Writing on Syria, Leslie H. Gelb advises that "the only viable strategy at this point is to help prevent things from getting worse."

According to Steven Cook, "it seems that last week's assassination attempt and yesterday's bombings may represent the opening shot in another low-level insurgency."

CFR Senior Fellow Ray Takeyh leads a conversation on Iran's internal power structure and the country's foreign policy under the new president, as part of CFR's Religion and Foreign Policy Conference Call series.

Richard N. Haass examines Russia's recent diplomatic success with an eye on the bigger picture.

Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met in Geneva on September 12, 2013, to discuss the possibility of Syria handing over its chemical weapons to the international community. This approach was proposed as an alternative to a military strike as a response to the August 21 chemical weapons attack in Damascus.

Sarin, one of the world's most lethal chemical weapons, has long been stockpiled but is rarely used by states or terrorists. Allegations of attacks on civilians in Syria, if substantiated, would represent a departure from longstanding international practice, this Backgrounder explains.

CFR President Richard N. Haass appeared on NPR to discuss the president's primetime address to the nation on military intervention into Syria.

Micah Zenko says the United States should punish those who violate chemical weapons international norms, but also critiques the manner in which President Obama proceeds in this effort in Syria.

Gayle Tzemach Lemmon compares cases for invading Syria today and Iraq in 2003.

The Obama administration's strongest case for intervening in Syria rests on the global security risks posed by the regime's suspected use of chemical weapons, says CFR's John B. Bellinger.

Fred Kaplan contemplates what happens next after President Putin's offer to open negotiations with Syria.

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.

President Obama spoke to the American public on September 10, 2013, about the U.S. government's response to the Assad regime's use of chemical weapons. He requested Congress to delay its vote on the proposed military strike, in order to address Russia's proposal of Syria handing over chemical weapons to the international community.

Jonathan Tepperman examines six of the last major U.S. military operations—the Gulf War, Haiti, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, and "highlights a few basic principles that should give the Obama administration confidence to forge ahead on Syria today."

Elliott Abrams writes about Israel's apparent calm in the Middle East, and its coming confrontation with Iran.

"American diplomatic muscle should be brought to bear on our allies to work with Russia and Iran," writes Ed Husain about U.S. strategy in Syria.

Ed Husain argues for the creation of a global venture to support local and community organizations throughout the Middle East that forward counternarratives to violent extremism.

Leslie H. Gelb reviews Unthinkable, a new book by Kenneth M. Pollack.

On the margins of the G20 meeting in St. Petersburg, September 5-6, 2013, leaders from Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States of America released a joint statement condemning the use of chemical weapons in Syria.

U.S.-Russian disagreement over how to respond to the conflict in Syria is spurring further deterioration in the relationship between Moscow and Washington, says CFR's Stephen Sestanovich.