The collective international handling and response to the never-ending nightmare in Syria has been less than admirable and far from commendable. Confusion, hypocrisy and a glaringly obvious presence of nefarious interests from both global proponents and opponents of the Assad regime in the conflict have left thousands upon thousands of Syrian civilians dead and millions displaced from their loved ones and homes. This includes the United Nations’ ambiguous treatment of the situation wherein Ban Ki Moon has expressed ‘dismay’ over the turn of events and the perpetual pauses in talks over Syria. The demand by the United States to withdraw an invitation for Iran to participate in the talks comes across as contradictory and counterproductive, to say the least. Iran, as a key figure in the Syria conflict, deserves a chance to weigh in.
The need for an international presence is significant as testimony of solidarity in helping Syria out of its perpetual bloodshed. Ban Ki Moon, not succumbing to American pressure, stated that along with Iran, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Greece, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea would also participate in the talks on 22 January in Montreux, near Geneva. The first meeting took place in 2012 and contributed nothing to end the suffering of Syrians. This is the second attempt and despite what German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier says (“2014 could be a decisive year for the entire region”) the chances of a fruitful talk look abysmal.
With Iran and Russia invested in favor of Assad and a nexus of United States and Saudi Arabia financially rooting against the regime, the situation in Syria is terrifyingly complicated and viciously morphing into a proxy war. If anything, the global spectators of this quandary should step out of their passivity and immediately work toward a definite and pragmatic solution.