1
War in Syria
FF #10
The Treaty of Versailles
The Cold War
What are the religious and nationalist tensions in Syria during the Cold War?
?
?
What are the political tensions in and around Syria during the Cold War?
Post Cold-War
Post-Cold War
Since March 2011, fighting in Syria has killed an estimated 465,000 people, injured more than one million, and forced about 12 million people (half the country's pre-war population) from their homes.
And Today
Assad (blue)
Russian and Iranian troops supporting Assad (red and green squares).
US troops (blue squares) were there only to defeat ISIS, but have largely withdrawn.
Kurds (green)
Turkey (yellow in the north) to block Kurdish expansion
Who is where and why?
On December 19, 2018, President Trump proclaimed that ISIS was defeated and began the withdrawal of all of the approximately 2,000-2,500 American troops from Syria "within 60-100 days." On March 25, 2019, he recognized the Golan Heights as Israeli territory.
What started as a protest against Assad's government is now essentially 3 separate civil wars: 60% controlled by the Syrian Government (supported by Russia), 30% controlled by Syrian Democratic Forces, primarily Kurdish fighters "protected" by the US, and 10% by the Turks and their Sunni Islamist allies in Idlib province.
related regional issues
Yemen also experienced upheaval in the wake of the Arab Spring of 2011.
Shia, supported by Iran
Sunni, supported by Saudi Arabia
?
- Why are Iran's troops (and Hezbollah in Lebanon) so far south?
- What happens if Saudi Arabia gets involved?
- How does this impact the already tense US-Russia relationship?