The Trouble With Syria

Cameron and Obama/ Flickr CC via The Prime Minister's Office

  The debate over whether to use military force in Syria while the government wages war on its rebellious citizens has been fierce in the United States and Britain.  While leaders President Barack Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron strongly advocate military consequences against Syria, polls say that citizens are opposed to intervention, and the United Nations does not support the decision.  The push for use of force become more prominent when it was released recently that the regime of President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons against citizens of Syria. 

  While Obama and Cameron see the use of chemical warfare as a threat to western nations and a violation of international treaties, the United Nations dictates that in order to use military force against another country, the United States has to be attacked or directly threatened.  Of the five seats on the United Nations Security Council, China and Russia oppose action against Syria, while France strongly supports it.  The United Kingdom is having additional debates in parliament about its vote, delicately laying out the evidence after support for the U.S. invasion of Iraq turned out to be motivated by false information.

  Recent polls by various news organizations show that almost 60% of United States citizens are opposed to military intervention in Syria.  This is almost double the percentage of those who object from a poll conducted in December.  Currently the sentiment is that the attack against Syria would be illegal under international law.  As the conflict in Syria is a civil war, there is no justification for an attack by another country.  Should Syria attack an ally of the United States, such as Israel or a member of NATO, then approval from the U.N. would not be necessary.  As it stands, Russia and China are not expected to give consent.

UN Security Council Chamber/ Flickr CC via Michelle Lee

  President Obama is currently in Europe trying to convince Russia to change its mind on military intervention.  Russia is a long time ally of Syria, and while many analysts say that President Putin does not heavily benefit from the relationship, most believe it be political.  Both Putin and al-Assad share similar political ideologies.