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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.


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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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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.

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MENASource

Sep 13, 2013

Advice to President Obama on Syria

By Fred Hof

At a recent conference I was given the following question to answer: “What advice would you give President Barack Obama and his military advisers as they consider military and diplomatic action with regard to Syria?”  Here, for better or worse, is how I responded:

Syria

New Atlanticist

Sep 13, 2013

Eye on Syria: Syria Chemical Weapons Sites Being Dispersed

News Syria Chemical Weapons Sites Being Dispersed, ReutersAn elite Syrian unit that runs the government’s chemical arms program has been scattering the weapons to dozens of sites across the country, potentially complicating US plans for air strikes. Rebel Leader: Syria Moving its Chemical Weapons into Iraq, Lebanon, CNN“Today, we have information that the regime began […]

Syria

New Atlanticist

Sep 12, 2013

President Obama’s Syria Confusion

By Rajan Menon

President Barack Obama’s Tuesday evening speech explaining his plans for a military strike against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, though deftly delivered, will not put to rest the doubts that a large majority of Americans have about what the president aims to achieve with what he insisted would be a limited, targeted operation.

Syria
President of Russia Vladimir Putin

NATOSource

Sep 12, 2013

A Plea for Caution From Russia

By Vladimir Putin, New York Times

No one wants the United Nations to suffer the fate of the League of Nations, which collapsed because it lacked real leverage.

International Organizations Iran

New Atlanticist

Sep 12, 2013

Eye on Syria: UN To Say Assad Regime to Blame for Chemical Attack

News UN Report Will Point to Assad Regime in Massive Chemical Attack, Foreign Policy: The CableUN inspectors have collected a “wealth” of evidence on the use of nerve agents that points to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad using chemical weapons against his own people. US Weapons Reaching Syria Rebels, Washington PostThe CIA has begun delivering weapons […]

Syria
Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany

NATOSource

Sep 12, 2013

Germany is a Vegetarian in a World Full of Carnivores

By Gideon Rachman, Financial Times

While the US, Britain and France are agonising about intervention in Syria, there is no agonising in Germany. A large majority of the electorate wants to stay out of the conflict – and all of the big political parties agree.

France Germany

MENASource

Sep 12, 2013

Syria: To Melt the Iceberg

By Fred Hof

For President Barack Obama and his national security team, the challenge of ending or mitigating the grave threat posed by a dying Syria to regional and global security will involve more than holstering, surrendering, and destroying an enormous chemical arsenal.

Syria

New Atlanticist

Sep 11, 2013

Obama’s Goldilocks Syria Plan

By James Joyner

In a speech to the nation, President Obama warned that if the United States does not launch a punitive strike against Syria, Iran will pursue nuclear weapons, Al Qaeda will try to kill Americans, and bad men will do bad things.

Syria
Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Barack Obama, June 22, 2012

NATOSource

Sep 11, 2013

Obama Administration Debated Trading Missile Defense and NATO Enlargement for Russia to Cut Support to Assad

By Adam Entous, Greg White, and Peter Nicholas, Wall Street Journal

President Barack Obama’s 15 seconds of face time with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, while American and Russian warships patrolled the eastern Mediterranean, spoke to a deep chill that has created one of the biggest complications to the U.S.’s plan to strike Syria.

Missile Defense NATO

New Atlanticist

Sep 11, 2013

Eye on Syria: President Obama Addresses the American People

Tuesday night, President Obama addressed the American public — and the world — live from the East Room of the White House on the crisis in Syria. Some of his comments were recaps of statements made over the previous few weeks. The full text of the speech with video is available below as well as […]

Syria

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