Iraq Situation Report: March 1-20, 2017
Mar 24, 2017 - Emily Anagnostos
Regional actors are vying to dominate the post-ISIS security structure and political order in northern Iraq.
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Russian Airstrikes in Syria: February 8 - March 19, 2017
Mar 23, 2017 - ISW Press
This update highlights why Russia remains an unfit partner to fight ISIS and al Qaeda in Syria.
Russia Moves to Supplant U.S. Role
Mar 22, 2017 - Genevieve Casagrande
Russian President Vladimir Putin is leveraging Russia’s position in Syria to further diminish U.S. influence in the broader Middle East and North Africa. Russia will increasingly constrain U.S. freedom of maneuver in the broader region by expanding its military footprint and its anti-access and area denial zone. Putin advanced his regional strategy from February 27 to March 20, 2017 in three ways. First, he promoted economic relationships with key U.S.
Putin's Real Syria Agenda
Mar 20, 2017 - Genevieve Casagrande
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s primary objective in Syria is to constrain U.S. freedom of action – not fight ISIS and al Qaeda. Russia’s military deployments at current levels will not enable the Iranian-penetrated Assad regime to secure Syria. Moscow’s deepening footprint in Syria threatens America’s ability to defend its interests across the Middle East and in the Mediterranean Sea. The next U.S.
Syria Situation Report: March 9 - 17, 2017
Mar 17, 2017 - Chris Kozak
Conditions on the ground are not set for a political solution to the Syrian Civil War despite diplomatic efforts by regional powers. The third round of Astana Talks on March 14 – 15 failed to generate significant results amidst an opposition boycott. Meanwhile, two major double suicide attacks targeted the Old City of Damascus on March 11 and March 15.
The Campaign for Mosul: March 9-16, 2017
Mar 16, 2017 - Emily Anagnostos
The Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) made significant progress from March 9 to 16, pushing deep into western Mosul and eliminating ISIS’s presence north of the city. ISIS has reopened attack fronts around Tikrit and Baiji, however, underscoring that Mosul’s recapture will not defeat ISIS in Iraq.
U.S. Grand Strategy: Destroying ISIS and al Qaeda
Mar 15, 2017 - ISW Press
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and the Critical Threats Project (CTP) at the American Enterprise Institute conducted an intensive multi-week planning exercise to frame, design, and evaluate potential courses of action that the United States could pursue to destroy the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (ISIS) and al Qaeda in Iraq and Syri
America's Way Ahead in Syria
Mar 14, 2017 - ISW Press
This report is part of the series "U.S. Grand Strategy: Destroying ISIS and al Qaeda."
Syria Situation Report: March 2 - 9, 2017
Mar 9, 2017 - Chris Kozak
The U.S. deployed at least four hundred soldiers from the 75th U.S. Army Ranger Regiment and 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) to Northern Syria in order to both support the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against ISIS in Ar-Raqqa City and prevent an open confrontation between the SDF and Turkey in Manbij in Eastern Aleppo Province. The latest round of Geneva Talks on the Syrian Civil War concluded without significant progress.
ISIS Sanctuary Map: March 9, 2017
Mar 9, 2017 - Alexandra Gutowski
ISIS incurred territorial losses in Iraq and Syria between February 27 and March 9, 2017. Pro-regime forces recaptured Palmyra with the assistance of Iran, Russia, and Lebanese Hezbollah on March 2. Pro-regime forces seized additional villages from ISIS in northeast Aleppo province on March 7 and March 9, recapturing critical infrastructure.