The Syrian Civil War

The devastating civil war in Syria (2011-present) has been a source for much anxiety and confusion for policymakers in recent years. What initially appeared to be a rather straightforward conflict between an autocrat and citizens seeking greater freedom, has transformed into a sectarian war that has facilitated the rise of a powerful new terror group and greatly destabilized the region. This thesis attempts to formulate a realistic US response to the war. Analyzing and comparing the most prominent international actors' motivations and interests in Syria provided the basis from which the conclusions were drawn. Examination of these factors led to the determination that the United States should remain cautious and pursue a policy that emphasizes non-military options, including continued humanitarian support, generous intelligence sharing with moderate opposition groups, and pursuit of a feasible diplomatic resolution. Further, the United States should increase pressure on the Gulf States to better police money leaving their respective countries to aid radical Islamic groups in the Syrian warzone.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Defense and Strategic Studies

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Defense and Strategic Studies

Year

2014

Author dc:creator

• Bass, Caleb Wade

Contributors dc:contributor

• Ilan Berman

• Syria
• Iran
• Russia
• United States
• extremism
• jihadism
• ISIS
• radicals
• Assad
• Hezbollah
• Gulf States
• Turkey
• Defense and Security Studies

Statement dc:rights

• © Caleb Wade Bass

Repository record dc:identifier

https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1496

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:bearworks.missouristate.edu:theses-2497