Events

Videos and transcripts from our past events are available below.

2019

ISIS’ leaderless revolution and the Sri Lanka attacks

MeiLee Dozier and Jeff Moore, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (June 26, 2019)

Caliphaters and Apocalyptic Jihad: The Dynamics of the Most Powerful Millennial Movement of the 21st Century

Richard Landes, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (May 29, 2019)

Purifying the Land of the Pure: Pakistan’s Religious Minorities

Farahnaz Ispahani, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (May 22, 2019)

The Future of the War on Terror — ISIS and After

Ilan Berman, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (May 8, 2019)

US Strategy in the Middle East till 2020: Will it Work?

Walid Phares, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (April 17, 2019)

The Art of Peace: Engaging a Complex World

Juliana Geran Pilon, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (April 3, 2019)

The Fertile Crescent After ISIS – Between Russia, Iran and Israel

Shmuel Bar, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (March 13, 2019)

How to Identify Jihadi-Salafists Through Their Ideology, Practices, and Methodology

Mary Habeck, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (March 6, 2019)

Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness

Kenneth Pollack, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (February 26, 2019)

The Sorrows of Egypt, Revisited

Samuel Tadros, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (February 13, 2019)

The New Rules of War: Victory in the Age of Durable Disorder

Sean McFate, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (January 30, 2019)

Not What Went Wrong in the Arab World, but Why It Went Wrong: A Theological Answer

Robert R. Reilly, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (January 19, 2019)

2018

The Making (and Unmaking) of the Jihadist Mind

Tawfik Hamid, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (December 12, 2018)

The Islamic State Attacks Indonesia – And its ‘Middle Way’

James Clad, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (November 28, 2018)

Inside Shabaab: The Secret History of Al-Qaeda’s Most Powerful Ally

Harun Maruf, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (November 14, 2018)

How Erdogan Consolidates Power: the Weaponization of Turkish Media and the Scapegoating of Minorities

Aykan Erdemir, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (October 17, 2018)

The Heart of Religious Freedom

Ambassador Sam Brownback, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (October 3, 2018)

Evolution in Islamic insurgency in Asia

Dr. Jeff Moore, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (September 20, 2018)

The History of Jihad

Robert Spencer, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (September 5, 2018)

America’s Enemies Old and New and the Trump Doctrine

Sebastian Gorka, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (August 14, 2018)

How Some Muslim Activists Are Using Speech Codes to Subjugate the West and How to Respond

Daniel Brubaker, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (July 25, 2018)

What are the Prospects for Real Reform in Saudi Arabia?

Mansour Al-Hadj, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (July 11, 2018)

Reinventing an American International Broadcasting Network to the Arab World

Ambassador Alberto Fernandez, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (June 6, 2018)

Conflicting Arab Identities

Wael Farouq, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (May 23, 2018)

Immigration and the Preservation of European Culture

Dr. László Szabó, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (May 9, 2018)

How Turkey Sees Its Role in the World and What it Means for the U.S. 

Ahmet S. Yayla, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (April 25, 2018)

In the Warlords’ Shadow: Special Operations Forces, the Afghans, and Their Fight Against the Taliban

Dr. Daniel R. Green, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (April 4, 2018)

Old Lesson for New Wars: Counterintelligence at the Roots of Provocation and Terror

Dr. John J. Dziak, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (March 7, 2018)

Will the Islamic Republic Last Long Enough to Get a Nuclear Bomb?

Patrick Clawson, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (February 21, 2018)

Broadcasting Change: Arabic Media as a Catalyst for Liberalism

Joseph Braude, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (February 6, 2018)

How to Support Democracy in a Pluralistic, Highly Religious Society: The Case of Indonesia

Lieutenant General Agus Widjojo, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (January 24, 2018)

The Terrorist Argument: Modern Advocacy and Propaganda

Christopher C. Harmon, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (January 10, 2018)

2017

The Taliban Revival: Violence and Extremism on the Pakistan-Afghanistan Frontier

Hassan Abbas, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (December 12, 2017)

The Islam in Islamic Terrorism: The Importance of Beliefs, Ideas, and Ideology

Ibn Warraq, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (November 29, 2017)

After ISIS, the Future of Iraq in the Hands of Iran

Michael Pregent, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (November 15, 2017)

Will China overtake the U.S. as the world’s leading superpower?

David Goldman, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (October 25, 2017)

Underestimating Sudan and What That Means to the Region, the U.S., and the World

Faith McDonnell, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (October 11, 2017)

Israel: How Was David Made into Goliath?

Joshua Muravchik, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (September 27, 2017)

Understanding Islamist Radical Terrorism

Wibawanto Nugroho, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (September 21, 2017)

Special Briefing: The Security Challenges for Lebanon and the Surrounding Area

General Abbas Ibrahim, 7:30 pm-8:45 pm (September 20, 2017)

Ike’s Gamble: America’s Rise to Dominance in the Middle East

Michael Scott Doran, 7:30 pm-8:45pm (January 18, 2017)

2016

What Was Islamic Culture and What Happened to It?

S. Frederick Starr, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (December 14, 2016)

Restoring Hope in Iraq for Persecuted Christians and Other Religious Minorities

Sister Diana, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (December 7, 2016)

How to Defund ISIS and Other Terrorists

Celina Realuyo, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (November 30, 2016)

The Future of Islamism in Egypt

Samuel Tadros, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (November 2, 2016)

Closing of the Muslim Mind

Robert R. Reilly (October 17, 2016)

Turkey, the Coup, and ISIS

Ahmet S. Yayla, Thursday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (October 13, 2016)

The Battle for Human Rights in North Korea: Is There Any Hope?

Suzanne Scholte, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (September 28, 2016)

Terrorism: A Cultural, Ideological Challenge?

Gamal Arabi, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (September 14, 2016)

Fighting for Victory Against Islamism: A Muslim Blueprint for the West

Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, Thursday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (September 8, 2016)

Nigeria & International Religious Freedom

Congressman Frank Wolf, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (August 16, 2016)

The Field of Fight: How We Can Win the Global War Against Radical Islam and Its Allies

Michael Ledeen, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (July 19, 2016)

How to Define ISIS and How Morocco is Fighting It

Jack Rusenko, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (July 6, 2016)

Defenseless in the Face of our Enemies: What Keeps America from Protecting Itself from Radical Islam

Andrew C. McCarthy III, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (June 21, 2016)

How Jihadists Weaponize Islamic History and How to De-Weaponize It

Nibras Kazimi, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (June 1, 2016)

Obama’s Leading From Behind: The National Security Consequences

Richard Miniter, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (May 18, 2016)

Gülen & the Gülen Movement

Clare M. Lopez, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (May 4, 2016)

Christian Genocide: Evidence for Its Designation and Saving Christianity in Iraq

Andrew Doran, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (April 20, 2016)

What Went Wrong in 2003: An Iraqi Story for the Future

Kanan Makiya, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (April 5, 2016)

How Iran Fuels ISIS

Michael Pregent, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (March 16, 2016)

Iran’s Global Ambition

Ilan Berman, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (March 2, 2016)

Deciphering the Middle East: Why the U.S. Usually Gets it Wrong

Robert R. Reilly, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (February 9, 2016)

National Security and the Islamic State: Foreign and Domestic

Dr. John M. Poindexter, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (February 3, 2016)

Geopolitics of the Jihadi Threat: Assessment of ISIS and Iran’s Strategies

Dr. Walid Phares, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (January 20, 2016)

Lasting and Expanding: The Next Generation of Jihad and Global Warfare”

Hassan Mneimneh, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (January 13, 2016)

2015

Inside Jihad: How Radical Islam Works, and How to Defeat It

Tawfik Hamid, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (December 13, 2015)

Dealing with Iran in a Post-Deal World

Congressman Mike Pompeo, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (December 1, 2015)

When Iran Goes Nuclear: Technology and Ideology

Former CIA Director James Woolsey, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (November 11, 2015)

Confronting Violent Jihad: Lessons Learned

Congressman Pete Hoekstra, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (November 4, 2015)

The Middle East Unravelling and Its Tectonic Consequences

Alberto M. Fernandez, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (October 14, 2015)

2014

Progressive Arab Voices on Islamic Reform

Abdou Filali-Ansari, Hassan Mneimneh, Nabil al-Haidari, Iqbal al-Gharbi, Babikir Faisal and Al-Haj Warraq, Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., At the National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20045 (December 2, 2014)

ISIS: Its Origin, Methodology and Objectives

Dr. Patrick Sookhdeo, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. (December 1, 2014)

Defeating ISIS

J. Michael Waller, PhD (October 21, 2014)

A book event with Ibn Warraq: “Christmas in the Koran”

Ibn Warraq (September 9, 2014)

The Legacy of the World War I with Doug Bandow

Doug Bandow (August 20, 2014)

A Visit to South Sudan with Faith McDonnell

Faith McDonnell (February 20, 2014)

2013

Russia in the Middle East

Ilan Berman, Thursday, 6:30 – 7:45 p.m. (December 5, 2013)

Information Warfare and the Muslim Brotherhood

Kenneth E. deGraffenreid (October 29, 2013)

Sir Walter Scott’s Crusades and Other Fantasies

Ibn Warraq (November 6, 2013)

DIA’s Intelligence Information Report on Osama bin Laden’s Failed 2000 Hijacking

Christopher J. Farrell (October 8, 2013)

Press Conference On Findings & Policy Recommendations From Westminster Institute’s Delegation to Egypt

Delegation of former U.S. military leaders, and counterterrorism experts reported on their Sept. 27-30 Visit to Egypt (October 1, 2013)

Hezbollah: The Global Footprint of Lebanon’s Party of God

Matthew Leavitt (September 30, 2013)

Al Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood: A New American Strategy

Dr. Patrick Sookhdeo, Tawfik Hamid, Dr. J. Michael Waller, Stephen Ulph, Robert R. Reilly, Walid Phares, Diana West, Katharine C. Gorka, and Dr. Sebastian Gorka (September 6, 2013)

Marked for Destruction: Christians in Syria and Egypt

Dr. Patrick Sookhdeo (September 5, 2013)

America and Irregular Warfare

Sebastian Gorka (August 28, 2013)

American Betrayal: The Secret Assault on Our Nation’s Character

Diana West (June 11, 2013)

The British Response to International Terrorism

Julian Lewis (June 9, 2013)

Combating Free Speech Infringement

Deborah Weiss (April 11, 2013)

Iranian Strategic Influence in the Hemisphere

Joseph M. Humire (March 12, 2013)

Deciphering Iranian Decision Making and Strategy Today

Michael Rubin (February 26, 2013)

Becoming Europe: Book Event with Dr. Samuel Gregg

Dr. Samuel Gregg (February 6, 2013)

2012

From Benghazi to Damascus: Are We Losing the Ideological War?

Dr. Patrick Sookhdeo (November 1, 2012)

Tracking the Sources of Recent Changes to Counter-terrorism Training

Katharine C. Gorka and J. Michael Waller, PhD (August 29, 2012)

The Questioning God: An Inquiry for Muslims, Jews and Christians

Ant Greenham, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (August 1, 2012)

Fighting the Ideological War Lessons from the United Kingdom and the United States

Dr. Patrick Sookhdeo at the Heritage Foundation, 12:00-1:00pm (May 24, 2012)

Dangerous Embrace: The United States and the Islamists

Robert R. Reilly, Dr. Patrick Sookhdeo and Dr. Sebastian Gorka (May 22, 2012)

One Lord Or Many Gods? Can the God of the Bible and the God of the Koran be the same?

The Rt. Rev. Julian Dobbs, Convocation of Anglicans in North America (May 11, 2012)

Why The West is Best: A Muslim Apostate’s Defense Of Liberal Democracy

Ibn Warraq, Author of Why I am Not a Muslim and Virgins? What Virgins? (March 22, 2012)

Intelligence and Counterintelligence Challenges of Militant Islam

John J. Dziak, PhD. President, Dziak Group Inc., Intelligence Consulting (February 16, 2012)

The Rise of Political Islam and the Ideology of Jihad

Dr. Sebastian L. v. Gorka, Military Affairs Fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (February 2, 2012)

Responding to Islam: Lessons from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Karl Barth, and Bishop George Bell

Dr. Patrick Sookhdeo, International Director, Barnabas Fund (January 26, 2012)

Muslim-Christian Violence in Nigeria

The Most Rev. Dr. Ben Kwashi, Archbishop of Jos Province, Nigeria (January 22, 2012)

2011

Lessons From the Battlefield: Counter-Insurgency for Domestic Law Enforcement

Lieutenant Michael J. Domnarski and Trooper Michael Cutone, Massachusetts State Police (December 15, 2011)

Psychological Strategy and National Security

J. Michael Waller, PhD at the Westminster Institute, McLean, Va. (November 30, 2011)

Combating Terrorist Financing And Illicit Networks

Celina Realuyo at the Westminster Institute, McLean, Va. (November 9, 2011)

KSM: The Mastermind of 9/11

Richard Miniter at the Westminster Institute, McLean, Va. (September 7, 2011)

Lone Wolf Shooters

Madeleine Gruen at the Westminster Institute, McLean, Va. (August 25, 2011)

Al Qaeda After the Death of Bin Laden: The Future of Jihadist Terrorism

One day conference with: Dr. Patrick Sookhdeo, Dr. Sebastian L. Gorka, Thomas Joscelyn, Dr. John Lenczowski, Prof. John Moore, Robert R. Reilly, and Stephen Ulph. Event held at the Key Bridge Marriott, Arlington, Va. (May 25, 2011)

How Terrorist Groups End

Dr. Christopher C. Harmon at the Westminster Institute, McLean, Va. (April 28, 2011)

Islamism and the Future of the Christians of the Middle East

Professor Habib C. Malik at the Westminster Institute, McLean, Va. (March 31, 2011)

Understanding Security In Pakistan’s Tribal Areas

Col. (Ret.) Thomas Wilhelm at the Westminster Institute, McLean, Va. (March 15, 2011)

Two Case Studies in Terrorism

Jeff Moore at the Westminster Institute, McLean, Va. (January 6, 2011)

2010

The Ideological War: Saudi Influence Operations in the United States

Kyle Shideler, Senior Research Fellow at the Endowment for Middle East Truth (November 9, 2010)

Islam and the Church Today: Understanding the Challenge of Islam to the United States

Katharine C. Gorka at Trinity Episcopal Church, New Hope, Pennsylvania (November 8, 2010)

Jihadist Ideology: The Core Texts

Dr. Sebastian Gorka, Military Affairs Fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, (October 5, 2010)

Islamism in World Politics as a Challenge to the West

Dr. Bassam Tibi, University of Goettingen, Germany (July 20, 2010)

Update on Sudan: The Christian-Muslim Nexus

Bishop Macram Max Gassis, Bishop of El Obeid, Sudan (June 18, 2010)

Update on Afghanistan: A Security Briefing

Patrick Sookhdeo, Military Advisor to NATO, Regional Command South, and Chairman of the Board, Westminster Institute (June 1, 2010)

The Role of the Mosque and the Challenge to the Church

Sam Solomon (April 14, 2010)

The Battle of Narratives: Adversarial Exploitation of the Digital World

White Canvas Group (March 4, 2010)

The Challenge of Islam to the Catholic Church

Robert Reilly, at St. John the Beloved, McLean, Virginia (February 4, 2010)

Terrorism and Subversion on the Homefront

Patrick Sookhdeo, author of Faith, Power and Territory: A Handbook of British Islam, and David Gaubatz, author of Muslim Mafia and former Special Agent, U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, (January 19, 2010)

2009

Identifying the Strengths and Vulnerabilities in the Ideology of Radical Islam

Stephen Ulph (December 10, 2009)

The OIC and the Islamist Agenda

Stephen Coughlin, Jorge Scientific Corporation (November 6, 2009)