What now for Syria – and the Middle East?
George Makeen
This has been an extraordinarily heartbreaking year for the peoples of the Middle East. No one could have predicted the bloodshed across the Holy Land that has lasted for more than a year, or the current dramatic events in Syria.
The Syrian civil war that started over 13 years ago, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives and displacing millions, had become mostly dormant until an unexpected re-eruption at the end of November. Then, a regime that had remained in power for over five decades collapsed in less than two weeks. As millions of Syrians celebrate the fall of the dictator, the world is holding its breath to see what will happen next. Will this really be a new era of peace and freedom for Syria after years of oppression and conflict?