THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary- September 14, 2016- Topic 2

The ceasefire in Syria

The agreement reached between Russia and the United States in Geneva on a CEASEFIRE in Syria is perhaps the best opportunity for a solution to the five-and-a-half-year old civil war. Under it, Russia will PREVENT the REGIME of President Bashar al-Assad from bombing rebel-held areas, while the U.S. will join hands with Russia in the fight against jihadist groups, including the Islamic State. The broad framework of the deal is the Putin Plan, made public a year ago while announcing Russia’s INTERVENTION in Syria. Vladimir Putin wanted Syrian statehood to be restored and the major powers to come together in the fight against the jihadists. When Russia made the proposal at the UN General Assembly, not many had expected that Moscow and Washington would come together on Syria. The U.S.’s initial response to the Russian intervention was SCEPTICAL, with reservations about Russia attacking non-IS rebel groups. There were fears about the CONFLICT escalating into a full-blown war. Instead, the Putin Plan seems to have worked, ALBEIT with a heavy human cost. The intervention has BOLSTERED the Syrian regime, changing the balance of the conflict. Mr. Assad’s regime was on the VERGE of collapse a year ago; it is now stable at least in its strongholds. The rebels’ influence has SHRUNK, though they appear to be unbeatable in many of the small towns they control. This STALEMATE and the fear of more BLOODSHED may have prompted both the U.S. and Russia to play down their differences.

This time, the prospects for peace are brighter given the investment the two military powers have made. Both the rebels and the regime have welcomed the deal. There are positive changes at the regional level as well. Turkey, a STAUNCH supporter of the rebels, had recently said Mr. Assad could play a transitional role in Syria. Two big challenges remain. First, can Russia halt Mr. Assad’s fighter jets? Though Moscow WIELDS strong influence over Damascus, it has in the past expressed uneasiness over the STUBBORNNESS of the regime. The regime is now making gains in the battlefield. Even if Mr. Assad agrees to suspend the bombing, it is not clear if he will be prepared to make any meaningful compromises in the peace talks. Second, the rebels fighting the regime are not a unified force. Russia wants Fateh al-Sham, a former affiliate of al-Qaeda, to be singled out and attacked. The U.S. has agreed to this suggestion in principle, but its practicality is uncertain. However, the odds should not overshadow the significance of the agreement. If the ceasefire is clearly established, that itself would be quite an achievement given the horrors of the war.

 ::::::::::::::::::::::Meanings with example and Synonyms::::::::::::::::::::::

Ceasefire: a temporary suspension of fighting, typically one during which peace talks take place; a truce.

Example: War with people who break their ceasefire agreements is the default position

Prevent: keep (something) from happening or arising.

Example: Action must be taken to prevent further accidents

Synonyms: stop, put a stop to, avert, nip in the bud, fend off, stave off

Regime: a system or planned way of doing things, especially one imposed from above.

Example: Detention centers with a very tough physical regime

Synonyms: system, arrangement, order, pattern, method, procedure, routine

Intervention: the action or process of intervening.

Example: They are plants that grow naturally without human intervention

Sceptical: not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations.

Example: The public were deeply skeptical about some of the proposals

Synonyms: dubious, doubtful, taking something with a pinch of salt, doubting

Conflict: a serious disagreement or argument, typically a protracted one.

Example: The eternal conflict between the sexes

Synonyms: dispute, quarrel, squabble, disagreement, dissension, clash, discord, friction

Albeit: although.

Example: He was making progress, albeit rather slowly

Bolstered: support or strengthen; prop up.

Example: The fall in interest rates is starting to bolster confidence
Synonyms: Strengthen, bolster up, pad

Verge: an edge or border.

Example: They came down to the verge of the lake

Synonyms: edge, border, margin, side, brink, rim, lip, fringe, boundary, perimeter

Shrunk: become or make smaller in size or amount; contract or cause to contract.

Example: The workforce has shrunk to less than a thousand

Synonyms: get smaller, become/grow smaller, contract, diminish

Stalemate: a position counting as a draw, in which a player is not in check but cannot move except into check.

Example: The often-criticized rule that stalemate is a draw also increases Chess's drama, by giving a player hope of salvaging something even after he can no longer win

Bloodshed: the killing or wounding of people, typically on a large scale during a conflict.

Example: Fresh troops arrived in the city throughout the day, triggering fears of further bloodshed .

Synonyms: slaughter, massacre, killing, wounding, carnage, butchery

Staunch: loyal and committed in attitude.

Example: A staunch supporter of the antinuclear lobby

Synonyms: stalwart, loyal, faithful, committed, devoted, dedicated, dependable, reliable

Wields: hold and use (a weapon or tool).

Example: A masked raider wielding a handgun

Synonyms: brandish, flourish, wave, swing

Stubbornness: stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so.

Example: You can have really strong, obstinate opinions, so long as your facts are true, you're OK.

Synonyms: stubborn, unyielding, inflexible, unbending, intransigent, intractable