AN APPRAISAL OF RUSSIA AND UNITED STATES (US) INVOLVEMENT IN SYRIA CIVIL WAR

Abstract

Concerned by the worst humanitarian intractable civil war in Syria, this paper aims to appraise the involvements of Russia and the US inthewar. It questions the reasons behind these involvements as well as the implications of their respective involvements. To this end, the study adopted the theory of political realism (power model) as its framework of analysis. Utilizing documentary sources of data collection, the research employed the content analysis technique to analyze data collected. Through logical chain of evidence, deductions and inferences, the study discovered that although the driving force behind Russia and US involvements in Syria civil war is centered on their desire to secure and advance respective national interests, the resurgence of Russia as a formidable challenger in the Middle East is diminishing US hegemony in the region and US reluctance to accept this new reality will continue to cripple Syria and the region at large. Based on these findings, the paper concludes that, unless there emerges a ground for compromise, or a clear dominant power, or an internationally recognized efficient bureaucracy, the unrest in Syria will drag on.