Syria’s civil war is winding down, but its political challenges are about to morph into a tug-of-war between reformists who want to re-engage with the world and hard-liners who want to maintain strict control of the country’s economy and political system. And Russia — Damascus’ critical military ally whose intervention turned the tide on the battlefield — will be squarely lodged between them, forcing Moscow to increasingly play the role of mediator as it tries to end Syria’s seemingly endless cycles of violence without jeopardizing its position in the country. Win the War to Lose the Peace? The Syrian civil war has turned in al Assad’s favor since 2014-15, when the collapse of his military seemed possible after rebels seized major cities like Aleppo, Daraa and even suburbs in Damascus.