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Undid revision 544145265 by UseTheCommandLine (talk) I have started a discussion on the talk page. The use of Neoconservative is best used in the criticism section.
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"Neoconservative" is not at all a pejorative term, and the material is well-sourced. Please follow WP:V & WP:RS. Thank you.
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|website = [http://www.defenddemocracy.org/ www.defenddemocracy.org/]
|website = [http://www.defenddemocracy.org/ www.defenddemocracy.org/]
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The '''Foundation for Defense of Democracies''' (FDD) is a nonpartisan<ref name=LATIMES>{{cite news|last=Richter|first=Paul|title=Chinese bank pulls out of Pakistan-Iran pipeline project|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2012/mar/14/world/la-fg-pakistan-china-pipeline-20120315|accessdate=14 March 2013|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=March 14, 2012}}</ref><ref name=NPR>{{cite news|last=NPR Staff|title=Better To Elect Islamists Than Have Dictators?|url=http://www.npr.org/2012/10/07/162457484/better-to-elect-islamists-than-have-dictators|accessdate=14 March 2013|newspaper=NPR|date=October 10, 2012}}</ref><ref name=Forward>{{cite news|last=Guttman|first=Nathan|title=Laying Groundwork for Life After Syria's Assad|url=http://forward.com/articles/168511/laying-groundwork-for-life-after-syrias-assad/?p=all#ixzz2GnfpD7EB|accessdate=14 March 2013|newspaper=Forward|date=January 1, 2013}}</ref><ref name=C-SPAN>{{cite web|title=Foreign Policy Experts Examine Democracies in the Mideast|url=http://www.c-span.org/Events/Foreign-Policy-Experts-Examine-Democracies-in-the-Mideast/10737436364/|publisher=C-SPAN|accessdate=14 March 2013}}</ref><ref name=AP>{{cite news|last=Flaccus|first=Gillian|title=2 of 4 terror suspects were new Islamic converts|url=http://www.nwherald.com/2012/11/22/2-of-4-terror-suspects-were-new-islamic-converts/awq89hd/|accessdate=14 March 2013|newspaper=The Associated Press|date=November 22, 2012}}</ref> [[think tank]] based in [[Washington, D.C.]], focusing on national security and foreign policy. The organization provides research, [[investigative journalism]], and public education to expand and improve public discussion on important issues in foreign policy. FDD holds events throughout the year, including its annual Washington Forum, briefings on Capitol Hill, expert roundtables for public officials, diplomats, and military officers, book releases, and panel discussions and debates within the policy community.
The '''Foundation for Defense of Democracies''' (FDD) is a [[neoconservative]]<ref>{{cite news|last=Foster|first=Peter|title=Obama's new head boy|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-politics/9891755/Obamas-new-head-boy.html|accessdate=12 March 2013|newspaper=The Telegraph (UK)|date=February 24, 2013}}</ref><ref name="amconserv">{{cite web|url=http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/most-favored-democracy/|title=Most Favored Democracy|publisher=The American Conservative|accessdate=2013-03-12}}</ref><ref name="dailybeastreturn">{{cite web|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/01/21/the-return-of-the-neocons.html|title=The Return of the Neocons|publisher=The Daily Beast|accessdate=2013-03-12}}</ref><ref name=csmonitor>{{cite news|last=Jonsson|first=Patrik|title=Shooting of two soldiers in Little Rock puts focus on 'lone wolf' Islamic extremists|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2009/0611/p02s01-usju.html|accessdate=13 March 2013|newspaper=Christian Science Monitor|date=June 11, 2009}}</ref> [[think tank]] based in [[Washington, D.C.]], focusing on national security and foreign policy. The organization provides research, [[investigative journalism]], and public education to expand and improve public discussion on important issues in foreign policy. FDD holds events throughout the year, including its annual Washington Forum, briefings on Capitol Hill, expert roundtables for public officials, diplomats, and military officers, book releases, and panel discussions and debates within the policy community.


==Research==
==Research==

Revision as of 19:10, 15 March 2013

Foundation for Defense of Democracies
AbbreviationFDD
Formation2001
TypePublic Policy Think Tank
Location
President
Clifford May
Websitewww.defenddemocracy.org/

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) is a neoconservative[1][2][3][4] think tank based in Washington, D.C., focusing on national security and foreign policy. The organization provides research, investigative journalism, and public education to expand and improve public discussion on important issues in foreign policy. FDD holds events throughout the year, including its annual Washington Forum, briefings on Capitol Hill, expert roundtables for public officials, diplomats, and military officers, book releases, and panel discussions and debates within the policy community.

Research

Iran

Led by its executive director, Mark Dubowitz, FDD's Iran research is targeted to educate "the public and political elites in both the United States and abroad about the deadly activities of Iran and its Syrian and Hezbollah proxies." FDD says it does this through attacking Iran's "most vulnerable points: its worldwide media operations, its standing in the United States and Europe, its finances, and its efforts to support terrorist activities abroad."[5] Specifically, FDD concerns itself with the Iran’s nuclear ambitions, through its Iran Energy Project[6] and Iran's human rights abuses through its Iran Human Rights Project.[7]

In 2008, FDD founded the Iran Energy Project which "conducts extensive research on ways to deny the Iranian regime the profits of its energy sector.".[8] The Wall Street Journal credited FDD with bring "the idea of gasoline sanctions to political attention.".[9] FDD's bi-partisan approach to advocating sanctions legislation has earned praise from Congressmen in both parties. Congressman Howard Berman (D-CA) thanked the organizing saying "FDD has been one the most committed and creative voices in Washington regarding the Iran nuclear issue and specifically Iran sanctions."[10] FDD's efforts to target the Iranian regime's finances has gone beyond energy sanctions. The organization pushed for sanctions against the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its use of Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication to perform transactions. According to The Wall Street Journal, FDD "has done most of the spadework on the issue."[11]

The Long War Journal

The Long War Journal is a FDD project dedicated to reporting the Global War on Terror launched by the United States and its allies following the attacks of September 11, 2001. Under the direction of FDD senior fellows Bill Roggio and Thomas Joscelyn covers stories in countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, and Iraq and follows the actions of al Qaeda and its affiliates.[12] According to the Columbia Journalism Review, "Roggio's greatest service, then, may be the way he picks up where the mainstream press leaves off, giving readers a simultaneously more specific and holistic understanding of the battlefield."[13]

Syria

For years, Syria has been a focus of FDD's research because of its alignment with Iran and support for terror groups such as Hezbollah.[14] In 2012, as the Arab Spring spread to Syria, FDD launched "The Syria Project" to support dissident efforts in removing the Assad regime.[15] In that effort, FDD facilitated a Skype call between dissidents and U.S. journalists in 2012[16] and produced multiple studies and memos urging US officials to act.[17]

Criticism

The International Relations Center features a report on the foundation on its "Right Web" website, a program of the left-wing[18][19][20][21][22] think tank Institute for Policy Studies[23] which, according to its mission statement, seeks to "check the militaristic drift of the country". The report states that "although the FDD is an ardent critic of terrorism, it has not criticized actions taken by Israel against Palestinians that arguably fall into this category".[24] It terms the FDD a "prominent member of the web of neoconservative-aligned think tanks", including the American Enterprise Institute, the Hudson Institute and Freedom House.[25] Jim Lobe, writing in the Asia Times, referred to the FDD as a group "whose views largely mirror those of Israel's ruling Likud Party", and said that the FDD's board of advisors includes "prominent neo-cons and Iraq War boosters".[26] The American Conservative published an article accusing it of being funded mainly by a small number of pro-Israel hawks, as well as being engaged in spin.[27]

Publications and studies

  • "The Tactical and Strategic Use of Small Arms by Terrorists", Daveed Gartenstein and Daniel Trombly, October 2012.
  • "Terror in the Peaceable Kingdom: Understanding and Addressing Violent Extremism in Canada," Daveed Gartenstein-Ross and Senator Linda Frum, July 2012.
  • "Facebook Fatwa: Saudi Clerics, Wahhabi Islam and Social Media", Jonathan Schanzer and Steven Miller, May 2012.
  • The Pasdaran: Inside Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Emanuele Ottolenghi, 2011.
  • Palestinian Pulse: What Policymakers Can Learn From Palestinian Social Media, Jonathan Schanzer and Mark Dubowitz, 2010.
  • The Afghanistan-Pakistan Theater: Militant Islam, Security & Stability, Clifford D. May and Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, 2010.
  • From Energy Crisis to Energy Security, Clifford D. May and Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, 2008.

References

  1. ^ Foster, Peter (February 24, 2013). "Obama's new head boy". The Telegraph (UK). Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  2. ^ "Most Favored Democracy". The American Conservative. Retrieved 2013-03-12.
  3. ^ "The Return of the Neocons". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2013-03-12.
  4. ^ Jonsson, Patrik (June 11, 2009). "Shooting of two soldiers in Little Rock puts focus on 'lone wolf' Islamic extremists". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  5. ^ "Iran Research". Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  6. ^ "Iran Energy Project". Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  7. ^ "Iran Human Rights Project". Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  8. ^ "Iran - Energy". Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  9. ^ Editorial (3/25/2009). "Pain Iran Can Believe In". The Wall Street Journal. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ "Remarks by Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA)". Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  11. ^ Editorial (2/1/2012). "Swift Sanctions on Iran". The Wall Street Journal. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ "About". The Long War Journal. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  13. ^ Mcleary, Paul (March–April 2008). "Blogging the long war: Bill Roggio wants to be your source for conflict coverage". Columbia Journalism Review.
  14. ^ Badran, Tony. "A Syria in minor key". NOW Lebanon. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  15. ^ "The Syria Project". Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  16. ^ Zuka, Muhammad (2/12/2012). "A Syrian resistance leader's plea to the world". CNN. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  17. ^ "Porject Milestones". Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  18. ^ Blumenthal, Sidney (July 30, 1986). "Left-wing thinkers". Transnational Institute. Trasnational Institute. Retrieved 2010-11-04.
  19. ^ "Review: Discussion on The Current about minimum wages and executive compensation, January 29, 2007". CBC Radio Canada. June 14, 2007. Retrieved 2010-11-04. [dead link]
  20. ^ Vermaat, Emerson (January 12, 2009). "Obama's Preferred Future Spy Chief Leon Panetta Supported Communist-Linked Anti-CIA Think Tank". Family Security Matters. Retrieved 2010-11-04.
  21. ^ Soley, Lawrence (September/October 1998). "Heritage Clones in the Heartland". Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting. FAIR. Retrieved 2010-11-04. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ^ Ponte, Lowell (July Thursday, October 14, 2004). "The ABC's of Media Bias". FrontPageMagazine. FrontPageMagazine. Retrieved 2010-11-04. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help) [dead link]
  23. ^ "About Right Web". RightWeb.
  24. ^ USA. "Foundation for Defense of Democracies - Profile - Right Web - Institute for Policy Studies". Rightweb.irc-online.org. Retrieved 2011-08-21.
  25. ^ USA. "Foundation for Defense of Democracies - Right Web Profile - Institute for Policy Studies - Right Web". Rightweb.irc-online.org. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
  26. ^ Oct 9, 2004 (October 9, 2004). "Asia Times - Asia's most trusted news source for the Middle East". Atimes.com. Retrieved May 1, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  27. ^ "Most Favored Democracy". American Conservative. November 17, 2003. Retrieved May 1, 2010.