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Syria

The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)
commentary
The Islamic State's Disposable Army
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Jun 20, 2017
U.S. News & World Report
To leaders of the Islamic State group, murder of its own and collective suicide are keys to its defense strategy. The group targets malcontents and the most suggestible, knowing they are desperate to belong to something and willing to die for it.
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Syria
commentary
When the Caliphate Falls, What Then for U.S. Policy?
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Jun 16, 2017
Defense One
The eventual fall of ISIS-controlled Raqqa will necessitate a review of U.S. policy in Syria. Policymakers can start thinking about the questions it will raise now.
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The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)
commentary
Developing a Comprehensive Strategy for Countering the Islamic State
Natasha Lander, Kimberly Jackson
Jun 5, 2017
U.S. News & World Report
Despite substantial policy and military focus, U.S. attempts to stop the Islamic State group have met with only varying degrees of success. A patient, long-term U.S. investment in governance—including a renewed commitment to addressing the root causes of instability in the Middle East—is needed in Iraq and Syria.
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Counterterrorism
commentary
What Happens After ISIS Goes Underground
Colin P. Clarke @ColinPClarke, Chad C. Serena
May 30, 2017
The National Interest
As the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria suffers defeats on the battlefield, it is expanding its cyber presence to continue to encourage attacks abroad. The more the group relies on cyberspace, the more likely it will expose important segments of its organization to detection and disruption.
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The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)
commentary
ISIS: Weakened but Still Potent
Colin P. Clarke @ColinPClarke
May 18, 2017
The Cipher Brief
ISIS is being defeated as an insurgency while preparing to transform into a clandestine terrorist group. But ISIS will continue to pose a serious threat to the countries where it operates and to the Western nations that it targets as it evolves.
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Terrorism Financing
commentary
Can the Islamic State Survive Financially?
Patrick B. Johnston @J0HNST0N, Colin P. Clarke @ColinPClarke
May 15, 2017
Lawfare
Significant gains have been made in attacking the Islamic State's cash and diminishing its ability to finance high-frequency attacks in Iraq and Syria. But the group may retain enough money to support sporadic attacks in the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe.
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Special Operations Forces
commentary
SOF's Evolving Role: Warfare 'By, With, and Through' Local Forces
Linda Robinson @RobinsonL100
May 9, 2017
The Cipher Brief
U.S. special operations forces are not providing the muscle of the frontline combat troops fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Instead, they are providing meaningful support to the various indigenous forces. If they succeed, this model could become a standard option in the U.S. military playbook.
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Chemical Weapons and Warfare
commentary
Regional Action Needed to Prevent Syrian Chemical Attacks
Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein
May 8, 2017
The Arab Weekly
Action must be taken to deter future use of chemical weapons. Regional leaders could call for the International Criminal Court to indict Assad for war crimes. Also, borders with Syria could be sealed to prevent any of the remaining stocks from leaving the country.
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The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)
commentary
The Caliphate Is Crumbling: What Comes Next?
Colin P. Clarke @ColinPClarke, Craig Whiteside
May 3, 2017
War on the Rocks
ISIL's caliphate is crumbling. But unless the U.S.-led coalition can reduce the many possibilities that might give ISIL's down-and-out members a reason to fight on, the militants will continue to contribute to disorder in the region.
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Peacekeeping and Stability Operations
commentary
NATO's Role in Post-Caliphate Stability Operations
Hans Binnendijk, David C. Gompert
May 2, 2017
The National Interest
Steps are needed to fill the vacuum left as the caliphate collapses, lest forces on the ground turn on each other to gain control. The answer is for NATO to act under U.S. leadership. The alternative is either chaos or Iran, backed by Russia, filling the void.
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Migrants
essay
Migrant Crisis in the Mediterranean: What You Need to Know
May 2, 2017
The countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea are facing unprecedented stress. A former lieutenant with the Italian Navy is now a RAND researcher, working to help others appreciate the scope of the crisis.
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International Diplomacy
commentary
How the West Can Press Putin to Keep Assad in Order
Colin P. Clarke @ColinPClarke, William Courtney @courtneywmh
Apr 24, 2017
Newsweek
Moscow has achieved tactical successes in Syria, but without Western and regional help, its long-term strategic interests could be at risk. Denying strong evidence that the regime of Bashar al-Assad attacked civilians with sarin gas makes it harder for Moscow to obtain the Western and regional help it needs to secure its interests there.
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Syria
commentary
(Withholding) Judgment of the U.S. Missile Strike on Syria
Jeffrey Martini
Apr 19, 2017
The National Interest
Will the U.S. missile strike in Syria constrain the Assad regime from future chemical weapons use? Rather than pass judgment, analysts should establish the benchmarks by which they will assess this decision once the facts are in.
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Syria
commentary
The Limits of Going It Alone in Syria
Dalia Dassa Kaye @dassakaye
Apr 18, 2017
U.S. News & World Report
Very little on the ground in Syria has changed since the U.S. missile strikes against the Assad regime. To translate this military action into policy gains, it will be necessary to follow up with increased diplomatic coordination with international partners and institutions.
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Chemical Weapons and Warfare
commentary
Why Would Assad Use Chemical Weapons?
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Apr 14, 2017
U.S. News & World Report
The use of chemical weapons today provokes international condemnation, if not always action. Those who order their deployment risk being charged with war crimes. So why would Syria's President Bashar Assad use them?
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International Diplomacy
commentary
A Three-Menu Path for Trump Foreign Policy
Andrew R. Hoehn, Sonni Efron
Apr 10, 2017
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Trump administration would benefit from a comprehensive strategic orientation — a basic set of operating principles backed by a set of actions and realistic budget — to guide the innumerable tactical decisions of U.S. foreign policy.
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Page 1 of 11

Syria

The Islamic State's Disposable Army

When the Caliphate Falls, What Then for U.S. Policy?

Developing a Comprehensive Strategy for Countering the Islamic State

What Happens After ISIS Goes Underground

ISIS: Weakened but Still Potent

Can the Islamic State Survive Financially?

SOF's Evolving Role: Warfare 'By, With, and Through' Local Forces

Regional Action Needed to Prevent Syrian Chemical Attacks

The Caliphate Is Crumbling: What Comes Next?

NATO's Role in Post-Caliphate Stability Operations

Migrant Crisis in the Mediterranean: What You Need to Know

How the West Can Press Putin to Keep Assad in Order

(Withholding) Judgment of the U.S. Missile Strike on Syria

The Limits of Going It Alone in Syria

Why Would Assad Use Chemical Weapons?

A Three-Menu Path for Trump Foreign Policy

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