The Team House

Kyle Vowinkle looks back on a 25-year FBI career that took him from counterintelligence and SWAT in Los Angeles to the Hostage Rescue Team, JSOC deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, and some of the Bureau’s most high-profile crisis operations. We also discuss HRT selection, the Boston Marathon bombing manhunt, the Alabama bunker hostage rescue, and the leadership lessons behind his new book, Shaping Chaos.
Find Kyle here: https://www.kylevowinkel.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-vowinkel
Grab Kyle's book here: https://www.kylevowinkel.com/book
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___________________________________________________
GRAB 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 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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Social Media: ⬇️
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Jack’s Twitter:
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Team House Discord: ⬇️
https://discord.gg/wHFHYM6
"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio"
00:00 – Start
01:27 – Growing Up in San Diego & Wanting to Serve
05:38 – A Rebellious Kid Goes to West Point
07:55 – Discovering the FBI While at West Point
09:17 – Military Police, Korea & Guantanamo Bay
10:14 – Taking Back a Rioting Refugee Camp
13:17 – Learning to Lead While You’re Scared
14:35 – Leaving the Army & Applying to the FBI
18:41 – Counterintelligence & FBI SWAT in Los Angeles
21:38 – Manhunts for Cop Killers
23:31 – Working Security at the Golden Globes
26:07 – FBI SWAT Raids a Las Vegas Strip Club
28:34 – 9/11 & the FBI’s Immediate Response
30:18 – Training for FBI Hostage Rescue Team Selection
33:11 – Inside the Brutal HRT Selection Process
36:09 – Failing HRT Selection Because of His Ego
41:13 – Coming Back a Year Later & Making the Team
42:29 – The HRT New Operator Training Pipeline
45:34 – Marine Corps Scout Sniper School
47:20 – What Exactly Is the FBI Hostage Rescue Team?
50:20 – How HRT Began Working With JSOC
52:07 – The First Full FBI Embed With Task Force 275
56:17 – Going on Target in Mosul
59:03 – Capturing a Senior Al-Qaeda Leader in Tal Afar
1:05:23 – Operation Brass Balls in Ramadi
1:07:26 – HRT Operations in Afghanistan
1:09:21 – Raiding by Zodiac on the Euphrates
1:10:53 – A Deadly HRT Standoff in Puerto Rico
1:19:57 – Leaving HRT for the Crisis Negotiation Unit
1:25:56 – The Tension Between Negotiators & Tactical Teams
1:27:49 – Negotiating With Somali Pirates
1:32:56 – The Boston Marathon Bombing Manhunt
1:35:00 – Hundreds of Rounds Fired in Watertown
1:40:16 – Negotiating the Surrender of the Boston Bomber
1:47:58 – The Alabama “Bunker Boy” Hostage Crisis
1:55:07 – Discovering an IED Inside the Bunker’s Speaking Tube
2:00:40 – The Kidnapper Issues a Final Demand
2:03:42 – HRT Launches the Hostage Rescue
2:10:31 – Leaving Operations for FBI Leadership
2:14:28 – Shaping Chaos & Lessons From a 25-Year FBI Career

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We break down the escalating Houthi campaign against Saudi Arabia, the growing threat to shipping through the Bab al-Mandab, and whether the U.S. will intervene as Gulf air-defense stocks and regional confidence in Washington come under strain. We also look at Europe’s fears of further Russian escalation, North Korea exploiting America’s divided attention, and Ukraine’s massive drone and missile strike campaign inside Russia.
Support the show on Patreon:⬇️
https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouse
Jack's news outlet:⬇️
https://thehighside.substack.com/
Find Jon Hackett here:⬇️
Jon's Twitter:
https://x.com/jonathanhackett
Jon's LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejonathanhackett
Jon's books:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0C5L659N5?ccs_id=e11a2062-f8d3-498e-bfd7-7d2f3869caf6
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejonathanhackett
Twitter: https://x.com/jonathanhackett
Check out Mick's new podcast here:⬇️
Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/at/podcast/pub-and-porch-applied-stoicism/id1836955475
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/1k3QPmkAMwnGJxMLDwUSSd?si=n6piIu8XRcag1Z0K43A3bQ
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@UCd0Hq6QFk8CoTu5j-VU0Ong 
Find Mick Mulroy here: 
Fogbow ⬇️
https://fogbow.com/
Lobo Institute ⬇️
https://www.loboinstitute.org/
Twitter ⬇️
https://x.com/mickmulroy?s=21&t=-Ze3F_Ix2vlJ18KFvORTCA
LinkedIn ⬇️
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-patrick-mulroy-31198b52/
Whitefish security summit ⬇️
https://whitefishsecuritysummit.com
Find Marc P here:
https://x.com/Mpolymer
Find Andy Milburn here: 
Twitter ⬇️
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LinkedIn ⬇️
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewmilburn2023
Substack ⬇️
https://amilburn.substack.com/
Andy’s book ⬇️
https://www.amazon.com/When-Tempest-Gathers-Mogadishu-Operations

00:00 – Start
03:12 – Will the U.S. Strike the Houthis for Saudi Arabia?
06:34 – Houthis, Iran & the Bab al-Mandab
09:55 – Saudi Arabia’s Oil Routes Are Being Choked Off
17:01 – Why Saudi Arabia Can’t Defend Its Own Airspace
22:25 – Has the U.S. Lost Credibility in the Gulf?
29:24 – What Happens If Hormuz & Bab al-Mandab Are Both Shut?
33:00 – Will Washington Actually Strike the Houthis?
42:00 – Is There Any Military Solution to the Houthi Problem?
49:40 – Europe Prepares for Possible Russian Escalation
54:16 – Could Russia Test NATO With a Limited Attack?
59:09 – Should Europe Draw Hard Red Lines in Ukraine?
1:01:22 – North Korea Exploits America’s Divided Attention
1:05:25 – Ukraine Launches a Massive 1,000-Drone Strike Into Russia
1:10:27 – Closing Thoughts

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Bing West looks back on a lifetime of war and policy, from serving as a Force Recon Marine in Vietnam and writing The Village to working in the Reagan administration and covering Iraq and Afghanistan alongside U.S. troops. We also discuss why America keeps repeating the same strategic mistakes, the rise of autonomous warfare, the growing challenge from China, and whether today’s conflicts are converging into something much larger.
Grab Bing's books here: https://a.co/d/0iGKYJRo
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For ad free video and audio and access to live streams and Eyes On Geopolitics...JOIN OUR PATREON! 
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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! ⬇️
https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouse
Support the show here:⬇️
https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouse
___________________________________________________
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 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: ⬇️
https://ko-fi.com/theteamhouse
Social Media: ⬇️
The Team House Instagram:
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Jack’s Twitter:
 https://twitter.com/jackmurphyrgr?s=21
Team House Discord: ⬇️
https://discord.gg/wHFHYM6
"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio"
00:00 – Start
01:18 – Growing Up Around Marines & Joining the Corps
03:28 – Becoming a Marine Officer & Writing Small Unit Action in Vietnam
04:28 – Force Recon Deep Inside the DMZ
05:26 – Living and Fighting With a Combined Action Platoon
07:34 – Nearly 400 Days Inside a Vietnamese Village
09:52 – How the Combined Action Platoons Actually Worked
13:05 – Tet Offensive & Fighting at Night
16:00 – Seven Marines Killed in a Single Night
16:33 – Writing The Village During the Vietnam War
19:15 – The Tactical Lessons Bing Took From Vietnam
20:00 – Force Recon, Stealth & Operation Stingray
21:20 – Why Bing Blames Lyndon Johnson for the War’s Failure
23:16 – Could the U.S. Have Won the Vietnam War?
25:04 – “If You Go to War, You Have to Fight to Win”
26:53 – Why the War Could Have Been Won at the Squad Level
29:23 – Henry Kissinger & the End of South Vietnam
32:36 – Why America Keeps Repeating the Same Mistakes in War
34:48 – The “Jupiter Complex” of American Power
36:07 – H.R. McMaster, Vietnam & Repeating Old Mistakes
39:05 – America’s Debt Crisis & the Coming Defense Squeeze
42:04 – China, Defense Spending & the Future of Warfare
43:03 – AI, Autonomous Weapons & Killing Legacy Systems
47:14 – What the Fall of Rome Can Teach America
49:02 – AI CEOs, Power & the New “Jupiter Complex”
53:29 – Working for Ronald Reagan
54:44 – Reagan, Somalia & Confronting Soviet Influence
59:18 – The Final Years of the Cold War
1:00:42 – Central America, Oliver North & Reagan-Era Proxy Wars
1:02:40 – Iraq, Jim Mattis & the March to Baghdad
1:03:52 – Fallujah & the Decision to Halt the Marines
1:05:40 – Why You Can’t Fight a War Halfway
1:06:07 – The Fatal Problem of Enemy Safe Havens
1:07:28 – Pakistan, the Taliban & Why Afghanistan Couldn’t Be Won
1:14:32 – Afghanistan: “The Wrong War”
1:15:57 – Why Jim Gant Was the Exception, Not the Rule
1:19:34 – Cat 5 & the 2033 War
1:21:06 – China, Taiwan & America’s Coming Strategic Crisis
1:22:58 – Why the Pentagon Must Move Toward Autonomous Weapons
1:23:49 – Are Ukraine, Gaza & Iran the Prelude to World War III?
1:25:38 – Russia, China, Iran & North Korea Against the U.S.
1:27:34 – Should America Station Troops in Taiwan?
1:29:24 – Cat 5: The 2033 War
1:30:17 – Bing’s Next Projects
1:31:17 – The Last Platoon & Writing Afghanistan as Fiction
1:32:24 – Jack’s The Most Dangerous Man
1:34:14 – Closing Thoughts

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We break down Russia’s use of gig-economy recruits and online networks for espionage and violence, the growing damage to U.S. bases across the Middle East, and what Iran may be gaining strategically from the conflict. We also discuss the Houthis’ leverage over another maritime choke point, the messy legacy of U.S. proxy warfare in Syria, and how Saudi, Emirati, Omani, and other regional actors are hedging as American influence erodes.
Support the show on Patreon:⬇️
https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouse
Jack's news outlet:⬇️
https://thehighside.substack.com/
Find Jon Hackett here:⬇️
Jon's Twitter:
https://x.com/jonathanhackett
Jon's LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejonathanhackett
Jon's books:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0C5L659N5?ccs_id=e11a2062-f8d3-498e-bfd7-7d2f3869caf6
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejonathanhackett
Twitter: https://x.com/jonathanhackett
Check out Mick's new podcast here:⬇️
Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/at/podcast/pub-and-porch-applied-stoicism/id1836955475
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/1k3QPmkAMwnGJxMLDwUSSd?si=n6piIu8XRcag1Z0K43A3bQ
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@UCd0Hq6QFk8CoTu5j-VU0Ong 
Find Mick Mulroy here: 
Fogbow ⬇️
https://fogbow.com/
Lobo Institute ⬇️
https://www.loboinstitute.org/
Twitter ⬇️
https://x.com/mickmulroy?s=21&t=-Ze3F_Ix2vlJ18KFvORTCA
LinkedIn ⬇️
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-patrick-mulroy-31198b52/
Whitefish security summit ⬇️
https://whitefishsecuritysummit.com
Find Marc P here:
https://x.com/Mpolymer
Find Andy Milburn here: 
Twitter ⬇️
https://twitter.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2Fandymilburn8
LinkedIn ⬇️
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewmilburn2023
Substack ⬇️
https://amilburn.substack.com/
Andy’s book ⬇️
https://www.amazon.com/When-Tempest-Gathers-Mogadishu-Operations

00:00 – Start
01:05 – Russia’s New Gig-Economy Espionage Model
02:36 – Foreign Governments Hiring Proxies for Assassinations
03:18 – Russian Online Networks & Recruitment for Violence
05:00 – The KGB’s History of Using Terrorist Proxies
06:11 – Is Russia Directing Online Chaos?
07:24 – Chinese Influence, Ghost Guns & Suspicious Networks in the U.S.
09:20 – Accelerationism & Using Chaos as a Weapon
10:14 – Recruiting Vulnerable People Online
11:20 – How Intelligence Services Slowly Escalate Recruits
12:27 – Iran Recruiting Israelis Through Fake Relationships
14:03 – The Damage to U.S. Bases Across the Middle East
15:06 – Fifth Fleet Headquarters in Bahrain Is Effectively Abandoned
15:59 – Losing America’s Foothold Inside the Strait of Hormuz
16:41 – Did the Pentagon Expect Its Gulf Bases to Get Hit?
18:34 – Why Deterrence Against Iran Failed
19:32 – Has Iran Strategically Defeated the U.S.?
20:50 – What Would It Actually Take to Defeat Iran?
21:21 – Iran’s Likely Endgame in the Strait of Hormuz
23:19 – Gulf States Are Beginning to Hedge Away From Washington
24:47 – Houthis Threaten a Second Maritime Choke Point
25:39 – Why the U.S. Is Now Talking Directly to the Houthis
27:23 – Houthis Say Saudi Shipping Is the Target
27:58 – The Mecca Agreement Is Already Being Tested
28:56 – Who Actually Struck Mecca?
30:08 – Saudi Arabia’s Secret Counter-Iran Programs
31:26 – The Gig Economy of Proxy Warfare
32:35 – Timber Sycamore & the Chaos of the Syrian War
34:45 – The Myth of the “Moderate Rebels”
36:30 – When the U.S. Bought Syrian Rebels Xboxes
37:05 – Trying to Get U.S. TOW Missiles Back From Warlords
37:43 – Did the TOW Missile Program Actually Work?
39:21 – Assad’s Intelligence Services & Fear as a Weapon
40:52 – Why the Houthis Aren’t Simply Iranian Proxies
42:11 – Who Was Operating the Captured Saudi Equipment?
43:32 – Saudi vs. Emirati Proxy Forces in Yemen
43:59 – Oman’s Role in the Yemen & Hormuz Crisis
45:50 – JSOC Operations in Eastern Yemen
46:32 – The Failed U.S. Strike in Yemen During the Soleimani Operation
47:24 – Could Yemen’s Rival Factions Be Turned Against Each Other?
47:30 – UAE Mercenaries & Covert Operations in Yemen
48:14 – The UAE’s Huge Paydays for Former U.S. Intelligence Personnel
48:45 – Foreign Officers Running Emirati Elite Units
49:00 – Training the UAE Presidential Guard
50:36 – Closing Thoughts
51:02 – American Insurgent & Final Plug
51:29 – End

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-team-house--5960890/support.

We break down the Houthis’ advances toward the Bab al-Mandab, the growing pressure on Saudi oil exports, and new reporting that Houthi forces used Claude to help develop and test ballistic missiles. We also discuss the Haaretz report alleging Netanyahu was warned before October 7, the proposed Trump development in Tbilisi and its Russia ties, and signs that Ukraine may be regaining the initiative around Lyman.
Support the show on Patreon:⬇️
https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouse
Jack's news outlet:⬇️
https://thehighside.substack.com/
Find Jon Hackett here:⬇️
Jon's Twitter:
https://x.com/jonathanhackett
Jon's LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejonathanhackett
Jon's books:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0C5L659N5?ccs_id=e11a2062-f8d3-498e-bfd7-7d2f3869caf6
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejonathanhackett
Twitter: https://x.com/jonathanhackett
Check out Mick's new podcast here:⬇️
Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/at/podcast/pub-and-porch-applied-stoicism/id1836955475
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/1k3QPmkAMwnGJxMLDwUSSd?si=n6piIu8XRcag1Z0K43A3bQ
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@UCd0Hq6QFk8CoTu5j-VU0Ong 
Find Mick Mulroy here: 
Fogbow ⬇️
https://fogbow.com/
Lobo Institute ⬇️
https://www.loboinstitute.org/
Twitter ⬇️
https://x.com/mickmulroy?s=21&t=-Ze3F_Ix2vlJ18KFvORTCA
LinkedIn ⬇️
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-patrick-mulroy-31198b52/
Whitefish security summit ⬇️
https://whitefishsecuritysummit.com
Find Marc P here:
https://x.com/Mpolymer
Find Andy Milburn here: 
Twitter ⬇️
https://twitter.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2Fandymilburn8
LinkedIn ⬇️
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewmilburn2023
Substack ⬇️
https://amilburn.substack.com/
Andy’s book ⬇️
https://www.amazon.com/When-Tempest-Gathers-Mogadishu-Operations
00:00 – Start
05:34 – Houthis Advance Toward the Bab al-Mandab
07:02 – Why the U.S. Isn’t Backing Saudi Arabia the Same Way
09:02 – Hormuz, Oil Exports & Saudi Arabia’s Growing Problems
10:15 – How the Anti-Houthi Coalition Fell Apart
12:30 – Why the Houthis See an Opening Right Now
14:29 – The Houthis Are More Capable Than People Think
17:09 – From 30,000 Fighters to 300,000+
18:23 – What Control of the Bab al-Mandab Gives the Houthis
19:41 – Who Could Actually Reopen the Strait?
22:35 – Saudi Arabia’s Oil Bypasses Are Being Squeezed
24:16 – Is This a Coordinated Iranian Campaign?
27:11 – Why Airstrikes Alone Won’t Solve the Houthi Problem
30:25 – Are Gulf States Turning Toward Iran Instead of Washington?
31:55 – MBS Asks Trump for U.S. Strikes on the Houthis
35:16 – Is Yemen Heading Toward Permanent Partition?
36:00 – Houthis Used Claude to Develop Ballistic Missiles
38:26 – China’s Role in Arming the Houthis
40:09 – AI Inside the Houthi Missile Development Loop
42:35 – Can AI Make Weapons Proliferation Impossible to Stop?
45:54 – Using AI to Evade Export Controls & Sanctions
46:50 – Haaretz Bombshell: Was Netanyahu Warned Before Oct. 7?
49:02 – Israeli Intelligence Failures Before the Hamas Attack
52:06 – Why This Story Is Exploding Before Israel’s Election
54:51 – Trump Tower Tbilisi & Georgia’s Russia Problem
56:46 – Is There Any Economic Case for the Project?
59:08 – Why Trump’s Georgia Deal Is Politically Explosive
1:00:13 – Ukraine Regains the Initiative Around Lyman
1:02:05 – Closing Thoughts
1:02:35 – Andy’s New Book & Hannibal Directive Chapter
1:03:56 – Best War Movies Next?

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-team-house--5960890/support.