40 episodes

An unauthorized podcast series peeking behind the curtain at the vast machinery and briar patch politics of fighting terrorism and insurgency and everything in between. I'm a "COINtra" and not a "COINdinista", the latter are the vast army of apparatchiks and apologists who fire the engines of Irregular Warfare (IW) planet-wide. We're the skeptics and doubters of all things IW and special operations. And we are a tiny sliver of the IW community. I have noticed a jarring gap in this part of the discussion and intend on filling the breach.
Substack: Chasing Ghosts: An Irregular Warfare Podcast
Smedley D. Butler Fellow for Military Affairs at the Libertarian Institute:
You can contact me at cgpodcast@pm.me.

Chasing Ghosts: An Irregular Warfare Podcast Bill Buppert

    • History
    • 4.8 • 36 Ratings

An unauthorized podcast series peeking behind the curtain at the vast machinery and briar patch politics of fighting terrorism and insurgency and everything in between. I'm a "COINtra" and not a "COINdinista", the latter are the vast army of apparatchiks and apologists who fire the engines of Irregular Warfare (IW) planet-wide. We're the skeptics and doubters of all things IW and special operations. And we are a tiny sliver of the IW community. I have noticed a jarring gap in this part of the discussion and intend on filling the breach.
Substack: Chasing Ghosts: An Irregular Warfare Podcast
Smedley D. Butler Fellow for Military Affairs at the Libertarian Institute:
You can contact me at cgpodcast@pm.me.

    Ep 040 "The Middle East: Shuffling to the Apocalypse (Part Two)""

    Ep 040 "The Middle East: Shuffling to the Apocalypse (Part Two)""

    This episode will be an addendum to my initial coverage in October 2023 of the Gaza-Israel conflict in Episode 027 and riffing off the domestic implications in Episode 037 of a similar attack on CONUS. If you wish to listen to those before you do this one, you may but I have crafted this so that isn’t necessary.
    The clock is closer to midnight than it was in October 2023.
    My Substack
    Email me at cgpodcast@pm.me.

    • 55 min
    Ep 039 "CG Excursion: Stoicism: Who Dares Leads"

    Ep 039 "CG Excursion: Stoicism: Who Dares Leads"

    I am reusing a previous episode I used in the now moribund Stoicism podcast I started, The Dash, which I ran out of steam on.
    Applying Stoic values and discipline to the vocation and avocations we practice in life may be the hardest part outside of making a Stoic life a lived lifestyle. I find the management industry is a giant cargo cult that publishes books whose pages number in the hundreds but could simply be a page or two.
    References:
    Marcus Aurelius Meditations
    Whitney J. Oakes (editor) The Stoic and Epicurean Philosophers: The Complete Extant Writings of Epicurus, Epictetus, Lucretius and Marcus Aurelius
    My Substack
    Email me at cgpodcast@pm.me.

    • 31 min
    Ep 038 "Moral Injury: The Invisible Warrior Marks"

    Ep 038 "Moral Injury: The Invisible Warrior Marks"

    The concept of moral injuries for soldiers and non-soldiers alike, the gift of fear and being a dead man walking and how to handle regret and shame.
    My Substack
    Email at cgpodcast@pm.me.

    • 26 min
    Ep 037 "Storming America: Another War Will Come Home"

    Ep 037 "Storming America: Another War Will Come Home"

    The hybrid and gray zone fight will come to America in the next war. Once the declining American colossus shuffles into the next near-peer and peer conflict, the 21st century will see the continental US come under a unified attack by external forces for the first time since the War of 1812 and the Mexican border issues in 1916. How the 9/11/2001 events have not been replicated is a cipher to me. We need to war-game all the possibilities once a war is initiated with a near-peer or peer adversary. The kinetic forces on the ground will be sleepers, NOCs or recently arrived illegals in addition to cadres recruited over time and left in place.
    I talk about William Forstchen's "Day of Wrath" and Kurt Schlichter's "The Attack".
    My Substack
    Email at cgpodcast@pm.me.

    • 1 hr 13 min
    Ep 036 "Drunk on Direct Action: The Destruction of Army Special Forces in the GWOT"

    Ep 036 "Drunk on Direct Action: The Destruction of Army Special Forces in the GWOT"

    The direct action concentration of US Army Special Forces (SF) in the conduct of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan at the expense of the specialized and storied legend of what SF could do in non-permissive environments raising partisan forces behind enemy lines. The Army SF concentrated on perfecting a craft that numerous other combat organizations like the USMC 0311, .Army 11Bs and the exquisitely talented Ranger Regiment could do handily not to mention the legendary prowess of the Tier One units.
    SF could capitalize on the rich heritage of a regional expertise harnessed to a deep cultural IQ and understanding of allied and coalition fighting organizations. In concert with the deep intelligence and actionable intelligence infrastructure in a naturally expeditionary mindset practice strategic compression: the employment of tactical means to achieve and satisfy strategic end-states.
    SF needs to carve out their talent-stacks and showcase what makes them unique.
    My Substack:
    https://t.co/7a8jn2Mmnx
    Email at cgpodcast@pm.me.

    • 44 min
    Ep 035 "Review and Discussion: Counterinsurgency: Exposing the Myths of the New Way of War by Douglas Porch"

    Ep 035 "Review and Discussion: Counterinsurgency: Exposing the Myths of the New Way of War by Douglas Porch"

    Everyone and everything has an origin story, while I had a sneaking suspicion early on in my modest career in special operations and irregular warfare (IW) that something was fundamentally wrong with the western way of war in these endeavors, it was Douglas Porch who probably set my course straight. In this book, he makes a compelling historical and logical case for why the IW efforts planet-wide have not only been a failure but ones that repeat themselves again and again.
    My Substack:
    https://t.co/7a8jn2Mmnx
    Email at cgpodcast@pm.me.

    • 46 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
36 Ratings

36 Ratings

OneLegPaddy ,

Your Brain Will Thank You!

Bill provides a sober, measured and balanced approach to the many subjects he covers. His opinions and commentary are obviously well researched, and when noted, his personal experience within a particular subject can only be appreciated. Most of us don’t have this experience, but can relate through our own experience and study. Let’s take some time with Bill and chase some ghosts!

Chad123918624 ,

Great podcast!

Love this podcast! I’ve listened to Mr. Buppert for years now as a guest on other people’s podcasts and always enjoy the material. So, I was happy when I discovered he was doing his own. I’m not a military guy so most of the information he puts out is new to me which makes it very enjoyable; I always learn something new and in a way that I can comprehend. The guy is an excellent historian, in my opinion, and an excellent communicator as well. That’s a great combination for a teacher and a podcaster!

John VerValen ,

Engaging podcast

I enjoy listening to this podcast. Some things I don’t track with but for the most part I agree with. I also am a past member of the 12th group.

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