Teaching the Enemy: Lessons from The Dragons and the Snakes

Jim and Mike dig into David Kilcullen's The Dragons and the Snakes to explore how modern adversaries—from rogue states to criminal networks—are adapting faster than ever to Western tactics, tech, and psychology. Drawing from Kilcullen's insights and a CIA review of the book, they unpack the idea that our enemies are evolving because of us—we're shaping their strategy, and sometimes not in the way we want. From guerrilla warfare and liminal conflict to use-of-force doctrine and law enforcement tactics, this episode connects military theory to street-level realities. Are we in a new kind of war without even knowing it? And what are we teaching our opponents every time we act? The Dragons and the Snakes by David Kilcullen - CIA review of the book - Find us on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/YouTube) @TacTangents. You can join the conversation in our Facebook Discussion Group . Find all of our episodes, articles, some reading list ideas, and more on our website Like what we're doing? Head over to Patreon and give us a buck for each new episode. You can also make a one-time contribution at GoFundMe . Intro music credit Bensound.com

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Teaching the Enemy: Lessons from The Dragons and the Snakes is an episode from Tactical Tangents by Tactical Tangents.

This episode is 54:12 long.

This episode was published on Jul 1, 2025.

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