from National Security and Defense Program

Assessing the Case for Striking Syria

Testimony by Stephen Biddle

September 10, 2013

Download PDF
Testimony
Testimony by CFR fellows and experts before Congress.

More on:

Syria

Homeland Security

In his testimony before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Stephen Biddle acknowledges that neither the case for nor against using force in Syria is without serious costs and risks. He evaluates the five main goals an attack might be designed to achieve: deterring further CW use and upholding norms against the employment of such weapons; preserving U.S. credibility; enabling a negotiated settlement to the war; toppling Assad and his government; and ending the humanitarian crisis by saving civilian lives.

More on:

Syria

Homeland Security

Explore More on Syria

Syria

U.S. Retrenchment Will Intensify Crisis in Idlib
In order to prevent a humanitarian disaster in Syria and avoid regional instability, the United States should make the outcome of the fight for Idlib a national security concern and exercise the leadership necessary for implementing diplomatic and political solutions to the civil war.

Blog Post by Amir Asmar and Jacob Ware June 30, 2020 Strength Through Peace

Middle East and North Africa

Can Syria’s Assad Regime Survive a New Wave of Threats?
New U.S. sanctions under the Caesar Act could compound the economic turmoil threatening to undo the Assad regime.

In Brief by Kali Robinson June 30, 2020

Syria

Can the World Alleviate Idlib’s Humanitarian Disaster Amid a Pandemic?
At the outset of 2020, the conflict in Idlib province was emerging as the worst humanitarian crisis of Syria’s nine-year war. Now, the coronavirus pandemic has made relief efforts even more difficult.

In Brief by Kali Robinson April 6, 2020

Top Stories on CFR

United States

What Is the CHIPS Act?
Extraordinary U.S. government incentives are proving popular with many large chipmakers, but it is too early to tell how much of the semiconductor industry can be lured back to the United States.  

In Brief by Michelle Kurilla April 29, 2024

Singapore

Singapore’s New Prime Minister Lawrence Wong Faces Challenges From Day One
After two decades in office, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will pass the baton to the ruling party’s chosen successor, who faces a complex geopolitical environment and growing challenges to the party’s leadership at home.

Blog Post by Joshua Kurlantzick April 25, 2024 Asia Unbound

Ukraine

Weapons of War: The Race Between Russia and Ukraine
The new U.S. aid package will reestablish a critical flow of weapons to Ukraine’s military, but the war will hinge greatly on which side can ramp up and sustain its firepower and troop numbers in the months ahead.  

Expert Brief by Max Boot April 24, 2024