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Ryan Evans

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

War on the Rocks

On this special, free episode of Marine Pulse, Ian Brown sat down with two Marines who recount their mission at Hamid Karzai International Airport on the day of the suicide bombing attack at the Abbey gate during the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan. Aaron Reep and Lee Bowden share their personal accounts of the mission, what stood out to them about their fellow Marines during the mission, and the timeless lessons Marines can take from it.
 
If you enjoyed this episode, you can listen to all of our armed service podcast shows by becoming a member.

The Marines That Led the Evacuation of Afghanistan, Four Years Later

The Iranian regime has crushed the latest wave of protests through brute force, but the regime's survival comes at a cost. It now confronts a volatile mix of domestic opposition, weakened regional proxies, and years of economic decay. Ryan is joined by co-host Kerry Anderson in a conversation with Alex Vatanka (Middle East Institute), Holly Dagres (Washington Institute for Near East Policy), and Naysan Rafati (International Crisis Group) about the pressures bearing down on Tehran and what might come next. This episode is brought to you by Victus Technologies. To learn more about Victus, check out: https://warontherocks.com/victus

How We Arrived at this Iranian Moment and What Happens Next

Lt. Gen. (ret) David Deptula sat down with Patrick McSpadden in the War on the Rocks studio for a wide-ranging conversation. Deptula highlights the Air Force's current challenges and addresses what it will take to fix them. The duo discuss everything from previous missions to Deptula's advice for current Airmen, even delving into his favorite D.C. gems for food and drinks. You don't want to miss this special episode of Airman Pulse.
 
Note: This is a free episode of the members-only Airman Pulse podcast. If you'd like to hear more interesting conversations about life in the Air Force, you can become a member to unlock this show, as well as the other Armed Services Podcasts. The 2026 Mitchell Institute Airpower Forum mentioned in the episode has already taken place at the time of publication. Additionally, the links to the readings mentioned in today's episode can be found below.
 
https://www.lri.fr/~mbl/Stanford/CS477/papers/Kuhn-SSR-2ndEd.pdf
 
 https://www.forbes.com/sites/davedeptula/2026/01/12/a-15-trillion-defense-budget-implications-for-the-air-force-and-space-force/

Airpower, Advice, and D.C. Favorites with David Deptula

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.

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

As the year comes to a close, Dara Massicot and Mike Kofman talk with Ryan about the state of play from diplomacy to the battlefield.

No End in Sight? The Russo-Ukrainian War at the End of 2025

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.

The First Royal Marine to Become First Sea Lord

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

Gen. Brunson on Holding the Line on the Korean Peninsula

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.

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

When should Ukraine commit more forces to a perhaps desperate stand to hold ground it will likely lose? And when is it the difficult but correct choice to preserve the force and pull back to the next defensive line? This is the real, agonizing strategic dilemma shaping the war, now highlighted in the fight for Pokrovsk.
 
 Distinguished strategist Lawrence Freedman joins Ryan at a cafe in Vilnius, where they were both speaking at a conference, to dissect this critical question. They also sort through how this relates to each side's theory of victory and the shifting realities of the battlefield.

The Last Stand Dilemma in Ukraine

The American president has a ... different approach to strategy than his predecessors. To make sense of the extent American strategy can work and is working at the moment, Ryan was joined by Frank Hoffman, Justin Logan (Cato Institute), and Rebecca Friedman Lissner (Council on Foreign Relations). Join for the brilliant minds. Stay for the spicy takes on American statecraft in Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific.

Is Strategy Possible Now? Ever?

Nick sat down with United States Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan to discuss the Coast Guard's global activities, from the Arctic to the Indo-Pacific to the growing digital security challenges to America's ports.

From Polar Presence to Port Security: A Conversation with the Coast Guard Commandant

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