Syria

Syria

Syria stands at a pivotal juncture as it charts a path following the fall of the Assad regime. Syria’s new government faces the task of rebuilding a shattered economy and establishing state institutions capable of managing a diverse and war-affected population. A durable US-Syria partnership depends on sustained cooperation across reconstruction, governance, and Syria’s reintegration.

Featured commentary & analysis

Hof on Syrian Opposition Coalition President’s Visit to Washing

MENASource
Jul 1, 2026

The US is sending Syrian asylees back. Syria isn’t ready.

By
Diana Rayes 

The US Supreme Court’s recent decision to uphold the Trump administration’s decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status programs crates a troubling global precedent.

Migration
Syria

Hof on Syrian Opposition Coalition President’s Visit to Washing

MENASource
May 4, 2026

Syria needs a trustworthy digital ecosystem to support its revival

By
Nadia Farra

Robust digital infrastructure, digital literacy, and cybersecurity are no longer luxuries for high-income nations but fundamental requirements for national stability and economic resilience.

Freedom and Prosperity
Inclusive Growth

Hof on Syrian Opposition Coalition President’s Visit to Washing

MENASource
Feb 20, 2026

Syria is not Libya, but it could become one if the world looks away

By
Kurt Davis Jr.

There are lessons from Libya’s fragmentation and collapse that can be applied now as Syria sits at a similar inflection point.

Conflict
Libya

Programs

Syria Project

The Syria Project advances policy engagement and international partnerships during a pivotal political transition. It serves as a leading platform for independent analysis and high-level dialogue on US-Syria relations, economic recovery, governance, and regional reintegration, leveraging deep networks across Washington, Damascus, and the broader Middle East.

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Learn more about the Middle East programs

Middle East Programs

Working with our 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.

EXPLORE THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL’S MIDDLE EAST PROGRAMS

Content

In the News

May 8, 2014

Hof on Syrian Opposition Coalition President’s Visit to Washing

By Frederic C. Hof

Voice of America quotes Rafik Hariri Center Senior Fellow Frederic Hof on Syrian Opposition Coalition President Ahmad Jarba’s recent visit to Washington:

Syria

Event Recap

May 8, 2014

President Jarba Visits the Council

By The Atlantic Council

On May 8, 2014, the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East hosted President Ahmad Jarba of the Syrian National Coalition and his delegation for a private, off-the-record discussion.

Syria

New Atlanticist

May 8, 2014

Jarba, Syrian Opposition Council Pushes for US Support

By Barbara Slavin

On his first visit to Washington this week, Ahmad Jarba, president of the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC), has faced a daunting challenge: convincing the Obama administration that his organization deserves more support, including lethal weaponry, to counteract the brutal tactics of a regime that appears to be winning Syria’s three-year-old civil war.

Syria

In the News

May 7, 2014

Ullman: America Strikes Out (Again!)

By Harlan Ullman

Brent Scowcroft Center Senior Adviser Harlan Ullman writes for UPI on what solutions exist for the United States to handle issues ranging from the economy to Ukraine and the war in Syria:

Syria Ukraine

MENASource

May 5, 2014

Syria: No Cogent Alternatives

By Frederic C. Hof

In its May 4, 2014 editorial “President Obama and the World,” The New York Times employed a customary administration talking point in an otherwise balanced and even critical review of the president’s foreign policy stewardship, including his handling of the Syria crisis: “His critics are inconsistent in their philosophies [i.e. some want airstrikes, some want more weapons […]

Syria

In the News

May 5, 2014

Itani: New Diplomatic Status is a “Blow” to Assad

By Faysal Itani

Rafik Hariri Center Resident Fellow Faysal Itani is quoted by McClatchy on US efforts to rebrand the Syrian opposition:

Syria

In the News

May 1, 2014

Slavin on Ambassador Crocker’s Warning

By Barbara Slavin

South Asia Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Barbara Slavin writes for Al-Monitor on an address given by former US Ambassador Ryan Crocker at the Council on Foreign Relations:

Syria

MENASource

May 1, 2014

Syria: A Candidate for “Pragmatic Humanitarian Intervention?”

By Frederic C. Hof

In the summer of 2012, International Security (Vol. 37) published an essay by Professor Richard Pape entitled, “When Duty Calls: A Pragmatic Standard of Humanitarian Intervention.” Pape argued that the genocidal standard for humanitarian intervention was too high.

Syria

MENASource

Apr 29, 2014

Syria: Pull Together Resources, Rationalize the Response

By Frederic C. Hof

In a recent panel discussion conducted under Chatham House rules, a United States Senator explained the essence of an absent US leadership role in bringing about political transition in Syria: “to pull together the resources and rationalize the response.”

Syria

MENASource

Apr 24, 2014

The Obama Doctrine: Hof Remarks in Beirut

By Frederic C. Hof

The key source for what we might call the Obama Doctrine is the president’s speech to the United Nations General Assembly on September 24, 2013. The speech was preceded by a policy review in the White House during the summer of 2013. That review was overseen by the new Assistant to the President for National […]

Syria
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Experts

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 Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Arabic Civil Society

Fellow

Colin Brooks

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Iran Middle East

Fellow

Lesley Chavkin

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Economic Statecraft Initiative GeoEconomics Center

Africa Economy & Business

Fellow

Hagar Hajjar Chemali

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Economic Statecraft Initiative GeoEconomics Center

Economy & Business Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

Fellow

Arwa Damon

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Syria Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Civil Society
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