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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a news conference at the Pentagon on June 22, 2025. (Andrew Harnik via Getty Images)
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SDF and YPG flags seen in al-Raqqa after its takeover by the SDF, October 20, 2017 (VOA Kurdish)
As Turkey targets Kurdish fighters with ties to the U.S.-led coalition combatting the Islamic State, tensions between Turkey and the U.S. have the potential to squander many of the gains that have been made against ISIS. Simultaneously, Iran and Russia are gaining leverage by solidifying their hold on key areas in the region. The U.S. is now forced to weigh its conflicting alliances in Eastern Syria, and develop a coherent policy towards its allies.
On Tuesday, March 13th, Hudson Institute hosted a discussion assessing U.S. policy options for the conflict and the region. The panel will consist of American Foreign Policy Council Senior Vice President Ilan Berman; Institute for the Study of War Senior Intelligence Planner Jennifer Cafarella; former Syrian diplomat Bassam Barabandi; and Hudson Adjunct Fellow Michael Pregent.
To view the map used in today's panel, click here.
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