UN Resolution Syria Effective. Please Fully Supported

¶ … UN resolution Syria effective. Please fully supported argument address consequences position, provide a counter argument. Instruction: Please provide outline paper.

United Nations Security Council proposed Resolution on Syria

Current situation

Situation on the ground

Political views

Proposed course of action

Chapter 7 action

Proposed resolution

Supporters 3. Proposed resolution on Syria

Success

Reason

Reason

Reason

Failure

Reason

Current situation

Situation on the ground

The Syrian humanitarian crisis in particular has kept the headlines in the last years in terms of the massive casualties that the Syrian civilians have registered since 2011 since the civil war brought out in the country. Reports from international organizations and in particular the United Nations that has monitored the situation put the number of victims among children to 6,000 and a total of around 100,000 victims (Black, 2013). The civil war that has broken out in 2011, as part of the Arab Spring Movement, against president Bashar al Assad, however, has reached new heights after the alleged use of chemical weapons by the government forces on 21st August 2013 in Ghuta area of Damascus, the Syrian Capital. Currently, heated discussions are held regarding a retaliatory action against the Syrian government and possible foreign intervention to prevent the regime from using chemical weapons again.

Political views

The discussions on whether chemical weapons were used by the regime against civilians have been going on since the event took place and, following a United Nations report on the situation, it was concluded that "on August 21st 2013, chemical weapons have been used in the ongoing conflict between the parties in the Syrian Arab Republic on a relatively large scale. (…) the environmental, chemical, and medical samples collected by the Mission provide clear and convincing evidence that surface-to-surface rockets containing the nerve agent sarin were used in the Ghouta area of Damascus." (UN, 2013) This result triggered a number of reactions from the international community in respect to the actions that need to be taken and the means through which the United Nations needs to intervene. It must be pointed out that after the beginning of the Civil War, in 2012, Security Council Resolution no 2043 and subsequently 2059 aimed at creating and maintaining a UN Supervision Mission in the country that would have as mandate to "monitor a cessation of armed violence in all its forms by all parties and to monitor and support the full implementation of the Envoy's six-point proposal" (United Nations Security Council, 2012). However, despite the fact that these resolutions were accepted and agreed upon by all five permanent members of the Security Council and that they had the full support of the international community, they failed to ensure peace in the country. Therefore, the background for the events that took place in August 2013 was one of deep tension and concern among the international community and the UN members.

Possible course of action

Following the chemical attacks on the population, there are two options for the UN to take and as suggested by its members. One would be the immediate action under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which allows deployment of forces. More precisely, art. 42, Chapter 7 states "Should the Security Council consider that measures provided for in Article 41 would be inadequate or have proved to be inadequate, it may take such action by air, sea, or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security." (UN, 2013)

The second option is a resolution forcing the Syrian state to destroy its arsenal of chemical weapons under the strict supervision of the United Nations. Currently, on the table at the United Nations, a draft resolution that would force Syria to destroy its chemical arsenal is proposed; however, there are countries such as the United States or France that demand that Syrian compliance be monitored and in case of incompliance, Chapter 7 mission be established and deployed (Reuters, 2013). By contrast, Russia supports a resolution to destroy Syrian chemical arsenal, but not to be enforceable under Chapter 7 (Reuters, 2013).

Success of currently proposed resolution

There are several reasons for which the proposed resolution, with destruction of chemical weapons and threat of Chapter 7 action would be successful.

The first reason would be that this resolution although it may suffer modifications until its actual adoption, is supported by all members of the Security Council. This is to say that even if Russia is by no means supporting a possible military intervention, it does support the core nature of the resolution which aims to prevent the subsequent use od chemical weapons against civilians.

Secondly, this resolution is based on a humanitarian rational and can be validated thru the UN report that sated clearly the use of chemical weapons on civilians. After this consideration, the entire community is somewhat morally forced to take action.

Thirdly, it must be pointed out that this event did not take place in a peaceful country but rather one that is already of civil war for more than 2 years. Therefore, the actions that Assad has been taking against its population, from the massacres to the brutalities and the general state of chaos in the country, allow the international community to rally also against a humanitarian call.

At the same time though, the interests in the region are various and they are reflected in the voices of the permanent 5 members. Russia and China would not opt for jeopardizing their relationship with Syria, but at the same time cannot afford to have a non-compliant partner. Currently, the text of the resolution states "in the event of non-compliance, including unauthorized transfer, or any use of chemical weapons by anyone in Syria, the U.N. Security Council should impose measures under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter." (Reuters, 2013).