The UN monitors in Syria have proved to be ineffective in a country that appears to rapidly be descending into chaos. Depending whom you choose to believe it is either the regime or the rebels that are responsible for the many brutal attacks and fatalities in Syria during this period of civil unrest. It is likely to be te same as so many disputes in this world, six off one and half a dozen of the other. What this old adage means is that no doubt both should and could be held responsible.
In Russia and China leaders have chosen to believe the regime. In the West we have chosen to believe the rebels. The problem is that after all period of violence a resolution has not been found. The bloodshed looks set to continue until one side annihilates the other or full scale war breaks out. Remember that could be a global war involving all of us if we are not careful.
So what can be done? Some are now calling for a UN peacekeeping force to enter Syria. Whether that is practical or even possible is debatable. It would have to be accompanied by a No Fly Zone as there is no way on earth Syrian leader Bashir Assad will allow a peaceful entry into his country.
As we all learned with the Libyan revolution a No Fly Zone is difficult to enforce. It costs in manpower and in hard cash. It will help the ammunition industry grow but other than that such a zone is destructive.
There is no doubt that something may have to be done and soon but there are no easy answers. Just blindly stumbling in as we have so often in the past could prove the wrong option for all of us, not least the Syrian people. Syria is not Libya. That said look at Libya today. Since the 2011 Arab Spring it is one of a long line of countries which has been de-stabilised. Its dictator has gone but he has been replaced by an unknown quantity. One that currently appears to be failing the Libyan people once more.
The UN mission if officially suspended but it is more than likely over. The UN and the world will now move on to the next stage. Just what that will be and how helpful it will be to the Syrian people is uncertain. For sure we should exercise caution this time around rather than interfering blindly in a civil war.
In Russia and China leaders have chosen to believe the regime. In the West we have chosen to believe the rebels. The problem is that after all period of violence a resolution has not been found. The bloodshed looks set to continue until one side annihilates the other or full scale war breaks out. Remember that could be a global war involving all of us if we are not careful.
So what can be done? Some are now calling for a UN peacekeeping force to enter Syria. Whether that is practical or even possible is debatable. It would have to be accompanied by a No Fly Zone as there is no way on earth Syrian leader Bashir Assad will allow a peaceful entry into his country.
As we all learned with the Libyan revolution a No Fly Zone is difficult to enforce. It costs in manpower and in hard cash. It will help the ammunition industry grow but other than that such a zone is destructive.
There is no doubt that something may have to be done and soon but there are no easy answers. Just blindly stumbling in as we have so often in the past could prove the wrong option for all of us, not least the Syrian people. Syria is not Libya. That said look at Libya today. Since the 2011 Arab Spring it is one of a long line of countries which has been de-stabilised. Its dictator has gone but he has been replaced by an unknown quantity. One that currently appears to be failing the Libyan people once more.
The UN mission if officially suspended but it is more than likely over. The UN and the world will now move on to the next stage. Just what that will be and how helpful it will be to the Syrian people is uncertain. For sure we should exercise caution this time around rather than interfering blindly in a civil war.
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