Chapter 24 - Failure of Diplomacy in Syria

Question 1

Number of Casualties

Answer 1

460,000

Question 2

Timeline

Answer 2

March 2011 - Arab Spring Protests, Syrian Army uses violence, Free Syrian Army rebels
2012 - Becomes proxy war. Extremists fight with Rebels, Saudi Arabia and gulf states fund.Iran, Hezbollah support Assad.

Question 3

Questions Arising from Chemical Weapon Use

Answer 3

War Crimes - where’s R2P?

When does intervention cause more harm than good?

Question 4

Indicators of Diplomatic Failure

Answer 4

Lack of ceasefire.
High casualty rate.
Breaches of international law.
Lack of security and order.

Question 5

3 Major Obstacles

Answer 5

Sovereignty v Intervention
Impossibility of a Political Solution
Preference for International Order over Justice

Question 6

Sovereignty v Intervention

Answer 6

Russia/China have vetoed condemning rights violations and ceasefires
Russia frames the West’s actions as colonial habits.

Question 7

Impossibility of Political Solution

Answer 7

Broader Shi’ite / Sunni tensions

Great power involvement

Question 8

Kofi Annan

Answer 8

UN Special Representative for Syria in 2012

6 Point Plan that would include great power

Question 9

Lakhdar Brahimi

Answer 9

UN Special Representative for Syria in 2012

Great powers not using their leverage for peace.

Question 10

Staffan de Mistura

Answer 10

UN Special Representative in 2014
Created International Syrian Support Group (ISSG)
Still the rep.

Question 11

Preference for International Order over Justice

Answer 11

Sarin gas use was condemned by great powers.

Coercive power works when the P5 are united.

Question 12

Constructivism and Syria

Answer 12

Legitimacy is gained through identity and ethnic discourse.
So, the goals of the parties are not rational. This is why it’s been so hard to reach an agreement.
How can institutions actually change old practices of war-making.