FDD Morning Brief

In the wake of Hamas’s October 7 terror attacks on Israel, Turkey’s material support for the terrorist organization has come under increased scrutiny by the United States and beyond. Under the rule of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ankara has offered safe harbor to Hamas leadership, allowing the terror organization to raise and transfer funds, recruit members, and coordinate regional activities. Additionally, emerging evidence indicates that Ankara either ignores or is complicit in militarily supplying the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists who continue to attack commercial and military shipping, including American military personnel. Further afield, Turkey’s role related to Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine is also being rightfully scrutinized. Since October 7, the U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned a number of entities based in Turkey with many others having been identified as ripe for designation.

FDD host a conversation with Gallia Lindenstrauss, senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies; Michael Rubin, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute; and Tugce Varol, adjunct professor at San Diego City College. The discussion is moderated by Sinan Ciddi, non-resident senior fellow at FDD, with introductory remarks by FDD senior vice president for research, Jonathan Schanzer.

For more information: https://www.fdd.org/events/2024/03/08/turkey-a-sanctuary-for-terrorist-entities-illicit-finance/

FDD Senior Vice President Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst at FDD's Long War Journal. They discuss Iran-backed terror groups on Israel's borders.

Learn more at: www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

FDD Senior Vice President Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis on the war in the Middle East, followed by a conversation with author and political analyst Benjamin Weingarten to discuss the role of Qatar on the Israel-Hamas war.

Learn more at: www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

FDD Senior Vice President Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis on Israel, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the war in the Middle East, followed by a conversation with Haviv Rettig Gur, senior analyst at the Times of Israel.

Learn more at: www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

FDD Senior Advisor Richard Goldberg delivers timely situational updates and analysis on the latest headlines and developments in Israel, Lebanon, and beyond, followed by a conversation with IDF Lt. Col. (Res.) Sarit Zehavi, President and Founder of Alma Research and Education Center.

Learn more at: www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog agency Rafael Grossi recently warned, “There’s loose talk about nuclear weapons more and more, including in Iran recently. A very high official said, in fact, we have everything, it’s disassembled. Well, please let me know what you have.” The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors meeting, which takes place in Vienna from March 4 to 8, provides an opportunity for Washington to lead an effort to reverse Tehran’s nuclear advances, which have made historic gains in scale and scope since November 2020.

FDD hosts David Albright, physicist and founder and president of the Institute for Science and International Security; Richard Goldberg, former National Security Council director for combatting Iranian Weapons of Mass Destruction and FDD senior advisor; and Andrea Stricker, FDD research fellow and deputy director of FDD’s Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program. The conversation is moderated by Anthony Ruggiero, former National Security Council senior director for counterproliferation and biodefense and senior director of FDD’s Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program. FDD Chief Executive, Mark Dubowitz, delivers introductory remarks.

The panel reviews the current status of Iran's nuclear program, including its timeline to nuclear weapons and weaponization capabilities, discuss ways in which Tehran could use the conflict in the Middle East to sprint to nuclear weapons, evaluate U.S. and European responses to Iran’s nuclear escalation, and provide policy recommendations for Washington and allies in Europe and beyond.

Check out more here: https://www.fdd.org/events/2024/02/27/irans-nuclear-weapons-program-previewing-the-march-4-8-iaea-board-meeting/

FDD Senior Vice President Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Bradley Bowman, Senior Director of FDD's Center on Military and Political Power. They discuss beleaguered democracies - including Israel and Ukraine - and the defense strategies, policies, and capabilities necessary to deter and defeat threats to the freedom, security, and prosperity of Americans and our allies

Learn more at: www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

FDD Senior Vice President Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and House Ways and Means Committee, who recently returned from a trip to Israel where he visited sites attacked by Hamas on October 7 and met with Israeli hostage families and survivors.

Learn more at: www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

FDD Senior Vice President Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Major General (Ret.) Amos Yadlin, former Head of Israel Defense Intelligence and former IAF combat fighter pilot.

Learn more at: www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

The Northern Marianas is part of the United States but exists in a strategic environment unlike anywhere else in America. Sharing a maritime boundary with Japan, the Northern Marianas hosted a strategic air base for America’s operations in World War II. Today, as the same base in Tinian is under redevelopment for use by the U.S. Air Force, a Chinese-linked casino recently opened nearby. Unlike anywhere else in America, tourists from China can enter the Northern Mariana Islands through the CNMI-only visa waiver program that has made the U.S. more vulnerable to malicious, CCP-led activities. This is in addition to the large investments that have flowed through the islands’ financial system with little national security oversight. The frontline between the People’s Republic of China’s influence operations and America’s strategic positioning are at a significant crossroads. The ongoing bipartisan Congressional failure to approve the renewal of key components of the Compacts of Free Association leaves the future of U.S. defense architecture in the Central Pacific hanging in the balance and risks further isolating the Northern Marianas and neighboring Guam.

Join FDD for a conversation with Northern Marianas Governor Arnold Palacios; the Hon. Randall G. Schriver, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs and current Chairman of the Board at The Project 2049 Institute; and FDD Senior Fellow Cleo Paskal. The conversation will be moderated by Craig Singleton, FDD China Program Director and Senior Fellow.