Analysis of U.S. Policy Toward Takfiri Groups in West Asia with Emphasis on Syria (2013–2024): A Smart Power Approach

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 M.Sc. Payame Noor University of Quchan, Iran.

2 PhD Student in Political Science, University of Tehran

Abstract

The emergence and expansion of Takfiri and terrorist groups, especially in Syria—such as ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra, which later rebranded as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham—have created complex challenges for U.S. foreign policy. This study aims to critically analyze the United States’ approach to these groups through the lens of the "smart power" theory, examining Washington’s contradictory policies toward them. The research methodology is historical-analytical with a critical approach, utilizing library sources to examine the developments in U.S. foreign policy from 2013 to 2024. A review of historical background revealed that the U.S. contributed to the formation of extremist groups such as al-Qaeda in the 1980s by supporting certain Arab and Afghan elements, which later became threats to its own interests. In this context, the findings confirmed that the United States, by employing instruments of hard power (military operations, provision of weapons, and economic sanctions) and soft power (public diplomacy, diplomatic engagement, and humanitarian aid), has consistently sought to manage and exploit these groups. The shift in Washington’s approach toward Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and the group’s removal from the terrorist list in 2024 serves as an example of the flexibility in U.S. policy aimed at securing its regional interests. The study concludes that the United States’ smart power strategy toward Takfiri groups, with an emphasis on Syria, despite evident contradictions, ultimately serves its strategic objectives in West Asia.

Keywords

Smiley face

References

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American Strategic Studies
Volume 5, Issue 1 - Serial Number 17
Serial number 17 - Spring 2025
June 2025
Pages 123-151

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History

  • Receive Date: 11 December 2024
  • Revise Date: 01 March 2025
  • Accept Date: 19 April 2025
  • Publish Date: 22 June 2025

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