Storke Funeral Home Obituaries

Mohammed Ehsanullah (Ehsan) Ahrari, a retired Department of Defense professor and author, died on August 8, 2022, at INOVA Mount Vernon Hospital, Alexandria, Virginia, from recurrent bronchiectasis infections. Born on November 24, 1945, in Hyderabad, India, Ehsan was the son of the late Sayyada Bibi and Mohammad Hashmatullah Ahrari, beloved brother of the late Khadija (Javed) Alim, and uncle to his late nieces Nasreen (Karme) and Gauhar (Ashar) of Lucknow, India. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Lt Col USAF NC (Ret) Sharon Leyland Ahrari, his brother Azizullah, his nephew Zafar (Sara), his nieces Farkhunda (Parvez) and Tabinda (Jamal); his great nephews Asim, Samad, Ibrahim, Abdullah, Adil (Rida), Anwar (Nishat), Abid (Varisha), and Saboor; his great nieces Urooj, Fatima, Rabia, Afreen, and Yusra; his great-great nephews (Ayaan and Shazen); and his great-great nieces (Aayat and Dua).

Ehsan came to the United States in 1968 with only one suitcase and $50.00 in his pocket. He was here on a student visa to attend Eastern Illinois University at Charleston, where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Master of Arts Degree in Political Science. He went on to earn a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Political Science, International Security, and Political Economy from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Because funds were scarce in the early days, he got a summer job working at the Cracker Jack Factory in Chicago putting the toy prize into each box. A humble beginning for such a distinguished professor. A naturalized citizen by 1984, he taught political science at East Carolina University (Greenville), Mississippi State University (Starkville), as well as some of America’s premier senior military educational institutions: the USAF Air War College (Montgomery, Alabama), the National Defense University’s Joint Forces Staff College (Norfolk, Virginia), and the Department of Defense’s Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (Honolulu, Hawaii).  He retired from the U.S. government in 2009.

Dr. Ahrari gave a number of lectures at international organizations such as NATO Headquarters (Mons, Belgium), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development HQ (Paris, France); the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies (Garmisch, Germany);  the NATO School (Oberammergau, Germany); the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (New Delhi, India); the Indonesian National Armed Forces (Jakarta); the Council for National Security (Bangkok, Thailand); the Turkish Armed Forces (Ankara); the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (Abu Dhabi); and the East-West Center (Honolulu, Hawaii). 

As CEO of Strategic Paradigms, an independent defense consulting firm, Ehsan appeared on global media as a ‘subject matter expert’ on anti-terrorism, great power relations (US, China, and Russia), Islamic radicalism, challenges of counter-radicalization, cyber-security strategy, Iran’s growing strategic presence in the Middle East and its implications for the security of the Arabian/Persian Gulf. He also wrote on issues of global security involving the United States, the Middle East, and South Asia, with 14 books/monographs and over 500 articles, essays, and opinion editorials to his name.  See www.ehsanahrari.com. He spoke Urdu, Arabic, and English.

He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on August 17, 2022, where he will be joined by his best friend, his confidante, and his rafiqu-e-hayat (partner for life); his beloved wife, Sharon.