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MENASource

Oct 1, 2021

The northern countryside of Homs in Syria is facing a similar fate as Daraa

By Suhail al-Ghazi

Recently, a series of attacks against regime forces and threats by regime commanders are exposing the region to a similar fate as Daraa governorate.

Middle East Politics & Diplomacy

Event Recap

Sep 22, 2021

EVENT RECAP: The future of counterterrorism: Twenty years after 9/11

By Yaseen Rashed

On September 8, the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security’s Forward Defense practice area and the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative hosted an event with US national security experts to discuss counterterrorism twenty years after 9/11 and reimagine the future of the terrorist threat.

Middle East Politics & Diplomacy

MENASource

Sep 22, 2021

Mourned by some, cursed by others, former President Bouteflika left Algeria ill-prepared for the future

By Andrew G. Farrand

Abdelaziz Bouteflika's death is unlikely to substantially shift the country's trajectory, in large part because of just how rigid a system he and his generation of independence heroes already imposed upon Algeria during their lifetimes.

Middle East North Africa

MENASource

Sep 20, 2021

‘Investing in women is just good business’: Ways to increase funding for women-led ventures in the Middle East

By Stefanie Hausheer Ali

On September 14, 2021 the Atlantic Council’s empowerME Initiative held a workshop on “Venture Capital Financing: How to Increase Funding for Women-led Ventures."

Middle East The Gulf

MENASource

Sep 17, 2021

Syria after the fall of Kabul: A European perspective

By Michel Duclos

There is at least one common factor between Syria and Afghanistan: just as the Taliban has not changed once it took back power, the Bashar al-Assad regime will not change once its power is affirmed.

Middle East Politics & Diplomacy

MENASource

Sep 15, 2021

Renewed hostilities in Daraa offer lessons and opportunities in Syria. But will Washington pay attention?

By Alexander Langlois

Prolonged unrest in the south highlights rifts within the pro-Bashar al-Assad camp, notably between Iran and Damascus on one side and Russia on the other, potentially presenting a unique opportunity for diplomacy.

Middle East Politics & Diplomacy

MENASource

Sep 13, 2021

Defusing Saudi Arabia-UAE tensions through economic rebalancing

By Hani Findakly

By identifying the economic imbalances contributing to the breakdown, recalibration is possible to rebuild a more balanced relationship that circumvents the zero-sum game that has given rise to the Riyadh-Abu Dhabi dispute.

MENASource

Sep 8, 2021

It’s been twenty years since 9/11. The US Army still hasn’t learned to speak Arabic or Dari.

By Jon Tishman

The August withdrawal ended close to twenty years of combat operations in Afghanistan, while the US aims to end seventeen years of combat mission in Iraq by the end of this year. After such lengthy conflicts, one might expect the US Army to be overrun with soldiers fluent in Arabic and Dari. Despite repeated deployments and enough time to educate current senior leaders in the ranks from grade school skills to bachelor’s degree-level, the overall rate of soldiers conversant in target languages remains abysmally low in combat arms, even among codified linguist positions.

Afghanistan Iraq

MENASource

Sep 3, 2021

Afghanistan demonstrates why it’s time for a clear Syria policy, starting with northeast Syria

By Reem Salahi

If Afghanistan is to teach us anything, the Biden administration should not ignore Syria by having a non-existent policy. The longer the Syrian conflict continues, the more intractable and unmanageable it becomes.

Middle East Syria

MENASource

Sep 2, 2021

To honor two generations of service members, prevent the next GWOT ribbon

By Caroline Donnal

Today, executive and legislative actions signal a shift: America’s military footprint in the Middle East is shrinking and thousands of troops are coming home.

Afghanistan Iraq