Commentary
Yezid Sayigh
{
"authors": [
"Yezid Sayigh"
],
"type": "other",
"centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center",
"Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center"
],
"collections": [
"Civil-Military Relations in Arab States"
],
"englishNewsletterAll": "menaTransitions",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center",
"programAffiliation": "MEP",
"programs": [
"Middle East"
],
"projects": [],
"regions": [
"Levant",
"Syria",
"Middle East",
"Russia"
],
"topics": [
"Foreign Policy"
]
}
Source: Getty
Russian Perspectives on Syrian Military Reform
Russia faces opportunities and challenges as it seeks to restructure and reform the Syrian armed forces, which it sees as a key to concluding the civil war on terms favorable to the Assad regime, containing Iranian involvement, and winding down Russia’s combat role.
By Yezid Sayigh
Published on Mar 26, 2020
As many great powers have found when intervening to support the military of a client state, Russian expectations in Syria have not been entirely met. The lessons that Russia has learned, both positive and negative, speak to the complexity of the situation on the ground in Syria, and to the ever-shifting character of modern warfare. Russian officials keep their cards close to their chest, but this dossier explores what is known about the perceptions and perspectives they bring to the task of standing up the Syrian Arab Army.
Syrian Politics Trump Russian Military Reforms, Yezid Sayigh
The Efficiency of the Syrian Armed Forces: An Analysis of Russian Assistance, Anton Lavrov
Russia and Syrian Military Reform: Challenges and Opportunities, Alexey Khlebnikov
Russia’s Role in Reforming Syrian Special Services, Kirill Semenov
About the Author
Yezid Sayigh
Senior Fellow, Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center
Yezid Sayigh is a senior fellow at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, where he leads the program on Civil-Military Relations in Arab States (CMRAS). His work focuses on the comparative political and economic roles of Arab armed forces, the impact of war on states and societies, the politics of postconflict reconstruction and security sector transformation in Arab transitions, and authoritarian resurgence.
- What Is Israel’s Plan in Lebanon?
- All or Nothing in GazaCommentary
Yezid Sayigh
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center
- Smuggling and Civil Peace on Lebanon’s Border: The Case of SummaqiyyehArticle
The Lebanese authorities’ clampdown on illicit cross-border activity threatens to leave inhabitants of the historically neglected village, and the wider Akkar region, in an economically precarious position.
Mohanad Hage Ali
- How Lebanon’s Sunnis Approach Peace With IsraelCommentary
The community seeks maintain a distance from Hezbollah, and an even greater one from normalization with their southern neighbor.
Mohamad Fawaz
- Lebanon Needs a New Negotiating Strategy with IsraelCommentary
Unless Beirut lowers expectations, any setbacks will end up bolstering Hezbollah’s narrative.
Mohanad Hage Ali
- Afro-Iraqis, Climate Change, and Environmental Injustice in BasraArticle
Afro-Iraqis experience political, economic, and social marginalization and discrimination, which exposes the poorest members of the community to the harsh realities of the region’s climate disaster.
Zeinab Shuker
- Realism and the Lebanon-Israel TalksCommentary
Beirut’s desire to break free from Iranian hegemony may push it into a situation where it has to accept Israel’s hegemony.
Michael Young
