Chasing Ghosts
BY PGF
1 year, 6 months ago
Episode 1: “Terms of Endearment”
“This charter episode will discuss the intent and get started with the basics to create a framework of common understanding. This episode will discuss the National Defense Strategy, generations of warfare, civil war and the regional conflict complexes that emerge from larger wars and conflicts. Irregular warfare (IW) is rather complex and tends to be muddier, more nuanced and subject to interpretative misconceptions and we’ll lay the groundwork for understanding these in both the larger and smaller contexts.”
History, Leaders, Warfare, Weapons, Strategy, and Tactics, what’s not to like!?!
This podcast, happily, doesn’t cover current events or the news, but we gained a much greater understanding of what’s shaping up in Europe now, because of the definitions and history provided by Mr. Buppert. Americans don’t realize it yet but a regional war has already started in Europe. History books always tell you there were two sides to a war. That’s an oversimplified position based on the post-war moral view of the winner. However, Mr. Buppert’s description of regional conflict being a multiparty and rather messy affair is spot on.
If you don’t follow this podcast, though he isn’t covering current events, I suspect you will not understand the war that’s now breaking out in Europe. You must discover the modes of war in terms of the larger human interaction of conflict. Also, when whites war, for some reason beyond me, they all start fighting each other. This war will likely go “global.” If you simply follow the “news” about the fighting, you will be dumber than doing nothing at all.
Instead of writing a review, which we’re tempted to do, it’s enough to say that we enjoyed it and learned plenty, even from this simple introduction. Looking forward to the next installment. Listen to the podcast, or die in ignorance!
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On October 11, 2022 at 5:50 am, Chris said:
Anything written or spoken from Buppert will always be worth ones time.
Go back to his blog ZeroGov and start from the beginning up to the point he shuttered the place.
Thanks Bill!
CIII
On October 11, 2022 at 6:58 am, Bill Buppert said:
PGF and Chris,
Thanks so much for the kind words and encouragement. I am a long-time reader of TCJ.
Episode Two is on antifragility and irregular warfare (IW) and released in the wild now on your favorite podcast venue.
Right now, I have a schedule of almost 40 fortnightly episodes programmed through February 2024. That doesn’t mean they’re complete but I have a rough outline of what I want to discuss; everything from the character of western COIN by country to individual players like Michael Collins, GEN Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck and TE Lawrence (and minor players that nonetheless have a huge impact) and the character of special operations forces design and application.
I set myself apart from the normal triumphalist narrative by lifting the hood and examining the sausage-making and existential missteps of the western irregular warfare community and military history. The Small Wars Journal and the COINdinista crowd do not approve of my analysis and examinations. I’ve staked a tiny contrarian camp in the larger milieu of special operations and IW.
You can email me with comments or recommendations about the podcast at cgpodcast@pm.me.
On October 11, 2022 at 8:34 am, PGF said:
Most practitioners of war never graduate from telling us how to properly grip the rifle and what water filtration system to stuff in our ruck. necessary info, but much more is needed.
On the other end of the scale are think tank men and women who don’t even own a firearm insisting that war be fought according to their prescription.
Whatever becomes of America you will not have qualified central leadership for your family, church, or team. You must teach yourself how to observe the battle space to create a strategy within which you can effect tactics toward your goals.
Chasing Ghosts will help toward this end. Herschel has described TCJ as a thinking man’s blog. Certainly Chasing Ghosts is a thinking man’s podcast.
On October 11, 2022 at 8:28 pm, CA said:
Word:
Whatever becomes of America you will not have qualified central leadership for your family, church, or team. You must teach yourself how to observe the battle space to create a strategy within which you can effect tactics toward your goals.
Chasing Ghosts will help toward this end. Herschel has described TCJ as a thinking man’s blog. Certainly Chasing Ghosts is a thinking man’s podcast.
*****
If you are not following both TCJ and the CG podcast, you are missing out.
Don’t do that.
Tempus fugit.