the math. The answer wasn’t what we expected.


You can see Halloran’s full analysis in his fantastic animated film:


http://www.fallen.io/shadow-peace/1/


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Tensions between North Korea and the United States are at a fever pitch. The DPRK’s nukes are scary, but once the first missile flies there’s no way to know who might join the fight and how it might end. That’s scarier.


So just how bad could it get? Would global nuclear war leave nothing alive but the cockroaches? We talked with Neil Halloran, who has literally done the math. The answer wasn’t what we expected.


You can see Halloran’s full analysis in his fantastic animated film:


http://www.fallen.io/shadow-peace/1/


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> How the Military Is (Quietly) Defying Trump by Battling Climate Change How the Military Is (Quietly) Defying Trump by Battling Climate Change Mon, 09 Oct 2017 14:00:00 GMT 25:42 1c9baf16-985b-4990-9f1d-cfe83dd8ff81 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/howthemilitaryis-quietly-defyingtrumpbybattlingclimatechange 1c9baf16-985b-4990-9f1d-cfe83dd8ff81 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 howthemilitaryis-quietly-defyingtrumpbybattlingclimatechange Barack Obama ordered the U.S. military to directly prepare for climate change. Donald Trump’s White House reversed that policy.So what’s a general to do?Tara Copp, Pentagon bureau chief for Military Times, takes us deep into the five-sided box to... full Barack Obama ordered the U.S. military to directly prepare for climate change. Donald Trump’s White House reversed that policy.


So what’s a general to do?


Tara Copp, Pentagon bureau chief for Military Times, takes us deep into the five-sided box to tell us what the military is doing to fight what they see as a real threat, not just a political football. With more and more civilians in need of rescue, shipyards sinking below sea level, and Arctic ice breaking up, top brass is taking action now and leaving labels for another day.

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]]> Barack Obama ordered the U.S. military to directly prepare for climate change. Donald Trump’s White House reversed that policy.


So what’s a general to do?


Tara Copp, Pentagon bureau chief for Military Times, takes us deep into the five-sided box to tell us what the military is doing to fight what they see as a real threat, not just a political football. With more and more civilians in need of rescue, shipyards sinking below sea level, and Arctic ice breaking up, top brass is taking action now and leaving labels for another day.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The CIA’s Super-Secret Submarine Scooper The CIA’s Super-Secret Submarine Scooper Mon, 02 Oct 2017 14:00:52 GMT 37:29 bbbfeaa3-ffc4-4f66-8d8b-61243bcf7f7b false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thecia-ssuper-secretsubmarinescooper bbbfeaa3-ffc4-4f66-8d8b-61243bcf7f7b 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thecia-ssuper-secretsubmarinescooper Sometimes the only way a spy agency can hide a secret is under the brightest of spotlights. This week, we talk with author Josh Dean about how the CI... full Sometimes the only way a spy agency can hide a secret is under the brightest of spotlights. This week, we talk with author Josh Dean about how the CIA’s Directorate of Science and Technology works and about some of its most audacious projects, including the SR-71 Blackbird.


According to Dean, though, nothing tops the CIA plan to recover a sunken Soviet submarine from 3-miles deep in the Pacific. Even more than 40 years later, the technology used to do it is nearly state of the art, and the cover story seems even more unlikely.


We cover a lot of ground in the podcast, but for even more, check out Dean’s book: The Taking of K-129: How the CIA Used Howard Hughes to Steal a Russian Sub in the Most Daring Covert Operation in History. 


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Sometimes the only way a spy agency can hide a secret is under the brightest of spotlights. This week, we talk with author Josh Dean about how the CIA’s Directorate of Science and Technology works and about some of its most audacious projects, including the SR-71 Blackbird.


According to Dean, though, nothing tops the CIA plan to recover a sunken Soviet submarine from 3-miles deep in the Pacific. Even more than 40 years later, the technology used to do it is nearly state of the art, and the cover story seems even more unlikely.


We cover a lot of ground in the podcast, but for even more, check out Dean’s book: The Taking of K-129: How the CIA Used Howard Hughes to Steal a Russian Sub in the Most Daring Covert Operation in History. 


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> Debunking Two Persistent Myths of the War in Afghanistan Debunking Two Persistent Myths of the War in Afghanistan Wed, 27 Sep 2017 23:30:00 GMT 25:29 94fda7d3-c55a-44fc-a8b6-28273787a29c false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/debunkingtwopersistentmythsofthewarinafghanistan 94fda7d3-c55a-44fc-a8b6-28273787a29c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 debunkingtwopersistentmythsofthewarinafghanistan On August 6, 2011, an American Chinook helicopter named Extortion 17 carried 38 people—including 15 members of SEAL Team Six—to an area 40 miles sout... full On August 6, 2011, an American Chinook helicopter named Extortion 17 carried 38 people—including 15 members of SEAL Team Six—to an area 40 miles southwest of Kabul. As the helicopter made its final descent to land, a group of insurgents fired an RPG at it. The lucky shot destroyed the helicopter’s rear rotor and the subsequent crash killed everyone on board. It was the greatest loss of life from a single incident in the Afghan war.


This week on War College, journalist Ed Darack walks us through the last moments of Extortion 17. It’s the subject of his new book The Final Mission of Extortion 17: Special Ops, Helicopter Support, SEAL Team Six, and the Deadliest Day of the U.S. War in Afghanistan. Darack’s meticulous reporting sets the record straight on a tragic accident that’s long been the subject of conspiracy theories.


Pick up a copy of Darack’s book.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> On August 6, 2011, an American Chinook helicopter named Extortion 17 carried 38 people—including 15 members of SEAL Team Six—to an area 40 miles southwest of Kabul. As the helicopter made its final descent to land, a group of insurgents fired an RPG at it. The lucky shot destroyed the helicopter’s rear rotor and the subsequent crash killed everyone on board. It was the greatest loss of life from a single incident in the Afghan war.


This week on War College, journalist Ed Darack walks us through the last moments of Extortion 17. It’s the subject of his new book The Final Mission of Extortion 17: Special Ops, Helicopter Support, SEAL Team Six, and the Deadliest Day of the U.S. War in Afghanistan. Darack’s meticulous reporting sets the record straight on a tragic accident that’s long been the subject of conspiracy theories.


Pick up a copy of Darack’s book.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> How Iran Outsourced Regional War to the Party of God How Iran Outsourced Regional War to the Party of God Mon, 18 Sep 2017 14:00:00 GMT 27:59 64bc1241-2724-4a60-a003-a8814ea1012f false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/howiranoutsourcedregionalwartothepartyofgod 64bc1241-2724-4a60-a003-a8814ea1012f 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 howiranoutsourcedregionalwartothepartyofgod The Party of God, Hezbollah, is reaching out far beyond its Lebanese roots as they work with Iran to spread their joint vision of holy war. Working w... full The Party of God, Hezbollah, is reaching out far beyond its Lebanese roots as they work with Iran to spread their joint vision of holy war. Working with money and equipment from Iran, the Shi’ite militia now operates in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. The party dedicated to the destruction of the Israel is doing a lot of work in countries east of its target.


Don’t get them wrong, Hezbollah still hates Israel and wants to destroy it, but it’s lending its expertise—and soldiers—to faraway battles. This week on War College, New York Times journalist Ben Hubbard takes us through what’s changed for the Shi’ite militia group and why they’re fighting so far from home and what Iran gets by supporting it.


Read Hubbard’s article on Hezbollah here.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

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]]> The Party of God, Hezbollah, is reaching out far beyond its Lebanese roots as they work with Iran to spread their joint vision of holy war. Working with money and equipment from Iran, the Shi’ite militia now operates in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. The party dedicated to the destruction of the Israel is doing a lot of work in countries east of its target.


Don’t get them wrong, Hezbollah still hates Israel and wants to destroy it, but it’s lending its expertise—and soldiers—to faraway battles. This week on War College, New York Times journalist Ben Hubbard takes us through what’s changed for the Shi’ite militia group and why they’re fighting so far from home and what Iran gets by supporting it.


Read Hubbard’s article on Hezbollah here.


You can listen to War College on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> What Game of Thrones Teaches Us About Nuclear War What Game of Thrones Teaches Us About Nuclear War Mon, 11 Sep 2017 14:00:00 GMT 37:03 7bd9cd59-0be2-4697-80ca-df5cdd4a199d false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whatgameofthronesteachesusaboutnuclearwar 7bd9cd59-0be2-4697-80ca-df5cdd4a199d 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whatgameofthronesteachesusaboutnuclearwar From The Day After full From The Day After to Threads, fiction has long reflected our nuclear fears. Today, Daenerys Targaryen’s flying dragons stand in for B-52 bombers armed with thermonuclear bombs and the ashen corpses of Lannister guards remind us of Hiroshima.


This week on War College, nuclear weapons expert Timothy Westmyer talks us through the nuclear metaphors in Game of Thrones. Westmyer is a nuclear security expert with CRDF Global and the host of the Super Critical Podcast—a show that explores pop culture’s obsession with atomic power.


It’s a geek fest this week, as Westmyer runs down the history of weapons of mass destruction in Westeros. We argue about whether Dany’s children really are weapons of mass destruction or just an effective air power, what Game of Thrones can tell us about our fear of an atomic confrontation between the U.S. and North Korea, and the TV movie from the ‘80s that’s still effective today.


If that wasn’t enough, we dive into the Fallout video games series, which take place in an alternative American future where the bombs fell and the atom never went out of style. The popular games take players through a world that looks like the 1950s never ended, and nuclear armageddon froze it in place.


Please let us know what you think of this show. It’s definitely a change for us. By making our break from Reuters, we have a chance to do a little experimentation, but we know it’s the serious stuff that got us here.


You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


Next week, we’re back to a more traditional topic, an Islamist group you may not think much about that’s reshaping the Middle East with the help of Iran.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> From The Day After to Threads, fiction has long reflected our nuclear fears. Today, Daenerys Targaryen’s flying dragons stand in for B-52 bombers armed with thermonuclear bombs and the ashen corpses of Lannister guards remind us of Hiroshima.


This week on War College, nuclear weapons expert Timothy Westmyer talks us through the nuclear metaphors in Game of Thrones. Westmyer is a nuclear security expert with CRDF Global and the host of the Super Critical Podcast—a show that explores pop culture’s obsession with atomic power.


It’s a geek fest this week, as Westmyer runs down the history of weapons of mass destruction in Westeros. We argue about whether Dany’s children really are weapons of mass destruction or just an effective air power, what Game of Thrones can tell us about our fear of an atomic confrontation between the U.S. and North Korea, and the TV movie from the ‘80s that’s still effective today.


If that wasn’t enough, we dive into the Fallout video games series, which take place in an alternative American future where the bombs fell and the atom never went out of style. The popular games take players through a world that looks like the 1950s never ended, and nuclear armageddon froze it in place.


Please let us know what you think of this show. It’s definitely a change for us. By making our break from Reuters, we have a chance to do a little experimentation, but we know it’s the serious stuff that got us here.


You can reach us on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/warcollegepodcast/; and on Twitter: @War_College.


Next week, we’re back to a more traditional topic, an Islamist group you may not think much about that’s reshaping the Middle East with the help of Iran.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The Man Putin Hates For Shooting Down Fake News The Man Putin Hates For Shooting Down Fake News Fri, 08 Sep 2017 16:00:00 GMT 35:17 6e68343b-3ab7-4ff3-aea8-c1549ac49582 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/themanputinhatesforshootingdownfakenews 6e68343b-3ab7-4ff3-aea8-c1549ac49582 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 themanputinhatesforshootingdownfakenews The impunity of some of the world’s most frightening men is under threat from people stereotyped as geeks in basements around the world. In the 21st ... full The impunity of some of the world’s most frightening men is under threat from people stereotyped as geeks in basements around the world. In the 21st century, well-informed and observant social media addicts have extraordinary powers. Eliot Higgins started watching and reporting on war from the comfort of his living room in 2012. Five years later, he’s using his skills to help the International Criminal Court in The Hague to prosecute war criminals. It’s been a strange journey.


This week on War College, Higgins walks us through how he built Bellingcat—a team of investigators who use open source-intelligence and social media to investigate a variety of subjects. They unearthed Russian lies about the shootdown of passenger flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014, proved the existence of chemical attacks in Syria, and looked into financial crimes in England.


Higgins is a self-taught open source intelligence expert who thinks anyone can learn to do what he does. Bellingcat doesn’t only investigate crimes, it also teaches its readers how to do the same. For Higgins, it’s a hobby that became a job and a mission. One that’s earned him the admiration of the international community and more than a few enemies.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The impunity of some of the world’s most frightening men is under threat from people stereotyped as geeks in basements around the world. In the 21st century, well-informed and observant social media addicts have extraordinary powers. Eliot Higgins started watching and reporting on war from the comfort of his living room in 2012. Five years later, he’s using his skills to help the International Criminal Court in The Hague to prosecute war criminals. It’s been a strange journey.


This week on War College, Higgins walks us through how he built Bellingcat—a team of investigators who use open source-intelligence and social media to investigate a variety of subjects. They unearthed Russian lies about the shootdown of passenger flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014, proved the existence of chemical attacks in Syria, and looked into financial crimes in England.


Higgins is a self-taught open source intelligence expert who thinks anyone can learn to do what he does. Bellingcat doesn’t only investigate crimes, it also teaches its readers how to do the same. For Higgins, it’s a hobby that became a job and a mission. One that’s earned him the admiration of the international community and more than a few enemies.

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]]> ICYMI: How American Soldiers Became Lawyers With Guns ICYMI: How American Soldiers Became Lawyers With Guns Fri, 01 Sep 2017 17:00:00 GMT 36:02 fc3147ad-9cad-4f1d-9c7e-379544b41077 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-howamericansoldiersbecamelawyerswithguns fc3147ad-9cad-4f1d-9c7e-379544b41077 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-howamericansoldiersbecamelawyerswithguns More than 11,000 U.S. soldiers are fighting in Afghanistan right now. U.S. President Donald Trump plans to send 4,000 more. Military advisers are ove... full More than 11,000 U.S. soldiers are fighting in Afghanistan right now. U.S. President Donald Trump plans to send 4,000 more. Military advisers are overseeing the war against the Islamic State and American military equipment and expertise helped retake Mosul. Drones launch from bases in Africa and the Middle East to conduct targeted killings against high value targets from Djibouti to Pakistan. U.S. Special Operations Forces operate across the globe in various capacities. Most of these missions are classified.


So America’s at war, right? Legally, no.


War, as we normally define it, no longer makes sense. There’s no draft — and only one percent of the U.S. population is in the military. The government isn’t levying special taxes or issuing bonds to pay for the fighting. And all this “war” — drone strikes, Special Forces deployments, air strikes and aircraft carrier deployments — is happening with little public scrutiny.


This week on War College, we sit down with Rosa Brooks to figure out how America barreled headlong into a permanent war without defining the terms or thinking about the consequences. Brooks is a former U.S. State Department official and the author of the book How Everything Became War and the Military Became Everything: Tales From the Pentagon.


Brooks argues that U.S. citizens and lawmakers should shake off fears of appearing unpatriotic to challenge the government’s unchecked, unilateral and covert military activities abroad. If that doesn’t happen soon, she says, the United States may have to pay for the dangerous example it’s setting for Russia and China.

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]]> More than 11,000 U.S. soldiers are fighting in Afghanistan right now. U.S. President Donald Trump plans to send 4,000 more. Military advisers are overseeing the war against the Islamic State and American military equipment and expertise helped retake Mosul. Drones launch from bases in Africa and the Middle East to conduct targeted killings against high value targets from Djibouti to Pakistan. U.S. Special Operations Forces operate across the globe in various capacities. Most of these missions are classified.


So America’s at war, right? Legally, no.


War, as we normally define it, no longer makes sense. There’s no draft — and only one percent of the U.S. population is in the military. The government isn’t levying special taxes or issuing bonds to pay for the fighting. And all this “war” — drone strikes, Special Forces deployments, air strikes and aircraft carrier deployments — is happening with little public scrutiny.


This week on War College, we sit down with Rosa Brooks to figure out how America barreled headlong into a permanent war without defining the terms or thinking about the consequences. Brooks is a former U.S. State Department official and the author of the book How Everything Became War and the Military Became Everything: Tales From the Pentagon.


Brooks argues that U.S. citizens and lawmakers should shake off fears of appearing unpatriotic to challenge the government’s unchecked, unilateral and covert military activities abroad. If that doesn’t happen soon, she says, the United States may have to pay for the dangerous example it’s setting for Russia and China.

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]]> This Is How Republics Fall This Is How Republics Fall Fri, 25 Aug 2017 18:00:00 GMT 26:36 7357b18b-3df6-4dae-9791-e59862b2cf91 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thisishowrepublicsfall 7357b18b-3df6-4dae-9791-e59862b2cf91 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thisishowrepublicsfall The Weimar Republic was doomed from the start. World War I left Germany in a precarious position. The Treaty of Versailles ended outright aggression ... full The Weimar Republic was doomed from the start. World War I left Germany in a precarious position. The Treaty of Versailles ended outright aggression but it also left the German economy crippled and saddled its people with a government they never quite believed in. Worse, it stipulated that Germany take full responsibility for the most devastating war in human history.


This week on War College, Jason Fields--the show’s co-creator and digital editor at the Holocaust Museum--returns to walk us through how the Nazis came to power during the interwar years. From the beer halls to Hugo Boss and the Night of Long Knives, Fields tells the story of how streetfights and national shame led to “blood and soil.”


By Matthew Gault. Produced by Jason Fields and Matthew Gault

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]]> The Weimar Republic was doomed from the start. World War I left Germany in a precarious position. The Treaty of Versailles ended outright aggression but it also left the German economy crippled and saddled its people with a government they never quite believed in. Worse, it stipulated that Germany take full responsibility for the most devastating war in human history.


This week on War College, Jason Fields--the show’s co-creator and digital editor at the Holocaust Museum--returns to walk us through how the Nazis came to power during the interwar years. From the beer halls to Hugo Boss and the Night of Long Knives, Fields tells the story of how streetfights and national shame led to “blood and soil.”


By Matthew Gault. Produced by Jason Fields and Matthew Gault

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]]> Erik Prince’s terrible plan for Afghanistan Erik Prince’s terrible plan for Afghanistan Fri, 18 Aug 2017 13:41:24 GMT 51:13 7aa445d2-9342-42de-b9f6-29d9af41b496 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/erikprince-sterribleplanforafghanistan 7aa445d2-9342-42de-b9f6-29d9af41b496 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 erikprince-sterribleplanforafghanistan full The United State's war in Afghanistan drags on with no end in sight. Worse, the current administration doesn’t have a clear vision of how it wants to proceed in the country. With all options on the table, private military contractor and entrepreneur Erik Prince - the founder of Blackwater - has gone on a lobbying tour around the U.S. pitching his own plan. Prince’s vision for Afghanistan calls for a viceroy to take over the country, drive out the Taliban and exploit the country’s natural resources. He’s likened it to the Marshall Plan or the Dutch East India company’s exploitation of India. This week on War College, author Robert Young Pelton and retired Green Beret Derek Gannon sit down to walk us through why Prince’s plan is bad for Afghanistan and bad for America. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> The United State's war in Afghanistan drags on with no end in sight. Worse, the current administration doesn’t have a clear vision of how it wants to proceed in the country. With all options on the table, private military contractor and entrepreneur Erik Prince - the founder of Blackwater - has gone on a lobbying tour around the U.S. pitching his own plan. Prince’s vision for Afghanistan calls for a viceroy to take over the country, drive out the Taliban and exploit the country’s natural resources. He’s likened it to the Marshall Plan or the Dutch East India company’s exploitation of India. This week on War College, author Robert Young Pelton and retired Green Beret Derek Gannon sit down to walk us through why Prince’s plan is bad for Afghanistan and bad for America. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> Why China won’t stop North Korea Why China won’t stop North Korea Thu, 10 Aug 2017 18:29:26 GMT 35:51 733b29a2-89ea-4bba-9407-69502716fd7e false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whychinawon-tstopnorthkorea 733b29a2-89ea-4bba-9407-69502716fd7e 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whychinawon-tstopnorthkorea As tensions grow between the U.S. and North Korea, onlookers have increasingly called on China to intervene. Which makes sense. Beijing is Pyongyang’s biggest trade partner and the two countries have a relationship that stretches back to World War II.... full As tensions grow between the U.S. and North Korea, onlookers have increasingly called on China to intervene. Which makes sense. Beijing is Pyongyang’s biggest trade partner and the two countries have a relationship that stretches back to World War II. But just because China is North Korea’s closest ally doesn’t mean China has control. According to Chinese history expert Adam Cathcart, China’s relationship with the DPRK is complicated. Cathcart lectures about China and Chinese history at Leeds University in Britain and he’s spent some time along China’s border with North Korea. This week on War College, he explains the relationship between the two countries, what the border looks like and what happens Chinese border guards interrogate you. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> As tensions grow between the U.S. and North Korea, onlookers have increasingly called on China to intervene. Which makes sense. Beijing is Pyongyang’s biggest trade partner and the two countries have a relationship that stretches back to World War II. But just because China is North Korea’s closest ally doesn’t mean China has control. According to Chinese history expert Adam Cathcart, China’s relationship with the DPRK is complicated. Cathcart lectures about China and Chinese history at Leeds University in Britain and he’s spent some time along China’s border with North Korea. This week on War College, he explains the relationship between the two countries, what the border looks like and what happens Chinese border guards interrogate you. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> ICYMI: The case for leaving Afghanistan ICYMI: The case for leaving Afghanistan Thu, 03 Aug 2017 17:44:27 GMT 26:54 3e5e4102-ceec-4801-8d11-61d84fa4c05f false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-thecaseforleavingafghanistan 3e5e4102-ceec-4801-8d11-61d84fa4c05f 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-thecaseforleavingafghanistan After thousands of American lives, literally billions of dollars and more than 15 years, the U.S. can’t seem to quit its longest war in Afghanistan. With no end in sight, no word on strategy from the White House and the NATO-backed leader calling for... full After thousands of American lives, literally billions of dollars and more than 15 years, the U.S. can’t seem to quit its longest war in Afghanistan. With no end in sight, no word on strategy from the White House and the NATO-backed leader calling for more troops to defend against the Taliban, it might be time to cut and run. Few know this as well as journalist and author Douglas Wissing. He’s spent a lot of time in Afghanistan, written two books on the subject and embedded with U.S. troops on the frontline. This week on War College, he walks us through why he thinks America should leave the Graveyard of Empires for good. By Matthew Gault Produced and edited by Bethel Habte

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]]> After thousands of American lives, literally billions of dollars and more than 15 years, the U.S. can’t seem to quit its longest war in Afghanistan. With no end in sight, no word on strategy from the White House and the NATO-backed leader calling for more troops to defend against the Taliban, it might be time to cut and run. Few know this as well as journalist and author Douglas Wissing. He’s spent a lot of time in Afghanistan, written two books on the subject and embedded with U.S. troops on the frontline. This week on War College, he walks us through why he thinks America should leave the Graveyard of Empires for good. By Matthew Gault Produced and edited by Bethel Habte

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]]> Growing up CIA Growing up CIA Wed, 26 Jul 2017 17:17:07 GMT 29:24 68173c3b-663e-4a52-98b1-e45c9a0c9ac8 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/growingupcia 68173c3b-663e-4a52-98b1-e45c9a0c9ac8 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 growingupcia Despite some close calls, the United States and Russia never fought in a full-scale conflict during the Cold War. The fear of nuclear Armageddon loomed for decades but never occurred. The world avoided the devastation thanks to the efforts of... full Despite some close calls, the United States and Russia never fought in a full-scale conflict during the Cold War. The fear of nuclear Armageddon loomed for decades but never occurred. The world avoided the devastation thanks to the efforts of politicians, spies and soldiers. If not for some special and unexpected relationships across the Iron Curtain, the world may look very different today. This week on War College, author Eva Dillon talks us through her new book, 'Spies in the Family,' and one of the relationships that kept the world safe. Dillon’s father was a CIA operative whose most trusted asset was a high-level Soviet general and a close family friend. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> Despite some close calls, the United States and Russia never fought in a full-scale conflict during the Cold War. The fear of nuclear Armageddon loomed for decades but never occurred. The world avoided the devastation thanks to the efforts of politicians, spies and soldiers. If not for some special and unexpected relationships across the Iron Curtain, the world may look very different today. This week on War College, author Eva Dillon talks us through her new book, 'Spies in the Family,' and one of the relationships that kept the world safe. Dillon’s father was a CIA operative whose most trusted asset was a high-level Soviet general and a close family friend. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> Here’s why China built that military base in Africa Here’s why China built that military base in Africa Thu, 20 Jul 2017 19:19:11 GMT 32:17 b8b3492c-1498-4a1a-bbe1-7b88225dc296 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/here-swhychinabuiltthatmilitarybaseinafrica b8b3492c-1498-4a1a-bbe1-7b88225dc296 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 here-swhychinabuiltthatmilitarybaseinafrica China’s military made international news in early July when it announced the opening of its first overseas military base in Djibouti, a small country in the Horn of Africa. China says the base is simply a logistics building, poised to protect the... full China’s military made international news in early July when it announced the opening of its first overseas military base in Djibouti, a small country in the Horn of Africa. China says the base is simply a logistics building, poised to protect the country’s interests in the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea. It’s an interesting location for a military instillation considering the American military base just four miles away. This week on War College, retired Green Beret Derek Gannon walks us through China’s interests in East Africa and why so many American Special Operations forces are stationed there. According to Gannon, Africa will be the next stage in the global proxy conflict between superpowers.

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]]> China’s military made international news in early July when it announced the opening of its first overseas military base in Djibouti, a small country in the Horn of Africa. China says the base is simply a logistics building, poised to protect the country’s interests in the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea. It’s an interesting location for a military instillation considering the American military base just four miles away. This week on War College, retired Green Beret Derek Gannon walks us through China’s interests in East Africa and why so many American Special Operations forces are stationed there. According to Gannon, Africa will be the next stage in the global proxy conflict between superpowers.

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]]> Sex and sensibility in the U.S. military Sex and sensibility in the U.S. military Thu, 13 Jul 2017 19:49:58 GMT 22:13 01197623-4b40-4d6f-ad49-d8e69f13cafa false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/sexandsensibilityintheu.s.military 01197623-4b40-4d6f-ad49-d8e69f13cafa 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 sexandsensibilityintheu.s.military In 2013, the White House ordered the Pentagon to open combat roles to women and gave the military a three year deadline. As women take on more roles in the U.S. military, both on the frontlines and in leadership, the Pentagon must face an issue it’s... full In 2013, the White House ordered the Pentagon to open combat roles to women and gave the military a three year deadline. As women take on more roles in the U.S. military, both on the frontlines and in leadership, the Pentagon must face an issue it’s long ignored – relations between men and women. Tailhook and the Marines United Scandal reveal a military culture that can be at odds with women and their roles alongside men. But the complications don’t end there. This week on War College, journalist Kevin Knodell walks us through the U.S. military’s general discomfort with talking about sex, according to female service members he spoke with. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> In 2013, the White House ordered the Pentagon to open combat roles to women and gave the military a three year deadline. As women take on more roles in the U.S. military, both on the frontlines and in leadership, the Pentagon must face an issue it’s long ignored – relations between men and women. Tailhook and the Marines United Scandal reveal a military culture that can be at odds with women and their roles alongside men. But the complications don’t end there. This week on War College, journalist Kevin Knodell walks us through the U.S. military’s general discomfort with talking about sex, according to female service members he spoke with. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> We need to talk about the Special Forces We need to talk about the Special Forces Thu, 06 Jul 2017 17:21:56 GMT 23:11 856cfc35-ccd3-479e-8937-de3dd044b523 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/weneedtotalkaboutthespecialforces 856cfc35-ccd3-479e-8937-de3dd044b523 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 weneedtotalkaboutthespecialforces U.S. Special Operations Forces worked and fought in more than 130 countries across the world in 2016 alone (hyperlink source). In 2017, America’s elite troops are doing even more (hyperlink source). From East Africa, to the Middle East and beyond, U.S.... full U.S. Special Operations forces worked and fought in more than 130 countries across the world in 2016 alone (hyperlink source). In 2017, America’s elite troops are doing even more (hyperlink source). From East Africa, to the Middle East and beyond, U.S. operators are more than just the tip of the spear, they’re the entire vanguard. That’s not necessarily a good thing. This week on War College, Tim Lynch – a retired Marine and former contractor in Afghanistan – walks us through his experiences in Afghanistan where he had a front row seat for U.S. Special Operations Forces boldest experiments. According to Lynch, America’s elite troops aren’t always great at their job, often misunderstand Afghan culture and sometimes pick fights when they should be building bridges. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> U.S. Special Operations forces worked and fought in more than 130 countries across the world in 2016 alone (hyperlink source). In 2017, America’s elite troops are doing even more (hyperlink source). From East Africa, to the Middle East and beyond, U.S. operators are more than just the tip of the spear, they’re the entire vanguard. That’s not necessarily a good thing. This week on War College, Tim Lynch – a retired Marine and former contractor in Afghanistan – walks us through his experiences in Afghanistan where he had a front row seat for U.S. Special Operations Forces boldest experiments. According to Lynch, America’s elite troops aren’t always great at their job, often misunderstand Afghan culture and sometimes pick fights when they should be building bridges. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> My enemy’s enemy - Turkey’s blind eye toward Islamic State My enemy’s enemy - Turkey’s blind eye toward Islamic State Thu, 29 Jun 2017 17:38:47 GMT 47:40 f11e2b51-44d3-4069-a7a4-863d77a76c73 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/myenemy-senemy-turkey-sblindeyetowardislamicstate f11e2b51-44d3-4069-a7a4-863d77a76c73 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 myenemy-senemy-turkey-sblindeyetowardislamicstate Turkey is a member of NATO, an American ally and a bulwark against the broiling chaos of the Middle East. That’s the story at least. The truth is far more complicated. Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump announced he would arm the Kurds -an ethnic... full Turkey is a member of NATO, an American ally and a bulwark against the broiling chaos of the Middle East. That’s the story at least. The truth is far more complicated. Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump announced he would arm the Kurds -an ethnic minority whose territory spreads across Iraq, Turkey, Iran and Syria. No one likes Daesh and the Kurds have done an incredible job pushing back against the religious zealots. But Turkey has a venomous relationship with the Kurds and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly called them terrorists. Worse, there’s good evidence that Turkey is helping, or at least turning a blind eye to, Islamic State activity on its border. This week on War College, war correspondent Norma Costello walks us through the complicated history of the Kurds, Turkey and the Islamic State. According to Costello, the state sponsored violence against the Kurds in Southeast Turkey is one of the great unreported tragedies of the 21st century and Erdogan’s support of Islamic State is a calculated strategy to suppress the Kurds in Turkey. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> Turkey is a member of NATO, an American ally and a bulwark against the broiling chaos of the Middle East. That’s the story at least. The truth is far more complicated. Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump announced he would arm the Kurds -an ethnic minority whose territory spreads across Iraq, Turkey, Iran and Syria. No one likes Daesh and the Kurds have done an incredible job pushing back against the religious zealots. But Turkey has a venomous relationship with the Kurds and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly called them terrorists. Worse, there’s good evidence that Turkey is helping, or at least turning a blind eye to, Islamic State activity on its border. This week on War College, war correspondent Norma Costello walks us through the complicated history of the Kurds, Turkey and the Islamic State. According to Costello, the state sponsored violence against the Kurds in Southeast Turkey is one of the great unreported tragedies of the 21st century and Erdogan’s support of Islamic State is a calculated strategy to suppress the Kurds in Turkey. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> The roots of political violence The roots of political violence Wed, 21 Jun 2017 15:51:21 GMT 25:44 bf29eeea-dfab-4c48-8346-ae5a492c6dd1 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/therootsofpoliticalviolence bf29eeea-dfab-4c48-8346-ae5a492c6dd1 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 therootsofpoliticalviolence Antifa and white nationalists clash in the streets. Students on college campuses patrol the sidewalks armed with bats. A man in Portland stabbed several people on a bus and another in Virginia opened fire on Republican legislators on a baseball... full Antifa and white nationalists clash in the streets. Students on college campuses patrol the sidewalks armed with bats. A man in Portland stabbed several people on a bus and another in Virginia opened fire on Republican legislators on a baseball field. This week on War College, Joe Young – college professor and contributing editor at Political Violence @ a Glance – walks us through what does and doesn’t scare him about the new rash of political violence in America. For Young, the times may be scary but they’re a far cry from the radical sixties and seventies when groups such as the Weather Underground bombed government buildings. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> Antifa and white nationalists clash in the streets. Students on college campuses patrol the sidewalks armed with bats. A man in Portland stabbed several people on a bus and another in Virginia opened fire on Republican legislators on a baseball field. This week on War College, Joe Young – college professor and contributing editor at Political Violence @ a Glance – walks us through what does and doesn’t scare him about the new rash of political violence in America. For Young, the times may be scary but they’re a far cry from the radical sixties and seventies when groups such as the Weather Underground bombed government buildings. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> In Qatar and Saudi Arabia’s fight, Iran’s the real winner In Qatar and Saudi Arabia’s fight, Iran’s the real winner Thu, 15 Jun 2017 19:43:54 GMT 33:57 4649bc70-163c-407d-90b6-3f620f67cfad false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/inqatarandsaudiarabia-sfight-iran-stherealwinner 4649bc70-163c-407d-90b6-3f620f67cfad 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 inqatarandsaudiarabia-sfight-iran-stherealwinner Thanks to a hack allegedly carried out by Russian intelligence, relations between Qatar and Saudi Arabia are tense to say the least. The Kingdom has blockaded Qatar ports and several Gulf states have removed envoys and ambassadors. Right now, the... full Thanks to a hack allegedly carried out by Russian intelligence, relations between Qatar and Saudi Arabia are tense to say the least. The Kingdom has blockaded Qatar ports and several Gulf states have removed envoys and ambassadors. Right now, the Middle East looks a lot like Europe on the eve of World War I. This week on War College, Oklahoma University professor Joshua Landis runs us through the complicated factions making up the Middle East. According to Landis, Iran is the real winner in the latest dust up between old allies. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> Thanks to a hack allegedly carried out by Russian intelligence, relations between Qatar and Saudi Arabia are tense to say the least. The Kingdom has blockaded Qatar ports and several Gulf states have removed envoys and ambassadors. Right now, the Middle East looks a lot like Europe on the eve of World War I. This week on War College, Oklahoma University professor Joshua Landis runs us through the complicated factions making up the Middle East. According to Landis, Iran is the real winner in the latest dust up between old allies. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> How the Pentagon’s wasteful budget hurts the military How the Pentagon’s wasteful budget hurts the military Thu, 08 Jun 2017 16:05:31 GMT 25:40 5e873bc4-e9a4-461b-8824-33981adc79a5 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/howthepentagon-swastefulbudgethurtsthemilitary 5e873bc4-e9a4-461b-8824-33981adc79a5 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 howthepentagon-swastefulbudgethurtsthemilitary The Pentagon lost track of equipment worth more than a billion dollars, according to a now declassified Department of Defense audit obtained by Amnesty International last month. The F-35 program has already cost $100 billion to develop, and may not... full The Pentagon lost track of equipment worth more than a billion dollars, according to a now declassified Department of Defense audit obtained by Amnesty International last month. The F-35 program has already cost $100 billion to develop, and may not even be ready for combat according to an ex-director. The Justice Department has charged at least 20 U.S. Navy flag officers in the “Fat Leonard” scandal – one of the biggest corruption scandals in American military history. What’s going on? America operates the best and most well funded fighting force on the planet. It’s also the most expensive, and that much cash can breed corruption, waste, fraud and abuse. But this is more than just a financial problem. This week on War College, former Marine Corps captain Dan Grazier walks us through how bloated budgets and blank checks hurt military readiness. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> The Pentagon lost track of equipment worth more than a billion dollars, according to a now declassified Department of Defense audit obtained by Amnesty International last month. The F-35 program has already cost $100 billion to develop, and may not even be ready for combat according to an ex-director. The Justice Department has charged at least 20 U.S. Navy flag officers in the “Fat Leonard” scandal – one of the biggest corruption scandals in American military history. What’s going on? America operates the best and most well funded fighting force on the planet. It’s also the most expensive, and that much cash can breed corruption, waste, fraud and abuse. But this is more than just a financial problem. This week on War College, former Marine Corps captain Dan Grazier walks us through how bloated budgets and blank checks hurt military readiness. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> Why a troop surge in Afghanistan is a terrible idea Why a troop surge in Afghanistan is a terrible idea Wed, 31 May 2017 18:55:38 GMT 30:38 8ec14503-2ea4-4996-beb7-8d3da5bd4baf false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whyatroopsurgeinafghanistanisaterribleidea 8ec14503-2ea4-4996-beb7-8d3da5bd4baf 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whyatroopsurgeinafghanistanisaterribleidea How many soldiers does America need to turn the tide in Afghanistan? The Taliban controls half the country and continues to gain ground. The Pentagon and generals in the field want U.S. President Donald Trump to send an additional 3,000 to 5,000... full How many soldiers does America need to turn the tide in Afghanistan? The Taliban controls half the country and continues to gain ground. The Pentagon and generals in the field want U.S. President Donald Trump to send an additional 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers to Afghanistan to help win the war. But we’ve been here before. In 2009, Stanley McChrystal famously requested a troop surge and got it. In the long run, an extra 30,000 soldiers didn’t matter. This week on War College, journalist and author Douglas Wissing tells us why he thinks a troop surge in Afghanistan a terrible idea. Wissing has embedded with U.S. forces in Afghanistan three times in the past 16 years. He’s written two books on the country and he’s not optimistic about America’s long-term military prospects in a war that’s almost two decades old. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> How many soldiers does America need to turn the tide in Afghanistan? The Taliban controls half the country and continues to gain ground. The Pentagon and generals in the field want U.S. President Donald Trump to send an additional 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers to Afghanistan to help win the war. But we’ve been here before. In 2009, Stanley McChrystal famously requested a troop surge and got it. In the long run, an extra 30,000 soldiers didn’t matter. This week on War College, journalist and author Douglas Wissing tells us why he thinks a troop surge in Afghanistan a terrible idea. Wissing has embedded with U.S. forces in Afghanistan three times in the past 16 years. He’s written two books on the country and he’s not optimistic about America’s long-term military prospects in a war that’s almost two decades old. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> From loathed to loved – the deadly history of the submarine From loathed to loved – the deadly history of the submarine Wed, 24 May 2017 19:56:20 GMT 31:52 d8d4f77c-6128-4680-a5cf-3eaa8eb534fe false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/fromloathedtoloved-thedeadlyhistoryofthesubmarine d8d4f77c-6128-4680-a5cf-3eaa8eb534fe 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 fromloathedtoloved-thedeadlyhistoryofthesubmarine Submarines are an accepted part of a strong navy and the cornerstone vessel of a superpower. But these stealth-killers of the ocean were once as derided and feared as the drone is now.This week on War College, former journalist and current naval... full Submarines are an accepted part of a strong navy and the cornerstone vessel of a superpower. But these stealth-killers of the ocean were once as derided and feared as the drone is now. This week on War College, former journalist and current naval historian Iain Ballantyne takes us through the history of the submarine. From the American Revolutionary War to the modern age of the nuclear triad, few weapons have been as controversial and as feared as the submarine. Find out why on this week’s episode. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> Submarines are an accepted part of a strong navy and the cornerstone vessel of a superpower. But these stealth-killers of the ocean were once as derided and feared as the drone is now. This week on War College, former journalist and current naval historian Iain Ballantyne takes us through the history of the submarine. From the American Revolutionary War to the modern age of the nuclear triad, few weapons have been as controversial and as feared as the submarine. Find out why on this week’s episode. By Matthew Gault Produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> <![CDATA[ICYMI: Russia's interests in the North Pole]]> Wed, 17 May 2017 15:15:17 GMT 26:01 2da9859e-1078-4ba4-be1d-9dcf1d7984a9 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-russiasinterestsinthenorthpole 2da9859e-1078-4ba4-be1d-9dcf1d7984a9 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-russiasinterestsinthenorthpole full Russia's aircraft carrier may be creaky, but its submarines are among the best in the business and they ply the currents beneath the Arctic at will - though not unchallenged. So, who's challenging Russia and what are the world's powers fighting over in the warming waters? (This is a rebroadcast of "The next Great Game may be played for the North Pole" from December 2016).

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]]> Russia's aircraft carrier may be creaky, but its submarines are among the best in the business and they ply the currents beneath the Arctic at will - though not unchallenged. So, who's challenging Russia and what are the world's powers fighting over in the warming waters? (This is a rebroadcast of "The next Great Game may be played for the North Pole" from December 2016).

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]]> Stretching the special forces thin Stretching the special forces thin Wed, 10 May 2017 17:25:59 GMT 30:50 68b5017c-f869-492a-9814-7dcd792cea79 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/stretchingthespecialforcesthin 68b5017c-f869-492a-9814-7dcd792cea79 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 stretchingthespecialforcesthin America is at war with the Islamic State. Typically, citizens think this war comes in the form of drone strikes, signals intelligence and cooperation with regional partners. But that’s only part of the story.Even while popular opinion has shunned... full America is at war with the Islamic State. Typically, citizens think this war comes in the form of drone strikes, signals intelligence and cooperation with regional partners. But that’s only part of the story. Even while popular opinion has shunned U.S. “boots on the ground” in the Middle East, U.S. Special Operations Forces are the boots. They conduct complicated operations that take the fight to the Islamic State, fighting and dying in covert operations all across the globe. But the strategy might not be sustainable. This week on War College, freelance journalist Joseph Trevithick walks us through the ins and outs of the SpecOp’s war on Islamic State and the strange trick journalists have to use to uncover information about a class of warriors that does its best to go unnoticed. By Matthew Gault Produced and edited by Bethel Habte

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]]> America is at war with the Islamic State. Typically, citizens think this war comes in the form of drone strikes, signals intelligence and cooperation with regional partners. But that’s only part of the story. Even while popular opinion has shunned U.S. “boots on the ground” in the Middle East, U.S. Special Operations Forces are the boots. They conduct complicated operations that take the fight to the Islamic State, fighting and dying in covert operations all across the globe. But the strategy might not be sustainable. This week on War College, freelance journalist Joseph Trevithick walks us through the ins and outs of the SpecOp’s war on Islamic State and the strange trick journalists have to use to uncover information about a class of warriors that does its best to go unnoticed. By Matthew Gault Produced and edited by Bethel Habte

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]]> The psychics with top secret security clearance The psychics with top secret security clearance Wed, 03 May 2017 21:03:55 GMT 29:41 dc4707db-d95a-49ed-8a3b-da29f36222f3 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thepsychicswithtopsecretsecurityclearance dc4707db-d95a-49ed-8a3b-da29f36222f3 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thepsychicswithtopsecretsecurityclearance Even if you think a government program to fund research into extra sensory perception, remote viewing and mind reading is crazy, U.S. taxpayers have paid for it. This week on War College, Pulitzer-prize finalist Annie Jacobsen walks us through the... full Even if you think a government program to fund research into extra sensory perception, remote viewing and mind reading is crazy, U.S. taxpayers have paid for it. This week on War College, Pulitzer-prize finalist Annie Jacobsen walks us through the years she spent digging through government documents and researching the U.S. military’s interest in the paranormal. Jacobsen uncovered once-classified material detailing these covert programs intended to help intelligence agencies access secret documents, locate hostages and read minds. By Matthew Gault Produced and edited by Bethel Habte

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]]> Even if you think a government program to fund research into extra sensory perception, remote viewing and mind reading is crazy, U.S. taxpayers have paid for it. This week on War College, Pulitzer-prize finalist Annie Jacobsen walks us through the years she spent digging through government documents and researching the U.S. military’s interest in the paranormal. Jacobsen uncovered once-classified material detailing these covert programs intended to help intelligence agencies access secret documents, locate hostages and read minds. By Matthew Gault Produced and edited by Bethel Habte

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]]> What North Korea wants What North Korea wants Wed, 26 Apr 2017 16:12:33 GMT 31:49 ba4c0012-2a47-45cb-9cdf-42df3b83e776 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/whatnorthkoreawants ba4c0012-2a47-45cb-9cdf-42df3b83e776 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 whatnorthkoreawants Pyongyang launches missile test after missile test. A carrier strike group moves through the Pacific with its sights set on the peninsula. U.S. President Donald Trump has called the entirety of the U.S. Congress to attend a briefing on the North Korean... full Pyongyang launches missile test after missile test. A carrier strike group moves through the Pacific with its sights set on the peninsula. U.S. President Donald Trump has called the entirety of the U.S. Congress to attend a briefing on the North Korean threat on April 26, 2017. And Seoul faces an election that could dramatically change the country’s relationship to both its neighbor to the north and its oldest ally. But what does North Korea want? This week on War College, B.R. Myers will help us figure that out. Myers is a professor of international studies at Dongseo University in Busan, South Korea. He’s visited the north, speaks the language, and reads the literature and propaganda alike. He takes Pyongyang at its word when it says it wants to reunify the peninsula and he’s not hopeful for the future.

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]]> Pyongyang launches missile test after missile test. A carrier strike group moves through the Pacific with its sights set on the peninsula. U.S. President Donald Trump has called the entirety of the U.S. Congress to attend a briefing on the North Korean threat on April 26, 2017. And Seoul faces an election that could dramatically change the country’s relationship to both its neighbor to the north and its oldest ally. But what does North Korea want? This week on War College, B.R. Myers will help us figure that out. Myers is a professor of international studies at Dongseo University in Busan, South Korea. He’s visited the north, speaks the language, and reads the literature and propaganda alike. He takes Pyongyang at its word when it says it wants to reunify the peninsula and he’s not hopeful for the future.

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]]> On the front lines during the last days of Standing Rock On the front lines during the last days of Standing Rock Wed, 19 Apr 2017 19:25:19 GMT 30:52 36f12911-a282-4013-8ff4-4876e3e551b2 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/onthefrontlinesduringthelastdaysofstandingrock 36f12911-a282-4013-8ff4-4876e3e551b2 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 onthefrontlinesduringthelastdaysofstandingrock After a year of protests, Standing Rock began to clear out during the early days of December 2016. But to one observer, the standoff stood out for how much it resembled a war zone. Marty Skovlund Jr. is a U.S. Army veteran who served in the 1st... full After a year of protests, Standing Rock began to die down in late winter this year. But to one observer, the standoff stood out for how much it resembled a war zone. Marty Skovlund Jr. is a U.S. Army veteran who served in the 1st Ranger Battalion. He served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Since coming home he’s run a small business, written books and freelanced for several news outlets. In December, he chronicled the final days of the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, where state and local police milled with private military contractors and some of the remaining protesters set structures on fire. This week on War College, Skovlund Jr. walks us through the end of one of the largest protracted protest in American history. According to Skovlund, the scene reminded him of forward operating bases in Iraq. In the end, he thinks the police changed the paradigm for how to deal with peaceful protests and, to this day, he can’t believe that no one died.

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]]> After a year of protests, Standing Rock began to die down in late winter this year. But to one observer, the standoff stood out for how much it resembled a war zone. Marty Skovlund Jr. is a U.S. Army veteran who served in the 1st Ranger Battalion. He served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Since coming home he’s run a small business, written books and freelanced for several news outlets. In December, he chronicled the final days of the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, where state and local police milled with private military contractors and some of the remaining protesters set structures on fire. This week on War College, Skovlund Jr. walks us through the end of one of the largest protracted protest in American history. According to Skovlund, the scene reminded him of forward operating bases in Iraq. In the end, he thinks the police changed the paradigm for how to deal with peaceful protests and, to this day, he can’t believe that no one died.

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]]> The Baby Boomers weren’t heroes The Baby Boomers weren’t heroes Thu, 13 Apr 2017 15:11:45 GMT 32:55 d5e01ac6-173e-4a90-a0d5-c2b7e3d268b3 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thebabyboomersweren-theroes d5e01ac6-173e-4a90-a0d5-c2b7e3d268b3 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thebabyboomersweren-theroes The Baby Boomers weren’t heroes full My father had a low draft number and always told me he couldn’t see himself trudging through the jungle with a machete. It was the early ‘70s and Vietnam would be over soon, but young Americans were still dying in Southeast Asia. So dad joined the Navy and served aboard the USS Enterprise. Unlike a lot of the other men of his generation and demographic, dad did his duty.

While dad sweated on the Pacific Ocean and learned the joys of monsoon season, millions of other American men protested the unjust, expensive and bloody war and helped bring it to an end. The popular conception of that period is one of free love and political turmoil. It was an era when old men started unpopular wars and the righteous stayed behind.

But that’s not an accurate picture, according to this week’s War College guest, Bruce Cannon Gibney. He lays out the case against the Boomer’s collective memory in his new book “A Generation of Sociopaths: How the Baby Boomers Betrayed America.”

Boomers overwhelmingly...

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]]> My father had a low draft number and always told me he couldn’t see himself trudging through the jungle with a machete. It was the early ‘70s and Vietnam would be over soon, but young Americans were still dying in Southeast Asia. So dad joined the Navy and served aboard the USS Enterprise. Unlike a lot of the other men of his generation and demographic, dad did his duty.

While dad sweated on the Pacific Ocean and learned the joys of monsoon season, millions of other American men protested the unjust, expensive and bloody war and helped bring it to an end. The popular conception of that period is one of free love and political turmoil. It was an era when old men started unpopular wars and the righteous stayed behind.

But that’s not an accurate picture, according to this week’s War College guest, Bruce Cannon Gibney. He lays out the case against the Boomer’s collective memory in his new book “A Generation of Sociopaths: How the Baby Boomers Betrayed America.”

Boomers overwhelmingly...

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]]> One tank to rule them all One tank to rule them all Tue, 04 Apr 2017 18:53:11 GMT 34:47 8f1825ba-1b1b-4821-bcc8-15e901d4575b false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/onetanktorulethemall 8f1825ba-1b1b-4821-bcc8-15e901d4575b 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 onetanktorulethemall War nerds love tanks. The battlefield behemoths drove onto the scene in the early days of World War I, replaced the cavalry and became synonymous with war. But which one is the best? It’s a question that’s plagued internet chat rooms for decades and we... full War nerds love tanks. The battlefield behemoths drove onto the scene in the early days of World War I, replaced the cavalry and became synonymous with war. But which one is the best? This week on the show, author Steven Zaloga walks us through the ins and outs of armored vehicles. He explains how the French Renault doesn’t get enough credit, how the Sherman came to dominate Europe and how people always forget about the Russians. It’s everything you ever wanted to know about tanks but were afraid to ask on War College this week. How have wire guided missiles changed the game? What’s reactive armor and why does it explode? And what, if any, is the point of tanks in low intensity warfare?

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]]> War nerds love tanks. The battlefield behemoths drove onto the scene in the early days of World War I, replaced the cavalry and became synonymous with war. But which one is the best? This week on the show, author Steven Zaloga walks us through the ins and outs of armored vehicles. He explains how the French Renault doesn’t get enough credit, how the Sherman came to dominate Europe and how people always forget about the Russians. It’s everything you ever wanted to know about tanks but were afraid to ask on War College this week. How have wire guided missiles changed the game? What’s reactive armor and why does it explode? And what, if any, is the point of tanks in low intensity warfare?

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]]> Islamic State’s drone fleet Islamic State’s drone fleet Thu, 30 Mar 2017 16:05:08 GMT 23:19 f0c89636-b36c-4c87-aa12-7c4af1a0f876 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/islamicstate-sdronefleet f0c89636-b36c-4c87-aa12-7c4af1a0f876 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 islamicstate-sdronefleet For the past decade, unmanned aerial vehicles have been a cornerstone of America’s campaign against Islamic insurgents in the Greater Middle East. Predator and Reaper drones crisscross the globe firing hellfire missiles on U.S. enemies. Other countries... full For the past decade, unmanned aerial vehicles have been a cornerstone of America’s campaign against Islamic insurgents in the Greater Middle East. Predator and Reaper drones crisscross the globe firing hellfire missiles on U.S. enemies. Other countries have operational drone fleets, but few match the might and ubiquity of America’s. But journalists on the front lines in Iraq have seen a disturbing new trend - Islamic State using retail quadcopters to drop their own munitions with surprising accuracy. Mosul is the frontline in the fight against ISIS as well as the frontline in a new arm’s race. One that pits the tiny drones of the Islamic State against the budding anti-drone technology of the West. To be clear, Islamic State’s commercial quadcopters rigged with grenades and manufactured missiles is nothing compared to the power of a Predator firing off hellfire missiles with pinpoint accuracy. But that’s cold comfort to a civilian killed by a handmade explosive dropped by a quadcopter over the streets of Mosul. This week on War College, Wall Street Journal reporter Ben Kesling walks us through the drones of Islamic State. He’s back from the fighting in Mosul and saw his share of quadcopters as well as the innovative solutions coalition and Iraqi forces are using to fight against them.

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]]> For the past decade, unmanned aerial vehicles have been a cornerstone of America’s campaign against Islamic insurgents in the Greater Middle East. Predator and Reaper drones crisscross the globe firing hellfire missiles on U.S. enemies. Other countries have operational drone fleets, but few match the might and ubiquity of America’s. But journalists on the front lines in Iraq have seen a disturbing new trend - Islamic State using retail quadcopters to drop their own munitions with surprising accuracy. Mosul is the frontline in the fight against ISIS as well as the frontline in a new arm’s race. One that pits the tiny drones of the Islamic State against the budding anti-drone technology of the West. To be clear, Islamic State’s commercial quadcopters rigged with grenades and manufactured missiles is nothing compared to the power of a Predator firing off hellfire missiles with pinpoint accuracy. But that’s cold comfort to a civilian killed by a handmade explosive dropped by a quadcopter over the streets of Mosul. This week on War College, Wall Street Journal reporter Ben Kesling walks us through the drones of Islamic State. He’s back from the fighting in Mosul and saw his share of quadcopters as well as the innovative solutions coalition and Iraqi forces are using to fight against them.

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]]> The growing rift between Trump and his intelligence agencies, and why it’s cause for concern The growing rift between Trump and his intelligence agencies, and why it’s cause for concern Wed, 22 Mar 2017 15:06:17 GMT 27:05 981a9ed3-bb40-454f-a853-c5ce91aa07d5 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thegrowingriftbetweentrumpandhisintelligenceagencies-andwhyit-scauseforconcern 981a9ed3-bb40-454f-a853-c5ce91aa07d5 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thegrowingriftbetweentrumpandhisintelligenceagencies-andwhyit-scauseforconcern Even before he took office, Donald Trump was denigrating the U.S. intelligence community – in large part because of its investigation into Russian influence on the presidential election, which challenged the integrity of his victory. That relationship... full Even before he took office, Donald Trump was denigrating the U.S. intelligence community – in large part because of its investigation into Russian influence on the presidential election, which challenged the integrity of his victory. That relationship has continued to sour, through Trump’s controversial speech at CIA headquarters and his attack on leaks that helped lead to National Security Adviser Michael Flynn’s resignation. As president, Trump’s relationship with the intelligence community hasn’t improved. His supporters believe there is a “Deep State” operating within the intelligence community, which is trying to undermine the administration. What happens when a president doesn’t trust his intelligence agencies, or they don’t trust him? How does this kind of fractured relationship affect intelligence gathering – and the military operations that come from it – overseas? This week on War College, national security expert Tim Weiner – author of “Legacy of Ashes,” his award-winning history of the CIA – examines Trump’s complicated relationship with the U.S. intelligence community. He explores the president’s power over his agencies – not just to pick a CIA director, but to sign orders for operations overseas. And he offers historical context for what can happen when things go horribly wrong.

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]]> Even before he took office, Donald Trump was denigrating the U.S. intelligence community – in large part because of its investigation into Russian influence on the presidential election, which challenged the integrity of his victory. That relationship has continued to sour, through Trump’s controversial speech at CIA headquarters and his attack on leaks that helped lead to National Security Adviser Michael Flynn’s resignation. As president, Trump’s relationship with the intelligence community hasn’t improved. His supporters believe there is a “Deep State” operating within the intelligence community, which is trying to undermine the administration. What happens when a president doesn’t trust his intelligence agencies, or they don’t trust him? How does this kind of fractured relationship affect intelligence gathering – and the military operations that come from it – overseas? This week on War College, national security expert Tim Weiner – author of “Legacy of Ashes,” his award-winning history of the CIA – examines Trump’s complicated relationship with the U.S. intelligence community. He explores the president’s power over his agencies – not just to pick a CIA director, but to sign orders for operations overseas. And he offers historical context for what can happen when things go horribly wrong.

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]]> How spreading democracy keeps dictators in power How spreading democracy keeps dictators in power Wed, 15 Mar 2017 21:30:26 GMT 28:15 1a13c9d0-a9a6-4016-a6e2-9f61d9d95606 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/howspreadingdemocracykeepsdictatorsinpower 1a13c9d0-a9a6-4016-a6e2-9f61d9d95606 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 howspreadingdemocracykeepsdictatorsinpower For his views on democracies and dictatorships, he’s been called a cynic. But NYU professor Alastair Smith doesn’t think that makes him wrong. This week on War College, Smith debunks popular ideas about dictators and how they stay in power.... full For his views on democracies and dictatorships, he’s been called a cynic. But NYU professor Alastair Smith doesn’t think that makes him wrong. This week on War College, Smith debunks popular ideas about dictators and how they stay in power. According to Smith, and his colleague Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, the West too often trades cash for policy favors from dictators. International criminal courts for authoritarian leaders are bad ideas, Smith argues, because they create negative incentives for dictators to leave. And attempts to help the masses - as former Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi attempted - can be a dictator’s biggest mistake. Smith says that for dictators, it’s good policy to understand who keeps them in power and to keep those entities – which can sometimes include the West - happy. By Matthew Gault Produced and edited by Bethel Habte

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]]> For his views on democracies and dictatorships, he’s been called a cynic. But NYU professor Alastair Smith doesn’t think that makes him wrong. This week on War College, Smith debunks popular ideas about dictators and how they stay in power. According to Smith, and his colleague Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, the West too often trades cash for policy favors from dictators. International criminal courts for authoritarian leaders are bad ideas, Smith argues, because they create negative incentives for dictators to leave. And attempts to help the masses - as former Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi attempted - can be a dictator’s biggest mistake. Smith says that for dictators, it’s good policy to understand who keeps them in power and to keep those entities – which can sometimes include the West - happy. By Matthew Gault Produced and edited by Bethel Habte

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]]> The Case for Leaving Afghanistan The Case for Leaving Afghanistan Thu, 09 Mar 2017 16:42:56 GMT 26:54 0c31415f-037f-40fe-80c8-9617a64ffb41 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thecaseforleavingafghanistan 0c31415f-037f-40fe-80c8-9617a64ffb41 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thecaseforleavingafghanistan After thousands of American lives, literally billions of dollars and more than 15 years, the U.S. can’t seem to quit its longest war in Afghanistan. With no end in sight, no word on strategy from the White House and the NATO-backed leader calling for... full After thousands of American lives, literally billions of dollars and more than 15 years, the U.S. can’t seem to quit its longest war in Afghanistan. With no end in sight, no word on strategy from the White House and the NATO-backed leader calling for more troops to defend against the Taliban, it might be time to cut and run. Few know this as well as journalist and author Douglas Wissing. He’s spent a lot of time in Afghanistan, written two books on the subject and embedded with U.S. troops on the frontline. This week on War College, he walks us through why he thinks America should leave the Graveyard of Empires for good. By Matthew Gault Produced and edited by Bethel Habte

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]]> After thousands of American lives, literally billions of dollars and more than 15 years, the U.S. can’t seem to quit its longest war in Afghanistan. With no end in sight, no word on strategy from the White House and the NATO-backed leader calling for more troops to defend against the Taliban, it might be time to cut and run. Few know this as well as journalist and author Douglas Wissing. He’s spent a lot of time in Afghanistan, written two books on the subject and embedded with U.S. troops on the frontline. This week on War College, he walks us through why he thinks America should leave the Graveyard of Empires for good. By Matthew Gault Produced and edited by Bethel Habte

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]]> Ethical behavior on the battlefield Ethical behavior on the battlefield Tue, 28 Feb 2017 18:10:13 GMT 32:58 8ef5b180-8153-47c8-9fae-de69b7259e71 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/ethicalbehavioronthebattlefield 8ef5b180-8153-47c8-9fae-de69b7259e71 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 ethicalbehavioronthebattlefield full Growing up, I was always told the military's job was to “kill people and break stuff.” It’s a maxim that gained popularity in the United States at the end of the Vietnam War. But total war with few rules, as World War One demonstrated, carries too high a human cost. This week on War College, philosophy professor Pauline Kaurin explains the role of ethics and morality in warfare, and the gaps in educating military officers and enlistees alike about them. Instead, she argues, the U.S. military places an emphasis on officers and enlistees developing their own personal morality based on core values. But, as Kaurin and I discuss, that isn’t sufficient. By Matthew Gault Produced and edited by Bethel Habte

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]]> Growing up, I was always told the military's job was to “kill people and break stuff.” It’s a maxim that gained popularity in the United States at the end of the Vietnam War. But total war with few rules, as World War One demonstrated, carries too high a human cost. This week on War College, philosophy professor Pauline Kaurin explains the role of ethics and morality in warfare, and the gaps in educating military officers and enlistees alike about them. Instead, she argues, the U.S. military places an emphasis on officers and enlistees developing their own personal morality based on core values. But, as Kaurin and I discuss, that isn’t sufficient. By Matthew Gault Produced and edited by Bethel Habte

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]]> The Bannon effect and a brief history of the National Security Council The Bannon effect and a brief history of the National Security Council Wed, 22 Feb 2017 15:57:01 GMT 21:28 fcd7c1b9-b436-4e6c-aa69-36c9ca1df971 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thebannoneffectandabriefhistoryofthenationalsecuritycouncil fcd7c1b9-b436-4e6c-aa69-36c9ca1df971 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thebannoneffectandabriefhistoryofthenationalsecuritycouncil U.S. President Donald Trump’s first month in office has ushered in a whirlwind of change. One bit of procedural change raised eyebrows among the national security crowd. At the end of January, Trump reshuffled the National Security Council by elevating... full U.S. President Donald Trump’s first month in office has ushered in a whirlwind of change. One bit of procedural change raised eyebrows among the national security crowd. At the end of January, Trump reshuffled the National Security Council by elevating chief strategist Stephen Bannon and demoting both the Director of National Intelligence and Joint Chiefs of Staff. Critics crowed over the elevation of Bannon, a civilian, since the move could allow domestic politics to influence national security and puts a political adviser at the same level as other Cabinet officials. David Axelrod – President Barack Obama’s chief strategist – said that he’d sat in the room but never participated as a full member of the NSC. To better understand the significance of this move, we sat down with retired Army Col. and historian Andrew Bacevich to give us the history of the National Security Council and the consequences of its recent changes.

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]]> U.S. President Donald Trump’s first month in office has ushered in a whirlwind of change. One bit of procedural change raised eyebrows among the national security crowd. At the end of January, Trump reshuffled the National Security Council by elevating chief strategist Stephen Bannon and demoting both the Director of National Intelligence and Joint Chiefs of Staff. Critics crowed over the elevation of Bannon, a civilian, since the move could allow domestic politics to influence national security and puts a political adviser at the same level as other Cabinet officials. David Axelrod – President Barack Obama’s chief strategist – said that he’d sat in the room but never participated as a full member of the NSC. To better understand the significance of this move, we sat down with retired Army Col. and historian Andrew Bacevich to give us the history of the National Security Council and the consequences of its recent changes.

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]]> How the West has aided democracy’s decline How the West has aided democracy’s decline Wed, 15 Feb 2017 15:26:58 GMT 31:07 5a0ed1d0-da93-4c3d-b794-a42f5c1ee564 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/howthewesthasaideddemocracy-sdecline 5a0ed1d0-da93-4c3d-b794-a42f5c1ee564 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 howthewesthasaideddemocracy-sdecline full According to Presidents John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, the United States is a shining “city upon a hill." It’s a beacon of democracy in a dark world full of cruel dictators and vicious despots. But history shows the United States has also been willing to side with despots in the name of stability. This week on War College, we talk to Brian Klaas, a Oxford University graduate and expert on political violence, about his new book – The Despot’s Accomplice: How the West is Aiding and Abetting the Decline of Democracy. According to Klaas, powerful countries should stop forcing democracy down the throats of their less stable counterparts and avoid settling for despots to achieve stability. He makes the case for co-opting the rank-and-file of old regimes into new ones to prevent state collapse, and for using measured military force and foreign aid money to coax tyrants out of power. Plus, he explores “counterfeit democracies,” and a new city upon a hill in West Africa: The Gambia.

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]]> According to Presidents John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, the United States is a shining “city upon a hill." It’s a beacon of democracy in a dark world full of cruel dictators and vicious despots. But history shows the United States has also been willing to side with despots in the name of stability. This week on War College, we talk to Brian Klaas, a Oxford University graduate and expert on political violence, about his new book – The Despot’s Accomplice: How the West is Aiding and Abetting the Decline of Democracy. According to Klaas, powerful countries should stop forcing democracy down the throats of their less stable counterparts and avoid settling for despots to achieve stability. He makes the case for co-opting the rank-and-file of old regimes into new ones to prevent state collapse, and for using measured military force and foreign aid money to coax tyrants out of power. Plus, he explores “counterfeit democracies,” and a new city upon a hill in West Africa: The Gambia.

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]]> The security costs to barring refugees and creating civilian ‘safe zones’ The security costs to barring refugees and creating civilian ‘safe zones’ Tue, 07 Feb 2017 16:29:38 GMT 25:09 c47b2c0f-fc69-4cf1-8762-3f4002dfd7a4 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/thesecuritycoststobarringrefugeesandcreatingcivilian-safezones- c47b2c0f-fc69-4cf1-8762-3f4002dfd7a4 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 thesecuritycoststobarringrefugeesandcreatingcivilian-safezones- President Donald Trump signed an executive order temporarily restricting travel from seven Muslim-majority countries and halting the U.S. refugee program.One week later, after several legal challenges and protests at America’s airports, a federal... full President Donald Trump signed an executive order temporarily restricting travel from seven Muslim-majority countries and halting the U.S. refugee program. One week later, after several legal challenges and protests at America’s airports, a federal judge blocked several key provisions of the order. Moral, legal and ethical questions aside, the ban would create national security challenges for America. This week on War College, Joshua Hampson of the Niskanen center walks us through the possible military implications of the executive order. According to Hampson, Trump’s plan plays into the propaganda of the Islamic State. He also critiques Trump’s new plan to solve the refugee crisis - creating “safe zones,” in Syria. Safe zones need protection – the Srebrenica genocide is a stark reminder of what happens when they aren’t – and the kind of camp Trump is talking about creating would require a major troop presence to keep safe.

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]]> President Donald Trump signed an executive order temporarily restricting travel from seven Muslim-majority countries and halting the U.S. refugee program. One week later, after several legal challenges and protests at America’s airports, a federal judge blocked several key provisions of the order. Moral, legal and ethical questions aside, the ban would create national security challenges for America. This week on War College, Joshua Hampson of the Niskanen center walks us through the possible military implications of the executive order. According to Hampson, Trump’s plan plays into the propaganda of the Islamic State. He also critiques Trump’s new plan to solve the refugee crisis - creating “safe zones,” in Syria. Safe zones need protection – the Srebrenica genocide is a stark reminder of what happens when they aren’t – and the kind of camp Trump is talking about creating would require a major troop presence to keep safe.

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]]> <![CDATA[Russia's hybrid war against the West]]> Tue, 31 Jan 2017 18:25:00 GMT 35:16 a1bb45af-7848-4c65-9b9a-6793b45c0cc0 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/russiashybridwaragainstthewest a1bb45af-7848-4c65-9b9a-6793b45c0cc0 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 russiashybridwaragainstthewest War has changed in the 21st century and combat is not always kinetic. Russia’s battlefields are the internet, financial markets and television airwaves. The goal is not necessarily to take and hold territory but to expand Russia’s sphere of influence... full War has changed in the 21st century and combat is not always kinetic. Russia’s battlefields are the internet, financial markets and television airwaves. The goal is not necessarily to take and hold territory but to expand Russia’s sphere of influence and achieve political goals. This is hybrid warfare, or gibridnaya voina, the much hyped and discussed way of war. But, as intelligence expert Mark Galeotti tells us on this week’s War College, Moscow’s conception of hybrid war isn’t new - it’s a reaction to and an Eastern adaptation of American military strategy during the Cold War. The goal is simple - expand Russian soft power to make the world more agreeable to the Kremlin’s point of view. Galeotti explains how hybrid war is fought, and how to best combat it in this week’s episode. By Matthew Gault Produced and edited by Bethel Habte

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]]> War has changed in the 21st century and combat is not always kinetic. Russia’s battlefields are the internet, financial markets and television airwaves. The goal is not necessarily to take and hold territory but to expand Russia’s sphere of influence and achieve political goals. This is hybrid warfare, or gibridnaya voina, the much hyped and discussed way of war. But, as intelligence expert Mark Galeotti tells us on this week’s War College, Moscow’s conception of hybrid war isn’t new - it’s a reaction to and an Eastern adaptation of American military strategy during the Cold War. The goal is simple - expand Russian soft power to make the world more agreeable to the Kremlin’s point of view. Galeotti explains how hybrid war is fought, and how to best combat it in this week’s episode. By Matthew Gault Produced and edited by Bethel Habte

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]]> Magick as strategy in World War Two Magick as strategy in World War Two Tue, 24 Jan 2017 17:34:10 GMT 32:54 0040e86b-c708-4828-b9ad-bc3323c2b14c false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/nazis-agent-666-andthebirthofbrandawareness 0040e86b-c708-4828-b9ad-bc3323c2b14c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 nazis-agent-666-andthebirthofbrandawareness Adolf Hitler’s deputy, Rudolf Hess, was obsessed with the occult. He attempted to read minds and used astrological star charts to inform his battle plans. On the allied side, English magician Aleister Crowley kept in contact with German occultists, fed... full Adolf Hitler’s deputy, Rudolf Hess, was obsessed with the occult. He attempted to read minds and used astrological star charts to inform his battle plans. On the allied side, English magician Aleister Crowley kept in contact with German occultists, fed them false information, and even created the V for Victory. Today on War College, we sit down with media theorist, documentarian and author Douglas Rushkoff to talk about the bizarre occult history of World War II and how it affected strategic decisions during the war. His latest book – Aleister & Adolf – is a historical fiction that tells the story of a strange ‘magickal’ battle between the Allies and Axis powers during World War II. It spans the globe, and connects Crowley, Hitler, General Patton, Heinrich Himmler and even Ian Fleming – the creator of super spy James Bond.

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]]> Adolf Hitler’s deputy, Rudolf Hess, was obsessed with the occult. He attempted to read minds and used astrological star charts to inform his battle plans. On the allied side, English magician Aleister Crowley kept in contact with German occultists, fed them false information, and even created the V for Victory. Today on War College, we sit down with media theorist, documentarian and author Douglas Rushkoff to talk about the bizarre occult history of World War II and how it affected strategic decisions during the war. His latest book – Aleister & Adolf – is a historical fiction that tells the story of a strange ‘magickal’ battle between the Allies and Axis powers during World War II. It spans the globe, and connects Crowley, Hitler, General Patton, Heinrich Himmler and even Ian Fleming – the creator of super spy James Bond.

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]]> No, the Trump transition isn’t endangering U.S. nukes. Here’s what to really worry about No, the Trump transition isn’t endangering U.S. nukes. Here’s what to really worry about Wed, 18 Jan 2017 13:31:00 GMT 28:44 da77f8ca-4e06-45e9-b49d-94b497ba403f false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/no-thetrumptransitionisn-tendangeringu.s.nukes.here-swhattoreallyworryabout da77f8ca-4e06-45e9-b49d-94b497ba403f 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 no-thetrumptransitionisn-tendangeringu.s.nukes.here-swhattoreallyworryabout No, the Trump transition isn’t endangering U.S. nukes. Here’s what to really worry about full On Jan. 9, 2017, Gizmodo ran a story titled “Trump Just Dismissed the People in Charge of Maintaining Our Nuclear Arsenal.” The article published claims from unnamed members of the National Nuclear Security Administration who said the incoming president had ordered them to clear out their desks before his inauguration. People on Twitter traded speculation about what an empty NNSA might mean for America’s nuclear security come Jan. 21. Within several hours, however, Gizmodo updated the story, changed the title (to “Trump Is Letting Go the People in Charge of Maintaining Our Nuclear Arsenal”) and issued a correction. The situation, it seemed, was not as dire as everyone suspected. During the first few hours after the stories publication, U.S. Naval War College professor and nuclear policy expert Tom Nichols took to Twitter to calm everyone down. He urged caution in the face of panic, reminded people that the NNSA wasn’t a very old agency, its role in nuclear security unclear and that transitions are always messy. But that doesn’t mean he’s not worried about the President-elect’s plans for America’s nuclear arsenal. This week on War College, we sit down with Tom Nichols to discuss the Gizmodo story, the NNSA and Trump’s nuclear ambitions. For Nichols, when it comes to Trump you never know until he takes action. When it comes to nukes, even minor actions can have dire consequences. by Matthew Gault edited and produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> On Jan. 9, 2017, Gizmodo ran a story titled “Trump Just Dismissed the People in Charge of Maintaining Our Nuclear Arsenal.” The article published claims from unnamed members of the National Nuclear Security Administration who said the incoming president had ordered them to clear out their desks before his inauguration. People on Twitter traded speculation about what an empty NNSA might mean for America’s nuclear security come Jan. 21. Within several hours, however, Gizmodo updated the story, changed the title (to “Trump Is Letting Go the People in Charge of Maintaining Our Nuclear Arsenal”) and issued a correction. The situation, it seemed, was not as dire as everyone suspected. During the first few hours after the stories publication, U.S. Naval War College professor and nuclear policy expert Tom Nichols took to Twitter to calm everyone down. He urged caution in the face of panic, reminded people that the NNSA wasn’t a very old agency, its role in nuclear security unclear and that transitions are always messy. But that doesn’t mean he’s not worried about the President-elect’s plans for America’s nuclear arsenal. This week on War College, we sit down with Tom Nichols to discuss the Gizmodo story, the NNSA and Trump’s nuclear ambitions. For Nichols, when it comes to Trump you never know until he takes action. When it comes to nukes, even minor actions can have dire consequences. by Matthew Gault edited and produced by Bethel Habte

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]]> Tracking America’s ‘shadow wars’ Tracking America’s ‘shadow wars’ Tue, 10 Jan 2017 22:20:00 GMT 36:04 c30b1c58-ba09-40e0-bbd0-a7bbe465aabe false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/trackingamerica-s-shadowwars- c30b1c58-ba09-40e0-bbd0-a7bbe465aabe 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 trackingamerica-s-shadowwars- Right now, America is fighting a war in Afghanistan – the longest in its history – a war against the Islamic State in the Middle East, a war against Islamic radicals in Pakistan, several different operations in and around the Horn of Africa and – if... full Right now, America is fighting a war in Afghanistan – the longest in its history – a war against the Islamic State in the Middle East, a war against Islamic radicals in Pakistan, several different operations in and around the Horn of Africa and – if you ask the Houthi rebels – a war in Yemen. That’s a short list. Today on War College, we sit down with freelance journalist and independent researcher Joseph Trevithick, who has spent the better part of the last year compiling a list of all the military operations America is fighting overseas. He uses the Freedom of Information Act and a spreadsheet to keep everything straight. As of this recording, his list of American military operations is up to 190. The nature of these conflicts is often small-scale and powered by special operations forces and drones. Trevithick says most of these operations aren’t secret, it’s just that they’re complicated and often, through legal loopholes, avoid Congressional oversight.

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]]> Right now, America is fighting a war in Afghanistan – the longest in its history – a war against the Islamic State in the Middle East, a war against Islamic radicals in Pakistan, several different operations in and around the Horn of Africa and – if you ask the Houthi rebels – a war in Yemen. That’s a short list. Today on War College, we sit down with freelance journalist and independent researcher Joseph Trevithick, who has spent the better part of the last year compiling a list of all the military operations America is fighting overseas. He uses the Freedom of Information Act and a spreadsheet to keep everything straight. As of this recording, his list of American military operations is up to 190. The nature of these conflicts is often small-scale and powered by special operations forces and drones. Trevithick says most of these operations aren’t secret, it’s just that they’re complicated and often, through legal loopholes, avoid Congressional oversight.

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]]> Churchill – the ‘glowworm’ who changed the fate of modern Europe Churchill – the ‘glowworm’ who changed the fate of modern Europe Wed, 04 Jan 2017 17:50:59 GMT 39:51 f306997b-44d5-41a9-8485-caeea39ac207 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/churchill-the-glowworm-whochangedthefateofmoderneurope f306997b-44d5-41a9-8485-caeea39ac207 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 churchill-the-glowworm-whochangedthefateofmoderneurope At the end of World War II, Winston Churchill lost his reelection bid for Prime Minister of England. The British Bulldog was down, but not out. He worried of a coming conflict with Stalin and the growing Soviet Empire, and he wanted the world to... full At the end of World War II, Winston Churchill lost his reelection bid for Prime Minister of England. The British Bulldog was down, but not out. He worried of a coming conflict with Stalin and the growing Soviet Empire, and he wanted the world to listen. On this week’s War College, author Lord Alan Watson argues that two speeches Churchill gave after the war laid the intellectual groundwork for Western geopolitical thought during the Cold War. More than that, he says they saved the world. His new book – Churchill’s Legacy: Two Speeches to Save the World tells the story of the former Prime Minister’s post-war career and how his legacy shaped the West. Without Churchill, Watson argues, there would be no European Union, no NATO and no peace.

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]]> At the end of World War II, Winston Churchill lost his reelection bid for Prime Minister of England. The British Bulldog was down, but not out. He worried of a coming conflict with Stalin and the growing Soviet Empire, and he wanted the world to listen. On this week’s War College, author Lord Alan Watson argues that two speeches Churchill gave after the war laid the intellectual groundwork for Western geopolitical thought during the Cold War. More than that, he says they saved the world. His new book – Churchill’s Legacy: Two Speeches to Save the World tells the story of the former Prime Minister’s post-war career and how his legacy shaped the West. Without Churchill, Watson argues, there would be no European Union, no NATO and no peace.

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]]> ICYMI: The drone that almost killed bin Laden ICYMI: The drone that almost killed bin Laden Thu, 29 Dec 2016 19:45:00 GMT 33:59 ca4ea899-ca9f-4961-8c96-61141a779d08 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-thedronethatalmostkilledbinladen ca4ea899-ca9f-4961-8c96-61141a779d08 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-thedronethatalmostkilledbinladen Months before 9/11, U.S. Air Force captain Scott Swanson patrolled the skies over Afghanistan with a Predator drone. Swanson and his team were hunting Osama bin Laden.And they found him.But this was months before the new drones could fire missiles,... full Months before 9/11, U.S. Air Force captain Scott Swanson patrolled the skies over Afghanistan with a Predator drone. Swanson and his team were hunting Osama bin Laden. And they found him. But this was months before the new drones could fire missiles, and the pilots could only watch as bin Laden walked away. On Jan 23, 2001 – just three days into George W. Bush’s presidency – a Predator drone test fired a Hellfire missile for the first time. A new age of war had begun. Swanson is the first human to use a Predator-fired Hellfire missile to take a life. From a trailer truck in a garage behind CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, Swanson loosed a missile from a drone roughly 7,000 miles away in Kandahar. The missile struck its target – a pickup truck outside a building that intelligence said was hiding Taliban leader Mohammad Omar. The missile hit and killed two of Omar’s bodyguards. This week on War College, we replay our conversation with Swanson. He walks us through the early years of the drone program, how it changed him, and how it changed the world. (Corrects distance from Langley to Kandahar from 2,500 miles to 7,000 miles in fourth paragraph)

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]]> Months before 9/11, U.S. Air Force captain Scott Swanson patrolled the skies over Afghanistan with a Predator drone. Swanson and his team were hunting Osama bin Laden. And they found him. But this was months before the new drones could fire missiles, and the pilots could only watch as bin Laden walked away. On Jan 23, 2001 – just three days into George W. Bush’s presidency – a Predator drone test fired a Hellfire missile for the first time. A new age of war had begun. Swanson is the first human to use a Predator-fired Hellfire missile to take a life. From a trailer truck in a garage behind CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, Swanson loosed a missile from a drone roughly 7,000 miles away in Kandahar. The missile struck its target – a pickup truck outside a building that intelligence said was hiding Taliban leader Mohammad Omar. The missile hit and killed two of Omar’s bodyguards. This week on War College, we replay our conversation with Swanson. He walks us through the early years of the drone program, how it changed him, and how it changed the world. (Corrects distance from Langley to Kandahar from 2,500 miles to 7,000 miles in fourth paragraph)

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]]> <![CDATA[ICYMI: In Russia, 'fake news' is the norm]]> Mon, 12 Dec 2016 11:09:00 GMT 29:12 2fafa27c-8b93-4115-a0ce-a01af536cb6a false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-inrussia-fakenewsisthenorm 2fafa27c-8b93-4115-a0ce-a01af536cb6a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-inrussia-fakenewsisthenorm full America’s 2016 election was plagued by fake news. Online, it’s easy to fake authority, and millions of Americans fall for the stories. It may seem new to Americans, but Russians have lived with a strange, conspiracy-driven media for years.

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]]> America’s 2016 election was plagued by fake news. Online, it’s easy to fake authority, and millions of Americans fall for the stories. It may seem new to Americans, but Russians have lived with a strange, conspiracy-driven media for years.

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]]> The next Great Game may be played for the North Pole The next Great Game may be played for the North Pole Mon, 05 Dec 2016 22:25:07 GMT 26:01 c72a4512d2e2692fa759ea6c19c00cb2 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/the-next-great-game-may-be-played-for-the-north-pole f02d3090-bc64-4250-bab3-66899ddb0f1a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-next-great-game-may-be-played-for-the-north-pole full Russia's aircraft carrier may be creaky, but its submarines are among the best in the business and they ply the currents beneath the Arctic at will - though not unchallenged. So, who's challenging Russia and what are the world's powers fighting over in the warming waters?

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]]> Russia's aircraft carrier may be creaky, but its submarines are among the best in the business and they ply the currents beneath the Arctic at will - though not unchallenged. So, who's challenging Russia and what are the world's powers fighting over in the warming waters?

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]]> Going where Obama feared to tread in Syria – the Albright-Hadley plan Going where Obama feared to tread in Syria – the Albright-Hadley plan Tue, 29 Nov 2016 19:50:25 GMT 34:16 7f22f92f04b21fc32a3142f93cf5c91c false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/going-where-obama-feared-to-tread-in-syria--the-albright-hadley-plan 3b2c7522-e55a-42e5-ba14-04b9ea11659d 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 going-where-obama-feared-to-tread-in-syria--the-albright-hadley-plan Guest host and Reuters Diplomatic Correspondent Arshad Mohammed sits down with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, to discuss a report that amounts to a bipartisan rejection of President... full Guest host and Reuters Diplomatic Correspondent Arshad Mohammed sits down with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, to discuss a report that amounts to a bipartisan rejection of President Barack Obama's decision to carefully limit U.S. military engagement in the nearly six-year civil war.

Read the story: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-report-idUSKBN13O2MS

 

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]]> Guest host and Reuters Diplomatic Correspondent Arshad Mohammed sits down with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, to discuss a report that amounts to a bipartisan rejection of President Barack Obama's decision to carefully limit U.S. military engagement in the nearly six-year civil war.

Read the story: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-report-idUSKBN13O2MS

 

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]]> ICYMI: The men who burned down the world: A conversation with Dan Carlin ICYMI: The men who burned down the world: A conversation with Dan Carlin Mon, 21 Nov 2016 18:57:06 GMT 27:08 ef4ca7c29491f08e6f64c06b5683458f false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-the-men-who-burned-down-the-world-a-conversation-with-dan-carlin a6010160-b296-4971-b02f-5f8a575a1d5b 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-the-men-who-burned-down-the-world-a-conversation-with-dan-carlin full RE-RELEASE: Dan Carlin, who hosts the Common Sense and Hardcore History podcasts, joined us last year to discuss men and women who fundamentally change the worlds they are born into. Good may eventually come from what these "historical arsonists" do, but the price paid by their contemporaries is usually in blood.

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]]> RE-RELEASE: Dan Carlin, who hosts the Common Sense and Hardcore History podcasts, joined us last year to discuss men and women who fundamentally change the worlds they are born into. Good may eventually come from what these "historical arsonists" do, but the price paid by their contemporaries is usually in blood.

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]]> <![CDATA[The Kremlin had a plan - Donald Trump winning wasn't part of it]]> Wed, 16 Nov 2016 15:28:04 GMT 32:42 623eabdb768fa69cd4d188d050145a25 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/the-kremlin-had-a-plan-donald-trump-actually-winning-wasn-t-part-of-it 2a9aab0b-d8e1-4376-9a70-83461b2c8982 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-kremlin-had-a-plan-donald-trump-actually-winning-wasn-t-part-of-it full While Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump had some good things to say about each other during the 2016 U.S. election cycle, Russia expert Mark Galeotti tells War College a victory for Trump wasn't part of the Kremlin's plan. So what was the real motivation behind Russia's interference?

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]]> While Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump had some good things to say about each other during the 2016 U.S. election cycle, Russia expert Mark Galeotti tells War College a victory for Trump wasn't part of the Kremlin's plan. So what was the real motivation behind Russia's interference?

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]]> The road to Ward 17 The road to Ward 17 Mon, 14 Nov 2016 20:09:18 GMT 34:38 5565a30e1ca192e5d232daacb1d0d29b false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/the-road-to-ward-17 3faf2ac3-9854-4aa7-99f1-4a4af9629d9a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-road-to-ward-17 full Dean Yates' view into war and suffering left changed. That he knew. But just how profoundly didn't become clear until he retreated to a quieter life to the place where his wife grew up, in Tasmania.

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]]> Dean Yates' view into war and suffering left changed. That he knew. But just how profoundly didn't become clear until he retreated to a quieter life to the place where his wife grew up, in Tasmania.

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]]> ICYMI: Can NATO still put up a fight against Russia? ICYMI: Can NATO still put up a fight against Russia? Thu, 10 Nov 2016 21:04:59 GMT 32:41 e6a01068bbc37c523bc93e175cbfdd74 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/icymi-can-nato-still-put-up-a-fight-against-russia- 6abbaa1b-72fe-4196-958a-dfc8578ad4be 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 icymi-can-nato-still-put-up-a-fight-against-russia- full THIS IS A REPEAT A SHOW FROM MARCH 3. With Vladimir Putin and the United States staring at each other like the gunfighters in the final scene in the "Good, the Bad and the Ugly," War College takes a fresh look at NATO. We wanted to know what kind of shape the nearly 70-year-old alliance is in.

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]]> THIS IS A REPEAT A SHOW FROM MARCH 3. With Vladimir Putin and the United States staring at each other like the gunfighters in the final scene in the "Good, the Bad and the Ugly," War College takes a fresh look at NATO. We wanted to know what kind of shape the nearly 70-year-old alliance is in.

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]]> The security threats both candidates are ignoring The security threats both candidates are ignoring Tue, 01 Nov 2016 20:20:32 GMT 45:59 0ac0a7e67a2ea646c046d1c1fee99b22 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/the-security-threats-both-candidates-are-ignoring a028b857-811d-45b1-ae64-51174256bc36 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-security-threats-both-candidates-are-ignoring With Russia a wildcard, Islamic State on the run, budgets out of control and several Forever Wars, the next U.S. president will have their plate full. full With Russia a wildcard, Islamic State on the run, budgets out of control and several Forever Wars, the next U.S. president will have their plate full.

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]]> With Russia a wildcard, Islamic State on the run, budgets out of control and several Forever Wars, the next U.S. president will have their plate full.

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]]> <![CDATA[Is the U.S. at war? Sorry, that's classified.]]> Mon, 24 Oct 2016 21:52:23 GMT 34:13 7f569e98cb003479c3d86260bbdb7748 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/is-the-u-s-at-war-sorry-that-s-classified- 8d4f8253-bc77-488a-96ad-98f0916132e2 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 is-the-u-s-at-war-sorry-that-s-classified- full If you don't know whether or not the U.S. is at war, you're not alone. Soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines are engaged all over the world. In many places they're involved in "kinetic warfare," military jargon that means that bullets are flying. So, the United States is at war, right?

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]]> If you don't know whether or not the U.S. is at war, you're not alone. Soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines are engaged all over the world. In many places they're involved in "kinetic warfare," military jargon that means that bullets are flying. So, the United States is at war, right?

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]]> Will the recapture of Mosul lead to peace or a bloodbath? Will the recapture of Mosul lead to peace or a bloodbath? Tue, 18 Oct 2016 15:27:52 GMT 31:53 f1aabc23fa47621fb23ba67197f2b15e false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/mosul-the-real-trouble-begins-when-isis-leaves d501ddcf-c950-455a-b973-49304dbe2792 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 mosul-the-real-trouble-begins-when-isis-leaves full Mosul is as the Iraqi capital of the militant group Islamic State. Out of a population of between 1.5 million and 2 million, 4,000 to 8,000 are armed extremists. They now face a combined military force in the tens of thousands, backed up by some of the world's great military powers, including the United States.

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]]> Mosul is as the Iraqi capital of the militant group Islamic State. Out of a population of between 1.5 million and 2 million, 4,000 to 8,000 are armed extremists. They now face a combined military force in the tens of thousands, backed up by some of the world's great military powers, including the United States.

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]]> <![CDATA[What the hell happened to Britain's Royal Navy?]]> Tue, 11 Oct 2016 18:08:33 GMT 31:54 4adc9cf001b36f337dd7f3e95b140473 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/what-the-hell-happened-to-britain-s-royal-navy- 0ae90bbe-37c3-4267-aaa0-d48aca2150f1 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 what-the-hell-happened-to-britain-s-royal-navy- full To say the Britain's Royal Navy is legendary is probably to undersell it. There have been thousands of books - fiction and non-fiction - written about its victories during the Napoleonic wars. Its a bit much to expect any organization to keep up that kind of performance for centuries, but the Royal Navy did. That's what makes its current state so surprising. 

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]]> To say the Britain's Royal Navy is legendary is probably to undersell it. There have been thousands of books - fiction and non-fiction - written about its victories during the Napoleonic wars. Its a bit much to expect any organization to keep up that kind of performance for centuries, but the Royal Navy did. That's what makes its current state so surprising. 

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]]> Inside America’s armed militias and the new civil war Inside America’s armed militias and the new civil war Wed, 05 Oct 2016 15:25:18 GMT 33:32 61e69aaa47a286001c607f9ae7259ca3 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/inside-america-s-armed-militias-and-the-new-civil-war e6318c3a-bdd9-4722-85de-821b523dea71 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 inside-america-s-armed-militias-and-the-new-civil-war full Depending on where you live, this story will either be shocking or old hat. But even if you have an armed "militia" operating near you, you probably don't realize just how developed these states within a state have become - and how far they've drifted from the majority of American society.

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]]> Depending on where you live, this story will either be shocking or old hat. But even if you have an armed "militia" operating near you, you probably don't realize just how developed these states within a state have become - and how far they've drifted from the majority of American society.

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]]> <![CDATA[When the 'War on Drugs' got literal, and how it could end]]> Wed, 28 Sep 2016 20:32:32 GMT 27:12 a18dd9cb1fdad49e06bfc190bc03b1f6 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/when-the-war-on-drugs-got-literal-and-how-it-could-end 4cf1a5dc-31ed-4c67-b7a1-61440d69e70b 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 when-the-war-on-drugs-got-literal-and-how-it-could-end full Drug cartel weaponry has gotten deadlier. In 2015, a Mexican army helicopter was shot down in the state of Jalisco. The local cartel used a rocket-propelled grenade to do it. And for years, drug gangs have worked on their navies, moving from cigarette boats to homemade submarines. They have air forces, as well, and fight pitched battles against the army in Mexico and other places. But things are changing.

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]]> Drug cartel weaponry has gotten deadlier. In 2015, a Mexican army helicopter was shot down in the state of Jalisco. The local cartel used a rocket-propelled grenade to do it. And for years, drug gangs have worked on their navies, moving from cigarette boats to homemade submarines. They have air forces, as well, and fight pitched battles against the army in Mexico and other places. But things are changing.

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]]> An Islamic Reformation may be beside the point An Islamic Reformation may be beside the point Wed, 21 Sep 2016 22:17:44 GMT 39:39 0caf6c8b24b715e587f73351bbe65242 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/mosque-and-state-why-separating-them-isn-t-so-simple 781efb15-153d-4c96-81b7-ada3128a823e 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 mosque-and-state-why-separating-them-isn-t-so-simple full The separation of church and state is one of the fundamental tenets of the modern Western world, but that doesn't make it inevitable for all cultures. But does that mean that the Islamic world and the Western one are in an existential struggle? Or is that division even meaningful?

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]]> The separation of church and state is one of the fundamental tenets of the modern Western world, but that doesn't make it inevitable for all cultures. But does that mean that the Islamic world and the Western one are in an existential struggle? Or is that division even meaningful?

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]]> Why nuclear war looks inevitable Why nuclear war looks inevitable Tue, 13 Sep 2016 22:32:16 GMT 30:58 81988032e5f34bf892fe538b2634e9c8 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/why-nuclear-war-looks-inevitable 38933350-716c-481f-8a39-ebcdba642258 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 why-nuclear-war-looks-inevitable full Several developments have the potential to move the hands of the nuclear doom clock closer to midnight. 

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]]> Several developments have the potential to move the hands of the nuclear doom clock closer to midnight. 

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]]> <![CDATA[One reason the U.S. isn't winning the 'War on Terror']]> Thu, 08 Sep 2016 22:44:35 GMT 39:17 372d1988cc20acd3ba4a971572057745 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/quantifying-the-success-of-targeted-strikes-since-9-11 eb4d8990-eef1-4f76-9286-6b072692e879 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 quantifying-the-success-of-targeted-strikes-since-9-11 In the 15 years since America first went to war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Pentagon has reduced the number of troops on the ground and increased the number of unmanned robots picking off high value targets. full In the 15 years since America first went to war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Pentagon has reduced the number of troops on the ground and increased the number of unmanned robots picking off high value targets.

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]]> In the 15 years since America first went to war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Pentagon has reduced the number of troops on the ground and increased the number of unmanned robots picking off high value targets.

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]]> <![CDATA[How the Pentagon became the world's weapon system superstore]]> Wed, 31 Aug 2016 17:04:28 GMT 36:57 ebc0de15d636eaeb35c81deba0cbed28 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/how-the-pentagon-became-the-world-s-weapon-system-superstore d1a2bea4-8429-48c4-9687-6d3fc04bc9b5 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-the-pentagon-became-the-world-s-weapon-system-superstore full The United States is the world's largest arms merchant. It's not even close. So, who decides what gets sold, and to whom? And how closely does anyone follow the rules? This week on War College we look at the upsides, and the downsides, of having such a big share of the arms market.

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]]> The United States is the world's largest arms merchant. It's not even close. So, who decides what gets sold, and to whom? And how closely does anyone follow the rules? This week on War College we look at the upsides, and the downsides, of having such a big share of the arms market.

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]]> The age of the aircraft carrier may be over The age of the aircraft carrier may be over Mon, 22 Aug 2016 20:38:54 GMT 36:44 19abe3554ef8f78245c976a4fdadcd80 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/the-age-of-the-aircraft-carrier-may-be-over 61d3931d-5943-4320-89de-537763047b99 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-age-of-the-aircraft-carrier-may-be-over full The United States has more aircraft carriers than any other country. Depending on what you call an aircraft carrier, it's 10 times as many. So why don't more countries have more carriers? Maybe they aren't such a great idea, anymore.

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]]> The United States has more aircraft carriers than any other country. Depending on what you call an aircraft carrier, it's 10 times as many. So why don't more countries have more carriers? Maybe they aren't such a great idea, anymore.

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]]> How the U.S. got caught between two nuclear neighbors How the U.S. got caught between two nuclear neighbors Thu, 11 Aug 2016 21:43:33 GMT 33:18 78bfa91522afd13b4b68392caa3e6cc2 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/how-the-u-s-got-caught-between-two-nuclear-neighbors d27dd2bc-e189-4a7d-83a4-1fc70dd54bbc 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-the-u-s-got-caught-between-two-nuclear-neighbors full It's a situation where the United States has interesting choices to make. India and Pakistan are often at each other's throats. Both want U.S. support. Both are allies of necessity for the United States. Both have nuclear weapons.

This week on War College we look at a delicate balancing act, where diplomatic failure by the United States could have deadly repercussions for millions.

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]]> It's a situation where the United States has interesting choices to make. India and Pakistan are often at each other's throats. Both want U.S. support. Both are allies of necessity for the United States. Both have nuclear weapons.

This week on War College we look at a delicate balancing act, where diplomatic failure by the United States could have deadly repercussions for millions.

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]]> The Kremlin may be more involved in U.S. politics than you realize The Kremlin may be more involved in U.S. politics than you realize Sat, 30 Jul 2016 01:34:47 GMT 45:39 eff84fb8da1519f5c50dfaabf4e6cee5 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/the-kremlin-may-be-more-involved-in-u-s-politics-than-you-realize 0b248604-f441-4d8c-8305-c76b097ca206 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-kremlin-may-be-more-involved-in-u-s-politics-than-you-realize full Hackers released a treasure trove of unpleasant internecine emails on the eve of the Democratic National Convention. The Democratic Party chairwoman was out of a job and tensions between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders supporters were reignited just as the Democrats were trying for a prime-time show of unity. Who were the hackers? Security experts inside and outside the government have pointed the finger at Russia. So, was this an act foreign aggression playing out on a strange new battlefield?

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]]> Hackers released a treasure trove of unpleasant internecine emails on the eve of the Democratic National Convention. The Democratic Party chairwoman was out of a job and tensions between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders supporters were reignited just as the Democrats were trying for a prime-time show of unity. Who were the hackers? Security experts inside and outside the government have pointed the finger at Russia. So, was this an act foreign aggression playing out on a strange new battlefield?

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]]> <![CDATA[How a 'chicken gun' keeps U.S. warbirds aloft and other strange tales]]> Thu, 28 Jul 2016 21:45:56 GMT 29:15 5aa8aeac4c9a34a379f4161dadbb3cd9 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/the-military-s-miraculous-medicinal-maggots-and-more- 21f900f5-729c-4df0-b073-92ecf0560c5d 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-military-s-miraculous-medicinal-maggots-and-more- full When the United States Air Force tests a new aircraft it needs to make sure it won't crash should a stray bird slam into the plane's side. Thankfully, the military has an artillery piece with a 60-foot barrel that hurls chicken more than 400 miles an hour. The chicken gun allows the military to make sure no stray bird will foul up its expensive jets while they're mid-flight. If you think the chicken gun is weird, it’s only the tip of a strange and fascinating iceberg.

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]]> When the United States Air Force tests a new aircraft it needs to make sure it won't crash should a stray bird slam into the plane's side. Thankfully, the military has an artillery piece with a 60-foot barrel that hurls chicken more than 400 miles an hour. The chicken gun allows the military to make sure no stray bird will foul up its expensive jets while they're mid-flight. If you think the chicken gun is weird, it’s only the tip of a strange and fascinating iceberg.

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]]> Wars in the Middle East will cost the U.S. trillions more Wars in the Middle East will cost the U.S. trillions more Thu, 21 Jul 2016 20:10:36 GMT 34:26 5b273fced8fba6115ac6a00a9681f52c false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/how-did-the-u-s-get-into-all-these-wars-anyway- f824b8a9-6f5a-49d2-b0c8-12df4e67da5d 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-did-the-u-s-get-into-all-these-wars-anyway- The United States is at war and has been for more than a decade. Although major combat operations in Iraq in Afghanistan have ended, America still maintains a presence in both and will for years to come. It also funds Syrian rebels, bombs Islamic State... full The United States is at war and has been for more than a decade. Although major combat operations in Iraq in Afghanistan have ended, America still maintains a presence in both and will for years to come. It also funds Syrian rebels, bombs Islamic State strongholds in the region and runs drones from Afghanistan to the Horn of Africa.


With America fighting on so many fronts, it’s hard to understand the Pentagon’s strategy or the endgame for the various conflicts. Retired U.S. Army Colonel Andrew Bacevich says it feels that way because it is that way. According to Bacevich, the American military is fighting a war that began decades before 9/11.


This week on War College, Bacevich walks us through what he calls America’s War With the Greater Middle East and tells us how it started and why he thinks it must end.

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]]> The United States is at war and has been for more than a decade. Although major combat operations in Iraq in Afghanistan have ended, America still maintains a presence in both and will for years to come. It also funds Syrian rebels, bombs Islamic State strongholds in the region and runs drones from Afghanistan to the Horn of Africa.


With America fighting on so many fronts, it’s hard to understand the Pentagon’s strategy or the endgame for the various conflicts. Retired U.S. Army Colonel Andrew Bacevich says it feels that way because it is that way. According to Bacevich, the American military is fighting a war that began decades before 9/11.


This week on War College, Bacevich walks us through what he calls America’s War With the Greater Middle East and tells us how it started and why he thinks it must end.

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]]> The simple reasons Russians love Putin The simple reasons Russians love Putin Thu, 14 Jul 2016 17:05:50 GMT 31:12 4844684910cc88ea73eaaa81297227a1 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/the-simple-reasons-russians-love-putin 893998a2-505a-445e-9f8f-8dd3cf0cb0af 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-simple-reasons-russians-love-putin In the West, people tend to think of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a strongman dictator – a former KGB man who oppresses his people, censors the media and antagonizes Russia’s neighbors. From the outside, it’s hard for anyone to understand how Pu... full In the West, people tend to think of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a strongman dictator – a former KGB man who oppresses his people, censors the media and antagonizes Russia’s neighbors. From the outside, it’s hard for anyone to understand how Putin stays in power, let alone stays popular.


And Putin is popular. Pollsters put his approval rating at more than 80 percent. It makes perfect sense if you understand Russia.

This week on War College, we sit down with Anne Garrels, a longtime Russia correspondent for NPR. Since the collapse of the USSR, Garrels has spent more and more time in smaller Russian cities and towns, getting to know people who don’t live the cosmopolitan lifestyle of the country's capital.


Garrels gives the reasons why Russians love Putin, and why it’s in the best interests of the West to understand them.

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]]> In the West, people tend to think of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a strongman dictator – a former KGB man who oppresses his people, censors the media and antagonizes Russia’s neighbors. From the outside, it’s hard for anyone to understand how Putin stays in power, let alone stays popular.


And Putin is popular. Pollsters put his approval rating at more than 80 percent. It makes perfect sense if you understand Russia.

This week on War College, we sit down with Anne Garrels, a longtime Russia correspondent for NPR. Since the collapse of the USSR, Garrels has spent more and more time in smaller Russian cities and towns, getting to know people who don’t live the cosmopolitan lifestyle of the country's capital.


Garrels gives the reasons why Russians love Putin, and why it’s in the best interests of the West to understand them.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Why do people blow themselves up? Not for the reasons you think Why do people blow themselves up? Not for the reasons you think Wed, 29 Jun 2016 20:37:41 GMT 34:25 26c999b19b461a03a5d27227e1759c14 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/why-do-people-blow-themselves-up-not-for-the-reasons-you-think ea51b86c-50f1-4d88-ab83-05784ecb06c9 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 why-do-people-blow-themselves-up-not-for-the-reasons-you-think full Suicide attacks in Paris, Brussels, Orlando, Istanbul. And where to begin in Syria, Libya, Iraq, Nigeria, Israel? Further back, attacks in the United States, Mumbai. Nearly commonplace in Afghanistan and Yemen. Why? What are these young men and women thinking? Are their minds focused on a reward in a world beyond this one, or are the motives more earthly - human?

This week on War College, we speak with Roger Griffin, an expert on the motivation behind militant attacks. He offers explanations for actions that seem inexplicable.

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]]> Suicide attacks in Paris, Brussels, Orlando, Istanbul. And where to begin in Syria, Libya, Iraq, Nigeria, Israel? Further back, attacks in the United States, Mumbai. Nearly commonplace in Afghanistan and Yemen. Why? What are these young men and women thinking? Are their minds focused on a reward in a world beyond this one, or are the motives more earthly - human?

This week on War College, we speak with Roger Griffin, an expert on the motivation behind militant attacks. He offers explanations for actions that seem inexplicable.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Is it time to get rid of the Air Force? Is it time to get rid of the Air Force? Thu, 16 Jun 2016 20:50:07 GMT 32:06 5a7230322a80c43462a5a876e67b9fa9 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/is-it-time-to-get-rid-of-the-air-force- ed5f68a1-eb83-4dfb-8041-fe1ab6dfea3f 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 is-it-time-to-get-rid-of-the-air-force- Until 1947, the Air Force was part of the U.S. Army. Of course, even then, the Navy had its own airplanes launching from aircraft carriers, protecting the fleets and attacking the enemy largely at sea.Nowadays, the Army has helicopters and transport... full Until 1947, the Air Force was part of the U.S. Army. Of course, even then, the Navy had its own airplanes launching from aircraft carriers, protecting the fleets and attacking the enemy largely at sea.


Nowadays, the Army has helicopters and transport planes. The Marines have their own fighter jets. Naval aviators are as renowned as their Air Force colleagues and fly missions against ground-based targets.


This week on War College we talk with a man who believes the Air Force should be disbanded. That having it separate from the Army does little beyond creating a bureaucracy. In fact, he argues, a separate Air Force has changed the nature of warfare and not in a good way. If all you have is a hammer, he says, all problems become nails.

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]]> Until 1947, the Air Force was part of the U.S. Army. Of course, even then, the Navy had its own airplanes launching from aircraft carriers, protecting the fleets and attacking the enemy largely at sea.


Nowadays, the Army has helicopters and transport planes. The Marines have their own fighter jets. Naval aviators are as renowned as their Air Force colleagues and fly missions against ground-based targets.


This week on War College we talk with a man who believes the Air Force should be disbanded. That having it separate from the Army does little beyond creating a bureaucracy. In fact, he argues, a separate Air Force has changed the nature of warfare and not in a good way. If all you have is a hammer, he says, all problems become nails.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Why is it so hard to come home from modern war? Why is it so hard to come home from modern war? Fri, 10 Jun 2016 18:59:15 GMT 30:16 503d73939d630688095472de1ebd14af false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/why-is-it-so-hard-to-come-home-from-modern-war- 47f517f3-70d7-4097-b243-b09809a95337 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 why-is-it-so-hard-to-come-home-from-modern-war- There’s an argument to be made that humans evolved to fight each other – and to be good at it. But as the United States approaches its 15th straight year at war, rates of post-traumatic stress disorder are high. Many soldiers come home uncertain as to ... full There’s an argument to be made that humans evolved to fight each other – and to be good at it. But as the United States approaches its 15th straight year at war, rates of post-traumatic stress disorder are high. Many soldiers come home uncertain as to where they fit in and dealing with depression, anxiety and other issues.

This week on War College, we look at whether PTSD is a modern phenomenon. If it is, what is it about the way we live now that makes it so hard to transition home from the battlefield?

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]]> There’s an argument to be made that humans evolved to fight each other – and to be good at it. But as the United States approaches its 15th straight year at war, rates of post-traumatic stress disorder are high. Many soldiers come home uncertain as to where they fit in and dealing with depression, anxiety and other issues.

This week on War College, we look at whether PTSD is a modern phenomenon. If it is, what is it about the way we live now that makes it so hard to transition home from the battlefield?

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The AC-130 gunship and a tragedy in Afghanistan The AC-130 gunship and a tragedy in Afghanistan Thu, 02 Jun 2016 20:09:51 GMT 32:22 b4c54ea41cc1b9e81e7be0e2ca48af8f false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/the-ac-130-gunship-and-a-tragedy-in-afghanistan 2e7227f8-31d6-4023-b6f2-bfb95fc1c4ae 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-ac-130-gunship-and-a-tragedy-in-afghanistan The United States keeps some very old, very strange-looking planes in its arsenal. But each serves a purpose. The A-10 Warthog provides close-air support to ground troops. The B-52 drops bombs, but is so large and easy to spot that it also sends a mess... full The United States keeps some very old, very strange-looking planes in its arsenal. But each serves a purpose. The A-10 Warthog provides close-air support to ground troops. The B-52 drops bombs, but is so large and easy to spot that it also sends a message. The AC-130 is also a plane with a specific purpose. It’s propeller-driven and has its guns mounted on only one side. This week on War College, we look at this anachronism and the damage it can still do. Of course, any weapon system is only as good as its guidance.

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]]> The United States keeps some very old, very strange-looking planes in its arsenal. But each serves a purpose. The A-10 Warthog provides close-air support to ground troops. The B-52 drops bombs, but is so large and easy to spot that it also sends a message. The AC-130 is also a plane with a specific purpose. It’s propeller-driven and has its guns mounted on only one side. This week on War College, we look at this anachronism and the damage it can still do. Of course, any weapon system is only as good as its guidance.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> DARPA brought us the internet - mind control could be next DARPA brought us the internet - mind control could be next Fri, 27 May 2016 14:16:17 GMT 30:06 62e08aadf4226c4969946960f5df23f6 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/darpa-brought-us-the-internet-mind-control-could-be-next 17cd940b-2169-46e6-bae2-900818a512e0 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 darpa-brought-us-the-internet-mind-control-could-be-next For a group of scientists working on weapons — some of which could end the world — DARPA has a surprisingly good reputation. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is credited with creating the Internet and runs public contests for human-looking... full For a group of scientists working on weapons — some of which could end the world — DARPA has a surprisingly good reputation. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is credited with creating the Internet and runs public contests for human-looking robots and self-driving cars. This week on War College, we look at DARPA and some of the projects that still being carried out under the cover of official darkness.

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]]> For a group of scientists working on weapons — some of which could end the world — DARPA has a surprisingly good reputation. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is credited with creating the Internet and runs public contests for human-looking robots and self-driving cars. This week on War College, we look at DARPA and some of the projects that still being carried out under the cover of official darkness.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Will there be war in the South China Sea? Will there be war in the South China Sea? Fri, 20 May 2016 18:21:40 GMT 27:53 92126bdcdbd47a8d5e3baa42f23236c6 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/will-there-be-war-in-the-south-china-sea- 5bdb16a7-45e9-4f95-bb0c-8b262fc8f01b 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 will-there-be-war-in-the-south-china-sea- If you’re looking for a place on the globe likely to spark a world war, you could do worse than the South China Sea. The United States, China, Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines and Japan all have claims there. China is building artificial islands and th... full If you’re looking for a place on the globe likely to spark a world war, you could do worse than the South China Sea. The United States, China, Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines and Japan all have claims there. China is building artificial islands and the U.S. Navy is patrolling close by. There have been confrontations at sea and in the air. This week on War College, we’re looking at this global sore spot and asking just how heated is the situation likely to get.

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]]> If you’re looking for a place on the globe likely to spark a world war, you could do worse than the South China Sea. The United States, China, Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines and Japan all have claims there. China is building artificial islands and the U.S. Navy is patrolling close by. There have been confrontations at sea and in the air. This week on War College, we’re looking at this global sore spot and asking just how heated is the situation likely to get.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Meet the women who went in with the Navy SEALs in Afghanistan Meet the women who went in with the Navy SEALs in Afghanistan Thu, 12 May 2016 21:50:41 GMT 26:57 2dfaf80e65157ae658ad588fbecacfc5 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/meet-the-women-who-went-in-with-the-navy-seals-in-afghanistan 8af878e8-889d-4617-bba8-c6e8eabb837b 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 meet-the-women-who-went-in-with-the-navy-seals-in-afghanistan full It was just this year that U.S. women were officially allowed in combat roles. That’s officially. But in Afghanistan, American women were on the front lines on night raids with commandos, including the Navy SEALs, six years ago. This week on War College we talk about their stories.

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]]> It was just this year that U.S. women were officially allowed in combat roles. That’s officially. But in Afghanistan, American women were on the front lines on night raids with commandos, including the Navy SEALs, six years ago. This week on War College we talk about their stories.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> What makes Vladimir Putin so special? What makes Vladimir Putin so special? Fri, 29 Apr 2016 13:29:20 GMT 30:20 a2513c23d182704788127d7237006a46 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/what-makes-vladimir-putin-so-special- ca5c66a7-c731-45d0-ab97-2158b78c323e 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 what-makes-vladimir-putin-so-special- An economy in deep trouble. A scandal involving billions in off-shore bank accounts and shell companies. Seemingly endless military entanglements. Sounds like a recipe to bring down any world leader. This week, War College looks at what makes Russian P... full An economy in deep trouble. A scandal involving billions in off-shore bank accounts and shell companies. Seemingly endless military entanglements. Sounds like a recipe to bring down any world leader. This week, War College looks at what makes Russian President Vladimir Putin the ultimate special case.

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]]> An economy in deep trouble. A scandal involving billions in off-shore bank accounts and shell companies. Seemingly endless military entanglements. Sounds like a recipe to bring down any world leader. This week, War College looks at what makes Russian President Vladimir Putin the ultimate special case.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Like video games? You may be playing with government propaganda. Like video games? You may be playing with government propaganda. Thu, 21 Apr 2016 19:45:59 GMT 24:46 8e77c4c75a4776d81bab7c90ad9f4212 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/like-video-games-you-may-be-playing-with-government-propaganda- 1050a86c-c831-4a66-a6a0-968605ea934d 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 like-video-games-you-may-be-playing-with-government-propaganda- full Video games are an industry worth tens of billions of dollars. Games make more money than Hollywood and the music industry combined. Video games can be great fun and even great art, but they can also be great propaganda. A new game called IS Defense puts players on the shores of Europe to defend the continent against waves of faceless Islamic attackers. The FBI, North Korea and even PETA have tried to use games to get their points across. It doesn’t always work and it’s often silly, but governments are only just getting started.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Video games are an industry worth tens of billions of dollars. Games make more money than Hollywood and the music industry combined. Video games can be great fun and even great art, but they can also be great propaganda. A new game called IS Defense puts players on the shores of Europe to defend the continent against waves of faceless Islamic attackers. The FBI, North Korea and even PETA have tried to use games to get their points across. It doesn’t always work and it’s often silly, but governments are only just getting started.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Who was pulling the strings when Ukraine unraveled? Who was pulling the strings when Ukraine unraveled? Thu, 14 Apr 2016 23:03:30 GMT 24:57 ccf9f3d38cd907d9ca7a729940c09a25 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/who-was-pulling-the-strings-when-ukraine-unraveled- 88d23386-e7bd-49ae-82ca-f3173d52d7ae 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 who-was-pulling-the-strings-when-ukraine-unraveled- full When Ukraine pulled itself apart in 2014, the world was confused over who was doing the pulling. Was the takeover of Luhansk, Donetsk and other regional capitals all part of a Russian plan, or a local movement? This week on War College, we speak with Antony Butts. He was in Donetsk when it all went down and has a unique story to tell.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> When Ukraine pulled itself apart in 2014, the world was confused over who was doing the pulling. Was the takeover of Luhansk, Donetsk and other regional capitals all part of a Russian plan, or a local movement? This week on War College, we speak with Antony Butts. He was in Donetsk when it all went down and has a unique story to tell.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Why the F-35 may not stink Why the F-35 may not stink Thu, 07 Apr 2016 20:25:40 GMT 30:49 6069f49a41328ce78f7fb96a7a602d3a false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/why-the-f-35-may-not-stink 7de3331d-ae14-47f0-b29b-cd2bac0779e0 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 why-the-f-35-may-not-stink full This week on War College we're diving into the weeds on how weapons systems come into existence. Andrea Shalal, Reuters’ longtime aerospace correspondent, takes us through the steps. She also gives a counterpoint to the show’s very first episode, which focused on the flaws of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter plane and program. In a discussion that may surprise to some listeners, she describes a program that’s back on track, despite its possible trillion-dollar price tag.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> This week on War College we're diving into the weeds on how weapons systems come into existence. Andrea Shalal, Reuters’ longtime aerospace correspondent, takes us through the steps. She also gives a counterpoint to the show’s very first episode, which focused on the flaws of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter plane and program. In a discussion that may surprise to some listeners, she describes a program that’s back on track, despite its possible trillion-dollar price tag.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> He had bin Laden in his sights, but no trigger to pull He had bin Laden in his sights, but no trigger to pull Tue, 29 Mar 2016 20:33:31 GMT 34:33 d309355c33edb0710a42364e2e7e1fd8 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/he-had-bin-laden-in-his-sights-but-no-trigger-to-pull c7f26c07-ab95-47fd-876f-24d92601e999 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 he-had-bin-laden-in-his-sights-but-no-trigger-to-pull Just months before the Sept. 11 attacks, Scott Swanson was piloting an early version of the Predator drone over Afghanistan. Swanson and his team were looking for Osama bin Laden and it looked like they found him. The predator, though, was unarmed. Thi... full Just months before the Sept. 11 attacks, Scott Swanson was piloting an early version of the Predator drone over Afghanistan. Swanson and his team were looking for Osama bin Laden and it looked like they found him. The predator, though, was unarmed. This week on War College, Swanson takes us through the early history of the drone program and tells us how a skunk works project became a central part of the U.S. War machine.

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]]> Just months before the Sept. 11 attacks, Scott Swanson was piloting an early version of the Predator drone over Afghanistan. Swanson and his team were looking for Osama bin Laden and it looked like they found him. The predator, though, was unarmed. This week on War College, Swanson takes us through the early history of the drone program and tells us how a skunk works project became a central part of the U.S. War machine.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Caught in a draft: Where military service can last forever Caught in a draft: Where military service can last forever Thu, 17 Mar 2016 20:27:58 GMT 33:26 ea519f7ba17958c05e652f7b65e520da false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/caught-in-a-draft-where-military-service-can-last-forever 57e2cb56-f020-41dd-a979-a5dd3f073354 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 caught-in-a-draft-where-military-service-can-last-forever This week on War College, we’re talking about a secretive nation where everyone serves in the military – and not just for a year or two. In fact, once you get pulled into service in Eritrea, you could be serving for a decade or more. And no one knows h... full This week on War College, we’re talking about a secretive nation where everyone serves in the military – and not just for a year or two. In fact, once you get pulled into service in Eritrea, you could be serving for a decade or more. And no one knows how much more it could be. 

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> This week on War College, we’re talking about a secretive nation where everyone serves in the military – and not just for a year or two. In fact, once you get pulled into service in Eritrea, you could be serving for a decade or more. And no one knows how much more it could be. 

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Snipers: Battlefield saviors or sinners? Snipers: Battlefield saviors or sinners? Thu, 10 Mar 2016 22:30:13 GMT 27:25 e5a129a32d59e95da4a9bc1802a772a4 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/snipers-battlefield-saviors-or-sinners- 23280c8a-64ed-4ed3-8298-b4506169846f 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 snipers-battlefield-saviors-or-sinners- Snipers play a key role in the world’s armies. They target commanders on the opposing side and other targets with an outsize impact. Working by themselves, they can pin down a group, creating fear and confusion. This week on War College we look at the ... full Snipers play a key role in the world’s armies. They target commanders on the opposing side and other targets with an outsize impact. Working by themselves, they can pin down a group, creating fear and confusion. This week on War College we look at the history of snipers and the role they play now. It’s fair to say the role wasn’t always considered a badge of honor.

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]]> Snipers play a key role in the world’s armies. They target commanders on the opposing side and other targets with an outsize impact. Working by themselves, they can pin down a group, creating fear and confusion. This week on War College we look at the history of snipers and the role they play now. It’s fair to say the role wasn’t always considered a badge of honor.

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]]> Can NATO still put up a fight against Russia? Can NATO still put up a fight against Russia? Thu, 03 Mar 2016 21:28:18 GMT 32:32 bb49df78486c9aa8ece93aa80883c990 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/can-nato-still-put-up-a-fight-against-russia- a3311641-258a-4d03-ad95-75994829ff54 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 can-nato-still-put-up-a-fight-against-russia- full With Vladimir Putin and the United States staring at each other like the gunfighters in the final scene in the "Good, the Bad and the Ugly," War College takes a fresh look at NATO. We wanted to know what kind of shape the nearly 70-year-old alliance is in.

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]]> With Vladimir Putin and the United States staring at each other like the gunfighters in the final scene in the "Good, the Bad and the Ugly," War College takes a fresh look at NATO. We wanted to know what kind of shape the nearly 70-year-old alliance is in.

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]]> <![CDATA[Why closing Gitmo isn't an open-and-shut case]]> Thu, 25 Feb 2016 23:35:20 GMT 28:28 6a6d49da534745c9502e583942825999 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/why-closing-gitmo-isn-t-an-open-and-shut-case 0ca0f0ac-65e8-4662-9b97-a5b75cf5a59a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 why-closing-gitmo-isn-t-an-open-and-shut-case full President Barack Obama laid out a plan to close the notorious Guantanamo Bay prison this week. Even if it were to close by the time Obama leaves office, it will have been open for 15 years. So, why is the prison still open, and what would it take to close it? And how important is it, really, to close it?

This week on War College, we talk to Reuters' own David Rohde. He's written extensively about Guantanamo and he also knows captivity from the other side, as a prisoner of the Taliban for seven months.

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]]> President Barack Obama laid out a plan to close the notorious Guantanamo Bay prison this week. Even if it were to close by the time Obama leaves office, it will have been open for 15 years. So, why is the prison still open, and what would it take to close it? And how important is it, really, to close it?

This week on War College, we talk to Reuters' own David Rohde. He's written extensively about Guantanamo and he also knows captivity from the other side, as a prisoner of the Taliban for seven months.

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]]> Is the Syrian war partly an ad for Russian arms sales? Is the Syrian war partly an ad for Russian arms sales? Thu, 18 Feb 2016 18:50:45 GMT 28:31 d32f93af8f126e4a56b65c96a30cddb4 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/is-the-syrian-war-partly-an-ad-for-russian-arms-sales- 1d15f8d4-6636-4775-bffb-47b5207451a8 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 is-the-syrian-war-partly-an-ad-for-russian-arms-sales- full Russia is pulling out all the stops in showing off new weaponry — especially in Syria. Nick de Larrinaga, an expert at Jane’s Defense Weekly, joins the show and explains that the display of force is about more than winning a war. It also functions a kind of advertising campaign for the world’s second-largest arms dealer.

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]]> Russia is pulling out all the stops in showing off new weaponry — especially in Syria. Nick de Larrinaga, an expert at Jane’s Defense Weekly, joins the show and explains that the display of force is about more than winning a war. It also functions a kind of advertising campaign for the world’s second-largest arms dealer.

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]]> How Garry Kasparov sees the chess match between Russia and the West How Garry Kasparov sees the chess match between Russia and the West Tue, 09 Feb 2016 21:10:37 GMT 16:11 3dbca45b0d19d447a0ff84e89f45ea85 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/how-garry-kasparov-sees-the-chess-match-between-russia-and-the-west 442269a9-0959-4495-8528-c1be7b3459c5 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-garry-kasparov-sees-the-chess-match-between-russia-and-the-west full Garry Kasparov, a Russian opposition leader who was ranked as the world's best chess player for most of 20 years, has a problem with the West’s response to Vladimir Putin’s Russia and warns of the dangers of the nation's global influence. The title of his new book – Winter Is Coming – is a conscious play on the famous Game of Thrones TV and book series and the sense of darkness stalking the world.

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]]> Garry Kasparov, a Russian opposition leader who was ranked as the world's best chess player for most of 20 years, has a problem with the West’s response to Vladimir Putin’s Russia and warns of the dangers of the nation's global influence. The title of his new book – Winter Is Coming – is a conscious play on the famous Game of Thrones TV and book series and the sense of darkness stalking the world.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Surprising changes underway for Israel’s army Surprising changes underway for Israel’s army Thu, 04 Feb 2016 20:57:09 GMT 30:15 064700aab14c2dc52c8e375a28a4bc3f false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/surprising-changes-underway-for-israel-s-army d03a4644-06d4-4e5a-98ff-8841e3babc7d 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 surprising-changes-underway-for-israel-s-army Israel’s defense forces are among the world’s elite. Their training methods are widely copied, actions taken by their soldiers and pilots are legendary. The Raid on Entebbe, the Six Day War, the 1981 air strike that took out a nuclear reactor under con... full Israel’s defense forces are among the world’s elite. Their training methods are widely copied, actions taken by their soldiers and pilots are legendary. The Raid on Entebbe, the Six Day War, the 1981 air strike that took out a nuclear reactor under construction in Iraq.

But those victories were long ago and Israel’s enemies have evolved. This week on War College, journalist Noga Tarnopolsky walks us through the changing face of the IDF. In a country where everybody serves, the role of the soldier is more highly scrutinized and respected than in America.


Tarnopolsky explains why Israel is cutting back on officers, strengthening its borders and worrying less about Iran than you might expect.

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]]> Israel’s defense forces are among the world’s elite. Their training methods are widely copied, actions taken by their soldiers and pilots are legendary. The Raid on Entebbe, the Six Day War, the 1981 air strike that took out a nuclear reactor under construction in Iraq.

But those victories were long ago and Israel’s enemies have evolved. This week on War College, journalist Noga Tarnopolsky walks us through the changing face of the IDF. In a country where everybody serves, the role of the soldier is more highly scrutinized and respected than in America.


Tarnopolsky explains why Israel is cutting back on officers, strengthening its borders and worrying less about Iran than you might expect.

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]]> How hot will the Saudi-Iran conflict get? How hot will the Saudi-Iran conflict get? Thu, 28 Jan 2016 15:02:31 GMT 25:13 2ad6e172facabae34938fe99c5b1fff4 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/how-hot-will-the-saudi-iran-conflict-get- 84eaff7a-04c0-421d-ae85-de45d556140f 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-hot-will-the-saudi-iran-conflict-get- Saudi Arabia executes a cleric who is a member of the Saudi Shi’ite minority. Iran’s government, which sees itself as the leader of the Shi’ite world, doesn’t work very hard to stop an attack on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran that follows the execution. S... full Saudi Arabia executes a cleric who is a member of the Saudi Shi’ite minority. Iran’s government, which sees itself as the leader of the Shi’ite world, doesn’t work very hard to stop an attack on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran that follows the execution. Saudi Arabia closes its embassy and tensions between the two nations, which had been growing for years, hit a new high. With hot wars in Yemen and Syria, billions of dollars sloshing around between governments and militias and militant groups, its a good time to look at what’s really going on and what’s likely to happen next.

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]]> Saudi Arabia executes a cleric who is a member of the Saudi Shi’ite minority. Iran’s government, which sees itself as the leader of the Shi’ite world, doesn’t work very hard to stop an attack on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran that follows the execution. Saudi Arabia closes its embassy and tensions between the two nations, which had been growing for years, hit a new high. With hot wars in Yemen and Syria, billions of dollars sloshing around between governments and militias and militant groups, its a good time to look at what’s really going on and what’s likely to happen next.

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]]> <![CDATA[Oil's long good-bye and what comes next]]> Wed, 20 Jan 2016 20:40:28 GMT 26:25 fc29f0c69cc67710ed5c51d2bf9c63ec false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/oil-s-long-good-bye-and-what-comes-next 4eece109-06fa-4f37-a84d-6600d8c21692 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 oil-s-long-good-bye-and-what-comes-next Since the breakup of the Soviet Union, Russia has used natural gas as a weapon against Ukraine and Europe as a whole. Threatening to turn shut off the pipes as the weather turns cold is a pretty effective way to influence foreign policy. But now it loo... full Since the breakup of the Soviet Union, Russia has used natural gas as a weapon against Ukraine and Europe as a whole. Threatening to turn shut off the pipes as the weather turns cold is a pretty effective way to influence foreign policy. But now it looks like one of Vladimir Putin’s key weapons is losing some its punch. This week on War College we’re looking at how shifts in the production of oil and natural gas are effecting global security, and where that leaves the United States.

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]]> Since the breakup of the Soviet Union, Russia has used natural gas as a weapon against Ukraine and Europe as a whole. Threatening to turn shut off the pipes as the weather turns cold is a pretty effective way to influence foreign policy. But now it looks like one of Vladimir Putin’s key weapons is losing some its punch. This week on War College we’re looking at how shifts in the production of oil and natural gas are effecting global security, and where that leaves the United States.

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]]> Why in the world is the 60-year-old B-52 bomber still flying? Why in the world is the 60-year-old B-52 bomber still flying? Tue, 12 Jan 2016 20:19:46 GMT 26:59 eee4b32d1f9a37062da42a568e2cd343 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/why-in-the-world-is-the-60-year-old-b-52-bomber-still-flying- 06771ef5-aafc-4088-83e0-21e2822e7c65 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 why-in-the-world-is-the-60-year-old-b-52-bomber-still-flying- North Korea sets off a nuclear bomb and how does the U.S. respond? The Pentagon sends a 65-year-old airplane to buzz Korean airspace. It wouldn’t make a lot of sense if the warplane wasn’t the B-52 bomber. Designed in the aftermath of World War Two, ob... full North Korea sets off a nuclear bomb and how does the U.S. respond? The Pentagon sends a 65-year-old airplane to buzz Korean airspace. It wouldn’t make a lot of sense if the warplane wasn’t the B-52 bomber. Designed in the aftermath of World War Two, obsolete nearly before the last one rolled off the line in 1961 – the Stratofortress may remain in the air for another 25 years.

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]]> North Korea sets off a nuclear bomb and how does the U.S. respond? The Pentagon sends a 65-year-old airplane to buzz Korean airspace. It wouldn’t make a lot of sense if the warplane wasn’t the B-52 bomber. Designed in the aftermath of World War Two, obsolete nearly before the last one rolled off the line in 1961 – the Stratofortress may remain in the air for another 25 years.

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]]> In North Korea, kids learn to love the bomb - and Minnie Mouse In North Korea, kids learn to love the bomb - and Minnie Mouse Fri, 08 Jan 2016 21:22:29 GMT 30:47 ee7ece38c58b16fe58dcf92e44f86f9c false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/in-north-korea-kids-learn-to-love-the-bomb-and-minnie-mouse 64baadff-efca-4043-8679-9fd0fb07f50c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 in-north-korea-kids-learn-to-love-the-bomb-and-minnie-mouse North Korea is the most mysterious and oppressive regime on earth. Few journalists penetrate Pyongyang and fewer still stay long enough to understand the country and its people. Jean Lee is one of those determined few. And she’s seen some strange stuff. full North Korea is the most mysterious and oppressive regime on earth. Few journalists penetrate Pyongyang and fewer still stay long enough to understand the country and its people. Jean Lee is one of those determined few. And she’s seen some strange stuff.

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]]> North Korea is the most mysterious and oppressive regime on earth. Few journalists penetrate Pyongyang and fewer still stay long enough to understand the country and its people. Jean Lee is one of those determined few. And she’s seen some strange stuff.

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]]> The women warriors giving ISIS nightmares The women warriors giving ISIS nightmares Thu, 17 Dec 2015 00:10:44 GMT 28:35 f5e39ca9ad5a3dae554f0e2431e89b47 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/the-women-warriors-giving-isis-nightmares c615f04f-5ad4-4999-8c69-9a21f567690d 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-women-warriors-giving-isis-nightmares Islamic State has many enemies, both around the world and in the Middle East. But there’s one group of fighters that the men of Islamic State fear more than others because, rumors say, to be killed by them doesn’t lead to martyrdom, but to an eternity ... full Islamic State has many enemies, both around the world and in the Middle East. But there’s one group of fighters that the men of Islamic State fear more than others because, rumors say, to be killed by them doesn’t lead to martyrdom, but to an eternity in hell. These fearsome warriors are members of the Kurdish Women’s Protection Units, and in this week’s War College, we look at the role they – and other women – are playing in the war against Islamic State.

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]]> Islamic State has many enemies, both around the world and in the Middle East. But there’s one group of fighters that the men of Islamic State fear more than others because, rumors say, to be killed by them doesn’t lead to martyrdom, but to an eternity in hell. These fearsome warriors are members of the Kurdish Women’s Protection Units, and in this week’s War College, we look at the role they – and other women – are playing in the war against Islamic State.

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]]> What will cause the next Holocaust? What will cause the next Holocaust? Wed, 09 Dec 2015 20:01:24 GMT 32:27 d96eea66c88f2132e552c0b08298da9a false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/what-will-cause-the-next-holocaust- b211d7f6-883e-43df-83ef-71bc5bce296a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 what-will-cause-the-next-holocaust- The conditions necessary to allow genocide – to provide one group the psychological “permission” to kill another en masse – come together all too often, in Europe during World War II, in Rwanda, in Bosnia, in Cambodia. This week on War College, we try ... full The conditions necessary to allow genocide – to provide one group the psychological “permission” to kill another en masse – come together all too often, in Europe during World War II, in Rwanda, in Bosnia, in Cambodia. This week on War College, we try to understand what those conditions are, and whether climate change may be the trigger for the next great Holocaust.

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]]> The conditions necessary to allow genocide – to provide one group the psychological “permission” to kill another en masse – come together all too often, in Europe during World War II, in Rwanda, in Bosnia, in Cambodia. This week on War College, we try to understand what those conditions are, and whether climate change may be the trigger for the next great Holocaust.

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]]> <![CDATA['Nothing is real, anything is possible': How Putin's propaganda machine works]]> Tue, 01 Dec 2015 20:51:36 GMT 29:44 001f92180f0c6ce26b5262ace03e00ea false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/-nothing-is-real-anything-is-possible-how-putin-s-propaganda-machine-works 7872ba0f-ceea-480d-906f-18d804d2dbcc 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 -nothing-is-real-anything-is-possible-how-putin-s-propaganda-machine-works full The media in Russia is lively, often entertaining and largely state controlled. Still, an illusion of freedom remains key for the Kremlin to maintain its grasp over a country that spans 11 time zones. In this episode of War College, we look at how Vladimir Putin crafts his message for both internal and external consumption.

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]]> The media in Russia is lively, often entertaining and largely state controlled. Still, an illusion of freedom remains key for the Kremlin to maintain its grasp over a country that spans 11 time zones. In this episode of War College, we look at how Vladimir Putin crafts his message for both internal and external consumption.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Are drone strikes working if Paris attacks can still happen? Are drone strikes working if Paris attacks can still happen? Tue, 24 Nov 2015 21:01:15 GMT 27:52 56aa32e02ff9398085ceb2a5d8bcc6b7 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/are-drone-strikes-working-if-paris-attacks-can-still-happen- 795fb0e5-ddff-4d18-8077-475c866723ce 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 are-drone-strikes-working-if-paris-attacks-can-still-happen- Predator and Reaper drones hang in the sky above Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq and Syria. Mostly they observe, search for targets – and occasionally they unleash Hellfire missiles. Targets may be large gatherings of suspicious figures, convoys or training camp... full Predator and Reaper drones hang in the sky above Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq and Syria. Mostly they observe, search for targets – and occasionally they unleash Hellfire missiles. Targets may be large gatherings of suspicious figures, convoys or training camps. They can also be private houses, and sometimes they turn out to be weddings. The theory behind strikes is not mass destruction, but to find militant leaders and kill them, as surgically as possible. But how effective have those efforts been? And who’s making the call on when to take a shot?

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]]> Predator and Reaper drones hang in the sky above Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq and Syria. Mostly they observe, search for targets – and occasionally they unleash Hellfire missiles. Targets may be large gatherings of suspicious figures, convoys or training camps. They can also be private houses, and sometimes they turn out to be weddings. The theory behind strikes is not mass destruction, but to find militant leaders and kill them, as surgically as possible. But how effective have those efforts been? And who’s making the call on when to take a shot?

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> One phrase from Saudi clerics could begin the end of Islamic State One phrase from Saudi clerics could begin the end of Islamic State Thu, 19 Nov 2015 20:44:57 GMT 45:04 7a3e5a58c7d5736cce7d272465103993 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/one-phrase-from-saudi-clerics-could-begin-the-end-of-islamic-state ccf6dcbd-b5b4-4469-a64d-6ce46b065961 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 one-phrase-from-saudi-clerics-could-begin-the-end-of-islamic-state The recent terror attacks in Paris shook the world and put the focus back on Islamic State. This week on War College, we talk with American Special Operations intelligence veteran Malcolm Nance. Nance literally wrote the textbook on Iraq’s terrorists a... full The recent terror attacks in Paris shook the world and put the focus back on Islamic State. This week on War College, we talk with American Special Operations intelligence veteran Malcolm Nance. Nance literally wrote the textbook on Iraq’s terrorists and is the executive director of the Terror Asymmetrics Project.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The recent terror attacks in Paris shook the world and put the focus back on Islamic State. This week on War College, we talk with American Special Operations intelligence veteran Malcolm Nance. Nance literally wrote the textbook on Iraq’s terrorists and is the executive director of the Terror Asymmetrics Project.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> <![CDATA[Who picks up your trash when you live in the 'Islamic State?']]> Wed, 11 Nov 2015 14:03:14 GMT 31:40 0dacc1f8b71b234bdfa5cbc17c6ffca2 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/who-picks-up-your-trash-when-you-live-in-the-islamic-state- c8b7ff73-e8ad-4c5c-ae9f-ab38b8dace70 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 who-picks-up-your-trash-when-you-live-in-the-islamic-state- Many in the West think of the Islamic State as a loose collection of fighters -- rabble who kill, loot and burn. But the truth is more complex, though no less terrifying. Islamic State actually governs the territory it takes and it’s not terrible at it... full Many in the West think of the Islamic State as a loose collection of fighters -- rabble who kill, loot and burn. But the truth is more complex, though no less terrifying. Islamic State actually governs the territory it takes and it’s not terrible at it. The group levies taxes, teaches children and organizes garbage pickup.

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]]> Many in the West think of the Islamic State as a loose collection of fighters -- rabble who kill, loot and burn. But the truth is more complex, though no less terrifying. Islamic State actually governs the territory it takes and it’s not terrible at it. The group levies taxes, teaches children and organizes garbage pickup.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> What makes a historical arsonist? What makes a historical arsonist? Tue, 03 Nov 2015 21:28:49 GMT 27:08 a04c11f10a584e4169b9aff10063bd0f false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/what-makes-a-historical-arsonist- d6aa66b9-066a-4100-af60-5ad2bc09b5b4 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 what-makes-a-historical-arsonist- full The host of the Hardcore History podcast joins War College to discuss some of the most powerful figures in history - men and women who burned down the world they were born into and -- many generations later -- are sometimes credited with laying the foundation for progress. But that doesn't mean that's what the arsonist set out to do, or that the people in their way were happy to pay the price.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> The host of the Hardcore History podcast joins War College to discuss some of the most powerful figures in history - men and women who burned down the world they were born into and -- many generations later -- are sometimes credited with laying the foundation for progress. But that doesn't mean that's what the arsonist set out to do, or that the people in their way were happy to pay the price.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

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]]> Get a look inside the secretive world of U.S. Special Ops Get a look inside the secretive world of U.S. Special Ops Wed, 28 Oct 2015 19:19:05 GMT 28:21 7a41058b6ee30f4d62b8e925dcb164ce false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/get-a-look-inside-the-secretive-world-of-u-s-special-ops 3c177fe0-e67f-4efc-b1a2-e17499dcd4a4 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 get-a-look-inside-the-secretive-world-of-u-s-special-ops America’s Special Operations Forces have become instrumental in the war against radical Islam. But few in America know their story or how they operate. Sean Naylor wants to change that. His new book, Relentless Strike: The Secret History of American Sp... full America’s Special Operations Forces have become instrumental in the war against radical Islam. But few in America know their story or how they operate. Sean Naylor wants to change that. His new book, Relentless Strike: The Secret History of American Special Operations Command, gives readers a window into this secretive world. Naylor talks to us on this week’s War College

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]]> America’s Special Operations Forces have become instrumental in the war against radical Islam. But few in America know their story or how they operate. Sean Naylor wants to change that. His new book, Relentless Strike: The Secret History of American Special Operations Command, gives readers a window into this secretive world. Naylor talks to us on this week’s War College

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]]> <![CDATA[Most of Russia's military still 'rubbish' despite Ukraine, Syria deployments]]> Tue, 20 Oct 2015 18:44:16 GMT 33:16 aecaface813defeede41dbede53d7b95 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/most-of-russia-s-military-still-rubbish-despite-ukraine-syria-deployments bb9d95e8-f7f9-4cb2-a373-ce516888b6a7 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 most-of-russia-s-military-still-rubbish-despite-ukraine-syria-deployments The annexation of Crimea, the war in eastern Ukraine and the military operation in Syria present the image of a confident Russian President Vladimir Putin willing to expend military power for political gain. The truth, according to Dr. Mark Galeotti of... full The annexation of Crimea, the war in eastern Ukraine and the military operation in Syria present the image of a confident Russian President Vladimir Putin willing to expend military power for political gain. The truth, according to Dr. Mark Galeotti of New York University, is far more complex.

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]]> The annexation of Crimea, the war in eastern Ukraine and the military operation in Syria present the image of a confident Russian President Vladimir Putin willing to expend military power for political gain. The truth, according to Dr. Mark Galeotti of New York University, is far more complex.

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]]> How the machine gun brought modern war to the world How the machine gun brought modern war to the world Wed, 14 Oct 2015 20:25:36 GMT 30:14 2de1d4d3212f4e16681a138128b314ab false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/how-the-machine-gun-brought-modern-war-to-the-world 89b5e40a-6d04-4d63-9dc7-493464fd3d54 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-the-machine-gun-brought-modern-war-to-the-world None of the world’s great powers were ready for the carnage World War I. The armies of 1914 looked a lot like the armies of 1814 … but they didn’t go to war with 19th century weapons. The modern world was born in blood on the battlefields of Europe dur... full None of the world’s great powers were ready for the carnage World War I. The armies of 1914 looked a lot like the armies of 1814 … but they didn’t go to war with 19th century weapons. The modern world was born in blood on the battlefields of Europe during the Great War … and the machine gun cut the umbilical cord. This week on War College, we sit down with Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons as he walks us through the Maxim Gun -- one of the earliest machine guns -- and how it changed the pace of war forever.

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]]> None of the world’s great powers were ready for the carnage World War I. The armies of 1914 looked a lot like the armies of 1814 … but they didn’t go to war with 19th century weapons. The modern world was born in blood on the battlefields of Europe during the Great War … and the machine gun cut the umbilical cord. This week on War College, we sit down with Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons as he walks us through the Maxim Gun -- one of the earliest machine guns -- and how it changed the pace of war forever.

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]]> Coming soon, a pizza that stays fresh for three years - courtesy of the U.S. Army Coming soon, a pizza that stays fresh for three years - courtesy of the U.S. Army Wed, 30 Sep 2015 21:26:41 GMT 31:37 44512a4ec0b42dea9bcc9fe211aa2ed1 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/coming-soon-a-pizza-that-stays-fresh-for-three-years-courtesy-of-the-u-s-army 9d149c5b-c91a-4195-a004-a10eb12295f0 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 coming-soon-a-pizza-that-stays-fresh-for-three-years-courtesy-of-the-u-s-army The need for armies, both ancient and modern, to travel long distances to thwart enemies and take territory has made militaries one of the driving factors behind food science. full The need for armies, both ancient and modern, to travel long distances to thwart enemies and take territory has made militaries one of the driving factors behind food science.

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]]> The need for armies, both ancient and modern, to travel long distances to thwart enemies and take territory has made militaries one of the driving factors behind food science.

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]]> The AK-47, a weapon so simple, even a child can use it - and they do The AK-47, a weapon so simple, even a child can use it - and they do Wed, 23 Sep 2015 19:22:47 GMT 28:21 89ab269ae8c4c51fafc2f944bf159670 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/the-ak-47-a-weapon-so-simple-even-a-child-can-use-it-and-they-do b9cb4ac7-c8aa-4795-995a-d05357f35d85 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 the-ak-47-a-weapon-so-simple-even-a-child-can-use-it-and-they-do full It’s the world’s most famous weapon, popular with soldiers, insurgents and video gamers alike. As many as 100 million of the world's guns are descended from Mikhail Kalashnikov's original Avtomat Kalashnikova, first prototyped in 1947. How many lives they've taken is unknown.

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]]> It’s the world’s most famous weapon, popular with soldiers, insurgents and video gamers alike. As many as 100 million of the world's guns are descended from Mikhail Kalashnikov's original Avtomat Kalashnikova, first prototyped in 1947. How many lives they've taken is unknown.

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]]> Who are Europe’s migrants, and do they pose a threat? Who are Europe’s migrants, and do they pose a threat? Tue, 15 Sep 2015 18:29:43 GMT 30:58 ba0f6f64de92f633b76de1055ed5125a false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/who-are-europe-s-migrants-and-do-they-pose-a-threat- c37e57a6-a498-4c49-baaa-4d3ca516a272 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 who-are-europe-s-migrants-and-do-they-pose-a-threat- full War College talks to author and journalist Robert Young Pelton talks about the waves of immigrants washing up on the shores of Europe and why things have gotten worse in the last few months. 

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]]> War College talks to author and journalist Robert Young Pelton talks about the waves of immigrants washing up on the shores of Europe and why things have gotten worse in the last few months. 

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]]> Just how strong is Iran’s military? Just how strong is Iran’s military? Wed, 09 Sep 2015 19:54:45 GMT 30:03 90b5cbd406df965851b1627abc77bdb8 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/just-how-strong-is-iran-s-military- f6d85d7a-b828-4e76-81c9-627756ef9a27 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 just-how-strong-is-iran-s-military- This week’s War College examines the state of Iran’s conventional military, as well as its guiding strategies. Jason Fields, Matthew Gault and Robert Beckhusen also discuss the likely impact of the nuclear treaty on its regular forces. full This week’s War College examines the state of Iran’s conventional military, as well as its guiding strategies. Jason Fields, Matthew Gault and Robert Beckhusen also discuss the likely impact of the nuclear treaty on its regular forces.

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]]> This week’s War College examines the state of Iran’s conventional military, as well as its guiding strategies. Jason Fields, Matthew Gault and Robert Beckhusen also discuss the likely impact of the nuclear treaty on its regular forces.

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]]> What a real war in space might look like What a real war in space might look like Wed, 02 Sep 2015 14:23:41 GMT 33:11 4cf11bd27d62f6d1f4acf8eb6994e3f8 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/what-a-real-war-in-space-might-look-like 1c520c08-c5eb-491b-9eb2-d99e4df3c910 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 what-a-real-war-in-space-might-look-like There are approximately 1,000 satellites currently in orbit, but how many of them are really weapons in disguise? full There are approximately 1,000 satellites currently in orbit, but how many of them are really weapons in disguise?

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]]> There are approximately 1,000 satellites currently in orbit, but how many of them are really weapons in disguise?

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]]> What nuclear strategy? World powers play dangerous game by ear What nuclear strategy? World powers play dangerous game by ear Tue, 25 Aug 2015 20:03:08 GMT 29:45 7ab8f4231a7c1bb6cc496e4c3b02d583 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/what-nuclear-strategy-world-powers-play-dangerous-game-by-ear a0e269f6-35c8-4e7f-94ad-c0a955f633dc 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 what-nuclear-strategy-world-powers-play-dangerous-game-by-ear This week’s War College looks at nuclear threats around the world and whether U.S. strategy has kept up. Thomas Nichols, a professor at the U.S. Naval War College, says it hasn’t and explains why that makes the world a more dangerous place. full This week’s War College looks at nuclear threats around the world and whether U.S. strategy has kept up. Thomas Nichols, a professor at the U.S. Naval War College, says it hasn’t and explains why that makes the world a more dangerous place.

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]]> This week’s War College looks at nuclear threats around the world and whether U.S. strategy has kept up. Thomas Nichols, a professor at the U.S. Naval War College, says it hasn’t and explains why that makes the world a more dangerous place.

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]]> Weird weapons of Vietnam: Combat tree houses, a nuclear rifle and more Weird weapons of Vietnam: Combat tree houses, a nuclear rifle and more Tue, 18 Aug 2015 20:17:55 GMT 33:12 5d33ae1fca92e3f6fafc2e1de22f0085 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/weird-weapons-of-vietnam-combat-tree-houses-a-nuclear-rifle-and-more 7aed09c7-11ef-4f7a-ba1b-1df50b221cd0 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 weird-weapons-of-vietnam-combat-tree-houses-a-nuclear-rifle-and-more full This week War College looks at some of the weirdest weapons that the U.S. military came up with for use during the Vietnam War. While the nuclear rifle didn’t go anywhere, another invention can be found at raves around the world. 

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]]> This week War College looks at some of the weirdest weapons that the U.S. military came up with for use during the Vietnam War. While the nuclear rifle didn’t go anywhere, another invention can be found at raves around the world. 

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]]> How China’s military might matches up with the United States How China’s military might matches up with the United States Wed, 12 Aug 2015 00:12:50 GMT 26:48 a2ea2a1adb35e30e77a68bb26adb760a false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/how-china-s-military-might-matches-up-with-the-united-states 3875aac8-68ac-4c7b-87b8-be56fa7e868a 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 how-china-s-military-might-matches-up-with-the-united-states To understand just how strong China’s military really is, it’s important to understand its true mission and objectives. And those are very different from what the United States is trying to accomplish around the globe. full To understand just how strong China’s military really is, it’s important to understand its true mission and objectives. And those are very different from what the United States is trying to accomplish around the globe.

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]]> To understand just how strong China’s military really is, it’s important to understand its true mission and objectives. And those are very different from what the United States is trying to accomplish around the globe.

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]]> Drones of war: How smart will they get? Drones of war: How smart will they get? Tue, 04 Aug 2015 21:03:50 GMT 33:22 19d2e0505eb0c0cf4b6239274c603147 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/drones-of-war-how-smart-will-they-get- c69cf73e-bcd0-4dbe-a659-224b876ee881 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 drones-of-war-how-smart-will-they-get- full Drones linger over battlefields all over the world, and over places that don’t realize that they’re battlefields until the Hellfire missiles strike.

 

 

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]]> Drones linger over battlefields all over the world, and over places that don’t realize that they’re battlefields until the Hellfire missiles strike.

 

 

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]]> America’s Joint Strike Fighter flies into a world of trouble America’s Joint Strike Fighter flies into a world of trouble Tue, 28 Jul 2015 16:14:53 GMT 39:10 5332b73dcc0feb310a35659a0704c236 false https://play.acast.com/s/warcollege/america-s-joint-strike-fighter-flies-into-a-world-of-trouble 53c959f5-8a7a-4416-ab54-0c9edd9e541c 3dd76634-7b1c-45c2-a9cf-2f6f96d4e0b4 america-s-joint-strike-fighter-flies-into-a-world-of-trouble The United States plans to replace all of its fighter jets with the F-35 in the next decade or so, at a cost estimated to be at least $1 trillion. But the plane’s development hasn’t been smooth. So, is the Pentagon’s plan the smart way to go? full The United States plans to replace all of its fighter jets with the F-35 in the next decade or so, at a cost estimated to be at least $1 trillion. But the plane’s development hasn’t been smooth. So, is the Pentagon’s plan the smart way to go?

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]]> The United States plans to replace all of its fighter jets with the F-35 in the next decade or so, at a cost estimated to be at least $1 trillion. But the plane’s development hasn’t been smooth. So, is the Pentagon’s plan the smart way to go?

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]]>