An in-depth examination of the United States’ indirect intervention into the Syrian war on two fronts: the covert CIA-led campaign against the Bashar al-Assad regime and the overt, Pentagon-led military operation against the so-called Islamic State in Iraq & Syria (ISIS).
Matthew Ayton offers new insights into a dimension of US policy in Syria that has so far been given little analytical attention; the employment of what American strategists called the ‘by, with & through approach’ to ground warfare. This saw the US provide weaponry and training to non-state militias in an attempt to achieve strategic objectives without deploying large numbers of troops, in order to reduce blood-and-treasure costs, following the costly post-9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Drawing on a wealth of original interviews with American national security officials and the Syrians who worked with them on the ground, this book shows that despite being presented as a cost-saving panacea to intervention, this strategy came with significant - costly - and even deadly - consequences.
By:
Dr Matthew Ayton
Edited by:
Andrew Mumford (University of Nottingham UK)
Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 236mm,
Width: 376mm,
Spine: 22mm
Weight: 600g
ISBN: 9781350503205
ISBN 10: 1350503207
Series: Studies in Contemporary Warfare
Pages: 296
Publication Date: 05 February 2026
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
College/higher education
,
Undergraduate
,
Primary
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Introduction Chapter 1: Introducing the ‘By, With & Through Approach’ (BWTA) Chapter 2: US Foreign Policy and the Middle East Under Obama and Trump Chapter 3: The Early Syrian Uprising and The American Response (2011-2012) Chapter 4: Fighting Bashar al-Assad ‘By, With & Through’ The Free Syrian Army Chapter 5: Fighting ISIS ‘By, With & Through’: The Train & Equip Programme Conclusion Bibliography Index
Matthew Ayton holds a PhD in International Relations and is a former Middle East correspondent for international news outlets. His work has been published by The Atlantic Council, Al-Jazeera, The National and Middle East Eye.
Reviews for The United States’ Proxy War in Syria
“Matthew Ayton has written the most insightful account yet of America’s experiment with proxy conflict in Syria. Anchored in extensive primary research with US officials and Syrian actors, he shows how the ‘By, With and Through’ approach fits into the wider story of surrogate warfare and why it proved as dangerous as it was tempting. A vital book for anyone trying to grasp the future of US strategy in the Middle East” * Andreas Krieg, Dr. King's College London, UK *
