Episode 98 of the Irregular Warfare Podcast delves into resistance warfare—with a specific focus on stay behind operations.
Our guests begin by contrasting conventional conflict with resistance warfare. They then discuss the utility of stay behind operations by examining how small states can impose outsized costs on occupying powers. More specifically, they address how distributed resistance elements can frustrate aggressive powers by operating behind enemy lines. Finally, they end by providing policymakers with a framework for crafting indigenous, stay behind forces in the digital age.
Brian Petit is a retired U.S. Army Special Forces Colonel, with more than a half-decade’s experience serving abroad in combat and conflict zones. Brian currently teaches and consults on leadership, strategy, planning, resistance, and special operations. In November of 2023, he authored an article on stay behind operations in War on the Rocks, which serves as the anchor for Episode 98.
Marta Kepe is a senior defense analyst at the RAND Corporation. Her research interests include national resilience, unconventional warfare, and European security cooperation. She is also a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. Prior to joining the RAND Corporation, she worked for the Latvian Ministry of Defence, the NATO Advisory Team in Kosovo, and the National War College.
Ben Jebb and Adam Darnley-Stuart are the hosts for this episode. Please reach out to Ben and Adam with any questions about this episode or the Irregular Warfare Podcast.
The Irregular Warfare Podcast is a production of the Irregular Warfare Initiative (IWI). We are a team of volunteers dedicated to bridging the gap between scholars and practitioners in the field of irregular warfare. IWI generates written and audio content, coordinates events for the IW community, and hosts critical thinkers in the field of irregular warfare as IWI fellows. You can follow and engage with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, or LinkedIn.
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