Research

Crisis Unfolds in Iraq-The Weekly Standard

We interrupt President Obama’s celebration of keeping a campaign promise to bring you news from Iraq, where a political crisis has been unfolding since just hours after Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta departed on Thursday.

Paraag Shukla

Paraag Shukla is a Senior Research Analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, where he focuses on national governance in Afghanistan.

ISW in Brief: Hamas to Abandon Syria, Iran

Senior Hamas officials’ repeated leaks show that the organization is prepared to evacuate Syria, despite public denials and party-line assurances that close relations with Syria’s embattled Assad regime continue.

Battlefield Update: Task Force Dreadnaught in Maiwand District, Kandahar

This report provides an update on ISAF operations in Maiwand district of Kandahar Province, primarily during the latter half of 2011.

Iranian Navy Joint Exercises

"Iran’s public statements reflect a desire to partner with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) neighbors in the maritime domain, arguing that Iran is a more credible partner than Western nations, which it believes are responsible for the instability in the region. Iranian officials have conducted an extensive outreach campaign to make this case to those countries that may be amenable to Iran’s influence."

Research Policy

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) is a 501(c)(3) organization and produces strictly non-partisan, non-ideological, fact-based research. ISW seeks to promote an informed understanding of war and military affairs through comprehensive, independent, and accessible open-source research and analysis. ISW’s research is made available to the general public, military practitioners, policy makers, and members of the media.

ISW’s research methodology relies on both primary and secondary sources, enabling researchers to develop a comprehensive understanding of the situation on the ground. In order to analyze military and political developments in any given area, ISW’s research analysts must wholly understand the systems of enemy and friendly forces. They must also understand the population demographics, physical terrain, politics, and history of that area. This lays the analytical foundation for understanding the reasons for particular developments and fulfilling their assigned research objectives. ISW analysts also spend time in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere in order to gain a better understanding of the security and political situation and to evaluate the implementation of current strategies and policies. Our researchers compile data and analyze trends, producing a granular analysis of developments in areas of research, producing an accurate, high-resolution, timely, and thorough picture of the situation. ISW’s research methodology guarantees its success and commitment to improve the nation’s ability to execute military operations, achieve strategic objectives, and respond to emerging problems that may require the use of American military power.