Professional Military Education

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"The most important six inches

on the battlefield

is between your ears."

Secretary of Defense James Mattis

Podcast

On Tactics: An Interview with B.A. Friedman

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On Tactics

In Episode 10 of the Professional Military Education podcast, I talk to B.A. Friedman, author of On Tactics: A Theory of Victory in Battle. The conversation focuses on tactics and its relationship to strategy. Mr. Friedman discusses what he calls the three tactical tenets- physical, mental, and moral. He discusses how he developed his theory of tactics, and how that theory can be applied by military thinkers.

 

Giving Training Context

Mr. Friedman claims that this is the book that he wished he had as a junior Marine. He says, “It was a way to simplify what I had learned over the course of my career… to create some context that I could have used when I was younger and just starting out.”

Additionally, he saw that there needed to be a better “structure” to tactical thinking that mimicked the scholarship around strategic thinking.

Strategy is the use of victory on the battlefield to achieve victory in war. On the other hand, accomplishing a specific mission and winning battles is the key to tactics.

Physical Tenet

Mr. Friedman describes “maneuver” as a physical tenet. This means gaining a positional advantage over an enemy. Maneuver has not only a physical component, but also a mental and cognitive component too. The Marine Corps developed the principles of maneuver as one of the smaller services. The Marine Corps prioritized maneuver over mass and firepower as one of the keys to tactical success.

One of the physical tenets is also firepower. This part of the interview is about “combined arms”, which is putting the enemy in a “no-win” situation. For example, an enemy in a fighting hole tries to lift his head. If he does so then he will be shot with direct fire weapons. However, if he stays in his hole, the enemy will be suppressed with artillery and mortars. Consequently, the combined arms principle is based on trying to synchronize all aspects of weaponry to bring total force to bear on the enemy.

Mental Tenet

With the mental tenet, Mr. Friedman tries to explain how to “attack the enemy’s mind.” As a result, he explores the dynamics of surprise, deception, shock, and confusion. Furthermore, he studied theorists such as JFC Fuller and John Boyd. From his studies, Mr. Friedman recognized that no matter what happens physically on the battlefield, “there is a mental effect” on both the enemy and friendly sides. Physical actions create changes in mental states.

Mr. Friedman asserts that recognizing the battlefield is mental as well as physical gives us “more weapons.” It opens up a range of advantages. Ambushes are a good example of using surprise to gain both a physical and mental advantage over the enemy. At one point, Mr. Friedman claims that surprise can create the equivalent of a 2000 to 1 numerical advantage. Surprise is a way of corrupting the enemy’s decision making cycle.

Mr. Friedman does an excellent job breaking down the nuances between shock and confusion. He uses his broad knowledge of history and warfare to make impressive observations about shock and confusion as well as surprise and deception.

Moral

Mr. Friedman describes a cohesive unit as a “moral” unit. Furthermore, he says issues like morale, trust, leadership, and patriotism can provide the underpinnings of moral cohesion. Additionally, Marines and Soldiers want to feel like they are fighting for the right cause. Thus, morals must be tailored to a just cause. Mr. Friedman talks about laws of war and rules of engagement as part of the process to create the framework for moral cohesion. Ethics, morality, and rules of engagement are practical fields of martial study in order to protect our own moral cohesion. Finally, leaders are responsible for all aspects of their troops welfare to include their moral well being.

 

Be sure to follow Mr. Friedman on Twitter @BA_Friedman

Like On Tactics on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/ontactics/

HELP SPREAD THE WORD!

If you like this interview, and want to hear others, subscribe in iTunes. Support the show with written reviews, share on social media, and through word of mouth. For any requests for additional shows or guests, e-mail me: tim@professionalmilitaryeducation.com

On Tactics: A Theory of Victory in Battle

The North Korea Threat: An Interview with Dr. Bruce Bechtol

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In the following interview, Dr. Bechtol discusses the threat of North Korea. North Korea has made headlines for their ICBM tests and nuclear tests. We discuss the threat that they pose as well as get into the details of their regime, their current leader, past provocations, weapons systems, and options that the U.S. and its allies have to deal with them.

Dr. Bechtol is Associate Professor of political science at Angelo State University in Texas. He is a retired U.S. Marine, and wrote the lead article in the December 2016 edition of the Marine Corps Gazette. The article was called “A Marine’s Guide to North Korea.”

 

North Korea Threat Synopsis

We begin the interview discussing the current situation between the U.S. and North Korea. North Korea recently threatened to fire ICBMs at Guam. But, Kim Jong-un backed down… for now. Dr. Bechtol talks about the different types of missiles that the North Koreans have to include Musadan, KN-08, and KN-14 missiles.

The Washington Post reported North Korea’s advancement of miniaturized nuclear warheads. But, Dr. Bechtol says that this is nothing defense officials haven’t been aware of for several years. However, what has changed is that they have successfully tested the range of their ICBMs, and have displayed that they are capable of hitting the U.S. or Guam.

Dr. Bechtol discusses the current defense capabilities that the U.S. has to bring down a North Korean ICBM.

 

The North Korean State

What type of state is North Korea? North Korea (aka Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or DPRK) a dynastic system, run by elites with a love for Joseph Stalin.

Who is Kim Jong-un? He was educated in Switzerland and grew up loving NBA basketball. Some thought he might be a moderate leader when he came to power. But, as a leader, he has ruled North Korea with an iron fist and carried out many purges. Dr. Bechtol talks about the political institutions in North Korea- the Party, the Military, and the Security Services. In the political system of the DPRK, everyone is watching everyone else. It’s a bizarre system of “checks and balances” in which “big brother” is always watching.

Dr. Bechtol talks about how Kim Jong-un may not have the support of the North Korean military. Thus, he has used military tests, provocations, and brinkmanship to solidify his support. What type of cyber technology does North Korea have? They have sacked Sony, hacked NGO’s, and sought to raid South Korean financial institutions.

 

The North Korean “Play Book”

Dr. Bechtol breaks down the tactics of North Korea’s violent provocations. They conduct “short” attacks to inflict massive casualties to strike fear in the hearts and minds of South Koreans. But, South Korea has stepped up their defenses to deter and respond to the North’s provocations.

We discuss the current command and control structure between the U.S. and our allies, South Korea (aka Republic of Korea or ROK). The Combined Forces Command establishes unity of command between U.S. and ROK forces. The CFC commander, a four-star general, takes his strategic and operational guidance from the U.S. national command authority and the ROK Minister of National Defense.

 

Contingency Planning?

Dr. Bechtol assesses how and why the U.S. and China is working to plan for “contingencies.” What would happen if the North Korean regime collapsed? The U.S. and China would need to work together. Dr. Bechtol says that the North Korea will implode stating it’s a matter of “if not when.” At that point, the U.S. will need to work directly with China.

On August 16, General Dunford, the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, met with Chinese military leaders in China.

Dr. Bechtol reiterates the need for the U.S. to develop its ballistic missile defense (BMD) technology.

How could the North Korean regime collapse? Dr. Bechtol explains, “Planning is a nightmare.” There are hundreds of possible scenarios for a collapse.

If North Korea collapses, Dr. Bechtol mentions that forces have been training to recover nuclear and chemical weapons. He says that they could fetch a high price on black markets.

 

Conclusion

What does Dr. Bechtol think should be done right now? Two things:

  1. Update BMD technology.
  2. Use economic pressure. For example, the Patriot Act Section 311 goes after banks that do business with rogue regimes. Dr. Bechtol says we need to use this. Bottom Line: Sanctions need to be enforced. The U.S. needs to stand up an inter-agency task force to make it happen.

Be sure to keep an eye out for Dr. Bechtol’s next book, Enabling Instability and Violence, which will be published in 2018.

 

Restoring our National Security: An Interview with Dr. Kori Schake

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Dr. Kori Schake co-authored, “Restoring Our National Security”, with Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis and James O. Ellis Jr. The chapter appeared in the book, Blueprint for America, which was published by Stanford Universities Hoover Institute.

I interviewed her on July 6, 2017. In our interview, we discussed a range of subjects related to American national security. Dr. Schake provided a lot of knowledge and insight into many of the challenges the U.S. currently faces in the world.

Dr. Kori Schake
Dr. Kori Schake is a fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institute. (Image Source: Hoover Institute)

Dr. Schake is a professor of history at Stanford, and is a research fellow at the Hoover Institute. She also co-edited a book with Secretary Mattis called, Warriors and Citizens: American Views of our Military.

“Restoring our National Security” Interview

We had the following interview on July 6, 2017.

Interview Notes and References

At the beginning of the interview, Dr. Schake describes working with Secretary of Defense James Mattis. She says, “We are both argumentative.” Furthermore, she has had many long running debates with Secretary Mattis about the political composition of the Middle East.

Secretary of Defense James Mattis
Secretary of Defense James Mattis (Image Source: Wikipedia)

Secretary Mattis is known for being outs”Kill the enemy!” That was Secretary Mattis’s advice to Captain Barret Schake, Kori’s nephew, who joined us in the interview. When Captain Schake told him that he flew military transport planes, then General Mattis clarified and told him to “land as close as possible to the enemy.”

Dr. Schake also recalled a General Mattis quote on the military in which he said, “It’s a lot of fun if you don’t care about getting promoted.”

On Strategy

Moving on to the topic of strategy, I asked Dr. Schake about her definition of strategy. She defines it as, “The way you connect political objectives to their execution. How you identify the means and array them so you have the highest likelihood of being able to carry out your objectives.” She says that, “Strategy is fundamentally a political undertaking.” Political objectives must dictate the scope of military planning and operations. Additionally, Dr. Schake echoes several of the principles that I discussed in interviews with Sir Lawrence Freedman and Gideon Rose on How Wars End.

Finally, Captain Schake talks about his recent experience in Iraq, and the changing strategy that has occurred since his first deployment in 2016 and his second deployment in 2017.

Iran

On Iran, we talk about the influence of Iran in Iraq. Dr. Schake claims that Iran is “absolutely a threat” and explains why she considers them to be a major source of instability in the region. “Iran has to decide if it wants to be a revolutionary movement or a state.” This quote is attributed to Secretary of Mattis. On Iran, Dr. Schake claims that the U.S. and Iran want “different outcomes” in the Middle East.

Iran nuclear
Dr. Schake analyzes the threat she sees from Iran. (Image Source: JPost)

In my interview with Jay Solomon, we talked about Iran in depth, and the nuclear deal between the U.S. and Iran.

Dr. Schake mentions a program in which Iranians cast protest votes for “fake candidates.” She explains that it was part of a process of exposing repressive governments and supporting opposition movements in Iran. Next, we draw a distinction between the way that the U.S. has been involved in foreign elections, and what Russia has done. Moreover, the U.S. has worked to promote free societies while the Russians have repressed free societies.

I reference the 1953 CIA coup in which the U.S. overthrew the freely elected government in Iran, and put the Shah in power. Check out the book All the Shah’s Men by Steven Kinzer for more information on the U.S. backed coup d’état.

Russia

“This Russian government is genuinely evil. They mean us harm. They will do us harm when they have the opportunity.” For more information, I talked about Vladimir Putin in an interview with Steven Lee Myers on his book, The New Tsar.

Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin has directed the military action in eastern Ukraine and Crimea. (Image Source: Telegraph)

According to Dr. Schake, the U.S. has “allies by choice” whereas Russia has “allies by force.” We talk about Russia’s “willful disregard for the difference for combatants and non-combatants in Syria” and their complicity of “war crimes in Syria.”

North Korea

Is North Korea high on Dr. Schake’s list of major threats that America faces? She describes North Korea’s fundamental purpose as regime survival, and, as a result, she does not see North Korea as a state willing to “use military force.” She says that North Korea is trying to achieve the objective of “regime preservation.”

North Korea Missile
North Korea military parade. (Image Source: NYT)

Captain Schake does not see the possibility for a military response to North Korea considering their ability to target Seoul. However, he speculates on an “asymmetric” response to North Korea. In the July 2017 cover article for The Atlantic, Mark Bowden writes about four options for dealing with North Korea. These options range from full-scale military invention to “acceptance” of the status quo.

How Does the U.S. Maintain International Security?

Dr. Schake claims that our form of government continues to be a magnet for the best talent in the world, and offers people a better life. As a result, America has a lot of credibility and represents opportunity to many people in the world.

Warriors and Citizens

Secretary Mattis and Dr. Schake co-edited a book called Warriors and Citizens that looks at the changing nature of America’s attitude towards U.S. military leaders. Due to the military being held in high regard, Dr. Schake worries that the “suits can hide behind the uniform.” She adds that the public wants the military engaged in political life. However, she is concerned that this could harm the public’s respect for the military. The following interview with Task and Purpose relates to the topics in Warriors and Citizens.

Warriors and Citizens
Dr. Schake co-edited Warriors and Citizens with Secretary Mattis. (Image Source: Hoover Institute)

Dr. Schake is publishing a book called Safe Passage. The book is a history of the transition from British to American dominance in the international order. It will be published in the fall of 2017 by Harvard University Press.

Follow Dr. Schake on Twitter @KoriSchake

Books Mentioned in the Interview:

Warriors and Citizens: American Views of Our Military

Blueprint for America

Best Military Education Podcasts

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I have compiled a short list of what I consider the best military education podcasts. To be clear, this means the best podcasts for military thinkers and leaders. These are the podcasts that I recommend most often. In conversations, I find myself frequently referencing podcasts on this list. The list might come as somewhat of a surprise.

My top recommendations are unique for several reasons. They do not focus on specific battles, tactics, or periods in history per se. Instead, they stand out for good quality, frequency, and interesting subject matter. After the top recommendations, are podcasts that are focused on specific battles and historical eras.

Top Recommendations

War College by Reuters

I have been a long time listener to War College. A new episode is released every Thursday. It is usually 30-45 minutes long. The host, Matthew Gault, finds guests that are extremely knowledgeable in a wide variety of niche topics related to foreign policy, tactics, and strategy. His interview style is superb, and the guests have in depth knowledge in their areas of expertise. This podcast is also top rated due to the quality of production.

A recent episode called “What North Korea Wants” was fascinating, and the guest, Professor B.R. Myers, explained the dynamics of North Korea’s motives in rich detail.

War College also looks at off the wall topics like the Standing Rock protests and U.S. intelligence agencies use of psychic individuals to crack codes and find secret documents.

War College is packed with unique and thoughtful content. I highly recommend it for military thinkers looking to learn a broad range of military topics and ideas.

Hardcore History by Dan Carlin

Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History is one of the best podcasts in general, and a great one for military scholars and historians. The show only comes out a couple times each year, and episodes are usually part of a series such as “Blueprint for Armageddon”, which focused on World War I. Moreover, they are usually 3-5 hours in length. So a series is the length of a full audio book.

The detail and scope of material in each show is impressive. Also, Dan Carlin is very entertaining, and his style of narration is excellent.

Get started with two of his most recent episodes “Prophets of Doom” and “American Peril“, which are both good stand alone episodes.

The Art of Manliness Podcast

The Art of Manliness podcast is not a military specific podcast. However, there are multiple episodes that deal with military history, leadership, diet, and exercise. As a men’s lifestyle website and podcast, AOM has outstanding content for military personnel. The host releases roughly two episodes each week. He is fascinated with ancient history and has some episodes related to this subject matter.

AOM has featured popular military writers such as Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, author of On Killing, and Robert Coram, who wrote a biography on Col. John Boyd.

Get started with AOM by checking out one of the more recent episodes titled, “War and the Changing Nature of Masculinity.”

EconTalk

This is not a “military” podcast by any means. But, it is incredibly thoughtful, and occasionally touches on military topics. It is important for a military thinker to be well-rounded. EconTalk explores economics, politics, political theory, ethics, and history. The host, Russ Roberts, is a great interviewer, and his guests are outstanding in their respective field of expertise. I recommend this podcast as a way for military thinkers to think outside of the box.

For military specific episodes, I recommend the interview with Leonard Wong on “Honesty and Ethics in the Military.” Another fascinating episode is an interview with Bruce Buena de Mesquita on his book, “The Spoils of War.”

An episode is released on Monday, and they are roughly one hour in length. The production quality is outstanding. Each episode is like sitting in an outstanding college class. Excellent brain food!

World Affairs

This podcast provides thoughtful and in depth weekly interviews on issues of global security. The podcast is typically an hour long, and the episodes encompass a lot of issues involving foreign policy and also some domestic issues.

To be a smart military thinker, it is important to have knowledge in a diverse field of topics. With the World Affairs podcast, military thinkers will understand world issues more clearly. I enjoy each week’s episode tremendously.

Battles and Campaigns

There are a lot of podcasts that focus on specific periods of history and the battles that took place during that time. Most of my preferred podcasts are interview based, which is, of course, my own preference. A lot of the podcasts that involve battles and campaigns feel like a college lecture rather than a back and forth of ideas. As a result, I tend to pick and choose these episodes based on something that I want to study specifically. Unlike, the podcasts listed above, I pick and choose episodes from the lists below.

My recommendations for military history podcasts include the following:

  1. The Civil War (1861-1865): A History Podcast. I love Civil War history, and this podcast does not disappoint. It has a lot of great information. The hosts are very knowledgeable, and each episode has a nice structure to it.
  2. Ancient Warfare Podcast. I have started listening to some episodes, and so far I like what I hear. A lot of good information.
  3. American Military History Podcast. Episodes come out on a weekly basis, and they are roughly 30 minutes in length. I enjoyed the Revolutionary War episodes immensely.
  4. WWII Podcast. I like this podcast a lot for WWII information. Highly recommend.

Honorable Mention

War on the Rocks is a great podcast. They haven’t put out an episode in a long time. But, when they did, I used to listen immediately. Hopefully, there will be something out soon.

If you have any recommendations, please feel free to e-mail me: tim@professionalmilitaryeducation.com

Finally, the Professional Military Education isn’t too shabby either!!

 

 

 

On Strategy: An Interview with Sir Lawrence Freedman

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Sir Lawrence Freedman is Professor of War Studies at King’s College and the author of numerous books and publications to include Strategy: A History. In Episode 7 of the PME podcast, we talk about strategy. What is strategy and what it is not? We trace its historical roots, and discuss how traditional views of strategy still apply or do not apply to today’s conflicts and future conflicts. Additionally, Sir Lawrence Freedman was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 1995 and awarded the CBE (Commander of the British Empire) in 1996. He was appointed Official Historian of the Falklands Campaign in 1997. He was awarded the KCMG (Knight Commander of St Michael and St George) in 2003. Finally, he was appointed in June 2009 to serve as a member of the official inquiry into Britain and the 2003 Iraq War.

Key Takeaways:
“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”
-Mike Tyson
• What is strategy? Strategy involves making decisions when faced with “other people with their own plans and interests.” It requires flexibility. Planning is part of strategy, but having a plan is not a strategy. “Problem solving” is a critical component of strategy.
• In late nineteenth century Germany, Field Marshall Helmuth von Moltke the elder was chief of staff of the Prussian Army. He was a student of Carl von Clausewitz. As a military strategist, Von Moltke emphasized the importance of flexibility. He said, “A plan breaks down on first contact.” Additionally, Field Marshall Helmuth von Moltke saw military strategy as a “system of expedients.”

• Sir Lawrence Freedman explains that American foreign policy doctrine (i.e. the Nixon Doctrine, Carter Doctrine, Bush Doctrine, Obama Doctrine) is a means of “signaling” to the world America’s priorities or intentions. It is part of strategy, but it is not itself a strategy.

• Sun Tzu’s influence on strategy was based on the idea of “cunning and cleverness.” However, the flaw in strategy based on cunning is when both sides attempt to use cunning and cleverness against each other. We talk about whether countries like Russia and China use Sun Tzu’s methods to achieve their strategic aims. What are Russia’s interests? A conversation I had with Steven Lee Myers on his book The New Tsar is worth checking out to discover more on that topic.

• Thucydides was the first “realist” historian. He wrote a book about the Peloponnesian War between Sparta and Athens in a book appropriately called The History of the Peloponnesian War. Sir Lawrence Freedman sites a book called Destined for War by Graham Allison. Destined for War describes a theory called the “Thucydides Trap” which is based on the idea that one power becomes fearful of the rise of another power and postulates that this might have ramifications for current and future relations between the United States and China. However, Sir Lawrence Freedman sees some flaws in this theory, and thinks that Thucydides had an interest in trying to preserve the reputation of Pericles.
• We discuss whether there is something “elemental” to strategy. Sir Lawrence Freedman looked at chimpanzees and how they form coalitions and act in strategic ways. Winston Churchill (not a chimpanzee rather British Prime Minister) was good at applying the chimp-like principles of creating coalitions to achieve his strategic aims. Churchill sought to partner with President Roosevelt to get the U.S. on the allied side. When Hitler invaded the Soviet Union, Churchill sought to build a coalition with Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union to fight the Nazis.

• We talk about Napoleon and the development of strategy during the Enlightenment. Much like Thucydides rejection of the gods, the enlightenment rejected superstitious beliefs and emphasized what reason and human rationality could do to achieve strategic aims.

• Two critical 19th Century strategic thinkers include the Swiss officer, Antoine Henri Jomini, and the Prussian military theorist, Carl Von Clausewitz. Jomini emphasized the “decisive battle” strategy. Meanwhile, Clausewitz focused on the policy objectives of war. Clausewitz is also famous for developing the term “fog of war,” which refers to the uncertainty and the chaos of war when it involves two competing wills, each one trying to impose itself on the other.

• The challenges of military strategy. How do wars end? We talk about “The Clausewitzian Challenge”, and I allude to my previous conversation with Gideon Rose, editor of Foreign Affairs, who wrote an excellent book called How Wars End.

• Finally, we talk about the strategy of the Cold War and nuclear deterrence. Sir Lawrence Freedman mentions a strategist named Thomas Schelling, who is worth studying for his contributions to strategy based on Game Theory. We discuss the “rationality of irrationality,” which refers to the necessity to use caution based on a fear that one side might act out of irrationality.

• Sir Lawrence Freedman has a new book coming out in the Fall of 2017 called, The Future of War: A History. The book focuses on how people in the past have tried to predict changes in warfare and predict the future of war.

For more information: Check out www.professionalmilitaryeducation.com

Be sure to follow Sir Lawrence Freedman on Twitter @LawDavF and check out the book, Strategy: A History

Books and Resources mentioned in the podcast:

Strategy: A History
The New Tsar: The Rise and Reign of Vladimir Putin
History of the Peloponnesian War
Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides’s Trap?
On War, Indexed Edition
The Art of War

HELP SPREAD THE WORD!
If you like this interview and want to hear others, be sure to subscribe in iTunes. Support the show with written reviews, share on social media, and through word of mouth. For any requests for additional shows or guests, e-mail me: tim@professionalmilitaryeducation.com

Thanks for listening!

 

(Sir Lawrence Freedman image Source)

The Iran Wars: Interview with Jay Solomon

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In the latest episode of the Professional Military Education podcast, I interviewed Wall Street Journal reporter Jay Solomon to discuss his book The Iran Wars: Spy Games, Bank Battles, and the Secret Deals that Reshaped the Middle East. I really enjoyed reading this book, and learned a lot about the history of Iran-U.S. relations since the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Mr. Solomon does a great job covering the conflict and the events that led to the nuclear deal that was completed in July 2015. In the interview, we discuss “irregular” forms of warfare that have been used to include cyberwar, economic sanctions, and proxy battles. We cover recent events in the Middle East and explore Iran’s role in Syria and their strategic objectives in the Middle East. The interview also looks at North Korea’s nuclear program as we talk about the differences and similarities between Iran and North Korea. The conversation is extremely informative. In two hours, Jay and I cover a lot of ground. Check out the interview and share with friends and family if you find it useful. Also, check out the notes and resources below. Enjoy!

 

Key Takeaways:

  • The U.S. historically supported Iran as an ally in the region against the Soviet Union. Iran is a Shiite dominated country. They view themselves as the historical great power in the region upholding the legacy of the Persian Empire.
  • The Islamic Revolution of 1979 changed U.S. foreign policy overnight. An ally was swiftly replaced with a foe, whose leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, called America “the great Satan.”
  • To counter the U.S., Iran allies with enemies of America to include Sunni groups and secular regimes. Their strategic objectives include spreading the Islamic revolution to other countries to include Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Palestinian territories.
  • On November 4, 1979, Iranian students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. For the next 444 days, 52 Americans were held hostage in Iran. President Carter authorized Operation Eagle Claw, which was an attempt to free the hostages with a military rescue. However, a vicious sandstorm caused the rescue effort to fail before the helicopters could reach Tehran. A good book to read on this topic is Mark Bowden’s Guests of The Ayatollah. Guests of the Ayatollah: The First Battle in America’s War with Militant Islam By Mark Bowden
  • The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps was established to protect the revolution at home, but they also use the Quds force to export the revolution abroad. The Quds force, which comes from the word al-Quds meaning “Jerusalem”, is led by Major General Qasem Soleimani The Quds force has mobilized “tens of thousands of fighters in Syria” and continues to actively support Hezbollah and Hamas. Mr. Solomon told me that a good writer to follow for information on Quds force is Ali Alfoneh with the American Enterprise Institute.
  • Shortly after the Iranian Revolution, Saddam Hussein invaded Iran on September 22, 1980. Saddam saw Iran in a weakened military position, and sought to reclaim disputed territory with oil reserves. What followed was a bloody eight-year war in which Iraq eventually used deadly chemical weapons against Iran.
  • After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, there appeared to be a slight window in which rapprochement between Iran and the U.S. might have happened. However, with fundamentally misaligned strategic interests, this window quickly closed.
  • The U.S. invasion of Iraq evolved quickly into a proxy battle in which Iran sought to use the Quds force to assert their influence. They funded Shiite based militias and supported businesses and politicians that supported their interests. Part of the U.S. rationale for an invasion dated back to the thinking that Iraq might be a Shiite ally used to counter Iran. This thesis was developed in a book by David Wurmser called Tyranny’s Ally: AMERICA’S FAILURE TO DEFEAT SADDAM HUSSEIN.
  • The Quds force under Sulemani continues to aggressively fund Shiite militias. The Quds force is used to serve Iran’s military and political objectives throughout the Middle East.
  • The development of Iran’s nuclear program dated back to the 1950s, and was initially supported by the United States. However, as of 2002, reports surfaced that Iran had covertly worked to develop their nuclear program without UN knowledge. Here is a link to information on President Eisenhower’s speech “Atoms for Peace”
  • Iran’s nuclear program accelerated under hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad after his election in 2005.
  • In 2006, the U.S. responded to Iran’s nuclear program with tough sanctions targeting companies that did business with Iran. The goal was to cut Iran off from the international banking system and by 2012 this goal was largely achieved.
  • Another attempt to counter Iran’s nuclear program included the use of malware (aka the “Stuxnet” virus), which caused Iranian centrifuges to spin out of control. In response, Iran developed their own cyber weapons capabilities. Here is an article on Iran’s emerging cyber capabilities.
  • When President Obama took office, he shifted the strategic focus to direct engagement with Iran. He indicated clearly that the U.S. did not want regime change in Iran. However, his policy included many initial hurdles to include Iran’s “Green” movement. Additionally, military action was not used against Syria. Mr. Solomon suggests that restraint against Syria was to prevent Iran from walking away from nuclear negotiations.
  • In November 2013, an interim agreement was concluded and led to the final nuclear agreement in July 2015. U.S. diplomats scaled back on initial “redlines” to include no enrichment, no missiles, no arms exportation. In ten years after the agreement, Iran will be able to have an industrial scale program to produce as much fissile material as they want.
  • Mr. Solomon says that Iran’s negotiators knew the US political system better than U.S. diplomats understood the Iranian political system. For example, Javad Zarif was a “very smooth, western educated diplomat,” who worked directly with Secretary of State John Kerry.
  • Twice since the 2015 agreement, Iran has nearly breached the terms of the deal. In one case the U.S. bought heavy water used to create plutonium from Iran. Russia bought the heavy water in the second instance.
  • As the Middle East continues to be mired in conflict, the IRGC retains significant influence. The U.S. must calculate the IRGC and Iran’s proxies with any action taken in the region.
  • Can the Iran sanctions model work against North Korea? China is the most important decider of North Korea’s economic fate. Can cybertechnology be used against North Korea? Is it possible to disrupt North Korean supply chains that support their missile development? Sanctions have been used and China recently banned coal imports from North Korea in compliance with international agreements.

Another great book is David Crist’s The Twilight War: The Secret History of America’s Thirty-Year Conflict with Iran

Be sure to follow Mr. Solomon on Twitter @wsjsolomon and check out the book:
The Iran Wars: Spy Games, Bank Battles, and the Secret Deals That Reshaped the Middle East

HELP SPREAD THE WORD!

If you like this interview, and want to hear others, subscribe in iTunes. Support the show with written reviews, share on social media, and through word of mouth. For any requests for additional shows or guests, e-mail me: tim@professionalmilitaryeducation.com