For the first 10 minutes of every class, my professor discusses Syria with us...
It is a history class on the Eastern Front in WWI and WWII.
His name is Mark Von Hagen.
The man knows essentially the complete history of the former Ottoman Empire. He discusses Syria with a very unbiased tone common of most historians (some might accuse him and others of acting too indifferent). However, it is made abundantly clear through these discussions and their interpolation into historical ongoings in that region of the world that the most fundamental issue underlying local and interstate conflict is foreign meddling. This goes back hundreds of years.
From my perspective, this foreign meddling is a product of globalization and, in essence, is nothing more than conflict induced to maintain certain capitalist ventures. They are market driven wars and this type of conflict has absolutely decimated the region.
When we talk about the Syrian conflict, really conflict in the surrounding region, we do not simply look 5, 10 or 20 years into the past. I don't think most people fully understand the history of countries like Syria. I know I only have a very tenuous grasp relative to Mr. Von Hagen and even now it seems obvious that Europe and the United States have been molesting the area with their greedy little fingers for too long.
Now, in 2013, we have a body of European and American leaders calling for military intervention. This is not a new history.
Meet the new history makers
Same as the old history makers.
Needless to say, I am skeptical. And when a well-learned scholar comes to similar conclusions, I am inclined to heed his warnings.
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