Commentary

A Chinese invasion of Taiwan is not imminent. If we listen to the words of China’s leader, Xi Jinping, that is. Xi’s much-anticipated Party Congress work report, delivered last month at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, offered…

The military brass has been sounding the alarm about the imminence of a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan. But this urgency is not reflected in the Pentagon’s budget. Last month, the Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Mike Gilday, said he…

Editor’s Note: This piece is a companion to the latest members-only podcast, The Russia Contingency with Michael Kofman. In this latest episode, Michael speaks with Justin Bronk and Jack Watling, both senior research fellows at the Royal…

The health of America’s bilateral relationship with Pakistan is tethered tightly to American attitudes on the export of its most successful fighter: the F-16. During the Trump administration, the United States denied Islamabad the fighter…

In January 2021, Toyota dethroned General Motors after 90 years to become America’s top-selling automaker. One of the principles behind Toyota’s success is known as the Second Toyota Paradox: By leaving requirements ambiguous, pursuing an…

Editor’s Note: We have published a members-only podcast about this article on the WarCast feed. This special members-only podcast series will feature the stories of efforts to help Afghan airmen escape from the country after the Taliban…

At first glance, special operations and cyber operations may seem worlds apart from each other. However, Special Operations Command and Cyber Command share global areas of responsibility with missions that span the gap between peacetime and…

For the past decade, policymakers have argued that the Eastern Mediterranean’s offshore natural gas deposits could help support Europe’s efforts to wean itself off Russian hydrocarbons. But maritime disputes between Eastern Mediterranean…

Editor’s Note: This is a preview of Midafternoon Map, War on the Rocks’ latest members-only newsletter. Midafternoon Map provides a cartographic perspective on current events, geopolitics, and history. In each installment we’ll explore…

In approximately eight months, Turkey will hold elections that will either mark the consolidation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s authoritarian power or give Turkish democracy a new lease on life. Erdogan’s opponents are more united…