The polythink syndrome -- Causes, symptoms, and consequences of polythink -- Polythink in national security : the 9/11 attacks -- Polythink and Afghanistan war decisions : war initiation and termination -- Decision making in the Iraq War: from groupthink to polythink -- Polythink in the Iranian nuclear dispute : decisions of the U.S. and Israel -- Recent challenges : the Syria debate, the renewed Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, and the ISIS decision -- The global nature of polythink and its productive potential.