War on the Rocks
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For years, the United States topped al-Qaeda’s enemy list. Now al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is signaling that China may be moving closer to center stage.
China Now Finds Itself in al-Qaeda’s Crosshairs
Could China replace the United States atop the target list of transnational jihadist groups like al-Qaeda? A recent statement released by Sheikh Saad bin
warontherocks.com
February 20, 2026 at 1:15 AM
For years, the United States topped al-Qaeda’s enemy list. Now al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is signaling that China may be moving closer to center stage.
What happens in Iraq if Iran’s regime falls?
Breaking Tehran’s Grip on Baghdad
What happens when the proxy network loses its patron but not its guns? We might be about to find out. Negotiations between the United States and Iran
warontherocks.com
February 20, 2026 at 12:30 AM
What happens in Iraq if Iran’s regime falls?
Get exclusive insights from Michael Kofman on The Russia Contingency and Afshon Ostovar on The Iran Reckoning: only for War on the Rocks members. Join today.
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warontherocks.com
February 19, 2026 at 11:45 PM
Get exclusive insights from Michael Kofman on The Russia Contingency and Afshon Ostovar on The Iran Reckoning: only for War on the Rocks members. Join today.
Fiber optic drones in Ukraine are evidence that persistent interference is changing operational behavior, not just technical performance. How can America adapt?
When GPS Goes Dark: Building a Force That Navigates from Orbit to Seabed
GPS denial is no longer a theoretical future threat. It is the environment in which modern forces increasingly operate. China has invested heavily in
warontherocks.com
February 19, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Fiber optic drones in Ukraine are evidence that persistent interference is changing operational behavior, not just technical performance. How can America adapt?
If you’re working where defense meets innovation, @Cogs0fWar is for you. Follow our dedicated vertical on defense technology and industrial base issues for cutting-edge analysis.
Cogs of War
Our dedicated vertical on defense tech & industry, brought to you by an epic partnership between War on the Rocks & Booz Allen Hamilton. National security is inextricably linked to technological prowess, talent, and industrial capacity. We aim to leverage deep expertise and thought leadership to foster the most substantive, impactful conversation possible.
warontherocks.com
February 19, 2026 at 10:40 PM
If you’re working where defense meets innovation, @Cogs0fWar is for you. Follow our dedicated vertical on defense technology and industrial base issues for cutting-edge analysis.
The Western Balkans are not heading toward war, but they are quietly preparing for one. A regional military buildup is reshaping the balance of power amid growing uncertainty in Europe.
A Worrying Military Build-up in the Western Balkans?
Europe’s most fragile region is not sleepwalking toward war, but it is quietly recalibrating for it. Across the Western Balkans, military procurement
warontherocks.com
February 19, 2026 at 10:15 PM
The Western Balkans are not heading toward war, but they are quietly preparing for one. A regional military buildup is reshaping the balance of power amid growing uncertainty in Europe.
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warontherocks.com
February 19, 2026 at 9:30 PM
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The People’s Liberation Army is undergoing a sweeping internal purge. Whether this strengthens or destabilizes China’s war plans remains an open question.
Listen here: warontherocks.com/20...
Listen here: warontherocks.com/20...
February 19, 2026 at 9:21 PM
The People’s Liberation Army is undergoing a sweeping internal purge. Whether this strengthens or destabilizes China’s war plans remains an open question.
Listen here: warontherocks.com/20...
Listen here: warontherocks.com/20...
The new Sailor Pulse Hosts chat about their respective careers and the future conversations they’re planning for the show. (Members Only)
The Many Faces of the Navy: Meet the Hosts
Sailor Pulse hosts Steve Walsh and Jay Dietrich sat down together to talk about their careers, interesting stories from their time in uniform, and the...
warontherocks.com
February 19, 2026 at 8:45 PM
The new Sailor Pulse Hosts chat about their respective careers and the future conversations they’re planning for the show. (Members Only)
If you have something to say about defense technology and industry, we want your voice. Contribute to @Cogs0fWar and shape the debate.
How to Contribute to Cogs of War
Cogs of War is our dedicated vertical on defense technology and defense industrial base issues produced in partnership with Booz Allen Hamilton. Read on
warontherocks.com
February 19, 2026 at 8:00 PM
If you have something to say about defense technology and industry, we want your voice. Contribute to @Cogs0fWar and shape the debate.
Ukraine’s message in Munich was clear: gratitude paired with urgency. Raising the costs on Russia remains central to any path forward. (Members Only)
Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
February 19, 2026 at 7:40 PM
Ukraine’s message in Munich was clear: gratitude paired with urgency. Raising the costs on Russia remains central to any path forward. (Members Only)
Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
Deterrence assumes clear red lines. Beijing may be betting that ambiguity works better. (Members Only)
Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
February 19, 2026 at 7:15 PM
Deterrence assumes clear red lines. Beijing may be betting that ambiguity works better. (Members Only)
Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
Europe left Munich with fewer illusions about the future of the trans-Atlantic relationship. What comes next is still unclear. (Members Only)
BONUS In Brief: Vibes Out of Munich
On Feb. 13 to 15, leaders and specialists from around the world — especially Europe and the United States — attended the 62nd Munich Security Conference.
warontherocks.com
February 19, 2026 at 6:50 PM
Europe left Munich with fewer illusions about the future of the trans-Atlantic relationship. What comes next is still unclear. (Members Only)
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War On The Rocks Platinum An All-Access Pass to War on the Rocks What Our Members Are Saying “I’ve been a member since 2016. War on the Rocks is a melting
warontherocks.com
February 19, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Your insider access to world-class national security content. Premium experience starts with War on the Rocks.
Leadership is not always about speeches and strategy. Sometimes it starts with something as small as lines in a parking lot. (Members Only)
Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
February 19, 2026 at 6:01 PM
Leadership is not always about speeches and strategy. Sometimes it starts with something as small as lines in a parking lot. (Members Only)
Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
Phase Two of the Gaza ceasefire will test whether sustained U.S. pressure can turn a fragile pause into lasting progress. (Members Only)
Lessons from Past Israeli-Palestinian Talks for Trump’s Negotiators
There is a long history of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, often involving the United States as the primary negotiator. However, as the Oct. 7 attacks
warontherocks.com
February 19, 2026 at 5:45 PM
Phase Two of the Gaza ceasefire will test whether sustained U.S. pressure can turn a fragile pause into lasting progress. (Members Only)
Embassy duty may look polished from the outside. In reality, it demands relentless pace, sharp judgment, and the ability to balance strategy with diplomacy. (Members Only)
Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
February 19, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Embassy duty may look polished from the outside. In reality, it demands relentless pace, sharp judgment, and the ability to balance strategy with diplomacy. (Members Only)
Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
New for WOTR members:
Lessons from Past Israeli-Palestinian Talks for Trump’s Negotiators
Iran’s Proxies Amidst a Weakened Regime
America’s Miscalculations on Beijing’s Taiwan Strategy
Building an International Affairs Career In Uniform
The Many Faces of the Navy
Lessons from Past Israeli-Palestinian Talks for Trump’s Negotiators
Iran’s Proxies Amidst a Weakened Regime
America’s Miscalculations on Beijing’s Taiwan Strategy
Building an International Affairs Career In Uniform
The Many Faces of the Navy
Membership
War On The Rocks Platinum An All-Access Pass to War on the Rocks What Our Members Are Saying “I’ve been a member since 2016. War on the Rocks is a melting
warontherocks.com
February 19, 2026 at 4:15 PM
New for WOTR members:
Lessons from Past Israeli-Palestinian Talks for Trump’s Negotiators
Iran’s Proxies Amidst a Weakened Regime
America’s Miscalculations on Beijing’s Taiwan Strategy
Building an International Affairs Career In Uniform
The Many Faces of the Navy
Lessons from Past Israeli-Palestinian Talks for Trump’s Negotiators
Iran’s Proxies Amidst a Weakened Regime
America’s Miscalculations on Beijing’s Taiwan Strategy
Building an International Affairs Career In Uniform
The Many Faces of the Navy
Builders, policymakers, investors, and operators: this is your arena. Follow @Cogs0fWar to join the conversation on the future of defense innovation.
Cogs of War
Our dedicated vertical on defense tech & industry, brought to you by an epic partnership between War on the Rocks & Booz Allen Hamilton. National security is inextricably linked to technological prowess, talent, and industrial capacity. We aim to leverage deep expertise and thought leadership to foster the most substantive, impactful conversation possible.
warontherocks.com
February 19, 2026 at 3:50 PM
Builders, policymakers, investors, and operators: this is your arena. Follow @Cogs0fWar to join the conversation on the future of defense innovation.
Precision warfare depends on position, navigation, and timing. All now operate inside a highly contested electromagnetic spectrum that is cheap to disrupt and hard to defend.
When GPS Goes Dark: Building a Force That Navigates from Orbit to Seabed
GPS denial is no longer a theoretical future threat. It is the environment in which modern forces increasingly operate. China has invested heavily in
warontherocks.com
February 19, 2026 at 3:30 PM
Precision warfare depends on position, navigation, and timing. All now operate inside a highly contested electromagnetic spectrum that is cheap to disrupt and hard to defend.
Defense industries are reviving and external powers are competing for influence in the Balkans. Military modernization is no longer just national policy, but a regional strategic shift.
A Worrying Military Build-up in the Western Balkans?
Europe’s most fragile region is not sleepwalking toward war, but it is quietly recalibrating for it. Across the Western Balkans, military procurement
warontherocks.com
February 19, 2026 at 2:45 PM
Defense industries are reviving and external powers are competing for influence in the Balkans. Military modernization is no longer just national policy, but a regional strategic shift.
Today in War on the Rocks:
A Worrying Military Build-up in the Western Balkans?
When GPS Goes Dark: Building a Force That Navigates from Orbit to Seabed
A Worrying Military Build-up in the Western Balkans?
When GPS Goes Dark: Building a Force That Navigates from Orbit to Seabed
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A platform for analysis, commentary, debate and multimedia content on foreign policy and national security issues through a realist lens.
warontherocks.com
February 19, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Today in War on the Rocks:
A Worrying Military Build-up in the Western Balkans?
When GPS Goes Dark: Building a Force That Navigates from Orbit to Seabed
A Worrying Military Build-up in the Western Balkans?
When GPS Goes Dark: Building a Force That Navigates from Orbit to Seabed
War on the Rocks brings together the best minds in strategy and defense. Join us in shaping the conversation.
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War on the Rocks is in a category of its own in terms of audience, reach, and convening power. Our audience is composed of policymakers, current and
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February 19, 2026 at 1:15 PM
War on the Rocks brings together the best minds in strategy and defense. Join us in shaping the conversation.
Years of gray zone warfare have brought Iran to a decisive moment. As domestic unrest surges, the durability of its proxy strategy is no longer guaranteed. (Members Only)
How Are Iran’s Proxies Doing Amidst a Weakened Regime?
In Jan. 2025, Farzin Zandi wrote, “How Iran Lost Before It Lost: The Roll Back of its Gray Zone Strategy,” where he argued Iran’s proxy network and gray
warontherocks.com
February 19, 2026 at 12:30 PM
Years of gray zone warfare have brought Iran to a decisive moment. As domestic unrest surges, the durability of its proxy strategy is no longer guaranteed. (Members Only)
Stay sharp. Stay informed. War on the Rocks delivers the insights serious professionals rely on. Join now.
Membership
War On The Rocks Platinum An All-Access Pass to War on the Rocks What Our Members Are Saying “I’ve been a member since 2016. War on the Rocks is a melting
warontherocks.com
February 19, 2026 at 11:45 AM
Stay sharp. Stay informed. War on the Rocks delivers the insights serious professionals rely on. Join now.