This paper examines the future of the U.S. military presence in Syria within the context of rapidly evolving local and regional shifts. It also highlights how Washington, without direct military involvement, seeks to shape a political and security environment that serves its interests through monitoring the performance of the Syrian government and curbing the influence of Iran and extremist organizations. The paper links the repositioning of U.S. forces to a change in Washington’s perception of the Syrian government, specifically, its transformation into a political partner aligned with the regional environment.

This policy analysis discusses the possibilities that may ensue from the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq and the position of the Iraqi government regarding this withdrawal. It also touches on the nature of future relations between Washington and Baghdad against the backdrop of attacks between armed factions in Iraq and U.S. forces.

This policy analysis addresses the escalation of the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and its effects on Arab countries. This analysis also touches on the Operation Prosperity Guardian coalition launched by the United States with the participation of more than 20 countries to protect international shipping lanes.

Position Assessment | This paper presents a theoretical interpretation of the growing asymmetric threats and their repercussions on international peace and security. Such threats have imposed shifts in the concepts and theories of security followed for decades, especially the theories of deterrence and balance of power, the matter which made requiring re-research into new strategies for deterrence in the international arena be necessary.

The U.S. airstrike on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025, carried out as part of “Operation Midnight Hammer,” marked a fundamental turning point in the trajectory of negotiations between Washington and Tehran. The United States shifted from a strategy of economic pressure and multilateral diplomacy to the direct use of military force, in unprecedented alignment with Israel’s approach. Today, Iran stands at a critical crossroads: either accept American-Israeli demands, or risk resuming its nuclear program and facing another wave of military escalation.

The Suwayda Governorate in southern Syria witnessed a significant security escalation following clashes between Druze factions and Bedouin tribes, which was followed by a military intervention by the Syrian transitional government. This prompted Israel to carry out airstrikes, which it considered a response to the violation of the “demilitarized zone” principle and its commitments toward the Druze community. As a result, Syrian forces withdrew and a ceasefire agreement was signed with the religious authority in Suwayda that also included local security and administrative arrangements. These developments revealed a gap in the transitional government’s understanding of the Israeli position, placing its presence in the south—and its relations with the Druze and Kurds—under challenges that may reshape the balance of power.

The most important criterion for judging the outcomes of the Arab-Islamic summit in Doha this September remains the extent to which they are reflected in Israeli behavior. While the summit could serve as a barrier against Israel repeating attacks on Qatar or any other Arab state, it will not alter the developments on the ground, nor will it play a role in reshaping the balance of power in the Middle East—a matter of utmost priority and significance at both the Arab and regional levels.

Israel has systematically worked to dismantle Hamas’s governing structure in Gaza, targeting its administrative and security institutions. This has left a vacuum in the management of civil and security affairs, prompting clans and local committees to assume temporary service and organizational roles in the absence of a central alternative. At the same time, Israel seeks to employ these formations within a model of “utilization without empowerment” in an attempt to replicate the experience of the Palestinian Village Leagues in an updated form—without offering any organized political alternative. This reflects a fragile reality in which societal necessity intersects with Israeli calculations.

Postmodern Political Geography combines a strategic analytical reading with a forward-looking vision, based on a modern geopolitical methodology, with a clear Eurasian background in terms of critical philosophical theoretical premises, interest in the Russian value system, and political ambition.

Author: Graham Allison | Original name of the book: Destined War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides' Trap | Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, New York, 2017.

The year 2024 has served as a testing ground to assess the accuracy of the methodologies the STRATEGIECS Institute has developed over the past years, as well as an operational platform to utilize the accumulated expertise of its team. This was particularly evident in their ability to devise results and forecast directions related to various events and issues. The results have been highly promising, both in terms of the pace of research output and the accuracy of predictions.

It’s too early to judge whether stability has been achieved in Bangladesh and whether a new political system has been established following Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and the formation of a temporary government. Moreover, predicting the decline of the parties from the previous phase seems unlikely, especially the Awami League, which has governed the country since the 1970s.

Syrian political consciousness is undergoing a profound transformation following the change of the Ba’ath regime in 2024, after decades of security-driven rule and totalitarian dominance. The 2011 movement in Syria during the so-called “Arab Spring” marked a shift in collective awareness, expressing a desire for liberation and citizenship, but it collided with authoritarian responses that produced a state of repression. In the absence of a unifying national framework, trajectories vary between currents of rupture, reconciliation, and religious projects, while Syria’s future remains contingent on the society’s ability to overcome division and build a new social contract.

Syria is entering a major phase of security transformation following Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham’s (HTS) rise to power in late 2024. The former security apparatuses, known for their extensive control and role in suppressing the opposition, have been dismantled. Despite talk of security reforms under the new government, there are concerns about the re-emergence of a centralized security authority that prioritizes regime protection at the expense of citizens’ rights, especially in light of weak oversight and the lack of genuine integration of all military factions inside Syria into the country’s new General Security Agency.