A complicated game in Syria

From 2011, when demonstrations broke out against the Assad regime, the war in Syria has been like a multidimensional game of Tic-tac-toe, where various players - countries and groups - are continually moving to acquire territory and influence, while others try to prevent them and at the same time further their own interests.

The Middle East seethes with historical loose ends, overflows with ethnic and national bitterness and ambitions. Any change in any balance sets off chain reactions, forcing all the protagonists - on the ground and in the capitals of distant powers - to seize opportunities or try to prevent developments that will be at their cost.

The situation remains as confused as ever, but today we can see a little more clearly the likely consequences of the new scramble for power in the region. A "snapshot" of events over the past week may help discern the...