Shows / War on the Rocks
War on the Rocks
Discussions over drinks with security, defense, and foreign policy insiders and experts. The original War on the Rocks podcast series.
Episodes
- War on the Rocks
A Conversation with the Counselor: Derek Chollet on Navigating the World
A veteran State Department official and scholar, Derek Chollet is serving as counselor to the secretary of state. He sat down with Ryan to discuss the various…
- War on the Rocks
Russia Downscales Its War, But Not in Brutality
Michael Kofman joined Ryan once more to update us all on the war in Ukraine. In this episode, Kofman explains how and why Russia is refocusing on the east of…
- War on the Rocks
Is India "Shaky" on Ukraine? It's Complicated
President Joe Biden recently made headlines when he described India as being "somewhat shaky" on the issue of punishing Russia for its invasion of Ukraine…
- War on the Rocks
A New Phase of the Russo-Ukrainian War Begins
With Moscow's announcement that the core aim of its invasion of Ukraine is now just to secure the Donbass, the conflict has entered a new phase. Michael Kofman…
- War on the Rocks
In the Fourth Week, Is Russia Revising its War Aims Amidst Attrition?
Michael Kofman joins Ryan once again to help us understand the Russo-Ukrainian War as its fourth week unfolds. They cover a lot of ground: Mike updates us on…
- War on the Rocks
Into the Third Week: Will Russian Forces Need to Pause?
Michael Kofman joins Ryan for the third week in a row to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine. He breaks down the state-of-play on three fronts — southern…
- War on the Rocks
11 Days In: Russia's Invasion Stumbles Forward
Russia bungled its invasion plan but is nonetheless making progress in the face of fierce Ukrainian resistance. But can the Russian military stay combat…
- War on the Rocks
Interpreting the First Few Days of the Russo-Ukrainian War
People all over the world are watching Russia's assault on Ukraine unfold in real time through social media, giving us a gritty and vivid view of 21st-century…
- War on the Rocks
People At the Center: Talent, Education, and Modernization
The armed services are modernizing across the board, perhaps most importantly in the closely related areas of talent development, education, and data. Maj…
- War on the Rocks
Gen. David H. Berger on the Marine Corps of the Future
Gen. David H. Berger, commandant of the Marine Corps, had Ryan Evans over for a discussion on the service he leads. As rising great powers and transformative…
- War on the Rocks
Oh My, AI
Eric Schmidt of Google fame and former Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work join the show to talk about their work leading the National Security Commission on…
- War on the Rocks
Great Power Cyber Party
Will we remember early 2021 as a key escalatory moment in offensive cyber operations? Three top experts join us to unpack the implications of two major recent…
- War on the Rocks
Intelligence and the Biden Administration
After four...strange years, what can we expect from the Biden administration on the intelligence front? From key appointments to the strategic context, from…
- War on the Rocks
Lost at Sea
For many people, terms like "piracy," "stowaway," and "kidnapped" conjure up romantic visions influenced by the literature of Robert Louis Stevenson or C.S…
- War on the Rocks
A Whole New World (Order)
Rebecca Lissner, Mira Rapp-Hooper, and Stephen Wertheim join Doyle Hodges, executive editor of the Texas National Security Review, to share their views on…
- War on the Rocks
Change or Die
The successful military is the one that adapts and innovates. Dave Barno, Nora Benhahel, and Frank Hoffman join Ryan to talk about how the U.S. military…
- War on the Rocks
Banks and Moulton on Military Might and the American Future
In this episode, two members of Congress from two sides of the aisle came together to deliver a message of consensus on the future of the American military…
- War on the Rocks
Introducing "A Most Terrible Weapon"
A Most Terrible Weapon is a podcast about the dawn of the nuclear age, hosted by Usha Sahay and produced by War on the Rocks, with support from the Carnegie…
- War on the Rocks
Airmen, Sailors, and the Schoolhouse
As a part of our exploration of national security learning, we had Joan Johnson-Freese of the Naval War College and Mark Conversino of Air University on the…
- War on the Rocks
Learn Like a Marine
Soon-to-be retired Maj. Gen. William Mullen drops in on the pod to talk about the making of the Marine Corps' newest doctrine, Learning, and how he hopes it…
- War on the Rocks
Gearing up for Economic Statecraft
David McCormick, the CEO of Bridgewater Associates — the world's largest hedge fund, dropped in on the pod to talk about how the United States can prepare…
- War on the Rocks
The Army Grapples with Modernization and COVID-19: A Conversation with Jim McPherson
Undersecretary of the Army James E. McPherson chats with Ryan about how the Army is coping with COVID-19 — starting with the recruitment pipeline — and the…
- War on the Rocks
Lies Through Which We Tell the Truth
In this episode, Doyle Hodges, executive editor of the Texas National Security Review, chats wth three authors of recent fiction related to military security…
- War on the Rocks
Are Good Allies Hard to Find?
Well, are they? Mira Rapp-Hooper, Paul Miller, and Emma Ashford dazzle us with a wide-ranging debate on America's alliances, in part through the lens of Mira's…
- War on the Rocks
Scoping the Future of Education in National Security and Beyond
There's a revolution coming in education that promises to empower lifelong learners in the national security space. In the first of a series of special…
- War on the Rocks
Is Cyber Half the Battle?
How do Russia and China view cyber operations? How is the American view of cyber operations changing and is it changing fast enough? What do advances in…
- War on the Rocks
Disarming Disinformation
In this episode of the War on the Rocks podcast, Doyle Hodges, executive editor of the Texas National Security Review, sits down with Jessica Brandt, head of…
- War on the Rocks
Gen. (ret.) Martin E. Dempsey on Following and Leading
Long-time listeners might remember that Martin E. Dempsey, as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was a guest on our humble show back in early 2014. In the…
- War on the Rocks
A Chat with the Commandant: Gen. David H. Berger on the Marine Corps' New Direction
As listeners of this podcast know, the Marine Corps is taking a new direction. The latest document to lay out this vision is Force Design 2030. The commandant…
- War on the Rocks
The Plague and the Peloponnesian War
As the world endures a pandemic, we look to a plague of the past: that which struck Athens early in the Peloponnesian War. And we do so with the aid of Neville…
- War on the Rocks
Are the Forever Wars Really Forever?
America has been at war since the fall of 2001. There is no end in sight in Afghanistan, Mesopotamia and the Levant, and beyond. What political and strategic…
- War on the Rocks
Can America Jaw-Jaw its Way Out of Afghanistan?
Devour this deep dive into the dash to drop America's drawn-out duel in the domain of the Durrani (and different dynasties): Afghanistan. To help us understand…
- War on the Rocks
A Military Straining Against Civilian Control?
In front of a live audience and with red wine in hand, the War on the Rocks podcast closed out an important conference on civil-military affairs hosted by the…
- War on the Rocks
The Fleet, the Fight, and the Future
Is the U.S. military built and positioned to stop or — if necessary — win the next big war? What should the Navy and Marine Corps of the future look like?…
- War on the Rocks
Who Needs Landmines?
The Trump administration made big news recently — and it wasn't about impeachment. On Jan. 31, the White House announced that it was cancelling the policy that…
- War on the Rocks
The Method (or Madness) of Counting the Seconds to Doomsday
Many of you have heard of the Doomsday Clock — a decades-old analogue clock meant to symbolize how close we are to nuclear catastrophe. However far we are from…
- War on the Rocks
No, Man: It's an Island
Islands have taken on a greater prominence when we talk about the risk of war, especially in Asia. In the Indo-Pacific, islands, reefs, and rocky outcroppings…
- War on the Rocks
Fission in Hamburg
As the world changes, is the nuclear strategy landscape changing or staying remarkably consistent? We had a nice chat about such in lovely Hamburg, courtesy of…
- War on the Rocks
Veterans in Congress Come Together 'For Country'
Have you heard of the 'For Country' caucus? In a political moment defined by acrimony above all else, this caucus brings together members of Congress who have…
- War on the Rocks
The Army's New Approach to People
How could symphonies inspire the Army to change the way it selects leaders? The answer might surprise you. Gen. James C. McConville, the Army's 40th chief of…
- War on the Rocks
The (War)Games We Play
If you read War on the Rocks, you've noticed there's a lively debate over the state of wargaming in the Department of Defense. After senior leaders pushed for…
- War on the Rocks
Max Brooks: The Unreleased Interview
A few years ago, Ryan recorded a boozy interview with Max Brooks...and then never released it. Who knows why, but it's a fun conversation that you're sure to…
- War on the Rocks
A Conversation with Sen. Tom Udall about War Powers
Ryan sat down for a conversation Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico to talk about an issue that matters a lot to them and should matter a lot to you: war powers. In…
- War on the Rocks
The (Four) Stars and the State: Civil-Military Affairs in 2019
What is the proper role of retired general and flag officers in American politics? This is a question that has been debated for a long time, but things have…
- War on the Rocks
Kings, Presidents, Editors, and People with Tapeworms
"Only kings, presidents, editors, and people with tapeworms have the right to use the editorial 'we.'" This line, often attributed to Mark Twain (it wasn't…
- War on the Rocks
The Sense in Syria's Senselessness
President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. special operations forces in advance of a Turkish offensive into northeastern Syria continues to roil the…
- War on the Rocks
Your Ideas Matter: The Making of Marine Strategic Planning and the Future of War
Maybe you've already heard about the Marine commandant's new planning guidance. Maybe you haven't. If you care about how strategy at the service level can work…
- War on the Rocks
Ask Me No Questions, and I'll Tell You No Lies
Every summer, the War on the Rocks crew travels to Beaver Creek, Colorado, where the Clements Center hosts its summer seminar -- an intimate gathering for PhD…
- War on the Rocks
How is the Air Force Adapting to Great Power Competition?
Ryan caught a flight with Gen. David Goldfein, the chief of the Air Force, who broke down how his service is preparing for a new era of great power…
- War on the Rocks
The Unmasking of Ned Stark and the Future of Air Force Leadership
Almost exactly one year ago, an Air Force colonel using a pseudonym -- 'Ned Stark' -- penned an article for War on the Rocks . This cri de coeur -- a call for…
- War on the Rocks
Fresh Voices on Grand Strategy
It's time to rejuvenate America's national debate on grand strategy. And that's just what we try to do in this latest episode, which was recorded at the…
- War on the Rocks
Civil-Military Relations Gone Wild?
Debates over civil-military relations have reached a fever pitch since the 2016 presidential campaign and the beginning of the Trump administration. Many have…
- War on the Rocks
With the Caliphate Crushed, What's Next?
With the last slivers of Syrian territory being wrested from the grasp of the Islamic State, where does the war against this tenacious terrorist organization…
- War on the Rocks
Mayhem and Misadventures in the Middle East
The Middle East is the region that keeps on giving, and taking away. How has the American approach to the use of force evolved in Syria and Iraq? And what is…
- War on the Rocks
Ready to Compete? America's Military and Technological Edge
About a year after the National Defense Strategy was launched, what progress has been made when it comes to America's edge against its great power rivals? And…
- War on the Rocks
No Good, Very Bad Ideas in National Security
Bad ideas. How much trouble do they cause in national security? How do they disrupt or hinder the protection and advancement of American interests? Where do…
- War on the Rocks
Full Steam Ahead: Naval Competition with China
With a new era of great power competition upon us, the U.S. Navy is in the midst of developing its future fleet. The good people up at the U.S. Naval War…
- War on the Rocks
Jaw-Jaw: Will Xi's Third Revolution Last?
What is Xi Jinping's "revolution" in Chinese politics? How did he amass the power to enact his ambitious agenda? Is he in danger of being toppled? Or is he…
- War on the Rocks
Jaw Jaw: China is a Funny Sort of Revisionist Power — A Conversation with Dean Cheng
What is the future of U.S.-Chinese relations? Will a rising China seek to overturn the U.S.-led international order? What is China doing inside the first…
- War on the Rocks
Net Assessment: The China Hand
This week's Net Assessment podcast featured a deep-dive into the Vice President's early October speech on the competition with China. Largely drowned out by…