Syria’s interim leader Ahmed Al Shara has been meeting with the region’s big dogs – Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Respectively, they represent the financial backbone and the military power of the region, so buddying up isn’t the worst idea.
Syria is a complex place, with six distinct regions of varying autonomy. So, there’s a lot of moving parts. Al Shara is teasing the idea of inviting Turkey to establish air bases in southeastern Syria, solidifying Turkish influence in the region.
This sounds like a pretty sweet deal for Turkey. It limits Saudi and Iraqi influence. They could box in Syrian Kurdish forces and prevent Kurdish separatism in Turkey. The US would likely vacate Syria and rely on Turkey to handle things. Not a bad deal for the Turks.
If Turkey could limit Syrian conflict, they could shift their focus to other regional priorities. Should that happen, it is very likely that Turkish power would make a return to pre-WWI levels and reshape the region’s balance of power.