Featured reading

Syrian Transitional Military Council: A ‘social media invention’ or much more?

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
Syrian Transitional Military Council: A ‘social media invention’ or much more?

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
Syrian Transitional Military Council: A ‘social media invention’ or much more?

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
Syrian Transitional Military Council: A ‘social media invention’ or much more?

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
Syrian Transitional Military Council: A ‘social media invention’ or much more?

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.

LEARN MORE

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

Public Event Mon, September 19, 2022 • 9:30 am ET

Safeguarding victims and witnesses in atrocity crime trials: A call to courts and governments
Americas Human Rights International Organizations Iran
Online Event Thu, June 16, 2022 • 10:00 am ET

From Syria to Ukraine: Russia’s continued attacks on healthcare in conflict
Europe & Eurasia Human Rights International Norms International Organizations
Online Event Mon, November 22, 2021 • 9:30 am ET

Transnational narcotics networks: Challenges in Lebanon, Syria, and Afghanistan
Afghanistan Lebanon Middle East Syria
Load More

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

Sign up for all the latest updates!

Sign up for the MENASource newsletter, highlighting pieces that follow democratic transitions and economic changes throughout the region.



  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Content

MENASource

May 3, 2021

Syrian Transitional Military Council: A ‘social media invention’ or much more?

By Matthew Ayton

Recent weeks have seen a crescendo of rumors claiming that local, regional, and international support is growing to establish a Syrian Transitional Military Council. It would allegedly be led by defected Brigadier General Manaf Tlass, whose mandate would be to midwife the war-ravaged nation into a post-Bashar al-Assad future.

Middle East Politics & Diplomacy

MENASource

Apr 26, 2021

In the game of Syria, the US and Europe hold the cards

By Rime Allaf

This is the time for the United States and European Union to exact concessions from Iran, which needs the financial benefits of a full nuclear deal, and from Russia, which needs reconstruction money.

Middle East Politics & Diplomacy

In the News

Apr 23, 2021

Katz in the Hill: Russian policy toward Syria: The perils of success
Middle East Politics & Diplomacy

MENASource

Apr 5, 2021

Strapped for dollars, the Syrian government is forcing its citizens to pay up

By Reem Salahi

A decade since the start of the popular uprising, the Syrian lira is in an unprecedented freefall after years of armed conflict, an economic crisis in neighboring Lebanon, deep-seated corruption and cronyism, and Western economic sanctions targeting Syrian government officials as well as Syrian-operated industries.

Human Rights Middle East

MENASource

Mar 30, 2021

Some advice to my Syrian and Syrian-American friends

By Frederic C. Hof

President Biden cannot do everything. Nor should he try. But what happens in Syria won’t stay there. It never has and never will. Still, advocates for an American policy in Syria focused on political transition must be sensitive, in their advocacy, to the policy priorities of an administration whose success would be vitally important to the US and the world.

Politics & Diplomacy Syria

MENASource

Mar 24, 2021

Assad is testing Biden. The US president must not fail.

By Frederic C. Hof

Regardless of what the Biden administration may wish to think or acknowledge, it may well be sitting for an initial examination administered by Bashar al-Assad—the teacher of many harsh lessons to American presidents. Failing the test will not be consequence-free.

Middle East Politics & Diplomacy

In the News

Mar 23, 2021

Al-Masri quoted in Al Arabiya on the role of Daraa in the Syrian revolution
Conflict Middle East

In the News

Mar 23, 2021

Qaddour quoted in Al Arabiya on the role of Daraa in the Syrian revolution
Conflict Middle East

In the News

Mar 23, 2021

Qaddour quoted in Washington Examiner on the recent Russian hospital attack in Syria
Conflict Middle East

In the News

Mar 22, 2021

Salahi quoted in Al Jazeera on seeking justice in Syria
Conflict Human Rights
Load More

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
Load More