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Foundation for Defense of Democracies: Difference between revisions
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This is part of American politicians' comments regarding this foundation. | This is part of American politicians' comments regarding this foundation. | ||
The | ==Mission Statement== | ||
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) is a Washington, DC-based nonpartisan 501(c)(3) research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy. Its mission is to conduct in-depth research, produce accurate analyses, identify illicit activities, and provide policy options aimed at strengthening U.S. national security and countering threats posed by adversaries to the United States and other free nations<ref>Devex. (n.d.). The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). Retrieved April 14, 2025.</ref> <ref>DD Official Website. (n.d.). About FDD. Retrieved April 14, 2025.</ref>. | |||
==Objectives and Vision== | |||
FDD aims to: | |||
* Promote pluralism and democratic values. | |||
* Fight ideologies driving terrorism. | |||
* Provide actionable research to policymakers and media outlets. | |||
* Enhance understanding of global threats such as cyber warfare, sanctions, and illicit finance<ref>FDD Official Website. (n.d.). About FDD. Retrieved April 14, 2025.</ref>. | |||
==Center for Cyber Innovation and Technology== | Its vision includes defending democracy globally while ensuring U.S. national security through strategic policy recommendations. | ||
==Website and Contact Information== | |||
* Website: www.fdd.org | |||
* Headquarters: 1800 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 | |||
* Contact Email: info@fdd.org<ref>Benevity Causes. (n.d.). Foundation for the Defense of Democracies Inc. Retrieved April 14, 2025.</ref>. | |||
==Prominent Research Figures== | |||
* Clifford May: President of FDD. | |||
* Mark Dubowitz: CEO of FDD, known for his expertise in sanctions and Iran policy. | |||
* Senior fellows include Bill Roggio and Thomas Joscelyn, who lead the Long War Journal project. | |||
==The foundation's Centers== | |||
The foundation's research activities are conducted across four centers and eight programs or projects.The centers include: | |||
===Center for Cyber Innovation and Technology=== | |||
The Center for Cyber Innovation and Technology (CCTI)<ref>FDD’s cyber-enabled economic warfare project.</ref> at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies aims to enhance U.S. security through technological innovation in the face of cyber threats and to mitigate them. This center promotes a better understanding among government and private sector stakeholders, as well as U.S. allies, regarding the threats and opportunities related to national security created by a rapidly expanding technological environment. | The Center for Cyber Innovation and Technology (CCTI)<ref>FDD’s cyber-enabled economic warfare project.</ref> at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies aims to enhance U.S. security through technological innovation in the face of cyber threats and to mitigate them. This center promotes a better understanding among government and private sector stakeholders, as well as U.S. allies, regarding the threats and opportunities related to national security created by a rapidly expanding technological environment. | ||
This project provides a series of studies on the strategies and cyber capabilities of Russia, China, North Korea, and [[Iran]], followed by an analysis of America’s most powerful cyber enemies and policy recommendations for defending U.S. national security. The project aims to foster a broader understanding among policymakers, private sector advocates, and friendly nations about the threats and opportunities presented by new technological tools, helping policymakers to advance strategies for U.S. gain in this area. | This project provides a series of studies on the strategies and cyber capabilities of Russia, China, North Korea, and [[Iran]], followed by an analysis of America’s most powerful cyber enemies and policy recommendations for defending U.S. national security. The project aims to foster a broader understanding among policymakers, private sector advocates, and friendly nations about the threats and opportunities presented by new technological tools, helping policymakers to advance strategies for U.S. gain in this area. | ||
==Center for Economic and Financial Power== | ===Center for Economic and Financial Power=== | ||
This center focuses its research on national economic security, concentrating on how the U.S. can improve its economic and financial power to achieve its national security objectives. Experts at this center track and analyze changes in the global economy and how allies and rivals coordinate with these changes. The Economic and Financial Power Center also seeks to provide a broader understanding of how the U.S. government can leverage economic and financial power to effectively combat its enemies. | This center focuses its research on national economic security, concentrating on how the U.S. can improve its economic and financial power to achieve its national security objectives. Experts at this center track and analyze changes in the global economy and how allies and rivals coordinate with these changes. The Economic and Financial Power Center also seeks to provide a broader understanding of how the U.S. government can leverage economic and financial power to effectively combat its enemies. | ||
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CMPP concentrates on the military and political elements of these threats and challenges, as well as the strategies, policies, budgets, capacities, capabilities, and readiness levels required by the Department of Defense to overcome them. The threats include those posed by China, Russia, [[Iran]], and North Korea. CMPP also pays special attention to political and military affairs, U.S. allies, ballistic missile defense, conventional force modernization, freedom of navigation, hybrid warfare, national security innovation base, nuclear modernization, and the military posture of the United States. | CMPP concentrates on the military and political elements of these threats and challenges, as well as the strategies, policies, budgets, capacities, capabilities, and readiness levels required by the Department of Defense to overcome them. The threats include those posed by China, Russia, [[Iran]], and North Korea. CMPP also pays special attention to political and military affairs, U.S. allies, ballistic missile defense, conventional force modernization, freedom of navigation, hybrid warfare, national security innovation base, nuclear modernization, and the military posture of the United States. | ||
==Barish Center for Media Integrity== | ===Barish Center for Media Integrity=== | ||
This center addresses national security threats arising from disinformation campaigns and infiltration operations conducted by foreign adversaries against the United States and its allies. A significant part of the center's activities includes a one-year media grant for well-established journalists, social media content creators, and strategic communications professionals. This grant provides educational planning opportunities and professional development to help media professionals gain a deeper understanding of the intersection between media, strategic communications, public diplomacy, disinformation, and U.S. national security. After completing the program, media fellows join FDD's national security alumni network, consisting of over 500 professionals. | This center addresses national security threats arising from disinformation campaigns and infiltration operations conducted by foreign adversaries against the United States and its allies. A significant part of the center's activities includes a one-year media grant for well-established journalists, social media content creators, and strategic communications professionals. This grant provides educational planning opportunities and professional development to help media professionals gain a deeper understanding of the intersection between media, strategic communications, public diplomacy, disinformation, and U.S. national security. After completing the program, media fellows join FDD's national security alumni network, consisting of over 500 professionals. | ||
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# [[Turkey]] Program. | # [[Turkey]] Program. | ||
== | ==Publishing/Significant Reports== | ||
FDD publishes a wide range of materials including: | |||
* Policy briefs, op-eds, congressional testimonies, and books. | |||
* Long War Journal: Covers U.S. military operations and terrorist activities globally. | |||
* Reports on topics such as cyber-enabled economic warfare, sanctions enforcement, Iranian threats, and U.S. strike data visualization<ref>Secure Sustain Abstracts. (n.d.). Foundation for Defense of Democracies - Security & Sustainability. Retrieved April 14, 2025.</ref> <ref>Wikipedia Contributors. (2025). Foundation for Defense of Democracies - Wikipedia. Retrieved March 31, 2025.</ref>. | |||
==Impacts and Partnerships== | |||
FDD has influenced U.S. foreign policy by advising administrations from Bush to Biden. It collaborates with policymakers on bipartisan grounds and engages with advisors from government, media, and business sectors. Notable projects include: | |||
* Center on Sanctions and Illicit Finance: Focuses on economic warfare strategies. | |||
* Cyber Innovation Lab: Develops solutions for cybersecurity challenges. | |||
* Iran Program: Provides detailed research on Iran's threats to U.S. interests<ref>Devex. (n.d.). The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). Retrieved April 14, 2025.</ref> <ref>Secure Sustain Abstracts. (n.d.). Foundation for Defense of Democracies - Security & Sustainability. Retrieved April 14, 2025.</ref>. | |||
==Critique on Its Work or Hidden Objectives== | |||
From time to time, FDD has been strongly criticized by prominent figures and organizations for its research approach. For example: | From time to time, FDD has been strongly criticized by prominent figures and organizations for its research approach. For example: | ||
* In 2018, retired US Army Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, known for his criticism of Israel and facing accusations of antisemitism, called FDD out for "pushing falsehoods" to justify wars.<ref>Wilkerson, Lawrence (February 5, 2018), "I Helped Sell the False Choice of War Once. It's Happening Again", The New York Times, archived from the original on February 5, 2018, retrieved October 20, 2024</ref> | * In 2018, retired US Army Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, known for his criticism of Israel and facing accusations of antisemitism, called FDD out for "pushing falsehoods" to justify wars.<ref>Wilkerson, Lawrence (February 5, 2018), "I Helped Sell the False Choice of War Once. It's Happening Again", The New York Times, archived from the original on February 5, 2018, retrieved October 20, 2024</ref> | ||
* In 2019, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs designated the Foundation for Defense of Democracies as a terrorist organization.<ref>"Foreign Ministry Blacklists 'Foundation for Defence of Democracies'". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Iran). Retrieved October 20, 2024.</ref> | * In 2019, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs designated the [[Foundation for Defense of Democracies]] as a terrorist organization.<ref>"Foreign Ministry Blacklists '[[Foundation for Defence of Democracies]]'". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Iran). Retrieved October 20, 2024.</ref> | ||
* Farid Hafez, a researcher at Universität Salzburg, claimed that FDD was a leading group promoting Islamophobia in a transatlantic network that year.<ref>Hafez, Farid (2019), "Muslim Civil Society Under Attack: The European Foundation for Democracy's Role in Defaming and Delegitimizing Muslim Civil Society", in Esposito, John L.; Iner, Derya (eds.), Islamophobia and Radicalization: Breeding Intolerance and Violence, Springer, pp. 119–120, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-95237-6_7, ISBN 978-3-319-95237-6, S2CID 158797596</ref> | * Farid Hafez, a researcher at Universität Salzburg, claimed that FDD was a leading group promoting [[Islamophobia]] in a transatlantic network that year.<ref>Hafez, Farid (2019), "Muslim Civil Society Under Attack: The European Foundation for Democracy's Role in Defaming and Delegitimizing Muslim Civil Society", in Esposito, John L.; Iner, Derya (eds.), Islamophobia and Radicalization: Breeding Intolerance and Violence, Springer, pp. 119–120, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-95237-6_7, ISBN 978-3-319-95237-6, S2CID 158797596</ref> | ||
* The International Relations Center has published a report on FDD on its "Right Web" site, which is part of the Institute for Policy Studies. The report notes that while FDD is a strong opponent of terrorism, it has not condemned Israeli actions against Palestinians that could be seen as similar. | * The International Relations Center has published a report on FDD on its "Right Web" site, which is part of the Institute for Policy Studies. The report notes that while FDD is a strong opponent of terrorism, it has not condemned Israeli actions against [[Palestinians]] that could be seen as similar. | ||
* In 2023, FDD, along with other US-based think tanks, was alleged to be coordinating a pressure campaign against the UAE's regional rivals, including Iran, Qatar, and Turkey.<ref>"US Institutes Achieve Abu Dhabi Motives". La Weekly. December 4, 2023. Retrieved October 20, 2024.</ref> | * In 2023, FDD, along with other US-based think tanks, was alleged to be coordinating a pressure campaign against the UAE's regional rivals, including [[Iran]], [[Qatar]], and [[Turkey]].<ref>"US Institutes Achieve Abu Dhabi Motives". La Weekly. December 4, 2023. Retrieved October 20, 2024.</ref> | ||
* Christopher A. Bail, a sociology, public policy, and data science professor at Duke University, characterizes FDD as an "anti-Muslim fringe organization" that has attempted to portray itself as a credible authority on Islam and terrorism through the strategic use of "ethnic experts"—pundits of Middle Eastern descent who are not Muslim but whose views contradict the mainstream perspectives of the Muslim community in the United States while appearing to resemble and speak like Muslims.<ref> Bail, Christopher (2015), Terrified: How Anti-Muslim Fringe Organizations Became Mainstream, Princeton University Press, pp. 70–71, ISBN 978-0-691-15942-3</ref> | * Christopher A. Bail, a sociology, public policy, and data science professor at Duke University, characterizes FDD as an "anti-[[Muslim]] fringe organization" that has attempted to portray itself as a credible authority on Islam and terrorism through the strategic use of "ethnic experts"—pundits of Middle Eastern descent who are not Muslim but whose views contradict the mainstream perspectives of the Muslim community in the United States while appearing to resemble and speak like Muslims.<ref> Bail, Christopher (2015), Terrified: How Anti-Muslim Fringe Organizations Became Mainstream, Princeton University Press, pp. 70–71, ISBN 978-0-691-15942-3</ref> | ||
* Similarly, Sarah Marusek, a research fellow at the University of Johannesburg, argues that FDD plays a significant role in promoting Islamophobia within a "transatlantic network." Farid Hafez supports this assertion.<ref>Hafez, Farid (2019), "Muslim Civil Society Under Attack: The European Foundation for Democracy's Role in Defaming and Delegitimizing Muslim Civil Society", in Esposito, John L.; Iner, Derya (eds.), Islamophobia and Radicalization: Breeding Intolerance and Violence, Springer, pp. 119–120, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-95237-6_7, ISBN 978-3-319-95237-6, S2CID 158797596</ref> | * Similarly, Sarah Marusek, a research fellow at the University of Johannesburg, argues that FDD plays a significant role in promoting Islamophobia within a "transatlantic network." Farid Hafez supports this assertion.<ref>Hafez, Farid (2019), "Muslim Civil Society Under Attack: The European Foundation for Democracy's Role in Defaming and Delegitimizing Muslim Civil Society", in Esposito, John L.; Iner, Derya (eds.), Islamophobia and Radicalization: Breeding Intolerance and Violence, Springer, pp. 119–120, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-95237-6_7, ISBN 978-3-319-95237-6, S2CID 158797596</ref> | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||