Collective Security, Essay Example

How has the international community responded to the regional and global threats of peace caused by the Syrian civil war?

The global consensus with regards to the Syrian civil conflict is to send humanitarian relief to the affected Syrian people. In my opinion, the failures of the Syrian peace conferences can be attributed to the demands of the United States. The initial humble objectiveswere to allow humanitarian relief efforts entry into the City of Homs in Syria. The demands made by the United States and the extremist anti- Assad factions ,  threaten to undermine the efforts of the United Nations Security Council  to mediate a peaceful end to Syria’s civil war. The ongoing of the Syrian civil conflict is caused in part to the attitude which supports President Bashar al Assad regime’sinflexible denial any entry of humanitarian aid into the City of Homs, Syria.

Theperspectives which are held by the present Syrian administrationand the demands for President Assad’s resignation from the extremist factions have deterred United Nations mediator Lakhdar Brahimi’s efforts in building confidence in the mediating ability of the United Nations Security Council as a neutral peacekeeping entity during the Geneva II talks. Brahimi’s objective is to reach an agreement which is acceptable by all parties involved. Brahimi’s modest objectives do not presently include forming a transitional government that might not include President Assad. I believe that President Assad is determined to hold on to power at any expense.

The lack of services and supplies in Syria is causing discord. Notwithstanding, the global consensus ofdisapproval which has been demonstrated toward the atrocities that have been committed by the Levant, a number of the Levant forces have adopted new tactics. These tactics include the assault and the displacement of civilians. The involvement of peaceful civilians in wartime occupations is a criminal activitywhich has been forbidden by the United Nations Security Council. The anti-government military forces are seeking results which are against United States interests. The predominance of Sunni Islamic regulations on the Syrian nation is increasing and the recently conceived Sunni Islamic Fronthas begun to marginalize many, including those who have been recipients of relief from the United States. In my opinion, the members of the Sunni Islamic Front are resentful that the United States is aiding the rebels and the pro-Assad forces.

It is difficult for the United States to commit wholeheartedly to the resolution of the Syrian conflict. I feel that the Geneva II talks and the proposal which was made by the United States to remove President Assad from power may have worked against the objective of ending the Syrian civil war. The initial sessions of the Geneva II accords appeared to be unfruitful with regards to the humanitarian aid objectives of the United Nations Security Council. The United Nations Security Council should be allowed to perform its function, independently, without being subjected to pressure from any member nation.

The United States’ perspective is that without a multinational component, providing humanitarian relief to the affected members of the Syrian society would not be effective. The United States Secretary of State, John Kerry is willing to consider the exercise of aUnited States military application toward the cessation of the Syrian civil war; however, the President of the United States, Barack H. Obama, has no desire to apply military force against the Assad regime. The United States’ perspective is not in alignment with the perspectives the United Nations Security Council. As a result, there has been no substantial change that has been achieved toward the distribution of humanitarian aid to the sections of Syria which are under siege as a result of the Syrian civil war.

The power plays which are being exerted with regards to the United States’ proposal of democratic elections in Syria are causing a lack of organization in the distribution of humanitarian aid. The perspective of the United Nations Security Council is that if President Bashar al Assad were removed from power, who would be the most feasible successor to replace him as head of the Syrian government? I think that the best option would be to leave President Assad in power. There has been no response with regards to who would potentially replace President Bashar al Assad.Consequently, the initiatives for removing President Bashar al Assad from power are at an impasse. I can understand that the United States wants a dictatorial regime removed from power in the Middle East. In my opinion, the al- Qaeda regime would move into Syria in order to fill the power void if President Assad were removed from power.

The Syrianconflictcontinues without a peaceful end in sight. As the conflict continues, the military forces of the President Bashar al Assad continue to battle insurgency forces. The number of refugees who are migrating as a result of the Syrian civil war continues to increase. “The Syrian civil war has been increasing and menaces the stability of the region”(Blanchard 2). Perhaps the most effective long term strategy would be to enable the transfer of humanitarian aid by a neutral party in order not to inflame the Syrian civil war by aligning with either side. The United Nations Security Council should be entrusted to send humanitarian aid to the Syrian people.

It does not appear that any of the forces which are engaged in the conflict have the potential of winning over the short term. The enhanced cooperation has initiated between some of the anti- Assad forces. The conflicts between the al- Qaeda factions in on the Syrian border and the forces of the Syrian liberation army, the Levant, have increased. The rates of attrition in the ranks of the pro Assad forces make a victory by either side improbable. If President Assad were ousted from power, the situation would get worse and this occurrence would probably diminish the possibility of the Syrian civil war ending in the near future.

The newly ratified version of the Consolidated Appropriations Actwould provide the authorization for continued humanitarian relief to the Syrian factions (Blanchard 2).President Bashar al Assad has indicated his administration’swillingness to participate in the peace accord discussions with the non- extremist Syrian factions. The extremist Syrian factions are not willing to negotiate with President Assad’s regime. Many of the members of the present Syrian administration believe that he will open democratic elections in an attempt to vie for reelection.

The United States haspublicly stated that any option of an election which is organized by the Assad regime is a complete contradiction to the objective of the Geneva II accords.The two opposing perspectives which are being held by the Syrian pro-Assadgovernment and anti-Assad factionshave caused the caused inability of The United Nations Security council mediator to find a compromise during the Geneva II peace accords. These unresolved differences question the effectiveness of the Geneva II peace accords on reaching a mutual agreement in order to end the Syriancivil war.I think that the United States is defending its interests in the Middle East by requesting that President Assad be removed from power. However, the United States is not an impartial peacekeeping entity and the requests which are being made by the United States in the Geneva IIpeace accords demonstrate partiality.

The core nations of the United Nations Security Council have expressed their complete support for the Geneva II peace accords. In the Geneva II peace accords, the United States has declared its desire “that Assad and his close associates with blood on their hands will have no role in Syria” (Blanchard 2). I believe that the regional security challenges have the aspect of exceeding the aid that any one nation. Any nation which sends aid would be suspect to being partial to the recipients of the humanitarian relief. The substantial numbers of refugees from Syria, the increase of the numbers of powerful armed factions in Syria and the positive intervention of the Sunni Arab governments in Syria’s civil conflict have all been contributors to the potential of regional destabilization of the Middle East. I think that considering of all of these aspects, the United States Congress has the probability of having to make some serious, unilaterally committed and organized decisions regarding the continued United States humanitarian relief which has been directed toward Syria.

Conclusion

The Geneva II peace accords were formed with the objective of providing humanitarian aid to the Syrian people and ceasing the war in order to deter the flow of refugees from the Syrian civil war into neighboring countries. I believe that the United States intervention in the Geneva II peace accords will only inflame the tensions between both sides. This is due to the aspect of the United States supporting the rebel factions and the Syrian government at the same time. The United Nations Security Council should be enabled to perform its function of mediator without interference from the United States or any member nation. The presentation of aid from any member nation which is performed by its own initiative without the intervention of the United Nations Security Council can only increase the tensions between the warring factions and the pro Assad regime.

The United States should maintain a role of contributing aid which is delivered through the United Nations Security Council. The United States should express its desires through the United Nation’s representative at the meetings of the United Nations Security Council. I think that the Geneva II peace accords are not the appropriate place or time to request the exclusion of President Assad from future participation in Syrian affairs. The Geneva II peace accords should be maintained with their original objectives. These objectives are to mediate a truce between the Syrian parties which are involved in the Syrian civil war and to send humanitarian aid to the Syrian people. If the United Nations Security Council mediator, Lakhdar Brahimi is allowed to perform his duties without interference from member nations, perhaps the humanitarian aid can flow to the restricted areas and more substantial peace negotiations can be considered at future Geneva II peace conferences.

Works Cited

Blanchard, Christopher. M., Carla E.  Humud,&Mary Beth D. Nikitin. “Armed conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. response.’Congressional Research Service 7.500. 15 January 2014.Web.18 February 2014.            http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL33487.pdf