The Team House

Krishna Thapa looks back on his journey from growing up in Nepal and earning a place in the Gurkhas to passing SAS selection and serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other operations around the world. We also discuss mountain warfare, the culture of the SAS, the loss of fellow operators, and how meditation and the “Warrior Monk” mindset helped shape his life after military service.
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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:⬇️
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Jack Murphy's book "We Defy: The Lost Chapters of Special Forces History" ⬇️
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Team House Discord: ⬇️
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"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio"
00:00 – Start
01:04 – Growing Up in Nepal & the Gurkha Bloodline
04:56 – His Grandfather, World War II & the Kukri
07:21 – The Kukri: Tool, Symbol & Weapon
08:07 – Being Born Into a Gurkha Family Legacy
10:37 – The History of the Gurkhas
13:03 – Attempting Gurkha Selection at 17
14:10 – The Brutal Doko Race
16:14 – Growing Up in the Himalayas & Preparing for Selection
17:50 – Failing Gurkha Selection the First Time
18:36 – Coming Back & Making It on His Second Attempt
19:55 – Gurkha Basic Training & Learning English
21:39 – British Officers & the Gurkha Command Structure
24:22 – Joining 1st Royal Gurkha Rifles
25:09 – Life Inside a Gurkha Battalion
27:27 – Years of Training, Courses & Preparing for War
28:41 – Jungle Warfare in Brunei
29:32 – How the SAS Suddenly Entered the Picture
31:07 – The First Gurkha Trial for SAS Selection
33:41 – Arriving at SAS Selection With 375 Candidates
37:05 – The Mental Pressure of SAS Selection
38:33 – Only Two Gurkhas Make It Through
40:10 – Adapting to SAS Culture
43:16 – Jungle Selection in Brunei
46:08 – Joining SAS Mountain Troop
48:00 – Learning Mountaineering From Scratch
49:36 – Why Mountain Warfare Is So Difficult
52:08 – Nepalese Operators in the SBS
52:40 – Mentoring Fellow Nepalese Special Operators
54:12 – The Culture Shock of Joining the SAS
56:56 – Deployments With the SAS
58:03 – Going to War in Iraq
59:16 – The Missions That Stayed With Him
1:00:44 – Using Mountain Warfare Skills in Afghanistan
1:02:02 – Becoming Chief of Mountain & Winter Warfare
1:03:29 – Teaching Special Forces Around the World
1:05:01 – His Final Assignment in UK Special Forces
1:05:40 – Gurkhas, British Citizenship & Life After Service
1:07:09 – Planning for Retirement
1:08:06 – Meditation as a Secret Weapon During War
1:09:58 – Leaving the Military & Starting Over
1:10:33 – How the “Warrior Monk” Began
1:12:00 – Teaching People How to Fight and How to Heal
1:13:50 – Working With Veterans, PTSD & Civilians
1:14:37 – Warrior Monk Mindset
1:15:08 – Closing Thoughts

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original air date 3|1|24

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Phil Campion takes us from a brutal childhood and conventional infantry service in Northern Ireland through SAS selection, counterterrorism work, operations in the Balkans, and the Sierra Leone hostage rescue. We also discuss his post-military years in private security, the personal cost of that lifestyle, his transition into media, and the launch of Forces Radio.

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00:00 – Start
01:18 – Phil Campion’s Childhood & Early Life
03:32 – Growing Up in a Children’s Home
04:20 – Joining the Army & Finally Feeling Safe
06:05 – How Phil Ended Up in the Infantry
08:35 – Joining the Royal Hampshire Regiment
10:16 – British Army Basic Training
14:33 – Arriving at His First Unit
16:01 – Phil’s First “Operation” as a Soldier
17:27 – Meeting Princess Diana
19:12 – Deploying to Northern Ireland
19:46 – Understanding the Troubles From Both Sides
22:29 – Counterinsurgency & Patrolling Northern Ireland
25:19 – Fighting, Military Jail & a Troubled Young Soldier
27:43 – Why Phil Wanted Special Forces
29:36 – What the British Army Was Actually Doing in Northern Ireland
31:11 – Deciding to Attempt SAS Selection
32:06 – Going Around His Chain of Command
34:18 – “You Should Try Special Forces Selection”
36:40 – The SAS Hills Phase
37:51 – Jungle Selection in Brunei
42:14 – SERE, Escape & Interrogation Training
44:07 – Parachute Training & Nearly Killing Himself
48:00 – SAS Counterterrorism Training
48:15 – Passing Selection
50:16 – Joining D Squadron
52:17 – Life as the New Guy in the SAS
56:08 – Hunting War Criminals in the Balkans
57:35 – The Stansted Hijacking
59:19 – Preparing to Storm the Aircraft
1:02:25 – More Stories From the Hijacking
1:05:27 – The Sierra Leone Hostage Crisis Begins
1:07:12 – Two SAS Soldiers Killed Before the Mission
1:08:49 – D Squadron Gets the Call
1:09:52 – Deploying Into Sierra Leone
1:11:02 – How the Royal Irish Soldiers Were Taken Hostage
1:14:25 – When the Rescue Mission Became Necessary
1:16:02 – Intelligence & Planning the Assault
1:17:05 – Three Plans to Rescue the Hostages
1:18:01 – The Crazy Helicopter Assault Plan
1:20:33 – Launching the Mission
1:21:12 – The SAS Hits the Village
1:22:06 – Surprise, Firepower & Securing the Hostages
1:28:50 – Weapons, Mortars & SAS Firepower
1:30:31 – Why Phil Left the SAS
1:31:02 – Losing a Close Friend
1:32:46 – Leaving the Army Days Before 9/11
1:34:45 – Entering the Private Military Contracting World
1:35:34 – The Early Afghanistan Contracting Boom
1:36:43 – When the Contractor Lifestyle Caught Up With Him
1:37:21 – Drinking, Violence & an Attempted Murder Charge
1:38:54 – Gaza, West Africa & Anti-Piracy Work
1:41:47 – Becoming a Civilian After Years at War
1:42:19 – Prison, Losing Everything & Starting Over
1:43:31 – Breaking Into Television & News Media
1:44:18 – Reporting From Syria
1:47:37 – How the Media Uses Veterans
1:49:20 – Taking Back Control of His Own Story
1:50:39 – Building Forces Radio
1:53:03 – Launching the Forces Radio Podcasts
1:58:31 – Audience Questions
2:00:06 – Phil’s Favorite SAS Story From World War II
2:01:04 – Secret Surveillance in Northern Ireland
2:02:58 – How Conventional Troops Learned Covert Surveillance
2:04:34 – Closing Thoughts

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We break down the escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, the growing pressure on Riyadh’s air defenses, and whether the U.S. could be pulled into a new campaign in Yemen. We also discuss Trump’s Russian diesel deal, Iran’s use of Moscow as a diplomatic channel, and the deeper political dysfunction and public apathy shaping American decision-making.
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Support the show on Patreon:⬇️
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Jack's news outlet:⬇️
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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
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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
00:19 – Houthis Strike Saudi Airports
01:20 – Deadly Ballistic Missile Attack on Riyadh Airport
03:30 – Houthis Warn Airlines Away From Saudi Airspace
04:40 – Is Saudi Arabia Running Low on Air Defense Interceptors?
06:30 – Should the U.S. Strike Houthi Missile Launchers?
07:30 – An American Killed in the Airport Attack
09:19 – Saudi-Backed Ground Offensive in Yemen
11:13 – Jack Joins the Conversation
11:32 – Is Iran Opening a Second Front Through the Houthis?
13:44 – What a New U.S. Air Campaign in Yemen Could Look Like
14:46 – Could the U.S. Put Ground Troops Into Yemen?
16:51 – Could Saudi Forces Handle the Ground War?
19:48 – Would Another Air Campaign Against the Houthis Work?
22:15 – The Real Goal: Protecting Saudi Arabia
23:31 – Bab al-Mandab, Houthi Missiles & the Ground Offensive
25:37 – Trump’s Russian Diesel Deal
27:09 – Why Ukraine Has Little Reason to Stop Striking Russia
28:10 – Russia, Iran & the Contradictions in U.S. Policy
31:07 – Diesel Prices, Midterms & the Russia Deal
34:18 – Havana Syndrome & a New Russia Investigation
36:55 – Iran Sends Negotiating Terms Through Putin
38:18 – Is the American Political System Becoming Permanently Gridlocked?
39:47 – Why Andy Thinks the U.S. Is Different From European Democracies
44:31 – Apathy, Doomerism & Losing Faith in Institutions
47:02 – What Could Actually Trigger a Systemic Crisis?
48:42 – Politics, Fandom & Escapism
49:49 – Why Americans Talk Sports More Than Geopolitics
53:26 – Why So Many Americans Have Checked Out of Politics
55:06 – Would Higher Voter Turnout Actually Change Anything?
56:15 – The Slow Erosion of American Institutions
57:55 – Politics as Entertainment
59:01 – Money in Politics & Endless Campaign Seasons
1:00:17 – Andy Signs Off
1:01:15 – AUSA, Drones & the Defense Industry
1:02:33 – Chinese Honeypots at AUSA
1:04:10 – Closing Thoughts

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Naveed Jamali tells the story of how he went from a family business in New York to working with the FBI as a double agent against Russian military intelligence before eventually becoming a Naval Intelligence officer. We also discuss how the Russians recruit assets, the psychological toll of undercover work, encounters with suspected Chinese intelligence, and why counterintelligence still matters today.
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To help support the show and for all bonus content including:
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Subscribe to our Patreon! ⬇️
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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: ⬇️
https://ko-fi.com/theteamhouse
Social Media: ⬇️
The Team House Instagram:
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The Team House Twitter:
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Jack’s Instagram:
https://instagram.com/jackmcmurph?utm_medium=copy_link
Jack’s Twitter:
 https://twitter.com/jackmurphyrgr?s=21
Team House Discord: ⬇️
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"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio"
00:00 – Start
05:24 – How a Future Navy Intel Officer Became an FBI Asset
08:18 – Growing Up Around New York’s Espionage World
10:22 – Why New York Is a Hub for Foreign Intelligence
13:18 – How His Parents Became Involved With the FBI
14:25 – A KGB Officer Walks Into the Family Business
18:04 – Russian Surveillance & Sending a Message
19:15 – Meeting Oleg, the GRU Officer
20:15 – Why the Russians Wanted Open-Source Military Material
22:02 – Robert Hanssen & Rebuilding Russia’s Spy Network
23:40 – Russia’s Long-Term Plan to Cultivate an American Asset
26:32 – 9/11 & Wanting to Join Naval Intelligence
28:21 – Pitching Himself to the FBI
30:24 – Using Counterintelligence Work to Get Into the Navy
34:39 – Designing His Own Double-Agent Operation
36:28 – “Does Oleg Have a Gun?”
39:04 – The Psychological Toll of Living Undercover
39:52 – MICE: Why People Become Spies
44:43 – Convincing the Russians He Was Motivated by Money & Ego
48:30 – Taking the Relationship With Oleg to the Next Level
51:06 – Moving the Spy Meetings Out of the Office
52:28 – When Russia Started Tasking Him for Intelligence
53:31 – Walking Into Northrop Grumman for the FBI
55:03 – How Dangerous Was the Operation?
57:05 – Russian Intimidation After the Operation
59:03 – A Suspicious Encounter With Russia Today
1:02:04 – A Russian Approach Targeting a National Security Journalist
1:06:06 – Intelligence Agencies & the Press
1:09:29 – Influencers, Propaganda & Russian Money
1:12:22 – Being Surveilled by Suspected Chinese Intelligence
1:15:29 – A Surveillance Vehicle Outside His Home
1:17:06 – Why Chinese Intelligence Was Interested in Him
1:19:05 – The Counterintelligence Threat From China
1:23:28 – Showing Oleg a Sensitive Government Database
1:25:08 – The Russian Thumb Drive That Nearly Blew Everything Up
1:26:20 – The FBI Turns on Him
1:27:13 – Setting the Final Trap for Oleg
1:31:24 – The Arrest Plan Goes Sideways
1:37:48 – Finally Learning How Big the Operation Really Was
1:40:27 – How the Operation Disrupted Russian Intelligence Collection
1:41:27 – What Happened to Oleg
1:44:22 – The FBI Helps Him Become a Naval Intelligence Officer
1:46:24 – Telling the Spy Story Inside a SCIF
1:48:25 – How a Chance Encounter Led to How to Catch a Russian Spy
1:50:39 – Balancing a Media Career With Naval Intelligence
1:53:20 – The Mental Cost of Undercover Work
1:56:42 – When the Stress Finally Caught Up With Him
1:58:22 – Life After Intelligence & Journalism
2:00:17 – Flying the B-2, B-1 & B-52
2:02:42 – Why Deterrence Still Matters
2:05:18 – Flying on America’s Doomsday Plane
2:07:32 – Knowing When It’s Time to Pass the Torch
2:10:38 – Closing Thoughts

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We break down the return of airline hijacking concerns, suspected covert activity around RAF Fairford, drone threats, and a mysterious pneumonic plague death at a Russian research facility. We also dig into the John Chapman/SEAL Team Six controversy, the politics of valor awards, the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, and how American policy reshaped Iran’s influence across the region.
VAER Watches ⬇️
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get a free watch roll with your purchase.
20% for active duty, veteran, leo, & first responders 
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
Jon's article we referenced in the show:
https://smallwarsjournal.com/2025/03/04/covert-action-in-irregular-wars/
00:00 – Start
02:12 – Eyes on Pastrami & Opening Banter
02:38 – The Return of Aircraft Hijackings
03:32 – Insider Threats & Pilot Security
05:11 – Copycat Attacks, Radicalization & AI
07:05 – Airline Security After 9/11
08:12 – Lone Wolf or Sponsored Hijacking Plot?
08:52 – What’s Really Happening Around RAF Fairford?
10:06 – How British Counterintelligence Handles Suspected Cells
11:25 – B-1 Bombers Evacuated From RAF Fairford
12:05 – Why Drone Swarms Are So Hard to Stop
13:28 – What the Fairford Threat Says About NATO
14:17 – Is America About to Heavily Regulate Drones?
16:36 – America’s Drone Startup Boom
17:39 – Why U.S. Drone Innovation Is Falling Behind
20:05 – “Escalate to De-escalate” & the Failure of Policy
22:38 – A Pneumonic Plague Death at a Russian Research Facility
24:01 – Russia’s History of Biological Weapons Programs
25:14 – Novichok, Polonium & State Assassinations
27:19 – AI, Microfluidics & the Future of Biological Warfare
29:55 – The John Chapman / SEAL Team Six Controversy
32:15 – Why Is the Chapman Story Coming Back Now?
33:03 – Sorting Through the Roberts Ridge Claims
34:25 – Does John Chapman Deserve the Medal of Honor?
35:56 – The Legal Implications of Challenging the Award
37:08 – The Optics of Attacking a Fallen Medal of Honor Recipient
40:59 – Who Financed the Upcoming Documentary?
42:29 – The Bigger Problem With GWOT Valor Awards
43:56 – The Politics Behind Medal of Honor Awards
45:26 – Revisiting the U.S. Withdrawal From Iraq
45:46 – What Were U.S. Troops Still Doing in Iraq?
46:50 – From Counter-ISIS to Containing Iran
48:20 – Did the Iraq War Make Iran Stronger?
49:43 – The Untold Intelligence War in Syria
50:16 – Timber Sycamore & the CIA’s Syria Program
52:00 – What the Episode Covered
52:23 – Why Sykes-Picot Still Shapes the Middle East
53:30 – SAS Operations in Northern Ireland

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