Advanced search Help
Searching for terms: EXACT: "Humud, Carla E." in: author
Clear all search criteria
Only 2/3! You are seeing results from the Public Collection, not the complete Full Collection. Sign in to search everything (see eligibility).
-
Political Transition in Tunisia [October 22, 2014]
"Tunisia is in its fourth year of transition after the 2011 'Jasmine Revolution,' and it has so far continued to avoid the types of chaos and/or authoritarian resurrections that have affected other 'Arab Spring' countries. Legislative and presidential elections scheduled for late 2014 are expected to put an end to a series of transitional governments. On January 26, 2014, Tunisia's National Constituent Assembly voted overwhelmingly to adopt a new constitution. This is widely viewed as a landmark accomplishment, given the difficulty of achieving political consensus, tensions between Islamists and secularists, and ongoing social and economic unrest. The new constitution asserts Tunisia's Muslim identity, but its framing--creating a civil state and provisions on civil liberties--is seen as a victory for secularists. The vote followed a political agreement under which Tunisia's main Islamist party, Al Nahda, agreed to give up its leadership of the government in favor of a technocratic prime minister in the lead-up to the elections. Tunisia has a small territory, a relatively well-educated and homogenous population, and a history of encouraging women's freedoms. Still, Tunisians face significant challenges in reforming state institutions, addressing economic woes, and responding to security concerns. Ansar al Sharia in Tunisia, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, was reportedly involved in an attack on the U.S. embassy and American school in Tunis on September 14, 2012--three days after the attacks in Benghazi, Libya. The military has targeted terrorist cells near the Algerian border and in the remote south, which reportedly serves as a regional transit point for weapons and fighters."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Arieff, Alexis; Humud, Carla E.
2014-10-22
-
Syria Conflict Overview: 2011-2021 [Updated February 10, 2021]
From the Document: "The conflict in Syria is entering its tenth year and has displaced roughly half of the country's pre-war population. As of 2021, five countries regularly operate in or maintain military forces in Syria: Russia, Turkey, Iran, Israel, and the United States--as well as transnational terrorist groups such as the Islamic State, Al Qaeda (AQ), and Lebanese Hezbollah. This piece provides a historical overview of the conflict."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humud, Carla E.
2021-02-10
-
Syria and U.S. Policy [September 20, 2021]
From the Document: "Since 2011, conflict between the government of Syrian President Bashar al Asad and opposition forces seeking his removal has displaced roughly half of the country's population and killed nearly 600,000 people. Although conflict has abated in many areas following military intervention on Asad's behalf from Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah, fighting is ongoing in Idlib province, and pockets of armed resistance to the Asad government have re-emerged in Syria's southwest. U.S. officials in 2021 assessed that humanitarian needs in Syria have increased by more than 20% over the last year amid international sanctions, the effects of the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and Syrian government restrictions on humanitarian access. U.S. military forces operate in Syria, where U.S. and coalition air operations against the Islamic State (IS) group began in 2014, and partner support operations have continued with specific authorization from Congress since 2015. U.S. operations face challenges from external actors including Iranian-backed militia groups, the Russian military, and Turkish-backed militia groups that control a buffer zone in northeastern Syria. IS fighters lost the last territory under their control in 2019, but remnants of the group remain active. Thousands of IS prisoners remain in the custody of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led force supported by the United States and coalition partners. The United States seeks a negotiated political settlement to the Syria conflict and the enduring defeat of the Islamic State."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humud, Carla E.
2021-09-20
-
Lebanon: Protests and Appointment of New Prime Minister-Designate [Updated December 20, 2019]
From the Document: "On December 19, Lebanese President Michel Aoun appointed Hassan Diab--an engineering professor at the American University of Beirut--as prime minister-designate. Diab will replace former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who resigned on October 29 following nationwide mass protests. While Diab was backed by a simple majority in Lebanon's parliament, he lacks support from some key constituencies, and may struggle to form a new government. Protestors have opposed Diab's nomination, and security and economic conditions in the country continue to deteriorate. Instability in Lebanon could create opportunities for actors of concern to the United States, including Hezbollah and Iran."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humud, Carla E.
2019-12-20
-
Congress and the Middle East, 2011-2020: Selected Case Studies [May 21, 2021]
From the Summary: "Congress shaped U.S. national security policy toward several critical crises and contingencies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) during the decade from 2011 through 2020--a period of upheaval, conflict, and change in that region. [...] Congress may examine the experiences over the decade to assess the results of its use of legislative tools to influence U.S. foreign policy. Analysis of case studies of various specific legislative interventions in specific events and countries shows use of a range of congressional policy tools with varied outcomes. Key considerations include how chosen congressional policy tools relate to executive branch-led foreign relations initiatives and the effects that country- and context-specific factors may have on policy results."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchard, Christopher M.; Arieff, Alexis; Humud, Carla E. . . .
2021-05-21
-
Islamic State [Updated May 10, 2021]
From the Document: "The Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL, ISIS, or the Arabic acronym 'Da'esh') is a transnational Sunni Islamist insurgent and terrorist group. At its 2015 height, the group controlled large areas of Iraq and Syria, including some cities, from which it launched attacks in the region and beyond. While the group no longer controls territory outright in Syria and Iraq, U.S. military officials warn that it has maintained a low-level insurgency and has worked to expand its global presence via a burgeoning number of affiliate groups. The 2021 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) warned that the Islamic State and sometimes rival Al Qaeda 'have shown great resiliency' and together remain the 'the greatest Sunni terrorist threats to U.S. interests overseas.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humud, Carla E.
2021-05-10
-
U.S. Foreign Assistance to the Middle East: Historical Background, Recent Trends, and the FY2021 Request [May 5, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report is an overview of U.S. foreign assistance to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It includes a brief historical review of foreign aid levels, a description of specific country programs, and analysis of current foreign aid issues. It also provides analysis of the Administration's FY2021 budget request for State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Foreign Operations and Related Programs (SFOPS) appropriations in the MENA region."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sharp, Jeremy Maxwell; Collins, Sarah R.; Humud, Carla E.
2020-05-05
-
Attacks Against the United Arab Emirates: Issues for Congress [March 16, 2022]
From the Overview: "In early 2022, the Iran-backed, Yemen-based Ansar Allah/Houthi movement ('the Houthis') launched several missile and drone attacks against targets in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), killing three foreign nationals. Targets in the UAE included Al Dhafra Air Base, which hosts the United States Air Forces Central (AFCENT) 380th Air Expeditionary Wing [hyperlink]. In Congress, Houthi attacks against the UAE have renewed debate over whether to redesignate the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) [hyperlink]. President Trump designated the Houthis as an FTO in January 2021; President Biden reversed that decision citing concerns [hyperlink] that the designation could impede the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Houthi-controlled areas. The Biden Administration has designated individual Houthi leaders and financiers [hyperlink] and said a review is underway [hyperlink] regarding redesignating the group"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sharp, Jeremy Maxwell; Humud, Carla E.
2022-03-10
-
U.S. Killing of Qasem Soleimani: Frequently Asked Questions [Updated January 13, 2020]
From the Document: "The January 2, 2020, U.S. killing in Iraq of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) Commander Qasem Soleimani, generally regarded as one of the most powerful and important officials in Iran, has potentially dramatic implications for the United States. For Congress, it raises possible questions about U.S. policy in the Middle East, broader U.S. global strategy, U.S. relations with partners and allies, the authorization and legality of U.S. military action abroad, U.S. measures to protect its servicemembers and diplomatic personnel, and congressional oversight of these and related issues."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Thomas, Clayton (Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs); Katzman, Kenneth; Blanchard, Christopher M. . . .
2020-01-13
-
U.S. Killing of Qasem Soleimani: Frequently Asked Questions [January 8, 2020]
From the Document: "The January 2, 2020, U.S. killing in Iraq of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) Commander Qasem Soleimani, generally regarded as one of the most powerful and important officials in Iran, has potentially dramatic implications for the United States. For Congress, it raises possible questions about U.S. policy in the Middle East, broader U.S. global strategy, U.S. relations with partners and allies, the authorization and legality of U.S. military action abroad, U.S. measures to protect its service members and diplomatic personnel, and congressional oversight of these and related issues. This report provides background information in response to some frequently asked questions related to the strike and its aftermath."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Thomas, Clayton (Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs); Katzman, Kenneth; Blanchard, Christopher M. . . .
2020-01-08
-
European Fighters in Syria and Iraq: Assessments, Responses, and Issues for the United States [April 27, 2015]
From the Document: "The rising number of U.S. and European citizens traveling to fight with rebel and terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq has emerged as a growing concern for U.S. and European leaders, including Members of Congress. Several deadly terrorist attacks in Europe over the past year--including the killing of 17 people in Paris in January 2015--have heightened the perception that these individuals could pose a serious security threat. Increasingly, terrorist suspects in Europe appear to have spent time with groups fighting in the Middle East, especially with the Islamic State organization (also known as ISIL or ISIS). Others, like the gunman who murdered two individuals in Copenhagen in February 2015, seem to have been inspired by Islamist extremist propaganda. U.S. intelligence suggests that more than 20,000 foreign fighters have traveled to the Syria-Iraq region, including at least 3,400 Westerners, since 2011. The vast majority of Western fighters are thought to be from Europe, although roughly 150 Americans have traveled or attempted to travel to Syria. U.S. authorities estimate that a handful of Americans have died in the conflict; they also assert that military operations against the Islamic State group since August 2014 have killed thousands of fighters, including an unknown number of foreigners."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Archick, Kristin; Belkin, Paul; Blanchard, Christopher M. . . .
2015-04-27
-
Syria and U.S. Policy [Updated April 19, 2022]
From the Document: "Since 2011, conflict between the government of Syrian President Bashar al Asad and opposition forces seeking his removal has displaced roughly half of the country's population and killed over half a million people. Five countries operate in or maintain military forces in Syria: Russia, Turkey, Iran, Israel, and the United States. The United States seeks a negotiated political settlement to the Syria conflict and the enduring defeat of the Islamic State (IS, aka ISIS/ISIL). Challenges for U.S. policymakers include responding to threats posed by IS remnants and detainees, countering groups linked to Al Qaeda, facilitating humanitarian access, and managing Russian and Iranian challenges to U.S. operations in Syria."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humud, Carla E.
2022-04-19
-
Islamic State [Updated May 10, 2022]
From the Document: "The Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL, ISIS, or the Arabic acronym 'Da'esh') is a transnational Sunni Islamist insurgent and terrorist group. At its 2015 height, the group controlled large areas of Iraq and Syria, including some cities, from which it launched attacks in the region and beyond. While the group no longer controls territory outright in Syria and Iraq, U.S. military officials warn that it maintains a low-level insurgency and has worked to expand its global presence via a burgeoning number of affiliate groups. The 2022 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) stated that 'ISIS leaders remain committed to their vision of building a self-styled global caliphate headquartered in Iraq and Syria and are working to rebuild capabilities and wear down opponents until conditions are ripe for seizing and holding territory.' [...] The Islamic State continues to wage a low-level insurgency across Syria and Iraq. In 2021, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) assessed that, 'ISIS likely has sufficient manpower and resources to operate indefinitely at its present level in the Syrian desert.' [...] The 2022 IC Annual Threat Assessment reported that the threat posed by the Islamic State to U.S. persons and interests 'probably will remain greatest in regions where the group has an operational presence; ISIS's ideology and propaganda, however, almost certainly will continue to inspire attacks in the West, including in the United States.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humud, Carla E.
2022-05-10
-
Lebanon's 2022 Parliamentary Elections [May 12, 2022]
From the Document: "Lebanon plans to hold parliamentary elections on May 15, the first since the emergence in 2019 of a protest movement calling for the removal of the country's ruling political elite. Parties allied with the March 14 political coalition--which seeks close ties with the United States, France, and Saudi Arabia-- hope to win a majority in parliament. The 2018 elections resulted in a parliamentary--and therefore cabinet--majority for the March 8 political coalition of Hezbollah and its allies, which seeks close ties with Syria and Iran[.] As of 2022, forces opposed to Hezbollah remain splintered, and some analysts question [hyperlink] whether the election can overturn the current March 8 majority. The relative strength of Hezbollah and its allies in the next government may impact congressional consideration of additional aid to Lebanon, as the country struggles with an economic crisis the World Bank described [hyperlink] as possibly among the top three 'most severe crises episodes globally since the mid-nineteenth century.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humud, Carla E.
2022-05-12
