It has been about a month since a chemical weapon, filled with the nerve agent Sarin, was launched into the neighborhoods of Ein Tarma and Zamalka in Damascus, Syria. Over 1,000 people were killed in this attack, dying in the most inhumane and cruel ways possible. With such a massive atrocity committed, Secretary of State Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov have resorted to the only possible solution before the U.S. would have had to engage militarily: negotiate an agreement with the Syrian government to remove its chemical weapons arsenal.
This solution is the only way to ensure a violent escalation of the Syrian conflict will not occur, and both leaders have done an outstanding job in avoiding a potential disaster. However, such an agreement at the 11th hour is unacceptable for the international community who must be able to deal with such horrendous crimes with speed and efficiency.
Over the past month, it has taken numerous UN Security Council sessions, back and forth diplomatic dialogue and enormous media attention to reach one solution at the very last moment. Throughout all these discussions, it is incredibly unsatisfying that the international community cannot immediately deal with a violation of one of its own treaties, and that the UN and other leading powers did not take this moment to define and establish a new age of international intervention, morality and diplomacy. With a post Iraq and Afghanistan world, it is time for a reformation in international diplomacy and a new age where intervention is quick and efficient, aiming to defend the rights of all people everywhere.
However, through last minute negotiations, two major powers have stepped up and taken responsibility to defend human rights and create a plan of action to ensure this type of inhumane act does not occur again in Syria. Through true diplomatic poise, Kerry and Lavrov created the base for immediate action in Syria.
Finding an equitable solution that fits U.S. and Russian interests, as well as fulfilling each country’s obligations to the various anti-chemical weapons treaties, is not easy, and the scale and greatness of this accomplishment should not be underestimated. In getting the Assad regime to surrender its chemical weapons to be dismantled, the U.S. is able to avoid involving itself in another conflict, which the American people do not want, and the Russians save face internationally and protect the Syrian government from a U.S. intervention, which would definitely back the rebel opposition and throw the current crisis into an even more chaotic state.
Therefore, as the plan is established with the timeline laid out by Kerry, inspection of and destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons, the next question is will it work? Can the UN guarantee that all chemical weapons will be removed and such outrageous acts will never happen again in Syria? Only time will tell. However, it is definitely possible for the international community to execute this plan, now that it has been thoroughly reviewed and negotiated.
As this crisis begins its end and world leaders gather for the UN General Assembly, it is critical for the global community to come together in order to improve its ability to defend human rights with speed and grace. Although a viable solution is present, it was established at the very last moment before extreme measures had to be taken. As we venture into tomorrow, the world must be able to stop and prevent these atrocities, and fight in the interest of justice and peace.
