Israelis protest demanding the release of hostages held by Hamas - source: Reuters
Hostages of the Mind: Hamas’s Strategic Use of Captivity in Cognitive Warfare
Hostage-taking has served multiple purposes for Hamas, including a novel use of cognitive warfare. This may prove to be a turning point in terrorist strategy that governments will need to learn how to counter effectively.
Jul 30, 2025
  • Noga Halevi
The Developing Cracks in Khamenei’s Cult of Personality
Until now, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been happy with the comparisons his hard-core supporters make between him and Ali ibn Abi Talib—Shia Islam’s first divinely ordained Imam. Ironically, this insistence on Khamenei’s infallability, combined with the current acquiescence to strategic flexibility or policy concession, is eroding that sense of trust with Khamenei’s core base of hardline supporters.
May 14, 2025
  • Saeid Golkar
  • Kasra Aarabi
The Importance of Regional Diplomacy for Syria’s Druze
The recent flare-up of violence in southern Syria has once again exposed the fragility of the country’s post-Assad order and minority communities’ underlying fears that the current government is unwilling or incapable of establishing a government that ensures minority rights or ensuring the safety of all Syrians against militia factions.
May 12, 2025
  • Makram Rabah
Iraqis Are Increasingly Positive on Governance, but Waning National Identity a Warning Sign
With signs of fewer Iraqis prioritizing their national identity, Iraqis are likely to see another elections cycle shaped by subnational identities in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
May 8, 2025
  • Munqith Dagher
  • Karl Kaltenthaler
Balancing National Security and Economic Priorities in the U.S.-Jordan Relationship
As the U.S. administration shifts towards an economics-first approach to foreign policy, Jordan will need to find ways to emphasize the benefits of the two countries' decades-long broader strategic relationship in public messaging—both for its own national security interests and as a way to assuage public concerns.
May 5, 2025
  • Saud Al-Sharafat

In Memoriam: Dr. David Pollock, 1950-2024

David Pollock
David Pollock: A Retrospective
David’s endless optimism, insightful and entertaining anecdotes, and thoughtful comments on his colleagues’ work were all defining features of his time at The Washington Institute. His mentorship will undoubtedly continue to inspire the dozens of young professionals who worked with him, continuing his legacy.
Jan 11, 2024
  • Catherine Cleveland