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War On The Rocks
Russia’s War in Ukraine Has Brought Iran and Belarus Closer Together
Belarus and Iran have developed a growing strategic partnership since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. What began as a pragmatic association rooted in mutual economic and political isolation from the…
The 51st State That Never Was: Why the United States Didn’t Annex Canada
Why didn’t the United States annex Canada during earlier historical periods? In short, because it didn’t want to.
President Donald Trump has drawn widespread criticism (dating back to before his first term) for seeing U.S. foreign policy in…
The Continental Divide
Welcome to Mid-Afternoon Map, our exclusive members-only newsletter that provides a cartographic perspective on current events, geopolitics, and history from the Caucasus to the Carolinas. Subscribers can look forward to…
Rewind and Reconnoiter: How Likely Is an Invasion of Taiwan?
<!-- category --> February 12, 2025 In 2024, Amanda Hsiao wrote “A Post-Election Risk Assessment for the Taiwan Strait,” which assessed relations and policies between Taipei, Beijing, and Washington ahead of the 2024 Taiwanese…
Transforming NATO for the Future Fight
Will NATO be able to innovate and adapt before a crisis? Adm. Pierre Vandier popped into War on the Rocks HQ for a most interesting chat about this very question. He serves as Supreme Allied Commander…
New Blood: Putin is Setting Up Russian Veterans to Take Center Stage in Moscow
As the battlefields of Ukraine are covered in the blood of young men, the halls of the Kremlin may soon play host to an infusion of young blood, hardened and shaped by their time on the front lines. Meanwhile, Russian towns and villages…
In Brief: How the Trump Administration Can Address Military Recruitment Challenges
A lot happens every day. Alliances shift, leaders change, and conflicts erupt. With In Brief, we’ll help you make sense of it all. Each week, experts will dig deep on a single issue happening in the world to help you better understand it.…
How to Get the Most Out of the U.S.-Indian Defense Partnership
Upon taking office, President Donald Trump threatened reciprocal duties against “tariff king” India, sent a cargo plane of undocumented migrants back to India, and cancelled a sanctions waiver for an Indian port. This may not seem…
Software-Defined Warships: The Navy’s Digital Future of Necessity
In 2024, U.S. Navy warships received their first ever over-the-air software updates in combat. In the Red Sea, these upgrades improved the Aegis combat systems’ capabilities against cruise and ballistic missile attacks by Houthi…
How Can We Measure if Defense Innovation Works?
The Pentagon still lacks clear ways to measure if the organizations charged with innovation in the Department of Defense actually work.
In 1964, the federal government funded 67 percent of research and development in the United States. By…
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