Syria
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A new proposal was presented after this page was written. The proposal may be able to solve the chemical weapon problem. (More info: point 23 on the page about the UN.) |
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War is hell. People are hurt. It hurts. People die. Many lose their siblings, families, homes.
Right now there is a war going on in Syria. A civil war among different groups in the country. Thousands have died. Even more have been injured. As many as two million people have fled the country.
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Should the UN stop the war? The world's most powerful countries won't even let them try. Russia supports Syria's leader. The USA is against him. Because Russia and the USA do not agree, the UN can't do much. Both countries are veto powers — they have the right to stop any proposal. The UN can't stop the war because Russia and the USA don't agree.
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Laws of War, two examples:
| • | Countries may defend themselves if another country attacks. (Sweden, like many other countries, has a "defense minister" who lead a "Department of Defence.".) |
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Countries may use many different kinds of weapons, but not poisonous gas. Gas is easily spread by the wind, killing innocents. |
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Countries may not use poison gas, but that is exactly what happened in Syria (21 August this year). Someone has violated people's right to life.
The only thing the UN's Security Council has agreed on is to send inspectors to Syria to find out what happened. The inspectors investigated the crime scene, a bit like CSI on TV.
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The USA, the UK and France accuse Syria's leader of crimes against human rights. Russia accuses instead the rebels who are fighting against the government of Syria.
Syria gassed innocents to death, according to Obama. The USA, the UK and France want to punish the leader of Syria. The USA may destroy Syria's leader's office etc.
Many people in the USA and in the rest of the world think that the US should not get involved in Syria. First of all, you can't be certain that it was Syria's leader that used the gas. Second of all, just 10 years ago, then US president Bush was wrong. He said that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, but it didn't. Perhaps the US's current president is also wrong? And even if not, what gives the USA the right to bomb? Need the USA get involved in every corner of the world?
The USA is the most powerful country in the world, the only superpower. The country has the ability to strike anywhere in the world. No one can stop them. But one can always protest. Some do so online. Others demonstrate in the streets. There were demonstrations in Stockholm when Obama was in town.
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Also in the USA and in many other countries there are protests against the USA's plan to bomb Syria. Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009. But many people are disappointed in Obama. They had hopped that he would make the world a more peaceful place.
Others think that using poison gas against innocents must be punished. Evil leaders must be given reasons not to use poison gas.
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There are many ways to effect a country. If no one buys from Syria, its leader will be forced to change his ways. To buy is to support the war! But, if everyone stops buying Syrian products, Syrian businesses will lose money and they may fire people. The people of the country would suffer.
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The UN is paralyzed. Therefore, the US must act. The USA is "policeman of the world." But many countries get nervous when the US or the UN sent military forces to various countries. They think: we may be next. Better stop the Un from using military force at all. And best to try to stop the USA too, if possible.
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What do you think? In Sweden, Europe, the USA, and in many other countries everyone has the right to think and say what they want. In China, Russia, and many other countries you can end up in prison if you protest.
The right to say what you think is called freedom of expression.
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The right to have meetings and demonstrations is called freedom of assembly. Both rights are guaranteed in Sweden's constitution.
