Center for Defense Information

Founded in 1972 by the late Rear Admiral Gene LaRocque, the Center for Defense Information (CDI) is a think tank that monitors the U.S. defense establishment. A number of retired officers were involved in its formation, sharing a general philosophy that there was waste and excessive reliance on force, yet a need for appropriate defense.

It accepts no U.S. government or defense industry funding. To encourage the intellectual freedom of the staff, CDI does not hold institutional policy positions.

CDI is now part of the World Security Institute, whose divisions include the Center for Defense Information, International Media, the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, Azimuth Media and International Programs with offices in Cairo and Beijing.

Its journal is Defense Monitor.

On 27 October 2009, Philip Coyle, Senior Adviser at CDI, has been nominated by President Barack Obama as Associate Director for National Security and International Affairs, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.