Syria Unrest — International Points - readeable.com

by Anup Shah
This web page Created Tuesday, June 05, 2012

This web page: https://www.globalissues.org/article/799/syria.
To print all data (e.g. expanded aspect notes, exhibits various hyperlinks), use the print model:

On this web page:

Introduction
Information tales from IPS

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 the planet. All through historical past it has seen many modifications, violent and in any other case.

In the present day it’s comprised of a lot of ethnic teams, principally Arab, although an affordable variety of Kurds, Armenians are additionally current. There have additionally been a lot of Iraqi refugees and the principle Arab group are themselves from completely different sects and denominations.

Round January 2011, following on from the Arab Spring the place protests in opposition to ruling regimes erupted in a lot 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 occasions been giant.

Picture: Demonstrations in Hom. Credit score: Bo yaser

Criticism of Syria’s crackdown has been fairly widespread. The Arab League has responded by suspending Syria’s membership. Syria claims that it’s preventing 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 basically Sunni, thus receiving help from different Center East international locations, resembling Saudi Arabia and others.

Hundreds have been killed — civilians and armed combatants. Some are asking the West for a army intervention like there was in Libya, however the US specifically is just not eager on one other army intervention regardless that they’ve been brazenly hostile and important of the Syrian ruling regime for a few years.

Picture: Professional-Assad Rally. Credit score: Newtown grafitti

China and Russia even have shut ties with Syria and thus far 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 difficulty; understandably the brutal regime crackdown has been met with shock, horror, and many others. However the protection has additionally been one-sided within the sense that comparable sorts of violence dedicated by US-led coalition forces in Afghanistan and Pakistan don’t obtain comparable criticism, however a lot flatter and measured reporting as an alternative. Media Lens covers this level in far more element stating many propaganda issues in mainstream media protection and is value studying.

Again to prime