International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)

The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) refers to itself as "the world's leading authority on political-military conflict." It is an allegedly independent think tank comprised of politicians, diplomats, economists, writers and military strategists. In truth, it is simply one more coordinating body providing justifications for the authoritarian and militaristic goals of Western power elites. The ultimate aim of Anglosphere elites is to run the world, and institutions such as these provide aid in coordinating global strategies for Western elites and even more importantly providing justification for their schemes, many of which rely on some element of mayhem and murder.

You won't find such information expressed within the ambit of the IISS, of course. Its purported goals, according to its mission statement, are to: 1) Provide an international perspective to its members and the public of political and military developments. 2) Provide an analysis of how these events should be handled in order to maintain peace and security. 3) Meet with various world leaders, journalists, analysts, and business leaders to advise them on the impact that technological, economical, social, business, religious and environmental trends could have on global peace and prosperity. 4) Maintain a network of individuals knowledgeable in world affairs to spread the work and decisions of the IISS to the public at large.

These goals are set with the intention and ultimate aim of influencing global military and economic policy based on the activities and decisions of the members of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Among its various publications are The Military Balance, which contains an inventory of the world's armed forces; Armed Conflict Database, an online resource; and Strategic Survey, which details yearly military and political trends.

The International Institute for Strategic Studies is headquartered in London, at Arundel House, but it has offices strategically located in New York, Bahrain and Singapore. The IISS is considered to be a charitable institute, meaning tax-exempt, in each of its locations, but is also designated as a private corporation in the UK. Singapore is the location of its annual "Shangri La Dialogues," which is a meeting at the posh Shangri La Hotel to discuss matters of political and military import where it concerns the Asian-Pacific theatre. A speaker at the Shangri La Dialogues, held in June 2011, was United States Defense Secretary Robert Gates. He stated in his speech that since the United States is a Pacific country, it is imperative for the US to maintain a strong military presence there, and to overcome "anti-access and area denial scenarios."

Sir Michael Howard, a British military historian who was its first director and currently sits on the board as President Emeritus, founded the International Institute for Strategic Studies in 1958, near the onset of the Cold war. Other founding members were Labor MP Denis Healy and journalist Alastair Buchan. The original goal of the IISS was to discuss fears and concerns about nuclear proliferation and the IISS credits itself with being "hugely influential in setting the intellectual structures for managing the Cold War."

It has, since that time, moved from being merely a think tank and forum for discussion to becoming an almost shadow UN agency, seeking to effect global diplomatic and military policy. Its current membership boasts 3,000 elite individuals garnered from the worlds of government, business and academia in over 100 countries. The IISS additionally has 200 corporate and business members representing industries such as oil, investment banking, telecommunications, media outlets, aerospace, defense, energy, environment and numerous others, as well as 35 government ministries, 55 different research facilities and military personnel.

Among those represented on its board of directors, as members or former chairpersons are US Ambassadors to NATO, Tunisia, Afghanistan, Oman, Pakistan, and Germany, the CEO of the Rand Corporation, the MacArthur Foundation, and Mort Zuckerman, owner of the New York Daily News and US News & World Report.