As we currently stand on the brink of war in Syria, it is imperative that we as a country understand our chances and possible outcomes of such a war. Syria resides in the breadbasket of human civilization, and has a rich, diverse, and historical culture. To win a war you must fully understand the operational environment. The focus of this paper will be on the different people, organizations, and groups found in this diverse country. To assist in that objective, this paper will attempt to define the complex culture, geography, military history, and weather effects on the culture. With the complexity of Syria’s culture, we could write a ten-page paper on culture alone, and still be wanting. Culture is defined as “the beliefs, customs,
…show more content…
Modern day Syria is located in what can be considered the crossroads of all the resource laden super-powers in the Middle East. It sits in between the Taurus mountains to the North, the Mediterranean Sea to the West, The Sinai Peninsula to the South, and a desert to the East (Goujon, 2015). The country is very arid, and other than a narrow strip of land on the Mediterranean, is susceptible to extreme temperatures, dust storms, and severe droughts (Polk, 2013). The capital, Damascus, is located in the Mid-West of the Country and is directly connected to trade ports on the Mediterranean. Syria lacks a strong natural binding element, such as the Nile river, so it relies heavily on oil and the Mediterranean Sea. The main river is the Euphrates, but it is heavily depleted by Iraq and Turkey (Polk, …show more content…
As a United States Service member, it is a necessity. The diverse culture in Syria, made up of unique ethnic and religious groups has proven through the centuries difficult to unify. The geography of the country has put it in the crossroads of power-hungry nations for thousands of years. It has also hindered the infrastructure throughout. This has led to constant violence, bloodshed, and military actions. All of these aspects combined have created an unstable munition. However, it was the weather that sparked the fuse. Sending the populace into dissent, hunger, anger, and rebellion. To add to the complexity of Syria, the result of the current Civil-War has the potential to completely change the geopolitical environment once again, adding to the long-lived tradition in the
Modern day Syria is located in what can be considered the crossroads of all the resource laden super-powers in the Middle East. It sits in between the Taurus mountains to the North, the Mediterranean Sea to the West, The Sinai Peninsula to the South, and a desert to the East (Goujon, 2015). The country is very arid, and other than a narrow strip of land on the Mediterranean, is susceptible to extreme temperatures, dust storms, and severe droughts (Polk, 2013). The capital, Damascus, is located in the Mid-West of the Country and is directly connected to trade ports on the Mediterranean. Syria lacks a strong natural binding element, such as the Nile river, so it relies heavily on oil and the Mediterranean Sea. The main river is the Euphrates, but it is heavily depleted by Iraq and Turkey (Polk, …show more content…
As a United States Service member, it is a necessity. The diverse culture in Syria, made up of unique ethnic and religious groups has proven through the centuries difficult to unify. The geography of the country has put it in the crossroads of power-hungry nations for thousands of years. It has also hindered the infrastructure throughout. This has led to constant violence, bloodshed, and military actions. All of these aspects combined have created an unstable munition. However, it was the weather that sparked the fuse. Sending the populace into dissent, hunger, anger, and rebellion. To add to the complexity of Syria, the result of the current Civil-War has the potential to completely change the geopolitical environment once again, adding to the long-lived tradition in the