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Report
Stabilization Assistance amid Geopolitical Competition: A Case Study of Eastern Syria
January 12, 2021 | Daphne McCurdy Using eastern Syria as a case study, this CSIS brief examines how U.S. stabilization assistance can potentially serve as a tool in geopolitical competition by supporting locally legitimate political actors to stand up against external meddling.

Report
The Importance of Marginalized Communities in Lebanon
December 14, 2020 | Natasha Hall CSIS’s Natasha Hall discusses the compounding crises impacting all Lebanese, but particularly its most vulnerable, marginalized communities. Hall explains why policymakers should take note and provides recommendations to improve conditions in the near term.

Report
Cross-border Aid, Covid-19, and U.S. Decisions in Syria
May 8, 2020 | Will Todman The UN mandate for cross-border access to northwest Syria will expire in July. CSIS's Will Todman argues that this would be catastrophic for Syria and the broader international community and suggests how the United States can increase its leverage in the renewal debate.

Report
Signposts of Struggle: Iran’s Enduring Protest Movement
January 24, 2020 | Seth G. Jones, Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. Though the death of Qasem Soleimani inspired Iranian nationalism in the short term, protests against the regime continue and will likely pose a long-term challenge to Iran’s domestic stability—especially if they become more centralized or inspire security force defections.

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Iran’s Protests and the Threat to Domestic Stability
November 8, 2019 | Seth G. Jones As protests spread throughout Middle Eastern countries like Iraq and Lebanon, Iran also faces widespread protests from individuals upset about deteriorating economic conditions, poor governance, corruption, and environmental issues.

Report
Niger: A Bulwark against Further Instability in West Africa
July 24, 2019 | Daniel Mahanty The past year has witnessed an increase in violence within some of the border regions of Niger. The Nigerien government and its international partners have an opportunity to improve security but should take care to avoid steps that could make things worse.

Report
Dangerous Liaisons: Russian Cooperation with Iran in Syria
July 16, 2019 | Seth G. Jones, Nicholas Harrington, Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. The CSIS Transnational Threats Project’s analysis of satellite imagery of T-4 Airbase in Syria indicates that preventing further Iranian expansion in the Middle East will be difficult without increasing pressure on Moscow.

Report
The United States’ Soft War with Iran
June 11, 2019 | Seth G. Jones New analysis from the CSIS Transnational Threats Project examines Iran's attempts to export soft power and compete ideologically with the United States as well as the weaknesses of its "soft war" strategy.

Report
War by Proxy: Iran’s Growing Footprint in the Middle East
March 11, 2019 | Seth G. Jones

New analysis by CSIS’s Seth Jones based in part on commercially available satellite imagery shows that the footprint of the Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force is growing in the Middle East.

Report
Settling Kurdish Self-Determination in Northeast Syria
January 29, 2019 | Will Todman

CSIS’s Will Todman argues that the United States should facilitate a limited autonomy settlement for Kurds in Northeast Syria when the area is reintegrated into Assad’s territory, while fulfilling President Trump’s desire to withdraw from Syria. 

Report
The Islamic State and the Persistent Threat of Extremism in Iraq
November 30, 2018

Taking advantage of ongoing instability and the presence of sectarian militias in Iraq, Islamic State militants are regrouping into an insurgent movement and refocusing their tactics and attacks against the Iraqi government.

Report
The Gulf Scramble for Africa: GCC states’ foreign policy laboratory
November 20, 2018 | Will Todman This CSIS Brief looks at the impact of Gulf states’ rivalries in Africa as Arab Gulf states intervene more assertively in sub-Saharan Africa to capitalize on economic opportunities and protect their security interests.

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