An Analysis of Syrian Conflict with the Lens of the Realist School of Thought
The Syrian war is rooted in the conflict between the Sunni opposition and Shia leader President Bashar, torn the country. The Syrian war took baby steps during the Arab Spring, which was supposed to bring hope and prosperity to Syria but unfortunately led to a series of horrifying protests that grew into a 9-year long civil war. The war-torn country has forced millions to escape the horrors of continuous fighting only to seek refuge in other countries with bare minimum resources. Multiple efforts by the International Organizations (I.Os) to halt the conflict between President Bashar and the opposition have repeatedly failed, and apparently, there is no hope for a peaceful solution. This paper aims to explain the Syrian war and break down the reason behind each ally's support to the chosen party and understand the Syrian conflict through the lens of Realism. The realist theory will shed some light on the root cause of international intervention by world powers and regional powers and how each actor's actions prolonged the conflict in Syria. And finally, to understand how domestic and international politics was used to carry out heinous crimes against innocent Syrian men, women, and children and analyze the strategies of actors to gain power in the region.
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Syria, Civil War, Regional Alliances, International Alliances, Sectarianism, Balance of Power
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(1) Sohail Ahmad
Assistant Professor, Department of Humanities, COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan.
(2) Muhammad Mubeen
Assistant Professor, Department of Humanities, COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan.
(3) Inayat Kalim
Assistant Professor, Department of Humanities, COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan.
Comparative Perspective: War and the Interests of Major Powers in the Regions
Great power is a sovereign state that is recognized as having the ability and expertise to exert its influence on a global scale. Great powers characteristically possess military and economic strength, which inspires states to enhance influence in strategically important regions. The Middle East region has always remained the centre of attraction for major powers due to its geostrategic importance and huge energy resources. The civil war in Syria is a prolonged armed conflict that began in 2011. U.S and Russia, being involved from the beginning in the conflict, have different interests and campaigns. Over the last four decades, another most important region has become a source of turmoil and unease, Afghan crises in the region that has always persisted as the source of concern for the global powers and a cornerstone for regional powers. Moscow's mistake to intervene in Afghanistan revealed its unassailable vulnerability. After the Soviet Union disintegration, Kabul has again become the focal point of US policy in the region post 9/11 terror attacks.
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Civil War, Civilian Protests, Violence, ISIS, Chemical Weapons, United States, Russia
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(1) Nargis Zaman
Lecturer, Department of Political Science, Women University Mardan, KP, Pakistan.
(2) Arif Khan
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Bunir, KP, Pakistan.
(3) Saiful Islam
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Buner, Buner, KP, Pakistan.