The Reuters description of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), which is based in London, as one of the world?s top think tanks is fully justified. The uniqueness of the IISS is not simply the quality of its analyses; it also stems from its independence from external influence, including that of the British government , and the global extent of its coverage due to the ethic, educational, and political diversity of its full time and consultant researchers. The IISS annual survey of global security is, therefore, worthy of closer examination, and its authoritative analysis offers objective insights not always available from government sources and politically motivated think tanks.

The authors of the WAR Report would recommend readers review the 384-page Strategic Survey in its entirety, as each of its sections is a distillation of a year?s worth of analysis of security issues in each major country or region of the world. The linked Reuters report merely highlights several key points related to the Middle East, with a focus on Iraq and the Global War On Terrorism (GWOT).