Syria Unrest — World Points

Introduction

Syria is likely one of the oldest locations the place civilization has thought to have began. Its capital, Damascus, is likely one of the oldest constantly inhabited cities on this planet. All through historical past it has seen many adjustments, violent and in any other case.

At the moment it’s comprised of plenty of ethnic teams, largely Arab, although an affordable variety of Kurds, Armenians are additionally current. There have additionally been plenty of Iraqi refugees and the principle Arab group are themselves from totally different sects and denominations.

Round January 2011, following on from the Arab Spring the place protests in opposition to ruling regimes erupted in plenty of Center East international locations, protesters in Syria got here out demanding President Bashar al-Assad and his authorities step down. In response, Assad despatched in troops with some cities and areas being besieged for weeks and months. Each professional and anti-government protest gatherings have at instances been massive.

Criticism of Syria’s crackdown has been fairly widespread. The Arab League has responded by suspending Syria’s membership. Syria claims that it’s combating an insurgency that’s terrorist by nature and claimed Al Qaeda is concerned. It has not been doable to confirm that declare so many see it as a cynical excuse.

The ruling regime is a sect of Shia, so has help from Iran and Lebanese Hezbollah, whereas the opposition is essentially Sunni, thus receiving help from different Center East international locations, resembling Saudi Arabia and others.

1000’s have been killed — civilians and armed combatants. Some are asking the West for a navy intervention like there was in Libya, however the US particularly is just not eager on one other navy intervention despite the fact that they’ve been overtly hostile and important of the Syrian ruling regime for a few years.

China and Russia even have shut ties with Syria and to this point haven’t been eager on any motion condemning Syria and have even vetoed some actions. Some papers have reported Iran and others serving to Syria with weapons, whereas others additionally talked about the opposition being armed by the West.

Mainstream media protection is in fact a part of the problem; understandably the brutal regime crackdown has been met with shock, horror, and so on. However the protection has additionally been one-sided within the sense that related kinds of violence dedicated by US-led coalition forces in Afghanistan and Pakistan don’t obtain related criticism, however a lot flatter and measured reporting as a substitute. Media Lens covers this level in rather more element mentioning many propaganda issues in mainstream media protection and is value studying.

Again to prime

The place subsequent?

<p>Anup Shah, <a href="https://www.globalissues.org/article/799/syria">Syria Unrest</a>, <cite>World Points</cite>, Created: June 05, 2012</p>