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Syria

Policy Analysis on Syria

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هيئة تحرير الشام
Articles & Testimony
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Imagined Communities in Its Proto-State
The jihadist group has been releasing upbeat online briefs about various locales under its control, seemingly aiming to unite residents in northwest Syria and soften its image abroad.
Mar 1, 2023
◆
  • Aaron Y. Zelin
  • Sarah Cahn
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militia members in Syria
Articles & Testimony
Jihadi “Counterterrorism”: Hayat Tahrir al-Sham Versus the Islamic State
An in-depth look at how the Syrian group has sought to differentiate itself from other jihadist terrorist organizations, but with only partial success despite a decade’s worth of political evolution.
Feb 2023
◆
  • Aaron Y. Zelin
Abu Fadak in Syria
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
How the Popular Mobilization Forces Exploited Syria's Earthquake
Now that Iraqi PMF groups can deploy to Syria with Baghdad's formal authorization, many cross-border militant activities may accelerate under the cover of earthquake relief.
Feb 27, 2023
◆
  • Erik Yavorsky
◆ Militia Spotlight
Post earthquake recover efforts in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, in February 2023 - source: Reuters
Video
Brief Analysis
Earthquake in Syria and Turkey: U.S. Policy Implications
A panel of experts offers on-the-ground insights from the disaster zone and discusses the political and policy consequences of the still-unfolding humanitarian crisis.
Feb 17, 2023
◆
  • Can Selcuki
  • Amany Qaddour
  • Soner Cagaptay
  • Andrew J. Tabler
Brief Analysis
Helping Syrian Earthquake Victims, Not Assad
Washington should take steps to ensure that the Treasury Department’s latest general license does not create new loopholes for the regime, its patrons in Moscow and Tehran, or its foreign terrorist partners.
Feb 16, 2023
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  • Andrew J. Tabler
Brief Analysis
The Islamic State in 2023: Threat Levels and Repatriation Questions
The latest UN report on the terrorist organization highlights the need for more progress on addressing repatriation challenges, new financing methods, weapons proliferation, and threats to African stability, among other issues.
Feb 15, 2023
◆
  • Devorah Margolin
President Biden delivers the 2022 State of the Union address in Washington - source: U.S. government
Brief Analysis
The State of the Union and the Middle East
A compendium of what the past three U.S. presidents have said—and not said—about the region in their annual speeches before Congress.
Feb 8, 2023
◆
  • Eric Feely
Akram Kaabi meets Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Bogdanov in Moscow in December 2022
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Akram Kaabi’s Visit to Moscow and Its Aftermath
Russia now feels emboldened to openly host Iraqi "resistance" leaders with no government role—including designated terrorists—to discuss their shared interest in confronting the West and working together in Syria and Iraq.
Jan 27, 2023
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  • Erik Yavorsky
◆ Militia Spotlight
Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), walk together near Baghouz, Deir Al Zor province - source: Reuters
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Turkish Drone Strikes and Building Concerns About Washington in Syria’s Autonomous Administration
Some U.S. allies believe the Biden administration has been noticeably muted regarding Turkey's escalations in northern Syria and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Jan 11, 2023
◆
  • Baraa Sabri
Erdogan and Putin
Brief Analysis
Russia’s Yes Vote on Syria Aid Will Come With a Price
Moscow’s willingness to approve another UN extension has more to do with advancing normalization between Turkey and the Assad regime than helping Syrian civilians, who will remain hostage to Russian demands if nothing is done before the next vote this summer.
Jan 11, 2023
◆
  • Anna Borshchevskaya
  • Andrew J. Tabler
Boys carry bread as they walk along a street in Jaramana, on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria - source: Reuters
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Will the Russian Intervention in Ukraine End Humanitarian Assistance for Syrians?
Changing geopolitical dynamics and upcoming international decisions have the potential to make Syria's humanitarian crisis worse than ever.
Jan 6, 2023
◆
  • Mahmood Alhosain
  • Jonas Ecke
syriaaid
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Exploring Russia's Views on Humanitarian Aid in Syria
With the UN Security Council set to vote on whether to extend UN cross-border aid efforts into northwest Syria, Russia is once again poised to jeopardize humanitarian assistance to the 4.1 million civilians who rely on this lifeline to survive.
Jan 4, 2023
◆
  • Jonathan Robinson
Brief Analysis
To Ease Syria’s Energy Crisis, Assad Must Return to the Negotiating Table
Washington can help alleviate the country's fuel crisis, but only if Damascus and Moscow agree to extend the cross-border aid mechanism and resume progress toward a final political settlement.
Dec 22, 2022
◆
  • Andrew J. Tabler
  • Erik Yavorsky
Palestians on a Mediterranean beach in Gaza
Brief Analysis
Changing Population Patterns Will Reshape the Middle East
Several of the region’s demographic heavyweights will be surpassed, and major shifts at the global level may affect how great powers vie for influence there as well.
Nov 22, 2022
◆
  • Patrick Clawson
Photo showing the Iron Dome defense system intercepting Hamas rockets over Ashkelon, Israel, in May 2021.
Articles & Testimony
Why Israel Is Hesitant About Supplying Ukraine with Air Defense Systems
Jerusalem remains concerned that angering the Russians could jeopardize its crucial national security interests in Syria, though domestic elements and U.S. officials are still pressing it to do more.
Nov 15, 2022
◆
  • Anna Borshchevskaya
Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, speaks in a recorded interview released in Jan. 2019. Photo credit: Screenshot by Cole Bunzel via Twitter.
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
The Future of al-Jawlani’s Pragmatism in Idlib and Afrin
Despite years of overhauling HTS’s global reputation, al-Jawlani’s strategy in northwest Syria has long been driven by opportunism instead of ideology.
Nov 8, 2022
◆
  • Yilmaz Saeed
Brief Analysis
What to Expect (or Not) from the Arab League Summit
Participants will probably issue potent-sounding statements on Iran, oil production, and other key issues, but their rhetoric is unlikely to result in any substantive policy shifts or internal dispute resolution.
Oct 24, 2022
◆
  • Sabina Henneberg
  • David Schenker
al-Shaitat Memorial
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Daesh’s Forgotten Massacre in Deir al-Zour
Justice for the victims of the al-Shaitat massacre is only just starting to emerge, and the international community must do its part.
Oct 24, 2022
◆
  • Omar Abu Layla
Flag of the Syrian Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Shifting Lines and IDPs: Azaz, Afrin, and the HTS Incursion
HTS is on the move through northern Syria, leaving locals in Afrin and Azaz even more vulnerable.
Oct 19, 2022
◆
  • Rena Netjes
Brief Analysis
The UN Resolution Against Russia’s Ukraine Annexations: How Did the Middle East Vote?
Most of the region supported the measure, with one nay vote, a pair of notable changes since the March resolution, and several strong statements in support of territorial integrity.
Oct 18, 2022

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Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics

The Washington Institute's Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics focuses on social, political, and economic developments in the Arab world, with an emphasis on the Arab countries of the Levant.

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Featured experts

Andrew J. Tabler
Andrew J. Tabler
Andrew J. Tabler is the Martin J. Gross Senior Fellow in the Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics at The Washington Institute, where he focuses on Syria and U.S. policy in the Levant, and Director of the Institute's Junior Research Program.
Grant Rumley
Grant Rumley
Grant Rumley is the Goldberger Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, where he specializes in military and security affairs in the Middle East.
David Schenker
David Schenker
David Schenker is the Taube Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics. He is the former Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs.
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