In 2005, then Colonel H. R. McMaster commanded the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment during the Battle of Tal Afar. At the time, the city was a key stronghold for al-Qaeda in Iraq and a staging ground for fighters and suicide bombers crossing into northwestern Iraq from Syria. Operation Restoring Rights was launched to clear insurgents, restore order, and protect the civilian population from the sectarian violence ravaging the city. It is often referenced as a model example of the clear, hold, build approach to counterinsurgency. McMaster joins this episode to share his uniquely insightful perspective on the battle—how the fight was shaped by lessons from Fallujah, how his team integrated Iraqi security forces and tribal leaders, and how planning focused not just on clearing the city but holding it and restoring life afterward.
Almost immediately after Hamas launched its brutal set of terrorist attacks in Israel, it became clear that the Israel Defense Forces would respond militarily....
In this episode, John Spencer is joined by Samuel Bendett. An analyst with the Center for Naval Analyses, he specializes in Russian unmanned military...
In this episode, John Spencer is joined by Major Floren Herrera of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. A graduate of the United States...