Guest Dr. John Pennell and co-host Dr. Heidi Lane join Dave Brown to discuss Pennell’s book Assessing Russia’s Actions in Ukraine and Syria, 2014-2022, which examines Russia’s broader approach to war—one that blends political warfare, military force, influence operations, and strategic intent.

Co-Host/Guests:

Heidi Elizabeth Lane, Ph.D. is a professor of strategy and policy and director of the Greater Middle East Research Study Group at U.S. Naval War College. She specializes in comparative politics and international relations of the Middle East with a focus on security sector development, ethnic and religious nationalism, counter-terrorism and rule of law in transitioning societies.

John A. Pennell, Ph.D. is a former U.S. Senior Foreign Service Officer (Minister-Counselor rank) with wide experience in global security. Currently, he’s a contractor with the U.S. Department of War’s (DOW) Irregular Warfare Center (IWC) as Editor-in-Chief of PRISM: The Journal of Complex Operations. He’s also a Non-Resident Fellow with the Irregular Warfare Institute (IWI) and a Senior Fellow with Narrative-Strategies. John holds degrees in War & Defense Studies from King’s College London, the National War College and American University. He’s a lifetime member of the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) and Information Professionals Association (IPA). His book on Russia’s irregular warfare activities in Syria and Ukraine is available from Bloomsbury, Amazon, Waterstones, etc. or on his website at www.drglobalbedouin.com.

Articles/References:

1. https://www.amazon.com/Assessing-Russias-Actions-Ukraine-2014-2022/dp/1666962236

Guests Robert Burrell and John Collison join Dave Brown to discuss this comprehensive volume which provides the first canon for SOF, interagency, and conventional forces to understand irregular warfare, and the emerging areas of Resilience and Resistance within international competition, and deterrence. The book highlights the asymmetric strategies of adversaries to subvert the international order, including the malign activities of the CCP, Russia, North Korea, Iran, and violent extremist organizations, (and includes case studies on Cuba, Laos, Tibet, and Colombia).

Guests:

Robert S. Burrell, Ph.D. is a resilience and resistance interdisciplinary scholar using data-driven and human-centric methodologies to analyze intrastate conflict ranging from nonviolent protest through belligerency. His methodological frameworks can be found in his new book Resilience and Resistance. He also serves as a 2025 fellow for the Irregular Warfare Initiative. He currently works as Senior Research Fellow with the Global and National Security Institute at the University of South Florida. He has a PhD in history from the University of Warwick and master’s degrees from San Diego State University and the U.S. Naval War College.

John Collison is a Core One contractor supporting Special Operations concept development. John is a retired Army Lieutenant-Colonel with over 26 years of active-duty service in the Civil Affairs and Infantry career fields. He served on the USSOCOM Staff, the Army Staff and held various assignments in both Civil Affairs and Infantry units as an Operations Officer, Executive Office, Company Commander and Platoon leader. John’s overseas assignments and deployments include Cambodia, Egypt, Honduras, Bosnia, Iraq, and Alaska.

Articles/References:

1. Resilience and Resistance: Interdisciplinary Lessons in Competition, Deterrence, and Irregular Warfare, JSOU Press, July 2025
2. Authored by: Robert S. Burrell, John Collison, A. Jackson, David Oakley, Brian Petit, Chris Mason, John H. Mongan, David DiOrio, Thomas A. Marks, Aaron Baty, Gabriele Pierini, Christopher Marsh, David Maxwell, Namrata Goswami
3. Edited by: Robert S. Burrell

Guests Michelle Bockmann, John Driscoll, and Tomer Raanan join Dave Brown to discuss the so-called ‘shadow fleet’, describing the large, and growing unregulated network of aging oil tankers and cargo ships, (often older than 15 years), that use deceptive practices like turning off maritime tracking systems, faking identities (false flags/names), and using shell companies to operate outside international sanctions, primarily to transport sanctioned oil (like Russian or Iranian) or conduct other illicit trade, while also posing potential major environmental and safety risks due to lack of proper insurance and oversight.

Guests:

Michelle Wiese Bockmann is a Senior Maritime Intelligence Analyst for Windward and London-based energy commodities writer specializing in sanctioned oil flows and the ‘shadow fleet’, (deceptive and illicit shipping practices, and their regulatory, security and legal implications). Bockmann has more than 25 years’ experience across three continents in shipping and oil markets with a focus on the intersection of global shipping and geopolitics, maritime intelligence, and risk & compliance. Michelle has also worked as a journalist and political writer for The Australian, and worked for Bloomberg News, Lloyd’s List, and Fairplay shipping publications.

John J. Driscoll is a 31-year career officer in the U.S. Coast Guard as an expert in maritime law enforcement, theater security cooperation, and maritime and defense policy. Captain Driscoll commanded five USCG Cutters, enforcing U.S. drug, immigration, and fisheries laws, as well as UN Security Council resolutions against Bosnia, Iraq, Libya, and North Korea. He served in defense policy and maritime law enforcement roles, including Chief of Drug and Migrant Interdiction at USCG Headquarters, and Director for Homeland Defense Integration in OSD Policy.

Tomer Raanan is a maritime risk analyst at Lloyd’s List, where his reporting explores how geopolitics and regulation shape seaborne commerce, and how deceptive and high-risk practices are used to evade sanctions and facilitate illicit trade. In 2024, Tomer was named ‘Multimedia Journalist of the Year’ by the Seahorse Freight Association for uncovering a sanctions-skirting LPG shipping network. Before joining Lloyd’s List in 2022 as senior reporter, he worked for a decade in private security.

Articles:

1. Shadow Fleet: How illicit shipping networks broke global oil trade, S&P Global Energy, YouTube, 22 Sep 2025
2. Swedish Navy Finds Russian Military Personnel Aboard “Shadow Fleet” Tankers, Sania Kozatskyi, Militarnyi, 16 Dec 2025
3. EU targets Russia’s shadow fleet with new sanctions, hitting businessmen and companies, AP News, 15 Dec 2025
4. Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine: Council sanctions 9 shadow fleet enablers, Press Release,...