CONTESTED GROUND: Irregular operations in Afghanistan and grey zone warfare in the APAC region, with MAJGEN (Ret’d) Gus McLachlan

Joint-capabilities
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By: Robyn Tongol

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Major General (Ret’d) Gus McLachlan, former Commander Forces Command, joins hosts Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson and Liam Garman to unpack modern asymmetrical warfare: from the Taliban in Afghanistan to Chinese Coast Guard vessels in the Philippine Sea, and even how social media is spurring political divisions.

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Major General (Ret’d) Gus McLachlan, former Commander Forces Command, joins hosts Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson and Liam Garman to unpack modern asymmetrical warfare: from the Taliban in Afghanistan to Chinese Coast Guard vessels in the Philippine Sea, and even how social media is spurring political divisions.

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  • The podcast begins by analysing what grey zone warfare looks like in the modern geopolitical environment, from resource competition to militarisation of civilian capabilities to compel an adversary beneath the threshold of armed conflict.
  • The trio then discuss lessons from the Taliban in Afghanistan, including the utilisation of information to seize control of the narrative.
  • They then examine the need to seize freedom of manoeuvre in the online domain, and the risks of forfeiting social media.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground team

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Listen to previous episodes of the Defence Connect podcast:

Episode 11: CONTESTED GROUND: Apathy, complacency and the ‘Lucky Country’, Australia’s predicament is entirely self-inflicted, with Ben Dullroy
Episode 10: SPECIAL EDITION PODCAST: 125 years of the Royal Australian Navy and Australian Army
Episode 9: CONTESTED GROUND: Australian resilience during a crisis and sovereign industrial capability
Episode 8: CONTESTED GROUND: From Tehran to Sydney – why war could reshape Australian property
Episode 7: SPOTLIGHT: Inside Australia’s AUKUS industrial transformation, with Honeywell Aerospace Australia senior director Lee Davis
Episode 6: CONTESTED GROUND: War without borders – the disinformation threat arriving in Australia
Episode 5: THE PROGRESS REPORT: The mission to make military children visible
Episode 4: PODCAST: Righting the ship, balancing the force, with Senator James Paterson, shadow minister for defence
Episode 3: SPOTLIGHT: Modern electronic warfare, spectrum congestion and the Australian defence ecosystem, with DEWC Services’ Rian Whitby
Episode 2: CONTESTED GROUND: The intersection of finance, organised crime, terrorism and foreign interference, with Keith Bulfin