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Syria

The Middle East is Reshuffling the Deck. Is the U.S. Ready to Play a New Hand?

The Middle East is Reshuffling the Deck. Is the U.S. Ready to Play a New Hand?

EXPERT INTERVIEW – The past year has brought a whirlwind of dramatic developments in the Middle East, reshaping long-held assumptions about the [...] More

IranIsraelSaudi ArabiaMiddle EastSyria

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Biden's National Security Test

John McLaughlin

Biden's National Security Test

Cipher Brief Expert John McLaughlin is former Acting Director of the CIA, former Deputy CIA Director and is the Distinguished Practitioner in [...] More

North AmericaCipher Brief Expert ViewNuclearMiddle EastTerrorismEspionageTech/Cybernational securitySecurity/StabilityGlobal IssuesCIAEuropeRussiaIranNorth KoreaChinaAfghanistanPolicySyriaCounterterrorismIraqISIS

How Will a Biden Administration Engage the Middle East?

Emile Nakhleh

How Will a Biden Administration Engage the Middle East?

The Cipher Brief is a non-political media outlet focused on publishing expert perspectives on national security issues. We are committed to [...] More

Middle EastEmile NakhlehCipher Brief Expert ViewSecurity/StabilityIranPolicySaudi ArabiaIsraelSyriaIraqISIS

Syria Spiraling Downward as Economy Tumbles and Instability Spreads

Intel Brief

Syria Spiraling Downward as Economy Tumbles and Instability Spreads

Bottom Line Up FrontEven as Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad appears closer to prevailing in the country’s nearly decade-long civil war, there are [...] More

Middle EastSoufan CenterSyriaIntel Brief
COVID and Navigating the New Middle East Challenges

COVID and Navigating the New Middle East Challenges

The global pandemic caused by COVID-19 has added a significant layer of uncertainty to an already complicated situation in the Middle East. The [...] More

Middle EastIntelligencenational securitySecurity/StabilityGlobal IssuesReportingIranIsraelSaudi ArabiaIraqSyriaISIS

The United States is Struggling to Regain Influence in Syria

Intel Brief

The United States is Struggling to Regain Influence in Syria

Bottom Line Up FrontThe United States is looking to consolidate and expand its presence in the eastern provinces of Deir al-Zour and al-Hasakah, yet [...] More

Middle EastSoufan CenterSyriaIntel Brief

Syria: Is the Endgame Approaching?

John McLaughlin

Syria: Is the Endgame Approaching?

Cipher Brief Expert John McLaughlin is a distinguished practitioner in residence at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International [...] More

Middle EastRussiaCipher Brief Expert ViewIranSyrianational security

The Plight of Syrian Refugees

Intel Brief

The Plight of Syrian Refugees

Bottom Line Up FrontFollowing intensified fighting in Syria between Turkey and the Assad regime, thousands of refugees are fleeing the country in an [...] More

Middle EastSoufan CenterSyriaIntel Brief

The Syria Scorecard 14 Months On

Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, US Army (Ret.)

The Syria Scorecard 14 Months On

OPINION — On 19 December 2018, President Donald Trump announced a withdrawal of American Troops from Syria, setting off fierce criticism that led to [...] More

Middle EastSyria

Iran’s Strategy in Syria

Intel Brief

Iran’s Strategy in Syria

Bottom Line Up FrontIran’s intervention in Syria’s civil war has provided Tehran with the ability to support its closest regional allies while [...] More

Middle EastIranSoufan CenterSyriaIntel Brief

US Foreign Policy and a 'Bridge to the Unknown'

John McLaughlin

US Foreign Policy and a 'Bridge to the Unknown'

Cipher Brief Expert John McLaughlin is a distinguished practitioner in residence at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International [...] More

InternationalNuclearIntelligenceNATOMiddle EastTerrorismAlliesnational securitySecurity/StabilityGlobal IssuesEuropeRussiaIranNorth KoreaAfghanistanNorth AfricaPolicySyriaUkraineIraqSaudi ArabiaIsraelNorth AmericaISIS

Turkey and Russia Clash in Syria as Casualties Mount

Intel Brief

Turkey and Russia Clash in Syria as Casualties Mount

Bottom Line Up FrontDozens of Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike on Thursday in a development that threatens to drastically escalate the [...] More

AsiaRussiaSoufan CenterSyriaMiddle EastIntel Brief

The Fate of Foreign Fighters

Intel Brief

The Fate of Foreign Fighters

Bottom Line Up FrontSince the caliphate collapsed, several European nations of captured foreign fighters and associated women and children have [...] More

Middle EastSoufan CenterSyriaIntel Brief