The Syrian conflict is not yet over, but it appears to have entered its final phase. Though Syrian President Bashar al-Assad seems set on maintaining power, significant shifts in U.S. and Turkish policies may help produce a negotiated outcome for the war weary country.

While policy debates on Syria have overwhelmingly focused on military developments and political negotiations, a less explored consequence of the hyper-localized war has been the profound reshaping of a less visible but crucial actor, the Syrian state.