Overview

The Syrian regime and, in particular, the Assad clan, has managed to not only survive the Arab uprisings (unlike those in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen) but also incrementally recover lost territory, while retaining its authority over state institutions and diplomatic missions outside of the country. Syria's foreign policy, as developed under former president Hafez al-Assad, has effectively enabled the current regime's survival. Neil Quilliam examines how Syria, a country that operates at the margins of the international political system, has been able to project its power beyond its size and capability by leveraging relations with key states that typically oppose US policy in the region. He shows how Syria's relations with its major partners, including Russia and China, and regional actors, like Iran, are key to sustaining the regime and securing its survival. But, as Quilliam, argues, this has come at a price. By effectively mortgaging the state to Russia and Iran, Bashar al-Assad has severely limited his margin for manoeuvre in the future. The book offers an insightful and balanced analysis of both the continuity and change within the Syrian state and the threat it poses in both its regional context as well as the continued problem it poses for the international community.

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9781788216982

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Reviews

Neil Quilliam has produced one of the most readable and analytically-rich studies of modern Syria to date. Using a wide analytical lens, he takes the reader on a journey that perfectly contextualizes the longevity of the Asad dynasty. He not only ably provides an explanation for the regime’s survival strategy but also explains in detail Asad’s carefully crafted regional and international relationships to shield it from pressure. Successfully securing readmission into the Arab League, despite over a decade of regional isolations and civil strife, provides the final example of this brutal regime’s survival strategy, which rightly forms the subtitle of this outstanding book. -- Anoush Ehteshami, Professor of International Relations, Durham University

Author Information

Neil Quilliam is an energy policy, geopolitics and foreign affairs specialist, with extensive knowledge and experience of the Middle East and North Africa region. He is Managing Director at Azure Strategy Consulting, and an associate fellow with Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa Programme. He has also served as senior MENA energy adviser at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), senior MENA analyst at Control Risks, London, and senior programme officer at the United Nations University, Amman. His most recent book is Domestic Policy Making and Governance in Saudi Arabia (co-editor) (2021).

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