Policy Analysis

Members of the Syrian opposition are correct in describing Alawite army general Ali Habib Mahmoud's "defection" to Turkey over the past few days as a "blow to the morale" of the Assad regime. He is the most prominent military official to leave Syria since the July 2012 departure of Brig

Many options for direct military action in Syria have been on the table, ranging from token strikes with small numbers of weapons to much broader operations such as attacks on leadership targets or the imposition of no-fly and no-drive zones. In addition, the United States could respond indirectly by providing

Cutting aid to Egypt would only hurt U.S. interests there without helping democracy, stability, or any other cause.

President Rouhani seems determined to maintain his influence over Iran's foreign policy, signaling a potential showdown with hardliners over continued support for the Assad regime.

Achieving U.S. objectives in Syria would help pressure Tehran into making hard choices regarding both the Assad regime and the Iranian nuclear program.

Under current conditions, suspending military assistance to Cairo would be counterproductive for U.S. interests and contractors alike.

The former presidential advisor on Syria discusses the regional and strategic implications of Hezbollah's role in the ongoing civil war, as well as the scope of its militant and terrorist activities.

The group's backing of the Syrian regime has led to significant losses on the battlefield and rapidly diminishing support among the Lebanese people.

Israel's lessons from numerous strikes in Syria show that Assad can be deterred, particularly if he loses significant assets in a strike marked by clear, realistic objectives, careful planning, and credible deterrent messages after the fact.

Experts discuss the nature and capabilities of Syria's various rebel groups and assess U.S. options for shifting the strategic landscape beyond punitive strikes.

If the United States strikes, it needs to choose targets and weapon systems based on a strategic plan that is well explained to the world.

With the transition plan forging ahead after recent turbulence, Egypt's focus has turned to the upcoming constitutional referendum, which will be followed by parliamentary and presidential elections that may favor emerging centrist movement al-Tayyar al-Hor.

In this excerpt from his new book on Hezbollah, Matthew Levitt discusses how destabilizing activities in Syria and ongoing money problems have hurt the group.

On August 28, 2013, the International Atomic Energy Agency released its latest reports on Iran and Syria. The Iran report assesses the status of the regime's nuclear activities and the agency's efforts to implement a safeguards agreement. The Syria report discusses the alleged nuclear site at Dair Alzour, destroyed by

In this excerpt from his new book on Hezbollah, Matthew Levitt explains how the group procured equipment in Canada and the United States.

Despite its longstanding reputation as a pro-extremist faction, Tunisia's governing an-Nahda party may finally be breaking with the radical fringe.

Israelis are debating how potential Syria strikes would affect the prospects of U.S. action in Iran.

In his August 21 op-ed "It's Time to Choose Sides in Egypt," John Bolton argues that the recent "closure" of American embassies in the Middle East signals that the U.S. cannot protect its citizens abroad. This is not correct. In fact, "closed" means nothing more than "closed to the public"

Sending clear signals using punitive airstrikes is difficult but not impossible, and learning lessons from past operations can help maximize the chances of success if Washington decides to strike Syria.

The war in Syria has exposed the group's true strategic interests, which it has sought to secure through heavy involvement in the fighting.