Washington Institute for Near East Policy

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The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Insight and Analysis on U.S. Middle East Policy
Formation 1985
Headquarters Washington, D.C.
Website www.washingtoninstitute.org

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP) is a Washington, DC-based think tank which concerns itself with U.S.-Middle East policy. It was founded in 1985 by Martin Indyk, a research director for AIPAC who would later be appointed U.S. Ambassador to Israel.

According to its mission statement, it was "established to advance a balanced and realistic understanding of American interests in the Middle East. Under the guidance of a distinguished and bipartisan Board of Advisors, the Institute seeks to bring scholarship to bear on the making of U.S. policy in this vital region of the world. Drawing on the research of its scholars and the experience of policy practitioners, the Institute promotes an American engagement in the Middle East committed to strengthening alliances, nurturing friendships, and promoting security, peace, prosperity, and democracy for the people of the region."

Its activities include annual conferences, a Presidential Study Group composed of a "bipartisan blue-ribbon commission charged with drafting a blueprint for the next administration's Middle East policy," closed-door policy forums, and various publications and research programs.[1]

WINEP is regarded by some as having a pro-Israel tilt,[2][3] and "funded by individuals deeply committed to advancing Israel's agenda".[4] It is described by the US foreign policy scholars John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt as ‘part of the core’ of the Israel lobby.[5]

Discussing WINEP's establishment, Mearsheimer and Walt in The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy state:

“ Recognising the need for a prominent but seemingly “objective” voice in the policy area surrounding Israel, former AIPAC president Larry Weinberg; his wife, Barbi Weinberg; AIPAC’s vice president; and AIPAC deputy director of research Martin Indyk founded the Washington Institute for Near East Policy in 1985. Although WINEP plays down its links to Israel and claims that it provides a “balanced and realistic” perspective on Middle East issues, this is not the case. In fact, WINEP is funded and run by individuals who are deeply committed to advancing Israel’s agenda. Its board of advisors includes prominent pro-Israel figures such as Edward Luttwak, Martin Peretz, Richard Perle, James Woolsey and Mortimer Zuckerman, but includes no one who might be thought of as favouring the perspective of any other country or group in the “Near East”. Many of its personnel are genuine scholars or experienced former officials, but they are hardly neutral observers on most Middle East issues and there is little diversity of views within WINEP’s ranks[6]. ”

Others have stated that WINEP has "bipartisan credentials" and its "Mission" page features prominent quotes from both Al Gore and neoconservative columnist Charles Krauthammer. However some have described the Institute as "serving as an important venue for policies advocated by leading Bush administration hawks and their supporters outside government." [7]

Since January 1993,[8] it is led by Executive Director Robert Satloff. Several current and former members of WINEP have served in senior positions in the administrations of Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

Members of its Board of Advisors include Warren Christopher, Lawrence S. Eagleburger, Alexander Haig, Max Kampelman, Samuel W. Lewis, Edward Luttwak, Michael Mandelbaum, Robert McFarlane, Martin Peretz, Richard Perle, James Roche, Cheryl Halpern, George P. Shultz, R. James Woolsey, and Mortimer Zuckerman.[9] Scholars include Soner Cagaptay, Andrew Exum, Mehdi Khalaji, Mohammad Yaghi, and many others, as well as two former IDF officers, Chuck Freilich and Ze'ev Schiff.

Contents

[edit] Notable Current and Former Scholars

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Washington Institute for Near East Policy
  2. ^ Le Monde opinion piece by Joel Beinin
  3. ^ Obama's Conservative Mideast Pick, Massimo Calabresi, Time, 16 July 2008
  4. ^ Washington Institute for Near East Policy
  5. ^ The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy, John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M Walt, Allen Lane (UK Edition), p113
  6. ^ The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy, John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M Walt, Allen Lane (UK Edition), p175-6
  7. ^ Washington Institute for Near East Policy
  8. ^ Robert Satloff, Executive Director (WINEP)
  9. ^ WINEP: About Us Paul Wolfowitz resigned from the board in 2001 upon entering government service, but his name remains on the Institute's website

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Institute_for_Near_East_Policy"
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