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On November 13, 1970, Syria witnessed its last of many coups following its 1946 independence from the French. Fifty years later, the country remains led by a dynasty that has outlasted not only nine American presidents, but has also managed to maintain its iron grip over Syria while surrounding regimes have successively succumbed to regional upheaval.
This panel will reflect on the Assad family’s impact on Syria and the region, its relationship with the United States, and what the future might hold for the family and the regime.
Agenda
Opening remarks
William Wechsler
Director, Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East and Middle East Programs
Atlantic Council
A conversation with
Dr. Samir Al-Taqi
Nonresident Scholar
Middle East Institute
Rahaf Aldoughli
Lecturer in Middle East and North African Studies
Lancaster University
Steven Heydemann
Janet Wright Ketcham 1953 Chair in Middle East Studies
Smith College
Joseph Bahout
Director, Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs
American University of Beirut
Moderated by
Rima Maktabi
UK Bureau Chief
Al Arabiya News Channel
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Through our Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East and Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative, the Atlantic Council works with allies and partners in Europe and the wider Middle East to protect US interests, build peace and security, and unlock the human potential of the region.