Featured reading

The Confusing Case for Striking 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

The Confusing Case for Striking 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

The Confusing Case for Striking 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

The Confusing Case for Striking 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

The Confusing Case for Striking 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

Event Recap

Oct 30, 2023

Addressing the captagon crisis in MENA: Strategies & Challenges

By
Diane Mohamed and Rachel Friedman

The Syria Program hosted a panel discussion taking stock of current captagon landscape in Syria and captagon’s place within the global illicit supply chain.

Corruption
Crisis Management

Public Event
Thu, September 28, 2023 • 12:20 pm ET

Addressing the captagon crisis in MENA: Strategies & challenges

Civil Society
Corruption
Economy & Business
Freedom and Prosperity

Public Event
Wed, July 19, 2023 • 9:00 am ET

How can the United States counter normalization with Assad in the Middle East

Civil Society
Human Rights
International Organizations
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

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Content

New Atlanticist

Sep 4, 2013

The Confusing Case for Striking Syria

By Rajan Menon

For more than two years President Barack Obama has resisted the clamor of the interventionists, avoiding military moves against Bashar al-Assad’s regime for fear of being sucked into the vortex of Syria’s horrific and complex civil war.

Syria

New Atlanticist

Sep 4, 2013

Eye on Syria: Hagel and Kerry Make the Case for Syria Strikes

By Alex Ward

News Kerry, Hagel Lay Out Military Objectives During Senate Hearing on Syria Strike, Washington PostSecretaries Hagel and Kerry made the case that the congressional authorization the Obama administration seeks is to “hold the Assad regime accountable,” and not get the United States involved in a war with boots on the ground. Allies’ Intelligence Differs on […]

Syria
President Barack Obama and Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt

NATOSource

Sep 4, 2013

US and Sweden Agree on Key Security Issues

By Barack Obama and Fredrik Reinfeldt, White House

Excerpts from Joint Statement by President Obama and Prime Minister Reinfeldt of Sweden

European Union International Organizations

MENASource

Sep 4, 2013

Syria’s War and Washington’s Drama: The Path to Policy?

By Anthony Elghossain

Washington’s on the move—sort of. The Assad regime used biological and chemical weapons (BCWs) to kill thousands of people in rebel-held areas around Damascus on August 21. Having resisting the impulse to intervene for more than two years, the Obama administration has now committed itself to act—again, sort of.

Syria

New Atlanticist

Sep 3, 2013

Why the US Should Use Cyber Weapons against Syria

By Jason Healey

If the Obama administration does conduct military strikes against Syria, as seems likely, it should use military cyber weapons at the earliest possible moment to show the upside of military cyber power. Though this is risky, as it puts the focus on the U.S. militarization of cyberspace, it is likely worth doing to show that […]

Cybersecurity Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Sep 3, 2013

Syria, Obama, and the Value-Interest

By Julian Lindley-French

President Obama’s 31 August decision to authorize but delay a military strike against Syria’s Bashar al-Assad’s regime in the wake of the alleged use of chemical weapons is an important moment. Taken together with the 29 August decision of Britain’s Parliament to deny Prime Minister Cameron permission to use force two changes are apparent.

Syria
Assad regime "poses a clear and present danger to the alliance"

NATOSource

Sep 3, 2013

NATO Must Help Obama on Syria

By James G. Stavridis, New York Times

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization must be part of an international effort to respond to the crisis in Syria, beginning immediately with punitive strikes

France International Organizations

MENASource

Sep 2, 2013

The Legal Case against Using Force in Syria: A Reply to Ulbrick, Williams, and Worboys

By Hyder Syed

On August 31, 2013, MENASource published an article by J. Trevor Ulbrick, Paul R. Williams, and Jonathan P. Worboys setting out a legal case for military intervention in Syria. The authors, all respected commentators on public international law, argue that the “Responsibility to Protect” (R2P) doctrine would legally sanction the limited use of force against […]

Syria
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen

NATOSource

Sep 2, 2013

Secretary General: NATO Will Not Take Part In Syria Strike

By Jan M. Olsen, AP

NATO’s chief said for the first time Friday that the alliance has no plans for military action in Syria

NATO Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Sep 1, 2013

Obama’s Hamlet Act

By James Joyner

As recently as two days ago, it looked as if strikes would commence this weekend. Yesterday, though, the president announced that he would seek permission from Congress, which won’t be back in town for more than a week. This Hamlet act is drawing jeers from friend and foe alike.

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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