Use of Force against the Syrian State - Essay Example

Use of Force against the Syrian Use of Force against the Syrian Introduction Syria is an Islamic found in the Middle East. The country has had its share of civil wars over time. The Syria uprising that started back in 2011 has, however, threatened to shred the country into pieces that may make centuries putting together. This paper seeks to discuss the war in Syria and look at how the use of 1force on this country may help to bring the country back to its peaceful era. This paper will further look at the threat posed by the Syrian war to the international peace and security and the need for the International Community to intervene. Background to War in Syria The war in Syria has been there now for the last two years. In March 2011, protesters in Damascus and the southern city of Deraa started to demand that all the political prisoners be released from penitentiary. The security forces reacted to this by shooting a number of civilians in the city of Deraa. What followed was a series of violent public protest which spread throughout the country. In order to address the situation, the government released dozens of political prisoners and at the same time President Assad lifted the state of emergency that had lasted for 48 years. He, however, accused the protesters of being agents of Israel.1 In May 2011, army tanks took to the towns of Deraa, Homs and Banyas to combat the anti-regime protests. The US and the European Union increased their sanctions on the country. The president vowed to start a national reconciliation. In June, the same year, the government claimed that 120 members of security agencies in the country got killed by armed gangs. Troops got sent to crush the gangs. As a result, people started fleeing to Turkey. The situation does not look promising as the crush between the military and anti-regime militants continue. Pressure continues to be mounted on President Assad. Thousands get killed in the protests. The IAEA nuclear watchdog reported Syria to the UN security of using nuclear powers. In February 2012, Russia and China blocked a UN resolution on Syria. In the following month of March, the UN managed to adopt a non-binding peace agreement which China and Russia agreed with after some editing got made to it. The war in Syria continued with little if any signs of a peace agreement deal between President Assad and the opposing militants. The Syria government got accused of using chemical weapons against protesting civilians. The government remained silent on the plight of the civilians whom many of them got caught 2between fighting forces. The Impact of the War The war in Syria has had a significant impact not only to the country itself but also to the neighboring countries and the international community at large. Approximately 100,000 people have been killed since the war started. Tens of thousands have further been wounded with millions fleeing their homes. This is a major negative impact and a threat to humanism in the country. Accounting for deaths of over 100,000 is quite a challenge to the government. The tens of thousands that got wounded need medical attention, which has become more of a luxury than it is a necessity, in the country. There has been use of chemical weapons to attack civilians with the UN approximating deaths resulting from attacks by these weapons at 1,400.2 The war has as well have had an impact on the neighboring countries such as Turkey. Most of the fleeing civilians have sought refuge in this country. While these countries can only be praised for their hospitality, the task of accommodating the ever increasing number of refugees is becoming quite challenging. These governments get compelled into initiating programs to cater for these refugees. At the international level, the war has equally had an impact. The use of chemical weapons is becoming a threatening affair to international peace and security. Syria’s use of chemical weapons may trigger other countries to use these dangerous weapons. This has made the UN pass special resolutions addressing the use of these weapons. The Need for Intervention The issue of the need for international intervention3 was discussed on various platforms with varying opinions getting to be given on whether the International Community should intervene and help address the situation. Launching of military attacks on President Assad’s regime has been one of those ideas that have had quite a share of this argument. While the sovereignty of Syria as a state needs to be respected and upheld, the threat the war in the country poses should as well be considered. There should be a response to the plight of thousands of civilians that get killed in the war.3 The war in Syria has of late become a target for Islamist terror groups. This includes the al-Qaeda and the Hezbollah. These terror groups take advantage of the apparent lawlessness in the country to plan and execute their attacks. Considering that the country is an Islamic country, this makes it easier for such terror groups to operate in the country without getting noticed. The threat posed by terrorism can never be underestimated. Allowing Syria to remain in its current state will make it a hub for this terror groups. This terror groups may as well overthrow the government and take full control of the country. Central to any application of force on the Syrian state is the USA and the UN. The USA should consider using force in Syria in order to bring back the country to normalcy. This can be justified by the fact that the US stands to be most affected by any threat posed by this war to the international community. Considering that any resolution to be passed through the UN Security Council would be difficult, the US should consider this option seriously. Using the UN as a channel to intervene on the situation in Syria could most likely, as has been the case in the past, fail. This is because some of the members of the UN Security Council support Assad’s regime. Any resolution put forwarded to the UN Security Council would, therefore, most likely not be passed. The US Congress should consider authorizing for the sending of troops to Syria. One of the targets of the US military in Syria should be neutralizing the threat posed by the terror groups operating from this country. The USA is primarily one of the main targets of Islamic terror attacks. By using force on Syria, the USA will not only be protecting its citizens but also those of its allies who have in the past been targets too of these terror attacks. Under the provisions of international law applied by the UN, any situation that 4threatens international peace and security should be given the first priority. Such is threat posed by the terror groups in Syria to international peace and security.4 The other target for the US military forces and other troops that may join in would be to combat the use of military weapons in the country. The use of chemical weapons has been debated on various platforms and one thing that stands clear is the danger that comes with their use. Chemical weapons have the ability to kill large masses of people. Their effects on a population remain many years after they have been used. The use of these weapons got banned by the US Security Council. When Syria gets to use these weapons on its people, it is a clear indication that the country may as well use the weapons on its enemies. The US would be acting on its best interest and that of similar countries by using force on Syria. The International Community would be justified in attacking the country so as to bring an end to human crisis getting experienced in the region. The senseless killing of people and injuring of others cannot be condoned in the modern world. The government of Syria has used excessive force on protesting civilians. This same government cannot be entrusted with coming up with a peace agreement that will help move the country from its current state. The International Community should, therefore, set in to address the situation. Considering that mediation between the fighting5groups has not bore any fruits so far, use of force would be justified. The opposing powers in the country cannot be left to fight at the expense of innocent civilians.5 The other reason why the international community should intervene on the situation is that the war in the country has taken an international politics angle of late. Countries that support President Assad’s government have taken to funding the government affiliated militants. Countries opposing the government of Mr. Assad have taken to fund the militants fighting the government. In such a situation, an agreement between these two opposing parties is less likely in the near future. The parties seem to be well funded and are in a position to continue with the war for a long time. If not addressed, the situation in Syria can lead to another war between the world’s super economies. Russia and China have been known to support the government of Syria for a long time. The two countries, which are members of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, have used their powers to block any resolutions that do not seem to favor President Assad’s regime. The US has, on the other hand, been advocating for a resolution to be agreed upon so as to address the situation in Syria. The US understands its position on the world economy and how it stands to lose from the war in Syria. If the situation does not get addressed soon, there is a possibility of the three countries conflicting on the matter. This will be a threat to the security of the whole world considering that these three countries play a central role in international relations. In order to avoid such a situation, the UN should also consider sending its troops to Syria to address the situation. Unless this gets done, the security of the world will always be threatened by the war in Syria. Conclusion The war in Syria has led to people holding different views on the best way to address the stalemate in the country. While mediation has remained the best way to do so, it has rarely bore any fruits. This has called for other policies to be employed. One such policy is the use of force on the state. This policy has long been held by the US considering its position as a superpower in the world. Although many have been against the idea, the USA has legitimate and legal rights to do so. This is because the war affects the US and its allies more than it affects other countries of the world. References Ajami, F., & Herbert and Jane Dwight Working Group on Islamism and the International Order. (2012). The Syrian rebellion. Stanford, Calif: Hoover Institution Press, Stanford University. Lawson, F. H. (2013). Global security watch--Syria. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Neep, D. (2012). Occupying Syria under the French mandate: Insurgency, space and state formation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Pierret, T. (2013). Religion and state in Syria: The Sunni Ulama from coup to revolution. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Quigley, J. B. (2013). The Six-Day War and Israeli self-defense: Questioning the legal basis for preventive war. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Read More