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A photo shows US and Israeli flags projected on the historic walls of the Old City near Hebron Gate in Jerusalem on June 22, 2025. (Getty Images)
The American-led campaign against the Islamic State (ISIS) has empowered Syria’s Kurds and, as a result, alienated Turkey. Meanwhile, Russia and Iran have expanded their presence in Syria. Washington, Moscow, and Tehran now find themselves in a complicated diplomatic contest over the orientation of Turkey and various Kurdish polities and factions.
How should the U.S. manage its role in this contest? On January 23rd, Hudson Senior Fellows Eric Brown and Michael Doran discussed the current state of affairs in the region and offer recommendations for future U.S. policies. Hudson Fellow Peter Rough moderated the conversation.
Related Events
25
March 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Operation Epic Fury and the Future of Warfare: A Conversation with Senator Joni Ernst
Featured Speakers:
Peter Rough
Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
John P. Walters
25
March 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Operation Epic Fury and the Future of Warfare: A Conversation with Senator Joni Ernst
Please Join Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Armed Services Committees, for a discussion with Senior Fellow and Director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia Peter Rough on Operation Epic Fury, the future of American foreign policy in the Middle East, and how the conflict is shaping the future of warfare and strategy.
Featured Speakers:
Peter Rough
Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
John P. Walters
25
March 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
Postponed | Updating US Trade Policy: A Discussion on the Strategic and Economic Importance of Central Asia with Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-CA)
Featured Speakers:
Michael Doran
Congressman Jimmy Panetta
25
March 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
Postponed | Updating US Trade Policy: A Discussion on the Strategic and Economic Importance of Central Asia with Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-CA)
Please Join Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) and Senior Fellow Michael Doran for a discussion on the region’s significance and why updating US trade policy is key to unlocking its potential in an era of renewed great power competition.
Featured Speakers:
Michael Doran
Congressman Jimmy Panetta
27
March 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Congressman Michael Baumgartner on Operation Epic Fury and U.S. Strategy
Featured Speakers:
Michael Doran
Congressman Michael Baumgartner
27
March 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Congressman Michael Baumgartner on Operation Epic Fury and U.S. Strategy
Together, Baumgartner and Doran will examine the objectives and risks of Operation Epic Fury, the broader regional implications, and the policy choices facing Washington in the weeks ahead.
Featured Speakers:
Michael Doran
Congressman Michael Baumgartner
24
March 2026
Past Event
Operation Epic Fury: Strategy, State of Play, and Theories of Victory
Featured Speakers:
Michael Doran
David Albright
Can Kasapoğlu
Rebeccah L. Heinrichs
Ray Takeyh
Nadav Samin
Ilan Berman
Zineb Riboua
H.E. Yechiel Leiter
Joel Scanlon
Mariam Memarsadeghi
24
March 2026
Past Event
Operation Epic Fury: Strategy, State of Play, and Theories of Victory
This conference convenes leading experts and policymakers to examine why the conflict began, assess the current state of play, and explore competing theories of victory.
Featured Speakers:
Michael Doran
David Albright
Can Kasapoğlu
Rebeccah L. Heinrichs
Ray Takeyh
Nadav Samin
Ilan Berman
Zineb Riboua
H.E. Yechiel Leiter
Joel Scanlon
Mariam Memarsadeghi
Related Research
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Members of the Chinese Military delegation before the closing session of the National People's Congress on March 12, 2026, in Beijing, China. (Getty Images)
Caption
A F/A-18E prepares to make an arrested landing on the flight deck of USS Abraham Lincoln in support of Operation Epic Fury, March 16, 2026. (US Navy)
Caption
(Screenshot via Fox News)
