The Bench

Welcome to The Bench — my creative, intellectually free corner of the internet.

This is where I'll share my half-baked thoughts on foreign policy and working in Washington.

By Alia Awadallah

· Launched 7 months ago

Recent posts

Data Center Strikes Could Harden Gulf Resolve Against Iran

For governments staking their economic futures on AI infrastructure, the calculus on Iran may be shifting

Mar 4•Alia Awadallah

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The Anthropic-Pentagon Standoff: What Happens Next

The week ended with a resolution of sorts to the ongoing dispute between Anthropic and the Pentagon regarding the terms of use for Anthropic tools by…

Feb 28•Alia Awadallah

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The Post-CVE Era

As ISIS threats resurface, countering violent extremism has lost political backing, funding, and strategic priority.

Feb 19•Alia Awadallah

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Getting In, Part III: Knock, Knock(ing on doors)

Campaigns, transitions, and the building of the Schedule C pipeline

Jan 28•Alia Awadallah

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Universities, Think Tanks, and the Making of Middle East Expertise

In conversation with Jesse Marks, author of Coffee in the Desert

Jan 27•Alia Awadallah and Jesse Marks

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Learning AI Policy in Real Time

Does the foreign policy community actually understand AI?

Jan 21•Alia Awadallah

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