According to reports by CNN, on August 23, Italy began to plan a gathering of Western nations to discuss what they can do to help the Syrian people "the day after" President Bashar al-Assad was removed from power. The meeting will seek to explore the international community's "role and responsibilities" in the aftermath of all the destruction. In Rome, nations will discuss economic revitalization, institution building, securing chemical and biological weapons and how to handle the thousands of people whose lives have been obliterated by merciless government shellings.
Although it is important for international leaders to have a plan for when Assad is removed, Western and Arab nations have met to discuss aiding Syria for months, with no actual results. President Obama, British Prime Minister David Cameron, and French President Francois Hollande have all stated that the use of chemical or biological weapons by the government would be crossing a red line that would require military retaliation, but with that exception there does not seem to be much desire to intervene.
The lack of desire to intervene might be a good thing at this point. Syrian civilians have dealt with horrendous atrocities for 18 months now, and because of the ethnic demographics it seems like the situation is likely to develop into sectarian conflict. Had the international community reacted quicker to the tyrannical oppression by Assad that might not be the case, but as Sunni Muslims continue to be the largest force supporting the opposition it is very possible that other religious and ethnic groups could face persecution, just like in Iraq.
Videos of people believed to have links to the Assad regime or his Alawite sect being executed by rebels have circulated online, and although it is understandable why the rebels want some form of revenge, the lawless violence and the executions of those found guilty by angry mobs is not the way to establish a future peaceful, democratic state.
recommend
Facebook
Twitter
bookmark 
print
