The (Four) Stars and the State: Civil-Military Affairs in 2019

In a time of rapid change and global danger, how should the warriors of the future be educated? Ryan sat down with Vice Adm. Peter Garvin, president of the National Defense University, to tackle this question — one that cuts to the core of American military power. Garvin offers a frank assessment of how professional military education needs to evolve to prepare leaders for a world defined by great-power rivalry, disruptive technologies (including and especially AI), and dynamic battlefields.

7 Aug 28min

Fresh from his latest research trip to Ukraine's battlefields, Michael Kofman joins Ryan for an insightful discussion on the shifting dynamics at the front, the role of drones in Ukraine's defensive strategy, and the adaptation of Ukrainian military command structures in real time. They explore the political turmoil gripping Ukraine, including contentious reforms targeting anti-corruption agencies, and delve into evolving Western efforts for supplying arms to Ukraine. Their conversation also tackles the implications of President Trump's growing frustration with Putin and provides a clear-eyed assessment of Senator Graham's proposed Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, and what it might mean (or, not mean) for the future of the conflict. Kofman goes into many of these issues further in his show, "The Russia Contingency," so don't miss out on becoming a member. Join at warontherocks.com/membership

30 Juli 27min

Does the United States need a new playbook — or just fewer plays? In this charged episode, big ideas collide over how to sequence American power across the Middle East, Europe, and the Indo-Pacific. Ryan is joined by A. Wess Mitchell (Marathon Initiative), Stacie Pettyjohn (Center for a New American Security), and Justin Logan (Cato Institute) for a scintillating debate over the future of U.S. strategy.

23 Juli 52min

Mike Kofman and Ryan brought out the mics to discuss the pressing issues in the war between Ukraine and Russia. They focused on drones, the state of the front, manpower, Putin's approach to Washington, and the contested policies around continued aid from the United States to Ukraine. This episode features meaty excerpts from an episode of The Insider, featuring an interview with Jakub Jajcay talking about his article, "I Fought in Ukraine and Here's Why FPV Drones Kind of Suck" as well as an episode of The Russia Contingency featuring a two part conversation with Stephen Kotkin, the leading historian of Russia and authoritarianism. If these excerpts leave you wanting more, you can listen to them by becoming a member: https://warontherocks.com/membership. Our prices are going up soon so today is the perfect day to join.

9 Juli 27min

Gen. Christopher Todd Donahue, who leads U.S. Army Europe and Africa as well as Allied Land Command, joined Ryan for a discussion at WOTR HQ. For the first five minutes, they chat about his Army story, his time in the Ranger Regiment, before discussing how the Army Transformation Initiative is unfolding in Europe, from maneuver brigades, new technologies, command-and-control, drone and counter-drone operations, and more. Donahue previews how the U.S. Army has deliberately identified lessons from the war in Ukraine and how the Army fits into the joint fight.

3 Juli 26min

War on the Rocks is launching a new show called "The Iran Reckoning with Afshon Ostovar." It's a members-only show but this first episode is free for all. Join us as renowned Iran scholar Afshon Ostovar takes you inside one of America's most complex and consequential adversaries. In this episode, Ryan introduces you to Afshon and his background (about the first 20 minutes) before discussing the ongoing war between Iran on one side and Israel and the United States on the other, and the unstable ceasefire that we currently find ourselves in. Much like the "The Russia Contingency with Michael Kofman," this show will feature Afshon's discussions with fellow experts and analysts. Become a member today to listen to them all: https://warontherocks.com/membership

26 Juni 40min

Gen. Jim Rainey, the commander of Army Futures Command, joins Ryan to share how emerging technologies are set to transform the way America's soldiers will fight and win. He also shares some key insights about the Army Transformation Initiative.

25 Juni 31min

Lt. Gen. Andrea Tullos joined Ryan at WOTR HQ to talk about her experience and insights into professional military education, both for the joint force and especially the Air Force. She shares what Air University, which she commands, has been doing to optimize its mission for competition with China, the pacing threat, and a high intensity fight where sanctuary areas are scarce if they exist at all. Tullos also explains how Air University and the LeMay Center feed into Agile Combat Employment — the Air Force's vision for rapid, dispersed deployment of combat power to increase survivability and adaptability —  as well as Air University's plan for "agile learning." "We as an Air Force, owe you education and training, and so we should be pouring into you episodically and consistently throughout your career. And some of it should be on-demand. We have unbelievably talented, inquisitive learners coming in the door and they shouldn't have to wait to get access to content until they have a certain number of years in service or time in grade. They should be able to go online and access that content at the point of need."

19 Juni 16min