(CNN) -- The double veto cast by Russia and China at the United Nations Security Council on Saturday represents a clarifying moment in the Syrian uprisings. At the 2012 Munich Security Conference, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton noted, "We don't know what the endgame will be until we start the game." Well, fasten your seatbelt -- the game over Syria has started. The Syrian conflict is no longer just about a brutal dictator repressing peaceful protesters who are demanding what every Arab desires: dignity, freedom, and an opportunity at a decent life. The Syrian revolution is now the fault line in Middle Eastern politics, through which U.S.-Russian competition, the U.S.-Iran conflict, the Iran-Saudi regional rivalry, and the Shiite-Sunni ages-old conflict will play out.
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Randa Slim: The vetoes of a U.N. resolution by Russia, China bring clarity to Syria situation
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She says the Syrian opposition will conclude that it must achieve its goals militarily
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The outlook is for a protracted battle with outside nations exerting influence
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Slim: Iran will support the Syrian regime but explore possibilities for post-al-Assad era
Giving up power peacefully is not an @placeholder family tradition.