It has now been 12 years since the start of the Syrian Civil War, which has undoubtedly become of the most protracted and devastating conflicts of our time. What began as a series of peaceful protests calling for political reform swiftly descended into a brutal conflict that has defied resolution for more than a decade and created a haven for violent extremists, criminal gangs, and brutal political actors who use chemical weapons against their own population. As the conflict evolved, it has given rise to a migration of millions of Syrians seeking refuge, triggering one of the largest humanitarian crises.Now, the country is recovering from an earthquake, ISIS attacks are surging, the economy is under incredible strain, and the population are desperate enough to protest once more, and history suggests that this situation will only deteriorate further.

An ISIS Resurgence?

At its peak in 2014, the Islamic State held sway over a significant portion of Iraq and Syria, over a third of both countries, and the regions were considered the heartlands of their…