Syria's geopolitics

Syria is the swing state in Middle Eastern political struggles. A battleground when it is weak, it became a major regional actor when the state was consolidated under Hafiz al-Asad; since the 2011 uprising, it has again become a battleground for rival powers. This paper examines how imperialism's frustration of Syria's identity gave rise to an enduring Arab nationalist mission; how its location created a sense of insecurity; and how the Asads' realpolitik addressed its geo-political environment.