Peace in Syria?

Syria. A land that has been home to conflict for centuries. From Alexander the Great to the Roman invasion, the expansion of Islam, the Crusades and many more conflicts that have occurred over the history of Syria. The land of Syria and the Syrian people have seen conflict over the ages but now, as the Syrian Civil War has become even more intense due to foreign intervention and the rise of I.S.I.L, a ceasefire has been called into effect.

This ceasefire was called into effect during the end of February through the combined efforts of the United States, Russia and the United Nations. This ceasefire only included the government of Syria and other moderate rebel groups fighting the government while radical rebel groups and I.S.I.L are still subject to attacks by the U.S, Russia and the other groups involved in the conflict. But this ceasefire has already begun to crumble as rebel groups and the Russian government claim that the ceasefire has been breached. It was obvious that this would happen sooner or later as the violence in Syria could not be stopped through a simple ceasefire.

The Assad regime has been taking more and more territory back with the help of Russian air power and would not want to waste an opportunity to acquire more land. It has been reported that over 100 people have died within the first week of the ceasefire and even more deaths have probably gone unconfirmed in the confusion going on across the country. This conflict has claimed more than a quarter of a million lives and caused millions of people to be forced out of their homes. This ceasefire will solve nothing in the short term for the Syrian Crisis. What is needed in this time of war in Syria is a coordinated effort on the behalf of the Assad government and the major rebel groups to come to terms, agree to a settlement and then the united coalition must beat back I.S.I.L from its borders. I.S.I.L is the one threat that could unite all of the warring factions in Syria – the non-radical factions that aren’t supporting I.S.I.L, that is – to a common cause. However, the chance that President Assad will come to terms with the various rebel groups is low as he wants to secure his rule over the country and has already shown he is willing to achieve this through violence and the use of Russian force to enforce his power.

Syria has become a war-torn country and the bloody conflict within its borders will be stopped either through the power of the pen or the brutality of the bullet.