How to Solve or Not to Solve the Syrian Crisis?

Description

The uprising (2011- ) of the Syrian people against the Ba’th dictatorship has brought Syria to the abyss of a bloody civil war. Western governments have with justification criticized the al-Asad dictatorship for its crimes against humanity, they have imposed sanctions and have declared al-Asad to have lost his legitimacy. They did not engage, however, in any kind of parallel political dialogue with Damascus, and thereby cut themselves off from playing a direct role in helping solve the crisis. Dialogue with the aim of political reform and peaceful transformation of Ba’thist dictatorship into a more democratic system remains the “least bad” option to be supported. In the end, it is up to
the Syrians themselves to come to a solution.