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What are the solutions to the Syrian crisis?
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Moscow needs to stop backing the survival of the regime

For the past few years, Russia has been a strong supporter of the Assad regime. Despite criticism, Russia continues to provide the Syrian military with weaponry as it backs Assad at the UN security council.

The Argument

One of the existing Syrian government's strongest international supporters is Russia, which has continued to protect the regime in order to maintain Russian influence in the region. Russia conducts airstrikes and militarily supports the Syrian Assad regime, politically backing their efforts. They claim their primary purpose is to stop the spread of the Islamic State terrorist group; however, they have backed Assad in all areas, including those not related to the IS such as other rebel groups fighting for democracy.[1] Russia has multiple reasons to be interested in backing Assad. It is a chance for them to test and prove their military prowess, prevent unrest in the Middle East from spreading to Russia's large Muslim population, and to establish themselves as a global power. By being heavily involved in Syria, it cements them a seat at the international negotiating table for one of the world's foremost conflicts. Russian backing of the Assad regime is a major contributor to unrest in Syria. It makes the regime more militarily powerful, allowing them to kill citizens, sometimes with chemical weapons, easily. By supporting the Syrian government Russia escalates and condones the violence and violation of human rights in Syria; if support were pulled from the regime it would help solve the crisis.

Counter arguments

Russian backing of the Assad regime is not as significant of an issue as it is made out to be. Without Russia's support, the Assad regime would still do exactly what it does. It was able to quell the rebels and wage civil war against them before Russia got involved; them pulling out wouldn't make much of a difference. International involvement by global superpowers is ultimately positive for the crisis because it allows powerful diplomacy to occur.

Proponents

Premises

[P1] Russia is the biggest international supporter of Assad. [P2] Assad's regime could not function without international support. [P3] Assad's regime is a driving force in the Syrian crisis. [P4] Russia's support allows the Syrian crisis to continue.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P2] Assad's regime functioned before Russian support, and could function without it.

References

  1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/39554171/why-does-russia-support-syria-and-president-assad
This page was last edited on Saturday, 11 Jul 2020 at 01:49 UTC

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