Mona Yacoubian is senior advisor for Stimson’s Middle East program. Her work focuses on the Arab Uprisings, with a particular concentration on Syria. She is the director of “Pathways to Progress: Peace, Prosperity and Change in the Middle East,” a joint initiative with the George C. Marshall Foundation that explores the dynamics propelling the Arab revolts and seeks innovative policy solutions that will ensure that the region embarks on a path towards peace and prosperity. Yacoubian also co-directs the Stimson-US Institute of Peace Lebanon Working Group.
Yacoubian joined the Stimson Center in 2011, having previously served as a special advisor and senior program officer on the Middle East at the U.S. Institute of Peace, where her work focused on Lebanon and Syria as well as broader issues related to democratization in the Arab world. She has worked as a consultant on the Middle East for several years. From 1990-1997, she served as the North Africa analyst at the U.S. Department of State.
Yacoubian is a frequent commentator on the Arab world and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She was a Fulbright Scholar in Syria (1985-86) and held an International Affairs Fellowship with the Council on Foreign Relations. Yacoubian has an MPA from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a BA from Duke University.
Selected Publications
- “A Strategy to Rescue Diplomacy on Syria,” February 25, 2014, Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Center.
- “Interview| Can Syrian Talks Inch Forward?‘” February 6, 2014, Council on Foreign Relations.
- “Interview Part Two| ‘Jihadists have a number of cards to play to undermine a diplomatic solution,'” January 16, 2014, Syria Direct.
- “Interview Part One| ‘Geneva likely to be ‘an exercise in checking the box,'” January 16, 2014, Syria Direct.
- “Geneva 1.5,” November 20, 2013, Foreign Policy
- “Iran’s Opportunity for Negotiations,” September 23, 2013, Foreign Policy
- “A potential turning point for Syria,” September 12, 2013, Reuters
- “A Catch 22 With Russia,” August 26, 2013, New York Times
- “The Security Situation in the Syrian Arab Republic: Implications for U.S. National Security and U.S. Policy Options,” July 17, 2013, Testimony for the House Armed Services Committee
- “Op-ed: Egypt’s Chaos Need Not Derail the Arab Spring, July 12, 2013, International Business Times
- “Op-ed: Hezbollah’s Gamble in Syria,” June 2, 2013, Foreign Affairs
- “Can Egypt Become the Next India?,” June 2013, The Outpost
- “Op-ed: Give Peace Talks in Syria a chance,” May 10, 2013, CNN.com
- “Sustaining the Spring: Economic Challenges, Environmental Risks, and Green Growth,” February 2013, Stimson Center
- “Roundtable: Arming the Syrian Rebels,” February 21, 2013, Foreign Policy
- “Spotlight | It’s What Happens After The Elections That Really Matters,” February 1, 2012, Stimson Center
- “Spotlight | Reinvigorate American Soft Power To Shape Change In The Arab World,” December 10, 2012, Stimson Center
- “Shifting the paradigm in Syria,” October 12, 2012 Foreign Policy
- “Engagement, not withdrawal, is needed in Arab World,” September 21, 2012 in The Hill
- “Arab Spring Must Also Weather Environmental Threats,” July 30, 2012, Al Monitor
- “Syria Slides into the Abyss,” July 23, 2012, The Monkey Cage
- “Harnessing Innovation for Economic Growth in the Arab World,” July 6, 2012, Stimson Center
- “International Conference Could Be Crucial,” June 25, 2012, New York Times
- “Spotlight | Crisis in Syria Nears Breaking Point,” June 18, 2012, Stimson Center
- “A Syrian Turning Point for Russia?,” May 29, 2012, Council on Foreign Relation
- “Syria’s Last Chance for Peace,” May 1, 2012, Al Monitor
- “Make Russia Part of the Solution,” March 30, 2012, Room for Debate, New York Times
- “The Road to Syria’s Salvation Runs Through Moscow,” March 1, 2012, Middle East Channel, Foreign Policy
- “Is Egypt Heading Off the Rails?” February 23, 2012, Stimson Center
- “Middle East ‘Marshall Plan’ Will Sustain Arab Spring,” January 11, 2012, The Hill
- “Syria and the New Iraq: Between Rivalry and Rapprochement,” in Iraq, Its Neighbors and the United States: Competition, Crisis, and the Reordering of Power, edited by Henri Barkey, Scott Lasensky, and Phebe Marr (United States Institute of Peace, 2011)
- “Hezbollah After Assad,” December 1, 2011, Foreign Affairs
- “Regional Dynamics of the Syrian Uprising: The Impact on Lebanon and Hezbollah,” (Peace Brief) October 2011, U.S. Institute of Peace
- “Saving Syria from Civil War,” October 5, 2011, Middle East Channel, Foreign Policy
- “Non-Governmental Organizations,” in Seismic Shift: Understanding Change in the Middle East, May 2011, Stimson Center
- “Even If Bashar Wins, He Has Already Lost,” May 3, 2011, Middle East Channel, Foreign Policy
- “Cairo, Heed the Lessons from Algiers and Beruit,” February 23, 2011, Foreign Policy
- “Impact of the Arab Uprisings,” April 18, 2011, U. S. Institute of Peace
- “Lebanon’s Unstable Equilibrium,” November 2009, U.S. Institute of Peace
- “Bridging the Divide: U.S. Efforts to Engage the Muslim World,” Middle East Journal, Summer 2009 (Subscription required to access full article)
- Dealing with Damascus: Seeking a Greater Return on U.S.-Syrian Relations, Council Special Report No. 33, June 2008
- “Building Momentum for Reform: The Islamist-Secular Alliance in Yemen,” in The Challenge of Islamists for EU and US Policies: Conflict, Stability and Reform, SWP and USIP, November 2007 (Link to complete publication)
- “Rethinking the War on Terror: New Approaches to Conflict Prevention and Management in the Post-9/11 World,” in Leashing the Dogs of War: Conflict Management in a Divided World, USIP Press, 2007
- “Engaging Islamists and Promoting Democracy: A Preliminary Assessment,” (U.S. Institute of Peace, 2007)
- “Promoting Middle East Democracy II: Arab Initiatives,” (U.S. Institute of Peace, 2005)
Multimedia
- “Video| Making Sense of the Geneva II Syria Peace Talks,” January 28, 2014, Atlantic Council.
- “Audio| Syria Peace Talks on the Brink of Collapse,” January 21, 2014, on the Takeaway.
- “Video| Mona Yacoubian on Syria,” January 08, 2014, NYU in Washington Global Leaders Series.
- “Video| Sectarianism and the Balkanization of the Levant,” November 15, 2013, Middle East Institute 2013 Annual Conference.
- “Interview | Syrian Civil War and Chemical Weapons,” November 3, 2013, C-SPAN.
- “The Syrian Catastrophe: Regional Implications,” September 25, 2013, The Crown Center for Middle East Studies (Brandies University)
- “The Syrian Tragedy: Ending the Bloodshed,” September 24, 2013, John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum
- “Audio| Is Punative Action Against Syria Justified? Is it Legal?,” August 29, 2013, on KCRW Los Angeles
- “Audio| Syria and Iran cementing long-term economic ties via oil,” August 2, 2013, on The Voice of Russia
- “Audio| Mona Yacoubian discusses Washington’s response to the Syrian conflict,” July 26, 2013, on Voice of America’s “Encounter”
- “Video l The Security Situation in the Syrian Arab Republic:Implications for U.S. National Security and U.S. Policy Options,” July 17, 2013, Oral testimony before the House Armed Services Committee
- “Video| The Crisis in Syria: What Are the Stakes for Syria’s Neighbors?,” July 16, 2013, Middle East Policy Council’s 73rd Capitol Hill Conference
- “Audio| The debate over U.S. arms aid for Syrian rebels,” June 18, 2013, on WHYY’s “Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane”
- “Audio| Mona Yacoubian w/Tim Farley on POTUS Morning Briefing,” June 18, 2013, on SiriusXM’s “The Morning Briefing with Tim Farley”
- “Continued Conflict in Syria,” June 9, 2013, on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal
- “Civil Unrest in Syria,” June 7, 2013, on C-SPAN
- “Spillover from Syria: Managing the Threat,” May 30, 2013, at Council on Foreign Relations
- “Plans Proceed for Another International Meeting on Syria,” May 14, 2013, on NPR Morning Edition
- “Video| The Syrian Civil War and Chemical Weapons,” May 12, 2013, on CCTV
- “Podcast| Syria Accused of Repeatedly Using Chemical Weapons,” April 24, 2013, on NPR Morning Edition
- “Interview | Syria’s Continuing Civil War,” March 7, 2013, Council on Foreign Relations
- “Video| US Policy Toward Syria,” March 10, 2013, CSPAN’s Washington Journal
- “Video| “What is in store for a post-Assad Syria,” ” December 18, 2012, Center for National Policy
- “Interview | Developments in Syria,” December 9, 2012, CSPAN’s Washington Journal
- “Video| US Policymaking Considerations Regarding Regional Geopolitical Dynamics of Syria,” October 25, 2012, National Council on US-Arab Relations
- “Turkey and the Regional Dynamics of the Syrian Crisis,” September 27, 2012, Middle East Institute
- “KQED Radio’s Public Affairs Program Forum,” September 17, 2012, Forum with Michael Krasny KQED Radio (NPR affiliate)
- “The Continuing Crisis in Syria,” September 14, 2012, on Encounter, a VOA news radio program
- “Video | In Syria, ‘Whac-A-Mole’ Revolution Turns Increasingly Bloody,” June 11,2012, on PBS NewsHour
- “Video | An Update on the Situation in Syria,” June 3, 2012, on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal
- “Podcast | Syria Update: Religion and Rebellion,” April 17, 2012,
- “The Cost of Syria’s Crackdown,” January 15, 2012, Inside Syria (Al Jazeera)
- “KPFK Interview on Ongoing Political Instability Inside Syria,” December 23, 2011, KPFK 90.7 FM (Los Angeles, California)
- “Escalating Violence in Syria,” August 17, 2011, Diane Rehm Show (NPR affiliate WAMU 88.5 FM, Washington, DC)
- “Viewpoint with James Zogby,” June 23, 2011, Arab American Institute
- “Life Is Complicated in Lebanon,” June 18, 2011, Bloggingheads.tv
- “The Crisis in Yemen and Syria,” June 14, 2011, Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane (NPR affiliate WHYY 90.9 FM, Philadelphia, PA)
- “A New Day in the Middle East?,” February 2, 2011, Bloggingheads.tv
- “Lebanon’s Political Crisis,” January 26, 2011, Kojo Nnamdi Show (NPR affiliate WAMU 88.5 FM, Washington, DC)
- “Lebanon and Syria: The Challenge of an Evolving Relationship,” 2010, Middle East Institute
- “Security and Political Reform in the Greater Middle East,” January 8, 2009, U.S. Institute of Peace
- “Democracy Building and Consensus in Lebanon,” July 9, 2009, Kojo Nnamdi Show (NPR affiliate WAMU 88.5 FM, Washington, DC)
- “Dealing with Damascus: Seeking a Greater Return on U.S.-Syrian Relations,” February 5, 2009, Council on Foreign Relations Podcast
