Imparting war-fighting skills to Syrian insurgents might backfire.

Training and supporting insurgents against one’s adversaries has been a cost effective strategy since the late 20th century, when states co-opted their adversaries’ enemies as proxy forces, avoiding the monetary cost of deploying their own soldiers and the political cost of casualties.

Hostility between Sunnis and Shi’as has taken on an increasingly political core. This is the last of a two part series. Read part one here.

Syria's future may not be better off with regime change.

Once again, the West seems to be teetering on the edge of invading a Middle Eastern country that is revolting against a Ba’athist government. However, there is still a great deal of uncertainty that would make a military operation rash at this point. A consideration of the available options would be valuable.

The Options

Hostility between Sunnis and Shi’as has taken on an increasingly political core. This is the first of a two part series. 

The logic is simple enough, right? In black, we have the Shi’a with the king being Iran. In the white, we have the Sunnis with the king being Saudi Arabia. The rest of the pieces on this Middle East chessboard include everyone else between the Euphrates and the Nile, fighting it out to keep their respective king alive. Not quite!

The proposed US-led military strikes are unlikely to end the Syrian military’s war efforts.

The rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Qatar will not cease to be a factor affecting events in Syria. This is the first of a two part series. [Note: This article was originally published by The Jamestown Foundation.]

Nicholas A. Heras speaks to Aaron Y. Zelin about the Syrian Civil War and foreign jihadi fighters.

Nicholas A. Heras: What particular characteristics of the Syrian conflict have made it an attractive theater of jihad for militant Salafist fighters? How has the jihadi concept of fard kifaya (communal responsibility) been adopted by leading Salafist clerics to accommodate foreign Sunni youth seeking to fight in Syria?

Armed tribal groups are active participants in Syria’s civil war. [Note: This article was originally published by The Jamestown Foundation.]

Distributing lethal aid to Syrian rebels will escalate the international proxy war.

The trauma suffered by Nubul and al-Zahraa residents is becoming a rallying cry for pro-Hezbollah Lebanese. [Note: This article was originally published by The Jamestown Foundation.]