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Syrian Situation

Syrian Situation. Global Society. Syrian Situation. Assad family has ruled Syria for over 40 years Minority Alawites ruling over majority Sunnis and others Bashar Al Assad took over after his father Hafez Al Assad died in 2000 Continued the same repressive regime

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Syrian Situation

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  1. Syrian Situation Global Society

  2. Syrian Situation • Assad family has ruled Syria for over 40 years • Minority Alawites ruling over majority Sunnis and others • Bashar Al Assad took over after his father Hafez Al Assad died in 2000 • Continued the same repressive regime • Demonstrations began in Syria after the fall of Egypts Hosni Mubarak • Quickly dispersed by police • Protests continued to grow after other repressive incidents • Assad responded with force to put the protests down • Opponents were arrested or disappeared • Use of violence caused the protests to grow • Civil War commences • Outside nations condemn the brutal response of the Assad regime

  3. Syrian Situation • U.S. government seeks ways to get Assad to stop the attacks on the Syrian people. • Britain and France propose UN Resolution criticizing Syria • Russia, still a Syrian ally opposes resolution • Outside countries are slow to respond with anything more than words • Afraid to send money or weapons to opposition not knowing where they would end up • Not really sure who will be in control if and when Assad leaves • Eventually will recognize the Syrian National Coalition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people in Dec 2012

  4. Syrian Situation • Civil war ensues • Free Syrian Army (FSA) becomes the main opposition force • FSA is made up of various factions including Syrians and outside jihadists like the Al Nusra Front • Al Nusra Front is a jihadist fighting force linked to Al Quaeda in Iraq. Looking to overthrow Assad • Their military success has helped them win the hearts and support of the Syrian people • Slow outside intervention has also led to success • Assad’s responses become increasingly violent against his own people • Uses artillery, tanks and airships • Waging battles in cities like Aleppo and Homs • Threatens to use chemical weapons on his own people.

  5. Syrian Situation • Opposition forces in an attempt to get the upper hand take control of various cities and military bases • Even bringing the battle to Assad’s “backyard” in the city of Damascus

  6. Syrian Situation • Last few weeks there has been a peace envoy trying to broker a peaceful solution • Lakhdar Brahimi United Nations and Arab League Envoy • Pitching a peace plan including establishment of a transitional governemnt until elections could be held • Trying to find an exit plan for Assad • Brahimi has been shuttling between the Syrian Coalition, Russia and Assad • Sergey V Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister has has been involved in the peace plan • Russia is still a partial ally of Assad • Assad doesn’t want to go • Opposition is fragmented making it difficult to know who to deal with

  7. Syrian Situation • Assad gave a speech over the weekend • Hoped to rally support in his country • Hoping to rally support from what few allies he has left • Outside world hoped he would offer a plan to end the conflict • No such luck • Assad claims the opposition is not legitimate and is made up of outside terrorist forces • The only way to deal with this is with a security resolution • Assad has dug his heels in • It looks like it will get worse before it gets better

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