ISIS in Iraq: The Dangers of an Unfocused Baghdad and a Disinterested White House

June 2016

Past Event

ISIS in Iraq: The Dangers of an Unfocused Baghdad and a Disinterested White House

Past Event

Hudson Institute, Washington, D.C. Headquarters

June 10, 2016

June 2016

Past Event

1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 400
Washington, DC 20004

Read Transcript

Speakers:

Ambassador Feisal al-Istrabadi

Founding Director, Center for the Study of the Middle East, Indiana University Bloomington

Ret. Col. Richard Welch

PhD Fellow, Center for Constitutional Democracy, Indiana University Maurer School of Law

Dr. Denise Natali

Distinguished Research Fellow, Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defense University

Current U.S. policy in Iraq fails to focus the political class in Baghdad on the need for Sunni enfranchisement. Without important political reforms, ISIS will continue to flourish in areas of disaffected Sunnis. And even if ISIS could be defeated in such an environment, neglecting the issues that led to its creation and growth will leave space for a new ISIS-like group to take root.

On June 10, Hudson Institute hosted a panel discussion to assess current U.S. policy toward ISIS in Iraq and examine solutions going forward. Ambassador Feisal al-Istrabadi, a former Iraqi diplomat; Ret. Col. Richard Welch, a former U.S. Special Forces officer; and Dr. Denise Natali, a distinguished research fellow at the Institute for National Strategic Studies, joined Hudson Adjunct Fellow Michael Pregent to discuss how to shape future policy.

March 2026

In-Person Event | Invite Only

Operation Epic Fury: Strategy, State of Play, and Theories of Victory

Featured Speakers:

Michael Doran

David Albright

Can Kasapoğlu

Rebeccah L. Heinrichs

Ray Takeyh

Nadav Samin

Ilan Berman

Zineb Riboua

H.E. Yechiel Leiter

Joel Scanlon

Mariam Memarsadeghi

March 2026

In-Person Event | Invite Only

Operation Epic Fury: Strategy, State of Play, and Theories of Victory

This conference convenes leading experts and policymakers to examine why the conflict began, assess the current state of play, and explore competing theories of victory.

Featured Speakers:

Michael Doran

David Albright

Can Kasapoğlu

Rebeccah L. Heinrichs

Ray Takeyh

Nadav Samin

Ilan Berman

Zineb Riboua

H.E. Yechiel Leiter

Joel Scanlon

Mariam Memarsadeghi

Learn More

March 2026

In-Person Event | Hudson Institute

Operation Epic Fury and the Future of Warfare: A Conversation with Senator Joni Ernst

Featured Speakers:

Peter Rough

Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

John P. Walters

March 2026

In-Person Event | Hudson Institute

Operation Epic Fury and the Future of Warfare: A Conversation with Senator Joni Ernst

Please Join Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Armed Services Committees, for a discussion with Senior Fellow and Director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia Peter Rough on Operation Epic Fury, the future of American foreign policy in the Middle East, and how the conflict is shaping the future of warfare and strategy.

Featured Speakers:

Peter Rough

Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

John P. Walters

Learn More

March 2026

In-Person Event | Invite Only

Postponed | Updating US Trade Policy: A Discussion on the Strategic and Economic Importance of Central Asia with Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-CA)

Featured Speakers:

Michael Doran

Congressman Jimmy Panetta

March 2026

In-Person Event | Invite Only

Postponed | Updating US Trade Policy: A Discussion on the Strategic and Economic Importance of Central Asia with Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-CA)

Please Join Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) and Senior Fellow Michael Doran for a discussion on the region’s significance and why updating US trade policy is key to unlocking its potential in an era of renewed great power competition.

Featured Speakers:

Michael Doran

Congressman Jimmy Panetta

Learn More

March 2026

In-Person Event | Hudson Institute

Congressman Michael Baumgartner on Operation Epic Fury and U.S. Strategy

Featured Speakers:

Michael Doran

Congressman Michael Baumgartner

March 2026

In-Person Event | Hudson Institute

Congressman Michael Baumgartner on Operation Epic Fury and U.S. Strategy

Together, Baumgartner and Doran will examine the objectives and risks of Operation Epic Fury, the broader regional implications, and the policy choices facing Washington in the weeks ahead.