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Syria

Policy Analysis on Syria

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Brief Analysis
Europe, Syria, and Weapons of Mass Destruction
Syrian president Bashar al-Asad's January 6 interview with London's Daily Telegraph -- in which he indicated that Syria would not relinquish its weapons of mass destruction (WMD) capabilities until Israel did so also -- suggests that Syria is not likely to follow Libya's recent example of foregoing WMD in order
Jan 8, 2004
Brief Analysis
Assessing European-Levantine Relations by the Numbers
Europe's increasing role in the Levant was highlighted recently by two high-profile events that may have a significant impact on future relations between the two regions. On December 1, Israelis and Palestinians launched a controversial unofficial peacemaking initiative in Geneva. On December 2-3, the Barcelona Process countries held their sixth
Dec 12, 2003
Brief Analysis
Promoting Democracy in Syria:
Options for U.S. Policy
FLYNT LEVERETT There are two main avenues by which the United States can encourage greater openness, democratization, and economic reform in Syria: an externally driven approach (e.g., supporting external opposition forces), or a strategy of engagement with the Syrian government and civil society. Historically, the latter strategy has had an
Dec 2, 2003
In-Depth Reports
'Fight on All Fronts':
Hizballah, the War on Terror, and the War in Iraq
An odd blending of religion and politics, Hizballah was born as a movement amid the terrorism of the 1980s. By 2000, it had matured into a strategic, vital player in the Middle East, capable of influencing the region's course for peace or war. Organizationally, Hizballah has evolved from a loose
Dec 1, 2003
Articles & Testimony
When Rogues Defy Reason:
Bashar's Syria
Even after the extraordinary U.S.-British military display of last spring, rogue states and terrorists continue to threaten U.S. national security. While this observation may seem prosaic, the White House predicted that victory in Iraq would convince our adversaries to fall into line, i.e., moderate their ways to avoid becoming the
Nov 1, 2003
Brief Analysis
New Evidence of Wider Threats from Lebanon's Asbat al-Ansar
Lebanon and occupying Syria have downplayed the threat of Asbat al-Ansar ever since the al-Qaeda affiliate was named a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. government on September 23, 2001. Made up of only a few hundred fighters, Asbat was thought to be contained within Ein al-Hilweh, a Palestinian
Oct 3, 2003
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  • Jonathan Schanzer
Hezbollah:
A Case Study of Global Reach
Remarks to a conference on "Post-Modern Terrorism: Trends, Scenarios, and Future Threats," International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism, Herzliya, Israel Thank you very much for your kind introduction. It's a pleasure to be here at ICT, an institution that makes such important contributions to both the academic literature available on the
Sep 8, 2003
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  • Matthew Levitt
Articles & Testimony
Hezbollah's West Bank Terror Network
Now that it controls an extremely capable terrorist network in the West Bank, Hezbollah has established itself as a proactive spoiler of Middle East peace, capable of commissioning attacks even if Palestinian groups agree to cease fire.
Sep 1, 2003
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  • Matthew Levitt
Brief Analysis
Hizballah's West Bank Foothold
Last week, Hizballah drastically escalated its activity along Israel's northern border, ending seven months of relative calm there. Yet, the assault on Israeli positions in the Shebaa Farms area and the cross-border shelling of northern Israeli towns pale in comparison to the potential danger posed by the terrorist cells and
Aug 20, 2003
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  • Matthew Levitt
Brief Analysis
Is Hizballah Resuming the Offensive?
After months of restraint following the double shock of U.S. military victories in Afghanistan and Iraq, Hizballah resumed action against Israel today, firing mortal shells and missiles at the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) along the Israel-Lebanon border. Changes in the regional geopolitical environment and recent statements by the organization's leadership
Aug 8, 2003
Brief Analysis
Hizballah's Unwitting U.S. Bankers
Executives at some leading U.S. financial, corporate, and journalistic institutions, such as JP Morgan Chase, Wachovia, American Express Centurion Bank, Associated Press Television News (APTN), Telestar5, and Interland, should be aware that their organizations are unwitting accomplices in the terrorist activities of Hizballah, recently labeled "the A team" of terrorism
Jul 22, 2003
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  • Avi Jorisch
Articles & Testimony
Lurking in Lebanon
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri of Lebanon announced on Sunday that Lebanese authorities will not enter a Palestinian refugee camp where al Qaeda operatives are known to be, even at the height of the war on terror. Asbat al-Ansar (League of Partisans) was tied to a foiled assassination plot against the
Jun 4, 2003
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  • Jonathan Schanzer
Brief Analysis
Terror from Damascus (Part II):
Hizballah and al-Qaeda Terrorist Activity in Syria
Secretary of State Colin Powell's recent talks in Damascus focused not only on Syrian sponsorship of Palestinian terrorist groups, but also on Syria's increasingly intimate ties with and support for Hizballah. Yet, Syrian support for terrorist groups of global reach does not end with Hizballah. Recently revealed intelligence on al-Qaeda
May 9, 2003
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  • Matthew Levitt
Brief Analysis
Terror from Damascus (Part I):
The Palestinian Terrorist Presence in Syria
Syrian sponsorship of terrorism topped the agenda of Secretary of State Colin Powell's recent trip to Damascus, and his visit was quickly followed by conflicting reports regarding the status of various terrorist headquarters there. The coming weeks will determine whether the Damascus offices of Hizballah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)
May 7, 2003
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  • Matthew Levitt
Brief Analysis
Hizballah on the Defensive
Nervous about recent Middle East developments and major threats looming in the future, Hizballah is taking defensive steps inside Lebanon and stepping up its rhetoric against the United States. Hizballah's Nightmare In almost all of his speeches, Hizballah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah has spoken about the pride that his organization brought
May 6, 2003
Brief Analysis
Hizballah's Message of Hate and Powell's Levant Visit
As Secretary of State Colin Powell prepares to visit Syria and Lebanon on May 3, his agenda will most likely address the war on terrorism. The most active support for terrorism from both Damascus and Beirut is for Hizballah. To understand what the group's aims and ambitions are, few sources
May 2, 2003
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  • Avi Jorisch
Articles & Testimony
Confronting Syrian Support for Terrorist Groups
After the unveiling of an American backed Israeli-Palestinian plan known as the road map earlier this month, US Secretary of State Colin Powell embarked on a trip to the Middle East. Significantly, however, he did not stop in Israel or the West Bank on this trip, but went straight to
May 1, 2003
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  • Matthew Levitt
Articles & Testimony
Don't Know Much about History
The last time Syria pursued a brazen, unrestrained foreign policy, it winded up losing the Golan Heights. The lesson from the Six Day War -- the most stunning defeat ever handed to Syria in modern history -- should not be forgotten: reckless statements and provocations can have unintended, disastrous consequences
Apr 7, 2003
Brief Analysis
Trying to Walk a Fine Line?
Hizballah's Stakes in the Current War
Amidst the war in Iraq, the Lebanese group Hizballah has decided not to open up what could have been a "second front" by attacking Israel. This decision should not be mistaken for passivity, however. With the world paying scant attention, Hizballah is seeking to shape Arab public opinion against the
Apr 3, 2003
Articles & Testimony
Al-Manar and the War in Iraq
While Western commentators frequently fulminate about the Qatari satellite station Al-Jazeera and its pernicious impact on Arab public opinion, few have taken notice of a potentially lethal media offensive emanating from the south of Beirut by Al-Manar, a Lebanese television station run by the militant Shiite group Hezbollah. Like Al-Jazeera
Apr 1, 2003
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  • Avi Jorisch

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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.
Grant Rumley
Grant Rumley
Grant Rumley is the Meisel-Goldberger Senior Fellow and Director of the Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Program on Great Power Competition and the Middle East at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
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.
Elizabeth Dent - source: The Washington Institute
Elizabeth Dent
Elizabeth Dent is a Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, where she focuses on U.S. foreign and defense policy toward the Gulf states, Iraq, and Syria.
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