Link to Article: https://www.reuters.com/world/syrian-frontline-russias-war-ukraine-evokes-painful-memories-2022-03-09/
Many Syrians recognize echoes of their war in today’s Russian invasion of Ukraine. Some of these similarities including the Russians targeting markets, home, and hospitals, civilians fleeing their homes becoming refugees, and just like the U.S. and other foreign adversaries of Assad the support for rebels is shown but never fully given enough attention to topple Assad just like how Ukraine is not currently given the international support needed to compete with Putin’s power. Another sinister correlation this article highlights is the fact that Russia denied targeting civilians in Syria, just as it denies doing so in Ukraine today. Also in the Syrian city Aleppo, Russian monitored corridos were set up as a feature for any Assad opponents, and today Moscow is suggesting the same type of corridors in Ukraine today.
By examining the incredibly similar parallels to Russia’s involvement in Syria to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, one can easily see the damaging long lasting impacts which a conflict involving a country as powerful as Russia brings. Homes will be abandoned, Ukrainian people will have to ;leave behind what they once knew as home just as Syrian civilians and rebel groups had to who opposed Russian backed Assad. Due to Ukraines side it makes me wonder how long /russia will able to “keep control” of such a large country given their troop size is not able to uphold an entire country.
This article deals with themes of liberal and realist approach as discussed in class. With the latter option tending to favor offshore balancing more as opposed to the idea of intervening whenever possible to influence western values and promote democracy and peace, I can see how the U.S. and many other Western allied countries have chosen to kind of le Ukraine and its neighbors “deal with it.” Obviously this option has ups and downs with downs being the fact that the international community may see the world superpower as non helpful and somewhat fearful of Putin.