Skip to content
Artwork for War on the Rocks
NewsPolitics

War on the Rocks

Ryan Evans

Discussions over drinks with security, defense, and foreign policy insiders and experts. The original War on the Rocks podcast series.

Play
  • 25 episodes
  • Avg 39 min
  • English
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
  • January 13 · 53 min

    The Reckoning of the Ayatollahs: Understanding Iran's Burgeoning Uprising

    Ryan had an hour-long conversation with Afshon Ostovar, a leading expert on the Iranian regime and its brutal security services. Afshon breaks down everything you need to know to understand the protest movement taking to the streets across Iran, openly calling for the end of this authoritarian regime. How does the regime operate its repressive apparatus? What of Reza Pahlavi, the son of the ousted shah who is waiting in the wings? What are the scenarios under which we could see the regime fall apart? How did we get here? Afshon answers these questions and more. This is a free episode of The Iran Reckoning with Afshon Ostovar. If you want more episodes like this and access to our broader suite of members-only podcasts, newsletters, and more, sign up at warontherocks.com/membership.

  • Dec 22, 2025 · 34 min

    The First Royal Marine to Become First Sea Lord

    Gen. Sir Gwyn Jenkins visited Washington a few weeks ago and was kind enough to invite Ryan to the British Embassy for a nice chat about the U.S.-U.K. alliance, the threat landscape, his vision for delivering seapower, learning from Ukraine, acquisition reform, the future of the Royal Navy — which currently faces serious challenges but also key opportunities, and so much more.

  • Dec 18, 2025 · 41 min

    Gen. Brunson on Holding the Line on the Korean Peninsula

    Gen. Xavier T. Brunson is a busy man. As the senior U.S. military leader on the Korean Peninsula, he has three jobs, commanding U.N. Command, South Korean-U.S. Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea. What all this boils down to is, if the balloon goes up with North Korea, or another adversary in the region, the forces under his command are expected to be ready to "fight tonight." During a visit to Washington, Gen. Brunson popped into WOTR HQ to discuss the security environment, his vision of command, and a host of other issues. This episode was supported by Legion. Learn more about our friends at Legion here: https://warontherocks.com/legion

  • Dec 11, 2025 · 25 min

    Getting Faster, Stronger, Ready: Sweden's Defense Minister on Reform and Resolve

    Since joining NATO in 2024, Sweden has taken on a more prominent role in European security. Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson joined Ryan in Washington to discuss how Sweden is supporting Ukraine, rebuilding its own military with more resources, and pushing for a faster, more agile defense acquisition system.

Showing 21–25 of 25 episodes