What started as a civil war in Syria nearly five years ago has now evolved into an international crisis unmatched by any other since World War II. The global community now has a solemn obligation to end this humanitarian disaster, but it cannot do so unless all the powers affected by the conflict set aside their differences in order to end the suffering of millions of Syrians. The UNGA annual meeting, which is now in progress, offers the United States, Russia, and Iran a momentous opportunity to come up with a solution, which is absolutely within reach if they only will it.
The search for a solution to Syria’s civil war and the unfolding tragedy of the Syrian refugees can be found only by defeating ISIS while simultaneously formulating a political solution to prevent the complete disintegration of the country.
To achieve this goal, it is necessary to engage all the parties vested in Syria, especially the United States, Russia, Iran, and the Assad government, in this process, whose full cooperation is central to a durable solution.
No solution, however, can be found without first establishing the historical perspective and the root causes that gave rise to this catastrophe. Sadly, the countries which must now cooperate—mainly the United States, Russia, and Iran—are largely the culprits behind this crisis, albeit for different strategic reasons.
