Syria and Turkey: A Turning Point or a Historical Bet

Syrian-Turkish relations represent a regional and international phenomenon that has attracted a considerable amount of political and media attention; however, research on the dynamics and wagers involved in these relations remains inadequate in explaining the transformations which appeared to run counter to the modern (and perhaps pre-modern) context of Syrian-Turkish relations.This study consists of an introduction and a theoretical framework, as well as seven main axes. The first axis deals with the question of the turning point in Syrian-Turkish relations, and whether the relationship is witnessing a turning point, a collective confusion, or a preface for a historical bet. The second axis pertains to the historical bets in Syrian-Turkish relations. The third axis examines the general determinants of the Turkish position vis-à-vis the Syrian crisis. The fourth axis is devoted to the general manifestations of Turkish policy toward the crisis. The fifth axis exposes the Turkish narrative in explaining its posture towards the crisis. The sixth axis deals with the relationship between Turkey and the Syrian opposition. Finally, the seventh axis is devoted to a description of the potential scenarios regarding the Syrian crisis (from Turkey's perspective), while the eighth axis will be an exposition of the conclusions and inferences of the study.