Featured reading

A ‘Band-Aid’ for Syria

New Atlanticist
Dec 8, 2024

Experts react: Rebels have toppled the Assad regime. What’s next for Syria, the Middle East, and the world?

By
Atlantic Council experts

Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad has been ousted as opposition forces quickly took the Syrian capital. Atlantic Council experts share their insights on the developments.

Conflict
Corruption

A ‘Band-Aid’ for Syria

Fast Thinking
Dec 8, 2024

Assad has fallen. Now what?

By
Atlantic Council

The power shift in Syria will reverberate across the Middle East and the world. Our experts explain what’s next.

Conflict
Iran

A ‘Band-Aid’ for Syria

New Atlanticist
Dec 9, 2024

Dispatch from Doha: Assad’s fall, Iran’s weakness, and the impact of unintended consequences

By
Jonathan Panikoff

In just six months, Iran has slid from a position of strength to perhaps the weakest it has been since 1979.

Conflict
Iran

A ‘Band-Aid’ for Syria

MENASource
Dec 10, 2024

Where Syria goes next after the fall of Assad

By
Frederic C. Hof

With the Assad family agone, Syria, at long last, has a chance to achieve the kind of political transition envisioned by the 2012 Geneva Final Communique and UNSCR 2254.

Conflict
Middle East

A ‘Band-Aid’ for Syria

New Atlanticist
Dec 10, 2024

A blueprint for bringing about a new Syria

By
Kirsten Fontenrose

For a reconstruction strategy in Syria to be effective, all parties must adopt a unified approach that is clear-eyed about the country’s new leaders.

Crisis Management
International Organizations

Explore our Syria work

Syria Project

Our work on Syria sheds light on the ongoing struggle of Syrians to fulfill their desire for democratic self-governance as the United States and the international community grapple with the aftermath of a devastating civil war, millions of refugees across the Middle East and Europe, and ongoing security and political challenges spilling over Syria’s borders.


Group of world leaders sitting around table set up.

Syria Strategy Project

The Atlantic Council, Middle East Institute, and European Institute of Peace collaborate with subject matter experts and policymakers in the US, Europe, and the Middle East to develop a holistic strategy to sustainably forge a pathway to resolving Syria’s crisis.

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Featured experts

Leadership

Fellow


Qutaiba Idlbi


Resident Senior Fellow, Syria

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Economic Sanctions
Entrepreneurship

Fellows

Fellow


Michel Duclos


Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Conflict
Crisis Management

Fellow


Arwa Damon


Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic
Civil Society

Fellow


Ömer Özkizilcik


Nonresident Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic
English

Fellow


Sinan Hatahet


Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic
Economic Sanctions

Former fellow


Hind Kabawat


Former Nonresident Senior Fellow, Syria Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic
Civil Society

Fellow


Diana Rayes 


Nonresident Fellow, Syria Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic
Civil Society

Past events

Online Event
Tue, June 13, 2023 • 3:00 pm ET

The mechanisms of corruption in Iran

Civil Society
Democratic Transitions
Economy & Business
Iran

Online Event
Wed, April 19, 2023 • 2:00 pm ET

Insight from the field: The double crisis for Syrian earthquake survivors in Turkey

Civil Society
Middle East
Migration
Resilience

Public Event
Thu, February 23, 2023 • 1:00 pm ET

What can Iran’s protesters learn from other pro-democracy movements?

Civil Society
Democratic Transitions
Economy & Business
Iran

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Middle East Programs

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Content

New Atlanticist

Oct 30, 2015

A ‘Band-Aid’ for Syria

By Ashish Kumar Sen

US decision to deploy Special Operations Forces will not change situation significantly, says Atlantic Council’s Frederic C. Hof The Obama administration’s decision to deploy less than fifty US Special Operations Forces to Syria is a significant shift in US strategy, but one that is unlikely to tilt the balance on the ground in a war […]

Syria

In the News

Oct 30, 2015

Itani on the Syrian Peace Talks in Vienna

By Faysal Itani

McClatchy DC quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Fellow Faysal Itani on why no Syrians have been invited to the peace talks in Vienna:

Syria

In the News

Oct 30, 2015

Itani on US Special Forces in Syria

By Faysal Itani

Agence France-Presse quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Fellow Faysal Itani on President Obama’s announcement that he will be sending US Special Operations forces and additional planes and fighter jets to Syria, and whether it will be enough to make significant gains against ISIS:

Syria

In the News

Oct 30, 2015

Hof on the US Deployment of Special Operations Forces to Syria

By Frederic Hof

McClatchy DC quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Senior Fellow Frederic C. Hof on President Obama’s motives to send a small group of US Special Operations forces to assist with on-the-ground operations in Syria:

Syria

In the News

Oct 30, 2015

Hof on Fighting ISIS in Syria

By Frederic C. Hof

Bloomberg quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Senior Fellow Frederic C. Hof on the role of US special forces in Syria to assist combating ISIS and their benefits:

Syria

In the News

Oct 30, 2015

Hof on Special Forces in Syria

By Frederic C. Hof

US News and World Report quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Senior Fellow Frederic C. Hof on US special forces in Syria to fight against ISIS:

Syria

In the News

Oct 30, 2015

Itani on US Forces in Syria

By Faysal Itani

Al Sharq Alawsat quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Fellow Faysal Itani on the US decision to send special operations forces to Syria:

Syria

SyriaSource

Oct 30, 2015

Top News: October 30, 2015

By SyriaSource

US to send special operation forces to SyriaForty dead as Syrian government rockets hit Damascus suburbUnited States backs off hard line on Assad’s future; Iran backs Syria ‘transition’ periodResidents stranded in Syria’s Aleppo cut off by ISIS advanceAnti-ISIS Syrian activists killed in southeastern TurkeyTurkey coordinating to address refugee crisis and security concernsTurkey’s Erdogan says he […]

Syria

In the News

Oct 30, 2015

Slavin on Domestic Politics and China

By Barbara Slavin

South Asia Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Barbara Slavin joins Voice of America’s Issues in the News to moderate a discussion on the Syria talks, China, the new Speaker of the House, and the most recent republican presidential debate:

China Syria

In the News

Oct 30, 2015

Ashooh on Combating ISIS in Syria

By Jessica Ashooh

Middle East Strategy Task Force Deputy Director Jessica Ashooh joins Voice of America to discuss the US decision to send special operations forces into Syria to combat ISIS:

Syria
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Experts

Fellow

Amany Qaddour 

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Civil Society

Fellow

Diana Rayes 

Nonresident Fellow, Syria Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Civil Society

Fellow

Lukas Andriukaitis

Nonresident Fellow

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Disinformation Eastern Europe

Staff

Elise Baker

Senior Staff Lawyer, Strategic Litigation Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Civil Society Extremism

Fellow

Nicholas Blanford

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Conflict

Fellow

Alia Brahimi

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Civil Society
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