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Military & Security

Policy Analysis on Military & Security

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Articles & Testimony
Is Iran Ready to Build a Nuclear Bomb or Not?
The Biden administration’s mixed messages about the significance of new enrichment revelations will make it more difficult to decide next steps.
Mar 1, 2023
◆
  • Simon Henderson
Putin Netanyahu
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
The Netanyahu Government’s Approach to Russia and Ukraine
Despite increased pressure on both sides, Netanyahu is likely to maintain Israel's nonaligned approach to the conflict in Ukraine in an effort to preserve his immediate regional interests.
Feb 28, 2023
◆
  • Daniel Rakov
Abu Fadak in Syria
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
How the Popular Mobilization Forces Exploited Syria's Earthquake
Now that Iraqi PMF groups can deploy to Syria with Baghdad's formal authorization, many cross-border militant activities may accelerate under the cover of earthquake relief.
Feb 27, 2023
◆
  • Erik Yavorsky
◆ Militia Spotlight
Arash-2 drones (Iran), Patriot launcher (U.S.)
In-Depth Reports
Striking Back:
Iran and the Rise of Asymmetric Drone Warfare in the Middle East
The regime’s drone and missile forces pose a stark threat to the Gulf states and Israel, necessitating a firmer, more cohesive U.S.-led response.
Feb 26, 2023
◆
  • Kenneth McKenzie Jr.
Taremiyah
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
The Jurf al-Sakhar Model: Militias Debate How to Carve Out a New Enclave North of Baghdad
Tactical disagreements among "resistance" leaders underline their competition for prime real estate and local partners near the capital.
Feb 20, 2023
◆
  • Amir al-Kaabi
  • Michael Knights
  • Hamdi Malik
◆ Militia Spotlight
Brief Analysis
China’s Growing Naval Influence in the Middle East
​​​​​​​Current Chinese basing capacity and force commitment in the region seem insufficient to support the level of economic and diplomatic engagement that appears to be Beijing’s new normal, so Washington should prepare for further expansion.
Feb 17, 2023
◆
  • Blake Herzinger
  • Ben Lefkowitz
Iran Missile
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Iran’s Mounting Missile Threats to Neighboring Countries
Iran's ballistic missile program poses regional threats that require international solutions.
Feb 16, 2023
◆
  • Mohammad Abu Ghazleh
Negev Forum
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Morocco, Israel, and the Future of the Negev Forum
Morocco is preparing to host the upcoming Negev Forum summit, an opportunity for the Kingdom to expand economic ties and bridge regional divides.
Feb 16, 2023
◆
  • Mohamed Chtatou
An Iranian state-media photo of the Aghab-44 underground air base - source: Iran state media
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Iran Unveils New Underground Air Base
The facility is seemingly intended for launching surprise maritime interdiction missions in the Persian Gulf region, mainly aimed at U.S. Fifth Fleet assets—though it probably won’t be able to accommodate Iran’s potential future fleet of Russian jets.
Feb 13, 2023
◆
  • Farzin Nadimi
Burns Visit Libya
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Takeaways from William Burns’ Surprise Visit to Libya
Burns met with both Dbeibeh and Haftar, likely to discuss key U.S. concerns such as the Lockerbie case, energy security, and terrorism.
Feb 13, 2023
◆
  • Mohamed Eljarh
Brief Analysis
Bahrain Reveals Visit by Israel’s Top General
The meeting highlights the continuing U.S.-led focus on the Iranian threat and the underlying strength of the Abraham Accords.
Feb 10, 2023
◆
  • Simon Henderson
JT
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Iraq’s "Muqawama Government" Drives Out Prominent LGBTQ Advocate
Officials appear to be cracking down on freedom of speech and alternative lifestyles opposed by the self-styled militia "resistance."
Feb 10, 2023
◆
  • Hamdi Malik
  • Amir al-Kaabi
  • Michael Knights
  • Crispin Smith
◆ Militia Spotlight
U.S. President George W. Bush and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf - source: U.S. government
Articles & Testimony
Musharraf’s Life Story Tracked Pakistan’s Struggle with the U.S.
The late leader’s funeral also shed light on the status of military-civil relations in Islamabad, where governments come and go but the military remains the most powerful party.
Feb 8, 2023
◆
  • Simon Henderson
President Biden delivers the 2022 State of the Union address in Washington - source: U.S. government
Brief Analysis
The State of the Union and the Middle East
A compendium of what the past three U.S. presidents have said—and not said—about the region in their annual speeches before Congress.
Feb 8, 2023
◆
  • Eric Feely
Tehran protests
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
The Fractured Opposition to the Islamic Regime
The Iranian opposition has aligned itself well with the recent protest movement, but evidence of its ability to play an organizational or leadership role in future protests remains limited.
Feb 7, 2023
◆
  • Ata Hoodashtian
US and Israeli military planes participate in the 2023 Juniper Oak joint exercise over Ashdod, Israel - source: IDF
Brief Analysis
The Juniper Oak Military Exercise: Implications for Innovation, Experimentation, and U.S. Policy Toward Iran
Last week’s large, combined exercise was intended to assure friends and deter adversaries, but both goals will ultimately depend on fixing a flawed policy toward Iran.
Feb 1, 2023
◆
  • Michael Eisenstadt
Iraqi prime minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani in 2022 - source: Wikimedia Commons
Brief Analysis
Sudani’s Wobbly Balancing Act Between Tehran and Washington
Although it is still too early to write the prime minister off as an Iranian lackey, he is on a familiar trajectory for Iraqi governments: doing the minimum necessary to prevent deterioration with Washington while satisfying the voracious demands of his Iran-backed partners.
Jan 27, 2023
◆
  • David Schenker
Akram Kaabi meets Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Bogdanov in Moscow in December 2022
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Akram Kaabi’s Visit to Moscow and Its Aftermath
Russia now feels emboldened to openly host Iraqi "resistance" leaders with no government role—including designated terrorists—to discuss their shared interest in confronting the West and working together in Syria and Iraq.
Jan 27, 2023
◆
  • Erik Yavorsky
◆ Militia Spotlight
Turkish president Erdogan at NATO headquarters in Brussels
Articles & Testimony
When Will Turkey Ratify Sweden and Finland’s NATO Accession?
The key to an “F-16s for NATO expansion” agreement lies in the sequencing, with President Biden facing congressional opposition and President Erdogan dealing with economic and election challenges.
Jan 25, 2023
◆
  • Soner Cagaptay
Articles & Testimony
The UNIFIL Follies Turn Deadly on the Israel-Lebanon Border
The recent murder of an Irish peacekeeper has once again exposed the international mission as a costly failure—one that should be drastically curtailed come renewal time this summer.
Jan 24, 2023
◆
  • David Schenker

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Supported by the

Military and Security Studies Program

The Washington Institute's Military and Security Studies Program has established itself as an unrivaled source of reliable, incisive, and forward-looking analysis concerning several of the most critical national-security challenges facing the United States today: The U.S. military role in the Middle East, Iran's nuclear program and its proxy armies, the ongoing conflict is in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, the regional proliferation of missiles and weapons of mass destruction, the security dimensions of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and many other security issues on the frontline of the U.S. policymaking agenda.

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Featured experts

Michael Eisenstadt
Michael Eisenstadt
Michael Eisenstadt is the Kahn Senior Fellow and director of The Washington Institute's Military and Security Studies Program.
Michael Knights
Michael Knights
Michael Knights is the Jill and Jay Bernstein Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute and cofounder of the Militia Spotlight platform, which offers in-depth analysis of developments related to Iran-backed militias.
Grant Rumley
Grant Rumley
Grant Rumley is the Meisel-Goldberger Senior Fellow and Director of the Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Program on Great Power Competition and the Middle East at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
Elizabeth Dent - source: The Washington Institute
Elizabeth Dent
Elizabeth Dent is a Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, where she focuses on U.S. foreign and defense policy toward the Gulf states, Iraq, and Syria.
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