DOI:10.4324/9781003254904-9 7 THE SYRIAN INTERIM GOVERNMENT Potential Thwarted by Domestic ‘Irrelevance’ and Foreign Neglect Aurora Sottimano Introduction The internationalisation of the Syrian conflict and the formation of an Islamic ‘caliphate’ monopolised international attention and political agendas. As the con- flict became a proxy war and a religious and ethnic conflict, local dynamics were increasingly perceived not as a pivot around which the conflict revolved, but as a mere context within which clashes occurred. Moreover, international actors rou- tinely blamed the lack of credible interlocutors from the Syrian opposition and the domestic Islamic drift as the main reason for their inability to devise a workable strategy and find a diplomatic solution to the crisis. Both domestic and international critics faulted the Syrian political opposition for being detached from Syrian forces on the ground, for being divided among factions unable to devise a clear common strategy, and for being corrupt and unprepared to govern. Formed largely in response to western concerns, the ‘political opposition’ in exile was recognised as the representative of the Syrian opposition by western and regional powers, which were themselves deeply involved in regional and international rivalries. For these actors, Syria became a stage where they could further their interests by supporting one or the other faction and armed group. Torn between international factions involved in a ruthless game of power, the bolstering of the Syrian political oppos- ition largely proved to be a failure. However, as this chapter demonstrates, the middle phase of the conflict also saw genuine efforts from the political opposition, particularly the Syrian Interim Government (SIG), to increase coordination with the Local Councils, and to build institutions, all of which did have the potential to offer a more robust alternative to both the regime and ISIS. Amidst the discourse of failure, and particularly after the turning point of Russian intervention in 2015, these fledgling achievements have largely been forgotten. 9781032185026_pi-430.indd 140 9781032185026_pi-430.indd 140 15-Dec-21 20:59:38 15-Dec-21 20:59:38