Publications

Al Qaeda and ISIS: Existential Threats to the U.S. and Europe

January 19, 2016 - Harleen Gambhir

The Institute for the Study of War and AEI's Critical Threats Project conducted an intensive multi-week exercise to frame, design, and evaluate potential courses of action that the United States could pursue to defeat the threat from ISIS and al Qaeda in Iraq and Syria. This first report examines America’s global grand strategic objectives as they relate to ISIS and al Qaeda and considers the nature of those enemy groups in depth and in their global context.

Russian Airstrikes in Syria: January 8 - 14, 2016

January 15, 2016 - Genevieve Casagrande
The Russian air campaign enabled additional battlefield gains by the Syrian regime from January 8 to January 14, providing increased leverage to the regime ahead of negotiations between pro- and anti-Assad elements on January 25. Pro-regime forces seized the town of Salma in Northeastern Latakia Province with the support of as many as 200 Russian airstrikes on January 12.

Russia Security Update: January 5-12, 2016

January 12, 2016 - Hugo Spaulding

Russia continues to pursue expanded influence through military and economic partnerships as its own economy suffers under collapsing oil prices. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin revealed that Russia is conducting negotiations with Serbia to provide advanced defensive weaponry during a visit to Belgrade. Russian state media reported that Serbia had requested the Russian S-300 long-range surface-to-air missile system, a defense upgrade Rogozin claimed was justified by new threats facing its Balkan ally from NATO member Croatia.

Russian Airstrikes in Syria: January 4 - 11, 2016

January 12, 2016 - Genevieve Casagrande
Russia expanded efforts to portray itself as a neutral actor in Syria ahead of the next round of negotiations by claiming to support tailored elements of the Syrian armed opposition. The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) reiterated during a press briefing on January 11 that “only joint efforts” by the Syrian regime and select Syrian opposition groups will “achieve victory over terrorism” in Syria, despite Russia’s continued targeting of armed opposition factions.

Iraq Situation Report: January 7 - 11, 2015

January 11, 2016 - Patrick Martin

Rival Shi’a political factions are capitalizing on increased instability in Basra to compete for influence. 

ISIS's Regional Campaign: December 2015

January 11, 2016 - Harleen Gambhir

ISIS’s affiliates in Libya and Pakistan gained new supporters and expanded attack zones in December 2015. ISIS’s largely dormant affiliates in Algeria and Russia’s North Caucasus region also conducted rare attacks, potentially signaling a renewal of ISIS activity in those areas. Each of these affiliate campaigns give ISIS resiliency outside of Iraq and Syria.

ISIS's Regional Campaign: December 2015

January 11, 2016 - ISW Press

ISIS’s affiliates in Libya and Pakistan gained new supporters and expanded attack zones in December 2015. ISIS’s largely dormant affiliates in Algeria and Russia’s North Caucasus region also conducted rare attacks, potentially signaling a renewal of ISIS activity in those areas. Each of these affiliate campaigns give ISIS resiliency outside of Iraq and Syria.

Russian Airstrikes in Syria: December 28, 2015 - January 7, 2016

January 8, 2016 - Genevieve Casagrande

The tempo of Russian air operations slowed considerably from January 4 - 7.  ISW was only able to confirm 17 locations of Russian airstrikes during the reporting period, the lowest volume of Russian strikes since early October 2015. The cause of this decrease currently remains unclear; as the lull may have been caused by changing weather conditions, shifts in Russian posturing inside Syria, or deferred maintenance activities following several weeks of heavy Russian airstrikes.  

Iraq Situation Report: December 22, 2015 - January 6, 2016

January 6, 2016 - Patrick Martin

The ISF made significant gains in Ramadi in December, clearing much of the city center and recapturing the government complex on December 28.

Russia Security Update: December 22, 2015-January 5, 2016

January 5, 2016 - Hugo Spaulding

Russia heightened its confrontation with the U.S. and its allies beyond conventional military aggression, conducting information, economic, and possible cyber operations. President Vladimir Putin instituted a new national security strategy outlining Russia’s primary security objectives and threats. Russia accused the U.S. and its partners of conducting multimodal warfare in an effort to contain Russia’s resurgence as a great power, a core objective in its updated strategy. Moscow also suggested that U.S.

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