Free Daily Podcast Summary
Modern War Institute: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Modern War Institute at West Point
Get key takeaways, quotes, and insights from Modern War Institute in a 5-minute read. Delivered straight to your inbox.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- Mar 11, 202623 min
The Weapons Defining the Iran Conflict
For more than a week, the United States and Israel have struck a wide range of targets in Iran with air and missile strikes. Iran’s response has included missile and drone attacks against targets in neighboring states in the Middle East—both US military and diplomatic facilities and public sites including Dubai’s airport. What weapons, on both sides of the conflict, have defined the conflict so far? To explore that question, John Amble is joined on this special bonus episode by Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The MWI Podcast is produced with the generous support of the West Point Class of 1974.
- Mar 8, 20261h 5m
The Iran Conflict's Strategic Dimension
What were the strategic calculations that drove the United States and Israel to launch a military operation aimed at a wide range of targets in Iran? And are the fundamental objectives of the two partners fully aligned? Inside Iran, as the regime's resilience and the military's capability are under more pressure than they have been in decades, how are institutions responding? What drove the decision to respond with drone and missile strikes throughout the region? How are the Gulf states positioning themselves as they have defended against Russian attacks? What role has the Gulf Cooperating Council played? What outcomes might emerge from the conflict and how are Iran's neighbors working to influence those outcomes? These questions offer insights into the strategic dimension of the ongoing US-Israeli operation against Iran. To examine them, John Amble is joined on this episode by three guests who share their insights on the strategic perspectives of the United States, Israel, Iran, and the Gulf states. Jonathan Panikoff is the director of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council and formerly served as the deputy national intelligence officer for the Near East at the National Intelligence Council. Sydney Laite is a former senior intelligence analyst who spent years focused on Iranian strategic decision-making. And Rory Miller is a professor of international politics at Georgetown University in Qatar, where he is the director of the Small States Research Program. The MWI Podcast is produced with the generous support of the West Point Class of 1974.
- Jan 31, 20261h 22m
What to Make of the New National Defense Strategy
The United States has a new National Defense Strategy. Released about every four years, the document offers a window into the way senior defense officials view the global threat environment and identify US defense objectives. But how will the new strategy be interpreted by allies and partners? What about adversaries and competitors? And does formally delineating US priorities offer a degree of predictability on a contemporary strategic landscape characterized by growing instability and a fraying world order? To examine the strategy, John Amble is joined on this episode by Frank Hoffman, Mark Cancian, and Pat Sullivan. The MWI Podcast is produced with the generous support of the West Point Class of 1974. Articles referenced during the episode: "The 2026 National Defense Strategy by the Numbers: Radical Changes, Moderate Changes, and Some Continuities" (CSIS) "Key Takeaways from the New National Defense Strategy" (WOTR)
- Jan 13, 202646 min
Analyzing Operation Absolute Resolve
Examined exclusively as a military operation, the US raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was a stunning success. In the course of just a few hours, the force package launched, accomplished its objective, and returned to base. But before that could happen, planning and rehearsals that likely took place for months set the stage for the mission’s brief execution. To share their perspectives on the operation, John Amble is joined on this episode by Liam Collins, a retired US Army colonel who spent much of his career in special operations units, and Jimmy Blackmon, also a retired colonel and a former helicopter pilot. Both guests have taken part in numerous missions targeting key combatant leaders in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, and they share their experiences and their insights on the recent operation in Venezuela. The MWI Podcast is produced with the generous support of the West Point Class of 1974.
- Dec 4, 202554 min
Training, Education, and the Modern Battlefield
Both training and education have always been key elements of the US Army’s readiness. But as new battlefield challenges arise and new technologies emerge, the character of warfare is changing—and it’s changing faster than ever. Keeping up with those changes—and keeping ahead of adversaries we might fight—means that we have to get training and education right. The Army’s success in tomorrow’s wars will hinge on what we do in classrooms and on training grounds today. To explore that challenge, John Amble is joined by a guest who brings unique perspectives on both education and training to the discussion. Colonel Ethan Diven is the provost of Army University and deputy commandant of the Army Command and General Staff College, and before taking those roles he served as the commander of the operations group at the National Training Center. The MWI Podcast is produced with the generous support of the West Point Class of 1974.
- Oct 15, 202545 min
Europe's Airspace Violations and the Counterdrone Challenge
Late on the night of September 9, twenty-one medium-sized, fixed-wing drones entered Poland’s airspace. Several were shot down, while others crashed, some deep inside Polish territory. Later that month, a series of drone sightings were reported around airports and military installations in Denmark, even forcing a brief suspension of flights. Beyond suspicion of Russian involvement and the fact that both of these countries are NATO member states, the two incidents share little in common. But together, they offer a sense of the range of ways in which drones can pose threats. To explore those threats—and the challenge of developing systems than can both secure sovereign airspace to protect maneuver formations on the battlefield—John Amble is joined on this episode by Dr. Stacie Pettyjohn, a senior fellow and director of the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security. The MWI Podcast is produced with the generous support of the West Point Class of 1974.
- Oct 5, 202547 min
The Military Technological Arms Race in Ukraine
Almost since the very beginning the war in Ukraine triggered by Russia’s invasion in February 2022, the conflict took on characteristics of a technological arms race, with each side seeking to innovate to gain a battlefield advantage. As the war has continued, that contest for advantage has taken place on an increasingly rapid scale. The rollout of a drone optimized for a new mission, the development of a new tactic, an advance in electronic warfare—each of these has produced a shorter and shorter window of advantage until the other side counters it with its own innovation. In this episode, John Amble is joined by Sam Bendett, an adviser and member of the Russia Studies Program at CNA and a close observer of the way Ukraine and Russia are leveraging technological innovation in the war. The MWI Podcast is produced with the generous support of the West Point Class of 1974.
- Sep 5, 202554 min
China's Strategic Competition with the United States
The United States is engaged in a strategic competition with China. On issues ranging from Taiwan's security to the question of which country will most shape the geopolitical order in the years and decades to come, Washington seeks to secure its objectives, promote its interests, and deter Chinese aggression. But what are China's core objectives? And more fundamentally, how does Beijing conceptualize the US-China strategic rivalry? To explore those questions, John Amble is joined on this episode by Ali Wyne, the senior research and advocacy advisor for US-China relations at the International Crisis Group and author of the 2022 book America's Great-Power Opportunity: Revitalizing U.S. Foreign Policy to Meet the Challenges of Strategic Competition. The MWI Podcast is produced with the generous support of the West Point Class of 1974.
Get Modern War Institute summaries in your inbox
Free AI-powered daily recaps. Key takeaways, quotes, and mentions — in a 5-minute read.
Get Free Summaries →Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
You Might Also Like
Listeners also like.
Irregular Warfare Podcast
Irregular Warfare Initiative
School of War
Nebulous Media
Urban Warfare Project
John Spencer
War/Notes: A Conflict Podcast
thirdgun@hotmail.com
The Proceedings Podcast
U.S. Naval Institute
Alternative Military History Podcast
Daniel Wrinn
WarNotes: A Conflict Podcast
Bill Buppert
Warfare
History Hit
Defense One Radio
Defense One staff
Military | America Out Loud News
Military | America Out Loud News
War on the Rocks
Ryan Evans
Net Assessment
The Stimson Center
About Modern War Institute
The Modern War Institute Podcast, produced with the generous support of the West Point Class of 1974, is the flagship podcast of the Modern War Institute at West Point. It features discussions with guests including senior military leaders, scholars, and others on the most important issues related to modern military conflict.
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from Modern War Institute in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's Modern War Institute daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Modern War Institute as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the Modern War Institute podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official Modern War Institute product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by Modern War Institute at West Point.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts. Upgrade to Pro for 15, or Premium for 50. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
How often does Modern War Institute release new episodes?
Modern War Institute publishes monthly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does Modern War Institute cover?
Modern War Institute covers topics including News, Government. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting Modern War Institute summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.