Feasibility of Intervention in Syria

In recent news, Syrians have been seeking to overthrow their authoritarian leader Bashar al-Assad. As a result, a civil war has killed over an estimated 120,000 Syrians and has also left many displaced. In the meanwhile, international efforts have been complicated and passive. In the United States, pressure is building in congress on whether or not to intervene. Though intervention has proved successful in Libya, which faced a similar civil war, it is unsure if such an attack would be practical in Syria. The US, widely known for its humanitarian outreach, is under question on whether or not they have a moral imperative to step in, while also considering its possible negative outcomes for itself and the international community as a whole.
One of the reasons that involvements in Syria are not feasible is that Syria has powerful allies that are also on the U.N. Security Council. These allies include Russia, China, and Iran. Superseding in Syria could hurt United States relations with these countries of which Syria is an ally. Russia’s key policy goal is to block American effort in shaping the region. Russia believes that a change in regime cannot bring stability. Russia doesn’t show trust in the humanitarian concerns of the US and deems that America has its own personal interest in invading Syria (Yan). With Russia protecting the Assad regime, military involvement by the US can sever relationships between them. The United States also already has history and poor relations with Iran, and with Iran’s effective air defense team and weapons of mass destruction, intervening in Syria could make the US, or any country that gets involved, a target (Miller). Causing conflicts with Syria would also sever ties between the US and China, and t...

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Works Cited

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