Michael “Mick” Patrick Mulroy is the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for the Middle East. As the DASD, he was responsible for defense policy for 15 countries and represented the Department of Defense of national policy in that area. He is also a retired CIA Paramilitary Operations Officer in the Special Activities Center and a United States Marine. He is a Distinguished Military Fellow for the Middle East Institute, an ABC News National Security Analyst, and a Co-founder of Lobo Institute.
He is on the board of directors for Grassroots Reconciliation Group, a group that seeks to assist and rehabilitate children forced to be soldiers in the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). He is the Co-founder of End Child Soldiering, a group that seeks to end the use of children as soldiers worldwide and rehabilitate those forced to fight. He is also the Co-creator of a documentary called “My Star in the Sky,” which portrays the true story of two child soldiers in the LRA.
Mick is also a volunteer for the Third Option Foundation and with various veterans organizations. He is married to Mary Beth Mulroy, the father of a son, a U.S. Marine, a daughter, four goddaughters, and three godsons. Mick is also a leading proponent of the U.S. military incorporating the Stoicism philosophy into their ethical and resiliency efforts officially. Mick is also on the board of advisors for Plato’s Academy in Athens, Greece.
Education
Bachelor’s from Augusta University; Law degree from Samford University
Issues of Expertise
US Military, Defense & Security
Countries of Expertise
Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen
The Latest from Mick Mulroy
The Iran War: Escalation, Energy, and the Uncertain Endgame
America’s New Defense Strategy — and What It Means for Iran
Hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj are joined by MEI Distinguished Military Fellow Mick Mulroy to discuss the Trump administration’s new National Defense Strategy (NDS) and its implications for the Middle East. While serving as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for the Middle East from 2017 to 2019, Mulroy helped prepare the 2018 NDS, giving him an insider perspective on US defense planning. Together, Taylor, Czekaj, and Mulroy unpack what the new strategy means for US priorities globally and for the Middle East in particular, including how it could be reflected in a potentially looming military strike on Iran.
With the Middle East on the brink, how can the US recalibrate its response?
The Middle East teeters on the precipice of a substantial escalation, threatening to more fully draw in Lebanon, Iran, and perhaps other countries. What happens in the coming days, along with the decisions made by adversaries and allies alike, will determine if that happens.
Defense Rapid Reaction: Iran’s unprecedented direct strike against Israel
A Strategy for Countering the Houthi Threat at Sea
A Memorandum from MEI’s Defense and Security Program with Recommendations for President Biden
Monday Briefing: Four takeaways from Hezbollah chief’s November 3 speech
Read MEI’s weekly briefing featuring expert analysis of key regional developments for the week ahead.
Monday Briefing: Israel-Hamas war: Conflict scenarios, risks of regional escalation, and US diplomacy
Read MEI’s weekly briefing featuring expert analysis of key regional developments for the week ahead.
Defense Rapid Reaction: Hamas attack on Israel
In the latest installment of the Defense Rapid Reaction series, experts from MEI’s Defense & Security Program provide their views on the Oct. 7 Hamas surprise attack on Israel and what it might mean for Israelis and Palestinians, the wider region, and U.S. policy.
Monday Briefing: UNGA week kicks off with a US-Iranian prisoner swap
Read MEI’s weekly briefing featuring expert analysis of key regional developments for the week ahead.
We need a new “Big Stick” policy for Iran
President Theodore Roosevelt said, “Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.”1 Roosevelt used the image of the big stick to popularize his philosophy, but he offered a subtler interpretation in other venues. It represented a quiet threat that would only rarely need to be used if accompanied by steady diplomacy.
Special Briefing: The legacy, lessons, and future course of Iraq 20 years since the U.S. invasion
Read MEI’s weekly briefing featuring expert analysis of key regional developments for the week ahead.
Monday Briefing: Back together again? Turkish opposition reaches deal on joint presidential ticket
Read MEI’s weekly briefing featuring expert analysis of key regional developments for the week ahead.
One year on, Ukrainians continue to defy the odds
Today marks the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine — a war of choice by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia has failed on the strategic, operational, and tactical levels. The Ukrainians have defied the odds. No one will likely underestimate them again, including Russia.
Remembering Ash Carter (1954-2022)
Ashton B. Carter, the 25th U.S. Secretary of Defense, who served under former President Barack Obama, passed away on October 24, 2022. MEI’s scholars react to the news and remember his rich legacy.
