ID: 17411104

Section B

BIR 2017

Title: "Syrian Civil War: Important Players and Key Implications – A Factsheet" by Mekki Uludag.

Source: JSTOR (Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses , Vol. 7, No. 7 (August 2015), pp. 4-10)

Research Problem

The elimination of Bashar al Assad and his regime was the predominant factor for most Western powers

including the U.S. and also Sunni-ruled countries in the Arab world, when the Syrian civil war erupted.

Assad was seen as a tyrant who persecuted his own people. However, later, the priority shifted as the

main threat is seen to be ISIS and Jabhat al Nusra because both the groups had been responsible for many

atrocities, including beheadings of journalists and humanitarian workers, mass killings of civilians,

enslavement of women and issuing threats to attack opposing countries.

Since the beginning of the Syrian Civil War multiple groups were seen battling each other and competing

for their influence. And after observing for years the four major players were drawn which includes

Bashar Al Assad government and his allies, the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS), the Islamic

front, including Jabhat al Nusra, and lastly the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG).

Under the dynamics of the competition among the four key players, the fighting in Syria continued and is

expected to continue for years. The fall of Assad continues lacks reality and it is unfortunately that the

immediate priority lies upon ISIS, as the group is seen as the most dangerous threat in Syria and to the

rest of the world.

However, the usage of barrel bombs, chlorine gas, and collective punishment by Assad against rebels is

still a matter of serious concern for the international community. On the other hand the support of the

U.S.-led coalition is also the most important factor for defeating ISIS. The continuation of support by U.S

could halt ISIS advances, keeping it o defensive mode. Regardless an urgent step is required to reduce the

humanitarian crisis in the region due to the extended civil war.

Research Question

By reading this journal article, the following central research question can be drawn based on the research

being carried out.

 To what extent the focus on eliminating Bashar Al Assad to end the Syrian Civil war shifted

towards defeating the ISIS by the Western powers in order to bring stability in the region ?

Some other associated sub questions can be made upon the research topic. They are as follows:

 Did the flow of thousands of foreign fighters into Syria benefited ISIS and Jabhat Al Nusra ?

 What made Bashar Al Assad's government to continue it's regime despite of many assumptions

that the regime would soon end ?

 To what degree the permission of Turkey to allow the other countries, especially U.S, to use its

bases, can change the dynamics of the overall fight against ISIS ?