has left Libya, and consequently Mali , in a state of chaos after a 2011 supposed "humanitarian intervention" to remove Muammar el-Qaddafi.
pushed the Pakistani military from 2007 -2010 to carry out dreadfully unaccountable operations in the SWAT, FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which led to the death of 1300 civilians and the internal displacement of nearly 4 million Pakistanis.
is the #1 weapons exporter in the world and does not consider the importing countries' records on human rights or democracy a relevant factor.
currently maintains stockpiles of nuclear, chemical and other banned weapons, such as cluster bombs .
regularly persecutes and incarcerates its own dissenters , war resisters, and whistleblowers.
does not want you to remember the horrors of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Agent Orange and the Gulf War Syndrome.
The many atrocities committed by the Assad regime since the start of the Syrian revolution are absolutely unacceptable and the stories emerging from the country are completely heartbreaking. And in fairness, the war crimes committed by the many rebel militias operating in Syria, though lesser in number and intensity, are gruesome and also unacceptable. The recent chemical attacks are undoubtedly a very disturbing development. The 100,000 lives lost prior to these attacks were every bit as precious and the suffering of their families is no easier due to the type of weapons which killed their loved ones.
As an outsider, I cannot pretend to know what the answer is to resolving this conflict, providing justice to those who have been harmed, or building a stable and inclusive Syria for all its inhabitants. I am not sure that anyone knows. The Arab and Muslim states and various militias are divided by their specific interests . The large foreign powers all have their own agendas primarily based on competing imperial calculations. Ordinary Syrians' voices are being drowned out by the violence and more immediate concerns like seeking bread and shelter. (However, it is important to recognize that with all the focus on foreign Islamist fighters in the conflict, Syrians have remained active in the resistance, both armed and non-armed , to the Assad regime. They, of course, also make up the ranks of the government's forces.)
I lean towards agreeing with Patrick Coburn's analysis that a first step in ending this nightmarish stalemate would be pressuring all sides involved in the fighting and the major regional and outside powers (who undoubtedly wield influence with the government and rebels) to immediately negotiate a ceasefire. The US has reportedly abandoned any participation in peace proceedings and is finalizing plans for air strikes .(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
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