The Team House

Combat veteran Ryan O'Leary joins us to discuss his journey from the Army National Guard to fighting alongside Kurdish forces against ISIS in Iraq, working with Iranian Kurdish insurgent groups, and later experiencing the war in Ukraine firsthand. Ryan breaks down the realities of insurgency warfare, Kurdish resistance movements, and why modern conflicts are being transformed by drones, surveillance, and battlefield transparency.
This episode also dives into the future of warfare, the limits of regime change, corruption inside war zones, and what Western militaries still fail to understand about modern combat.

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Intro music by https://www.youtube.com/user/RemixSample
"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio"

00:00 — Start 
01:25 — Growing up in Iowa and joining the Army National Guard
03:25 — Iraq deployment: FOB security and disillusionment with the war
04:20 — Afghanistan in RC Pactia: first firefights and combat patrols
05:45 — Ambushed on day one and surviving RPG attacks
08:50 — Why Afghanistan felt minor compared to later wars in Kurdistan and Ukraine
09:35 — Going AWOL to fight ISIS with the Kurds in Iraq
11:40 — Watching U.S. airstrikes outside Erbil as ISIS closed in
13:20 — Joining the Peshmerga with almost no process or paperwork
15:00 — Fighting across Iraq with Kurdish and Iranian Kurdish units
16:20 — The Kurdish-Iraqi civil war around Kirkuk explained
18:40 — Taking tank fire from Iraqi Abrams tanks during the fighting
21:10 — Mortar teams, ATGMs, and chaos on the Kirkuk front
24:00 — Kurdish independence, Kirkuk oil, and Iran’s role in the conflict
27:00 — U.S. weapons ending up with Iranian-backed militias and PMUs
29:00 — Meeting Iranian Kurdish fighters and deciding to work with them
32:10 — Living in the Qandil Mountains with Kurdish insurgents
34:20 — Kurdish separatism, Mahabad, and dreams of independence
39:10 — Life with Iranian Kurds: morale, culture, and surviving in the mountains
41:45 — Learning insurgency warfare from the inside
43:20 — Why insurgencies are nearly impossible to defeat
47:55 — Could Iranian Kurds actually help overthrow Tehran?
53:20 — Why regime change in Iran was always unrealistic
01:02:00 — Early Ukraine war experiences and how drones changed everything
01:14:30 — FPV drones, trench warfare, and why modern combat is now transparent
01:28:00 — What Western militaries still don’t understand about drone warfare
01:40:30 — Surviving artillery, drone drops, and constant surveillance in Ukraine
01:55:00 — Why infantry movement is becoming nearly impossible on the modern battlefield
02:07:00 — Foreign fighters in Ukraine: motivations, strengths, and problems
02:18:00 — Corruption, logistics, and the reality behind the Ukrainian war effort
02:31:00 — Lessons from Iraq, Kurdistan, and Ukraine for future U.S. wars
02:42:30 — China, Taiwan, and how drones could reshape the Pacific battlefield
02:54:00 — Why small units and adaptability matter more than ever
03:05:00 — The psychological toll of nonstop drone surveillance and attrition warfare
03:15:30 — Final thoughts on the future of warfare and where conflict is heading

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original airdate 11/4/22

Chad McCoy served in the Air Force for over 22 years, 18 of which with the 24th STS. (24th Special Tactics Squadron). Chad has been on 17 deployments the majority of which with JSOC and earned the rank of Chief Master Sergeant. 

Check out Chad here:
Foxtrot3
http://Foxtrot3.com
LifeLine Rescue Tools 
https://lifelinerescuetools.com/
Firestorm Labs
https://www.launchfirestorm.com/

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00:00 — Start 
01:20 — Growing up in Hawaii and chasing the special operations dream
08:30 — Pararescue history: Korea, Vietnam, and saving pilots under fire
11:00 — CCTs, PJs, JTACs, and how Air Force Special Tactics works
14:30 — Inside 24th STS: JSOC support, combat rescue, and tier-one assets
21:00 — 9/11 in Okinawa and trying to get into the war
24:20 — Trying out for 24th STS and puking through selection
27:30 — U-2 pilot rescue in Korea and recovering classified gear
34:00 — PJ pipeline: water confidence, scuba, Airborne, SOCM, and Green Team
48:00 — First real gunfight and learning lethal decision-making
53:00 — Humanity in war: prisoners, ethics, and combat medicine
58:30 — Back-to-back Iraq and Afghanistan deployments
01:05:00 — Heavy casualties, compartmentalization, and refusing to process trauma
01:17:30 — Captain Phillips, Somali pirates, and maritime missions
01:25:00 — Safe houses, low-vis work, and the “non-sexy” side of SOF
01:35:00 — Tier-one medics, Navy vs. Army units, and staying sharp
01:44:30 — Running Green Team and learning a different kind of leadership
01:53:30 — How selection changed: diversity of thought and building better operators
01:56:00 — Losing GWOT experience and preparing for the next fight
02:00:00 — Innovation, failure, and why the military struggles to adapt
02:07:30 — Army vs. Navy tier-one culture and mission differences
02:10:00 — Special Reconnaissance, AFSOC’s future, and contested environments
02:16:00 — Retirement, depression, and losing purpose after the military
02:18:00 — Building a low-cost cruise missile after leaving SOF
02:25:00 — Life after combat and why conventional troops deserve more respect
02:34:45 — Veteran mental health, VA failures, and alternative treatments
02:38:00 — Closing thoughts

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We break down the latest on the Iran conflict, the stalled diplomacy, and why the Strait of Hormuz has become Tehran’s most powerful bargaining chip. We dig into whether the U.S. or Israel would actually resume military operations, how Iran’s internal power struggle is shifting toward harder IRGC control, and what that means for any future nuclear deal.
This episode also covers the War Powers Act, covert action options, Hezbollah’s future in Lebanon, and why Washington may be heading toward a long and painful strategic stalemate.
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Apple Podcasts:
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"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio
00:00 — Start 
01:30 — Strait of Hormuz, stalled diplomacy, and where the Iran war stands, VBSS operations, maritime blockade, and U.S. pressure on Iran
03:40 — Why diplomacy matters more than “mowing the grass” militarily
06:00 — Why a new Iran nuclear deal must be better than the 2015 JCPOA
08:40 — Inside Iran’s political factions: moderates, reformists, and hardliners
10:30 — Ahmad Vahidi, the IRGC, and why the regime may be getting worse
12:00 — Does anyone actually want military operations to restart?
15:40 — The Strait of Hormuz as Iran’s new “nuclear weapon”
18:00 — Lebanon, Hezbollah, and the push to break Iran’s regional proxy network
24:00 — Trump’s political problem: can he accept compromise with Iran?
27:40 — War Powers Act, Congress, and whether the U.S. can legally keep fighting
30:20 — Using the Iraq AUMF and “self-defense” to justify more strikes
38:20 — What’s really happening in the Strait of Hormuz right now
39:30 — U.S. intelligence collection inside Iran and the regime power struggle
43:00 — Covert action, influence ops, and what the U.S. should be doing quietly
46:00 — Who should the U.S. actually negotiate with inside Iran?
50:00 — Can Vahidi remove rivals and sabotage any nuclear agreement?
52:20 — If bombing resumes, is Vahidi target number one?
53:00 — Red Sox collapse, Whitefish Security Summit, and closing thoughts

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Former British intelligence officer Julian Fisher joins us to break down the real world of espionage, from MI6 tradecraft and denied-area operations to private intelligence work across Africa and conflict zones like Congo and Sierra Leone. He shares how intelligence officers build cover, recruit allies, and survive dangerous situations where a single decision can mean life or death.
Grab Julien's book here:
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https://uk.linkedin.com/in/julian-fisher-67161920?trk=public_post_feed-actor-name
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To help support the show and for all bonus content including:
-live shows and asking guest questions 
-ad free audio and video
-early access to shows
-Access to ALL bonus segments with our guests
Subscribe to our Patreon! ⬇️
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Support the show here:⬇️
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___________________________________________________
PRE ORDER JACK'S NEW BOOK "THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN" 
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/803651/the-most-dangerous-man-by-jack-murphy/paperback/
Subscribe to the new EYES ON podcast here:⬇️
https://www.youtube.com/@EyesOnGeopoliticsPod/featured
__________________________________
Jack Murphy's new book "We Defy: The Lost Chapters of Special Forces History" ⬇️
https://www.amazon.com/We-Defy-Chapters-Special-History-ebook/dp/B0DCGC1N1N/
——————————————————————
Or make a one time donation at: ⬇️
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Jack Murphy's memoir "Murphy's Law" can be found here:⬇️
 https://www.amazon.com/Murphys-Law-Journey-Investigative-Journalist/dp/1501191241
"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio"
00:00 — Start 
01:00 — British intelligence, MI6, and the Official Secrets Act
05:20 — Childhood in Birmingham, family tragedy, and early hardship
11:30 — The Iranian nurse who taught Julian the power of allies
15:00 — Getting into Oxford and building social capital
20:00 — Winston Churchill’s grandson and learning influence early
27:20 — City of London finance, class, and becoming a chameleon
35:30 — Leaving finance for British intelligence
38:00 — Iraq War intelligence, David Kelly, and resigning on principle
45:30 — Moving into private intelligence and corporate security
49:00 — Tim Spicer, Sandline, Sierra Leone, and private military myths
55:00 — Head of Africa: Congo, mining clients, and ground-truth intel
59:50 — AK-47 in Kinshasa: using cover to survive
01:28:45 — Somalia, a mortar attack, and surviving by minutes
01:46:15 — How Think Like a Spy turns tradecraft into leadership lessons
01:51:40 — Final thoughts, book info, and where to find Julien

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original airdate 4/1/24
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Jeff Man is a respected Information Security expert, advisor, evangelist, and co-host on Paul’s Security Weekly and Tribe of Hackers. He is currently serving in a Consulting/Advisory role for Online Business Systems. Jeff had over 37 years of experience working in all aspects of computer, network, and information security, including cryptography, risk management, vulnerability analysis, compliance assessment, forensic analysis and penetration testing. He is a certified NSA Cryptanalyst and he previously held security research, management and product development roles with the National Security Agency, the DoD and private-sector enterprises. He was also part of the first penetration testing “red team” at NSA. For the past 20 years, Jeff has been a pen tester, security architect, consultant, QSA, and PCI SME, providing consulting and advisory services to many of the nation’s best known companies.

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