Rosemary Kelanic - Defense Priorities

Middle East, Economics and trade, and Energy security

Rosemary Kelanic

Director, Middle East Program

Defense Priorities

Rosemary Kelanic is director of the Middle East Program at Defense Priorities.

Kelanic publishes widely on energy security, great power politics, and U.S. grand strategy in the Middle East. Her work has appeared in outlets ranging from Foreign Affairs and Security Studies to the New York Times and the Washington Post. Kelanic’s book, Black Gold and Blackmail: Oil and Great Power Politics (Cornell University Press, 2020), explains the differences in energy security strategies that great powers adopt, while her edited volume (with Charles L. Glaser), Crude Strategy: Rethinking the U.S. Military Commitment to Defend Persian Gulf Oil (Georgetown University Press, 2016), urges a reappraisal of U.S. engagement in the region. Kelanic spent 10 years teaching political science at the University of Notre Dame and Williams College prior to entering the policy world. She earned her PhD in political science from the University of Chicago and her BA, summa cum laude, from Bryn Mawr College.

In the mediaUS‑Israel‑Iran, Diplomacy, Iran, Israel‑Iran, Middle East

U.S. push to get Iran talks started hits an early bump due to intense fighting in Lebanon

Featuring Rosemary Kelanic

June 19, 2026

Iranians would be going into the talks with a measure of confidence after effectively shutting down the strait, causing global […]

In the mediaUS‑Israel‑Iran, Iran, Middle East

Trump Iran framework gambles on diplomacy despite warning Tehran will ‘lie and cheat’

Featuring Rosemary Kelanic

June 18, 2026

In the mediaUS‑Israel‑Iran, Iran, Middle East

Iran conflict could prompt U.S. military to evaluate its vulnerabilities in the Middle East

Featuring Rosemary Kelanic

June 11, 2026

Rosemary Kelanic Past Events

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Rosemary Kelanic Featured Symposia

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symposiumWestern Hemisphere

Americas first: A shift to hemispheric defense

February 10, 2026

symposiumGrand strategy

Realistic recommendations for Trump II

January 13, 2025

U.S. push to get Iran talks started hits an early bump due to intense fighting in Lebanon

Trump Iran framework gambles on diplomacy despite warning Tehran will ‘lie and cheat’

Iran conflict could prompt U.S. military to evaluate its vulnerabilities in the Middle East

U.S. push to get Iran talks started hits an early bump due to intense fighting in Lebanon

Trump Iran framework gambles on diplomacy despite warning Tehran will ‘lie and cheat’

Iran conflict could prompt U.S. military to evaluate its vulnerabilities in the Middle East

Trump Vows Retaliation After Saying Iran Shot Down U.S. Helicopter—What Could The Response Look Like?

What Does the Iran War Mean for the Global Economy?

‘Netanyahu’s Calling Trump’s Bluff’ After ‘Angry’ Lebanon Call With Israel-Hezbollah Strikes: Expert

Rosemary Kelanic Past Events

What’s Next for U.S. Foreign Policy in 2026? Middle East Edition

U.S.-China competition and the value of Middle East influence

Trump in the Middle East: Impacts, implications, and alternatives

Syria after Assad: Prospects for U.S. withdrawal

Assessing a formal U.S.-Saudi alliance

Does the Middle East still matter?

Americas first: A shift to hemispheric defense

Realistic recommendations for Trump II

Expert updates and analysis to enhance your understanding of vital U.S. national security issues

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Rosemary Kelanic Past Events

Rosemary Kelanic Featured Symposia

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