All events

economic · economic

As the relationship between the United States and Canada continues to degrade, it now comes at the expense of each country’s industrial security.Last month, the Pentagon announced the unilateral suspension of the 86-year-old Canadian Permanent Joint Board on Defense in response to what the White House sees as Ottawa’s failure to present a credible plan to spend 3.5 percent of GDP on defense by 2035. And the opening of the gleaming new bridge between Detroit and Windsor has been long delayed in the tense run-up to the continental trade deal review.What many policymakers in Washington fail to realize is that The post The Defense Industrial Alliance Washington Is Throwing Away appeared first on War on the Rocks .

geopolitical · geopolitical

Welcome to The Ukraine Compass, a weekly digest of Ukrainian commentary and analysis from across the political spectrum only for War on the Rocks members. Each Monday, we bring you a curated selection of articles from Ukrainian media offering insight into how Ukrainians themselves debate the issues shaping their country.American coverage often narrows the view to the battlefield — these pieces widen it, revealing the texture of daily life, politics, and public argument in a nation at war. The perspectives gathered here are varied, candid, and often surprising, together forming a more complete picture of Ukraine as it really is.Frontline and StrategyОбозреватель — The post The Ukrainian Push for Long-Term Strategic Planning appeared first on War on the Rocks .

military · geopolitical

The extent of China’s drone dominance — and how to decouple from it — has long been a source of debate and anxiety in Washington. Last month, the Wall Street Journal reignited controversy by publishing a visual analysis of military quadcopter components, exploring China’s advantages in parts manufacturing and cost. The director of the Defense Innovation Unit objected to the report, stating on X that “By leaving out the dozens of U.S. companies that have plunged into drone component manufacturing, this article disappoints.”Underlying this debate is disagreement about how to measure drone supply chain security. At the very top of The post At a Glance: American Quadcopter Component Manufacturing appeared first on War on the Rocks .

geopolitical · geopolitical

The Kurds’ fortunes have ebbed and flowed in recent years, but the fall of the Assad regime in Syria in December 2024, the 2025 decision by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to dissolve and engage in talks with the Turkish government, and the 2026 U.S.-Israeli war with Iran had enormous ripple effects on the lives of Kurds in the Middle East and Kurdish hopes for autonomy. We asked four experts to assess how recent regional events are presenting risks and opportunities for the Kurds in Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran.Read more below. Gönül TolSenior Fellow at the Middle East InstituteThe Iran The post The Shifting Fortunes of the Kurds appeared first on War on the Rocks .

military · geopolitical

The amphibious invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, remains the largest and most complex amphibious operation in history. On the first day alone, Allied forces landed eight divisions, including five amphibious assault and three airborne, totaling roughly 160,000 personnel. That force more than doubled within days.Normandy was unprecedented in scale but not in kind. A Taiwan invasion would present the reverse problem: Taiwan’s size is not the unprecedented part — the operational challenges are. Analysis of a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan typically emphasizes the People’s Liberation Army’s rapid modernization and the possibility of strategic surprise. Far less attention The post The Three Nevers: To Invade Taiwan, China Would Have to Make Military History Thrice appeared first on War on the Rocks .

geopolitical · geopolitical

What can leaders do about a transnational organization that is a militia, a political party, a social services network, and a smuggling operation at the same time — and one that has resisted various dialogues and survived repeated attacks?American, Lebanese, and other leaders should recognize Hizballah’s hybrid, transnational nature and grapple with the unique challenges the organization creates. Otherwise, they will fail to resolve the Hizballah predicament while creating conditions for ineffective agreements, new wars, and squandered opportunities in the Levant.Meeting openly for the first time in decades, Lebanese and Israeli representatives have negotiated on security and political tracks while The post The Hizballah Predicament: Why An Integrated Approach Is Necessary appeared first on War on the Rocks .

social demographic · culture

In 1990, the idea that deployed commanders could access the latest intelligence from three-letter agencies in the middle of nowhere was radical. But the Army was starting to make this idea real through a program called Trojan Spirit, so they could address a major strategic barrier: There were too many systems and databases for intelligence collection and analysis, some centralized and some forward deployed, and little access to practical insights. During Operation Desert Storm, the early Trojan system transitioned out of development and into operational deployment. Trojan Spirit’s first introduction to warfighters during the Gulf War fundamentally changed the battlefield. The post Trojan Spirit, the Army’s Intelligence Backbone, Needs a Successor appeared first on War on the Rocks .

geopolitical · geopolitical

Last fall, the U.S. Marine Corps had virtually no first-person view attack drones. That’s changed quickly. This episode is about how a team of marines at Weapons Training Battalion at Quantico went from a cold start to building a Marine Corps-wide first-person view drone training system. Ryan was pleased to welcome some great marines onto the show: Col. Scott Cuomo, CWO5 Steve Pearsoll, CWO3 (Gunner) Troy Hotaling, GySgt Jude Stewart, GySgt Justin Creasman, and Sgt Timothy Brockup.Since we recorded this episode, Cuomo has changed command and is off to his next assignment.This episode was brought to you by Onebrief. Learn The post How a Team of Marines Built the Corps’ FPV Drone Training Program from a Cold Start appeared first on War on the Rocks .

geopolitical · geopolitical

Editor’s Note: Rewind and Reconnoiter is one of our weekly members-only newsletters. To access the full archive of Rewind and Reconnoiter as well as our other members-only content, including podcasts, newsletters, and exclusive access to the War on the Rocks app, sign up using the link in the graphic below.In 2025, Ofek Riemer, Daniel Wajner, and Ehud Eiran wrote, “Populists vs. Spies in Israel and Beyond,” where they argued that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s relationship with Israel’s intelligence agencies could have grave consequences for Israel’s democracy. A year later, we asked them to revisit their arguments.Image: U.S. Department of State via Wikimedia The post From Shin Bet to Mossad, Netanyahu Reshapes Israeli Intelligence appeared first on War on the Rocks .

military · geopolitical

During a recent conference on the People’s Liberation Army, I heard the same question posed to attendees and paper writers: “How would China react to U.S. force posture change X, Y, or Z?” or “How would the Chinese military respond to U.S. strikes in certain locations?” Having participated in dozens of unclassified wargames at the RAND Corporation and elsewhere, I hear a similar refrain when playing the “red team.”This is a reasonable and legitimate question. Policymakers and war planners should understand likely Chinese responses in studying and preparing for possible contingencies between China and the United States.To make well-grounded assessments The post The Blind Spots in Chinese Military Studies appeared first on War on the Rocks .

military · geopolitical

For many observers, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s speech on the future of NATO, delivered in Brussels on June 18, 2026, constituted a perfect example of how the Trump administration is angrily abandoning the longstanding U.S. commitment to European security. The prevailing picture is that the administration is eager to shift the burden of Europe’s defense and is thus moving to withdraw U.S. forces from the continent, even though Europe is moving to do more militarily. Hegseth stated, “we’re doubling down on our effort to make NATO what it always was supposed to be, a balanced alliance with Europe in The post Misguided and Misunderstood: Trump’s Approach to U.S. Troops in Europe appeared first on War on the Rocks .

geopolitical · geopolitical

Editor’s Note: Few rivalries in American history have been as consequential — or as personal — as the one between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. The two men could hardly have been more different. Adams, the stocky and combative Massachusetts lawyer, was blunt to a fault and quick to suspicion. Jefferson, the tall, elegant Virginia planter, was reserved and idealistic. The two held diverging political philosophies as well. Adams preferred a strong, central government while Jefferson favored states’ rights and limited government. This rift eventually led to an epic falling out, culminating in the presidential election of 1800, as Jefferson The post Happy 250th Birthday, America! appeared first on War on the Rocks .

geopolitical · geopolitical

After President Donald Trump said he would make Turkey’s leader “very happy,” analysts from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies warn in this op-ed that including Ankara in the F-35 program is still the wrong move.

geopolitical · geopolitical

Major workforce reductions at DOT&E have led to “action officers” being assigned more programs, programs in warfare areas for which they lack expertise, or both, GAO said.

social demographic · culture

Ahead of the Army’s upcoming advanced manufacturing strategy, leaders within the Army’s organic industrial base revealed new details on how they are scaling production of drone components as part of the Drone Dominance initiative.

military · geopolitical

Middle East Bureau Chief Agnes Helou reports from the sidelines of a recent large multinational exercise hosted by Turkey.

military · geopolitical

The US seems stuck on the fence about whether to abandon or commit to the Lebanese military, and until it picks a side, little is likely to change in the regional conflict with Hezbollah, writes Bilal Saab.

geopolitical · geopolitical

The US entered the conflict with a detailed plan for a war of destruction, but no serious plan for Iran’s war of disruption.

geopolitical · geopolitical

The watchdog’s annual weapons systems assessment revealed new details about high-profile programs, from Air Force One to Army missiles.

geopolitical

social demographic · culture

geopolitical

geopolitical

social demographic · culture

geopolitical

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geopolitical · geopolitical

At Mount Rushmore Trump warns of 'communist menace', ties rhetoric to immigration ahead of November midterms.

geopolitical · geopolitical

A-list celebrities attend wedding at Madison Square Garden to see superstar couple tie the knot.

social demographic · sports

Latest match highlights, reaction and previews from the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America.

social demographic · sports

A thrilling Golden Boot race hots up, France in scintillating form, and Messi and Argentina squeak past Cape Verde.