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The War Game America Ignored | How a $250M Military Exercise Predicted Today’s Asymmetric Wars
Description
In 2002 the U.S. military conducted the largest war game in American history: Millennium Challenge 2002, a $250 million simulation designed to prove the power of America’s new high-tech military doctrine.
But during the exercise, retired Marine General Paul Van Riper used asymmetric tactics like motorcycle couriers, fishing boats, and surprise missile attacks to sink 16 U.S. warships in minutes, including an aircraft carrier battle group.
Instead of accepting the results, the exercise was stopped, reset, and the rules changed.
So what does this reveal about modern warfare?
In this episode we break down:
• The real story of Millennium Challenge 2002
• How asymmetric warfare defeated high-tech doctrine
• Why these lessons were ignored in Iraq and Afghanistan
• How similar tactics are appearing today in conflicts involving Iran and maritime warfare
History doesn’t repeat itself exactly. But when lessons are ignored, it comes dangerously close.
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