Violence Worsens in Syria

{
  "authors": [
    "Paul Salem"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
    "Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center",
  "programAffiliation": "",
  "programs": [],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "Levant",
    "Syria"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Political Reform",
    "Security"
  ]
}

In The Media

Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

Violence Worsens in Syria

Syria's uprising has grown increasingly violent with no hint of reconciliation, threatening the stability of neighboring countries.

By Paul Salem

Published on May 31, 2012

Source: BBC World News

In an interview with BBC World News, Carnegie Middle East Center director Paul Salem explained that over the past several months Syria has been descending into what will likely be a long and devastating civil war, creating vulnerability throughout the region. In the wake of peaceful protests’ failure, both the Syrian government and opposition groups now rely upon violence, creating a culture of brutality and unaccountability, as evidenced by last week’s brutal massacre in Houla.

Though Salem asserted that the Assad regime never had any intention of taking Kofi Annan’s peace plan seriously, he contended that mediation, diplomacy, and international pressure must continue. “We might reach a day months from today when the regime will become serious about negotiation, and we should be ready with an exit plan for Syria to allow Syria to avoid complete civil war and complete devastation,” he concluded.

About the Author

Paul Salem

Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute

Paul Salem is a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute.

Recent Work

Paper
Iraq’s Tangled Foreign Interests and Relations
- Paul Salem
Article
Bracing for Impact in Syria
- Paul Salem

Political Reform Security Levant Syria

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie Europe

Research
Planetary vs International Security: Economic Growth at the Crossroads
Economic growth is at the heart of a dilemma between planetary and international security.
Olivia Lazard
Commentary
Strategic Europe
Europe and the Arab Gulf Must Come Together
The war in Iran proves the United States is now a destabilizing actor for Europe and the Arab Gulf. From protect their economies and energy supplies to safeguarding their territorial integrity, both regions have much to gain from forming a new kind of partnership together.
Rym Momtaz
Commentary
Strategic Europe
Taking the Pulse: Is France’s New Nuclear Doctrine Ambitious Enough?
French President Emmanuel Macron has unveiled his country’s new nuclear doctrine. Are the changes he has made enough to reassure France’s European partners in the current geopolitical context?
Rym Momtaz, ed.
Commentary
The Iran War’s Dangerous Fallout for Europe
The drone strike on the British air base in Akrotiri brings Europe’s proximity to the conflict in Iran into sharp relief. In the fog of war, old tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean risk being reignited, and regional stakeholders must avoid escalation.
Marc Pierini
Commentary
Strategic Europe
The EU Needs a Third Way in Iran
European reactions to the war in Iran have lost sight of wider political dynamics. The EU must position itself for the next phase of the crisis without giving up on its principles.
Richard Youngs

More Work from Carnegie Europe

Research

Planetary vs International Security: Economic Growth at the Crossroads

Economic growth is at the heart of a dilemma between planetary and international security.

Olivia Lazard

Commentary

Strategic Europe

Europe and the Arab Gulf Must Come Together

The war in Iran proves the United States is now a destabilizing actor for Europe and the Arab Gulf. From protect their economies and energy supplies to safeguarding their territorial integrity, both regions have much to gain from forming a new kind of partnership together.

Rym Momtaz

Commentary

Strategic Europe

Taking the Pulse: Is France’s New Nuclear Doctrine Ambitious Enough?

French President Emmanuel Macron has unveiled his country’s new nuclear doctrine. Are the changes he has made enough to reassure France’s European partners in the current geopolitical context?

Rym Momtaz, ed.

Commentary

The Iran War’s Dangerous Fallout for Europe

The drone strike on the British air base in Akrotiri brings Europe’s proximity to the conflict in Iran into sharp relief. In the fog of war, old tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean risk being reignited, and regional stakeholders must avoid escalation.

Marc Pierini

Commentary

Strategic Europe

The EU Needs a Third Way in Iran

European reactions to the war in Iran have lost sight of wider political dynamics. The EU must position itself for the next phase of the crisis without giving up on its principles.

Richard Youngs