THE SYRIAN WAR
What Have we Learnt from The Syrian War That Could
Help Prevent Future Conflicts?
JOSH NEWHAM
Introduction
The Syrian War is an ongoing multi-side war fought in Syria mainly between Ba'athist Syrian Arab Republic led by President Bashar Al-Assad and their allies, and various opposing forces, fighting the Assad Regime and each other.1
This terrible conflict has left more than 450,000 civilians dead as of 2015, devastated Syrian cities and homes, and sparked a huge refugee crisis. The longevity of the Syrian War has also been influenced by foreign intervention by countries such as the United States, Russia, Iraq, and Iran. The mystery surrounding the Assad regime's military capabilities has also
made the war more complex and violent. 2
Background Info
How did the war start?
Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad
The Arab Spring was a series of non-violent protests and demonstrations that originated in Tunisia. A man named Mohammed Bouazizi lit himself on fire outside a government building in protest of corruption that rifled in the country's leaders. This man became a martyr for the Tunisian people, he gave them the courage to stand up to their government and fight for what was right.
When the corrupt Tunisian government fell, it spread at lightning speed on social media and encouraged people from other countries in Africa and The Middle East to start a similar movement, one being Syria. The Syrian people were already enraged, the majority of the country were calling for the release of a group of teenage boys who graffitied 'You're next, Mr. Assad' on a school wall in Dara'a.
Since the message was viewed as a threat, the teens were captured by the Assad Regime and allegedly tortured. When the Syrian in Dara'a people heard of this news, they protested for the release of the boys and were fired upon by the Syrian Forces. Two people died.
When the Omari Mosque near Dara'a was stormed by Al-Assad Forces, 49 people died. This further outraged the people, so they smuggled in AK-47's from close city of Damascus to protect themselves. When the regime got news of this, they surrounded the city with tanks to crush the rebellion, and the civil war was born.
Why is The Syrian War as it is today?
Foreign Intervention
Foreign powers have had a huge impact on the longevity and severity of the Syrian War. They have brought new technology, formed new alliances and caused widespread destruction through the Syrian War. It has made the Syrian War more complex because different countries may not want to attack their enemies because of fear of retaliation by a more powerful force who is their ally.
United States
The United States of America's first move into the Syrian War was to supply the rebels with non-lethal supplies, specifically food and pickup trucks. This quickly progressed to providing training, money, and intelligence for Rebel Commanders.
The United State's first direct assault on Al-Assad forces began on 7 April 2017, when American ships launched 59 Tomahawk-Cruise missiles at Shayrat Air Base in Syria. The US justified their attack by claiming that Assad had attacked his own people with chemical and therefore violated their human rights.
According to The Trump White House, The United State's main role in Syria is 'to counter Iran's influence, defeat ISIS, and outs Assad.
Russia
Like the US, Russia's first involvement in The Syrian War was supplying non-lethal supplies, but this time to Government Forces.
Russia directly intervened in the Syrian War in 2015, after Assad requested for military aid against Jihadist and Rebel Groups. Their role in the war has mainly consisted of air strikes to soften defenses for the Assad Regime.
Iran
The Syrian Arab Republic and Iran are close allies. Iran has given huge support to the Assad Regime in the civil war, including technical, financial and logistical support, in addition to troops and weapons technology.
Being so close to Syria means that Iran is a strategic ally that the Assad Regime wants to keep.
Chemical Weapons
What are they and when have they been used?
Chemical weapons are a special type of weapon that uses chemicals to inflict death or harm onto people. Outlawed in 1918 because too many civilians were dying from them, no country or government is allowed to produce, stockpile or use these weapons under any circumstances.
The use of chemical weapons by Government Forces in Syria has been confirmed by the United Nations on multiple occasions. Recently, a chemical weapon attack in Douma left more than 80 people dead, and over 500 injured. The Al-Assad government claims no responsibility for the attack, instead saying that the video footage was staged by British Intelligence.
How have Chemical Weapons shaped the Syrian War?
The use of chemical weapons has changed the Syrian War in many ways. Not only have they influenced America's armed intervention in Syria, but also other coalition forces, such as NATO, Australia, France and The United Kingdom. These factors have prolonged the war because the many different forces involved because of chemical weapons want different outcomes, and therefore extra consideration has to be taken with every move.
Islamic State
Who are they?
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, commonly known as ISIS or ISIL, are one of the most deadly terrorist forces ever known to man. Starting as an affiliate of Al-Qaeda, the group surged into global media as a result of the staggering number of catastrophic lone-wolf attacks they perpetrated in countries such as Australia, the US, and Belgium and the UK.
Where has been and where is controlled by ISIS now?
In Syria, the group has attacked Al-Assad and opposition forces, such as America. By
December 2015, the group had gained control of almost a third of Syria, enforcing
their interpretation of sharia law on an estimated 5-9 million people. Today, ISIS controls
a tiny portion of Syria
How has ISIS made the Syrian War more complex?
While America is already extremely engaged with Government forces in Syria, US Envoy Brett McGurk states, "We are in Syria to fight Isis. That is our mission and our mission isn't over, and we're going to complete that mission." This really shows that the US is fighting two wars. This shows how ISIS has made the Syrian War more complex and contributed to its longevity.
What are some lessons that could prevent this type of war from happening again?
There are multiple lessons governments and other leaders could learn to prevent a tragedy like this war from happening again and to minimise what is already going on.
America shouldn't have worked with the rebels.
When the United States first entered Syria, they attempted to train and supply the rebels with weapons and other supplies. Robert Ford, the United State's Ambassador to Syria from 2011 to 2014, admits the US made a vital error when attempting to train and supply these insurgents since most of them turned out to be undercover ISIS fighters. They then smuggled these modern US weapons and technology back to their side to fight US soldiers.
According to Antiwar.com, US soldier casualties increased by 480% in the years 2012-2014, when they trained these insurgents. These modernised weapons would've undoubtedly made ISIS fighters more powerful, and avoiding giving them these weapons would've further minimised the conflict.
America should've decided their main target earlier, it's too late now.
When entering Syria, America would've had a far more effective impact on the war by making a decision to either destroy ISIS and remove themselves after or taking Assad out and then focusing on ISIS. Splitting their forces to counter both at once has greatly delayed the conflict, and made it far more complex than it needed to be. Although America has driven ISIS back, they haven't been completely pushed out of Syria, and with Assad still in power, America hasn't fully completed either of their goals.
Robert Ford again calls on Donald Trump to fix his predecessor's mistakes, saying 'With the war entering a new phase, the United States seems to have no good options left in Syria.' This quote from Ford further showcases how America would've been able to minimise the conflict if they went from one objective to another.
Conclusion
The Syrian War is a terrible tragedy. With over half a million casualties, this war is one of the most costly in recent times. It has devastated the lives of millions of Syrian people, and also the relatives and loved ones of the fallen from abroad. It has brought the best and worst out of people, from incredible acts of bravery and courage, to the catastrophic use of chemical weapons.
It is important from this conflict that world leaders and everyday people learn from this war, to prevent something as terrible as this from happening ever again.