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Syria

Chemical Weapons and Warfare
commentary
Assad's Attacks Should Not Be Repeated, Forgotten, or Excused
Ted Clark
Aug 15, 2017
Foreign Policy Concepts
Despite signing the Chemical Weapons Convention treaty in October 2013, Assad has continued chemical attacks on the Syrian opposition. To counter Assad and others who might turn to the use of chemical weapons, the U.S. could collaborate with other major powers to bolster the international ban on them.
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Political Reform Movements
q&a
The Post–Arab Spring Experience: Q&A with Shelly Culbertson
Aug 23, 2017
It's too early to say whether the Arab Spring will turn out to be a success or not. The Arab Spring was about people deciding what they did not want and rising up against it, but they hadn't worked out what they did want. Many of them still have hope.
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Global Security
commentary
Dealing with Global Hot Spots in Times of Domestic Upheaval
David C. Gompert
Aug 14, 2017
Fox News Channel
The United States faces growing dangers of war in three parts of the globe: North Korea, Syria, and the South China Sea. How will it manage any—let alone all—of them, especially with political turmoil at the highest levels at home?
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Counterterrorism
blog
Vickers, Crocker, Bergen, and Mudd Headline RAND ISIS Conference
Jul 6, 2017
Panelists at a RAND conference on ISIS agreed that efforts to protect the U.S. homeland and conduct campaigns to dismantle extremist groups have had success. But many long-term challenges to the broader world order remain that will require strategic patience.
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The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)
commentary
Is ISIS Leader Baghdadi Still Alive?
Colin P. Clarke @ColinPClarke
Jun 22, 2017
Foreign Affairs
The Russian military announced that it might have killed the leader of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in an airstrike in Raqqa. Would his death weaken the group or will ISIS continue to adapt, evolve, and expand like al Qaeda did?
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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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Syria

Assad's Attacks Should Not Be Repeated, Forgotten, or Excused

The Post–Arab Spring Experience: Q&A with Shelly Culbertson

Dealing with Global Hot Spots in Times of Domestic Upheaval

Vickers, Crocker, Bergen, and Mudd Headline RAND ISIS Conference

Is ISIS Leader Baghdadi Still Alive?

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

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