Areas of Expertise - Washington Institute For Defence & Security

10 Feb 22

Prison Break: What al-Sina’a means for the War against ISIS in Syria

On January 20th, the al-Sina’a prison camp in Hasakah, northeastern Syria, home to thousands of ISIS detainees, was rocked by explosions and gunfire. Immediately after, over 200 armed fighters began a large-scale assault on the camp while inmates staged a riot inside. Prisoners and attackers overwhelmed the guards and seized control of large portions of […]

22 Dec 21

What does President Putin want?

President Putin has made it clear that he wants immediate talks to secure clear legal agreements that Nato will not expand eastwards. He has further alleged that Russian-speaking people in Ukraine continue to face prejudices and are not safe. Moscow is looking to prevent Ukraine joining NATO or the EU, not in the near future, […]

10 Aug 21

By mid-September, the US military will be required to receive COVID-19 vaccination

In a memo to Pentagon staff on Monday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that all personnel of the US armed forces will be required to have the COVID-19 vaccine “by mid-September.” President Joe Biden said in a statement that he “strongly supports” the move, and that he and Austin “have an unwavering commitment to ensure […]

09 Aug 21

Ukraine’s navy is being rebuilt in order to combat Russian aggression

Russia took land and people when it annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. However, Russia captured 75 percent of Ukraine’s naval fleet, the majority of its helicopters, and the majority of the country’s ship repair capabilities in the process, with little attention. The Ukrainian Navy had to start from scratch after the Sevastopol Naval Base […]

07 Aug 21

UN: North Korea is developing nuclear missile programs in 2021

According to an excerpt of a classified United Nations report, North Korea continues to advance its nuclear and ballistic missile programs in defiance of international sanctions and despite the country’s worsening economic circumstances during the first half of 2021. A team of independent sanctions monitors submitted a report to the United Nations. Pyongyang “continued to […]

07 Aug 21

Five more terrorists have been added to the US State Department’s worldwide terrorist list.

The State Department said on Friday that five suspected Islamist militants have been added to its Specially Designated Global Terrorist list, requiring any ownership or interests in U.S. properties they possess to be blocked. Individuals or foreign financial institutions who engage in specific transactions with the five might face US penalties as a result of […]

06 Aug 21

Isolation of the Russian internet and its consequences for Russian cyber activity

President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin announced their commitment to future, lower-level cybersecurity discussions after their meeting in Geneva. Biden claimed he pushed Putin to crack down on cybercrime in Russia during a press conference conducted separately from Putin. Yet, just weeks later, over the July 4 weekend, a Russian criminal gang launched a […]

06 Aug 21

Baykar building a shipborne fleet of combat drones in Turkey.

Baykar, a Turkish drone manufacturer, has revealed fresh information about its newest drone, which is meant to take off from ships loaded with unmanned aircraft. The Bayraktar TB-3, which is still under development, will be a larger and more competent model in the same family as the TB-2, according to Selcuk Bayraktar, the company’s chief […]

06 Aug 21

China’s Sweeping Crackdown on Big Tech Is a Wake-Up Call for the U.S.

The tech giants have grown so powerful that they’ve become a threat to the market’s dynamism and the state’s sovereignty. The gig workers have grown so tired of receiving low wages and no benefits that they’re going on strike. Inequality has grown so vast it’s starting to threaten social stability. The ever-rising costs of health […]

06 Aug 21

Does the US Arms Sales Policy need revision?

The United States’ policy on arms sales is out of control. Since 2002, the United States has sold significant conventional weapons and accompanying military assistance to 167 nations for more than $197 billion. President Donald Trump signed a record number of arms agreements in his first year in office, potentially totaling hundreds of billions of […]