The '''[http://www.iiss.org/aboutiiss.php?PHPSESSID=ad72e71e692e1898ca21c966ebff29da International Institute for Strategic Studies]''' (IISS), [http://powerbase.info/index.php/International_Institute_for_Strategic_Studies powerbase]according to the organization's web site, "is the primary source of accurate, objective information on international strategic issues for politicians and diplomats, foreign affairs analysts, international business, economists, the military, defence commentators, journalists, academics and the informed public."
It further states: "Because of its network, international reach, and high-level contacts with governments throughout the world, the IISS, more than any other institute of its kind, has tremendous '[[convening power]]', and regularly brings together ministers and government officials from different countries in order to discuss problems that divide or unite them. Indeed, the Institute's increasing '[[paradiplomatic]]' activity has made it an actor in discreet international relations."
"The Institute has 3,000 members drawn from the government, business and academic élites of over 100 countries. Its current roster of around 200 Corporate and Institutional Members includes some 55 research centres and institutes, 25 media organisations, 35 government ministries and agencies and 40 commercial organisations along with numerous military staff colleges and university departments. The wide range of business interests represented include finance and investment, international banking, insurance, computing, shipping, infrastructure development, automobile production, management consulting, gas and oil, power generation and transmission, aerospace and defence, major media outlets and telecommunications."[http://www.iiss.org/joiniiss.php]
==Founding Members (1958)==
"The formation of the new institute for the study of defence and disarmament was simultaneously announced in London and New York. The Institute was to have its headquarters in London and the initial finance for the first three years operation was generously provided by the [[Ford Foundation]] in New York. The first Director was to be The Hon. [[Alastair Buchan]]; The Secretary of the Institute was to be Commander [[H.E.B. Jenkinson]], Royal Navy (Ret'd).
"The Institute was intended to further the study of strategy and security as a whole, and its membership would not be confined to British subjects. The founder members of the Council of the Institute were, however, all drawn from Britain. They were : <ref>International Institute for Strategic Studies [http://www.iiss.org/about-us/history/press-release-1958/ Institute Press Release 1958], organizational web page, accessed April 19, 2012.</ref>
*[[Sir Kenneth Grubb]], CMG (Chairman, Commission of the Churches in International Affairs)
*Chairman: [[Richard Goold-Adams]] (Writer and Broadcaster)
*Vice Chairman: The Rt. Hon. The [[Lord Salter]], GBE, KCB
*Hon. Treasurer: Professor [[P.M.S. Blackett]], FRS (Professor of Physics, Imperial College of Science, London)
*[[Alan Booth]] (Secretary, Commission of the Churches on International Affairs)
*[[Sir Anthony Buzzard]], Bt., CB, DSO (Director of Vickers-Armstrong Ltd., Director of Naval Intelligence 1951-1954)
*[[Sir Ronal Ivelaw Chapman]] , GCB, KBE, DFC, AFC (Vice Chief of the Air Staff 1953-1957)
*[[Sir John Eldridge]], KBE, CB, DSO, MC (Comptroller of Munitions, Ministry of Supply 1953-1957)
*[[Kurt Hahn]] (Formerly Headmaster of Gordonstoun and Salem Schools)
*[[B.H. Liddel Hart]] (Historian and Military Analyst)
*[[Sir William Hayter]], KCMG (Warden of New College, Oxford; British Ambassador to Moscow 1953-1957)
*[[Denis Healey]], MP (Vice Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Group, Parliamentary Labour Party)
*[[Michael Howard]], MC (Lecturer in War Studies, Kings College, London)
*[[Sir James Hutchison]], Bt., DSO, MP (President of the Assembly of Western European Union, 1957-1958)
*[[Sir John Slessor]], GCB, DSO, MC (Chief of the Air Staff 1950-1952)
*[[Sir Henry Tizard]], GCB, AFC, FRS (Chairman, Advisory Council on Scientific Policy and Defence Research Policy 1946-1952)
*[[Donald Tyerman]] (Editor of The Economist)
*[[H.M. Waddams]] (Secretary, Foreign Relations Council of the Church of England)
*[[Lord Weeks]], KCB, GBE, DSC, MC (Deputy Governor of the British Zone of Germany 1945; Chairman of Vickers Ltd.)
*[[C. M. Woodhouse]], DSO (Director General of The Royal Institute for International Affairs since 1955)
==Directing Staff==
*[http://www.iiss.org/biogs.php?staffID=72 [John Chipman]], Director
*[http://www.iiss.org/biogs.php?staffID=31 Julia Redfern], Special Assistant to the Director
*Colonel [http://www.iiss.org/biogs.php?staffID=51 David King], Administrative Director
*[http://www.iiss.org/biogs.php?staffID=16 Terence Taylor], Assistant Director; President, IISS-US
*[http://www.iiss.org/biogs.php?staffID=115 Alex Nicoll], Assistant Director and Senior Fellow for Defence Industry and Procurement
*Dr. [http://www.iiss.org/biogs.php?staffID=20 Gary Samore], Director of Studies; Senior Fellow for Non-Proliferation
==Trustees==
==Resources and articles==
===Related Sourcewatch articles===
*[[Francois Duchene]] - former Director (1969-74)
*[[Robert J. O'Neill]] - former Director (1982-7)
*[[Helena Cobban]] - Quaker member
*[[Shahram Chubin]]
*[[Rose E. Gottemoeller]]