"I think that there's been an unfortunate tendency for right wing think tanks to dominate these discussions. They often produce very shoddy studies and policy recommendations, which are nevertheless taken very seriously"

This quote by Juan Cole suggests that right-wing think tanks have actually had an outsized impact on policy conversations. He suggests that the research studies and policy recommendations produced by these think tanks are often of poor quality, yet they are still taken seriously by those in power. This could be due to the truth that these believe tanks are well-funded and have access to influential people in federal government. It might also be since the ideas they promote are in line with the political program of those in power. Whatever the factor, it is clear that Cole thinks that conservative think tanks have had an undue impact on policy conversations and that their recommendations should not be trusted.