Das Ende der Assad-Diktatur: Was das für die westliche Sicherheit bedeutet

[Russell Berman](https://www.hoover.org/profiles/russell-berman) and [Kiron Skinner](https://www.hoover.org/profiles/kiron-k-skinner) analyze what the rapid collapse of the Assad regime in Syria means for geopolitics and western security. They note that “One of the biggest losers in this dramatic turn of events is Russia.” Also a “major loser is Iran and its proxy Hezbollah, which served as Assad’s co-patrons. Like Russia, they failed to come to his rescue.” Skinner and Berman argue that the “collapse of the Assad regime is a profound blow to Iran’s regional strategy.”

The authors are clear that there is a possibility that “victorious forces in Syria may take an Islamist turn, leading to a new catastrophe akin to the Taliban’s rise in Afghanistan. This worst-case scenario could destabilize Iraq and Jordan and threaten Israel’s border.”

To maximize the strategic gains of these “tectonic shifts” in the region, the authors stress the need for Washington to craft a clear strategy in concert with transatlantic allies. They point out that a failure to do so could allow the issue of refugee settlement to fester in Europe, possibly fueling continued gains for strongly anti-immigration parties on the continent.