Geopolitics
The Evolution of Great-Power Competition: The USA, China, and Russia in the 21st Century
Thesis: The fall of the Assad regime in Syria has started to cause a significant result that brings a deep geopolitical change to the Middle East, between the USA, China, and Russia. All of this serves as a warning for the interconnected character of great power competition in today’s world: the re-alignment of alliances, the fight for agency in Syria’s reconstruction, and broader implications for ‘regional and global’ geopolitics, chiefly for Ukraine and Taiwan.
The Fall of Assad and Its Immediate Consequences
Regional Power Vacuum
It was the moment the Assad fell, breaking Syria into pieces and opening the country up to a scramble for power among the players in the region and the world. When Assad’s regime fell, a power vacuum filled instantly, with Türkiye, Iran, and Saudi Arabia rushing to fill their roles. The major powers joined these actors, principally the United States, Russia, and, perhaps most importantly, China, who were seeking to use or increase their influence in the region. This was an opportunity for the United States to put its weight behind countering Iran’s ambitions and support the Syrian opposition’s future. But Russia’s military…
