Hidden Forces

The Fall of Damascus and the New Geopolitics of the Middle East | Kamran Bokhari

22 snips
Dec 16, 2024
Kamran Bokhari, a geopolitical analyst and senior director at the New Lines Institute, delves into the fall of Damascus and its seismic impact on the Middle East's power dynamics. He highlights how Assad's ouster resembles a geopolitical earthquake, shifting influence from Riyadh to Ankara. The conversation also touches on the implications for Iran and its diminishing presence, the evolving relationships among Hezbollah and Israel, and the potential ripple effects on regional stability and Sunni Islamist movements.
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INSIGHT

Historic Geopolitical Shift

  • Assad's fall in Syria is a historic geopolitical event, exceeding the Iraq War and Arab Spring in significance.
  • It impacts Iran's sphere of influence, Russia's Middle Eastern presence, and Turkey's regional ambitions.
INSIGHT

Iran's Strategic Vision

  • Iran's strategic vision, rooted in historical threats from the West, led to its influence-building in the Middle East.
  • This involved establishing Hezbollah and exploiting regional weaknesses to counter Western and regional rivals.
INSIGHT

Key Players in Syria

  • Key players in the Syrian conflict include Iran, Turkey, Israel, and Russia, with the US maintaining a role.
  • The Kurds remain important in countering ISIS and balancing Turkey's influence.
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