WAR ON THE ROCKS:
Conflict and Consequences
https://warontherocks.com/2026/03/conflict-and-consequences/
Welcome to The Adversarial. Every other week, we’ll provide you with expert analysis on America’s greatest challengers: China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and jihadists. Read more below.***IranOn March 17, Israel announced — and Tehran later confirmed — the killing of Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. If eliminating Ali
WAR ON THE ROCKS:
What the Donroe Doctrine Could Mean for China’s Economic Statecraft
https://warontherocks.com/2026/03/what-the-donroe-doctrine-could-mean-for-chinas-economic-statecraft/
In the first few months of 2026, the Trump administration has embarked on military interventions in Iran and Venezuela and threatened possible annexation of Greenland. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s February trip to Beijing followed on the heels of the first state
WAR ON THE ROCKS:
Indirect Fire in the Global War on Terror and Today
https://warontherocks.com/2026/03/indirect-fire-in-the-global-war-on-terror-and-today/
On this special, crossover episode of our members-only armed services podcasts, some of our hosts sat down to discuss their experiences with indirect fire and bombardment. With the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, they rehash some of their own personal stories, provide context on today’s threat environment,
WAR ON THE ROCKS:
Why Did the United States Lift Sanctions on Assad’s Chemical Weapons Scientists?
https://warontherocks.com/2026/03/why-did-the-united-states-lift-sanctions-on-assads-chemical-weapons-scientists/
On June 30, 2025, as part of the process of normalizing relations with Damascus following the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the Trump administration overhauled the sanctions imposed on Syria to facilitate the rebuilding of that war-ravaged
WAR ON THE ROCKS:
Islamic State Containment Is Collapsing in Syria
https://warontherocks.com/2026/03/islamic-state-containment-is-collapsing-in-syria/
Less than a month after the repeal of Caesar Act sanctions, Syria’s transitional president Ahmad al Sharaa launched an offensive against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, triggering Arab tribal defections and a rapid loss of territory. The fallout has jeopardized Islamic State containment in northeast Syria by
WAR ON THE ROCKS:
The Inevitability of Chinese Military Purges
https://warontherocks.com/2026/03/the-inevitability-of-chinese-military-purges/
The scale of Secretary General Xi Jinping’s military purges is shocking. More than 100 senior leaders have been removed since 2022. And that number keeps growing, with nine military officers purged just last week and three more retired generals removed from a senior advisory body in early March. But it is the January removal
WAR ON THE ROCKS:
Countering Drones and the Pace of Modern War
https://warontherocks.com/2026/03/countering-drones-and-the-pace-of-modern-war/
This episode is about far more than countering drones. It is about how America prepares for and fights its wars. With three leaders from three companies at the forefront of counter-drone solutions (AeroVironment, Epirus, and Hidden Level), the conversation explores how America and its enemies are adapting, how the U.S.
WAR ON THE ROCKS:
Syria and the Islamic State: Analyzing America’s Departure
https://warontherocks.com/2026/03/syria-and-the-islamic-state-analyzing-americas-departure/
In 2024, Thanassis Cambanis wrote, “Leave Syria, Keep Fighting the Islamic State,” where he argued the United States should withdraw from Syria, but continue to invest in counter-terrorism measures to combat the Islamic State. Two years later, after an American withdrawal from Syria and a new Syrian
WAR ON THE ROCKS:
Military Operational Thinking in an Age of Artificial Intelligence
https://warontherocks.com/2026/03/military-operational-thinking-in-an-age-of-artificial-intelligence/
In recent years, as AI has begun to enter military planning and operational design, a persistent unease has surfaced among practitioners. Even with improved tools, increased tempo, and unprecedented access to data, plans continue to falter on integration, coherence, and a shared
WAR ON THE ROCKS:
Double-Edged Swords: How Military Purges Shape Authoritarian Appetite for War
https://warontherocks.com/2026/03/double-edged-swords-how-military-purges-shape-authoritarian-appetite-for-war/
When leaders fire their top generals, they may be clearing the path to war or quietly sabotaging their own military.On Jan. 24, 2026, China’s defense ministry announced that the nation’s highest-ranking general, Zhang Youxia, a vice-chairman of the Central
Defending Ukraine
