THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary-December 31, 2016- Topic 2
The ceasefire reached between Syria’s
government and Opposition, with the mediation of Turkey, Russia and Iran, could
be a turning point in the country’s civil war. Unlike the two previous failed
ceasefires this year — which were negotiated between Russia and the U.S. — the
latest one is sponsored by countries directly involved in the conflict. The
positive reaction from both the Syrian regime and rebel commanders to the
announcement of the ceasefire by Russian President Vladimir Putin also suggests
that the warring parties are willing to give diplomacy a chance. For the Syrian
government, this is an opportunity to announce it is ready for a peaceful
settlement. Though President Bashar al-Assad has repeatedly claimed that he
would retake the entire territory from the rebels, a military solution appears
to be illusory. A prolonged conflict will exhaust the regime forces further and
multiply the humanitarian costs. On the other side, after the victory in
Aleppo, the regime could now negotiate with the rebels from a position of
strength. For the rebels, the momentum is gone. Their support is limited to
certain parts such as Idlib, Daraa and the outskirts of Damascus. The question
they face is whether they should continue fighting a never-ending war of
attrition or seek to gain leverage from whatever military influence they are
left with.
There is a convergence of interests for
Turkey and Russia in finding a peaceful solution. Having seen the U.S.
interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan, Russia doesn’t want to get stuck in
Syria. By promoting a negotiated deal, it could retain its core interests in
Syria while at the same time projecting itself as a power broker in West Asia.
Turkey wants to limit the spillover effects of the war on its soil and stop
Kurdish rebels from capitalising on the chaos in Syria. This explains why
Turkey and Russia have come together now despite their bitter relations last
year. But these objective conditions alone may not produce sustainable peace.
It is still not clear which rebel groups have agreed to the ceasefire. Turkey
supports only some of the rebel groups, while several other groups get support
from Gulf monarchies. There are jihadist elements as well in the Opposition,
such as Fateh al-Sham, that could play the spoiler by carrying out attacks on
government positions. Besides, the Kurdish question remains unaddressed. If
Kurds are invited for talks, Turkey might withdraw its support for the peace
process. For now, however, if the ceasefire holds at least till next month’s
Astana summit of the related parties, it could be a new beginning for Syria.
Vocabulary
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.
Conflict: a serious disagreement or argument, typically a
protracted one.
Example: The eternal conflict between the sexes
Synonyms: dispute, quarrel, squabble, disagreement, dissension, clash
Warring: engage in a war.
Example: Small states warred against each other
Synonyms: fight against, battle against, combat against, wage
war against
Illusory: based on illusion; not real.
Example: She knew the safety of her room was illusory
Synonyms: delusory, delusive, illusionary, imagined, imaginary, fanciful
Exhaust: use up resources or reserves completely.
Example: The country has exhausted its treasury reserves
Synonyms: use up, run through, go through, consume, finish
Attrition: sorrow, but not contrition, for sin.
Example: The council is trying to wear down the opposition by attrition
Synonyms: wearing down, wearing away, weakening, debilitation, enfeebling
Leverage: the exertion of force by means of a lever or an object
used in the manner of a lever.
Example: My spade hit something solid that wouldn't respond to leverage
Synonyms: grip, purchase, hold, support, anchorage, force, strength
Convergence: the process or state of
converging.
Example: The convergence of lines in the distance
Monarchy: a form of government with a monarch at the head.
Example: You can see that the resulting difference in the constitution may be
enormous: anywhere from social democracy to absolute monarchy
