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Military & Security

Policy Analysis on Military & Security

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Photo of Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu standing alone in parliament.
Brief Analysis
After Gaza Operation, Netanyahu Seeks to Recover Ground
The Israeli prime minister appears to have avoided a wider military conflict and received a boost in opinion polls, but minefields await.
May 16, 2023
◆
  • David Makovsky
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Another Round of Negotiations with the Houthis: AQAP as Potential Spoiler in Yemen
If talks with the Houthis continue to ignore key Yemeni stakeholders, al-Qaeda is poised to absorb disillusioned tribal groups into its ranks.
May 16, 2023
◆
  • Mohamed Mokhtar Qandil
CMC March 16, 2023 draft regulation of digits; media content in Iraq
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Iraqi CMC Draft Regulation on Digital Content in Iraq
English translation of the March 16, 2023, draft regulation on digital content by the Iraqi Communications and Media Commission.
May 15, 2023
◆
  • Michael Knights
◆ Militia Spotlight: Profiles
CMC van
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Profile: Communications and Media Commission
After falling under the control of “resistance”-linked board members, this key Iraqi media institution began a widespread crackdown on freedom of expression.
May 15, 2023
◆
  • Hamdi Malik
  • Michael Knights
  • Crispin Smith
◆ Militia Spotlight: Profiles
Brief Analysis
Preserving U.S. Military Advantages in the Middle East
In areas such as basing, air superiority, high-tech weapons, and intelligence, America must act assertively to maintain its edge against competitors like Russia and China.
May 14, 2023
◆
  • Nathan P. Olsen
GCC
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Syria’s Normalization and the GCC: Adjusting to A New Modus Vivendi
Though GCC member states may disagree on Syria's normalization, the collective memory of past conflicts and the desire for regional stability will likely override internal divisions.
May 10, 2023
◆
  • Leonardo Jacopo Maria Mazzucco
Bafel Talabani
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Roots of the Rift between Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan's PUK
The tensions between Turkey and the PUK are not new, though recent actions by both sides have exacerbated the situation despite shared economic interests.
Apr 28, 2023
◆
  • Mehmet Alaca
Brief Analysis
Countering “ISIS at Large” in Syria
Examining CENTCOM’s mix of unilateral and partnered operations against senior ISIS officials in Syria provides useful insights into the group’s current capabilities and the focus of U.S. attention in the region.
Apr 27, 2023
◆
  • Devorah Margolin
Sabereen Wagner
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
The Militia-Russia Love Affair: April 2023 Update
Iraqi militia officials are still regularly praising Putin's invasion of Ukraine and even conferring honorary Shia Muslim status on Russian officials.
Apr 26, 2023
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  • Amir al-Kaabi
◆ Militia Spotlight
Quds Day speech
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Akram Kaabi Feted in Quds Day Communiques
In an ungrudging division of labor, senior militia figure Akram Kaabi is being built up by other factions as the main anti-U.S. "resistance" leader in Iraq.
Apr 26, 2023
◆
  • Hamdi Malik
  • Michael Knights
◆ Militia Spotlight
Basra Lynx crash May 6, 2006
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Ashab al-Kahf Threatens U.S. Helicopters
In its latest threats to U.S. aviation, the oldest militia facade group in Iraq made an interesting callback to a deadly 2006 shootdown of a British helicopter.
Apr 25, 2023
◆
  • Hamdi Malik
  • Michael Knights
◆ Militia Spotlight
Photo of a Shahed drone in an Iranian military parade near imagery of Supreme Leader Khamenei..
Video
Brief Analysis
Iran's Military Drone Program: Security Implications and Policy Responses
A former CENTCOM chief joins two arms experts to discuss the capabilities of Iran’s drones, the gaps in current efforts to curb their proliferation, and the pressing need for a regional air defense architecture that can counter them.
Apr 24, 2023
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  • Kenneth McKenzie Jr.
  • Damien Spleeters
  • Valerie Lincy
Iranian and Russian flags on a table
Articles & Testimony
What the Russia-Iran Arms Deals Mean for the Middle East
In the longer term, the increased flow of weapons will likely exacerbate tensions in the region, spur Arab states to enhance their own arsenals, and endanger any U.S. and partner forces that confront Tehran’s proxies.
Apr 19, 2023
◆
  • Grant Rumley
The guided missile submarine USS Florida - source: Department of Defense
Brief Analysis
U.S. Deploys Cruise Missile Submarine to Strengthen Deterrence Against Iran
Amid rising tensions with Tehran and its proxies, the United States is sending a message by openly deploying one of its few guided missile submarines to the region.
Apr 14, 2023
◆
  • Farzin Nadimi
Iranian military officers, including Major General Bagheri, tour an underground air base - source: Iranian government
Articles & Testimony
Iranian Military Developments and Trends
Iran’s future military activities will likely be marked by greater continuity than change, but Supreme Leader Khamenei’s succession could presage more risk-acceptant behavior and a reconsideration of its nuclear hedging strategy.
Apr 13, 2023
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  • Michael Eisenstadt
Turkey CHP
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Can the Turkish Opposition’s Refugee Policies Actually Improve Syrians’ Situations?
With elections approaching, the Turkish opposition may have an opportunity to rethink Syrian refugee policies.
Apr 10, 2023
◆
  • Joshua Levkowitz
Video
Brief Analysis
Twenty Years After Saddam: The Future of the U.S.-Iraq Relationship
A Conversation with David Petraeus
A former coalition commander joins Washington Institute experts to discuss the war’s legacy, the country’s current challenges, and how U.S. policy should evolve in response.
Apr 10, 2023
◆
  • David Petraeus
  • Bilal Wahab
  • Michael Knights
  • Anna Borshchevskaya
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Surging Violence: Hamas Attempts to Reshape the West Bank’s Political Landscape
With an opportunity to subtly expand its influence in the West Bank, Hamas is less likely to risk an all-out war with Israel from Gaza as they did in 2021.
Apr 5, 2023
◆
  • Nasser Khdour
Brief Analysis
Iran-Israel Clashes in Syria Could Spill Into the Gulf
As in past incidents where IRGC officers were killed, U.S. naval forces should watch closely for any Iranian attempt to retaliate against Israel by attacking one of its commercial vessels in nearby waters.
Apr 4, 2023
◆
  • Farzin Nadimi
Qahaliboun drone
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Militias Try to Conceal Iraqi Role in Lethal Strike on American Base
Top "resistance" groups sought to avoid embarrassing the Sudani government, but at least one propaganda channel gave away Iraqi involvement.
Apr 3, 2023
◆
  • Hamdi Malik
  • Crispin Smith
◆ Militia Spotlight

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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 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 Fellow of The Washington Institute, specializing in the military and security affairs of Iraq, Iran, and the Persian Gulf states. He is a co-founder of the Militia Spotlight platform, which offers in-depth analysis of developments related to the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria.
Grant Rumley
Grant Rumley
Grant Rumley is the Goldberger Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, where he specializes in military and security affairs in the Middle East.
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