If war breaks out in the Indo-Pacific, it will not be over Taiwan but over the atolls and shoals dotting the South China Sea. At least, that’s the argument the Philippine ambassador to Washington has made, calling these sovereignty disputes, particularly between China and the Philippines, the region’s “real flashpoint.” Today, the South China Sea facilitates...

In his introduction to Volume 7, Issue 2, the chair of our editorial board, Frank Gavin, considers why the United States seems stuck in the Middle East and suggests that Washington refocus on core grand-strategic interests. More broadly, he calls on Americans to find ways to passionately and respectfully discuss difficult issues. I have two dear friends...

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. *** China On Monday, Lai Ching-te will be inaugurated as the new president of Taiwan. Lai’s victory in January and inauguration in May have long been marked on many...

When former U.S. President Donald Trump indicated earlier this year that he “would encourage” Russia to “do whatever the hell they want” to countries that are “delinquent,” presumably in terms of defense spending, allies expressed alarm. This trans-Atlantic burden-sharing kerfuffle is only unusual for the crassness of the language. U.S. concerns about...

In 2021, John Mueller wrote “War is on the Rocks” for War on the Rocks, in which he argued that interstate war was on the decline and was an institution no longer needed by international society. In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and growing potential for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, we asked him to look back on the article. Read more below....

Tactics are a science, but applying tactics in combat is an art. A military force wins by seeing how general principles apply to a specific situation and being creative with combat solutions. For two years, Ukrainians have been defending their country with creative combinations of tactics and technology. Ukraine was thrown into a conflict full of juxtaposed...