Institute for the Study of War

Institute for the Study of War
Name	Institute for the Study of War
Established	2007
Type	Nonprofit think tank
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Leader title	President
Leader name	Kimberly Kagan

Institute for the Study of War

The Institute for the Study of War is a Washington, D.C.–based think tank that produces research and analysis on contemporary conflicts, strategic competition, and regional security issues. Its work has engaged with policymakers in the United States, NATO, the United Nations, and partner countries such as Ukraine, Iraq, and Syria through briefings, reports, and maps. The institute's research has been cited alongside analyses from institutions such as the Brookings Institution, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the RAND Corporation.

History

The organization was founded in 2007 during debates involving the Iraq War, the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), and legislative discussions in the United States Congress about force posture and counterinsurgency, emerging in the same era as think tanks like the Center for a New American Security and the American Enterprise Institute. Early activities intersected with events including the Surge in Iraq (2007), the Anbar Awakening, and strategic dialogues connected to the Transatlantic Alliance. Its development occurred against the backdrop of the 2008 financial crisis, shifts in U.S. foreign policy under administrations such as the George W. Bush administration and the Barack Obama administration, and rising attention to actors like Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and Hezbollah.

Mission and Research Focus

The institute states priorities that include analysis of active campaigns such as the Russo-Ukrainian War, counterinsurgency challenges in Iraq, stabilization prospects in Syria, and competition involving the People's Republic of China. Research topics have addressed state and non-state actors including Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Turkey, Israel, Hamas, Taliban, and transnational networks linked to ISIS. The organization produces operational-level maps, order-of-battle analyses, and assessments of security assistance programs tied to initiatives like Lend-Lease analogs, bilateral aid by the United States Department of Defense, and multilateral coordination through NATO and the European Union.

Organizational Structure and Leadership

The institute is led by a president and supported by senior fellows, research analysts, and visiting scholars drawn from backgrounds including the United States Army, the United States Marine Corps, academic institutions such as Georgetown University, Harvard University, and King's College London, and policy networks connected to the Pentagon and Department of State. Leadership has engaged with officials from administrations including the Donald Trump administration and the Joe Biden administration in testimony before bodies such as the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Collaborations and secondments have involved military commands like United States Central Command, multinational staffs such as NATO Allied Command Operations, and reconstruction efforts comparable to the Coalition Provisional Authority.

Major Publications and Programs

Major outputs include daily battlefield updates, interactive maps, long-form reports, and policy memos informing debates about operations like the Battle of Mosul (2016–2017), the Siege of Aleppo (2012–2016), and campaign dynamics in the Donbas campaign. The institute publishes programmatic work on topics such as counterterrorism strategies developed in response to ISIS territorial collapse, force posture studies linked to the Pivot to Asia, and wargaming exercises that simulate scenarios involving People's Liberation Army modernization, Russian Armed Forces doctrine, and hybrid campaigns reminiscent of the Crimea annexation of 2014. Its publications have been cited alongside analyses in journals and outlets focused on security studies, including pieces referencing scholars from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Funding and Partnerships

The organization's funding has come from a combination of private foundations, corporate donors, and philanthropic individuals who support research on conflict and security; partners and funders have included foundations involved with international affairs, university research centers, and defense-oriented grantmakers. Operational partnerships and exchanges have linked the institute to entities such as NATO, the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence, national research councils, and civil society organizations working in stabilization and reconstruction, similar to collaborations seen between other think tanks and agencies like the United States Agency for International Development.

Criticism and Controversies

Critics have raised questions about the institute's funding transparency, perceived policy advocacy, and the background of some analysts with former military or government service, prompting comparisons to debates involving organizations like the Heritage Foundation, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and the Atlantic Council. Controversies have centered on alleged policy influence during deliberations over aid to Ukraine, assessments of operations in Iraq and Syria, and the role of private think tanks in shaping congressional and executive decision-making, echoing broader discussions about think tank independence in forums such as the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and media outlets like The Washington Post and The New York Times.

Category:Think tanks based in the United States