Harold Rhode
Distinguished Senior Fellow, Gatestone Institute

Harold Rhode received in Ph.D. in Ottoman History and later served as the Turkish Desk Officer at the US Department of Defense. He is now a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Gatestone Institute.

  • Advisor on Islamic Affairs in the Office of the Secretary of Defense - Net Assessment. 1994-Jan. 2010
  • Servedin Iraq – Coalition Provisional Authority – Liaison to the Iraqi Opposition,March-June, 2003
  • Joined the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy at the Pentagon in May 1982 as an advisor on the Islamic world - with special emphasis on Turkey, Iran and Iraq. Wrote papers on how to understand, negotiate, and deal with Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and the Arab countries. (1982-2010)
  • Most notably during the Gulf War, he served as the Turkish Desk officer in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD). At that time, he continued to write papers for OSD officials on Iran, Iraq, and other Middle Eastern issues. Papers deal with strategies to accomplish US policy goals, and how Middle Easterners perceive our actions. (1990-91)
  • Served on US Department of Defense's Policy Planning Staff. Prepared "think-pieces" and strategy papers on Middle Eastern and Central Asian topics. (1991 -1994)
  • Received his Ph.D. from Columbia University in Islamic History, specializing in the history of the Turks, Arabs, and Iranian peoples. Also studied in the universities in Iran, Egypt, and Israel.
  • Studied in and traveled extensively throughout the Islamic world and has studied and done research in universities and libraries in Egypt, Israel, Syria, Jordan, Iran, Afghanistan and Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan.
  • Taught Islamic history at the University of Delaware, Adjunct Professor (1979-81)
  • Studiedat Ferdosi University, Mashad, IRAN, during the early and mid-stages of the Islamic Revolution, Spring –Summer 1978
  • Received Ph.D. from Columbia University in Islamic History, specializing in the history of the Turks, Arabs, and Iranian peoples. (1979)
  • Studied in the universities in Iran, Egypt, and Israel.
  • Published many Op. Ed. pieces in the late 70s and early 80s published many Op. Ed. pieces in media such as The Wall Street Journal, and the Philadelphia Bulletin.
  • Languages: Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Hebrew; French, and some Spanish and Italian.

In December 2013, Mr. Rhode was interviewed by The New English Review, in "The Savior of Iraqi Jewish Heritage".


Writings by Harold Rhode  (View Biography)

Title Date
Iran's Strategy to Develop Nuclear Weapons2014/05/29
Have Kerry and Indyk Pushed Abbas into the Arms of Hamas?2014/05/13
Turkey: Are Erdoğan's Days Numbered?2013/12/26
Honor and Compromise in Middle East Leadership2013/07/10
And the Winner is... Iran's Nuclear Program2013/06/18
Understanding the Turkish Demonstrations2013/06/10
The Islamic Mindset in the Middle East2013/05/30
The U.S. Role in the Sunni-Shi'ite Conflict2013/05/17
Would You Name Your Kid "Sword"?2013/04/11
Report from China: What Keeps the Muslim World Back?2013/03/21
Hamas: A Pawn in the Sunni-Shiite War2012/11/29
Hamas's Victory: How Muslims See It2012/11/23
The Alawites and the Future of Syria2012/10/12
What the Iranian People "Really Think"... and How to Help Them2012/07/31
Will Syria Remain a Unified State?2012/07/10
Can Muslims Reopen the Gates of Ijtihad?2012/06/15
Existential Questions Facing the Muslim World2012/06/01
How to Help Iraq2012/04/16
Is the Iranian Regime Rational?2012/02/27
How Iran's Rulers Think about the Nuclear Program2011/12/15
The Concept of Brotherhood in Islam2011/11/09
"The Strongest Tribe" in Iraq2011/11/07
Turkey: Erdogan's New "Ottoman Region"2011/07/13
How WikiLeaks Influence the Middle East2010/12/09
Is Jerusalem Sacred for Muslims?2010/10/20
Turkey: What Really Happened Here?2010/08/12
Turkey in Crisis2010/06/23
Turkey: Secularism vs. Fundamentalism2010/06/04
How Our Muslim Allies Understand the "Crisis" Between the US and Israel2010/03/17

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