Syrian Civil War and the ISIS Crisis

Abstract

In 2011, the Arab Spring spread to Syria as Syrians protested Bashar Al-Assad's dictatorial regime. This societal unrest, combined with the emergence of ISIS, has led to one of the worst humanitarian crises Syria has faced. The UNHCR reports that there have been around 470,000 civilian deaths since the beginning of the war. This paper seeks to understand the motivations of the major players involved in this conflict and asksto what extent Western intervention fueled the emergence of ISIS. Additionally, it explores possible resolutions the United Nations can develop to alleviate the catastrophe that is unfolding in Syria. This will be done through an in-depth analysis of secondary sources and a close following of current news and political rhetoric on the conflict.