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Syria

Policy Analysis on Syria

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Articles & Testimony
Don’t Let China Distract Us from Russia
Putin has a long list of achievements in the Middle East and is not leaving the stage anytime soon, so Washington must respond to the hardnosed realism that drives him to undermine U.S. influence.
Oct 29, 2021
◆
  • Anna Borshchevskaya
Nujana Syria 2
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Interpreting the Reemergence of the Allies of Syria Operations Room
The recent attack on al-Tanf base and the identity of the Iraqi factions that reportedly helped carry it out indicate Iran's plans to establish a new "deterrence equation" in Syria.
Oct 28, 2021
◆
  • Hamdi Malik
◆ Militia Spotlight
Tanf
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Militia Propaganda Around the Attack on al-Tanf
Iraqi militia actors appear to have had forewarning of the attack, reflecting an increasing focus on anti-coalition operations in Syria.
Oct 22, 2021
◆
  • Crispin Smith
◆ Militia Spotlight
Anti air
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Iraqi Militias Show Off Iranian Anti-Air Missile
Iran-backed resistance groups are seemingly staging missile "discoveries" as a way of warning off coalition air forces.
Oct 21, 2021
◆
  • Michael Knights
◆ Militia Spotlight
Laurent Nuñez
Video
Brief Analysis
Contending with New and Old Threats:
A French Perspective on Counterterrorism
A top intelligence official discusses domestic radicalization, the AUKUS crisis, potential Afghanistan fallout, and other key security issues, emphasizing the need for strong U.S.-French cooperation.
Oct 12, 2021
◆
  • Laurent Nuñez
◆ Counterterrorism Lecture Series
A U.S. Army soldier on patrol in Iraq
Video
Brief Analysis
Affirming U.S. Commitments Abroad: The View from Syria’s Democratic Council
The head of the council joins two Washington Institute experts for a far-ranging conversation on the U.S. role in the northeast, Kurdish threat perceptions, the effect of the Afghanistan withdrawal, and more.
Sep 29, 2021
◆
  • Elham Ahmad
  • Andrew J. Tabler
  • David Pollock
Articles & Testimony
The Assad Regime’s Business Model for Supporting the Islamic State
The international community stepped up to the ISIS challenge but has failed miserably to address the multifaceted problems presented by Assad, whose regime has worked with the terrorist group on and off for years.
Sep 26, 2021
◆
  • Matthew Levitt
President Biden addresses the UN General Assembly
Articles & Testimony
Biden UN Speech Misunderstands the Point of ‘Forever Wars’—in the Mideast and Elsewhere
U.S. military deployments create the strong alliances and local partnerships that the president said he wants.
Sep 20, 2021
◆
  • Ido Levy
Brief Analysis
A Tale of Two Islamic State Insurgencies in Syria
The SDF has made remarkable progress in its anti-IS operations while Assad’s forces have stagnated, but the coalition and its local partners must still prepare for a renewed terrorist threat on their exposed southern flank.
Sep 17, 2021
◆
  • Ido Levy
Articles & Testimony
U.S. Policy on the Mediterranean and the Role of PMCs
Although Biden may not see Russia as his top priority, Moscow’s proxy military activities in the Mediterranean are directly aimed at diluting Washington’s leverage in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
Sep 10, 2021
◆
  • Anna Borshchevskaya
A Taliban fighter at a police station in Kabul
Articles & Testimony
How Not to Repeat My History with the Taliban
To avoid the worst outcomes, Washington needs to assiduously enforce any deals with the new Afghan leadership, cooperate effectively with other world powers, and explain to a domestic audience how the withdrawal will facilitate a focus on different priorities.
Sep 2, 2021
◆
  • David Pollock
Badr Troops
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Profile: Badr Organization
Badr is the wellspring of many of today's armed resistance groups and still operates under the indirect and sometimes direct control of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Sep 2, 2021
◆
  • Michael Knights
  • Crispin Smith
  • Hamdi Malik
◆ Militia Spotlight: Profiles
Photo showing 1983 terrorist attack at U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon.
Articles & Testimony
Stop the Doomsaying, U.S. Credibility Will Weather Afghanistan
Regional mistakes and setbacks stretching back to the Carter administration did not stop countries from relying on Washington, and the Kabul crisis will be no different in the end.
Aug 29, 2021
◆
  • Dennis Ross
The Taliban flag on display in Kabul, Afghanistan
Brief Analysis
Return of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan: The Jihadist State of Play
Regardless of the Taliban’s promises to keep foreign terrorist elements in check, its victory is already boosting elements within the jihadist movement and may once again spur foreign fighter traffic to Afghanistan.
Aug 18, 2021
◆
  • Aaron Y. Zelin
Flag of the Syrian Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)
Brief Analysis
From Global Jihad to Local Regime: HTS Builds Different Forms of Legitimacy
Ironically, the Syrian jihadist group now acts much like a typical Middle Eastern regime, from the way it mobilizes local support to the abuses it commits against those who oppose its rule.
Aug 6, 2021
◆
  • Aaron Y. Zelin
Brief Analysis
Russia and Iran Are Supporting Assad’s Latest Attack on Deraa
The actions of Moscow and Tehran’s local forces say much about each country’s true intentions in the area, and the most immediate result could be more ethnic cleansing.
Aug 5, 2021
◆
  • Oula A. Alrifai
Russian soldiers in Syria
Brief Analysis
Iran and Russia Are Exploiting America’s Absence in Northeast Syria
By redeploying their military and proxy forces, boosting Assad’s political campaigns, and resorting to various local intimidation tactics, the two countries are increasingly working together on establishing full control in Deir al-Zour.
Jul 29, 2021
◆
  • Oula A. Alrifai
  • Ali Alleile
Kataib Hezbollah Logo
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
The Muqawama Are Focusing Attack Claims on U.S. Bases in Syria
Iraqi militias have said more about attacking such bases in the past six weeks than they did in preceding years.
Jul 28, 2021
◆
  • Crispin Smith
  • Hamdi Malik
◆ Militia Spotlight
Syrian flag over a ruined building destroyed by bombing
Articles & Testimony
The Search for a Syria Strategy: What Biden Can Learn From Trump’s Successes and Failures
Washington needs a special envoy to develop a coherent, intelligence-supported political strategy aimed at isolating Assad, limiting his facilitators, and enabling humanitarian NGOs.
Jul 27, 2021
◆
  • Andrew J. Tabler
Jazira drones
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
The Drones of Kataib Hezbollah's Jazira Command
KH-commanded militia units appear to have exclusive control over Iranian-provided drones, highlighting the group's links to Tehran and its involvement in recent UAV operations.
Jul 20, 2021
◆
  • Hamdi Malik
  • Crispin Smith
  • Michael Knights
◆ Militia Spotlight

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Featured experts

Michael Singh
Michael Singh
Michael Singh is the Managing Director and Lane-Swig Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute.
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.
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