Civil War in Syria & ISIS: Challenges for the Next President

Dr. Amr Al-Azm is an Associate Professor of History and Anthropology at Shanwnee State University.  While working in Syria, Al Azm was a first-hand observer and sometime participant of the reform processes instigated by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. Dr. Al-Azm is an active member of the Syrian opposition and serves on the executive committee of the Day After Project, which brings together a group of Syrians representing a large spectrum of the Syrian opposition to participate in an independent transition planning process. In this lecture he will examine the origins of the Syrian civil war, the rise of ISIS, and challenges the next U.S. president faces in resolving these issues.