Uprising in Syria turns into 18 Month Civil War

On March 15, 2011, the Arab Spring officially began in Syria as many civilians began to protest the corrupt government of President Bashir al Assad. It wasn’t long until the Syrian Army was deployed to stop the protest in a brutal crackdown, killing many.

“The government deployed the army against the protestors, mainly young adults and teenagers, to separate the protestors,” Mr. Trabaris, UHS History teacher, said. This action against the protestors ended up adding more gas to the fire, so to speak, and even more civilians now wanted to see an end to al Assad’s corrupt regime.
And from here began the Syrian uprising, which has lasted 18 months and has claimed roughly 22,700 lives according to some activists.
Assad wanted no uprising, and cut off much of the outside access of the Internet and news, so therefore the conflict did not garner much public attention until the story of 13-year old Hamza Ali al-Khateeb emerged. During a protest in Daraa, the young teenager was separated from his father and taken into police custody, from where he was later returned, dead, to his family complete with signs of torture, mutilation, and gunshot wounds.
“It surprises me that so many people have died since last year,” Junior Miranda Myers said.
The question that many people are asking is how many more Syrians will die in this civil war before it ends?
A lot could be done to end the deaths, but many countries, it seems are planning to stay away. However some, like Syria’s neighbors, Turkey, have taken action, and allowed in many refugees. But their ‘intervention’ has cost a price. In June of 2012 the Syrian army shot down a Turkish army jet nearby the two countries shared border, claiming the life of the pilot. In response, Turkish Prime Minister Recap Tayyip Erdogan has deployed troops and anti-aircraft guns to the shared border of the two countries, and in fact the government of Turkey is very close to war with Assad and his army, but the Turkish people have said no. According to a recent poll, only 11% of the Turkish population is in favor of intervention.
Assad knows that he is going to have to struggle to win the war. He is fighting a rebel army, but is also very close to fighting another country. “We are fighting a regional and global war, so time is needed to win it.” Bashar Al-Assad said. Could Turkey entering the war end Assad’s reign of terror on the civilians, or will Turkey deny the war, letting Assad continue? Only time will tell us.