Turkey at the Crossroads
Bottom Line Up Front Turkey’s ruling AKP party is asking for a full recount in the mayoral election in Istanbul, making accusations of ‘wide-spread […] More
Syria
Syria, ISIS and the Long War
On 23 March, the Syrian Democratic Forces announced the capture of Baghouz, the last remaining ISIS stronghold in Syria. This may arguably mark the end […] More
Avoiding the Next Camp Bucca
Bottom Line Up Front On March 19, the coalition fighting the so-called Islamic State announced it was finally in control of Baghouz, IS’ last […] More
Balancing Liberty and Security in the Fight Against Terrorist Propaganda
Bottom Line Up Front A new U.K. law criminalizes accessing terrorist propaganda online, punishable by a prison sentence of up to 15 years. Responding […] More
Moscow and Tehran Move to Solidify Gains in Syria
Bottom Line Up Front Even though President Trump decided to keep a residual force of U.S. troops in Syria, it will not be enough […] More
Iran Seeking to Further Its Influence in Iraq
Bottom Line Up Front Iran has built leverage over Iraq’s key power centers and its economy through its arming of Iraqi Shia militias and […] More
Shifting Geopolitical Tides in Syria
With the so-called Islamic State losing its remaining territory, the focus has pivoted to geopolitical competition between the major powers involved in Syria. Assad […] More
The Captains are Confused in Syria
The recent announcement of plans to keep 200 U.S. “peacekeepers” in Syria has been met with a mixture of relief and confusion. Relief, as the […] More
The Islamic State Will Live on Through Its Affiliates
Bottom Line Up Front Even after the collapse of the territorial caliphate in Iraq and Syria, the Islamic State will live on through its […] More
Civilian Casualties and the Struggle for Transparency
Bottom Line Up Front A partially declassified study of U.S. military operations demonstrates the difficulty in accurately counting and mitigating civilian casualties. Disparities exist […] More
How to Kill Off A Withering Terrorist Organization
Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats released the Worldwide Threat Assessment on Tuesday, with Intelligence Community leaders briefing Senators on the biggest threats facing the […] More
How Will the U.S. Withdrawal Impact Israel’s Strategy in Syria?
Bottom Line Up Front The announced U.S. withdrawal from Syria is compelling Israel to recalibrate its strategy to prevent Iran from further expanding its […] More
SOCOM’s Discipline and Ethics on the Radar
The Cipher Brief’s new Friday column Cipher Select, is laser-focused on bringing you a range of different perspectives on special operations issues over the next several […] More
What A Safe Zone in Syria Would Actually Look Like
A senior Kurdish official has dismissed the idea of creating a 20-mile wide safe zone in Syria presented by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, something […] More
From Bad to Worse in Syria’s Idlib Province
Bottom Line Up Front On January 13th, the Turkish military sent reinforcements to the border region with Syria. The move comes as the terrorist […] More
Morass in the Middle East: Top Diplomats Dispatched to Defend U.S. Policy
Bottom Line Up Front U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to eight Arab nations from January 8-15, as he attempts to lay […] More
The New Africa Strategy: Countering Chinese Influence on the Continent
Bottom Line Up Front On December 13, 2018, U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton detailed the Trump administration’s New Africa Strategy. The strategy seeks […] More
One Bad Decision on Syria Doesn’t Necessarily Lead to Another
President Donald Trump now says U.S. troops will “slowly” be withdrawn from Syria after his controversial announcement in December, saying that troops would be pulled […] More