The Eight Year Proxy War

A moment of violence is sometimes capable of causing catastrophic events to occur, destroying governments, economies, and lives. In early 2011, economic and political events transpired in both Egypt and Tunisia. Is war a solution to our problems? As humanity can remember, we have been fighting in wars and sometimes even with no specific cause. Syria’s struggle begins to unravel into a more complicated situation allowing international powers to have disputes within its borders, people fighting for their rights, and trying to regain control of their government from President Al-Assad. It has not been an easy war, where there is a variation between four separate sides in Syria.

A complicated yet bloody conflict that has led to an ongoing eight-year civil war in Syria, between ISIS, President Al-Assad, the Rebels, and the Kurds. A more thorough threat emerges from the Russians as the fight continues between the international powers and people. This conflict has caused brutal forces to enter Syria and terrorize innocent civilians. The complexities that Syria’s civil war brings causes for it to be broken down to understand what is going on. The United States and Turkey’s dispute, and Russia’s fixation in controlling the Mediterranean port. Also, the Kurds fight for their place in Syria, and the rebels who want justice and freedom from their government continue to get what is theirs.

In the magazine, Zoe Holeman recognizes that the struggle begins within Syria’s “leader” President Al-Assad. Indifferent about his ruling, the people of Syria no longer recognize him as their leader and have parted ways. President Al-Assad has been in a position of power for a very long time, beginning from the Assad family dynasty and the Alawite clan; which covers about seventeen percent of Syria’s population. Why aren’t we aware of this situation anymore? An appeal to not just people in the middle east but all over the world, we don’t quite understand our involvement, but we all are. The United States has seen its fair share of wars, yet we begin to instigate and intervene with affairs that bring us into deeper problems such as the complication between Turkey’s allegiance with the United States. The pressure and mayhem of this matter affect not just outside factors but the social standing and representation of the people of Syria.  The civil war has begun to cause the decline of life expectancy, literacy in childhood, and the rights people have in Syria because of the conflict. Imagine not being able to vocalize your opinions and speak out against injustices. We should be wary because this unprecedented event can lead to a catastrophic outcome such as war.

Providing a more precise understanding that this war is down the trenches, an innumerable amount of problems begins to rise without a solution. Becoming aware of the situation is far better than ignoring the situation. Friends, family, and even coworkers were all suffering in the nation; without a light to shed on this dark and ominous war. One of the most important influences of Syria’s civil war was the Arab Spring, which leads to “a peaceful protest turned into a brutal massacre” between the people of Syria and the government. The magazine describes the effects and problems that are all building up within Syria and demonstrates images on Syria and the connection it has between ISIS, the Kurds, Turkey’s contribution, and President Al-Assad’s struggle in maintaining power. Furthermore, this indicates that the affliction caused by the international powers has induced a form of proxy war in the country of Syria.

The stance the magazine portrays how the war should abandon as the lives of millions affected by this war which shortly becomes a one-sided movement by the Russians to sustain their control in Syria. In the magazine, “The real losers have been the Syrian people themselves. Around 5.6 million have been driven abroad as refugees, with another 6.6 million internally displaced” is just the beginning of the conflict. There is still a vast amount of disparity and complications going on between Turkey and The United States. Then the problematic differences that Turkey and The United States have come across causes for a more decisive action to occur. I think the Holman’s purpose in the magazine is not just beginning to understand the issues that underly within Syria but understand critical factors that connect each power fighting against each other. Society is often put on the scale and tested how arrogant we can become to help people who are just like us on the other side of the world. I agree with the magazine since not only it shows the beginning of how this issue began but how this ongoing conflict swiftly passed right over our heads.

In addition to the several conflicts that are going on within Syria, Aksu Kargin has studied the dynamics of Arab spring and how it became the catalyst to Syria’s Civil War. On the 10th of December 2010, the rebel’s goals were to maintain their economic freedom, fight for human rights, elections, and employment. Arab Spring allowed consciousness to grow in Syria and increased the awareness of the people. A critical event that leads to an unforeseeable and bloody war between the government and its people; Aksu Kargin breaks up Arab Spring and the experiences by Syrian Refugees. “The Unending Arab Spring in Syria: The Primary Dynamics of Syrian Civil War as experienced by Syria Refugees” focuses on the socio-economic obstacles, that focuses on the many problems in Syria, the understanding of each factor, and how it impacted the start of the civil war. Arab Spring was a series of anti-government protests, uprisings and armed rebellions in response to governments’ oppressive power against the minority in the middle east. People displeased with their government have been oppressed and denied their basic human rights; leading to huge slaughters and imminent change within the position of power, involving the separation between its people.

In Turkish studies, it begins off as research begins in focusing on the children in Syria and when expressing themselves, many were tortured and arrested The Author believes the impact of the Syria Civil had several reasons behind its commencement. The social reasons and economic reasons were catalysts to Syria’s conflict going on within its borders. In the study, “the new economic policies, the regime abandoned its role as a job provider, which forced citizens to find jobs with the help of acquaintances or by paying bribes to those who might help them.” A difficult time, unemployment has risen, and many suffered losses being unable to provide themselves with shelter, food or the necessary resources to survive the drought, not in just jobs but food became harder to get since according to James Gelvin, 35% of family income is directed towards the purchase of food. Aksu Kargin communicates her idea through the form of a study which was proofed and checked by several other colleagues such as Dr. Erhan ÖRSELLİ and based her study around the experiences of Syrian Refugees and expanded on the perspective given by referrals which were of no relation to the individual that gave the referral. Furthermore, Aksu Kargin focuses on a scholarly audience when written in an article form using technical language through this form of the media outlet to let readers know of the struggle that Is going on in Syria.

Throughout the scholarly article, it raises a cautionary and direct attitude towards the topic of Syria and their civil war. Coherently focused on the different impacts and problems in Syria without sugar-coating what is known and informing the audience of the situation. Taking away from this study is the experiences of the Syrian refugees and the dilemma they face in modern society. We are not safe from the brutality and outside influences of what goes on in the world. Beginning from a more concerned interest in the study of what is going on to a more interested and complex war that is going on with people who are just like your average friend, family or peers. Justifying her connection to the social and economic problems, Aksu Kargin delivers her message in a short length through a research study with people who can tell from first-hand experience rather than assuming and doing research through the internet. The attitude Aksu Kargin gives off is why the government is not doing more to help its people, to stop unemployment, to step down from the position of power and give the people what they want. Her stance never changes throughout the study and brings into the discussion, what other human rights have been violated? What else is going on in Syria that is causing a division between the people, the government and other totalitarian powers?

When President Bashar al-Assad came into power in July 2000, he came from a distinctive family and in a sense was the heir to the throne having an approval rating of 99.7%.  A conflict of global dimensions within Syria, who’s involved and why Bashar Al-Assad has been the main talk in the topic involving war crimes, people trying to overthrow their president and the international powers within their borders. Joe Inwood from BBC News explains who is fighting and why they are fighting.

The speaker of the broadcast sets the ideas behind Syria’s civil war and targets his audience of worldly achievers and culturally curious people. Reaching people who focus on the global outlook and thoughtful. Joe Inwood remains informative and remains objective when in the thought of Syria’s civil war. Putting his message across on how complex and the roots of this war that has lasted more than half of a decade. “Syria has now been at war for seven years, and if anything it is getting worse.” He intended to demonstrate to his audience the different sides of the war and describe what is going on within each side. The forces of President Al-Assad backed up by Russia, Iran, and Shia militias. Then the rebels who have been fighting despite losing are Jaysh al Islam and Ahrar al-Sham. In continuation of the main two sides, we also have the Kurds an ethnic group that holds large areas in the north (Allies of the United States). The Kurds conflict with Turkey which is supposed to be allied with the United States (Within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; NATO) and ISIS which have come into attention with their brutality and threat. The four sides each have their reason for fighting. A closer look into Syria, Al-Assad wants to remain in power in addition to the twenty million people who were displaced and had no home (Kurds) who fight for autonomy and as a result, became a proxy war for several international powers.

In the broadcast, we focus on the complexity of the situation, why is everyone fighting and who is involved in this civil war. Raising awareness on this issue and how we have all involuntarily became involved in this mess. Delivered this message through the form of a broadcast in a news page, that was found online as an update to Syria’s Civil war. Listing out the reasons and images of what is going on. Joe Inwood utilizes this information news outlet to broadcast current affairs that are going on around the world in focus to Syria’s civil war. The broadcast uses calm music enhancing the impact and language being used in the broadcast to remain in people’s heads.

A toll far too great, an entire town destroyed as a result of the government and complications between each world power has led to the mass displacement of millions of people and 400,000 people who were tragically killed. There have been several articles which describe in detail the war but what stuck out of place was a New York Times article by Max Fisher, a philanthropist takes it in his own hands to interpret and describe Syria’s Civil War and provides “Straightforward Answers to Basic Questions About Syria’s War.” Max Fisher’s main focus is towards a general audience where he is informing them of the events that are transpiring within Syria’s borders. The author’s form of tone changes from a form of a serious tone to a more is given off within the first few lines of the article making us realize that this situation cannot be taken lightly.

The problematic and severe complications go this war cannot be taken lightly and must be put on the spot to understand what is going on and what is involved in this war. Amplifying the writer’s opinion by breaking down each step of the war from who is involved, why did it happen, and how come the war has become so bloody over the last several years. There is a weird genre displayed in the article as it is split into sections of each effect and questions answered in the article. It is not written formally but in a more coherent manner of one leading into the next thought/idea. Published on the New York Times as an “article” by Max Fisher who explicitly is concerned about where is this war leading and what will become with everyone in Syria and who is involved. Max Fisher’s stance is stated in the end as he is empathizing between the people in Syria and the ones fleeing the country trying to find salvation and start a new life because of Syria’s power struggle.

As the overall aspect of the Syria civil war draws to an unexpecting road, we come to see that in the various articles ranging from a New York Times article, a scholarly article, a YouTube video and a magazine all have similar attributions when it comes to the tone, perspective in subject to the problematic relations in Syria and the authors stance. Max Fisher, Zoe Holman, Joe Inwood, and Aksu Kargin express similar perspectives when they all see this complicated war as a result of many different factors in which the people are fighting for what they think is right. Also, the tone and stance rarely change from article to article in which each discusses the complications faced and the terrible things that are happening in Syria. In an appeal to the audience, we are restricted from seeing what the other side has to say in their case/defense as to why this war is going on. This war will eventually come to a dark end but how will it unfold with the perspectives given on how bad the war truly is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Work Cited

1. AKSU KARGIN, İnci1, [email protected]. t. “The Unending Arab Spring in Syria: The Primary Dynamics of the Syrian Civil War as Experienced by Syrian Refugees.” Electronic Turkish Studies, vol. 13, no. 2, Jan. 2018, pp. 27–48. EBSCOhost, doi:10.7827/TurkishStudies.13158.
2. Fisher, Max. “Straightforward Answers to Basic Questions About Syria’s War.”New York Times, 2016, www.nytimes.com/2016/09/19/world/middleeast/syria-civil-war-bashar-al-assad-refugees-islamic-state.html. Accessed 201
3. HOLMAN, ZOE. “Country Profile: Syria.” New Internationalist, no. 518, Mar. 2019, pp. 38–39. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hus&AN=134650977&site=ehost-live.
4. Joe Inwood “Syria: Seven years of war explained – BBC News” YouTube, uploaded by BBC News, 8 March 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoL0L_DbuQQ&t=220s.