Special MUN Topic: It’s more than serious in Syria!
The situation in Syria is deteriorating more and more every day. A civil war for control of the Syrian government has continued now for 16 months with no sign of relief any time soon. With a daily death rate approximately 10 times that of the war in Afghanistan many observers feel that intervention is long overdue. Attempts have been made by the United Nations to mitigate the chaos and bloodshed present in Syria but these efforts have had little impact on the current state of the conflict. Kofi Anan, former Secretary General of the United Nations, has been sent to mediate this dispute but has garnered little success. Neither the current government nor the rebels are willing to put stock in any plan to end the war anytime soon. To complicate matters further the Russian Federation, a long time ally of Syria dating back to the Cold War, has effectively used its veto power to stop any UN sanctions that could slow the pace of the war. These acts have given President Bashar Assad, the current leader, the freedom to crush the rebellion with excessive force. Despite these handicaps, however, the tide may be turning in the rebels favor. A recent bombing of the 14-man Nation Security Council successfully killed several key members of Syrian government including relatives of Assad. This type of action would have never been possible without inside assistance from members of the government loyal to Assad. The success of this bombing will only encourage the rebels, demonstrating that the Assad government is weakening and that peace negotiations may not be necessary in the long term. Does the United Nations have an obligation to protect the Syrian people from the horrors associated with this Civil War or should they respect the national sovereignty of Syria to rule over its people and maintain its current government? How would you argue if you were representing Syria? Have you recently been in a Security Council simulation where this topic has come up? Tell us about...
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