Syria, which at first seemed to be just another instance of internal change, has spawned a civil war that has spread beyond the country’s borders, affecting all of its neighbors. In historical terms, the Syrian crisis, not the Arab Spring, will most likely be regarded as the Middle East’s seminal event in this decade – and the crucible of the region’s future.
丹佛——在俄美外交官准备叙利亚和平会议的同时，继两年前阿拉伯之春后从未有过的动乱正在中东地区上演。起初看似不过又一场国内变革的叙利亚危机已经演化为一场扩散到边境以外的内战，进而影响到所有邻国的安全。从历史角度看，叙利亚危机而非阿拉伯之春最有可能成为近十年中东的开创性事件和今后的严峻考验。