Tomorrow @ Noon ET: Syria and the United States After Assad

For over 13 years, the Syrian civil war raged on until Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia over the weekend. By 2018, the Assad regime appeared to have secured its survival, with U.S. Army General Joseph Votel testifying to Congress that it was fair to say Assad had “won” the civil war with the help of Russian and Iranian forces. By 2024, regional Arab governments were poised to normalize relations with Assad.

In a stunning turn of events, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led by Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, advanced from its stronghold in Idlib to seize Damascus. Although HTS is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., Jawlani claims to embrace modern governance and reject extremism. Many Syrians are celebrating the end of Assad’s brutal rule, but the future remains uncertain. How will the U.S. engage with the new Syrian leadership? What will happen to the growing captagon drug trade? What are the implications for Israel, Iran, and Hezbollah? What will be the fate of the roughly 900 U.S. troops and their Kurdish partners in northeastern Syria?
December 2024

12
12:00 PM ET
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Join us for a timely and important discussion with:

Steven Simon

Steven Simon is a senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute and distinguished fellow and visiting professor at Dartmouth College. From 2011-2012, he served on the National Security Council staff as senior director for Middle Eastern and North African affairs. He also worked on the NSC staff, 1994 – 1999, on counterterrorism and Middle East security policy.

Joshua Landis

Joshua Landis is a non-resident fellow at the Quincy Institute and Sandra Mackey Chair and Professor of Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma in the College of International Studies and Director of the Center for Middle East Studies.  He is the author of the forthcoming book, "Syria at Independence: Nationalism, the Fight for Leadership, and Failure of Republicanism".

Caroline Rose

Caroline Rose is the director of the Strategic Blind Spots Portfolio at the New Lines Institute, where she leads research on defense, security, illicit trades, and geopolitics across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Her work includes two key projects: the Project on the Captagon Trade and the Project on Post-Withdrawal Security Landscapes. 

Adam Weinstein (Moderator)

Adam Weinstein is deputy director of the Middle East Program at the Quincy Institute. He previously worked for KPMG’s international trade practice. Adam’s current research focuses on security, trade, and rule of law in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Middle East. He has conducted extensive research travel in Pakistan, Iraq, and the greater Middle East.
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