As President Obama meets with fellow G-8 leaders in Northern Ireland, Syria’s fate is high on the agenda.
Last week, the Obama Administration concluded that troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have used chemical weapons against Syrian rebels, and the Administration announced that it will supply the rebels with lethal weapons. There is little consensus on the path forward, however. Some G-8 attendees, including British Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, welcome the American intervention, while the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin remains skeptical that Assad has used chemical weapons.
Former British ambassador Carne Ross is founder of Independent Diplomat, a non-profit diplomatic advisory group that is currently advising the Syrian Coalition. He outlines the Syrian rebels’ position, and analyzes the potential issues in the international community.