Podcast: Turkey's Syria Incursion

Overwatch - Institute for the Study of War (ISW) Podcast Series 

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Crisis Brief: Outcome of Trump-Erdogan Meeting Amidst Continued Fighting in Syria (Update #7- November 15, 2019) 

U.S. President Donald Trump met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss Turkey's ongoing offensive in Northeastern Syria on November 13th. The meeting occured as fighting continues in Eastern Syria. ISW Syria expert John Dunford discusses the events in Syria and abroad that shaped the two presidents' conversation and its subsequent outcome. 

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Sticher. Transcript forthcoming.

Crisis Brief: Russo-Turkish Agreement in Eastern Syria Breaks Down as US Forces Return (Update #6 - October 31, 2019) 

The deadline to implement the first phase of the Russo-Turkish deal for northeast Syria passed without significant progress after Kurdish forces refused to withdraw from the border. Meanwhile, a new contingent of US forces deployed to southeast Syria to secure oil fields. US forces also patrolled a Kurdish area, indicating a continued relationship with Kurdish forces. ISW Research Director Jennifer Cafarella and Syria expert John Dunford explain these details and discuss what to expect next.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher. Read the transcript here. 

Crisis Brief: Significance of the Turkey-Russia Meeting on Syria (Update #5 - October 23, 2019) 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin met to coordinate military movements in Northern Syria. The two presidents reached an initial agreement intended to push Kurdish forces away from the Turkey-Syria border region over the coming days. ISW Syria analyst John Dunford discusses what is known about the new deal and how it will affect Turkish and Russian actions in Syria moving forward.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher. Read the transcript here. 

Crisis Brief: Russia Exploits U.S. Withdrawal from Syria (Update #4 - October 16, 2019)

The U.S. military withdrawal from Syria and subsequent Turkish advances are creating a new opening for Russia and its partners. Russian forces have taken over areas vacated by the U.S. as the Kremlin positions itself to reshape Syria’s future. ISW Russia analyst Mason Clark joins ISW Research Director Jennifer Cafarella to discuss the latest Russian maneuvers and how they advance Vladimir Putin’s broader ambitions in Syria. Additional resources on the situation in Syria, including maps, are available here.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher. Read the transcript here. 

Crisis Brief: Continued Chaos as the Turkish Offensive Advances into Syria (Update #3 - October 15, 2019)

The situation on the ground is rapidly evolving as the Turkish offensive advances into Syria. ISIS is taking advantage of the conditions of chaos to resurge and threaten to reverse progress made by the Anti-ISIS Coalition. ISW's Research Director Jennifer Cafarella, Syria analyst John Dunford, and Counterterrorism analyst Brandon Wallace discuss how recent developments may threaten U.S. forces as they withdraw and what ISW is watching heading into the week. 

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher. Read the transcript here. 

Crisis Brief: Turkey Kicks Off Operation in Syria (Update #2 - October 9, 2019)

Turkey has initiated a military operation into a part of Northern Syria controlled by Syrian Kurdish-led forces. The operation follows a U.S. decision to withdraw from the immediate area controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) – the primary Syria-based U.S. partner in the campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (ISIS). As Turkish forces move across the border and the SDF responds, ISW’s Syria expert John Dunford explains the context, key dynamics shaping the battle, and the effects on the counter-ISIS campaign.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher. Read the transcript here. 

Crisis Brief: Imminent Turkish Invasion of Northern Syria (Update #1 - October 7, 2019)

Turkey is about to invade Northeastern Syria with U.S. permission despite previous American security guarantees to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The U.S. has not yet announced a full withdrawal from Syria but U.S. forces pulled back from the border. ISW Research Director Jennifer Cafarella and Syria expert John Dunford discuss what options the SDF has and how other actors, including ISIS and Iran, are prepared to exploit the possible chaos to follow.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher. Read the transcript here.