Originally published on the CGS blog on January 18, 2014.
It’s days like these that I am dismayed at what the American public chooses to focus its attention on. The buzz on Capitol Hill seems to be on anything but the worst humanitarian crisis in recent years that is taking place in Syria. The multitude of humanitarian issues resulting from the civil war there will be the discussed during peace talks next Wednesday (January 22), and the United States’ role in addressing them is being carried largely by Secretary of State John Kerry.
Mr. Kerry and his team have their hands full, maybe overflowing. A few of the most pressing issues the State Department is handling include: preparing the stage for Syrian peace talks; maintaining promising relations with Iran; continuing efforts in Israeli-Palestinian peace; and working with Russia, which is perfectly opposed to U.S. interests on each matter. What’s more is that these complex concerns are intricately intertwined. Secretary Kerry’s capabilites will be put to the test, but I feel secure he is up to the challenge; the coming months will either result in historic diplomatic achievements or a humanitarian and regional security disaster. The scale of importance is huge – absence of progress would likely demoralize all other diplomatic efforts in the region.
Leading up to the Syrian peace talks, John Kerry ought to focus on laying the ground work for said negotiations in Switzerland. To emphasize the importance of success in Geneva I’ll recount some specifics of the humanitarian crisis.
There are over 100,000 known deaths and 2.3 million registered Syrian refugees. This is a small fraction of U.N. estimates that claim over 9.3 million Syrians within, and 2 million outside, the country are in need of humanitarian assistance. While civilians starve to death in some refugee camps, the U.N. World Relief Agency is prevented from reaching those most in need.
Violence continues to expand its reach and worsen where extremist opposition groups are in control. I’ve spoken to how terrorists are obtaining advanced weapons, but most recently rocket fire and car bombings in Lebanese towns boarding Syria have increased. There have also been reports of executions by the extremist Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The reports state that victims include media personnel and former fighters of other opposition groups.
United Nations funding for relief operations are being strained. The U.N. has set a goal of raising $6.5 billion. A conference in Kuwait managed to raise $2.4 billion – the U.N. has a lot of work to do.
For the millions of people in dire need of food, water, and medicine, I hope the peace talks lead to swift progress. Yet I also believe the U.S. should not sacrifice sustainable peace for a band-aid. In that interest, I applaud Britain in funding a role for women in negotiations with 200,000 pounds. The United States should join Britain in ensuring women are involved. The action reflects our core values and would promote sustainable peace as women usually aren’t mongering for war to achieve change.
The conditions of Syria’s civil war are appalling. I believe if the American public was exposed to more information on the increasing atrocities occuring in Syria and practical steps to do something, their representatives would respond. If we are to ensure world leaders stay focused on the important things, we have to find new solutions. Reforming the use of the veto by the United States and other permanent UN Security Council members is one way we can, acting together, stop the next Syria.
