Syria: Realism in Action

The Syrian regime and, in particular, the Asad clan has managed to survive the Arab uprisings, recover lost territory, and retain its authority over state institutions and diplomatic missions outside of the country. Syria’s foreign policy, as developed under former president Hafez al-Asad, 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 explains 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 this has come at a price. In a compelling analysis Quilliam shows that by effectively mortgaging the state to Russia and Iran, Bashar al-Asad 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 its regional context and the persistent challenge it presents to the international community.

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).