Emma Nations

2nd Period
Global Choice
9/17/17
The Graffiti Kid who Sparked the Syrian War

Since 2011, Syria has been involved in a full blown civil war that is affecting millions of

citizens in and around Syria and many other countries around the world. Hundreds of thousands

of people have been killed and millions have been displaced. People’s lives have been

completely turned upside down and families have been ripped apart. In order to help the people

in and around Syria and bring an end to the war, people around the world must work to get

educated on what is happening, understand the global consequences of this war, and find

solutions to the many problems being faced.

The conflict in Syria has a long, violent history with tension and hate building up

throughout the country. In 2011, citizens started to act out boldly and the government started

shutting them down in more violent ways. The beginning of the conflict has been attributed to a

group of teenagers who were arrested for writing political graffiti on the side of their school

building (3). A few peaceful protests for the release of the teenagers broke out around the city.

The government cracked down on the protests, killing dozens of people and injuring more (3).

After this incident, the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad abolished the Higher State Security

Court and issued an order “regulating the right to peaceful protest, as one of the basic human

rights guaranteed by the Syrian Constitution”(3). This started many peaceful anti-government

demonstrations, but the protests quickly escalated to more violent actions after the government's

violent crackdown (2). In more recent times, the conflict has gone global with many radical

Islamist groups like the Islamic State and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham who have emerged to fight

against the west because of their modernization techniques. Many of these groups are fighting
for some form of an Islamic state to evoke a nostalgic version of the region's past, so the western

idea of modernization is everything they want to destroy (4). Many countries including the U.S.,

United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq are fighting against these groups, and trying to help

citizens still in Syria as well as Syrian refugees. However, most countries will not work with the

president of Syria because they disagree with how he is leading and handling the crisis (5). The

most shocking part to most people about all the conflict and violence that had happened since the

beginning is the statistics. It’s estimated that 500,000 people have been killed and around 12

million have been forced to leave their homes (1). However, the main thing that people need to

know about the crisis is that it has evolved in so many different ways since the beginning that it

is no longer just one problem. Each problem involves a different group with a different set of

goals and beliefs. This makes it challenging to put an end to the conflict and bring peace to Syria

and other countries involved because the problem is so complex. A viable solution is nearly

impossible with the demands and beliefs of all the opposing groups.

The global effects of the Syrian war have increased dramatically since the conflicts

started in 2011. Syrian citizens are fleeing the violence and destruction and seeking refuge in

nearby countries. Often they must travel on foot during the night across borders in an attempt to

avoid getting shot by snipers or being caught by warring parties who will kidnap young men to

fight for their cause (2). However, once the Syrian refugees get to their destination, their

struggles do not stop. Refugees must find somewhere to live, food to eat, jobs to sustain their

families, and schools for their children (6). Only about one in ten refugees live in a camp. The

rest try to find a place in an urban community or a rural environment. This can be both strange

and uncomfortable for them to try to adjust as quickly as needed in order to survive (2). It’s not

just the refugees that struggle however. The countries that refugees flee into and the citizens of
that country also struggle. In 2013, a large number of Syrian refugees escaped to Iraq when they

opened border crossings. Now Iraq is struggling to support all the refugees and their needs, as

well as all the citizens that were in Iraq prior to the refugees arriving (2). Turkey has also

struggled with Syrian refugees, and it has led to overwhelmed communities and cultural tensions

(2). The European Union has received over one million refugees fleeing from war and terror, and

had struggled greatly to keep up with the demand for resources (7). Many refugees have fled to

smaller countries like Jordan and Lebanon, and their weak infrastructure and limited resources

can’t handle the pressure of all the people (2). In addition to the global refugee crisis, the Syrian

war has pulled other countries into its issues and created global political divisions. The U.S. is

supporting rebel groups in Syria that are fighting against Assad and radical Islamist groups (6).

Russian however sided with the Syrian government and has attacked the U.S. troops stationed

throughout the Middle East. (6). This war continues to go on, dragging other countries into its

issues, causing them to fight each other and causing mass casualties and a major waste of

resources and lives.

While this is a Syrian War, the violence and hardship has not stayed within the borders of

Syria. This is a global crisis and one that we all need to help solve. It is important for countries to

help solve the issues that Syria is facing and help the people of Syria to return to their normal

lives. One of the worst things that can happen is for the twelve million refugees to have their

lives damaged beyond repair. Right now, the world needs to come together for these global

citizens, providing basic needs like food, water and shelter, and continuing education for their

children so that when the war is over, they can resume some kind of a normal life. This cannot be

the job of one country alone, because it is too costly and requires too much time. According to

the U.N., in 2016 four and a half billion dollars was needed to satisfy the most urgent needs of
people in Syria, but only two point nine was raised, so Syrians couldn’t get as much as they

needed (2). Currently organizations like Mercy Corps are delivering food, fresh water and other

items to people in need in Syria and refugees in other countries. They also do humane things like

provide counseling for children to help them deal with their lives and constructive activities to

help them have a decent childhood and stay productive. This is a great example of work that

should be funded so that it can continue in the long-term.

With the U.S. and other countries fighting the opposing powers in Syria, and money,

territory and manpower quickly running out for jihadist groups, hopefully those groups will

surrender and the millions of refugees can return home and begin rebuilding their lives (4). In the

meantime, it’s up to all of us to ensure that these people are equipped to go back to their normal

lives as quickly as possible after the war is over.