Brutality of Syria war casts doubt on peace talks

[Omaha Steve]

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140121/DABF99BO1.html

By ZEINA KARAM

BEIRUT (AP) - Syria's conflict was sparked by an act of brutality - the detention and torture of schoolchildren who spray-painted anti-government graffiti in a southern city. In the three years since, the civil war has evolved into one of the most savage conflicts in decades.

The atrocities have been relentless. Protesters gunned down in the streets. An opposition singer whose vocal chords were carved out. Beheadings and mass sectarian killings. Barrels full of explosives dropped from warplanes onto bakeries and homes.


In this Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012 file photo, A Syrian man injured by Syrian government shelling lies in a hospital bed in Aleppo, Syria. The Syrian government’s decision to detain peaceful activists, in a way left the door open for more extremist elements to rise up. When the protests started in Daraa in March 2011 in response to the arrest and torture of high school students who scrawled anti-government graffiti on the school wall, security forces used brute force, beating and opening fire on largely peaceful protesters demanding reform, and later, Assad's ouster. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen, File)


It will be hard enough to find a political solution to Syria's crisis at an international peace conference convening in Switzerland on Wednesday, given the vast differences between the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad and the opposition. But in a nation drowning in blood, reconciliation and justice over the atrocities seem even more distant.

"The ethical and moral fabric of this society has been stretched to beyond breaking point," said Amr al-Azm, a U.S.-based Syrian opposition figure and professor at Shawnee State University in Ohio. "For a country to recover from such a traumatic rupture of the very glue that holds it together is not easy."

FULL story at link.

[karynnj]

1. This could have been said for the former Yugoslavia countries and Northern Ireland

This is why there MUST be a negotiated settlement - or else a civil war - with more than 2 factions - with every faction against all the others - will continue.

It will not be easy and a problem is that there may be no one to be found with clean hands.

[bemildred]

3. I think your point in the other thread about this being used to pressure Assad to leave makes sense.

Something like: "There has been too much blood, we need new leaders, a fresh start."

Even if Assad wants to kill all the salafis, he still has to work out an accomodation with the native opposition. What he gets to keep control of will depend heavily on that. The Kurds are not going to just return to the status quo either. And that is a lever.

And Iran really, really would like to stabilize its new position and influence, so you can use that too.

[karynnj]

4. Great points - it is interesting that all these could be levers

I have always thought of Syria as the most long shot of all the things Obama/Kerry were working to fix -- but as it is the hot war, it may be the most important to fix.

I agree that it may come down to what you said earlier that Assad needs to insure that his people are protected in any agreement - rather than that he personally remains in power.

[bemildred]

5. Well, you have to be clear about what you want.

For example, peace agreements and revenge just don't go well together, you have to pick one.

If you want peace, if you want the killing to stop, you may have to forgo some of your version of setting matters straight.

I think Iran pulled out of the talks (possibly at our request) to get the opposition to show up. It's going to be interesting to see what they do.

[bemildred]

2. I would think the atrocities would incentivize the peace talks.

I suppose I'm being naive.