{ "id": "RL33487", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "RL", "number": "RL33487", "active": true, "source": "CRSReports.Congress.gov, EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "active": true, "sourceLink": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/details?prodcode=RL33487", "source_dir": "crsreports.congress.gov", "date": "2022-11-08", "typeId": "RL", "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/2022-11-08_RL33487_1a40ae5a1ed893ee025c360550ad9c9cd00b0fcc.pdf", "url": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL33487/170", "sha1": "1a40ae5a1ed893ee025c360550ad9c9cd00b0fcc" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/2022-11-08_RL33487_1a40ae5a1ed893ee025c360550ad9c9cd00b0fcc.html" } ], "type": "CRS Report", "summary": null, "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "retrieved": "2022-12-05T04:03:56.404732", "source": "CRSReports.Congress.gov", "id": "RL33487_170_2022-11-08" }, { "active": true, "sourceLink": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/details?prodcode=RL33487", "source_dir": "crsreports.congress.gov", "date": "2020-07-27", "typeId": "RL", "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/2020-07-27_RL33487_30869ea01706e6bac19a0ab2d33804707474d096.pdf", "url": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL33487/168", "sha1": "30869ea01706e6bac19a0ab2d33804707474d096" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/2020-07-27_RL33487_30869ea01706e6bac19a0ab2d33804707474d096.html" } ], "type": "CRS Report", "summary": null, "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "retrieved": "2022-12-05T04:03:56.403607", "source": "CRSReports.Congress.gov", "id": "RL33487_168_2020-07-27" }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 617310, "date": "2020-02-12", "retrieved": "2020-02-18T14:08:42.734062", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response ", "summary": "Since its start in 2011, the Syria conflict has presented significant policy challenges for the United States. U.S. policy toward Syria since 2014 has prioritized counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL/ISIS), which sought to direct external attacks from areas under the group\u2019s control in northeast Syria. Since 2015, U.S. forces deployed to Syria have trained, equipped, and advised local partners under special authorization from Congress and have worked primarily \u201cby, with, and through\u201d those local partners to retake nearly all areas formerly held by the Islamic State. As of 2020, about 600 U.S. troops remain in Syria.\nIn addition to counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State, the United States also has responded to Syria\u2019s ongoing civil conflict by providing nonlethal assistance to Syrian opposition and civil society groups, encouraging diplomatic efforts to reach a political settlement to the civil war, and serving as the largest single donor of humanitarian aid to Syria and regional countries affected by refugee outflows. \nThe Trump Administration has described U.S. policy towards Syria as seeking (1) the enduring defeat of the Islamic State; (2) a political settlement to the Syrian civil war; and (3) the withdrawal of Iranian-commanded forces.\nEnduring defeat of ISIS. U.S.-backed partner forces re-captured the Islamic State\u2019s final territorial strongholds in Syria in March 2019. However, U.S. military officials in late 2019 assessed that the group remains cohesive, retains an intact command structure, and maintains an insurgent presence in much of rural Syria. The Defense Department has not disaggregated the costs of military operations in Syria from the overall cost of the counter-IS campaign in Syria and Iraq (known as Operation Inherent Resolve, OIR), which had reached $40.5 billion by December 2019.\nPolitical settlement to the conflict. The United States continues to advocate for a negotiated settlement between the government of Syrian President Bashar al Asad and Syrian opposition forces in accordance with U.N. Security Council Resolution 2254 (which calls for the drafting of a new constitution and U.N.-supervised elections). However, the Asad government\u2019s use of force to retake most opposition-held areas of Syria has reduced pressure on Damascus to negotiate, and U.S. intelligence officials in 2019 assessed that Asad has little incentive to make significant concessions to the opposition. \nWithdrawal of Iranian commanded forces. Administration officials state that the removal of Iran from Syria is a political rather than military goal, and have emphasized that the United States will seek to counter Iranian activities in Syria primarily through the use of economic tools such as sanctions. The United States has on occasion conducted strikes on Iranian-backed militias in Syria when such forces appeared to endanger U.S. or Coalition personnel. \nExternal Players. A range of foreign states have intervened in Syria in support of the Asad government or Syrian opposition forces, as well in pursuit of domestic security goals. Pro-Asad forces operating in Syria include Lebanese Hezbollah, Iran, and Russia. The United States and a range of regional and European states have at times backed select portions of the Syrian opposition, while also expressing concern about reported ties between some armed opposition groups and extremist elements. Israel has acknowledged conducting over 200 military strikes in Syria, mostly targeting Hezbollah and/or Iranian targets. In addition, Turkey maintains military forces in northern Syria as part of a broader campaign targeting Kurdish fighters.\nHumanitarian Situation. As of 2020, roughly half of Syria\u2019s pre-war population remains internally displaced (6.2 million) or registered as refugees in neighboring states (5.6 million). The United States has directed nearly $10.5 billion toward Syria-related humanitarian assistance since FY2012, and Congress has appropriated billions more for security and stabilization initiatives in Syria and neighboring countries. \nThe 116th Congress has sought clarification from the Administration concerning its overall Syria policy, plans for the withdrawal of U.S. military forces, the U.S role in ensuring a lasting defeat for the Islamic State, U.S. investments and approaches to postconflict stabilization, the future of Syrian refugees and U.S. partners inside Syria, and the challenges of dealing with the Iran- and Russia-aligned Asad government.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33487", "sha1": "e88c75181f0e8a5f6937c8d9dab2842ecff95e1f", "filename": "files/20200212_RL33487_e88c75181f0e8a5f6937c8d9dab2842ecff95e1f.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/2.png": "files/20200212_RL33487_images_c62389cb02cc8685d1c29196783728d9d9b2f5d5.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/4.png": "files/20200212_RL33487_images_52f923dfc2475176ee32711f0dcb0e92700034d8.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/1.png": "files/20200212_RL33487_images_57ac7b85241280332a96f91d1846781c1907c16b.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/3.png": "files/20200212_RL33487_images_259a84c65b2085bfb61a5206c7649053b2011075.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/0.png": "files/20200212_RL33487_images_61c32451a66442ed6c94d716b30ec0632929912d.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33487", "sha1": "af8b47de6f66f9e5b66e5d36fd315a615f885725", "filename": "files/20200212_RL33487_af8b47de6f66f9e5b66e5d36fd315a615f885725.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4758, "name": "Middle East & North Africa" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4786, "name": "Europe, Russia, & Eurasia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 594804, "date": "2019-03-25", "retrieved": "2019-12-20T19:41:26.071568", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response ", "summary": "Since 2011, the Syria conflict has presented significant policy challenges for the United States. (For a brief conflict summary, see Figure 2). U.S. policy toward Syria since 2014 has prioritized counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL/ISIS), but also has included nonlethal assistance to Syrian opposition groups, diplomatic efforts to reach a political settlement to the civil war, and humanitarian aid to Syria and regional countries affected by refugee outflows. U.S. forces deployed to Syria have trained, equipped, and advised local partners under special authorization from Congress and have worked primarily \u201cby, with, and through\u201d those local partners to retake nearly all areas formerly held by the Islamic State.\nFollowing an internal policy review, Administration officials in late 2018 had described U.S. policy toward Syria as seeking (1) the enduring defeat of the Islamic State; (2) a political settlement to the Syrian civil war; and (3) the withdrawal of Iranian-commanded forces. President Trump\u2019s December 2018 announcement that U.S. forces had defeated the Islamic State and would leave Syria appeared to signal the start of a new U.S. approach. However, in February 2019, the White House stated that several hundred U.S. troops would remain in Syria, and the President is requesting $300 million in FY2020 defense funding to continue to equip and sustain Syrian partner forces. The FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 115-232) required the Administration to clarify its Syria strategy and report on current programs in order to obligate FY2019 defense funds for train and equip purposes in Syria.\nThe United States continues to advocate for a negotiated settlement between the government of Syrian President Bashar al Asad and Syrian opposition forces in accordance with U.N. Security Council Resolution 2254 (which calls for the drafting of a new constitution and U.N.-supervised elections). However, the Asad government\u2019s use of force to retake most opposition-held areas of Syria has reduced pressure on Damascus to negotiate, and U.S. intelligence officials in 2019 assessed that Asad has little incentive to make significant concessions to the opposition. U.S. officials have stated that the United States will not contribute aid to reconstruction in Asad-held areas unless a political solution is reached. \nThe United States has directed more than $9.1 billion toward Syria-related humanitarian assistance, and Congress has appropriated billions more for security and stabilization initiatives in Syria and neighboring countries. The Defense Department has not disaggregated the costs of military operations in Syria from the overall cost of the counter-IS campaign in Syria and Iraq (known as Operation Inherent Resolve, OIR), which had reached $28.5 billion by September 2018. \nThe 115th Congress considered proposals to authorize or restrict the use of force against the Islamic State and in response to Syrian government chemical weapons attacks, but did not enact any Syria-specific use of force authorizations. The 116th Congress may seek clarification from the Administration concerning its overall Syria policy, plans for the withdrawal of U.S. military forces, the U.S role in ensuring a lasting defeat for the Islamic State, U.S. investments and approaches to postconflict stabilization, the future of Syrian refugees and U.S. partners inside Syria, and the challenges of dealing with the Iran- and Russia-aligned Asad government.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33487", "sha1": "5354eb32099add30a6f3e6f54e6ad5a1a8fcc6d0", "filename": "files/20190325_RL33487_5354eb32099add30a6f3e6f54e6ad5a1a8fcc6d0.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/2.png": "files/20190325_RL33487_images_ff4c8727eebbc06f1ad5f84e91a8a66255277b36.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/4.png": "files/20190325_RL33487_images_1f084a25fba9404728c890d0e7d56c1b841321bd.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/1.png": "files/20190325_RL33487_images_caebadf558102e09b3ee5d5623e939bac49948b6.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/3.png": "files/20190325_RL33487_images_9573bd71d696d07d20991fd6d77af58c7c668f52.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/0.png": "files/20190325_RL33487_images_499b8eb719963b33fe8f8cf4b21797d10ec29e0d.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33487", "sha1": "cce2d1be100ec5c59003b217b38c864f74ada880", "filename": "files/20190325_RL33487_cce2d1be100ec5c59003b217b38c864f74ada880.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4758, "name": "Middle East & North Africa" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4786, "name": "Europe, Russia, & Eurasia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 589357, "date": "2019-01-02", "retrieved": "2019-01-08T18:12:06.681984", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response ", "summary": "The Syria conflict, now in its eighth year, presents significant policy challenges for the United States. (For a brief conflict summary, see Figure 2). U.S. policy toward Syria since 2014 has prioritized counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL/ISIS), but also has included nonlethal assistance to Syrian opposition groups, diplomatic efforts to reach a political settlement to the civil war, and humanitarian aid to Syria and regional countries affected by refugee outflows. U.S. forces deployed to Syria have trained, equipped, and advised local partners under special authorization from Congress and, as of December 2018, have worked primarily \u201cby, with, and through\u201d those local partners to retake nearly all areas formerly held by the Islamic State.\nFollowing an internal policy review, Administration officials in late 2018 had described U.S. policy towards Syria as seeking (1) the enduring defeat of the Islamic State; (2) a political settlement to the Syrian civil war; and (3) the withdrawal of Iranian-commanded forces. President Trump\u2019s December 2018 announcement that U.S. forces had defeated the Islamic State and would leave Syria, signaled the start of a new U.S. approach. Questions remain about how the withdrawal will be implemented, what effects it will have on existing U.S. programs, and how U.S. priorities in Syria may change. \nThe United States continues to advocate for a negotiated settlement between the government of Syrian President Bashar al Asad and Syrian opposition forces in accordance with U.N. Security Council Resolution 2254 (which calls for the drafting of a new constitution and U.N.-supervised elections). However, the Asad government use of force to retake most opposition-held areas of Syria has reduced pressure on Damascus to negotiate. U.S. officials have stated that no aid will be contributed to reconstruction in Asad-held areas unless a political solution is reached. \nThe United States has directed more than $9.1 billion toward Syria-related humanitarian assistance, and Congress has appropriated billions more for security and stabilization initiatives in Syria and neighboring countries. However, the withdrawal of U.S. military forces may affect U.S. involvement in those programs. The Defense Department has not disaggregated the costs of military operations in Syria from the overall cost of the counter-IS campaign in Syria and Iraq (known as Operation Inherent Resolve, OIR), which had reached $26.2 billion by June 2018. President Trump requested $15.3 billion in additional FY2019 defense funding for OIR, but it is unclear how changes to U.S. military operations in Syria may affect the Defense Department\u2019s use of appropriated funds. The FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 115-232) requires the Administration to clarify its Syria strategy and report on current programs in order to obligate FY2019 defense funds for train and equip purposes in Syria.\nThe 115th Congress considered proposals to authorize or restrict the use of force against the Islamic State and in response to Syrian government chemical weapons attacks, but did not enact any Syria-specific use of force authorizations. The 116th Congress may seek clarification from the Administration concerning its overall Syria policy, plans for the withdrawal of U.S. military forces, the U.S role in ensuring a lasting defeat for the Islamic State, U.S. investments and approaches to post-conflict stabilization, the future of Syrian refugees and U.S. partners inside Syria, and the challenges of dealing with the Iran- and Russia-aligned Asad government.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33487", "sha1": "19b4d0899ec3a679e364525f7698ece63469f8b5", "filename": "files/20190102_RL33487_19b4d0899ec3a679e364525f7698ece63469f8b5.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/1.png": "files/20190102_RL33487_images_caebadf558102e09b3ee5d5623e939bac49948b6.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/4.png": "files/20190102_RL33487_images_066f8265e65654fe87d1b435155c3e3c539fc692.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/2.png": "files/20190102_RL33487_images_e9b6bfab5badc41976938b90c720eedabe6fc3f4.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/3.png": "files/20190102_RL33487_images_9573bd71d696d07d20991fd6d77af58c7c668f52.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/0.png": "files/20190102_RL33487_images_499b8eb719963b33fe8f8cf4b21797d10ec29e0d.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33487", "sha1": "6eb16d445aad3b076c0ae74ce2ea1f2e38fa25d2", "filename": "files/20190102_RL33487_6eb16d445aad3b076c0ae74ce2ea1f2e38fa25d2.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4758, "name": "Middle East & North Africa" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4786, "name": "Europe, Russia, & Eurasia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 588567, "date": "2018-12-11", "retrieved": "2018-12-13T14:04:16.735559", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response ", "summary": "The Syria conflict, now in its eighth year, remains a significant policy challenge for the United States. U.S. policy toward Syria in the past several years has prioritized counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL/ISIS), but also has included nonlethal assistance to opposition-held communities, support for diplomatic efforts to reach a political settlement to the civil war, and the provision of humanitarian assistance in Syria and surrounding countries affected by refugee outflows. The counter-IS campaign works primarily \u201cby, with, and through\u201d local partners trained, equipped, and advised by the U.S. military, per a broader U.S. strategy initiated by the Obama Administration and modified by the Trump Administration. The United States also has advocated for a political track to reach a negotiated settlement between the government of Syrian President Bashar al Asad and opposition forces, within the framework of U.N.-mediated talks in Geneva. For a brief conflict summary, see Figure 2.\nIn November 2017, Brett McGurk, Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS, stated that the United States was entering a \u201cnew phase\u201d in its approach to Syria that would focus on \u201cde-escalating violence overall in Syria through a combination of ceasefires and de-escalation areas.\u201d The Administration supported de-escalation as a means of creating conditions for a national-level political dialogue among Syrians culminating in a new constitution and U.N.-supervised elections. However, since mid-2017, the Asad government has retaken most opposition-held areas of Syria, including cease-fire and de-escalation areas. This appears to have significantly reduced pressure on the regime to make concessions to the opposition, with uncertain implications for the outcome of any future political dialogue. Meanwhile, U.S.-backed forces have since retaken most other areas formerly under IS control in eastern Syria. \nFollowing an internal policy review, Administration officials in late 2018 have described U.S. policy towards Syria as seeking (1) the enduring defeat of the Islamic State; (2) a political settlement to the Syrian civil war; and (3) the withdrawal of Iranian-commanded forces. Administration officials have also stated that the United States will not contribute to reconstruction in Asad-held areas unless a political solution is reached in accordance with U.N. Security Council Resolution 2254. Questions remain about the extent to which U.S. forces might remain in Syria and specific U.S. assistance plans. The Administration has ended nonhumanitarian U.S. support to opposition-controlled northwest Syria and has obtained foreign contributions to enable the reprogramming of U.S. funds that Congress appropriated to stabilize areas liberated from the Islamic State. The FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 115-232) requires the Administration to clarify its Syria strategy and report on current programs in order to obligate FY2019 defense funds for train and equip purposes in Syria.\nTo date, the United States has directed more than $8.6 billion toward Syria-related humanitarian assistance, and Congress has appropriated billions more for security and stabilization initiatives in Syria and in neighboring countries. The Defense Department has not disaggregated the costs of military operations in Syria from the overall cost of the counter-IS campaign in Syria and Iraq (known as Operation Inherent Resolve, OIR), which, as of June 2018, had reached $26.2 billion. President Trump requested $15.3 billion in additional FY2019 defense funding for OIR. Congress continues to consider proposals to authorize or restrict the use of force against the Islamic State and in response to Syrian government chemical weapons attacks, but has not enacted any Syria-specific use of force authorizations. \nLooking forward, Congress may consider the purpose, scope, authorization, and duration of the U.S. military presence in Syria, the U.S role in ensuring a lasting defeat for the Islamic State and other extremists, U.S. investments and approaches to postconflict stabilization, the future of Syrian refugees and U.S. partners inside Syria, and the challenges of dealing with the Iran- and Russia-aligned Asad government.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33487", "sha1": "00a4a5f986ec80efbf4009c7995483b17329ac75", "filename": "files/20181211_RL33487_00a4a5f986ec80efbf4009c7995483b17329ac75.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/2.png": "files/20181211_RL33487_images_65cd434e18f19f9f915b9ebbbe27779f5acb828c.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/4.png": "files/20181211_RL33487_images_8f70f00b764a552de27e491a7baf5fbd160ed9e0.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/1.png": "files/20181211_RL33487_images_caebadf558102e09b3ee5d5623e939bac49948b6.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/3.png": "files/20181211_RL33487_images_9573bd71d696d07d20991fd6d77af58c7c668f52.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/0.png": "files/20181211_RL33487_images_499b8eb719963b33fe8f8cf4b21797d10ec29e0d.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33487", "sha1": "52a0cdc36f0f27aec5d6c43542f635388b9fa156", "filename": "files/20181211_RL33487_52a0cdc36f0f27aec5d6c43542f635388b9fa156.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4758, "name": "Middle East & North Africa" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4786, "name": "Europe, Russia, & Eurasia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 585605, "date": "2018-09-21", "retrieved": "2018-09-27T13:21:40.493225", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "summary": "The Syria conflict, now in its eighth year, remains a significant policy challenge for the United States. U.S. policy toward Syria in the past several years has given highest priority to counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL/ISIS), but also has included nonlethal assistance to opposition-held communities, support for diplomatic efforts to reach a political settlement to the civil war, and the provision of humanitarian assistance in Syria and surrounding countries. The counter-IS campaign works primarily \u201cby, with, and through\u201d local partners trained, equipped, and advised by the U.S. military, per a broader U.S. strategy initiated by the Obama Administration and modified by the Trump Administration. The United States also has advocated for a political track to reach a negotiated settlement between the government of Syrian President Bashar al Asad and opposition forces, within the framework of U.N.-mediated talks in Geneva. For a brief conflict summary, see Figure 2.\nIn November 2017, Brett McGurk, Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS, stated that the United States was entering a \u201cnew phase\u201d in its approach to Syria that would focus on \u201cde-escalating violence overall in Syria through a combination of ceasefires and de-escalation areas.\u201d The Administration supported de-escalation as a means of creating conditions for a national-level political dialogue among Syrians culminating in a new constitution and U.N.-supervised elections. However, since mid-2017, the Asad government has retaken several opposition-held areas of Syria, including cease-fire and de-escalation areas. This appears to have significantly reduced pressure on the regime to make concessions to the opposition, with uncertain implications for the outcome of any future political dialogue. Meanwhile, U.S.-backed forces recaptured the Islamic State\u2019s self-proclaimed capital at Raqqah in October 2017, and have since retaken most other areas formerly under IS control in eastern Syria. \nWith the IS threat diminished and the Asad government resurgent, President Trump and Administration officials have sent varying messages about U.S. Syria policy. Officials emphasize that the United States is committed to the enduring defeat of the Islamic State and will not contribute to reconstruction in Asad-held areas unless a political solution is reached in accordance with U.N. Security Council Resolution 2254. Questions remain about the extent to which U.S. forces might remain in Syria and specific U.S. assistance plans. The Administration has ended nonhumanitarian U.S. support to opposition-controlled northwest Syria and has obtained foreign contributions to enable the reprogramming of U.S. funds that Congress appropriated to stabilize areas liberated from the Islamic State. The FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 115-232) requires the Administration to clarify its Syria strategy and report on current programs in order to obligate FY2019 defense funds for train and equip purposes in Syria.\nTo date, the United States has directed more than $8.6 billion toward Syria-related humanitarian assistance, and Congress has appropriated billions more for security and stabilization initiatives in Syria and in neighboring countries. The Defense Department has not disaggregated the costs of military operations in Syria from the overall cost of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), which, as of March 2018, had reached $23.5 billion. President Trump requested $15.3 billion in additional FY2019 defense funding for OIR. Congress continues to consider proposals to authorize or restrict the use of force against the Islamic State and in response to Syrian government chemical weapons attacks, but has not enacted any Syria-specific use of force authorizations. \nLooking forward, Congress may consider the purpose, scope, authorization, and duration of the U.S. military presence in Syria, the U.S role in ensuring a lasting defeat for the Islamic State and other extremists, U.S. investments and approaches to postconflict stabilization, the future of Syrian refugees and U.S. partners inside Syria, and the challenges of dealing with the Iran- and Russia-aligned Asad government.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33487", "sha1": "c6dcf644f427d18ff225cf7bc530651c5307d9d1", "filename": "files/20180921_RL33487_c6dcf644f427d18ff225cf7bc530651c5307d9d1.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/1.png": "files/20180921_RL33487_images_caebadf558102e09b3ee5d5623e939bac49948b6.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/4.png": "files/20180921_RL33487_images_53059603cb2710249ed44f85267f0d11b267528a.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/2.png": "files/20180921_RL33487_images_22edd656b889aaa54fce4f7e783ead3fa7e36be3.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/3.png": "files/20180921_RL33487_images_c99d5cb245476ab2bb1278df82eabecd0bbcbb33.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/0.png": "files/20180921_RL33487_images_baa373e322a8cf813e2049ee9551066ecfe1f1bc.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33487", "sha1": "094811dc08c4f4bd19b418b1fa36e0aa50c32f3f", "filename": "files/20180921_RL33487_094811dc08c4f4bd19b418b1fa36e0aa50c32f3f.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4758, "name": "Middle East & North Africa" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4786, "name": "Europe, Russia, & Eurasia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 583918, "date": "2018-08-21", "retrieved": "2018-08-23T13:07:16.995596", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "summary": "The Syria conflict, now in its eighth year, remains a significant policy challenge for the United States. U.S. policy toward Syria in the past several years has given highest priority to counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL/ISIS), but also has included non-lethal assistance to opposition-held communities, support for diplomatic efforts to reach a political settlement to the civil war, and the provision of humanitarian assistance in Syria and surrounding countries. The counter-IS campaign works primarily \u201cby, with, and through\u201d local partners trained, equipped, and advised by the U.S. military, per a broader U.S. strategy initiated by the Obama Administration and modified by the Trump Administration. The United States also has advocated for a political track to reach a negotiated settlement between the government of Syrian President Bashar al Asad and opposition forces, within the framework of U.N.-mediated talks in Geneva. For a brief conflict summary, see Figure 2.\nIn November 2017, Brett McGurk, Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS, stated that the United States was entering a \u201cnew phase\u201d in its approach to Syria that would focus on \u201cde-escalating violence overall in Syria through a combination of ceasefires and de-escalation areas.\u201d The Administration supported de-escalation as a means of creating conditions for a national-level political dialogue among Syrians culminating in a new constitution and U.N.-supervised elections. However, since mid-2017, the Asad government has retaken several opposition-held areas of Syria, including ceasefire and de-escalation areas. This appears to have significantly reduced the military pressure on the regime to make concessions to the opposition, with uncertain implications for the outcome of any future political dialogue. Meanwhile, U.S.-backed forces recaptured the group\u2019s self-proclaimed capital at Raqqah in October 2017, and have since retaken most other areas formerly under IS control in eastern Syria. \nWith the IS threat diminished and the Asad government resurgent, President Trump and Administration officials have sent varying messages about U.S. Syria policy. Officials emphasize that the United States is committed to the enduring defeat of the Islamic State and will not contribute to reconstruction in Asad-held areas unless a political solution is reached in accordance with U.N. Security Council Resolution 2254. Questions remain about the extent to which U.S. forces might remain in Syria and specific U.S. assistance plans. The Administration has ended non-humanitarian U.S. support to opposition-controlled northwest Syria and has obtained foreign contributions to enable the reprogramming of U.S. funds that Congress appropriated to stabilize areas liberated from the Islamic State. The FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 5515) requires the Administration to clarify its Syria strategy and report on current programs in order to obligate FY2019 defense funds for train and equip purposes in Syria.\nTo date, the United States has directed more than $8.6 billion toward Syria-related humanitarian assistance, and Congress has appropriated billions more for security and stabilization initiatives in Syria and in neighboring countries. The Defense Department has not disaggregated the costs of military operations in Syria from the overall cost of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), which, as of March 2018, had reached $23.5 billion. President Trump requested $15.3 billion in additional FY2019 defense funding for OIR. Congress continues to consider proposals to authorize or restrict the use of force against the Islamic State and in response to Syrian government chemical weapons attacks, but has not enacted any Syria-specific use of force authorizations. \nLooking forward, Congress may consider the purpose, scope, authorization, and duration of the U.S. military presence in Syria, the U.S role in ensuring a lasting defeat for the Islamic State and other extremists, U.S. investments and approaches to post-conflict stabilization, the future of Syrian refugees and U.S. partners inside Syria, and the challenges of dealing with the Iran- and Russia-aligned Asad government.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33487", "sha1": "30b6bdd6dc49801e580c020d272934630af427ae", "filename": "files/20180821_RL33487_30b6bdd6dc49801e580c020d272934630af427ae.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/1.png": "files/20180821_RL33487_images_caebadf558102e09b3ee5d5623e939bac49948b6.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/4.png": "files/20180821_RL33487_images_53059603cb2710249ed44f85267f0d11b267528a.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/2.png": "files/20180821_RL33487_images_c62bc8af82b620d2084ba75851be58564173e7fe.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/3.png": "files/20180821_RL33487_images_c99d5cb245476ab2bb1278df82eabecd0bbcbb33.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/0.png": "files/20180821_RL33487_images_baa373e322a8cf813e2049ee9551066ecfe1f1bc.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33487", "sha1": "d2a9acc1404099c3dd2ed89f1416d4e20bc2416e", "filename": "files/20180821_RL33487_d2a9acc1404099c3dd2ed89f1416d4e20bc2416e.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4758, "name": "Middle East & North Africa" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4786, "name": "Europe, Russia, & Eurasia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 580423, "date": "2018-04-18", "retrieved": "2018-04-24T13:08:41.974720", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "summary": "The Syria conflict, now in its eighth year, remains a significant policy challenge for the United States. U.S. policy toward Syria in the past several years has given highest priority to counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL/ISIS), but also included assistance to opposition-held communities, support for diplomatic efforts to reach a political settlement to the civil war, and the provision of humanitarian assistance in Syria and surrounding countries. The counter-IS campaign works primarily \u201cby, with, and through\u201d local partners, per a broader U.S. strategy initiated by the Obama Administration and continued with modifications by the Trump Administration. The United States has simultaneously advocated for a political track to reach a negotiated settlement between the government of Syrian President Bashar al Asad and opposition forces, within the framework of U.N.-mediated talks in Geneva. For a brief conflict summary, see Figure 2.\nSince the recapture of the Islamic State\u2019s self-proclaimed capital at Raqqah by U.S.-backed forces in October 2017, Trump Administration officials have reemphasized that the United States is entering a \u201cnew phase\u201d that will focus on \u201cde-escalating violence overall in Syria through a combination of ceasefires and de-escalation areas.\u201d These efforts are designed to create the conditions for a national-level political process ultimately culminating in a new constitution and U.N.-supervised elections. In January 2018, then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson laid out the Administration\u2019s policy for future U.S. involvement in Syria, stating that the United States intends to maintain a military presence there to prevent a resurgence by the Islamic State.\nTo date, the United States has directed nearly $7.7 billion toward Syria-related humanitarian assistance, and Congress has appropriated billions more to support security and stabilization initiatives in Syria and in neighboring countries. The Defense Department has not disaggregated the costs of military operations in Syria from the overall cost of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), which has reached over $18.5 billion. The executive branch has reprogrammed or requested more than $2.2 billion to train, equip, advise, and assist vetted Syrians as part of a specially authorized program in place since late 2014. Congress also has debated proposals to authorize or restrict the use of military force against the Islamic State and in response to Syrian government chemical weapons attacks, but has not enacted any Syria-specific use of force authorizations. \nLooking forward, policymakers may consider questions regarding the purpose, scope, and duration of the U.S. military presence in Syria, the U.S role in post-Islamic State and postconflict stabilization and reconstruction, as well as the challenges of reaching a political settlement to the conflict.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33487", "sha1": "9ffd06e57a3a673f704de7c496de8259327c17fb", "filename": "files/20180418_RL33487_9ffd06e57a3a673f704de7c496de8259327c17fb.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/2.png": "files/20180418_RL33487_images_779693641f2cd15592cd5b0767d810b585575ac9.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/1.png": "files/20180418_RL33487_images_caebadf558102e09b3ee5d5623e939bac49948b6.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/3.png": "files/20180418_RL33487_images_5dcbe27df11179102ac8abae80a1523680f5e867.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/0.png": "files/20180418_RL33487_images_baa373e322a8cf813e2049ee9551066ecfe1f1bc.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33487", "sha1": "15789ec3b3ab74f0da269469510ba5a0aca6afcf", "filename": "files/20180418_RL33487_15789ec3b3ab74f0da269469510ba5a0aca6afcf.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4758, "name": "Middle East & North Africa" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4786, "name": "Europe, Russia, & Eurasia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 578772, "date": "2018-02-27", "retrieved": "2018-03-09T00:09:48.894520", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "summary": "The Syria conflict, now in its seventh year, remains a significant policy challenge for the United States. U.S. policy toward Syria in the past several years has given highest priority to counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL/ISIS), but also included assistance to opposition-held communities, support for diplomatic efforts to reach a political settlement to the civil war, and the provision of humanitarian assistance in Syria and surrounding countries. The counter-IS campaign works primarily \u201cby, with, and through\u201d local partners, per a broader U.S. strategy initiated by the Obama Administration and continued with modifications by the Trump Administration. The United States has simultaneously advocated for a political track to reach a negotiated settlement between the government of Syrian President Bashar al Asad and opposition forces, within the framework of U.N.-mediated talks in Geneva. For a brief conflict summary, see Figure 2.\nSince the recapture of the Islamic State\u2019s self-proclaimed capital at Raqqah by U.S.-backed forces in October 2017, Trump Administration officials have reemphasized that the United States is entering a \u201cnew phase\u201d that will focus on \u201cde-escalating violence overall in Syria through a combination of ceasefires and de-escalation areas.\u201d These efforts are designed to create the conditions for a national-level political process ultimately culminating in a new constitution and U.N.-supervised elections. In January 2018, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson laid out the Administration\u2019s policy for future U.S. involvement in Syria, stating that the United States intends to maintain a military presence there to prevent a resurgence by the Islamic State.\nTo date, the United States has directed nearly $7.7 billion toward Syria-related humanitarian assistance, and Congress has appropriated billions more to support security and stabilization initiatives in Syria and in neighboring countries. The Defense Department has not disaggregated the costs of military operations in Syria from the overall cost of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), which has reached over $18.5 billion. The executive branch has reprogrammed or requested more than $2.2 billion to train, equip, advise, and assist vetted Syrians as part of a specially authorized program in place since late 2014. Congress also has debated proposals to authorize or restrict the use of military force against the Islamic State and in response to Syrian government chemical weapons attacks, but has not enacted any Syria-specific use of force authorizations. \nLooking forward, policymakers may consider questions regarding the purpose, scope, and duration of the U.S. military presence in Syria, the effectiveness of U.S. cooperation with Russia, post-Islamic State governance and reconstruction, as well as the challenges of reaching a political settlement between the Asad government and a broad spectrum of armed and political opposition actors.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33487", "sha1": "a934a7bb422c0cf8269d1f88ab40d810baf42140", "filename": "files/20180227_RL33487_a934a7bb422c0cf8269d1f88ab40d810baf42140.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/2.png": "files/20180227_RL33487_images_fe7b6351df7f47a139dfebf34093fd9cc99fc5c3.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/1.png": "files/20180227_RL33487_images_caebadf558102e09b3ee5d5623e939bac49948b6.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/0.png": "files/20180227_RL33487_images_baa373e322a8cf813e2049ee9551066ecfe1f1bc.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33487", "sha1": "1ba69865eb893e71e089d6021ca0a17c026e1579", "filename": "files/20180227_RL33487_1ba69865eb893e71e089d6021ca0a17c026e1579.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4758, "name": "Middle East & North Africa" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4786, "name": "Europe, Russia, & Eurasia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 578574, "date": "2018-02-16", "retrieved": "2018-02-23T14:09:54.984364", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "summary": "The Syria conflict, now in its seventh year, remains a significant policy challenge for the United States. U.S. policy toward Syria in the past several years has given highest priority to counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL/ISIS), but also included assistance to opposition-held communities, support for diplomatic efforts to reach a political settlement to the civil war, and the provision of humanitarian assistance in Syria and surrounding countries. The counter-IS campaign works primarily \u201cby, with, and through\u201d local partners, per a broader U.S. strategy initiated by the Obama Administration and continued with modifications by the Trump Administration. The United States has simultaneously advocated for a political track to reach a negotiated settlement between the government of Syrian President Bashar al Asad and opposition forces, within the framework of U.N.-mediated talks in Geneva.\nSince the recapture of the Islamic State\u2019s self-proclaimed capital at Raqqah by U.S.-backed forces in October 2017, Trump Administration officials have reemphasized that the United States is entering a \u201cnew phase\u201d that will focus on \u201cde-escalating violence overall in Syria through a combination of ceasefires and de-escalation areas.\u201d These efforts are designed to create the conditions for a national-level political process ultimately culminating in a new constitution and U.N.-supervised elections. In January 2018, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson laid out the Administration\u2019s policy for future U.S. involvement in Syria, stating that the United States intends to maintain a military presence there to prevent a resurgence by the Islamic State.\nTo date, the United States has directed nearly $7.7 billion toward Syria-related humanitarian assistance, and Congress has appropriated billions more to support security and stabilization initiatives in Syria and in neighboring countries. The Defense Department has not disaggregated the costs of military operations in Syria from the overall cost of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), which has reached over $18.5 billion. The executive branch has reprogrammed or requested more than $2.2 billion to train, equip, advise, and assist vetted Syrians as part of a specially authorized program in place since late 2014. Congress also has debated proposals to authorize or restrict the use of military force against the Islamic State and in response to Syrian government chemical weapons attacks, but has not enacted any Syria-specific use of force authorizations. \nLooking forward, policymakers may consider questions regarding the purpose, scope, and duration of the U.S. military presence in Syria, the effectiveness of U.S. cooperation with Russia, post-Islamic State governance and reconstruction, as well as the challenges of reaching a political settlement between the Asad government and a broad spectrum of armed and political opposition actors.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://crs.gov/Reports/RL33487", "sha1": "95c44345c9c939c6abfd59a1a4b29e3ceccaa390", "filename": "files/20180216_RL33487_95c44345c9c939c6abfd59a1a4b29e3ceccaa390.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/1.png": "files/20180216_RL33487_images_f51c3bdcee6066050e7454fa661a59ed382c9bb7.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/0.png": "files/20180216_RL33487_images_7d445767198c6420b4f72b1abb47cb0b9b91e65d.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33487", "sha1": "8e52addd9e209aa4938d5fa6f79c7548a747a066", "filename": "files/20180216_RL33487_8e52addd9e209aa4938d5fa6f79c7548a747a066.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4758, "name": "Middle East & North Africa" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4786, "name": "Europe, Russia, & Eurasia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 574117, "date": "2017-10-13", "retrieved": "2017-10-17T14:16:52.942811", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "summary": "The Syrian civil war, now in its seventh year, continues to present new challenges for U.S. policymakers. Following a deadly chemical weapons attack in Syria on April 4, 2017, and subsequent U.S. defensive strikes against Syrian military infrastructure and pro-Syrian regime forces, several Members of Congress have called on the President to consult with Congress about Syria strategy. Some Members have questioned the President\u2019s authority to launch strikes against Syria in the absence of specific prior authorization from Congress. In the past, some in Congress have expressed concern about the international and domestic authorizations for such strikes in Syria, their potential unintended consequences, and the possibility of undesirable or unavoidable escalation of the Syria conflict.\nSince taking office in January 2017, President Trump has stated his intention to \u201cdestroy\u201d the Syria- and Iraq-based insurgent terrorist group known as the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL, ISIS, or the Arabic acronym Da\u2019esh), and the President has ordered actions to \u201caccelerate\u201d U.S. military efforts against the group in both Syria and Iraq. In late March, senior U.S. officials signaled that the United States would prioritize the fight against the Islamic State and said that Syrian President Bashar al Asad\u2019s future would be determined by the Syrian people. Senior members of the Trump Administration have spoken critically of the Syrian president\u2019s leadership but call for de-escalation of the underlying conflict and a negotiated settlement, rather than seeking to compel Syrian president Asad\u2019s departure from power. \nSince late 2015, Syrian president Asad and his government have leveraged military, financial, and diplomatic support from Russia and Iran to improve and consolidate the Syrian government\u2019s position relative to the range of antigovernment insurgents arrayed against them. These insurgents include members of the Islamic State, Islamist and secular fighters, and Al Qaeda-linked networks in Syria. While Islamic State forces have lost territory to the Syrian government, to Turkey-backed Syrian opposition groups and to U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters since early 2016, they remain capable and dangerous. The IS \u201ccapital\u201d at the Syrian provincial capital of Raqqah has been isolated and is being liberated, but large areas of eastern Syria remain under the group\u2019s control. The presence and activities of Russian military forces and Iranian personnel in Syria create complications for U.S. officials and military planners, and raise the prospect of inadvertent confrontation inside Syria with possible regional or global implications.\nSince March 2011, the conflict has driven nearly 5.2 million Syrians into neighboring countries as refugees (out of a total prewar population of more than 22 million). More than 6.3 million other Syrians are internally displaced and are among more than 13.5 million Syrians in need of humanitarian assistance. The United States is the largest donor of humanitarian assistance to the Syria crisis (which includes assistance to neighboring countries hosting Syrian refugees), and since FY2012 has allocated nearly $7.4 billion to meet Syria-related humanitarian needs. In addition, the United States has allocated more than $500 million to date for bilateral assistance programs in Syria, including the provision of nonlethal equipment to select opposition groups. President Trump has requested $191.5 million in FY2018 funding for such assistance and $500 million in FY2018 defense funds to train and equip anti-IS forces in Syria. \nU.S. officials and Members of Congress continue to debate how best to pursue U.S. regional security and counterterrorism goals in Syria without inadvertently strengthening U.S. adversaries or alienating U.S. partners. The Trump Administration and Members of the 115th Congress\u2014like their predecessors\u2014face challenges inherent to the simultaneous pursuit of U.S. nonproliferation, counterterrorism, civilian protection, and stabilization goals in Syria\u2019s evolving conflict.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33487", "sha1": "e2c83af723e40cacab6f2a0ef6b6db23a338d1a0", "filename": "files/20171013_RL33487_e2c83af723e40cacab6f2a0ef6b6db23a338d1a0.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/1.png": "files/20171013_RL33487_images_dd74fa3d121e632c68c95f4f6558e97129fff3a8.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/2.png": "files/20171013_RL33487_images_7487c4fc77bf2d3c43712c17297b5779b1109d28.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/0.png": "files/20171013_RL33487_images_0dd7c5cc9ae5eb2842226ce6b17cc710a01878f7.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33487", "sha1": "8f2b70d86d35865546e2024b53f512263c4a3562", "filename": "files/20171013_RL33487_8f2b70d86d35865546e2024b53f512263c4a3562.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4758, "name": "Middle East & North Africa" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4786, "name": "Europe, Russia, & Eurasia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 463383, "date": "2017-08-10", "retrieved": "2017-08-22T13:27:45.819277", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "summary": "The Syrian civil war, now in its seventh year, continues to present new challenges for U.S. policymakers. Following a deadly chemical weapons attack in Syria on April 4, 2017, and subsequent U.S. defensive strikes against Syrian military infrastructure and pro-regime forces, several Members of Congress have called on the President to consult with Congress about Syria strategy. Some Members have questioned the President\u2019s authority to launch strikes against Syria in the absence of specific prior authorization from Congress. In the past, some in Congress have expressed concern about the international and domestic authorizations for such strikes, their potential unintended consequences, and the possibility of undesirable or unavoidable escalation.\nSince taking office in January 2017, President Trump has stated his intention to \u201cdestroy\u201d the Syria- and Iraq-based insurgent terrorist group known as the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL, ISIS, or the Arabic acronym Da\u2019esh), and the President has ordered actions to \u201caccelerate\u201d U.S. military efforts against the group in both countries. In late March, senior U.S. officials signaled that the United States would prioritize the fight against the Islamic State and said that Syrian President Bashar al Asad\u2019s future would be determined by the Syrian people. Senior members of the Trump Administration have spoken critically of Asad\u2019s leadership but call for de-escalation of the underlying conflict and a negotiated settlement, rather than seeking to compel Asad\u2019s departure from power. \nSince late 2015, Asad and his government have leveraged military, financial, and diplomatic support from Russia and Iran to improve and consolidate their position relative to the range of antigovernment insurgents arrayed against them. These insurgents include members of the Islamic State, Islamist and secular fighters, and Al Qaeda-linked networks. While Islamic State forces have lost territory to the Syrian government, to Turkey-backed Syrian opposition groups and to U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters since early 2016, they remain capable and dangerous. The IS \u201ccapital\u201d at Raqqah has been isolated and is being liberated, but large areas of eastern Syria remain under the group\u2019s control. The presence and activities of Russian military forces and Iranian personnel in Syria create complications for U.S. officials and military planners, and raise the prospect of inadvertent confrontation with possible regional or global implications.\nSince March 2011, the conflict has driven nearly 5.2 million Syrians into neighboring countries as refugees (out of a total prewar population of more than 22 million). More than 6.3 million other Syrians are internally displaced and are among more than 13.5 million Syrians in need of humanitarian assistance. The United States is the largest donor of humanitarian assistance to the Syria crisis (which includes assistance to neighboring countries hosting refugees), and since FY2012 has allocated nearly $6.7 billion to meet humanitarian needs. In addition, the United States has allocated more than $500 million to date for bilateral assistance programs in Syria, including the provision of nonlethal equipment to select opposition groups. President Trump has requested $191.5 million in FY2018 funding for such assistance and $500 million in FY2018 defense funds to train and equip anti-IS forces in Syria. \nU.S. officials and Members of Congress continue to debate how best to pursue U.S. regional security and counterterrorism goals in Syria without inadvertently strengthening U.S. adversaries or alienating U.S. partners. The Trump Administration and Members of the 115th Congress\u2014like their predecessors\u2014face challenges inherent to the simultaneous pursuit of U.S. nonproliferation, counterterrorism, civilian protection, and stabilization goals in a complex, evolving conflict.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33487", "sha1": "9d62eb7f1b08eb99628ae94de3245928d6cc2a1a", "filename": "files/20170810_RL33487_9d62eb7f1b08eb99628ae94de3245928d6cc2a1a.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/1.png": "files/20170810_RL33487_images_dce8d87e9fd94af341e0492da030bed9d56f6193.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33487_files&id=/0.png": "files/20170810_RL33487_images_0957956122060d4d64fa7b67dc2761cba294dfbf.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33487", "sha1": "d841421e65d945227f87d763a0f7e6c9aec701e9", "filename": "files/20170810_RL33487_d841421e65d945227f87d763a0f7e6c9aec701e9.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4758, "name": "Middle East & North Africa" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4786, "name": "Europe, Russia, & Eurasia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 462095, "date": "2017-06-20", "retrieved": "2017-06-26T15:53:06.374753", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "summary": "The Syrian civil war, now in its seventh year, continues to present new challenges for U.S. policymakers. Following a deadly chemical weapons attack in Syria on April 4, 2017, and subsequent U.S. strikes against Syrian military infrastructure and pro-regime forces, Members of Congress have called on the President to consult with Congress about Syria strategy. Other Members have questioned the President\u2019s authority to launch strikes against Syria in the absence of specific prior authorization from Congress. In the past, some in Congress have expressed concern about the international and domestic authorizations for such strikes, their potential unintended consequences, and the possibility of undesirable or unavoidable escalation.\nSince taking office in January 2017, President Trump has stated his intention to \u201cdestroy\u201d the Syria- and Iraq-based insurgent terrorist group known as the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL, ISIS, or the Arabic acronym Da\u2019esh), and the President has ordered actions to \u201caccelerate\u201d U.S. military efforts against the group in both countries. In late March, senior U.S. officials signaled that the United States would prioritize the fight against the Islamic State and said that Syrian President Bashar al Asad\u2019s future would be determined by the Syrian people. Nevertheless, following the April 4 attack, President Trump and senior members of his Administration have spoken more critically of Asad\u2019s leadership, and it remains to be seen whether the United States will more directly seek to compel Asad\u2019s departure from power while pursuing the ongoing campaign against the Islamic State. \nSince late 2015, Asad and his government have leveraged military, financial, and diplomatic support from Russia and Iran to improve and consolidate their position relative to the range of antigovernment insurgents arrayed against them. These insurgents include members of the Islamic State, Islamist and secular fighters, and Al Qaeda-linked networks. While Islamic State forces have lost territory to the Syrian government, to Turkey-backed Syrian opposition groups, and to U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters since early 2016, they remain capable and dangerous. The IS \u201ccapital\u201d at Raqqah has been isolated, but large areas of central and eastern Syria remain under the group\u2019s control. The presence and activities of Russian military forces and Iranian personnel in Syria create complications for U.S. officials and military planners, and raise the prospect of inadvertent confrontation with possible regional or global implications.\nSince March 2011, the conflict has driven more than 5 million Syrians into neighboring countries as refugees (out of a total prewar population of more than 22 million). More than 6.3 million other Syrians are internally displaced and are among more than 13.5 million Syrians in need of humanitarian assistance. The United States is the largest donor of humanitarian assistance to the Syria crisis (which includes assistance to neighboring countries hosting refugees), and since FY2012 has allocated more than $6.5 billion to meet humanitarian needs. In addition, the United States has allocated more than $500 million to date for bilateral assistance programs in Syria, including the provision of nonlethal equipment to select opposition groups. President Trump has requested $191.5 million in FY2018 funding for such assistance and $500 million in FY2018 defense funds to train and equip anti-IS forces in Syria. \nU.S. officials and Members of Congress continue to debate how best to pursue U.S. regional security and counterterrorism goals in Syria without inadvertently strengthening U.S. adversaries or alienating U.S. partners. The Trump Administration and Members of the 115th Congress\u2014like their predecessors\u2014face challenges inherent to the simultaneous pursuit of U.S. nonproliferation, counterterrorism, civilian protection, and stabilization goals in a complex, evolving conflict.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33487", "sha1": "1aa8f9b20dea071d72cd1ffadcd091aa50875c73", "filename": "files/20170620_RL33487_1aa8f9b20dea071d72cd1ffadcd091aa50875c73.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33487", "sha1": "a3c9920312a7ea136ab8fee9166c08882aaa91a4", "filename": "files/20170620_RL33487_a3c9920312a7ea136ab8fee9166c08882aaa91a4.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4758, "name": "Middle East & North Africa" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4786, "name": "Europe, Russia, & Eurasia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 461573, "date": "2017-05-26", "retrieved": "2017-06-07T15:33:46.536114", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "summary": "A deadly chemical weapons attack in Syria on April 4, 2017, and a U.S. military strike in response on April 6 returned the Syrian civil war\u2014now in its seventh year\u2014to the forefront of international attention. In response to the April 4 attack, some Members of Congress called for the United States to conduct a punitive military operation. These Members and some others since have praised President Trump\u2019s decision to launch a limited strike, although some also have called on the President to consult with Congress about Syria strategy. Other Members have questioned the President\u2019s authority to launch the strike in the absence of specific prior authorization from Congress. In the past, some in Congress have expressed concern about the international and domestic authorizations for such strikes, their potential unintended consequences, and the possibility of undesirable or unavoidable escalation.\nSince taking office in January 2017, President Trump has stated his intention to \u201cdestroy\u201d the Syria- and Iraq-based insurgent terrorist group known as the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL, ISIS, or the Arabic acronym Da\u2019esh), and the President has ordered actions to \u201caccelerate\u201d U.S. military efforts against the group in both countries. In late March, senior U.S. officials signaled that the United States would prioritize the fight against the Islamic State and said that Syrian President Bashar al Asad\u2019s future would be determined by the Syrian people. Nevertheless, following the April 4 attack, President Trump and senior members of his Administration have spoken more critically of Asad\u2019s leadership, and it remains to be seen whether the United States will more directly seek to compel Asad\u2019s departure from power while pursuing the ongoing campaign against the Islamic State. \nSince late 2015, Asad and his government have leveraged military, financial, and diplomatic support from Russia and Iran to improve and consolidate their position relative to the range of antigovernment insurgents arrayed against them. These insurgents include members of the Islamic State, Islamist and secular fighters, and Al Qaeda-linked networks. While Islamic State forces have lost territory to the Syrian government, to Turkey-backed Syrian opposition groups, and to U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters since early 2016, they remain capable and dangerous. The IS \u201ccapital\u201d at Raqqah has been isolated, but large areas of central and eastern Syria remain under the group\u2019s control. The presence and activities of Russian military forces and Iranian personnel in Syria create complications for U.S. officials and military planners, and raise the prospect of inadvertent confrontation with possible regional or global implications.\nSince March 2011, the conflict has driven more than 5 million Syrians into neighboring countries as refugees (out of a total prewar population of more than 22 million). More than 6.3 million other Syrians are internally displaced and are among more than 13.5 million Syrians in need of humanitarian assistance. The United States is the largest donor of humanitarian assistance to the Syria crisis (which includes assistance to neighboring countries hosting refugees), and since FY2012 has allocated more than $6.5 billion to meet humanitarian needs. In addition, the United States has allocated more than $500 million to date for bilateral assistance programs in Syria, including the provision of nonlethal equipment to select opposition groups. President Trump has requested $191.5 million in FY2018 funding for such assistance and $500 million in FY2018 defense funds to train and equip anti-IS forces in Syria. \nU.S. officials and Members of Congress continue to debate how best to pursue U.S. regional security and counterterrorism goals in Syria without inadvertently strengthening U.S. adversaries or alienating U.S. partners. The Trump Administration and Members of the 115th Congress\u2014like their predecessors\u2014face challenges inherent to the simultaneous pursuit of U.S. nonproliferation, counterterrorism, civilian protection, and stabilization goals in a complex, evolving conflict.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33487", "sha1": "456a36f39217aadce6bcf9243da8a3aa23986fdd", "filename": "files/20170526_RL33487_456a36f39217aadce6bcf9243da8a3aa23986fdd.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33487", "sha1": "9dd94f1fe0a6adb6329e58bf8c1b20b9dc037ff4", "filename": "files/20170526_RL33487_9dd94f1fe0a6adb6329e58bf8c1b20b9dc037ff4.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4758, "name": "Middle East & North Africa" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4786, "name": "Europe, Russia, & Eurasia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 461344, "date": "2017-05-16", "retrieved": "2017-05-24T16:20:38.241989", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "summary": "A deadly chemical weapons attack in Syria on April 4, 2017, and a U.S. military strike in response on April 6 returned the Syrian civil war\u2014now in its seventh year\u2014to the forefront of international attention. In response to the April 4 attack, some Members of Congress called for the United States to conduct a punitive military operation. These Members and some others since have praised President Trump\u2019s decision to launch a limited strike, although some also have called on the President to consult with Congress about Syria strategy. Other Members have questioned the President\u2019s authority to launch the strike in the absence of specific prior authorization from Congress. In the past, some in Congress have expressed concern about the international and domestic authorizations for such strikes, their potential unintended consequences, and the possibility of undesirable or unavoidable escalation.\nSince taking office in January 2017, President Trump has stated his intention to \u201cdestroy\u201d the Syria- and Iraq-based insurgent terrorist group known as the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL, ISIS, or the Arabic acronym Da\u2019esh), and the President has ordered actions to \u201caccelerate\u201d U.S. military efforts against the group in both countries. In late March, senior U.S. officials signaled that the United States would prioritize the fight against the Islamic State and said that Syrian President Bashar al Asad\u2019s future would be determined by the Syrian people. Nevertheless, following the April 4 attack, President Trump and senior members of his Administration have spoken more critically of Asad\u2019s leadership, and it remains to be seen whether the United States will more directly seek to compel Asad\u2019s departure from power while pursuing the ongoing campaign against the Islamic State. \nSince late 2015, Asad and his government have leveraged military, financial, and diplomatic support from Russia and Iran to improve and consolidate their position relative to the range of antigovernment insurgents arrayed against them. These insurgents include members of the Islamic State, Islamist and secular fighters, and Al Qaeda-linked networks. While Islamic State forces have lost territory to the Syrian government, to Turkey-backed Syrian opposition groups, and to U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters since early 2016, they remain capable and dangerous. The IS \u201ccapital\u201d at Raqqah has been isolated, but large areas of central and eastern Syria remain under the group\u2019s control. The presence and activities of Russian military forces and Iranian personnel in Syria create complications for U.S. officials and military planners, and raise the prospect of inadvertent confrontation with possible regional or global implications.\nSince March 2011, the conflict has driven more than 5 million Syrians into neighboring countries as refugees (out of a total pre-war population of more than 22 million). More than 6.3 million other Syrians are internally displaced and are among more than 13.5 million Syrians in need of humanitarian assistance. The United States is the largest donor of humanitarian assistance to the Syria crisis (which includes assistance to neighboring countries hosting refugees), and since FY2012 has allocated more than $6.5 billion to meet humanitarian needs. In addition, the United States has allocated more than $500 million to date for bilateral assistance programs in Syria, including the provision of nonlethal equipment to select opposition groups. President Obama requested $238.5 million in FY2017 funding for such assistance. Together, the Obama and Trump Administrations have requested $430 million in FY2017 defense funds to train and equip anti-IS forces in Syria. \nU.S. officials and Members of Congress continue to debate how best to pursue U.S. regional security and counterterrorism goals in Syria without inadvertently strengthening U.S. adversaries or alienating U.S. partners. The Trump Administration and Members of the 115th Congress\u2014like their predecessors\u2014face challenges inherent to the simultaneous pursuit of U.S. nonproliferation, counterterrorism, civilian protection, and stabilization goals in a complex, evolving conflict.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33487", "sha1": "0563f1d81fa41f169ecf12a7f10181ca2d8fece4", "filename": "files/20170516_RL33487_0563f1d81fa41f169ecf12a7f10181ca2d8fece4.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33487", "sha1": "705696ff5e00920194a8fd9b521710ab8ee9808d", "filename": "files/20170516_RL33487_705696ff5e00920194a8fd9b521710ab8ee9808d.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4758, "name": "Middle East & North Africa" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4786, "name": "Europe, Russia, & Eurasia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 460707, "date": "2017-04-26", "retrieved": "2017-05-09T15:02:44.830759", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "summary": "A deadly chemical weapons attack in Syria on April 4, 2017, and a U.S. military strike in response on April 6 have returned the Syrian civil war\u2014now in its seventh year\u2014to the forefront of international attention. In response to the April 4 attack, some Members of Congress called for the United States to conduct a punitive military operation. These Members and some others since have praised President Trump\u2019s decision to launch a limited strike, with some calling on the President to consult with Congress about Syria strategy. Other Members have questioned the President\u2019s authority to launch the strike in the absence of specific prior authorization from Congress. In the past, some in Congress have expressed concern about the international and domestic authorizations for such strikes, their potential unintended consequences, and the possibility of undesirable or unavoidable escalation.\nSince taking office in January 2017, President Trump has stated his intention to \u201cdestroy\u201d the Syria- and Iraq-based insurgent terrorist group known as the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL, ISIS, or the Arabic acronym Da\u2019esh), and the President has ordered actions to \u201caccelerate\u201d U.S. military efforts against the group in both countries. In late March, senior U.S. officials signaled that the United States would prioritize the fight against the Islamic State and said that Syrian President Bashar al Asad\u2019s future would be determined by the Syrian people. Nevertheless, in the wake of the April 4 attack, President Trump and senior members of his Administration have spoken more critically of Asad\u2019s leadership, and it remains to be seen whether the United States will more directly seek to compel Asad\u2019s departure from power while pursuing the ongoing campaign against the Islamic State. \nSince late 2015, Asad and his government have leveraged military, financial, and diplomatic support from Russia and Iran to improve and consolidate their position relative to the range of antigovernment insurgents arrayed against them. These insurgents include members of the Islamic State, Islamist and secular fighters, and Al Qaeda-linked networks that are working to integrate themselves with others in opposition-held areas of northwestern Syria. While Islamic State forces have lost territory to the Syrian government, to Turkey-backed Syrian opposition groups, and to U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters since early 2016, they remain capable and dangerous. The IS \u201ccapital\u201d at Raqqah has been isolated, but large areas of central and eastern Syria remain under the group\u2019s control. The presence and activities of Russian military forces and Iranian personnel in Syria create complications for U.S. officials and military planners, and raise the prospect of inadvertent confrontation with possible regional or global implications.\nSince March 2011, the conflict has driven more than 5 million Syrians into neighboring countries as refugees (out of a total population of more than 22 million). More than 6.3 million other Syrians are internally displaced and are among more than 13.5 million Syrians in need of humanitarian assistance. The United States remains the largest bilateral provider of such assistance, with more than $6.5 billion in U.S. funding identified to date. The United States also has allocated more than $500 million to date for assistance programs in Syria, including the provision of nonlethal equipment to select opposition groups. President Obama requested $238.5 million in FY2017 funding for such assistance. Together, the Obama and Trump Administrations have requested $430 million in FY2017 defense funds to train and equip anti-IS forces in Syria. \nU.S. officials and Members of Congress continue to debate how best to pursue U.S. regional security and counterterrorism goals in Syria without inadvertently strengthening U.S. adversaries or alienating U.S. partners. The Trump Administration and Members of the 115th Congress\u2014like their predecessors\u2014face challenges inherent to the simultaneous pursuit of U.S. nonproliferation, counterterrorism, civilian protection, and stabilization goals in a complex, evolving conflict.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33487", "sha1": "eb5b3ad3d97503fddb387b9f2db3f6be3a51c4b2", "filename": "files/20170426_RL33487_eb5b3ad3d97503fddb387b9f2db3f6be3a51c4b2.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33487", "sha1": "bf2a98965da0880f251e8911dee960c6ba37c3dc", "filename": "files/20170426_RL33487_bf2a98965da0880f251e8911dee960c6ba37c3dc.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4758, "name": "Middle East & North Africa" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4786, "name": "Europe, Russia, & Eurasia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 460376, "date": "2017-04-10", "retrieved": "2017-04-17T18:24:30.408289", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "summary": "A deadly chemical weapons attack in Syria on April 4, 2017, and a U.S. military strike in response on April 6 have returned the Syrian civil war\u2014now in its seventh year\u2014to the forefront of international attention. In response to the April 4 attack, some Members of Congress called for the United States to conduct a punitive military operation. These Members and some others since have praised President Trump\u2019s decision to launch a limited strike, with some calling on the President to consult with Congress about Syria strategy. Other Members have questioned the President\u2019s authority to launch the strike in the absence of specific prior authorization from Congress. In the past, some in Congress have expressed concern about the international and domestic authorizations for such strikes, their potential unintended consequences, and the possibility of undesirable or unavoidable escalation.\nSince taking office in January 2017, President Trump has stated his intention to \u201cdestroy\u201d the Syria- and Iraq-based insurgent terrorist group known as the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL, ISIS, or the Arabic acronym Da\u2019esh), and the President has ordered actions to \u201caccelerate\u201d U.S. military efforts against the group in both countries. In late March, senior U.S. officials signaled that the United States would prioritize the fight against the Islamic State and said that Syrian President Bashar al Asad\u2019s future would be determined by the Syrian people. Nevertheless, in the wake of the April 4 attack, President Trump and senior members of his Administration have spoken more critically of Asad\u2019s leadership, and it remains to be seen whether the United States will more directly seek to compel Asad\u2019s departure from power while pursuing the ongoing campaign against the Islamic State. \nSince late 2015, Asad and his government have leveraged military, financial, and diplomatic support from Russia and Iran to improve and consolidate their position relative to the range of antigovernment insurgents arrayed against them. These insurgents include members of the Islamic State, Islamist and secular fighters, and Al Qaeda-linked networks that are working to integrate themselves with others in opposition-held areas of northwestern Syria. While Islamic State forces have lost territory to the Syrian government, to Turkey-backed Syrian opposition groups, and to U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters since early 2016, they remain capable and dangerous. The IS \u201ccapital\u201d at Raqqah has been isolated, but large areas of central and eastern Syria remain under the group\u2019s control. The presence and activities of Russian military forces and Iranian personnel in Syria create complications for U.S. officials and military planners, and raise the prospect of inadvertent confrontation with possible regional or global implications.\nSince March 2011, the conflict has driven more than 5 million Syrians into neighboring countries as refugees (out of a total population of more than 22 million). More than 6.3 million other Syrians are internally displaced and are among more than 13.5 million Syrians in need of humanitarian assistance. The United States remains the largest bilateral provider of such assistance, with more than $6.5 billion in U.S. funding identified to date. The United States also has allocated more than $500 million to date for assistance programs in Syria, including the provision of nonlethal equipment to select opposition groups. President Obama requested $238.5 million in FY2017 funding for such assistance. Together, the Obama and Trump Administrations have requested $430 million in FY2017 defense funds to train and equip anti-IS forces in Syria. \nU.S. officials and Members of Congress continue to debate how best to pursue U.S. regional security and counterterrorism goals in Syria without inadvertently strengthening U.S. adversaries or alienating U.S. partners. The Trump Administration and Members of the 115th Congress\u2014like their predecessors\u2014face challenges inherent to the simultaneous pursuit of U.S. nonproliferation, counterterrorism, civilian protection, and stabilization goals in a complex, evolving conflict.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33487", "sha1": "53b4b9a7c17873651552758ee699a8c2598394db", "filename": "files/20170410_RL33487_53b4b9a7c17873651552758ee699a8c2598394db.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33487", "sha1": "e725e7081f0ab0f7466716626d36a1cd10ab50c7", "filename": "files/20170410_RL33487_e725e7081f0ab0f7466716626d36a1cd10ab50c7.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4758, "name": "Middle East & North Africa" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4786, "name": "Europe, Russia, & Eurasia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 458157, "date": "2017-01-06", "retrieved": "2017-01-13T15:43:58.392342", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "summary": "The rise of the insurgent terrorist group known as the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL, ISIS, or the Arabic acronym Da'esh) and Russia\u2019s military intervention on behalf of the Syrian government have reshaped debates over U.S. policy toward the ongoing civil conflict in Syria, now in its sixth year. The Islamic State controls large areas of northeastern and central Syria, from which it continues to launch assaults on forces opposed to and aligned with the government of President Bashar al Asad. Meanwhile, fighting elsewhere pits government forces and their foreign allies against a range of anti-government insurgents, some of whom receive limited U.S. assistance. Russian military intervention in support of Asad poses a direct challenge to U.S. goals in Syria, and has raised new questions about the future of the conflict and U.S. strategy.\nSince March 2011, the conflict has driven more than 4.8 million Syrians into neighboring countries as refugees (out of a total population of more than 22 million). More than 6.3 million other Syrians are internally displaced and are among more than 13.5 million Syrians in need of humanitarian assistance. The United States remains the largest bilateral provider of such assistance, with almost $6 billion in U.S. funding identified to date. The United States also has allocated more than $500 million to date for assistance programs in Syria, including the provision of nonlethal equipment to select opposition groups. President Obama requested $238.5 million in FY2017 funding for such assistance. The Administration also requested $250 million in FY2017 defense funds for its Syria Train and Equip program. \nSyrian officials and their Russian and Iranian backers have stated their conditional willingness to serve as \u201ccounterterrorism\u201d partners of the United States in Syria, provided that U.S. officials accept a role for the Asad government as a bulwark against Sunni Islamist extremism. Although U.S. officials had previously described a \u201cfundamental strategic disagreement\u201d with Russia over Syria and Asad\u2019s future, in 2016 the Obama Administration explored the possibility of cooperation with Russia against terrorist groups in Syria in conjunction with efforts to obtain a lasting cessation of hostilities between pro-Asad forces and armed opposition groups. These efforts were generally viewed as unsuccessful, lacking both enforcement and accountability mechanisms.\nU.S. officials and Members of Congress continue to debate how best to pursue U.S. regional security and counterterrorism goals in Syria without inadvertently strengthening Asad, the Islamic State, or other anti-U.S. armed Islamist groups. Anti-Asad armed forces and their activist counterparts share antipathy toward Russian and Iranian intervention, but they remain divided over tactics, strategy, and their long-term political goals. Powerful Sunni Islamist forces seek outcomes that are contrary in significant ways to stated U.S. preferences for Syria\u2019s political future. \nSome Members of Congress and observers have argued that the United States should seek to compel Asad to negotiate or act militarily to protect Syrian civilians. Others have expressed concern that disorderly regime change could further empower extremists or that civilian protection missions could prolong the conflict or involve the United States too deeply in long-term stabilization. The policies of President-elect Donald Trump and his Administration remain to be determined and articulated and may pose new questions for Members of the 115th Congress.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33487", "sha1": "a9b518325143f7ecd0507ba0f1f400f19f39d789", "filename": "files/20170106_RL33487_a9b518325143f7ecd0507ba0f1f400f19f39d789.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33487", "sha1": "4b70a088b2510128d6cdf7c14df99804cd1321f3", "filename": "files/20170106_RL33487_4b70a088b2510128d6cdf7c14df99804cd1321f3.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4758, "name": "Middle East & North Africa" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4786, "name": "Europe, Russia, & Eurasia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 456100, "date": "2016-09-28", "retrieved": "2016-09-30T17:23:48.575672", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "summary": "The rise of the insurgent terrorist group known as the Islamic State (IS, aka the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant or ISIL/ISIS) and Russia\u2019s military intervention on behalf of the Syrian government have reshaped debates over U.S. policy toward the ongoing civil conflict in Syria, now in its sixth year. The Islamic State controls large areas of northeastern and central Syria, from which it continues to launch assaults on forces opposed to and aligned with the government of President Bashar al Asad. Meanwhile, fighting elsewhere pits government forces and their foreign allies against a range of anti-government insurgents, some of whom have received limited U.S. assistance. Russian military intervention in support of Asad poses a direct challenge to U.S. goals in Syria, and is raising new questions about the future of the conflict and U.S. strategy.\nSince March 2011, the conflict has driven more than 4.8 million Syrians into neighboring countries as refugees (out of a total population of more than 22 million). More than 6.1 million other Syrians are internally displaced and are among more than 13.5 million Syrians in need of humanitarian assistance. The United States remains the largest bilateral provider of such assistance, with more than $5.5 billion in U.S. funding identified to date. The United States also has allocated more than $500 million to date for assistance programs in Syria, including the provision of nonlethal equipment to select opposition groups. President Obama requested $238.5 million in FY2017 funding for such assistance. The Administration also requested $250 million in FY2017 defense funds for its Syria Train and Equip program. \nSyrian officials and their Russian and Iranian backers have stated their conditional willingness to serve as \u201ccounterterrorism\u201d partners of the United States in Syria, provided that U.S. officials accept a role for the Asad government as a bulwark against Sunni Islamist extremism. Whereas in the past Administration officials have described a \u201cfundamental strategic disagreement\u201d with Russia over Syria and Asad\u2019s future, in 2016 the Administration has explored the possibility of cooperation with Russia against terrorist groups in Syria in conjunction with efforts to obtain a lasting cessation of hostilities between pro-Asad forces and armed opposition groups. Some Members of Congress and observers have argued that the United States should seek to compel Asad to negotiate or act militarily to protect Syrian civilians. Others have expressed concern that disorderly regime change could further empower extremists or that civilian protection missions could prolong the conflict or involve the United States too deeply in long-term stabilization. \nU.S. officials and Members of Congress continue to debate how best to pursue U.S. regional security and counterterrorism goals in Syria without inadvertently strengthening Asad, the Islamic State, or other anti-U.S. armed Islamist groups. Anti-Asad armed forces and their activist counterparts have improved their coordination in some cases and share antipathy toward Russian and Iranian intervention, but they remain divided over tactics, strategy, and their long-term political goals. Powerful Sunni Islamist forces seek outcomes that are contrary in significant ways to stated U.S. preferences for Syria\u2019s political future. The United Nations Security Council has endorsed new efforts at negotiation and has created an investigative body empowered to assign responsibility for the use of chemicals as a weapon of war in Syria. \nThe 114th Congress is now considering proposed appropriations (H.R. 5293, S. 3000, S. 3117 and H.R. 5912) and authorization legislation (H.R. 4909 and S. 2943) related to Syria. For more information, see CRS Report R43612, The Islamic State and U.S. Policy, by Christopher M. Blanchard and Carla E. Humud.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33487", "sha1": "6d750f142ba725ebb0df4401d99d374496be3e3f", "filename": "files/20160928_RL33487_6d750f142ba725ebb0df4401d99d374496be3e3f.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33487", "sha1": "ab868328025a99a14d0df41220e108d1fed9337b", "filename": "files/20160928_RL33487_ab868328025a99a14d0df41220e108d1fed9337b.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 282, "name": "Middle East and North Africa" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 283, "name": "Russia and the Caucasus" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 3605, "name": "United Nations" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 455934, "date": "2016-09-19", "retrieved": "2016-09-23T18:03:48.392536", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "summary": "The rise of the insurgent terrorist group known as the Islamic State (IS, aka the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant or ISIL/ISIS) and Russia\u2019s military intervention on behalf of the Syrian government have reshaped debates over U.S. policy toward the ongoing civil conflict in Syria, now in its sixth year. The Islamic State controls large areas of northeastern and central Syria, from which it continues to launch assaults on forces opposed to and aligned with the government of President Bashar al Asad. Meanwhile, fighting elsewhere pits government forces and their foreign allies against a range of anti-government insurgents, some of whom have received limited U.S. assistance. Russian military intervention in support of Asad poses a direct challenge to U.S. goals in Syria, and is raising new questions about the future of the conflict and U.S. strategy.\nSince March 2011, the conflict has driven more than 4.8 million Syrians into neighboring countries as refugees (out of a total population of more than 22 million). More than 6.1 million other Syrians are internally displaced and are among more than 13.5 million Syrians in need of humanitarian assistance. The United States remains the largest bilateral provider of such assistance, with more than $5.5 billion in U.S. funding identified to date. The United States also has allocated more than $500 million to date for assistance programs in Syria, including the provision of nonlethal equipment to select opposition groups. President Obama requested $238.5 million in FY2017 funding for such assistance. The Administration also requested $250 million in FY2017 defense funds for its Syria Train and Equip program. \nSyrian officials and their Russian and Iranian backers have stated their conditional willingness to serve as \u201ccounterterrorism\u201d partners of the United States in Syria, provided that U.S. officials accept a role for the Asad government as a bulwark against Sunni Islamist extremism. Whereas in the past Administration officials have described a \u201cfundamental strategic disagreement\u201d with Russia over Syria and Asad\u2019s future, in 2016 the Administration has explored the possibility of cooperation with Russia against terrorist groups in Syria in conjunction with efforts to obtain a lasting cessation of hostilities between pro-Asad forces and armed opposition groups. Some Members of Congress and observers have argued that the United States should seek to compel Asad to negotiate or act militarily to protect Syrian civilians. Others have expressed concern that disorderly regime change could further empower extremists or that civilian protection missions could prolong the conflict or involve the United States too deeply in long-term stabilization. \nU.S. officials and Members of Congress continue to debate how best to pursue U.S. regional security and counterterrorism goals in Syria without inadvertently strengthening Asad, the Islamic State, or other anti-U.S. armed Islamist groups. Anti-Asad armed forces and their activist counterparts have improved their coordination in some cases and share antipathy toward Russian and Iranian intervention, but they remain divided over tactics, strategy, and their long-term political goals. Powerful Sunni Islamist forces seek outcomes that are contrary in significant ways to stated U.S. preferences for Syria\u2019s political future. The United Nations Security Council has endorsed new efforts at negotiation and has created an investigative body empowered to assign responsibility for the use of chemicals as a weapon of war in Syria. \nThe 114th Congress is now considering proposed appropriations (H.R. 5293, S. 3000, S. 3117 and H.R. 5912) and authorization legislation (H.R. 4909 and S. 2943) related to Syria. For more information, see CRS Report R43612, The Islamic State and U.S. Policy, by Christopher M. Blanchard and Carla E. Humud.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33487", "sha1": "b6ed358fb14945a7c4c9bce7d9f9b437143fe1ee", "filename": "files/20160919_RL33487_b6ed358fb14945a7c4c9bce7d9f9b437143fe1ee.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33487", "sha1": "3c35e9495fca388b7f37b1ce5d2e0753f2e7973f", "filename": "files/20160919_RL33487_3c35e9495fca388b7f37b1ce5d2e0753f2e7973f.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 282, "name": "Middle East and North Africa" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 283, "name": "Russia and the Caucasus" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 3605, "name": "United Nations" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 446281, "date": "2015-10-09", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T18:13:15.929410", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "summary": "The rise of the insurgent terrorist group known as the Islamic State (IS, aka the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant or ISIL/ISIS) and Russia\u2019s military intervention on behalf of the Syrian government have reshaped debates over U.S. policy toward the ongoing civil conflict in Syria, now in its fifth year. The Islamic State controls large areas of northeastern and central Syria, from which it continues to launch assaults on forces opposed to and aligned with the government of President Bashar al Asad. Meanwhile, fighting elsewhere pits government forces and their foreign allies against a range of anti-government insurgents, some of whom have received limited U.S. assistance. Russian military intervention in support of Asad poses a direct challenge to U.S. goals in Syria, and is raising new questions about the future of the conflict and U.S. strategy.\nSince March 2011, the conflict has driven more than 4.1 million Syrians into neighboring countries as refugees (out of a total population of more than 22 million). More than 7.5 million other Syrians are internally displaced and are among more than 12 million Syrians in need of humanitarian assistance. The United States remains the largest bilateral provider of such assistance, with more than $4.5 billion in U.S. funding identified to date. The United States also has allocated more than $440 million to date for nonlethal assistance to select opposition groups, and President Obama requested $385 million in FY2015 and FY2016 Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding for such assistance. The $600 million FY2016 defense request for the Syria Train and Equip program may support a planned shift in the program toward equipping vetted units in Syria. The Administration also seeks more than $1.6 billion in Syria-related FY2016 humanitarian aid and refugee response funds.\nSyrian officials and their Russian and Iranian backers have stated their conditional willingness to serve as \u201ccounterterrorism\u201d partners of the United States in Syria, provided that U.S. officials accept a role for the Asad government as a bulwark against Sunni Islamist extremism. However, the Obama Administration and several Members of Congress have rejected the prospect of partnership with Asad, as well as his characterization of all of his opponents as \u201cterrorists.\u201d U.S. officials have described a \u201cfundamental strategic disagreement\u201d with Russia over its military intervention and Asad\u2019s future, and they continue to call for a managed political transition and describe Asad as having lost legitimacy. Some Members of Congress and observers have argued that the United State should seek to compel Asad to negotiate or act militarily to protect Syrian civilians. Others have expressed concern that disorderly regime change could further empower extremists or that civilian protection missions could prolong the conflict or involve the United States and its partners too deeply in stabilizing Syria over the long run. \nU.S. officials and Members of Congress continue to debate how best to pursue U.S. regional security and counterterrorism goals in Syria without inadvertently strengthening Asad, the Islamic State, or other anti-U.S. armed Islamist groups. Anti-Asad armed forces and their activist counterparts have improved their coordination in some cases and share antipathy toward Russia\u2019s intervention, but they remain divided over tactics, strategy, and their long-term political goals. Powerful Islamist forces seek outcomes that are contrary in significant ways to stated U.S. preferences for Syria\u2019s political future. The United Nations Security Council has endorsed new efforts at negotiation and has created a new body empowered to assign responsibility for the use of chemicals as a weapon of war in Syria. \nThe 114th Congress is now considering proposed appropriations (H.R. 2685, S. 1558, and H.R. 2772) and authorization legislation (H.R. 1735) related to Syria. For more information, see CRS Report R43727, Train and Equip Program for Syria: Authorities, Funding, and Issues for Congress, by Christopher M. Blanchard and Amy Belasco, and CRS Report R43612, The \u201cIslamic State\u201d Crisis and U.S. Policy, by Christopher M. 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The report also covers U.S. policy responses to the conflict.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20150715_RL33487_85f9214f2f4118051ca1c5ba553eba653dfa22ff.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20150715_RL33487_85f9214f2f4118051ca1c5ba553eba653dfa22ff.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- Syria -- U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations -- Syria -- U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Syria", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Syria" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "International affairs", "name": "International affairs" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Politics and government -- Syria", "name": "Politics and government -- Syria" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Terrorism", "name": "Terrorism" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc462894/", "id": "RL33487_2014Sep17", "date": "2014-09-17", "retrieved": "2014-12-05T09:57:41", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "summary": "This report discusses the continuing conflict in Syria including recent regime losses in confrontations with forces of the Islamic State (IS, aka the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant or ISIL/ISIS) in northeastern Syria. The report also covers Syrian chemical weapons disarmament and U.S. policy.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20140917_RL33487_22a2a27b9efdfc48184f0adc4d3151e6e4489bfe.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20140917_RL33487_22a2a27b9efdfc48184f0adc4d3151e6e4489bfe.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- Syria -- U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations -- Syria -- U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Syria", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Syria" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "International affairs", "name": "International affairs" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Politics and government -- Syria", "name": "Politics and government -- Syria" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Terrorism", "name": "Terrorism" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc462453/", "id": "RL33487_2014Sep11", "date": "2014-09-11", "retrieved": "2014-12-05T09:57:41", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "summary": "This report discusses the recent conflict in Syria including an overview of the situation, information about anti- and pro-Asad forces, background on chemical weapons and disarmament, plans for U.S. policy and assistance, and a general sense of the future outlook.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20140911_RL33487_088875e7a9947b2824fee211d7dcb610dbe98957.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20140911_RL33487_088875e7a9947b2824fee211d7dcb610dbe98957.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- Syria -- U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations -- Syria -- U.S." }, { 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"2014-06-24", "retrieved": "2014-08-27T12:47:05", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "summary": "This report discusses the recent conflict in Syria including an overview of the situation, information about anti- and pro-Asad forces, background on chemical weapons and disarmament, plans for U.S. policy and assistance, and a general sense of the future outlook.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20140624_RL33487_663fdd729ed0e89550f1b406af0a88ab26893b19.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20140624_RL33487_663fdd729ed0e89550f1b406af0a88ab26893b19.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- Syria -- U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations -- Syria -- U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Syria", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Syria" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "International affairs", "name": "International affairs" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Politics and government -- Syria", "name": "Politics and government -- Syria" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Terrorism", "name": "Terrorism" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc306498/", "id": "RL33487_2014May05", "date": "2014-05-05", "retrieved": "2014-07-08T21:53:44", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response", "summary": "This report discusses the recent conflict in Syria including an overview of the situation, information about anti- and pro-Asad forces, background on chemical weapons and disarmament, plans for U.S. policy and assistance, and a general sense of the future outlook.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20140505_RL33487_2b2c5522fe36768e511441cd8484e4f8d8c85721.pdf" }, { 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discusses the recent conflict in Syria including an overview of the situation, information about anti- and pro-Asad forces, background on chemical weapons and disarmament, plans for U.S. policy and assistance, and a general sense of the future outlook.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20140409_RL33487_bd20dd75d83b0caaf86cf639bd5b62ddf1a46ca0.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20140409_RL33487_bd20dd75d83b0caaf86cf639bd5b62ddf1a46ca0.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Syria", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Syria" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- Syria -- U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations -- Syria -- U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Politics and government -- Syria", "name": "Politics and government -- Syria" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "International affairs", "name": "International affairs" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Terrorism", "name": "Terrorism" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc817858/", "id": "RL33487_2013Sep06", "date": "2013-09-06", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: Background and U.S. Response", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20130906_RL33487_92a0dae11bb947fa72f3948e721fb8c18d60baad.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20130906_RL33487_92a0dae11bb947fa72f3948e721fb8c18d60baad.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc228028/", "id": "RL33487_2013Jun14", "date": "2013-06-14", "retrieved": "2013-11-05T18:07:05", "title": "Armed Conflict in Syria: U.S. and International Response", "summary": "Report that looks at the recent conflict in Syria, particularly casualty estimates and an assessment of possible future scenarios. 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U.S. officials and many analysts believe that Asad and his supporters will ultimately be forced from power, but few offer specific, credible timetables for a resolution to the crisis. 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A large part of the report looks at U.S. policy towards Syria, including how Congress will handle humanitarian dilemmas, security of Syrian Weapons of Mass Destruction, and how the country is open to opportunities for terrorism recruitment. It also looks at key developments that have occurred during the conflict, including support of the Asad government, political dynamics, and minority communities. 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A large part of the report looks at U.S. policy towards Syria, including how Congress will handle humanitarian dilemmas, security of Syrian Weapons of Mass Destruction, and how the country is open to opportunities for terrorism recruitment. It also looks at key developments that have occurred during the conflict, including supports of the Asad government, political dynamics, and minority communities. 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U.S. officials and many analysts believe that President Bashar al Asad, his family members, and his supporters will ultimately be forced from power. President Obama and his Administration have been calling for Asad's resignation since August 2011, and have been vocal advocates for United Nations Security Council action to condemn the Syrian government and end the bloodshed. The United States has closed its embassy in Damascus, and Ambassador Robert Ford has left Syria. In the face of intense domestic and international pressure calling for political change and for an end to violence against civilians, the Asad government has offered limited reforms while also meeting protests and armed attacks with overwhelming force. 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It also provides background information on U.S. sanctions against the Asad regime and its supporters.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20120216_RL33487_226d387487f0a0290ccc5cfe2c0baad11d42cc3b.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20120216_RL33487_226d387487f0a0290ccc5cfe2c0baad11d42cc3b.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations", "name": "Foreign relations" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Syria", "name": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Syria" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations - Syria - U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations - Syria - U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Politics and government - Syria", "name": "Politics and government - Syria" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc822407/", "id": "RL33487_2011Nov09", "date": "2011-11-09", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Unrest in Syria and U.S. Sanctions Against the Asad Regime", "summary": "This report analyzes the current unrest in Syria and the U.S. response to the Syrian government\u2019s crackdown against demonstrators. It also provides background information on U.S. sanctions against the Asad regime and its supporters.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20111109_RL33487_4589890a9a2d613892f60b36b4191ac0b6b3b936.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20111109_RL33487_4589890a9a2d613892f60b36b4191ac0b6b3b936.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations", "name": "Foreign relations" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Syria", "name": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Syria" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations - Syria - U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations - Syria - U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Politics and government - Syria", "name": "Politics and government - Syria" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc810789/", "id": "RL33487_2011Sep22", "date": "2011-09-22", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Unrest in Syria and U.S. Sanctions Against the Asad Regime", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20110922_RL33487_952e1f91e0b90b060a310574b8fce5073a0f284e.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20110922_RL33487_952e1f91e0b90b060a310574b8fce5073a0f284e.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc94042/", "id": "RL33487_2011Aug09", "date": "2011-08-09", "retrieved": "2012-07-24T12:39:36", "title": "Unrest in Syria and U.S. Sanctions Against the Asad Regime", "summary": "This report analyzes the current unrest in Syria and the U.S. response to the Syrian government's crackdown against demonstrators. It also provides background information on U.S. sanctions against the Asad regime and its supporters.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20110809_RL33487_24e11a9688448251f7d4aa9792930c430011ba82.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20110809_RL33487_24e11a9688448251f7d4aa9792930c430011ba82.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations", "name": "Foreign relations" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Syria", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Syria" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- Syria -- U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations -- Syria -- U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Politics and government -- Syria", "name": "Politics and government -- Syria" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc808418/", "id": "RL33487_2011Jun21", "date": "2011-06-21", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Syria: Issues for the 112th Congress and Background on U.S. Sanctions", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20110621_RL33487_e7f3d08d89f729ff5b04cd53a8e50e46c4e5045d.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20110621_RL33487_e7f3d08d89f729ff5b04cd53a8e50e46c4e5045d.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc820869/", "id": "RL33487_2011Jun03", "date": "2011-06-03", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Syria: Issues for the 112th Congress and Background on U.S. Sanctions", "summary": "This report analyzes bilateral issues between the United States and Syria, particularly regarding the unrest in Syria and the Asad government's violent response. It includes descriptions of recent developments, issues for Congress, U.S.-Syrian relations, U.S. Sanctions, and future prospects related to the role of Congress.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20110603_RL33487_8356fa69ff095c0951201e74106b183929cbdd02.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20110603_RL33487_8356fa69ff095c0951201e74106b183929cbdd02.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Syria", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Syria" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- Syria -- U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations -- Syria -- U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Politics and government -- Syria", "name": "Politics and government -- Syria" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc40209/", "id": "RL33487_2011April28", "date": "2011-04-28", "retrieved": "2011-08-27T10:13:38", "title": "Syria: Issues for the 112th Congress and Background on U.S. Sanctions", "summary": "This report analyzes bilateral issues between the United States and Syria. Unrest in Syria and the Asad government's violent response are adding new complexity to the troubled U.S.-Syrian relationship. The Obama Administration's policy of limited engagement with Syria to address areas of long-standing concern has been met with criticism from some, including some Members of Congress. Critics believe that the Administration should apply further pressure to the Syrian government and consider implementing harsher economic sanctions against it. The use of violence against Syrian protestors has been accompanied by calls for new U.S. sanctions but also some expression of concern by experts that political unrest in Syria could evolve into a broader civil conflict that in turn could destabilize Syria's neighbors.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20110428_RL33487_7f624489a278947e14325e19c6f7d508373af788.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20110428_RL33487_7f624489a278947e14325e19c6f7d508373af788.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations", "name": "Foreign relations" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -U.S.- Syria", "name": "Foreign relations -U.S.- Syria" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations - Syria - U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations - Syria - U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Politics and government - Syria", "name": "Politics and government - Syria" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc99096/", "id": "RL33487_2011Mar28", "date": "2011-03-28", "retrieved": "2012-08-31T21:48:36", "title": "Syria: Issues for the 112th Congress and Background on U.S. Sanctions", "summary": "This report analyzes bilateral issues between the United States and Syria, particularly regarding the unrest in Syria and the Asad government's violent response. 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