World Spring 19.3

Civil War in Syria

For many in the Middle East and throughout the world, the Arab Spring represented hope and the opportunity for great freedom. In many countries, however, violence and even civil war was the result. While unrest and bloodshed in Libya led to the overthrow of a long-standing dictator, the country still has not found the political stability necessary for the people to enjoy prosperity and security. In Bahrain, the protests have resulted in no real change. In countries like Yemen and Syria, civil wars rage and the hope of 2011 has only resulted in greater violence, political division, and the death of tens of thousands of innocent civilians. Today we will look at the start and continuation of the civil war in Syria, in the hopes of better understanding the plight of the Syrian people.

Key Questions:

Why did the Arab Spring protests in Syria result in continuing violence and bloodshed?

Why are many Syrians frustrated with the inconsistent response of other countries to the slaughter in their country?

What are the broader regional consequences of the civil war in Syria?

Homework:

Use images (parts I and II) and the BBC summary (part III) to answer all the questions below. Save a digital copy of your answers in your homework folder, and also print a copy of all your answers (including your final paragraph) to bring to class tomorrow.

Part I: This graphic is from the New York Times, April 30, 2011. Use it to answer the following questions.

1. Identify at least 2 goals of the graphic; what information is it hoping to relate?

2. What explanations for the violence in Syria does the information in the graphic suggest?

3. What information in this graphic is surprising to you? What might the average American be surprised to learn from it?

4. Don’t miss the inset map in the lower right-hand side. What possibilities might it suggest?

Part II: This article and the graphic on the next page are from The Economist, Sept. 13, 2012. Note that this is well over a year after the first graphic. Use them to answer the questions below.

The Situation in Syria

The mounting human cost of the uprising in Syria

SYRIA’S 18-month revolution-turned-war is taking an increasing toll on the population. When opposition fighters entered the capital Damascus and the second city Aleppo in July, President Bashar Assad's regime responded with warplanes, and the monthly death toll jumped above 3,000. August was even bloodier. Civilians in Homs, the third city and the hub of the uprising for many months, have paid the highest price, but Damascus and its restless suburbs have seen almost as many deaths, as the map shows. The Centre for Documentation of Violations in Syria, which collects the data, also counts military fatalities on both sides. These have been fairly equal: around 2,730 opposition fighters and defectors have died, compared with just over 2,800 regime soldiers. And as many people have been detained during the fighting—around 28,000—as have lost their lives. Seeing a conflict set to get bloodier, ever more Syrians are deciding to leave. As of September 10th the UN High Commissioner for Refugees reckoned 250,000 had fled across the borders, while the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that the World Food Programme and Syrian Arab Crescent Society are giving food aid to 1.5m people in the country, the majority of them internally displaced. The true figures for both are likely to be far higher, since many Syrians choose not to register as refugees, and in the country itself hundreds of Syrians are huddled with friends and in mosques and churches out of the reach of aid.

1. Why are the graphics on violence and refugees included together? What is the connection?

2. What effect would this refugee crisis have on the Middle East? Think about what we know about other countries in the region.

Part III: Read the BBC summary of the civil war in Syria at this link. When you finish, write a one paragraph response to the following prompt. Provide a claim, along with evidence and analysis to justify your claim. Print a copy of your paragraph, along with your answers to the question above, and bring a hard copy to class tomorrow.

In 20 years, what do you think will be the most enduring legacy of the Syrian civil war?