Syria's predicament : state (de-) formation and international rivalries
Abstract
Syria’s war raises important questions about the interaction between the domestic and external dimensions of the conflict. What are the main areas of contention, and how do they relate to regional and international dynamics? Why has the conflict developed into a regional and international battle, and who are the main actors in this rivalry? And, finally, what are the realistic options for ending the Syrian war? The aim of this paper is to answer these questions. In the first, the author examines the domestic origins of the Syrian crisis by focusing on the process of state formation and deformation in Syria. Then, he considers the main areas of contention that shape the Syrian civil war and its regional and international dimensions. Finally, he assesses the conditions under which Syria – as a divided state in a polarised region – can end the war. He argues that in the absence of a military solution to the war in Syria, a political solution may be the only hope for ending the crisis; but such a solution is fraught by varying domestic and external interests in Syria.
Citation
Saouli , A 2014 , ' Syria's predicament : state (de-) formation and international rivalries ' , Sharaka Research Papers .
Publication
Sharaka Research Papers
Status
Peer reviewed
Type
Journal article
Rights
Copyright 2014 Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI). Reproduced with permission by the publisher. The final published version can also be found via the original place of publication, Sharaka Research Papers series, here: http://www.sharaka.eu/?p=1580
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