John A. Calabrese
(Dr. John Calabrese teaches international relations at American University in Washington, DC. He is the book review editor of The Middle East Journal and a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute (MEI). He previously served as director of MEI's Middle East-Asia Project (MAP).
Copyright: @ 2024 Research Institute for European and American Studies (www.rieas.gr) Publication date: 22 December 2024
Note: The article reflects the opinion of the author and not necessarily the views of the Research Institute for European and American Studies
The sudden fall of Bashar al-Assad has forced Gulf Arab states to confront a power vacuum and reassess their strategic priorities. This unexpected development has raised questions about the future of Syria and the Gulf’s role in shaping its trajectory.
The Legacy of Intervention in Syria
The toppling of the Assad regime marked the failure of the Gulf states’ normalization strategy with the regime. It is also a reminder that the Gulf Arab countries’ involvement in the Syrian civil war has left a mixed legacy, marked by strategic missteps, costly consequences, and a tarnished record of intervention. At the onset of the conflict, states such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE funneled substantial financial and military resources to opposition groups, aiming to undermine the Assad regime and counter Iran’s growing influence in Syria. However, these efforts often lacked coordination and coherence, leading to unintended outcomes that exacerbated the chaos.... Read more