The world is an unsettled place.
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We are moving through a period of war and disorder, driven by conflicting geopolitical ambitions, inflicted on largely defenceless populations.
Whether it is in Ukraine or Yemen, large scale conflicts and mass casualties remain contemporary issues.
Syria is no different. With ISIS largely defeated there, we have allowed our collective attention span to be taken up by other matters. Yet the violence has not stopped. The war continues, though the combatants and goals may change. The same people are suffering: ordinary men, women, and children. When this bloody and complex conflict is finally concluded, the death toll will be devastating.
Looking at the present trajectory of the conflict, it is likely that the Syrian government will win.
Remember, the war began as an uprising against the brutality and violence of that government. That those responsible for incalculable suffering will likely profit from it is nauseating.
But apart from acting to destroy ISIS, the world has done little to end the bloodshed. We have watched, we have condemned, we have convened peace talks.
There are times when decisive, collective action is needed to end conflict, like the sort of intervention Australia led in East Timor in 1999. If we believe that human rights are universal, and a child in Syria deserves the same protections as a child in Australia, then we have a collective obligation to act. It’s too late for Syria, but we must strive to act more quickly to end conflict.