This has been an extraordinarily heartbreaking year for the peoples of the Middle East. No one could have predicted the bloodshed across the Holy Land that has lasted for more than a year, or the current dramatic events in Syria.
The Syrian civil war that started over 13 years ago, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives and displacing millions, had become mostly dormant until an unexpected re-eruption at the end of November. Then, a regime that had remained in power for over five decades collapsed in less than two weeks. As millions of Syrians celebrate the fall of the dictator, the world is holding its breath to see what will happen next. Will this really be a new era of peace and freedom for Syria after years of oppression and conflict?
There are some key lessons that other powers in the region, and indeed around the world, might learn from these dramatic events in Syria. A regime that cannot secure its people’s basic needs and give them hope for a better future, that is dependent on foreign powers for its security and not the approval of its people, is liable to collapse regardless of how cruel it is and how unassailable its power may seem.
