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Week 7 'The Duality of Syria: Civil War and the War on Terror' -…
Week 7
'The Duality of Syria: Civil War and the War on Terror' - Sameera Khalfey 2013
argues that there are 2 wars going on in Syria: the civil war and the war on terror
'the known presence of al-Qaeda in Syria arguably changes the security situation of the civil war'
'the paper will suggest that the presence of al-Qaeda in conjunction with the increasing presence of foreign fighters does alter the security situation'
'evidence of the active recruitment of fighters for rebel forces introduced a new and dangerous element to the conflict'
'the fear that surrounds the elusive network of al-Qaeda and its various off shoots deepens concerns over the predictability of actions and motives of the Rebel forces'
'it raises questions to aid the rebel forces military by the
friends of Syria
was a wise one'
'as rebel forces face power struggle between themselves, how they use the military support they have received becomes a central concern'
it raises questions over the reconstruction and securitisation of Syria post-civil war'
'geopolitically, the outcome of the Syrian civil war is vital to the stability of the region and the 'War on Terror'
'thus, as Syria plays host to civil war and the 'War on Terror', Syria must be secured on two fronts'
Syria: A war on 2 fronts
'the ability to scrutinize Syria becomes a matter of recognising the multiplicity of issues at hand, the dual doctrinal wars at play and the highly entrenched hostile feelings and intentions that have accompanied them'
'the multiplicity, complexity and intertwined nature of hostilities within Syria lead to what can be seen as a protracted conflict in development'
Al-Qaeda's Role in destabilising Syria: the war on terror
'the Syrian border was the access point for fighters to enter into Iraq'
'this permeability continues to affect the security of Syria as these networks have now reversed their flow'
'resources flowing into Syria under the banner of al-Qaeda carry with them a serious threat of destabilisation, not only for the state of Syria and the region, but for the international community as well'
'on the state level, Al-Qaeda's unmapped networks are an unpredictable element'
'the hold the ability to heavily influence the direction of interactions within Syria and the shape of post conflict reconstruction'
'they hold the key to instability and the possibility of a fundamentalist future'
'by establishing links with the islamic state in Iraq, the threat of direct al-Qaeda involvement rises'
'the Syrian islamic state would find easier access to forces and an abundance of disillusioned individuals who could be potential forces in al-Qaeda pursuits'
'Al-Qaeda would find a replacement for its breeding grounds in Afghanistan and it would gain a substantial foothold within the region'
'the inability to constrict terrorist groups within Syria not only poses a serious threat to the internal stability of the state but also to the global 'war on terror'
'the international community has attempted to undermine the role that terrorist groups within Syria currently play by attempting to arm rebels that are not associated with terrorist groups'
'however the ability to ensure that the arms and supplies provided remain in their intended hands is highly questionable and risks exacerbating the problems in the form of inter-fighting between rebels'
'with reports of chemical weapons being used against the Syrian people, the international community has an opportunity to take action'
-'Although Russia and China's pro-international protocol dictates that crimes against humanity must be averted by the international community, the possible actions that may be taken remain limited, even in cases where chemical weapons have been used, as is now being seen'
'concerns lie not only with the increasing forces within Syria and its instability, but also with the likely radicalisation of foreign fighters and the return of these individuals to the West'
'the arrest of 8 individuals in Spain and Northern Morocco uncovered an Al-Qaeda network linked back to Syria. According to Gilles de Kerchove around 500 Europeans have left to fight in Syria'
-'these foreign fighters are not just being trained but have contributed to the number of casualties in the war in Syria, which highlights the risks involved in losing the 'war on terror' in Syria'
Internal Instability and Civil War
'The assassination of Kamal Hamami (spokesperson of the free Syria army) reportedly by the Syrian Islamic state has serious repercussions on the internal dynamics of war-torn Syria'
'it is the most visible link between the 'war on terror' and the Syrian war, as it is the circumstance of civil war that allows groups to undertake such acts as assassination, extreme violence and terrorism'
'while the groups have split their association with one another and al-Qaeda at large, there remain serious questions over the stability of Syria and the speedy conclusion of the civil war'
-'desire for power and dominance may direct their actions to prolong instability, hostility and violence'
'as the divisions in Syrian society deepen, the ability to counter terrorism and instability weakens'
-'issues of sectarianism and ethnicity in war come into play and counter the ability to form cohesion, social stability and eventually, political stability'
'Syria has seen the rise of competing powers who wish to exploit the situation for their own gain'
-'while war is 'waged' for the control of Syria, the 'war on terror' presents a more international agenda within its borders. it has the potential to lengthen this conflict'
-'the balance between the 'war on terror' and the civil war is therefore, one that must be broached together as one feeds into the other'
Victory on 2 fronts
'the fate of the war on terror in Syria is dependent upon the fate of the civil war'
'the outcome of the civil war i.e who will hold the majority of power and influence within Syria post-civil war is dependent upon the internal struggles that are currently waging which may be influenced by al-Qaeda activity within Syrian borders'
the war on terror 'is an integral part of the civil war'
-'it is also a war that can never truly be won'
'internal instability must be addressed to ensure against continued civil unrest'
'from this perspective, it may be argued that the war on terror is essential to ensuring the end of the civil war, as it is playing a key role in the instability of Syria'
'it may be argued that the end of civil war is needed to facilitate the collapse of terrorist networks - though this possibility seems unlikely'
' the success or failure of civil unrest is dependent upon the strength and cohesion of rebel forces'
-'internal fracturing can lead to failure and the success of the ruling regime and social cohesion'
-'as long as the international community is aiding the rebel forces, their position is internationally sanctioned; however, arming rebel forces can just as easily further fracture forces and society'
Winning Syria
'finding a conclusion to the civil war and the war on terror is dependent upon the internal fractures that need to be addressed'
'it is reliant upon fulfilling the will of the Syrian people without letting them fracture to the point of continuing civil unrest'
'the war on terror is an international concern that can only be successfully pursued with the consent of the Syrian people'
'forceful engagement would prove to be detrimental and would need to be pursued by undermining its role in the civil war'
'establishing peace in Syria is therefore dependent upon the ability to manage wars on 2 fronts'
-'it is dependent upon a complex and intertwined situation that must be untangled simultaneously'
-'however, given the protracted conflicts that Syria continues to face, it seems unlikely that there will be any true 'winners' in either conflict in Syria'