The Syria Dilemma

by Nader Hashemi (Editor), Danny Postel

Can we stop the bleeding in Syria without its becoming another Iraq? The United States is on the brink of intervention in Syria, but the effect of any eventual American action is impossible to predict. The Syrian conflict has killed more than 100,000 people and displaced millions, yet most observers warn that the worst is still to come. And the international community cannot agree how respond to this humanitarian catastrophe. World leaders have repeatedly resolved not to let atrocities happen in plain view, but the legacy of the bloody and costly intervention in Iraq has left policymakers with little appetite for more military operations. So we find ourselves in the grip of a double the urge to stop the bleeding in Syria, and the fear that attempting to do so would be Iraq redux. What should be done about the apparently intractable Syrian conflict? This book focuses on the ethical and political dilemmas at the heart of the debate about Syria and the possibility of humanitarian intervention in today's world. The contributors--Syria experts, international relations theorists, human rights activists, and scholars of humanitarian intervention--don't always agree, but together they represent the best political thinking on the issue. The Syria Dilemma includes original pieces from Michael Ignatieff, Mary Kaldor, Radwan Ziadeh, Thomas Pierret, Afra Jalabi, and others. Contributors
Asli Bâli, Richard Falk, Tom Farer, Charles Glass, Shadi Hamid, Nader Hashemi, Christopher Hill, Michael Ignatieff, Afra Jalabi, Rafif Jouejati, Mary Kaldor, Marc Lynch, Vali Nasr, Thomas Pierret, Danny Postel, Aziz Rana, Christoph Reuter, Kenneth Roth, Anne-Marie Slaughter, Fareed Zakaria, Radwan Ziadeh, Stephen Zunes

Genres: Middle East, Politics, Nonfiction, Essays

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Nader Hashemi is the Director of the Center for Middle East Studies and an Assistant Professor of Middle East and Islamic Politics at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver.

Reviews

[Muhammad Ahmad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent contributions by Nader Hashemi, Thomas Pierret, Christoph Reuter and Vali Nasr. The book gives a fair hearing to the advocates of a hands off approach, an argument which at times shows ignorance, at times indifference, and at others dishonesty. What's at stake is best highlighted in Hashemi and Reuter's excellent contributions. And the scaremongering around the Islamist threat is compellingly despatched by Pierret. Over all, a must read for anyone who wants to understand the situation in Syria.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obviously not the feel-good book of the year, however, it was an interesting collection of viewpoints regarding the violence and politics in Syria. My only criticism is that there was a lot of repetition in reading each authors' set up of their arguments. I was hoping to come away with a little more short-term history of how things have gotten to where they are, but that's "on me". Overall, it was a good book, and I liked the variety of styles. I added a lot of names and websites to my Internet routine.

[Bill Weinberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed it for Middle East Policy Journal, also online at my own website... http://ww4report.com/node/13061

[Elias · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its interesting to read this book 8 years later with the knowledge of how the situation in Syria actually turned out. The arguments in the book were either arm the rebels, intervene militarily, or find a diplomatic solution. The last option was the most convincing one for me, but of course all that changed with the rise of ISIS. It threw a third player into the mix and then it wasn’t just Assad vs the rebels. Not sure if there was a feasible, non-military option with ISIS being a threat. Perhaps what the West should have done is engage Russia and Iran sooner to mediate with Syria and find a diplomatic solution. Overall, good editing and assortment of essays on the topic.

[Alberto Tebaldi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this to be an essay on the geopolitics of Syria but it has been a (quite boring) collection of recommendations on how to solve the civil unrest in the country.

[Will · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a composition of a number of essays about various parts of the Syrian Revolution, and questions the role of the West in the response. All of these essays were written in the first year of the conflict, meaning the book feels very dated very quickly. Since the book only looks at the initial stages of the conflict, it doesn't question the rise of jihadist groups or the increasing international interventions.

[Antony · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book features a collection of perspectives on Syria from some of the leading commentators. Some know Syria's human terrain better than others. They all disagree with each other of course, and at the end of the book any reader will be as confused about what to do as the international community is. It is always important in life to consider all the alternatives to complex problems.

[Brendan L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book with lots of history and back story about the conflict in Syria. I read this book in 2014 so the situation has since changed but the history is the same. The writing is clear and concise.

I was able to pick this book up without knowing much of Syria's past and was able to catch on. Good read for someone looking to dive into the conflict in Syria.

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be a fascinating overview of the many different elements related to the crises in Syria. The book certainly challenged me to consider whether or not the global community should intervene in Syria. I highly recommend this title to those interested in this subject.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent review of many of the ethical and political responses to Syria & need for or not for humanitarian intervention from a diverse host analysts, including Nader Hashemi, Richard Falk, Afra Jalabi, Asli Bali and many others.