Iskander Rehman
@irehman.bsky.social
Assistant Professor at UT Austin's Clement Center. Author of "Planning for Protraction" and "Iron Imperator." Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council. Applied history, defense strategy & Asian security.
Pinned
Iskander Rehman
@irehman.bsky.social
· Jun 16
The Fall of Fortress Singapore: Three Lessons from the Collapse of Britain’s Great Asian Bastion
Editor’s note: This is part of a running series of essays by Iskander Rehman, entitled “Applied History,” which seeks, through the study of the history of
warontherocks.com
In my latest for @warontherocks.bsky.social I delve into one of Britain's most crushing defeats--the 1942 collapse of the great Asian bastion of Singapore--and its lessons for contemporary defense planners and policymakers. warontherocks.com/the-fall-of-...
"In one instance, a drone boat deposited a four-wheeled, remote-controlled ground vehicle with a mounted machine gun on a Russian-occupied peninsula in what Ukraine called the first ever all-robot amphibious assault.."
www.nytimes.com/2026/09/30/w...
www.nytimes.com/2026/09/30/w...
How Ukraine’s Naval Drones Are Remaking War at Sea
They began as modified motorboats. Now, Ukrainian sea drones act as miniature aircraft carriers, and other countries want in.
www.nytimes.com
October 2, 2026 at 6:52 PM
"In one instance, a drone boat deposited a four-wheeled, remote-controlled ground vehicle with a mounted machine gun on a Russian-occupied peninsula in what Ukraine called the first ever all-robot amphibious assault.."
www.nytimes.com/2026/09/30/w...
www.nytimes.com/2026/09/30/w...
How should statesmen weigh the pros & cons of military action? Back in the 18th century Fénelon provided us with a mental checklist--one which allows rulers to pause at those moments where passion, group think & self-interested counsel threaten to corrupt judgment warontherocks.com/power-pruden...
September 30, 2026 at 10:37 PM
How should statesmen weigh the pros & cons of military action? Back in the 18th century Fénelon provided us with a mental checklist--one which allows rulers to pause at those moments where passion, group think & self-interested counsel threaten to corrupt judgment warontherocks.com/power-pruden...
If you are in need of a temporary reprieve from the news cycle, you could do worse than reread Thoreau's paean--full of love and wonder--to Northeast America's most beautiful season.
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
Autumnal Tints
“A great many, who have spent their lives in cities, and have never chanced to come into the country at this season, have never seen this, the flower, or rather the ripe fruit, of the year.”
www.theatlantic.com
September 30, 2026 at 6:24 PM
If you are in need of a temporary reprieve from the news cycle, you could do worse than reread Thoreau's paean--full of love and wonder--to Northeast America's most beautiful season.
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
Reposted by Iskander Rehman
The most politically dangerous retelling of Homer was published in 1699, banned by a king, and read by every European statesman for a century. warontherocks.com/power-pruden...
Power, Prudence, and Restraint in Fénelon’s Telemachus
“If one is to judge by the fire and ardor with which this book is sought after, it is the most excellent of all books. Never were so many copies printed
warontherocks.com
September 25, 2026 at 10:00 PM
The most politically dangerous retelling of Homer was published in 1699, banned by a king, and read by every European statesman for a century. warontherocks.com/power-pruden...
Well worth a read:
tnsr.org/2026/09/trap...
tnsr.org/2026/09/trap...
Trapped by the Tradition: Reading Thucydides on Strategy and Policy - Texas National Security Review
Thucydides’ history of the Peloponnesian War has gained new prominence as the United States engages in great-power competition with China, as that emerging geopolitical competition is often explained ...
tnsr.org
September 25, 2026 at 6:06 PM
Well worth a read:
tnsr.org/2026/09/trap...
tnsr.org/2026/09/trap...
In the latest installment of my applied history series for
@warontherocks.bsky.social I explore one of my favorite thinkers, Fénelon, his wildly popular 18th century spinoff of The Odyssey, & what it can still teach us about power, prudence,& the art of statecraft.
warontherocks.com/power-pruden...
@warontherocks.bsky.social I explore one of my favorite thinkers, Fénelon, his wildly popular 18th century spinoff of The Odyssey, & what it can still teach us about power, prudence,& the art of statecraft.
warontherocks.com/power-pruden...
Power, Prudence, and Restraint in Fénelon’s Telemachus
“If one is to judge by the fire and ardor with which this book is sought after, it is the most excellent of all books. Never were so many copies printed
warontherocks.com
September 24, 2026 at 3:53 PM
In the latest installment of my applied history series for
@warontherocks.bsky.social I explore one of my favorite thinkers, Fénelon, his wildly popular 18th century spinoff of The Odyssey, & what it can still teach us about power, prudence,& the art of statecraft.
warontherocks.com/power-pruden...
@warontherocks.bsky.social I explore one of my favorite thinkers, Fénelon, his wildly popular 18th century spinoff of The Odyssey, & what it can still teach us about power, prudence,& the art of statecraft.
warontherocks.com/power-pruden...
"Social-media posters regularly express anxiety about being “distilled,” a term Chinese people use for when an employer uses a worker’s data to train an AI model."
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
What AI Anxiety Looks Like in China
A top-down tech revolution is harder to manage than a bottom-up one.
www.theatlantic.com
September 23, 2026 at 9:20 PM
"Social-media posters regularly express anxiety about being “distilled,” a term Chinese people use for when an employer uses a worker’s data to train an AI model."
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
Reposted by Iskander Rehman
It is extremely unfortunate and regrettable that the Department of the Air Force has decided to shutter the China Aerospace Studies Institute (CASI). CASI, along with its sister institutions the China Maritime Studies Institute (CMSI), China Landpower Studies Center (CLSC), and…
September 21, 2026 at 7:23 PM
It is extremely unfortunate and regrettable that the Department of the Air Force has decided to shutter the China Aerospace Studies Institute (CASI). CASI, along with its sister institutions the China Maritime Studies Institute (CMSI), China Landpower Studies Center (CLSC), and…
Reposted by Iskander Rehman
I’m excited to announce that I’m the new reviewer of military books for @foreignaffairs.com! Being successor to the great @ldfreedman.bsky.social is an honor almost unimaginable.
September 2, 2026 at 3:59 PM
I’m excited to announce that I’m the new reviewer of military books for @foreignaffairs.com! Being successor to the great @ldfreedman.bsky.social is an honor almost unimaginable.
Important and timely new study by Léonie Allard on China-DPRK relations:
strategicspace.nbr.org/examining-bo...
strategicspace.nbr.org/examining-bo...
Examining Borderland Relations between China and North Korea
China’s borderland with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK, or North Korea) must contend with balancing regional integration with regional security. In the wider context of China’s Northe...
strategicspace.nbr.org
August 17, 2026 at 7:09 PM
Important and timely new study by Léonie Allard on China-DPRK relations:
strategicspace.nbr.org/examining-bo...
strategicspace.nbr.org/examining-bo...
Terrific to meet Lindsay Powell here in Austin and chat all things Ancient Rome after having followed his scholarship for so many years. His most recent biography of Tiberius is a must-read for anyone with an interest in military strategy and statecraft.
July 30, 2026 at 9:15 PM
Terrific to meet Lindsay Powell here in Austin and chat all things Ancient Rome after having followed his scholarship for so many years. His most recent biography of Tiberius is a must-read for anyone with an interest in military strategy and statecraft.
Highly recommend this investigative podcast series on Asma Assad, Syria and the fall of the Assad regime. Fascinating on multiple levels—reminded me of Tacitus in its unflinching analysis of the moral rot and cruelty at the heart of dictatorial systems. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w...
We call her Emma | Tortoise Investigates
Documentary Podcast · Weekly Series · Emma is a high achieving, middle class girl from west London. She seems destined for a successful career in banking and a comfortable British life. Until she make...
podcasts.apple.com
July 25, 2026 at 1:11 AM
Highly recommend this investigative podcast series on Asma Assad, Syria and the fall of the Assad regime. Fascinating on multiple levels—reminded me of Tacitus in its unflinching analysis of the moral rot and cruelty at the heart of dictatorial systems. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w...
Somewhat underwhelmed by Nolan’s drug-addled, gruff, PTSD-afflicted portrayal of wily Odysseus but delighted that several translations of the Odyssey are now on Amazon’s bestseller list. My contemporary favorite would be Mendelsohn’s translation. www.jsusannewilson.com/post/best-od...
The Best Odyssey Translations Compared: Wilson, Fagles, Lattimore & More
Choosing a translation of Homer’s Odyssey is not like choosing between editions of the same novel. Every translator reshapes the poem in subtle but significant ways: its rhythm, tone, morality, and ev...
www.jsusannewilson.com
July 24, 2026 at 1:08 AM
Somewhat underwhelmed by Nolan’s drug-addled, gruff, PTSD-afflicted portrayal of wily Odysseus but delighted that several translations of the Odyssey are now on Amazon’s bestseller list. My contemporary favorite would be Mendelsohn’s translation. www.jsusannewilson.com/post/best-od...
First week here at the Clements Center for National Security at UT Austin. Grateful for the warm Texan welcome—it’s a true privilege to join an institution with such a strong focus on statecraft, defense and public policy.
July 21, 2026 at 8:00 PM
First week here at the Clements Center for National Security at UT Austin. Grateful for the warm Texan welcome—it’s a true privilege to join an institution with such a strong focus on statecraft, defense and public policy.
For a scholar of military strategy, being invited by Vauban’s descendant to stay in his castle was a dream come true. Expect some more published work from me—drawing on his family’s private archives—on this titan of military engineering & siegecraft some time in the near future.
June 30, 2026 at 1:32 PM
For a scholar of military strategy, being invited by Vauban’s descendant to stay in his castle was a dream come true. Expect some more published work from me—drawing on his family’s private archives—on this titan of military engineering & siegecraft some time in the near future.
“What counts most,” he said, “is an individual’s capacity to understand and grasp ideas.”
Loved this NYT piece on one of the most revered--and feared--examinations for all French high schoolers--the 4 hour philosophy essay.
www.nytimes.com/2026/06/19/w...
Loved this NYT piece on one of the most revered--and feared--examinations for all French high schoolers--the 4 hour philosophy essay.
www.nytimes.com/2026/06/19/w...
What Does It All Mean? Once a Year, French Students Try to Explain.
www.nytimes.com
June 19, 2026 at 12:56 PM
“What counts most,” he said, “is an individual’s capacity to understand and grasp ideas.”
Loved this NYT piece on one of the most revered--and feared--examinations for all French high schoolers--the 4 hour philosophy essay.
www.nytimes.com/2026/06/19/w...
Loved this NYT piece on one of the most revered--and feared--examinations for all French high schoolers--the 4 hour philosophy essay.
www.nytimes.com/2026/06/19/w...
Reposted by Iskander Rehman
"Authoritarian regimes are gaining invaluable battlefield experience: Direct involvement allows for rapid experimentation and feedback, from North Korean troop deployments to Russian drone innovation."
Ukraine is not just a war. It is a laboratory.
A new HCSS guest paper by Dr. @irehman.bsky.social shows how today’s conflict mirrors the Spanish Civil War—a proving ground for future warfare.
A new HCSS guest paper by Dr. @irehman.bsky.social shows how today’s conflict mirrors the Spanish Civil War—a proving ground for future warfare.
“A Little World War”: Lessons From the Spanish Civil War for Contemporary Strategists - HCSS
A new HCSS guest paper by Dr. Iskander Rehman examines the war in Ukraine through the lens of an oft-cited but seldom explored analogy: the Spanish Civil War. It shows how protracted proxy wars often…
buff.ly
April 12, 2026 at 2:57 PM
"Authoritarian regimes are gaining invaluable battlefield experience: Direct involvement allows for rapid experimentation and feedback, from North Korean troop deployments to Russian drone innovation."
Reposted by Iskander Rehman
Finnish legislators vote to lift the country's ban on nuclear weapons:
"The measure clears the way for Finland to receive, transport and otherwise facilitate the movement of nuclear weapons on its territory as part of allied defense operations" www.politico.eu/article/finl...
"The measure clears the way for Finland to receive, transport and otherwise facilitate the movement of nuclear weapons on its territory as part of allied defense operations" www.politico.eu/article/finl...
Finland tears up nuclear weapons ban in NATO shift
The decision clears the way for Helsinki to receive, transport and facilitate the movement of nuclear weapons on its territory as part of allied defense operations.
www.politico.eu
June 17, 2026 at 5:08 PM
Finnish legislators vote to lift the country's ban on nuclear weapons:
"The measure clears the way for Finland to receive, transport and otherwise facilitate the movement of nuclear weapons on its territory as part of allied defense operations" www.politico.eu/article/finl...
"The measure clears the way for Finland to receive, transport and otherwise facilitate the movement of nuclear weapons on its territory as part of allied defense operations" www.politico.eu/article/finl...
Tom Dans, the new chair of the US Arctic Research Commission: “My view is that the US could take all the seafood Greenland could produce, & cut out the middleman, & keep it from China—& you could bring back all-you-can-eat shrimp at Red Lobster."
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
Inside the Ludicrous, Deadly Serious Plan to Take Over Greenland
“We want Greenland,” Trump said. Four men sprang into action to make fantasy a reality.
www.newyorker.com
June 18, 2026 at 1:28 PM
Tom Dans, the new chair of the US Arctic Research Commission: “My view is that the US could take all the seafood Greenland could produce, & cut out the middleman, & keep it from China—& you could bring back all-you-can-eat shrimp at Red Lobster."
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
Reposted by Iskander Rehman
Churchill ranked Far Eastern defense last. Whether that was defensible or made Singapore's fall inevitable is still debated. warontherocks.com/the-fall-of-...
The Fall of Fortress Singapore: Three Lessons from the Collapse of Britain’s Great Asian Bastion
Editor’s note: This is part of a running series of essays by Iskander Rehman, entitled “Applied History,” which seeks, through the study of the history of
warontherocks.com
June 17, 2026 at 11:30 PM
Churchill ranked Far Eastern defense last. Whether that was defensible or made Singapore's fall inevitable is still debated. warontherocks.com/the-fall-of-...
Reposted by Iskander Rehman
📚 Book talk alert! 📚
Join us next Tuesday for the launch of @wdjames.bsky.social's new co-edited book: 'Transatlantic Storms in Anglo-American Relations: How the Alliance Weathers Crises'.
📅 Tue, 23 Jun, 12:00-13:15
📍 King's College London
Join us next Tuesday for the launch of @wdjames.bsky.social's new co-edited book: 'Transatlantic Storms in Anglo-American Relations: How the Alliance Weathers Crises'.
📅 Tue, 23 Jun, 12:00-13:15
📍 King's College London
Transatlantic Storms in Anglo-American Relations: How the Alliance Weathers Crises - CSNS | Centre for Statecraft & National Security
csns.uk
June 17, 2026 at 10:44 AM
📚 Book talk alert! 📚
Join us next Tuesday for the launch of @wdjames.bsky.social's new co-edited book: 'Transatlantic Storms in Anglo-American Relations: How the Alliance Weathers Crises'.
📅 Tue, 23 Jun, 12:00-13:15
📍 King's College London
Join us next Tuesday for the launch of @wdjames.bsky.social's new co-edited book: 'Transatlantic Storms in Anglo-American Relations: How the Alliance Weathers Crises'.
📅 Tue, 23 Jun, 12:00-13:15
📍 King's College London
Reposted by Iskander Rehman
This was another really excellent article from Iskander
Churchill ranked Far Eastern defense last. Whether that was defensible or made Singapore's fall inevitable is still debated. warontherocks.com/the-fall-of-...
The Fall of Fortress Singapore: Three Lessons from the Collapse of Britain’s Great Asian Bastion
Editor’s note: This is part of a running series of essays by Iskander Rehman, entitled “Applied History,” which seeks, through the study of the history of
warontherocks.com
June 16, 2026 at 9:51 PM
This was another really excellent article from Iskander
Reposted by Iskander Rehman
Today in War on the Rocks:
The Fall of Fortress Singapore: Three Lessons from the Collapse of Britain’s Great Asian Bastion warontherocks.com/
The Fall of Fortress Singapore: Three Lessons from the Collapse of Britain’s Great Asian Bastion warontherocks.com/
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warontherocks.com
June 16, 2026 at 1:02 PM
Today in War on the Rocks:
The Fall of Fortress Singapore: Three Lessons from the Collapse of Britain’s Great Asian Bastion warontherocks.com/
The Fall of Fortress Singapore: Three Lessons from the Collapse of Britain’s Great Asian Bastion warontherocks.com/
In my latest for @warontherocks.bsky.social I delve into one of Britain's most crushing defeats--the 1942 collapse of the great Asian bastion of Singapore--and its lessons for contemporary defense planners and policymakers. warontherocks.com/the-fall-of-...
The Fall of Fortress Singapore: Three Lessons from the Collapse of Britain’s Great Asian Bastion
Editor’s note: This is part of a running series of essays by Iskander Rehman, entitled “Applied History,” which seeks, through the study of the history of
warontherocks.com
June 16, 2026 at 9:51 AM
In my latest for @warontherocks.bsky.social I delve into one of Britain's most crushing defeats--the 1942 collapse of the great Asian bastion of Singapore--and its lessons for contemporary defense planners and policymakers. warontherocks.com/the-fall-of-...