WAR ON THE ROCKS:
How the War with Iran Ends
https://warontherocks.com/2026/04/how-the-war-with-iran-ends/
Three weeks into the joint American-Israeli military operation against Iran, a pressing question occupies Washington: What will ultimately follow these strikes? The attacks themselves are already degrading Tehran’s military capacity, but the more crucial focus is the aftermath — specifically, whether the pressures now weighing on the theocracy point to a
WAR ON THE ROCKS:
The Limits of Trump’s Regime Capture Strategy from Venezuela to Cuba
https://warontherocks.com/2026/04/the-limits-of-trumps-regime-capture-strategy-from-venezuela-to-cuba/
Since the beginning of the year, President Donald Trump has enthusiastically reinstated regime change as a key tool of U.S. statecraft, despite previously campaigning against the military excesses of former presidents. This drastic foreign policy reversal owes much to his
WAR ON THE ROCKS:
The Global Ripple Effect of the War in Iran
https://warontherocks.com/2026/04/the-global-ripple-effect-of-the-war-in-iran/
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.***IranAs the war with Iran extends into a second month, the White House is publicly bullish on both its military achievements and diplomatic
WAR ON THE ROCKS:
A 250-Year Arsenal of Innovation: A Call for Articles on American Defense Technologies
https://warontherocks.com/2026/04/a-250-year-arsenal-of-innovation-a-call-for-articles-on-american-defense-technologies/
On July 4, 2026, the United States turns 250. At Cogs of War, we plan to mark the occasion the way we know best: by examining how Americans have built, adapted, and fought with technology in war.From David Bushnell’s Turtle submarine to the
WAR ON THE ROCKS:
From Filament to Firepower: 3D Printing’s Impact on Warfare
https://warontherocks.com/2026/04/from-filament-to-firepower-3d-printings-impact-on-warfare/
While much ink has been spilled over how 3D printing has enabled intense drone-on-drone warfare in Ukraine, the U.S. defense and intelligence communities have overlooked a stealthier development: Additive manufacturing is revolutionizing how guns are produced, fielded, and sustained in armed
WAR ON THE ROCKS:
The Iran War and the Energy Lesson We Failed to Learn
https://warontherocks.com/2026/04/the-iran-war-and-the-energy-lesson-we-failed-to-learn/
How many energy crises will it take before we stop betting our economies on a fragile oil market?The U.S. and Israeli war with Iran quickly morphed from a regional conflict into a global energy shock. Oil and gas markets have been volatile since the start of the war, with Brent crude oil prices rising 59
WAR ON THE ROCKS:
From Theory to Reality: Evaluating the U.S.-Ukrainian Minerals Deal
https://warontherocks.com/2026/04/from-theory-to-reality-evaluating-the-u-s-ukrainian-minerals-deal/
In 2025, J.C. Ellis wrote, “Trump Needs a Plan on Ukraine’s Buried Treasure,” where he argued that Washington should enact a strategy for Ukraine that ensures Ukrainian control and allied access to its storehouse of critical minerals. A year later, after a critical minerals
WAR ON THE ROCKS:
The Folly of Seizing Kharg Island
https://warontherocks.com/2026/04/the-folly-of-seizing-kharg-island/
The war with Iran is into its fifth week, and despite much of its military power being destroyed by U.S. and Israeli strikes, Tehran has yet to give in or show any signs of external vulnerability or internal destabilization. If anything, it is increasingly convinced that whenever the guns fall silent, it will come out on top.The main source of
WAR ON THE ROCKS:
China’s AI Is Spreading Fast. Here’s How to Stop the Security Risks
https://warontherocks.com/2026/04/chinas-ai-is-spreading-fast-heres-how-to-stop-the-security-risks/
In late 2024, Chinese models accounted for one percent of global AI workloads. By the end of 2025, that figure had surged to 30 percent. Alibaba’s Qwen family now boasts over 700 million downloads, making it the world’s largest provider of “open-source” AI systems that are publicly
WAR ON THE ROCKS:
The Most Important Deterrent That NATO Needs Is Creativity
https://warontherocks.com/2026/04/the-most-important-deterrent-that-nato-needs-is-creativity-2/
What if the next war is decided not by drone swarms, hypersonic missiles, or AI — but by good, old-fashioned human creativity? We have undervalued the mindset dimension that is critical to innovation yet it is the cornerstone of defense organizations’ adaptability and very difficult to scale. We
Defending Ukraine
