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
Two Editors Go Nuclear on Each Other: A Conversation with Gideon Rose
Can two great power publications peacefully co-exist? Or are they fated to clash? And what if you throw nuclear weapons into the mix? Gideon Rose and Ryan…
- War on the Rocks
Introducing Net Assessment
What happens when a libertarian, a conservative hawk, and a constitutional powers specialist walk into a podcast studio? 'Net Assessment' happens. Welcome to…
- War on the Rocks
Horns of a Dilemma: Vietnam's Indelible Legacy: How the War Changed National Security Policymaking
Half a century later, the Vietnam War continues to shape U.S. foreign policy, from its debates over foreign intervention to the institutions of its military…
- War on the Rocks
Training the Military for the Next War
How should the U.S. military prepare for the conflicts of the future? Military threats in the cyber, digital, and information domains present new training…
- War on the Rocks
A Chat with the Chief: Gen. David Goldfein on the People and Future of the U.S. Air Force
In this episode, Ryan sat down with Gen. David Goldfein, the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force. We had an in-depth, candid conversation about his service's…
- War on the Rocks
The 100th Episode: Is a Major War Coming?
The War on the Rocks podcast celebrates its 100th episode with a blockbuster group of close friends of the site. The entire episode is an attempt to answer a…
- War on the Rocks
A Soldier Showing Us the Hidden Face of War
While on a recent visit to Copenhagen, Ryan sat down with his old friend Martin Tamm Anderson. Martin, who recently left the Danish Army, met Ryan in Helmand…
- War on the Rocks
A Conversation With Clint Watts on Influence and Information in the Social Media Era
How has our understanding of Russian influence operations evolved since the 2016 election? Just a few days before Trump was elected president, Clint Watts…
- War on the Rocks
The Muslim Brotherhood's Convoluted Relationship with the West
Martyn Frampton (@FramptonM) of Queen Mary University, is one of the most talented historians of his generation. He recently sat down with Ryan in Washington…
- War on the Rocks
Counterterrorism With Partner Countries: Promise or Peril?
Partner cooperation is crucial when it comes to fighting terrorism, but it's also complex. Stephen Tankel, assistant professor at American University -- most…
- War on the Rocks
The Future of Force
Recently, two enterprising young scholars spearheaded a major conference that ended up being sponsored and hosted by CSIS and the Kissinger Center at SAIS. The…
- War on the Rocks
American Exceptionalism, Transatlantic Ties, and European Autonomy in the Age of Trump
How does America's role in the world look from across the Atlantic? Usha had an illuminating discussion in Paris with three French experts on U.S. foreign…
- War on the Rocks
Pakistan Beyond 70: Rivalries, its Neighbors, and the Great Powers
Pakistan is 70 years old. To make the anniversary, Joshua White of SAIS foolishly asked Ryan Evans to moderate an esteemed panel of experts to discuss…
- War on the Rocks
Ain't No Party Like a World Order Party
Three talented scholars join Ryan in this episode to tackle questions about the future of the international order. Conversations about this topic can often…
- War on the Rocks
The Making of a Career Intelligence Official: A Conversation with Michael P. Dempsey
Ryan dropped in on Michael P. Dempsey late last week in New York City. He is a career intelligence official who served as the acting director of national…
- War on the Rocks
Strikes on Syria: The View From Paris
A special dispatch from France: On Friday, April 13, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France launched punitive strikes on Syria following the Assad…
- War on the Rocks
Horns of a Dilemma: Even Cybersecurity is Bigger in Texas
This is Horns of a Dilemma, the podcast partner to that journal, which features the thinkers and leaders resident at the various institutions of the University…
- War on the Rocks
A Big Debate About a Little Nuke
Why are so many people at odds over low-yield nuclear weapons? Well, it turns out, this debate touches on a megaton of interesting questions, including how…
- War on the Rocks
Horns of a Dilemma: The Last Republicans?
In the second episode of our new podcast series, "Horns of a Dilemma," William Inboden interviews Mark Updegrove, president and chief Executive of the LBJ…
- War on the Rocks
Introducing "Horns of a Dilemma" with a Conversation on National Security
This is the first episode of "Horns of a Dilemma," a new series brought to you by the Texas National Security Review, featuring the leaders and thinkers based…
- War on the Rocks
Fear Not the Blue-Haired Soldier?
Does the future of warfare demand the U.S. military change its standards for everything from fitness to personal appearance? This question opened up a major…
- War on the Rocks
The Big Cyber Spectacular
In our latest episode, Usha Sahay and Ryan Evans were joined by Thomas Rid, Michael Sulmeyer, and a mystery guest (ok, ok, it's Corinna Fehst) to talk about…
- War on the Rocks
To Compete with China, Can America Get Out of Its Own Way?
Two key strategy documents released by the Trump administration signal the United States is finally gearing up for a new era of great power competition. And…
- War on the Rocks
Grand Strategy from Obama to Trump
How did President Barack Obama leave America's strategic position when he left office? How is President Donald Trump doing so far? What is the role of the…
- War on the Rocks
Satire and Terror: A Conversation with the Editor-in-Chief of Charlie Hebdo
Ryan spent a week in France earlier this year and was fortunate to meet with Gérard Biard, the editor-in-chief of Charlie Hebdo, the ever-irreverent French…
- War on the Rocks
The Adventures of Intel in Trumpland
Weeks before Donald Trump took office, Ryan convened a group of professionals from in and around the intelligence community to talk about the incoming…
- War on the Rocks
Storming Rome with Mike Duncan
History podcasting mastermind Mike Duncan joined Ryan for a few drinks in Washington for our latest episode. Rome is what brought them together — more…
- War on the Rocks
The Hard Human Realities that Follow the War
The bottom line of this episode is this: If you can identify with the experience of coming home from war or you want to better understand that experience, you…
- War on the Rocks
Must the War Go On? Let's Talk About Iraq and the Kurds
The Kurds of Northern Iraq held an independence referendum, Iraqi federal forces seized Kirkuk, and the world wondered if we were on the precipice of another…
- War on the Rocks
Nothing New Under the Sun? Ethics and Service in the Age of Trump
Since Donald Trump began to close in on the Republican nomination for the race for the White House, people have been debating the ethical implications of a…
- War on the Rocks
Outlawing War: Did it Work Better Than We Thought?
Ryan Evans had the pleasure to sit down with Oona Hathaway and Scott Shapiro, authors of the new book The Internationalists: How a Radical Plan to Outlaw War…
- War on the Rocks
Trump and Counter-Terrorism, Sixteen Years After 9/11
It's been 16 years since the 9/11 attacks. We thought a good way to commemorate the anniversary would be to take stock of the terrorist threats facing the…
- War on the Rocks
Our Big Texas Launch Party: UT and WOTR Join Forces
You've read a bit about our alliance with the Texas National Security Network, brought to you by the University of Texas. Now you get to be a guest at our…
- War on the Rocks
So, Does the National Security Strategy Matter?
The War on the Rocks podcast is back with a big episode and an all-star cast. Hal Brands and Alex Bick of SAIS, Will Inboden of the Clements Center at the…
War on the RocksIn Defense of the Blob
"The blob" — an unflattering nickname for the U.S. foreign policy establishment coined by a senior Obama official — gets a bad rap these days. From Obama to…
War on the RocksBombshell: Rage Against Alcibiades
This week, Loren, Radha, and Erin discuss the North Korean assassination (beware the perfume lady) and take questions from listeners (what is inter-service…
War on the RocksThe Promise and Peril of Cyber Operations
In this special episode, Ryan Evans sat down with Ben Buchanan of the Belfer Center at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and in front of an…
War on the RocksCounter-Terrorism from Bush to Obama to Trump
How has counter-terrorism changed from 9/11 to today over three presidencies? To answer that question, Ryan Evans sat down with two guests with deep…
War on the RocksIs the Winston Churchill Bust Weeping?
In this episode, WOTR's Ryan Evans interviews John Bew about the state of the "special relationship" between the United States and the United Kingdom as the…
War on the RocksBombshell: Ain't No Party Like an America First Party
This week on Bombshell, we walk through the first week of the Trump administration. Sit down and listen to Radha Iyengar Plumb, Loren DeJonge Schulman, and…
War on the RocksYou Can't Always Get the World Order That You Want
Just an hour before Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States, Ryan Evans sat down with Richard Haass in New York at the Council on…
War on the RocksIntroducing Bombshell: The Explosive First Episode
Welcome to Bombshell. This new bi-weekly series, brought to you by War on the Rocks, is hosted by three of your favorite Washington insiders who will dissect…
War on the RocksIs Asia's Golden Age Already Ending?
If you follow international affairs, it often feels like you can't go to a lecture or read an article without being told that the world's economic and military…
War on the RocksHe's Just Not That Into You: Trump, Intel, and the American Presidency
One thing is clear about President-elect Donald Trump: He is skeptical of the U.S. intelligence community. With the aid of a bottle of bourbon, War on the…
War on the RocksWorld Wars and the Craft of History
In this episode of the War on the Rocks podcast, editor-in-chief Ryan Evans sat down with Michael S. Neiberg, author of the new book, The Path to War: How the…
War on the RocksEmails and Influence: Investigating Russia's Attack on the U.S. Political System
Revelations over emails are going to be roiling this election season to the very end. This is, in no small part, due to a series of targeted hacks and leaks…
War on the RocksAround the World Over Drinks: The Middle East, Russia, and Big Issues for the Next President
In an "around the world" edition of our podcast series, Ryan Evans convened a top-notch group to discuss everything from Cuba to the Middle East to Russia to…
War on the RocksCiv-Mil Relations in the U.S. and Strategy Tales from Australia
In the latest episode of our podcast, editor-in-chief Ryan Evans sat down with Gen. Jim Mattis and Kori Schake of the Hoover Institution to talk about…
War on the RocksTalking Turkey's Coup: Erdogan, a Fractured Military, and the Gulen Movement
The Ataturk Cultural Center in Istanbul was closed down during the Gezi Park protests in 2013. This former symbol of Turkey's revered founding father is today…
War on the RocksWhat to Read About the History of Strategy this Summer
What big think books on strategy in history should you add to you shelf this summer? Our editor-in-chief, Ryan Evans, sat down with two authors of two of his…
War on the RocksThe Long Game: How Will Obama's Foreign Policies Be Judged By History?
Is Barack Obama's foreign policy "failing at nearly every turn," as Speaker Paul Ryan and many other Republicans contend? Or has the president actually crafted…
War on the RocksA Tale of Two Speeches: U.S.-Russian Relations Through the Lens of Munich
We're going to try something a little different with this episode of the podcast, and I think you're going to like it. If you listened to our last episode, you…
War on the RocksFour Key Leaders in Munich on the State of the World
The Munich Security Conference brings together leaders from all around the world to discuss defense, foreign policy, and strategy - the bread and butter of War…
War on the RocksHacking Defense and Iraq's Controversial Security Groups
We have a two-parter for you in this episode. First, WOTR's Ryan Evans spoke with Steve Blank of Silicon Valley fame about his new course, "Hacking Defense."…
War on the RocksJournalism, the Military, and America's Wars
The relationship between journalists and the U.S. military is simultaneously intimate and distant. In the last several decades and the last two in particular…
War on the RocksThe Obama Administration and the Middle East: An Insider's View
WOTR's Ryan Evans sat down with Colin Kahl, the National Security Advisor to Vice Present Joe Biden, to talk about the mess of the Middle East and what the…
War on the RocksFighting Russia in Europe and a Dose of Military Fiction
We are trying something a little new with our podcast series. Segments! And music! In the first segment of our new podcast, Ryan Evans sits down with Claude…
War on the RocksAsh Carter: The Interview
How will the U.S. military stay competitive? This is about far more than platforms, bombs, and guns. It is fundamentally about people. And with archaic…
War on the RocksThe Vatican's Cloak-and-Dagger War Against Hitler
In histories of the Second World War, the Vatican has not fared well. Pope Pius XII has been condemned as "Hitler's Pope" and the Church castigated for not…
War on the RocksAround the World: Episode 2
What's going on around the world? For our latest podcast, WOTR editor-in-chief Ryan Evans was joined by a great group to talk about Russia and its intervention…