"Modern War in Theory and Practice" presented by Dr. John A. Nagl

[@FNLN6446]

Without a doubt the most interesting lecture I've ever heard. Compliments to the dude

[@zainahmed6502]

Watching this in Sept 2021, everything he said still stands true and keeps aging like wine

[@itsreallyhairy]

John Nagl is a great man. I worked for him in Iraq. I live in the bay area and wish i could have seen this.

[@purplesword3800]

FranksNbeans he's jimmy Fallon bro..

[@matm2013]

1/34? I was a Medic there.

[@caseyb730]

He was my 1st XO as a cherry pvt in A 1/32 AR 1 Cd. One of the best officers I ever had.

[@matter1196]

@@caseyb730 ahhh! He really is a model officer! The military needs more officers like him!

[@robertrumfelt7843]

Unbelievably eye-opening. Dr. Nagl, this country needs you BADLY!

[@VaderGhost124]

Re watching this lecture September ‘21. 38:40 how eerily prophetic. Sadly it was 3 days not 3 years.

[@M_Lopez_3D_Artist]

Yeah, too bad he was wrong about jeb bush

[@reichhardbuerger1492]

"...and until you find a way to change the dynamic that causes people to become insurgents this war will continue forever..." Well said, Cassandra...

[@alandenis8969]

Reichhard Buerger Indeed, Reichhard ... and the dynamic you reference you might plainly call out by name. It's called "Parenting." The scariest subject -- nay, the scariest word, by God -- for an ungodly number of pseudo empathetic, and marginally thoughtful, agents of peace and aspirational change.

[@scottrobinson8590]

If the military strategist career doesn't pan out he could always pursue a career in comedy. Expert at dropping bombs.

[@stonyfanballoon]

Wow, that was a very insightful perspective into the wars.

[@cheyennemeredith2961]

55:30, audience member suggests committing a war crime with his recommendation of starving civilians

[@InfiniteUniverse88]

I would have liked someone to ask the speaker what he suggests is the best exit strategy for the war in Afghanistan.

[@jbg1697]

Malaya was won by the para-military Sarawak Rangers(1862-1960), an independent fighting element of 200 to 380 men under the command of General Sir Gerard Templer. It is the first elite figthing force formed in Asia specialises in jungle warfare. Their efforts and courage were conveniently forgotten.Their motto "Still Alive, Still Fighting."

[@josiahdublin7816]

Hot damn its awesome to be able to see this for free.

[@sanderlin4452]

Thanks very much for your service sir. You’ve a great 4th!

[@gloriusbastards]

Makes me wonder if the US ever intends to conclude wars. Staying in war keeps the US army in constant good shape. Experiencing war in differernt climates, from jungly to desert, to arctic, increases the range of the US military.

[@UnknownSend3r]

The enemy didn’t decide to fight an unconventional/asymmetrical war it’s cos you destroyed its military and the only ones to fight back left were normal civilians.

[@ilotrunisfoschkanuris1883]

great sociologist from berkeley contraversam oxfordt. when i read the dissertation i wasnt aware that this work is about the book "the war in the dessert" the book the shout" is much more better due to the fact it is from hans lührs the contradictor of lawrence from arabia eg t.e. lawrence. but i look to the dessert war of the turkish forces as a german american and not as a californicarous. hope to read more from mr. harries if i had the time in future. imperium was good, but i have seen there are many more books.

[@BaronVonHobgoblin]

Why is there no countervailing thesis to Clausewitz? Why is Clausewitz the only type of conflict taught to Army Officers? The issue isn't a matter of "Theory vs Practice" it is a matter of "Theory vs Theory". The Pentagon bureaucracy has organically divided itself into these two separate camps, Regular vs Special Forces, both of which operate on two entirely different theories of conflict, Clausewitz and Non-Clausewitz! In my own understanding, there is Clausewitz's Total War (A rare thing) and there is everything else. The moment a military operation ceases to be conducted under a policy of "Total War" Clausewitz, and his overture to "politics" leaves the page. What enters in its stead is the mobilization of the elements of society that are rightly described as "Not in my back yard" (NIMBY) types. The ranks of which are filled with petty locals (conscripts), and not that of professional soldiers! Thus I, a lowly grunt (OIF 07-09), disagree with this much overeducated officer. How can he call Operation Iraqi Freedom a "loss"? There is a non-Clausewitz character to low-intensity conflict. The sort of combat that is between civil adversaries and not that between two nation-states. Why all the focus on Al Anbar and Fallujah? Is it because these pitched battles represent a potential instance where there was Clausewitz conflict (America vs Iran)? I would tend to think so, and if this is the case then I can understand why the speaker is declaring OIF a "Loss". Historically many nation-states have used non-Clausewitz formations for Clausewitz inspired political goals and there is not enough study of the motivation of these formations in regard to the associated political goals of the advising power. In essence Clausewitz-style posturing (Al Anbar and Fallujah) is overlayed by the diplomats and historians atop the insignificant NIMBY conscript battles (my own experience) full of poorly aimed pot shots, IEDs, and lone slingers who flee in the face of genuine authority. My own time as an Infantryman in Iraq was invested, all credit to this officer, on what amounted to a Civil Affairs mission. The very character of my deployment defining my own choice to become a Civil Affairs soldier in the Army Reserve. How can he call my units "empty patrols" a "loss". My unit's empty patrols were in fact a direct result of the success of Operation Iraqi Freedom! The domino fell in Vietnam because the Clausewitz adversary (by the measure of American politics) has always been either China or Russia!

[@pabloandresmoro]

Amazing lecture, without a doubt. It's sad how his 1:20:00 but about foreign policy differences between Clinton and Bush did not materialise

[@TheNewAtlas]

A somewhat more influential military thinker once said, "if you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle." That seems to sum up US foreign policy, and this man's talk pretty well. Here you have a military "expert" who seems unable to locate the source of the so-called "Islamic State's" fighting capacity. He reduces it to an almost cartoon-style villain like Cobra Command from G.I. Joe, possessing an inexplicably inexhaustible capacity to fight multiple nations at once using only stolen oil and seized military equipment from bases that when in operation required constant and regular resupply. Who is resupplying those bases now? And how? From where? With what supplies, spare parts, weaponry, from what factories? Clearly ISIS receives state sponsorship from well beyond its boundaries. That Nagl and his audience seem blissfully ignorant of this fact is very troubling. If "military thinkers" are oblivious to a very obvious big picture - are they really thinking?

[@TheNewAtlas]

Again, comments like this reveal a profound ignorance as to how war is waged. No one is born with this knowledge, but I implore you to acquire it through careful, objective study. I have no doubt that "some funding" would always be available to terrorists, but not on a level nation-states like Syria, Libya (before it was destroyed by NATO), Iraq (before it was destroyed by the US-NATO), and others could deal with. You have to seriously look at the scale on which ISIS is fighting - it is fighting the COMBINED MILITARY FORCES OF: 1. Lebanon's Hezbollah 2. Iran 3. Syria (national military + militias) 4. Iraq (national military + militias) 5. Russia That is only possible with immense, multinational state sponsorship. Sorry, that is just a fact of logistics. It's often said, "Amateurs study tactics. Professionals study logistics." If you want a professional understanding of what is going on, please study the logistics of this. Also, to be a little more blunt, the US DIA has admitted to the US and its allies seeking the creation of a "Salafist" (Islamic) "Principality" (State) in Syria with which to fight Damascus. I mean, this is a signed confession. What more evidence do you want?

[@TheNewAtlas]

What??? Would cutting off Russian and Chinese aid to the Vietnamese have effected the war? Of course it would have! The US tried to and failed! That's why Syria and Russia cannot end the war now - it would require hitting Turkey, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia as well as targeting US operations directly arming the terrorists - a very unlikely scenario. They have however, done much to interdict supplies over the borders and into the cities and in these instances we have seen the largest amount of success by Damascus and its allies. Go check the news right now - Castello Road into Aleppo - why do you think they are fighting over it? It is the main supply root to the terrorists held up in the city's interior. If you really care about the truth, and honestly look at these conflicts, you will see that logistics determines everything. A guy with no bullets, guns, or fuel, is not fighting - period.

[@TheNewAtlas]

He didn't bring it up because he and all involved in US foreign policy are engaged in the pursuit of hegemony through all sorts of illegal, treasonous means, not "maintaining security and stability," and need to dress it up and make excuses. US DIA admitted themselves to wanting to create ISIS - so now they are claiming they don't know how to stop it? They're lying, plain and simple, and if this guy isn't aware of that, he is more useless as a "military thinker" than he even appears. These states you are referring to (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, etc) exist solely because of US support. The US-UK created these states after WW2 and nurtured them - built them up militarily and politically - and of course I am sure you are aware - jointly exploited their political use of "Wahhabism" to create Al Qaeda to fight their proxy wars with as early as the 1980s. There would be ZERO need to attack them. Simply cut them off and they would whither and die on the vine. The US "can't stop ISIS" because the US doesn't want to. It's time Westerners come to grips with the fact that they are the bad guys - they are the ones threatening global peace, security, and stability, and that all their meddling beyond their borders amounts to is the shameless, poorly dressed continuation of naked European imperialism.

[@TheAiurica]

Nothing new about this. In The 80 Years War (1568 - 1648) Dutch merchants sold iron and timber (bought from Sweden) to Spain (which needed theem to maintain her fleet fighting dutch ships). With those money, Dutch paid mercenaries to fight spanish tercios on land. :D

[@m5stuart411]

I think your placing way too much emphasis on the idea that ISIS is somehow fed entirely by foreign military's. Although you are right that ISIS is getting support from Saudi's and America, it is ignorant that that is their main source of supply. If ISIS was being totally supplied by America or Saudi Arabia then we should politely ask them to stop shipping armored VBIED's lol. Anyway maybe there is a connection to be made to the abundance of AK's and Toyata's that ISIS has in its arsenal? Hmm. Or maybe that's because there is already an abundance of that equipment in the region. The truth is that ISIS is quite good at self sustaining itself. People are innovative and will always find a way. And with their initial rapid advance, they were quick to capture Iraqi military equipment, which rejuvenated their strength - search up ISIS factory on google images. And also stop believing in this ignorant myth of European Imperialism, that is nonsense, the only type of imperialism I can see is from the refugees lol. ISIS -believe it or not - was already there long before you guys started blaming each other over who created it. The Sunni always wanted the return of the Caliph and I guess the moment came for them. Get used to that happening more often as state power slides into oblivion.

[@davidharner5865]

Whether U.S. Counterinsurgency Doctrine still existed, Lidell Hart certainly was available. You even mention the British Malay(s)Ian eXperience on which its lessons he based his works.

[@zainahmed6502]

Referring to the US withdrawal: "...within 3 years Taliban will be in Kabul" 38:48 More like 1 week.

[@alexamara6726]

Interesting lectures that has now been seen in Afghanistan. “Within three years Taliban will be in Kabul”

[@nathanaelwinters2952]

Also; I think the guy is on the right track saying you need to focus on winning minds, not battles. Granted, it will be necessary with some battles, but when it comes to all warfair, you need to win people's support first and foremost. Just my thoughts on it, from everything -I- have seen while studying warfair from the antique and up to modern, it's a reoccurring theme. And it would help if you get the media to explain just how bad laws the shia thing is that they're trying to enforce. Honestly, until I saw this, from all I had heard, all they did was wanting people to be forced to worship allah and the basic shit of that, and send them to jail or at worst stone people who refused to obey. It didn't seem quite as horrible as it is. Media also focus more on usa as moneygrabbing oil-fanatics. If you can get the media to explain WHY you need the forces to stay put, you'd have more support. But I don't think the common man (at least outside the states) understand why. And claiming it is to free the country is to shallow and thus seen as a lie.

[@PosDad]

If you could reupload this that would be great, because it stutters a lot during the playback which makes it difficult to get through

[@AlexKarasev]

A brilliant lecture by a brilliant man. I'll be reading his dissertation.

[@Skiddles-ey6tu]

Steve, I can't agree more.

[@Lawh]

1:19:35 That pendulum just broke off and landed in a dumpster :D

[@rabidcentrist]

Lmfao

[@firstlast4370]

Lawrence H r

[@rayward3630]

I wonder if his insurgent strategy pertains to our biggest enemy being an insurgency within our own country that a major political party supports and bases the few policies that they support, with the exception of governing only to support the wealthiest in our society and ensuring any welfare is given to them, and now to do everything within their power to stop President Biden and the Democrats from governing to save lives from the worst health emergency in over a century and to rebuild our economy based on 21st Century needs and on out need to maintain an economy that can contain China. That economy is based on the biggest threat to not just our country, but the world, global warming. Right now we are behind China in almost every aspect of fighting that threat and risk them becoming the world leader in providing the technology to rest of the world to combat the existential threat. We have a chance to not only modernize our crumbling infrastructure, but to take the lead in production of the new energy sources and the maintenance facilities needed to keep them operational and successful. Unfortunately, the GOP wants to continue their denial if science, just as do with Covid 19, as it is so evident now that they contributed to the 600,000 deaths and continue to do so with their assanine anti-vaccine rhetoric. So our biggest threat to every aspect of our democracy,including our very survival, is largely being destroyed by a party that sold their souls to a life-long con man and the most corrupt,pathological lying,anti-, American coward and loser who only cares about himself, his greed, his ego and is a diagnosed sociopath. So I wonder if destroying insurgencys includes those formed and supported by roughly a third of our country. The rules will need to be changed for our democracy to survive from what has become our Nazi Party who supports their Fuhrer,Trump. Fortunately, Trump isn't near as intelligent as Hitler was and depends on Putin to help him destroy our country. So this lecture may already be irrelevant. Our enemy is now internal more than external. It is now make believe Christians, not Muslims. So those of you who are too damn ignorant to accept facts that are well documented and supported and choose to support anti-American conspiracy theories that have all been proven false,which is why the Nazis have to keep creating more of them, to try and maintain a thread of being taken serious. So FOX will keep making up new ones weekly, they will all be found to be total bullshit,so they will just come up with even more totally impossible conspiracys until hopefully they are sued out of business for slander and lible, as well as, businesses no longer being able to support anti-democracy political parties. So maybe it's time to change some our national defense tactics to defrost a rogue political party and their propaganda machines that know they are lying, which is why they can't defend themselves against the pending lawsuits. Most of the Nazi tv channels have been forced to admit they have been lying and their time is limited because us who believe in democracy and not regressing to the Civil War policies and in keeping America the most advanced country with the technology, the support i giving everyone an opportunity to be successful in life and not just billionaires and in maintaining the wealthiest and strongest country on earth are still the majority of Americans and can't be defeated by anything but destroying the ability to keep free and legal elections,which the 2020 election was the most legitimate and had the highest voter participation in our history. That is also proven and supported be everyone,even a big part of the Republican Party, mainly those who broke from the Nazis to save our country.

[@AnIdiotsLantern]

"I imagine the next campaign will be between Jeb Bush and Hilary Clinton-" TRUMP BURSTS THROUGH THE WALL. "C'MON E'RRYBODY, LETS INVADE MEXICO!"

[@Woodscraps-lr5vz]

Was looking to learn something from this lecture, but had to tune out because of the fellow's 15 minutes of preening self-congratulation. Also because his, and the US's accomplishments in Desert Storm aren't nearly as impressive as these ladder-climbers would want others to believe. Just the facts, ma'am. That's all I want.

[@EasyTiger.01343]

There’s more than a little Steve Martin about this guy…

[@John-thinks]

His military ideas are great. His economic ideas are questionable. Lots of asking for the government to get BIGGER and just saying “oh it will go better this time we swear!”

[@alankleinman5494]

And now it is happening again in Afghanistan.

[@akompsupport]

Jeb Bush and HRC. Well he didn't get the darkhorse candidate right.

[@akompsupport]

@ 1:18:00

[@nathanaelwinters2952]

Great lecture. I'm not writing all the stuff I wanted to that refused to post and then vanished. >>

[@patrickreading2808]

best moment was 39:24

[@satyamprakash7030]

14:00

[@randomvariable4597]

In other words, what's the best way to clean up after the banker's war? Yeah, I imagine convincing the native population that is for their own good would be a difficult task. Al Qaeda turned the twin towers and building seven to dust and Libya was a humanitarian effort? Must be tricky to teach the cadets to think but not think too much. Oops, almost forgot, God bless.

[@hmax1591]

What was not tricky was to brainwash you.....that really did not take too much effort. and you are convinced and feel good and proud is for your own good too.

[@eugenebrown102]

Who to believe anymore?

[@John-thinks]

Depressingly prescient listening from 2024 after Biden’s disastrous withdrawal

[@williv.470]

(Didn't listen to it, here's my theory of war since?) It's been an long perception of life documented, it's like beginning with an cyclone separating from each current to it's ended point and it's continuation's. The people we're slave's throughout world history by the majority and it became worst during the science age, World War's and every war and conflict since then is because of spiritual slavery no matter what people believed in because spirit's play as god pretending but they need people to live through while making y'all look ugly as heck including the confusion of whose behind tragic illnesses of everykind including make belief medicine which is only an contract for country to this reality the way spirit's wanted it, it's not love when it's for only an master piece until they change society into what ever they want it to be through rules only.

[@alialsuri2490]

your right...Taliban is back in Kabul

[@kenpachiyoriichi]

So american politicians didn't listen to these guys when withdrawing from Afghanistan

[@purplesword3800]

Jimmy Fallon=Lt. Col john nagl??

[@MrRugbylane]

"Insurgent" = "patriot". Things havent changed snce the American War of Independence, when "Insurgents" rose up against despotism.

[@ermelindaalves9429]

para quieto falas muito com as maos e não paras quieto é a tua mel

[@ermelindaalves9429]

john porquê não es mais meu amigo

[@daDuke42]

"reasonably democratic " would put Iraq ahead of the Americans

[@cliffordwilliams473]

Good video. Needs a TLDR kind of thing

[@ermelindaalves9429]

john eu te admiro porque falas tudo sem escrita é tudo do teu cerebro por isso eu te ademiro mas não te perdoei Mel

[@thedokkodoka4349]

a smart representative of humanity's greatest enemy

[@TheInternationalBrigades]

He lost me at the Lawrence of Arabia quotation. It's evident he's uneducated about military history. I suggest reading the biography of Faisal I. Lawrence was little more than a glorified translator who took credit for battles he was never part of. He would often arrive hours or even days after the fighting had ended, snap some photos, and then claim the credit.

[@EasyTiger.01343]

And where were you whilst all this was going on?

[@TheInternationalBrigades]

​@@EasyTiger.01343 Gee I can't remember WW1 was such a long time ago, maybe Dr. John A. Nagl can better recount his whereabouts during that time, alternatively he can sight his sources hoping it isn't just the 1962 movie.

[@nowleta]

The rambliings of an imperialist!

[@noneya6334]

Noel Brett - are some kind of pussy ? War will always exist. Its best to be on the wining side

[@danyvarna5094]

So John Nagl is an Ashkenazi Jewish person. Interesting

[@DuffmanIRL]

How many millions of people have been slaughtered by the Empire State and this guy tries to give it intellectual cover while making really shit jokes?