The Dragons and the Snakes: How the Rest Learned to Fight the West by David Kilcullen

The podcast introduces David Kilcullen's book, "The Dragons and the Snakes: How the Rest Learned to Fight the West," which examines the evolving global security environment and the return of great power competition. It begins by highlighting the resurgence of nation-state adversaries like China and Russia, who have adapted unconventional warfare tactics, mirroring strategies employed by non-state actors. The book addresses how the West's focus on counter-terrorism after 9/11 created a vacuum exploited by these powers, leading to a convergence of state and non-state methodologies. Kilcullen argues that the Western military model, dominant since the 1991 Gulf War, is becoming obsolete as enemies adapt and expand their concepts of warfare, necessitating a reevaluation of Western strategies.