Abstract
This paper examines U.S. support of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) through compliance-gaining theory. By and large, the theory describes how one party is able to get another party to comply with specific demands. The particular compliance-gaining tactics explored in this analysis are ingratiation, debt, guilt, and compromise. Thanks to these tactics, we can better understand how a rebel group like the FSA has managed to convince a superpower like the U.S. to support it, in spite of the historical implications of supporting rebel groups in the past. To make its compliance-gaining stronger, the FSA has played up ideas or concepts like oil, trust, blame, obligation, and past U.S. military interventions to collaborate with the U.S. so as to bring down the Syrian government and, by the same token, resist Russian influence in Syria.
Highlights
In this paper, the authors use compliance-gaining theory to analyze how the U.S supports the Free Syrian Army (FSA) in their fight against the current Syrian government led by Bashar al-Assad
To make its compliance-gaining stronger, the FSA has played up ideas or concepts like oil, trust, blame, obligation, and past U.S military interventions to collaborate with the U.S so as to bring down the Syrian government and, by the same token, resist Russian influence in Syria
Through the use of four compliance-gaining tactics, the Syrian opposition forces have managed to persuade the U.S that they can be trusted in fighting the current Syrian government led by Bashar al-Assad
Summary
The authors use compliance-gaining theory to analyze how the U.S supports the Free Syrian Army (FSA) in their fight against the current Syrian government led by Bashar al-Assad. The particular compliance-gaining tactics explored in this analysis are ingratiation, debt, guilt, and compromise. Compromise refers to an agreement between different parties whereby each side gives up parts of its demands so as to reach mutual goals. Thanks to these tactics, we can better understand how a rebel group like the FSA has managed to convince a superpower like the U.S to support it, in spite of the historical implications of supporting rebel groups in the past. To make its compliance-gaining stronger, the FSA has played up ideas or concepts like oil, trust, blame, obligation, and past U.S military interventions to collaborate with the U.S so as to bring down the Syrian government and, by the same token, resist Russian influence in Syria. What comes subsequently is the heart of this analysis: the application of the theory to the FSA’s support provided by the U.S This paper ends with a discussion that includes an explanation of the theory’s weaknesses
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