This past week marked the 12th anniversary of the largest single terrorist attack on the United States, the attacks of September 11th, on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and others. With this tragedy fresh in our minds, many Americans have turned their attention to the Middle East and the ongoing conflict in Syria. This conflict is not newly occurring, nor is it separate from world events and policy beyond Syria and its geographic neighbors in the Middle East. The United States has recently become involved in the conflict, and this public interest in the war can be thoroughly debated both for its potential benefits and detriments. President Barack Obama requested Congress for limited military strikes against Syria leaves us wanting more information about the nation whose military strife we are becoming embroiled in.
What kind of country is Syria?
-Syria is a small nation, physically the size of Washington state, with a population of 22.1 million people, similar to the number of individuals living in New York State. The capital city of Damascus has a population of 1.7 million.
-The ethnic make-up of Syria is about 60% Arab speaking Sunni Muslims, 12% Alawites (Arab-speaking), 9% Kurds (primarily Sunni Muslim), and 9% Levanites (Arab-speaking), and the rest being made up of other smaller ethnic groups.
-The government, pre-civil war, was controlled by the Alawites, a minority sect of the overall population. The current government is led by Bashar al-Assad, who succeeded his father as President in 2010. He is considered a hardline leader, creating a tightly controlled and repressive political structure, that is rigic both in domestic and international issues.
-The nation of Syria borders Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest.
What was Syria like before the civil war?
-The geographic area that makes up Syria is rich in cultural history, and was ruled by ancient empires like the Babylonians, Persians, and the Sumerians.
-The pre-civil war economy of Syria was diverse, and was primarily involved in agriculture, tourism, retail, and industry.
-Syria gained independence in 1946 from France after the second World War, and is the largest single state to emerge from the former Ottoman Empire ruled Arab Levant.
-In 1958, Syrian President al-Quwatli and Egypt’s leader Nasser announced that Syria and Egypt would join together to form the United Arab Republic, from which Syria subsequently seceded in 1961.
-In 1966 the Military Committee of Syria carried out an intra-party overthrow of the present government and instated a regionalist and civilian Ba’ath government. The Ba’ath Alawite faction has maintained control of the nation until the 2011 uprising threatened its longevity.
-In the international political sphere, Syria has become increasingly isolated, receiving backlash from its support of Iraqi insurgents, and Lebanese rebels. In 2010, the United States extended its sanctions against the Syrian government after their violation of the UN ban on arming the Lebanese Hezbollah militia.
How did the conflict start?
Like any international conflict, there are very few, if any, clear cut reasons as to why this conflict began and has continued. However, there are a few explanations that seem most plausible and offer some insight as to why the Syrian conflict has captured world attention.
-The conflict is considered an extension of the Arab Spring, following mass protests against the Assad run neo-Ba’athist government. In early 2011, a series of peaceful protests were cracked down upon by the Syrian Army, which began a series of violent responses by protesters and the government supporters.
-A revolutionary government was formed by the Syrian National Coalition in March 2012. This opposition National Coalition of the Syrian Revolution is recognized by the United States, among other Western powers, as the legitimate representation of the Syrian people.
-In mid 2013, a rise in the Al-Nusra front, a radically Islamist militia that is linked to al-Qaeda, led to a marked decrease in international support for the opposition National Coalition.
-In August 2013, opposition forces and Western governments accused pro-Assad forces, the national government, of using chemical weapons that killed over 300 people in an attack near Damascus. A preliminary US governmental assessment determined that nearly 1500 Syrians were killed in chemical attacks during the month of August.
-The UN estimates that in the past two years of conflict, more than two million refugees have fled the nation. Women and children comprise more than 75% of the refugees, and the strain of refugee camps have hampered neighboring nations like Jordan. Another 4.25 million Syrians are internally displaced, meaning that while they are still within the nation, their homes and communities are no longer functioning.
The ongoing conflict in the Syrian region is changing daily, with new international and domestic events occurring simultaneously. This background on Syria is by no means extensive, nor should it be considered the say all end all on the conflict. Much of what is shared by the US and international media is presented with political agenda, and the teasing out of pertinent facts is a worthwhile and painstaking task. The Syrian conflict may escalate in response to President Obama’s call for strikes, and even a basic understanding of the Syrian conflict must change to reflect such events.