Podcast appearances and mentions of David Kilcullen

A US-Iran ceasefire is now in effect. Trump has declared Iran's ten-point peace plan workable. But is this peace — or just a pause? In this episode of The Voices of War, military strategist and counterinsurgency expert Dr. David Kilcullen breaks down the Iran ceasefire, the Iran war's real strategic logic, and whether the Iran peace plan can survive contact with reality. With 90% of Iran's navy reportedly destroyed and US strikes degrading Iranian air defenses, the Iran-US war appeared to be going Washington's way. Then came the ceasefire. Dr. Kilcullen — former advisor to General Petraeus during the Iraq surge and author of The Accidental Guerrilla and The Dragons and the Snakes — delivers a sober verdict: the ceasefire is fragile, the ten-point plan is largely incompatible with US and Israeli objectives, and the Strait of Hormuz remains the single most consequential bargaining chip in the Iran-Israel war. We go deep on the Iran sanctions calculus, the US-Israel relationship and whether Washington can actually "leash Tel Aviv," Iran's asymmetric resilience and information warfare, the China-US power shift, and what the rupture of the current world order means for NATO, AUKUS, and Australia's strategic future. A ceasefire is not a victory. A ten-point plan is not a political settlement. And a two-week pause in a conflict this complex is not the end of anything — it's the beginning of the hardest part.

With a rogue United States causing havoc in the Middle East, is it time for Australia to abandon its 'good doggy' approach to US foreign policy?In the final instalment of Global Roaming's three-part series, The World Reordered, hosts Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue are joined by one of Australia's most respected military thinkers, who argues Australia needs to 'grow up'.Guest: David Kilcullen, Professor of Practice in the Center on the Future of War and the School of Politics and Global Studies, former Australian Army lieutenant colonel, counterinsurgency expert and author.Get in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts. 

Professor David Kilcullen joined Bruce & Gaydos to talk about the war in Iran and how long it may go on for in the Middle East.

In this episode of #DefenceDeconstructed, we sit down with Jordan Miller, to discuss his upcoming policy perspective titled "Shifting Defence from Procurement to Production." We discuss the proposed defence procurement agency and the eagerly awaited defence industrial strategy, and how they can best deliver the military the capabilities it needs in a sustainable way. We cover what it means to shift to a defence production focus, venture capital investments in defence, and how the public sector can make the necessary transformation. // Guest bios: Jordan Miller is a PhD candidate at the Royal Military College of Canada, and is writing on Ukraine's use of English-language information operations. He works in the defence and space industry, is a regular contributor to think tanks, writing on defence policy, space, and the war in Ukraine. // Host bio: Charlotte Duval-Lantoine is the VP of Ottawa Operations at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute // Recommended Readings: - "The Ledger: Accounting for Failure in Afghanistan" by David Kilcullen, Greg Mills and Rory Stewart - "Why America Loses War" by Donald Stoker // Defence Deconstructed was brought to you by Irving Shipbuilding. // Music Credit: Drew Phillips | Producer: Jordyn Carroll Release date: 05 September 2025

Jim and Mike dig into David Kilcullen's The Dragons and the Snakes to explore how modern adversaries—from rogue states to criminal networks—are adapting faster than ever to Western tactics, tech, and psychology. Drawing from Kilcullen's insights and a CIA review of the book, they unpack the idea that our enemies are evolving because of us—we're shaping their strategy, and sometimes not in the way we want. From guerrilla warfare and liminal conflict to use-of-force doctrine and law enforcement tactics, this episode connects military theory to street-level realities. Are we in a new kind of war without even knowing it? And what are we teaching our opponents every time we act? The Dragons and the Snakes by David Kilcullen - https://amzn.to/3Td5CrM CIA review of the book - https://bit.ly/TheDragonsAndTheSnakes   Find us on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/YouTube) @TacTangents. You can join the conversation in our Facebook Discussion Group. Find all of our episodes, articles, some reading list ideas, and more on our website www.tacticaltangents.com Like what we're doing? Head over to Patreon and give us a buck for each new episode. You can also make a one-time contribution at GoFundMe. Intro music credit Bensound.com

A past-advisor to a former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says a clear and timely assessment of damage to Iran's nuclear programme, is unlikely. David Kilcullen says the US is presenting its strikes as complete destruction. "There's really no way to tell that until somebody gets in there and takes a look - and there's very little chance of that." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 23 June 2025, David Kilcullen, former advisor to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, speaks to Heather du Plessis-Allan on the odds of Trump bringing in regime change in Iran. Exclusive polling shows Kiwis don't think Cook Islanders should continue to get automatic access to citizenship, healthcare and superannuation if the country continues with its foreign policy push towards China against NZ's will. Finance Minister Nicola Willis is refusing to tell Heather the price of the new Kainga Ora wool carpets. All Black rookie Brodie McAlister on finding out he'd made the team - and the first person he told. Plus, the Huddle weighs in on the situation in Iran and whether saunas are taking off in NZ. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did the rebels manage to topple Bashar al-Assad’s regime so quickly? How inclusive will any new government realistically be? Who in the region wins and who loses? Andrew Mueller speaks with Syrian-born writer Rime Allaf, counter-insurgency expert David Kilcullen, Middle East security analyst Burcu Ozcelik and Russia expert Mark Galeotti. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, CDR Paul Grostad discusses the emerging threat of cognitive warfare, emphasizing the importance of information in modern societies and the potential for it to be weaponized. Until recently, Paul led Cognitive Warfare concept development for the NATO strategic warfare development command, HQ SACT, in Norfolk Virginia. NATO defines cognitive warfare as: the deliberate, synchronized military and non-military activities throughout the continuum of competition designed to shape the information environments and affect audience, attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors to gain, maintain, and protect cognitive superiority. Recording Date: 29 Nov 2024 Research Question: Paul Groestad suggests an interested student or researcher examine:  How can we ethically gain situational awareness and monitor the Information Environment without negatively impacting values like freedom of speech and freedom of the press? How can we effectively deter against non-attributable hostile acts in the Grey Zone, or below the threshold of armed conflict? AI powered influence is on the rise, what are different ways to utilize AI to defend, counter or respond? Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #33 August Cole on FICINT and the Cognitive Warfighting Domain #180 Tanna Krewson on Cognitive Warfare Cognitive Warfare Products on the NATO Innovation Hub Cognitive warfare: a conceptual analysis of the NATO ACT cognitive warfare exploratory concept by Christoph Deppe and Gary S Schaal. (FYI: This report is an analysis of an earlier draft version of The Cognitive Warfare EXPLORATORY Concept, which was shared with nations for comments in April 2023. Significant review, analysis and experimentation has gone into the document since then.) Allied Command Transformation develops the Cognitive Warfare Concept to Combat Disinformation and Defend Against “Cognitive Warfare” “Data is the new oil” Clive Humby On Geopolitics: New Cold Wars by David Sanger (2024) On the changing character of warfare: The Dragons and the Snakes by David Kilcullen (2020) New Rules of War by Sean McFate The Weaponisation of Everything by Mark Galeotti (2022) On Russian Strategic Culture and Information Warfare: The Russian Understanding of War by Oscar Jonsson (2019) Unmasking Maskirovka by Daniel Bagge (2019) The Story of Russia by Orlando Figes (2022) On Technology: Our Next Reality by Alvin Graylin and Louis Rosenberg (2024) The Battle for your Brain by Nita Farahany (2023) Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (1992) Daemon by Daniel Suarez (2009) Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bio:  CDR Paul Groestad is a Norwegian naval officer with 30+ years experience in Signals, C4ISR, Cyber Operations and Information Warfare at all levels of the Norwegian Armed Forces and the NATO Command Structure. His current position is with the Norwegian Ministry of Defense at the Department for Security Policy and Operations where he is desk officer for Hybrid threats and Malign Influence.  In his previous position at NATOs Warfare Development Command, HQ SACT in Norfolk, Virginia, USA, he was the Deputy Branch Head for Concept Development and led the project for NATOs Cognitive Warfare Concept. He is a graduate of the Norwegian Naval Academy and Joint Command and Staff College, holds a Masters degree in Military Art and Science from the Norwegian Defence University College and a Bachelor's degree in Information Science from the University of Bergen.  His 2017 Master's thesis was on the topic of Russian Influence Operations. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson are joined by Dr David Kilcullen, former diplomat and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency senior research scientist, to discuss the moving evolution of conflict, tactics and military technology. The trio begin by discussing elements of complex warfare, how predictions change over time and the differences in warfare over the last 25 years. They also discuss the tactics and technologies of past and current conflicts, including those in use in Europe and the Middle East. Finally, they discuss the nature of resilience, innovation and technological expertise in current soldiery within defence forces and greater society. Enjoy the podcast, The Contested Ground team

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson are joined by Dr David Kilcullen, former diplomat and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency senior research scientist, to discuss the moving evolution of conflict, tactics and military technology. The trio begin by discussing elements of complex warfare, how predictions change over time and the differences in warfare over the last 25 years. They also discuss the tactics and technologies of past and current conflicts, including those in use in Europe and the Middle East. Finally, they discuss the nature of resilience, innovation and technological expertise in current soldiery within defence forces and greater society. Enjoy the podcast, The Contested Ground team

In this episode, we review David Kilcullen's latest book, The Dragons and the Snakes, which addresses how the empire's enemies have learned to fight it and win.In the first section, Kilcullen identifies the evolutionary process that has produced the surviving configuration of America's enemies after 20 years of the GWOT. He discusses how these actors have been shaped by the present technological and cultural terrain — and especially how they have learned to draw power from global-scale economic and cultural power flows without making themselves a global-scale military threat that justifies American intervention.In the second section, he describes the process of vertical escalation, in which a weaker actor can calibrate its aggressive action to stay below a stronger enemy's threshold of detection, attribution, or response — especially as practiced by Putin's Russia.The Russians' conventional military has been gutted by the shock therapy and corruption of the post-Soviet collapse, but they still have nuclear weapons and a very effective intelligence service — so they have learned to calibrate their conflict with the West to make best use of their peer capabilities, while avoiding a conventional war.He also describes how both the Russians and Americans use deniable methods (“election interference”, color revolutions, migrant warfare, etc.) to sow confusion and exploit internal divisions in their enemies' political systems.Next, Kilcullen outlines the Chinese adoption of horizontal escalation as described in Unrestricted Warfare — in which a weaker actor fights in domains that their stronger opponent does not recognize as military, and may not even perceive as hostile.This method of warfare is also described as a “conceptual envelopment”, because the weaker opponent holds the stronger enemy to a standoff in the conventional military domain (in China's case, building credible radars, AA systems, hypersonics, etc. in the South China Sea), but they conduct their real advance on the conceptual “flank” — in this case, buying strategically significant real estate and politicians, replacing Western manufacturing, encouraging mass third-world migration, and dumping fentanyl in the American heartland.As with a conventional flanking maneuver, the goal is to roll the enemy up from the rear, and only push through the front when the battle is effectively over.Kilcullen then suggests some possible ways that the empire might arrest or reverse its decline — but a radical renegotiation of American hegemony looks all but inevitable. We discuss what that might mean for us as ordinary citizens, and as targets of the regime's hostility.The good news is that the most important preparation for what is coming is having useful friends you can trust — and making them is 100% legal. Join us at exitgroup.us.

In this archive discussion from 2020, David Kilcullen, former soldier, diplomat, and senior counterinsurgency adviser for the US during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, explains the nature of past Western interventions and the guerrilla warfare resistance that has followed. He joined Carl Miller, Research Director at the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media at the think tank Demos, to discuss his book: The Dragons and the Snakes: How the Rest Learned to Fight the West. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/IS for £100 sponsored credit. This is the second instalment of a two-part conversation. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all of our longer form interviews and Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events - Our member-only newsletter The Monthly Read, sent straight to your inbox ... Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series ... Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. ... Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recorded in early September 2023,  this episode continues our futures mini-series, where we speak with Dr Ian Langford and Professor David Killcullen about the future of war in the Indo-Pacific region. In this episode we will be getting a download on what the change in geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific means for Australia, and how that might impact choices relating to technology, acquisitions and their subsequent use and regulation; as well as discussing what the future of proxy warfare and modern counterinsurgency might look like.Dr Ian Langford, DSC and Bars, is a member of a member of UNSW's Future Operations Research Group and is a strategic adviser with UBH Group, a leading Sovereign Information Domain (SID) company. Dr Langford is a regular contributor to the Australian Army Research Centre, and in addition to being a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College and the School of Advanced Warfighting, he has recently retired from the Australian Army as a Brigadier where he filled multiple senior roles including – relevant to our discussion today – as the Army's Director General of Future Land Warfare and the Head of Land Capability.Dr David Kilcullen is a former soldier and diplomat, and a scholar of guerrilla warfare, terrorism, urbanisation and the future of conflict, who served 25 years for the Australian and United States governments. During the Iraq War, he served in Baghdad as a member of the Joint Strategic Assessment Team, then as Senior Counterinsurgency Advisor, Multi-National Force Iraq in 2007, before becoming Special Advisor for Counterinsurgency to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on counterinsurgency; and in addition to holding senior academic roles across a number of institutions, he has written six books on counterinsurgency.Additional resources:-  Australian Defence Strategic Review- USMC Stand-In Force Concept- UK Future Commando Force Concept

Be sure to visit the Irregular Warfare Initiative website to see all of the new articles, podcast episodes, and other content the IWI team is producing! In what ways do irregular warfare and counterinsurgency overlap? Is China engaged in irregular warfare against its adversaries? What are some of the failures of the wars and conflicts of the last twenty years and why did they occur? What do IW practitioners need to do to avoid the mistakes and to ensure they learn the hard-won lessons of the last twenty years in IW and COIN? This episode explores these deeply important questions and features a conversation with two of the leading experts on the subject: David Kilcullen and John Nagl. Intro music: "Unsilenced" by Ketsa Outro music: "Launch" by Ketsa CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Join The Voices Of War exclusive community by subscribing today. Connect our private feed with your favourite pod-catcher at https://thevoicesofwar.supercast.com/ As a former refugee and migrant, I can appreciate that even a few dollars per month might be too much to spare on a podcast. If you are in this situation and cannot afford a subscription, please email me as I have an alternate solution for you. Any universities or other educational establishments need only email me and I will share the full file with them of any episodes they wish to use. --- My guest today is Dr David Kilcullen, who is a renowned military strategist, scholar, and former soldier and diplomat who has served both the Australian and United States governments for three decades now. He is an expert in the fields of guerrilla warfare, terrorism, urbanisation, and the future of conflict.    David has authored several influential books, including ‘The Accidental Guerrilla', ‘Counterinsurgency', ‘Out of the Mountains', ‘The Dragons and Snakes: How the Rest Leant to Fight the West' and ‘The Ledger: Accounting for Failure in Afghanistan'. He has been named one of Foreign Policy's Top 100 Global Thinkers and has won numerous awards for his writing. His work is widely used by policymakers, the military, intelligence services, and development agencies around the world.    Some of the topics we discussed are: ·      David's background, military life, and journey into academia ·      Analysis of the fall of Kabul and the current situation in Afghanistan ·      Reflection on the power and influence of elites in the US and how their pursuit of selfish interests affects geopolitics ·      Competing partisan narratives in the US and their impact on global politics ·      Lack of accountability for the failures in Afghanistan and Iraq and its impact ·      Working towards preventing a potential war between the US and China as a national priority for Australia ·      Discussion on the likelihood and impact of a hot war between the US and China ·      Analysis of what the US-China contest is actually about ·      A discussion on the winners and losers in the 20th century ·      Reflection on Iraq as a pivotal moment for US global dominance ·      Loss of Western moral legitimacy and its impact ·      Australia's position in a potential US-China conflict ·      Reflection on the recently announced Australian Defence Strategic Review ·      How Taiwan perceives China and how this shapes its strategic narrative ·      Reflection on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, its origins, and potential outcomes ·      China's attempt to mediate between Ukraine and Russia, as well as Iran and Saudi Arabia ·      How social media undermines conflict discourse and stifles dialogue due to parallel realities ·      The importance of national sovereignty, industry, resilience, and sustainability ·      Discussion on the fact that increased sovereignty would impact the current standard of living and national wealth ·      Impact of the collapse of confidence in experts, institutions, and the political elite in the West ·      Reflection on the ongoing domestic tensions in the US and the risks associated with the 2024 presidential election ·      Dave's two key risks for the immediate future—ongoing erosion of civil liberties in the West and a weaponised pandemic

The environment and the climate are factors in every conflict; the changing of the seasons has been arguably decisive on many occasions. How have militaries learned to adapt? How can those lessons be applied to conditions that may be changing beyond recognition? And can we stop climate wars from being fought? Andrew Mueller speaks to Sherri Goodman, Jasper Humphreys and Dr David Kilcullen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Russia's waging of war in Ukraine brings back to Europe scenes of aggression and devastation not seen there for decades. It's one of the many instances of warfare in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, deploying both traditional and thoroughly modern weapons. David Kilcullen is a former soldier and diplomat, a strategist, counterinsurgency expert and author whose books include The Dragons and the Snakes: How the Rest Learned to Fight the West and The Ledger: Accounting for Failure in Afghanistan (co-authored with Greg Mills). He sits down with Toby Manhire to discuss current conflicts in the complex global arena – reflecting both back and forwards on how we got to this, what's happening at the front and behind the scenes, and how tensions might play out in the coming months and years. Supported by Te Ope Kātua o Aotearoa / New Zealand Defence Force. AUCKLAND WRITERS FESTIVAL, WAITUHI O TĀMAKI SATURDAY 27 AUGUST – 11.00AM-12.00PM KIRI TE KANAWA THEATRE, AOTEA CENTRE

✨ DEBRIEF ✨ | Unpacking the Episode: https://shows.banklesshq.com/p/debrief-demetri  ------ Demetri Kofinas is a digital entrepreneur and host of the Hidden Forces Podcast, one of our favorites.  Demetri has a broad perspective on geopolitics, which we explore as we discuss the probability of a World War 3, diplomacy among superpowers, and surviving the rise of the machines. Have we lost the ability to solve hard problems as a species?  ------

This month will mark a year since the Taliban takeover of Kabul in August 2021 and the chaotic withdrawal of western forces from Afghanistan. In this archive discussion from 2020, we discuss the nature of past Western interventions and the guerrilla warfare resistance that has followed with David Kilcullen, former soldier, diplomat, and senior counterinsurgency adviser for the US during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. He joined Carl Miller, Research Director at the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media at the think tank Demos, to discuss his book: The Dragons and the Snakes: How the Rest Learned to Fight the West.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Almost a year after US troops began withdrawing from Afgahanistan, Kathryn speaks with counterinsurgency expert David Kilcullen.

Highlights:     “The Financial Times argues that we may indeed be seeing  something akin to what counter-insurgency expert Dr. David Kilcullen predicts could break out in terms of a civil war here in the States .” “We are definitely seeing a recalibration of our political parties around something akin to Michel Maffesoli's notion of neo-tribalism. And  that of course, as far as this Financial Times article is concerned as well as some other assessments  out there, that tribalized, balkanized recalibration of our politics is the potential precursor of a  possible civil war breaking out in our nation.”“If we as a nation embrace the civic nationalism of President Trump, overwhelmingly so, then we should have a very stable and prosperous and flourishing future. However, if the leftist cultural Marxist persuades enough people to embrace balkanizing  around racial and regional identities, then we shouldn't be surprised if a cross between  Yugoslavia and Colombia manifests itself here.”Timestamps:      [02:05] On the Financial Times' article if America is heading toward civil war[05:14]  What the Financial Times got right and [07:54] What they got wrong in their assessment and what it means for the future of our nationResources:  Get your own MyPillow here. Enter my code TURLEY at checkout to get a DISCOUNT: https://www.mypillow.com/turleySupport this channel. Get Your Brand-New PATRIOT T-Shirts and Merch Here: https://store.turleytalks.com/Ep. 601 Why PATRIOT MILITIAS Are SURGING!!!It's time to CHANGE AMERICA and Here's YOUR OPPORTUNITY To Do Just That! https://change.turleytalks.com/PatriotSwitch.comBecome a Turley Talks Insiders Club Member and get your first week FREE!!: https://insidersclub.turleytalks.com/welcomeFight Back Against Big Tech Censorship! Sign-up here to discover Dr. Steve's different social media options …. but without censorship! https://www.turleytalks.com/en/alternative-media.com Thank you for taking the time to listen to this episode.  If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and/or leave a review.Do you want to be a part of the podcast and be our sponsor? Click here to partner with us and defy liberal culture!If you would like to get lots of articles on conservative trends make sure to sign-up for the 'New Conservative Age Rising' Email Alerts. 

In this episode of ASPI's Bigger Picture series, Peter Jennings speaks to Dr David Kilcullen, Professor of International and Political Studies at UNSWCanberra. They discuss the global implications of the continued conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the state of Afghanistan since the withdrawal of international forces, and the future of Australia's defence capability versus meeting its current short-term demands. Dr David Kilcullen is a former soldier and diplomat, and a scholar of guerrilla warfare, terrorism, urbanisation and the future of conflict, who served 25 years for the Australian and United States governments. Guests (in order of appearance): Peter Jennings: www.aspi.org.au/bio/peter-jennings Dr David Kilcullen: https://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/david-kilcullen

For day three of The Realignment's near-daily Ukraine coverage, Marshall spoke with Dr. David Kilcullen, a theorist and practitioner of guerilla and unconventional warfare. They cover the present state of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and whether the conflict could transition into a drawn-out war of resistance/insurgency. Dr. Kilcullen's perspective is drawn from a 25-year career in the Australian Army and postings to the U.S. Defense and State Departments during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is a professor at Arizona State University and the University of New South Wales and the author of The Dragon and the Snakes: How the Rest Learned to Fight the West, The Ledger: Accounting for Failure in Afghanistan, Out of the Mountains: The Coming Age of the Urban Guerilla, Counterinsurgency, and The Accidental Guerilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One. SUPPORT/SEND US A TIP: https://buy.stripe.com/bIYdRx0gc6qjaEEcMM REALIGNMENT NEWSLETTER: https://therealignment.substack.com/ BOOKSHOP: https://bookshop.org/shop/therealignment

BEST OF: David Kilcullen - The Taliban's swift capture of Kabul means that it now controls Afghanistan – how did they do it, and why didn't any of the experts see it coming? This is a longer version of today's interview with counterinsurgency expert, Dr David Kilcullen. His latest book is The Dragons and the Snakes: How the Rest Learned to Fight the West. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Plus, Dr David Kilcullen and Dr Greg Mills on why the West failed in Afghanistan, and Politicians' Picks - Chris Bowen, Hollie Hughes and Zali Steggall join us with their recommendations for reading, watching and listening this summer.

The last 20 years of GWOT and counter-insurgency has dramatically shaped today's force. Dr. David Kilcullen has been at the forefront of those shaping policies and strategies. Dr. Kilcullen joins the hosts of SOFcast to discuss how the lessons learned from GWOT (the good and the bad) will be applied to the future of SOF and where those lessons fit in Strategic Competition. Dr. David Kilcullen is the former senior counter-insurgency advisor to General David Patreus and former Chief Strategist in the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the US State Department. He's also the author of The Accidental Guerrilla, Counterinsurgency, Out of the Mountains, Blood Year, and The Dragons and the Snakes: How the Rest Learned to Fight the West

On COI #166, Scott Spaulding – host of Why I'm Antiwar – returns to the show for the third installment of the 'Villains of the Afghan War' series. Scott breaks down the role of David Kilcullen, the godfather of counterinsurgency under the Bush administration. Kilcullen found himself in a high-ranking position that he exploited to push his own COIN policy. While his approach failed and the Afghan War ended in disaster, Kilcullen is still named as an expert and continues to profit off the military-industrial complex.  Scott discusses USAID official James Derleth's part in the Afghan nation-building effort. Derleth forced American soldiers to ask Afghan citizens questions and fill out forms. The information was useless – but worse, it put US soldiers in danger. He is now a professor who recently spoke at the prestigious West Point military academy.  Scott also takes aim at Paul Sommers and Ryan Brewster. While working for the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service, the two headed a project that sought to use American soldiers to teach Afghans new farming techniques. However, the Afghans already knew how to farm and the US war had simply made it impossible to grow the fruit trees Sommers planned. In the end, Sommers and Brewster netted no improvement for average Afghans and racked up an expensive tab for American taxpayers in the process. Odysee Rumble  Donate LBRY Credits bTTEiLoteVdMbLS7YqDVSZyjEY1eMgW7CP Donate Bitcoin 36PP4kT28jjUZcL44dXDonFwrVVDHntsrk Donate Bitcoin Cash Qp6gznu4xm97cj7j9vqepqxcfuctq2exvvqu7aamz6 Patreon Subscribe Star YouTube Facebook  Twitter  MeWe Apple Podcast  Amazon Music Google Podcasts Spotify iHeart Radio Support Our Sponsor Visit Paloma Verde and use code PEACE for 25% off our CBD

On COI #166, Scott Spaulding – host of Why I'm Antiwar – returns to the show for the third installment of the 'Villains of the Afghan War' series. Scott breaks down the role of David Kilcullen, the godfather of counterinsurgency under the Bush administration. Kilcullen found himself in a high-ranking position that he exploited to push his own COIN policy. While his approach failed and the Afghan War ended in disaster, Kilcullen is still named as an expert and continues to profit off the military-industrial complex.  Scott discusses USAID official James Derleth's part in the Afghan nation-building effort. Derleth forced American soldiers to ask Afghan citizens questions and fill out forms. The information was useless – but worse, it put US soldiers in danger. He is now a professor who recently spoke at the prestigious West Point military academy.  Scott also takes aim at Paul Sommers and Ryan Brewster. While working for the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service, the two headed a project that sought to use American soldiers to teach Afghans new farming techniques. However, the Afghans already knew how to farm and the US war had simply made it impossible to grow the fruit trees Sommers planned. In the end, Sommers and Brewster netted no improvement for average Afghans and racked up an expensive tab for American taxpayers in the process. Odysee Rumble  Donate LBRY Credits bTTEiLoteVdMbLS7YqDVSZyjEY1eMgW7CP Donate Bitcoin 36PP4kT28jjUZcL44dXDonFwrVVDHntsrk Donate Bitcoin Cash Qp6gznu4xm97cj7j9vqepqxcfuctq2exvvqu7aamz6 Patreon Subscribe Star YouTube Facebook  Twitter  MeWe Apple Podcast  Amazon Music Google Podcasts Spotify iHeart Radio Support Our Sponsor Visit Paloma Verde and use code PEACE for 25% off our CBD

As the US commemorates the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the Taliban are back in power in Afghanistan. How has the threat of terrorism changed in the two decades since the beginning of the War on Terror? Andrew Mueller speaks to Nathan Sales, David Kilcullen and Farah Pandith. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Between 2001 and 2019, two million men and women from abroad served in Afghanistan, and more than $2 trillion was expended, an extraordinary, once-in-a-generation commitment of resources to a poor country, a staggering opportunity cost. The Western withdrawal from Afghanistan, set to be complete by September 11 2021, has gone hand-in-hand with a narrative of defeat, repeated so often it's in danger of becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy, one damaging to Western moral authority and the value of its alliance. Dr Greg Mills is joined in conversation with Rory Stewart, Former Secretary of State for International Development of the United Kingdom and Yale University Fellow, and Dr David Kilcullen, author, strategist, and counterinsurgency expert, as they discuss what the future might hold for the people of Afghanistan. Join the conversation on: Twitter - @BrenthurstF / Facebook - @BrenthurstFoundation / Instagram - @brenthurstfoundation

Twenty years of American-led intervention in Afghanistan ended in chaos last weekend after the Taliban retook Kabul in the face of minimal resistance. Why did Afghanistan's expensively trained army melt away so quickly? Where does this leave Afghan civilians? And will this Taliban rule be any different from the previous regime of the 1990s? Andrew Mueller speaks to a woman in Afghanistan as well as Fazelminallah Qazizai, David Kilcullen, Jackie Northam and Haroun Rahimi. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Taliban's swift capture of Kabul means that it now controls Afghanistan – how did they do it, and why didn't any of the experts see it coming? This is a longer version of today's interview with counterinsurgency expert, Dr David Kilcullen. His latest book is 'The Dragons and the Snakes: How the Rest Learned to Fight the West'. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For some months, comedian Sami Shah has maintained a fierce vendetta against the state of Queensland... until now. And that's not the only deeply-held view this freshly-vaccinated comedian is about to reverse. Also, counterinsurgency expert Dr David Kilcullen explains how the Taliban won – a 30-minute version of that interview can be found in a special episode that's also out today. Plus, Charles ponders gourmet takeaway, and it's Review Reading Friday. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Since the withdrawal of US and allied troops from Afghanistan, the Taliban's military offensive across the country has seen the group capture a number of provincial capitals over the past week, including Afghanistan's third largest city, Herat. Anastasia Kapetas speaks to counterinsurgency expert Dr David Kilcullen about the future of governance in Afghanistan. They also discuss the geopolitics of the region, including China and Pakistan's interests, and how the United States could respond as the Taliban continues to advance toward the capital. Earlier this week, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its Sixth Assessment Report. The report found that the world is likely to hit 1.5 degrees of warming by 2030 if we continue on our current trajectory. Dr Robert Glasser speaks to one of the report's contributing authors Professor Mark Howden about the report's findings, climate risks for Australia and the policy responses required to address this global challenge. Mentioned in this episode: IPCC Sixth Assessment Report: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/ Guests in this episode (in order of appearance): Anastasia Kapetas: https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/anastasia-kapetas Dr David Kilcullen: https://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/david-kilcullen Dr Robert Glasser: https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/robert-glasser Professor Mark Howden: https://iceds.anu.edu.au/people/academics/professor-mark-howden

With the final US and NATO soldiers expected to be out of Afghanistan by the end of this month, an emboldened Taliban has turned its guns on key provincial capitals, after having taken control of much of the countryside and key border crossings.

David Kilcullen is one of the world's foremost counterinsurgency experts and is the author of the books The Dragons and the Snakes: How the Rest Learned to Fight the West, The Accidental Guerrilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One, Out of the Mountains: The Coming Age of the Urban Guerrilla, Blood Year: The Unraveling of Western Counterterrorism, and Counterinsurgency.  David Kilcullen served in the Australian military for more than 20 years before being recruited as the Chief Strategist in the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism for the U.S. State Department. He also served as the Senior Counterinsurgency Advisor to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and as an advisor to General David Petraeus. He was a counterinsurgency adviser to NATO and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.   As the President and CEO of the research and development firm Cordillera Applications Group, he continues to advise private companies and governments around the globe.   On this episode, Jack and David discuss writing, warfare, the realities of counterinsurgency, and more. Presented by SIG Sauer. Featured Gear and Books : From David Kilcullen: The Dragons and the Snakes Counterinsurgency Blood Year Out of the Mountains  The Accidental Guerrilla  Rise and Kill First  Counterinsurgency Field Manual  Unrestricted Warfare  Black Moleskin Notebook Kelly Slaten Pen Today's show is also brought to you by Organifi. Go to https://organifi.com/dangerclose for 20% off.

Vi har läst ett kapitel ur en bok av David Kilcullen och pratar utifrån den om hur man kan tillämpa idéer om evolution och selektionstryck för upprorsgruppers utveckling. Myran får utrymme att prata biologi, så det blir fåglar, grodor, ormar och drakar, vita älgar, snygga råbockar, vargar, torskar, harar och rävar. Martin får å sin […]

I detta avsnitt av din lokala Göteborgspodd samtalar vi om den anrika och traditionsenliga korruptionen i Muteborg, nedskärningar i kollektivtrafiken och Demokraternas förslag om att införa ett skönhetsråd i Göteborg. Dessutom lyssnar vi på invigningen av den nya Hisingsbron. Stöd Allt åt alla Göteborg på Patreon! Allt åt alla Göteborg på sociala medierFacebook: Allt åt […]

I dagens kulturpodd pratar vi om inspirationsföreläsningar, att allt är cancelkultur och att Gift vid första ögonkastet är populärt för att att alla hatar Algoritmen. Stötta Allt åt alla på Patreon:Allt åt alla GöteborgAllt åt alla Malmö Följ Radio åt alla på sociala medier:Instagram: radio_at_allaTwitter: radio_at_alla

Detta avsnitt kommer från Radio åt allas livesända 1 maj-firande. Serierna Välkommen till Malmö och Vad händer, GBG slår sina kloka huvuden ihop för att ta sig an frågan om platsmarknadsföring. Varför byggs det enorma älgar, muminland, linbanor, och kinesiska kulturcenter runt om i landets kommuner, och varför är egentligen Malmö parkernas-, och Göteborg evenemangens […]

Soldier-scholar David Kilcullen is Australia's most influential contemporary military strategist. A former adviser to General Petraeus and former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, his new book, The Dragons and the Snakes: How the Rest Learned to Fight the West, examines the complex new world of modern warfare, featuring the state competitor “dragons” and the non-state guerrilla and terrorist players, the “snakes.” A remarkable synthesis of three decades of military and political history, this expert analysis of the new nature of conflict is as illuminating as it is disturbing. Chaired by Rick Sarre

Ever since Boko Haram abducted 276 schoolgirls in Chibok in northeastern Nigeria in 2014, other groups have copied their tactics. Some 800 students have been taken from Nigerian schools since December, including 30 from a college in Kaduna last week. Who are the kidnappers? Are they criminals or terrorists – or both? And how can they be stopped? Andrew Mueller asks Chika Oduah, Nnamdi Obasi and David Kilcullen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we interview journalist Tim Shorrock to talk to us about privatized military intelligence, US counter-insurgency methods and his article in The Baffler called Making COIN: The Modern History of an Unstoppable Bad IdeaExamples of COINTim talks about his Cold-War upbringing in Japan and Korea during the aftermath of World War II, the Korean war and through Vietnam, explaining how it gave him an honest “introduction to American politics and American foreign policy” which led him to a career in freelance journalism with a focus on Asian Studies.Show Notes4:25-8:15Private companies are profiting at every level from military spending. In recent years we have seen an unprecedented merging of the military and private finance, “the integration of national security and business.”“The privatizing of intelligence took off in the 1990’s.”The Peace DividendFollowing the Cold War, as austerity and neoliberal budget-cuts were implemented, a wave of people previously employed in intelligence went on to work in the private sector with government contractors.In the latter years of the Clinton administration, we began to see an increase of private military contractors being used to collect intelligence in places like Bosnia and Serbia.Tim explains that after 9/11, under the false pretense of national security, billions were spent on increased military budgets, making contractors “essential parts of US military and intelligence operations”. As the Bush doctrine continued, the Washington consensus increasingly encouraged “the contracting of strategic operations.”8:15-13:05COINCounter-insurgency methods of the US:  “the people become the enemy.”Tim illustrates how a Vietnamese uprising against the US backed Diem dictatorship resulted in massive gains for the National Liberation Front (Viet Cong) and how the liberal Kennedy administration’s “hearts and minds” approach, cloaked in the language of evil, only made the violence worse: “part of the idea began to be to separate the people from the guerillas and they would build these camps for the villagers that became, essentially, concentration camps (strategic hamlets)”Many of these violent counter-insurgency methods being used by the Americans were inherited from British Imperialists who had developed these strategies in earlier suppression campaigns against Communists in Malaya in the 1950’s. Related: Listen to our interview with Stuart Schrader on the History of the Modern Police13:05 - 19:26In the first year of the Obama administration, they tried the “hearts and minds” strategy in Afghanistan. “When McMaster was a General in Iraq, he got key press from liberals”The US and their personally-picked government provides neoliberal and privatized “social services”American contractors never built the project that they were supposed to build.Inspector General nominated by congress in regards to contractors. That group has done multiple reports about corruption. “Counter-insurgency is a form of warfare where you adopt various economic and political programs in addition to going after and killing people”. 19:26 – 24:46David Kilcullen’s used to work for Australian special forces. He assisted in the “Jakarta Method” and the death squads Suharto dictatorship in Indonesia. Kilcullen’s called the death squads “armed social work.” He advocated for “global counter-insurgency” (massive death squads of people opposing US corporate theft)Counter-insurgency is death squads under the larger guise of “winning the hearts and minds.”Michelle Flournoy saw counter-insurgency as, “a way that Democrats can be tough, and be hawkish and look smart.”Just another form of warfare. 25:36-29:00Mehdi Hassan from the Intercepted had David Kilcullen on as a guest within the last year. 29:00-34:32The intercept sent the original document to the NSA which got her caught.David Kilcullen’s private contract in Iraq. Tim received leaked documents from Caerus Global Solutions. Kilcullen even wrote the civilian training manual the USAID gives out to civilians. 34:32-38:54Tim confronted Kilcullen in an event. His company is under investigation for the security clearances. Kilcullen’s “100-year war” The Cold-War notion of the “third way” of being non-communist and non-colonial but it always has failed. They put together death squads in Iraq and these were the same people who did the death squads in El Salvador. Read about El Mozote38:54 - 42:27The Death Squads in El Salvador killed 10s of thousands. The real opposition comes from the more conservative people.“We are not into nation-building” is a code word for counter-insurgency.42:43-48:01History of US intervention in Korea.Myths and lies about the US role in the Korean war. How the US dissolved the people’s committee. 48:01-53:00“South Korea, until the late 1980’s, was an authoritarian police state. I was there under this general who took over, Chun Doo-hwah, and it was a scary place. A very repressive place, it was a police state.”“They fought against US backed dictators that held them back for years”. Koreans were being tortured by a US allied regime. The uprising of 1987 only happened after the “death by water torture of a south Korean student” led a mass of Koreans to take to the streets and demand independence from US influence.  The legacy of US counter-insurgency continues in Korea. For example, South Korea’s draconian National Security Law that has been used to silent dissenters even to this day. 53:00-58:00The change in South Korea and their vibrant Democracy.To learn more, visit Tim’s website timshorrock.com Get full access to Historic.ly at historicly.substack.com/subscribe

Increasing pressure is being put on African nations to get Covid-19 outbreaks under control, but how easy is it to prioritise Covid-19 when you're facing a whole host of other domestic issues such as Islamic extremism, water shortages and food insecurity. The Brenthurst Foundation's Marie-Noelle Nwokolo talks to author, strategist, and counterinsurgency expert David Kilcullen about the realities facing Africa when it comes to balancing Covid-19 with longer standing domestic issues. Join the conversation on: Twitter - @BrenthurstF / Facebook - @BrenthurstFoundation / Instagram - @brenthurstfoundation

In this episode, Dr Eve Massingham talks to Professor Jason Scholz and Associate Professor Simon Ng about the development of new military technology. They talk about the key areas of current investments, how the game is changing, and where the future might take us. They also discuss the recent investments Australia has made into autonomous systems, and explain some of the strategic calculations behind this effort.Professor Jason Scholz is the CEO of the Trusted Autonomous Systems Defence Cooperative Research Centre. Prior to this role, Jason led research in cognitive psychology, decision aids, decision automation and autonomy, and the integration of human and machine decision-making within the Defence Science and Technology Group. He  has over fifty refereed publications and several patents, covering research in telecommunications, digital signal processing, artificial intelligence and human decision making. He is passionate about the potential for machine learning based on neuroscience insights, human cognitive enhancement, anti-fragile organisations and is driven to achieve the transition of validated innovative technology and techniques into Defence. Associate Professor Simon Ng is the Chief Engineer of the Trusted Autonomous Systems Defence Cooperative Research Centre. Prior to this, he led the Unmanned Aerial Systems Group within Defence Science and Technology Group's Aerospace Division, exploring the role of autonomy in enhancing Defence capability and reducing risk in an increasingly complex operational environment. He has a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Engineering from Monash University and completed his Doctoral Thesis in 1998, studying mechanisms for ionic conduction in solid polymer electrolytes.Further reading:Paul Scharre, Army of None: Autonomous Weapons and the Future of War (2018, W.W. Norton and Company).David Kilcullen, Out of the Mountains: The Coming Age of the Urban Guerrilla (2013, Scribe Publishing).MacGregor Knox and Williamson Murray, The Dynamics of Military Revolution, 1300-2050 (2001, Cambridge University Press)Stephen Biddle, Military Power: Explaining Victory and Defeat in Modern Battle (2010, Princeton University Press).Dave Grossman, On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society (2009, Back Bay).The Philosopher AI App.

A four-year investigation into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan by Australian special forces was made public by the Chief of Defence Angus Campbell.   The key revelation from the report include the alleged unlawful killing of 39 Afghan civilians and prisoners by Australian troops between 2009 and 2013.   19 of those soldiers have been referred to the Australian Federal Police for prosecution over their war crimes charges.   In this briefing, we are joined by David Kilcullen, an Australian author, strategist, and counterinsurgency expert to explain what has happened in this dark chapter of Australian military history and how to stop it from ever happening again.   In today's headlines: Oxford vaccine at least 70% effective as Qantas CEO confirms vaccine mandatory Allegations NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian failed to isolate after COVID-19 test More than 100 former Republican officials demand Trump concession   Follow The Briefing Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast  Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAU Twitter: @TheBriefingAU  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many dozens have died in the Nairobi shopping mall siege raising questions both inside Kenya and elsewhere as to the nature of future terror attacks - who will carry them out, and where? Hardtalk speaks to counter-insurgency expert David Kilcullen. He has worked in just about every conflict zone across several continents, including in Somalia, Kenya and Syria. Is the world in danger of underplaying the current terrorist threat?

Om Kandahar, COIN och kulturkänsliga krigare. Amerika och dess allierade ställs nu inför sin största utmaning i Afghanistan: en offensiv i pashtunernas huvudstad Kandahar. Samtidigt blir offensiven den stora prövningen för den nygamla taktiken "counterinsurgency", med ekon från både Vietnam och gamla kolonialkrig. Kommer man att lyckas? Och är counterinsurgency, eller COIN på militärjargong, verkligen det patenterade framgångsrecept som det framställs som? Reportage om nya filmen Human Terrain, samt samtal med experter i Kandahar, Washington och Stockholm. Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radio Play. Efter månader av växande irritation mellan USA och den afghanska ledningen sopades i veckan allt gammal groll under mattan och president Hamid Karzai togs emot i Washington med stora vänskapsbetygelser. Med en pågående truppförstärkning - ytterligare 30 000 amerikanska soldater är på väg till Afghanistan - och en förestående offensiv i Kandahar är Obama och Karzai mer beroende av varandra än någonsin hittills, och av att visa att man har det afghanska folkets bästa som främsta syfte. Från officiellt håll har man därför den senaste tiden tonat ned krigsretoriken och säger nu att det snarare handlar om en "process" än en offensiv i Kandahar. Men vad är detta Kandahar? Vad betyder det för de afghaner som kommer därifrån? En av de mer speciella böcker om Afghanistan som kommit ut under de senaste åren heter My Life with the Taliban. Det är en självbiografi skriven av en högt uppsatt taliban, Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, som bland annat var ambassadör till Pakistan när Afghanistan-kriget började 2001 och som 2002 greps av USA och satt i Guantanamofängelset i tre år. Boken har översatts från pashto och redigerats av två europeiska forskare som spenderat de senaste åren i Kandahar. Konflikts Ivar Ekman ringde upp en av dem, Alex Strick van Linschoten, för att höra hur han hamnat i Kandahar, hur boken kom till, och hur läget i staden är idag. Det är i Kandahar Talibanerna har sitt starkaste fäste och de har inte visat några tecken på försvagning, så om USA ska lyckas med sin plan att börja dra tillbaka sina styrkor nästa år lär en större militär insats vara oundviklig. Och lika oundvikligt kommer den att leda till ännu fler civila offer, vilket redan har börjat synas i Pentagons siffror. Vad händer då med den taktik som går ut på att skydda civilbefolkningen och vinna deras förtoende så att motståndsgrupperna inte kan söka skydd hos dem? Counterinsurgency är begreppet på engelska och en bra svensk översättning saknas. Taktiken användes i samband med truppförstärkningen i Irak 2007, under den så kallade surgen - och nu är det mycket i NATO-koalitionens planering i södra Afghanistan som påminner om det man gjorde i Baghdad. En person som var djupt inblandad då var David Kilcullen, som counterinsurgency-rådgivare till General Petraeus. Han har haft ett stort inflytande på hur den amerikanska militärdoktrinen utvecklats under de senaste åren – han har även varit särskild rådgivare åt den dåvarande utrikesministern Condoleeza Rice, och har arbetat i långa perioder i Afghanistan, Irak och Pakistan. Ivar Ekman ringde honom i Washington. Ett av de konkreta inslagen som har utvecklades ur den stratgei som David Kilcullen var med och formulerade är de så kallade Human Terrain Teams - mänskliga terräng-team. I vår tids krig anses inte längre enbart kontrollen över den fysiska terrängen - marken, luftrummet eller havet - att vara avgörande för vem som ska segra. För att kunna vinna ett krig måste man vinna människornas förtroende - "hearts and minds" som man ofta hör amerikanska militärer och politiker tala om. Och åtminstone inom en del av de högre ledarskikten har insikten om att det inte funkar med bullriga soldater som brakar fram i full stridsmundering och knappt syns bakom sina mörka solglasögon. Så för att göra de mer känsliga för den mänskliga miljö de rör sig i rekryterar armén antropologer till de här mänskliga terrängteamen, för att hjälpa till att analysera och förklara hur människorna i området beter sig. Så är det tänkt, men i praktiken återstår många brister och framförallt riktas mycket kritik mot systemet - både inom det militära och bland akademiker som värjer sig mot att deras expertis ska användas för krigföring. Några av de rösterna, men också förespråkare förekommer i den prisbelönade dokumentärfilmen Human Terrain, som har fått stort gensvar där den har visats på dokumentärfilmsfestivaler, nu senast vid HotDocs i Toronto. James Der Derian är professor i internationella studier vid Brown University i Rhode Island och har regisserat filmen tillsammans med David och Michael Udris. Filmen började som ett försök att skildra den den amerikanska militärens strategiska omsvängningen. Men när hans vän och kollega Michael Bhatia, antropolog som ingick i ett av Human Terrain-teamen, miste livet vid en vägbombs-attentat blev det plötsligt också ett personligt projekt. Konflikts Daniela Marquard fick tag på honom under festivalen i Toronto. Gäster i studion för att diskutera detta är Caroline Holmqvist-Jonsäter som just skrivit sin doktorsavhandling på ämnet tjugohundratalets krig vid Kings College i London, och Torbjörn Petterson, Svenska Afghanistankommitténs generalsekreterare, nyss hemkommen från Kabul. Programledare: Daniela MarquardtProducent: Ivar Ekman