2026-03-26 01:06:AM <br/> Tags: #AmericanJewry #organization #ThinkTank #NeoConservatism ![[image-258.png|656x198]] # Foreign Policy Initiative (FPI) - Foreign Policy Initiative was an American [[Neoconservatism|Neoconservative]] think-tank active from 2009-2017. - According to schedule O of its 2009 990 tax filing, the FPI's mission was: "Continued U.S. engagement -- diplomatic, economic, and military in the world and rejection of policies that would lead us down the path of isolationism."[^2] - FPI is considered to be a successor to [[Project for the New American Century (PNAC)]].[^4] #### Policy Papers and Positions - During its eight years of operation, FPI released hundreds of policy papers primarily regarding American foreign policy in the Middle East.[^8] - The papers covered below regard American military and political action in the Middle East. The papers reveal recurring similarities in the justifications for U.S. intervention in Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Iran. ![[image-259.png|890x420]] *Map of the countries covered on this page. FPI argues in favor of intervention in each one, likewise each one has been intervened in.* #### Iraq - On December 14, 2011, FPI released a paper titled "Bringing the Iraq War to an Irresponsible End?"[^14] - The paper opposed President Obama's plan to withdraw American troops from Iraq. *December 15th, the day after the paper was released, marked the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom i.e., the [[Iraq War]].* - The paper described the [[Iraq War]] and its nation-building project in Iraq "representative of what others in the region can aspire to." The FPI implies here that the Iraq war was a success and should be replicated in more Middle Eastern countries. #### Libya - In March 2011, FPI released a paper arguing in favor of U.S. military intervention in Libya titled "The Case for Intervention in Libya."[^16] - The paper claims the United States has a "direct interest in supporting the Libyan people and seeing Qaddafi removed from power." - The paper advocates for the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi's Libya whether "engineered by the tightening of the noose of international sanctions or by the pressure placed on his military by coalition forces." - The paper references a [[Weekly Standard]] article authored by [[Max Boot]] titled "Qaddafi Must Go."[^20] - The article advocates for "eliminating" Gaddafi. *Gaddafi was killed seven months later.* - The paper describes Gaddafi's Libya as "terrorist-supporting, [and] WMD seeking." *Gaddafi famously gave up his nuclear program in 2003 fearing the same fate as Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Forfeiting nuclear programs will never work given nuclear weapons/WMDs are simply a pretext Israel and its allies launder through American media and government to advance their interests.* #### Syria - In September 2011, FPI released a policy paper titled "What Congress Can Do to Hasten Assad's Exit."[^15] - The paper praises Senators [[Joe Lieberman]] (ID-NY), John McCain (R-AZ), and [[Marco Rubio]] (R-FL) for drawing "greater public awareness to the plight of the Syrian people." *"Plight of the Syrian people" is neoconservative speak for "our plans to overthrow the Syrian government."* - The paper endorsed [[Joe Lieberman]]'s Senate resolution 180 and condemns Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) for "shamefully" placing a procedural hold on the resolution. - Sen. Res. 180:[^19] - Affirmed U.S. support for anti-Assad protests. - Backed "a change in the Syrian regime" under the guise of supporting the will of the Syrian people. - Blamed the Assad government for human rights violations against its own people. - Blamed the Assad government for facilitating aid to Hezbollah in Lebanon. *Hezbollah is only an enemy of Israel making it irrelevant in the case for American intervention in Syria, unless you are a pro-Israel Jew like Senator Lieberman.* - Implied Syria is trying to make nuclear weapons. - "Strongly condemns" Iran for being allied with Syria. *Iran was always the end goal.* - The paper references an FPI-endorsed letter from the [[Foundation for Defense of Democracies]] which urged President Obama to recall his ambassador to Damascus "unless he is clearly charged with aiding the transition to democracy in Syria." *This is textbook neoconservatism. FPI presents the case for systematically toppling Israel's enemies as spreading democracy and aiding the poor civilians.* - In March 2012, FPI released a paper titled "The Case for Intervention in Syria."[^18] - The paper argues U.S. intervention in Syria is aligned with U.S. national interest. - To bolster its assertion, FPI argues that overthrowing Assad "would deal a significant blow to Iran... [and] could also help to breathe new life into the Iranian opposition’s efforts to challenge and overthrow Tehran’s clerical regime." *FPI's case for toppling Assad's Syria, is that it will make it easier to topple Iran.* - The paper references a [piece](https://foreignpolicy.com/2012/02/27/saudi-arabia-is-arming-the-syrian-opposition/) in *Foreign Policy* by [[Jonathan Schanzer]] advocating for Obama to intervene in Syria sooner rather than later. - The paper was published amid Libya's descent into chaos following the NATO-led military coalition which toppled the Libyan government of Muammar Gaddafi. *Mentioned above.* - The paper attributes failure in Libya to lack of on the ground American forces, and argues that even more intervention will be needed in Syria to avoid a similar situation. #### Iran - In October 2013, FPI released a "Fact Sheet on Iran's Growing Non-Nuclear Threats."[^12] - The paper makes the case that Iran's ballistic missiles, support for regional proxies, and silencing of internal anti-regime dissidents is a large enough threat to support maximum pressure against the Islamic Republic. *For Israel and its supporters, the case against Iran has always included Iran's ability to project power in the region through proxies and missiles. This is the key difference between American interest (stopping nuclear) and Israeli interest (weakening the regime so it can be toppled). FPI's paper clearly stands with Israeli national interest.* - In December 2016, FPI published a report titled "Breathing Life into the Iran Sanctions Act."[^17] - The report was written by Tzvi Kahn, a former official at [[AIPAC]].[^9] - The report celebrates congressional extension of the Iran Sanctions Act. - The Iran Sanctions Act was passed originally in 1996 as the Iran and Libya Sanctions Act. *When renewed in 2006, the act was renamed the Iran Sanctions Act.* - The Act included a 10 year sunsets clause. - The Act was extended for the first time in 2006, second time in 2016 (this FPI report), and will be subject to expiration or renewal in December 2026.[^22] - The Act's renewal in 2016 had ten congressional cosponsors including [[Ted Deutch]] and (D-FL), Eliot Engel. - 6 of 10 cosponsors were Jewish, there were 5 Republicans and 5 Democrats.[^23] - The 2016 renewal of the Iran Sanctions Act occurred one year after the Obama Administration secured the [[Iran Nuclear Deal]]. - The Israelis and their Jewish brethren in the United States were strongly opposed to the Iran Nuclear Deal and welcomed the renewal of the Iran Sanctions Act as a step towards reimposing maximum pressure on Iran. - On January 18, 2017, days before Donald Trump took office, FPI released a paper titled "Trump Must Challenge Iran on Human Rights."[^11] - The paper states, "The incoming [Trump] administration should meet openly with Iranian dissidents, provide robust funding to human rights organizations seeking reform in the country, and work to isolate the regime in international fora... In other words, Trump should aim to demoralize, discredit, and debilitate the Iranian regime." *FPI is using "human rights" to advocate for regime change in Iran. "Funding human rights organizations seeking reform" is code for backing revolutionary anti-government rebels in an effort to spark an uprising. Nine years after this FPI paper was released, violent revolutionary "protests" erupted in Iran and were quickly extinguished by the Iranian government. The United States and Israel used the moment to rapidly increase force presence in the region and subsequently launched the [[2026 Iran War]], fulfilling FPI's wish to (attempt to) overthrow the Iranian regime under the guise of protecting human rights and the poor Iranian people.* #### Funding and Donors - During its 9 years of operation, FPI reported around $1.5 million in annual revenue.[^3] - [[Paul Singer]] was FPI's principle benefactor.[^1] #### Notable Figures - [[Bill Kristol]] - Director and secretary of the board 2009-2017.[^3] - [[Dan Senor]] - President from 2009-2017.[^3] - Senor is currently the Chief Public Affairs Officer at [[Paul Singer]]'s Elliott Management.[^7] - Senor was the [[George W. Bush|Bush]] administration's "chief spokesperson for the U.S.-led [[Iraq War|coalition in Iraq]]."[^7] - [[Robert Kagan]] - Treasurer from 2009-2017.[^3] - Ellen Bork - Director of democracy/human rights from 2010-2015.[^3] - Bork has worked with the [[Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)]] and the [[Hudson Institute]].[^10] - Jamie Fly - Executive director from 2009-2013.[^5][^3] - After leaving FPI in 2013, Fly became [[Marco Rubio]]'s counselor for foreign and national security affairs.[^6] - Chris Griffin - Executive director from 2014-2017.[^3] - Griffin was a former staffer to Democrat (and later independent) senator [[Joe Lieberman]].[^1] - Tzvi Kahn - FPI senior polity analyst and former assistant director for policy and government affairs at [[AIPAC]]. - Kahn is a research fellow and senior editor at the [[Foundation for Defense of Democracies]].[^9] - As noted in *Militarist Monitor*, many notable pro-Israel and Jewish neoconservatives endorsed FPI papers/signed FPI letters including:[^21] - [[Elliott Abrams]] - [[Norm Coleman]] - [[John Hannah]] - [[Eliot A. Cohen]] - [[Gary Bauer]] - [[Leon Wieseltier]] - [[Douglas Feith]] - [[Max Boot]] - [[Jeffrey Gedmin]] - [[Carl Gershman]] - [[Max Kampelman]] - [[Clifford May]] - [[Danielle Pletka]] - [[Randy Scheunemann]] - [[Gary Schmitt]] - [[James Woolsey]] #### References [^1]: “Foreign Policy Initiative,” _InfluenceWatch_, [https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/foreign-policy-initiative/](https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/foreign-policy-initiative/). [^2]: “The Foreign Policy Initiative,” _Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2009_, _ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer_, [https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/264392915/2010_08_EO%2F26-4392915_990_200912](https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/264392915/2010_08_EO%2F26-4392915_990_200912). *Schedule O starts on page 24* [^3]: “The Foreign Policy Initiative Co Kleinberg Kaplan,” _ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer_, [https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/264392915](https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/264392915). [^4]: “Foreign Policy Initiative,” _Wikipedia_, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_Policy_Initiative](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_Policy_Initiative). [^5]: “Jamie Fly,” _Wikipedia_, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Fly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Fly). [^6]: Michael Warren, “Lieberman Aide Heading to Foreign Policy Initiative,” _The Weekly Standard_, January 22, 2013, Internet Archive, [https://web.archive.org/web/20130125235322/https:/www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/lieberman-aide-heading-foreign-policy-initiative_697473.html](https://web.archive.org/web/20130125235322/https:/www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/lieberman-aide-heading-foreign-policy-initiative_697473.html). [^7]: “Dan Senor,” _Elliott Investment Management_, [https://www.elliottmgmt.com/who-we-are/dan-senor/](https://www.elliottmgmt.com/who-we-are/dan-senor/). [^8]: “Foreign Policy Initiative,” _JSTOR_, [https://www.jstor.org/publisher/foreipoliinit](https://www.jstor.org/publisher/foreipoliinit). [^9]: “Tzvi Kahn,” _Foundation for Defense of Democracies_, [https://www.fdd.org/team/tzvi-kahn/](https://www.fdd.org/team/tzvi-kahn/). [^10]: “Ellen Bork,” _Free Russia Foundation_, [https://www.4freerussia.org/ellen-bork/](https://www.4freerussia.org/ellen-bork/). [^11]: Tzvi Kahn, “FPI Bulletin: Trump Must Challenge Iran on Human Rights,” January 18, 2017, [https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep07429?seq=1](https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep07429?seq=1&). [^12]: Robert Zarate and Patrick Christy, “FPI Fact Sheet on Iran’s Growing Non-Nuclear Threats,” October 3, 2013, [https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep07235?seq=1](https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep07235?seq=1). [^14]: Robert Zarate & Jamie Fly, “FPI Bulletin: Bringing the Iraq War to an Irresponsible End?,” December 14, 2011, [https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep07124?seq=1](https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep07124?seq=1). [^15]: Jamie M. Fly and Robert Zarate, “FPI Bulletin: What Congress Can Do to Hasten Assad’s Exit,” September 22, 2011, [https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep07149?seq=1](https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep07149?seq=1). [^16]: Foreign Policy Initiative, “FPI Fact Sheet: The Case for Intervention in Libya,” March 30, 2011, [https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep07211?seq=1](https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep07211?seq=1). [^17]: Tzvi Kahn, “FPI Bulletin: Breathing Life into the Iran Sanctions Act,” December 13, 2016, [https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep07260?seq=1](https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep07260?seq=1&). [^18]: Foreign Policy Initiative, “FPI Fact Sheet: The Case for Intervention in Syria,” March 15, 2012, [https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep07129?seq=1](https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep07129?seq=1). [^19]: “S. Res. 180 — 112th Congress (2011–2012): A Resolution Expressing Support for Peaceful Demonstrations and Universal Freedoms in Syria and Condemning the Human Rights Violations by the Assad Regime,” _Congress.gov_, [https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-resolution/180/text](https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-resolution/180/text). [^20]: Max Boot, “Qaddafi Must Go,” _The Weekly Standard_, March 28, 2011, Internet Archive, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120530152845/https://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/qaddafi-must-go_554818.html](https://web.archive.org/web/20120530152845/https://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/qaddafi-must-go_554818.html). [^21]: “Foreign Policy Initiative,” _Militarist Monitor_, last updated November 1, 2019, [https://militarist-monitor.org/profile/foreign_policy_initiative/](https://militarist-monitor.org/profile/foreign_policy_initiative/). [^22]: “Iran and Libya Sanctions Act,” _Wikipedia_, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_and_Libya_Sanctions_Act#Renewal_and_expiration](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_and_Libya_Sanctions_Act#Renewal_and_expiration). [^23]: “Cosponsors — H.R. 6297 — 114th Congress (2015–2016): Iran Sanctions Extension Act,” _Congress.gov_, [https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/6297/cosponsors](https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/6297/cosponsors).