In the past two years, Syria’s civil war has resulted in more deaths (approximately 100,000) than the total of all American deaths in Vietnam (approximately 58,000). Recently, a chemical weapon called sarin, which has been banned by the United Nations, was used in attacks on Syrian citizens by president Bashar-al Assad. Since the first reported use of chemical weapons on August 21, Assad has agreed to begin to put the weapons under international control. Here, 7,328 miles away from Damascus, Syria’s capitol city, Tam students offer their insights on this humanitarian conflict.
“I think sending troops in is an absolute worst case scenario, and that what is being done is the right thing to do. The only thing [we] as students can do is to be aware and be up to date.”
“It’s horrible what is happening to Syrian citizens, [but] I don’t think violence will solve the problem. I hope Russia’s intervention will help fix the problem.”
“In the past it’s evident that going to war when our country isn’t in danger is a bad idea, and we’ve seen that with Afghanistan and Iraq, so I don’t think there’s a point in going into Syria.”