Is the Syrian Conflict the Beginning of the End?




It is granted that many analysts have hinted the unlikelihood of the break out of world war III from the Syrian conflict having monitored the dispositions of the super powers to an all-out war. Indeed, the super powers especially the US and allies are cautious with their reactions to Russia's provocations. Russia herself has taken to denials to the army of accusations from the West - a smart way of making the West believe that Russia is not out to challenge.

The obvious caution against war by the super powers notwithstanding, the Syrian conflict is capable of taking the world by surprise leading to the much prophesied Armageddon. This position is hinged on a number of premises:

(1) The conflict has many actors - prominent among them are the Assad's troops, Russia, ISIS, USA, Rebels, Turkey, Kurds, Hezbollah, Australia, etc. Each time I look at the array of actors in the conflict and there interests, it reminds me of the Hobbesian State of Nature where everybody was against everybody. The multiplicity of actors in the conflict leaves the world in danger of another global war possibly from unintentional hurt by a super power against another.

(2) The personality of the leaders of the super powers in the conflict are conflict-friendly. We have the young Macron of France, the diabolic Trump of USA, and the taciturn Putin of Russia in the conflict. The election of Macron, Trump, and the reelection of Putin as leaders of the super powers represent an impending doom especially as they are currently interested in Syria. It is needless to say that youthful aggression, diabolic disposition, and unspoken intention of the respective leaders are fertile grounds for breeding conflicts. 

(3) The alleged Syrian chemical weapon attack in the rebel-held territory in Syria aggravated the matter. The chemical attack occurred while U.K nursed the wound, and considered options to take against the recent nerve agent attack on Skripal and his daughter, Yulia in Salisbury, U.K. Russia-UK relations plunged amid row over the poisoning as the nerve agent used in the attack was Russian weapon-grade nerve agent called Novichok. Now, the West considers military response to the Chemical attack in Syria, and Russia says that the West would be crossing the red line striking Syria. Now I ask, is this the beginning of the end?