03116cam a2200505 i 4500001001000000003000500010005001700015008004100032020003500073020003800108027002000146037002100166040001900187043000900206100003100215245009700246264003700343300005000380336002600430337002600456337002800482338003600510338002700546500002400573500013300597500001900730504004100749520115900790530005801949588004702007650002302054650003202077650002702109650004202136651003602178651004202214651003002256700002502286700002902311710007702340710002202417710008002439856007202519999001902591261529996RAND20200811100936.0100201s2013    cauab    b    100 0 eng d  a0833079581 (pbk. : alk. paper)  a9780833079589 (pbk. : alk. paper)  aRAND/RR-213-OSD  c$9.95fpaperback  aCstmoRcCstmoR  aa-sy1 aMartini, Jeffrey.eauthor.10aSyria as an arena of strategic competition /cJeffrey Martini, Erin York, and William Young. 1aSanta Monica, CA :bRAND,c2013.  a11 pages :bcolor illustrations, map ;c28 cm  atextbtxt2rdacontent  acomputerbc2rdamedia  aunmediatedbn2rdamedia  aonline resourcebcr2rdacarrier  avolumebnc2rdacarrier  a"RAND Corporation."  a"This research was conducted within the Intelligence Policy Center of the RAND National Defense Research Institute"--Back cover.  aCaption title.  aIncludes bibliographical references.  aLess than two years since the beginning of the uprising in Syria, localized protests have morphed into full-blown civil conflict. Along with internal escalation, the conflict has drawn in external actors, including Syria’s neighbors and extra-regional powers. With the regional balance of power hinging on the conflict’s outcome, Middle Eastern and extra-regional states have taken sides—some in support of the Assad regime, others in support of the opposition. RAND convened a group of 26 experts who cover Syria and the various external players to participate in an analytic exercise on November 16, 2012, to generate a greater understanding of the parties and issues in play. The report begins by analyzing what is driving both regional (e.g., Iran and Saudi Arabia) and extra-regional (e.g., Russia) players to intervene in the Syrian conflict. It then proceeds to look at the internal actors (e.g., the Free Syrian Army and Alawite community) that may operate as conduits of external influence. The report concludes with an examination of the relationships between external and internal actors and possible effects of these groups’ actions.   aAlso available on the internet via WWW in PDF format.  aDescription based on print version record. 0aBalance of power.  0aCompetition, International. 0aInfluence (Psychology) 0aStrategic rivalries (World politics)  0aSyriaxHistoryyProtests, 2011- 0aSyriaxPolitics and governmenty2000- 0aSyriaxStrategic aspects.1 aYork, Erin.eauthor.1 aYoung, William.eauthor.2 aNational Defense Research Institute (U.S.).bIntelligence Policy Center.2 aRand Corporation.1 aUnited States.bDepartment of Defense.bOffice of the Secretary of Defense.41yOnline Accessuhttp://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR213.html  c599997d599997