Highlights From Round 1, 2, 3 Questions
SMA Reachback: Highlights From CENTCOM Round 1, 2 and 3 Questions. Author | Editor: Astorino-Courtois, A. (NSI, Inc). Overview ISIS will be defeated militarily. However, whether it is ultimately overcome by containment or by deploying ground forces to apply overwhelming force, the path to mitigating violent extremism in the region is a generations-long one. Military […]
Continue ReadingMeaning of ISIS Defeat & Shaping Stability
The Meaning of ISIS Defeat and Shaping Stability — Highlights from CENTCOM Round 1, 2 and 3 Reach-back Reports. Author | Editor: Astorino-Courtois, A. (NSI, Inc). Conclusion ISIS will be defeated militarily. However, whether it is ultimately overcome by containment or by deploying ground forces to apply overwhelming force, the path to mitigating violent extremism […]
Continue ReadingImpact of the Presence of ISIS in Africa
Question (AR1.Q1): How will the future of ISIS in Syria and Iraq impact the presence of ISIS in Africa? Author | Editor: Polansky (Pagano), S. (NSI, Inc). While the consideration of ISIS’s fate in Syria and Iraq of course adds significant value to the question of ISIS in Africa, ISIS’s next steps there appear to […]
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Part 10 Supplemental Transcripts From NPS Event
SMA CENTCOM Reach-back Reports – Part 10: Supplemental Transcripts. Author | Editor: SMA Program Office. The enclosed reports discuss wide-ranging issues related to the defeat if ISIL and stabilization of Syria and Iraq supplementary to the 9-part series of SMA Reach back responses to questions posed by USCENTCOM grouped by theme. Series reports may be […]
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Turkish Interests in Syria and Iraq
Question (R2 QL6): What are near and long term Turkish interests and intentions in Syria and Iraq? What are Turkish interests and intentions with respect to al-Bab? Author | Editor: Astorino-Courtois, A. (NSI, Inc). Despite policy shifts Turkey’s key interests remain the same The SME contributors to this SMA Reach-back write-up argue that the recent […]
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Part 4 Actor Interests and Motivations
SMA CENTCOM Reach-back Reports – Part 4: Regional Actor Interests and Motivations. Author | Editor: SMA Program Office. This is Part 4 of a 9 part series of SMA Reach back responses to questions posed by USCENTCOM. Each report contains responses to multiple questions grouped by theme. At the request of United States Central Command […]
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SMA Reachback: Part 8 Post ISIL Governance
SMA CENTCOM Reach-back Reports – Part 8: Post ISIL Governance. Author | Editor: SMA Program Office. This is Part 8 of a 9 part series of SMA Reach back responses to questions posed by USCENTCOM. Each report contains responses to multiple questions grouped by theme. At the request of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), the […]
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Military Influence in Post-ISIL Levant
Question (R2 QL7): What significance will small military groups, particularly in Northern Syria, have in a post-ISIL Levant? How should CENTCOM best shape or influence these groups? Author | Editor: Reedy, K. (RAND). The primary theme that all of the experts touched upon is that there will be no single unified situation regarding either the […]
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Part 3 Encourage Regional Stability
SMA CENTCOM Reach-back Reports – Part 3: Encouraging Regional Stability. Author | Editor: SMA Program Office. This is Part 3 of a 9 part series of SMA Reach back responses to questions posed by USCENTCOM. Each report contains responses to multiple questions grouped by theme. At the request of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), the […]
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Syrian Reaction to Salafi Institution
Question (R3 QL6): How will the population in northwest Syria react to future Salafist political institutions? Author | Editor: Astorino-Courtois, A. (NSI, Inc). Similar to points made by other contributors to this SMA Reach-back report, Dr. Kathleen Reedy of Rand includes a caveat in her response to the CENTCOM question. Given international pressure to avoid […]
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