Syria

Syria: What Next for Geneva II?

By Frederic C. Hof

The idea of convening warring parties to negotiate peace is, under normal circumstances, honorable, praiseworthy, and practical. Yet there is nothing normal about the Geneva II initiative. These parties—Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the Syrian National Coalition—have been convened as if there are misunderstandings to clear up and compromises to reach. Getting the parties […]

Hamas and Hezbollah Agree to Disagree on Syria

By Giorgio Cafiero and Peter Certo

Born of a common struggle against Israel and nourished by common benefactors in Syria and Iran, Sunni Hamas and Shiite Hezbollah have long been natural allies despite their sectarian differences.

Syria in The State Of The Union Address

By Frederic C. Hof

In Syria, we’ll support the opposition that rejects the agenda of terrorist networks… American diplomacy, backed by the threat of force, is why Syria’s chemical weapons are being eliminated, and we will continue to work with the international community to usher in the future the Syrian people deserve—a future free of dictatorship, terror and fear.

Making Sense of the Geneva II Syria Peace Talks

Following the rancorous opening of the Geneva II peace talks, and amid competing proposals and counter-proposals by the delegations of the Syrian government and the opposition, the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East convened a panel of experts on January 28, 2014 to parse the talks to date and to forecast possible outcomes. Ambassador […]

Syria: The Shadow of Iraq

By Frederic C. Hof

It is very difficult to imagine a scenario in which our involvement in Syria would have led to a better outcome, short of us being willing to undertake an effort in size and scope similar to what we did in Iraq. –President Barack Obama as quoted by David Remnick in “Going the Distance: On and […]

Finnish Defense Minister: EU will Never Become Europe’s Primary Defense Forum

By Jorge Benitez, Atlantic Council

During his trip to Washington to meet with Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Finnish Defense Minister Carl Haglund sat down for an exclusive interview with Director of NATOSource Jorge Benitez.

Syria: In Geneva, Political Settlement is Only Half the Battle

By Alex Simon

The prevailing attitude toward Geneva inside Syria underscores a central reality of the conference and one that could be easily overshadowed by the frantic diplomacy of recent weeks: even if the talks could miraculously produce their goal of forming transitional government, another miracle altogether would be required in order to implement any settlement on the […]