The fruits of the Syrian ‘Arab Spring’: over 250,000 dead, over 6.7 million refugees and over 7.6 million internally displaced. A perpetuating cycle of uncontrolled, unending violence. The plight of refugees seeking asylum in Europe has evoked worldwide sympathy, illuminating the humanitarian issues faced by Syrians escaping the Civil War that has raged on since 2011. Images of distressed and weary refugees bordering European shores has been a common feature of most international news outlets. Hidden behind these depressing pictures is a far more disturbing question of responsibility. With no end in sight for the refugee crisis, questions of external responsibility for this humanitarian disaster need to assume greater prominence on the international political scene. Particularly, the extensive intervention of foreign states such as the United States, Russia, Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia, which has over the years seriously intensified the Syrian conflict. Worsening the situation through its effects on the ground, this intervention can be credited with precipitating the worst refugee crisis since the Second World War. Prioritizing the use of force over diplomatic solutions has been a hallmark of foreign intervention, undoubtedly contributing to the destruction of the Syrian…
