A group activity for the Burnet News Club.

1. INTERVENING IN SYRIA
THE ARGUMENTS

2. ARGUMENTS
FORGETTING INVOLVED

3. 1The Syrian Conflict
The Arguments
President Assad is
a dictator who has
systematically
killed his own
people for more
than five years.
Removing him from
power is a moral
duty and would
help bring
democracy
to Syria.
serkan senturk / www.shutterstock.com

4. 2 The Syrian Conflict
The Arguments
If Britain
does not
intervene
soon,
terrorist
groups will
become more
powerful as
they take
advantage of
the chaos of
war to seize
more land.

5. 3The Syrian Conflict
The Arguments
If Britain refuses
to intervene then
Mr Assad will
continue to kill his
own people.
The world failed to
intervene enough
in Rwanda, a
country in Africa,
and this led to a
genocide.
LMspencer / www.shutterstock.com

6. 4 The Syrian Conflict
The Arguments
Intervening will
prevent wars in
the future by
showing
governments
that they cannot
kill their own
people or break
the rules of war
without being
punished.

7. 5The Syrian Conflict
The Arguments
There is a lot more
Britain could do to
end the killing: it
could use its air force
to establish “no-fly
zones” or “safe
zones”. It could
destroy Syria’s air
force or send better
weapons to the
rebels so they can
shoot down Russian
and Syrian planes.
Everett Historical/ www.shutterstock.com

8. 6 The Syrian Conflict
The Arguments
Intervention
could press
Russia to
drop its
support for
the Syrian
government.
ID1974 / www.shutterstock.com

9. 7The Syrian Conflict
The Arguments
Intervening
would end the
war and allow
people to return
to their homes.
Orlok / www.shutterstock.com

10. 8 The Syrian Conflict
The Arguments
Instead of
intervening
with its armed
forces, Britain
could send
more aid such
as food and
fuel to civilians
whose lives
have been
ruined by the
fighting. This
would reduce
the suffering.
ART production / www.shutterstock.com

11. ARGUMENTS
AGAINSTGETTING INVOLVED

12. 9The Syrian Conflict
The Arguments
If Britain intervenes
with its military and
the Syrian
government is
defeated, then
terrorists will try to
take control of the
country. This could
lead to more
violence and an
even worse
government
than before.
ART production / www.shutterstock.com

13. 10 The Syrian Conflict
The Arguments
If Britain
intervenes
then Russia
and Iran
will simply
increase their
support to
the regime,
leading to
more violence
that will make
the war last
even longer.
kafeinkolik/www.shutterstock.com

14. 11The Syrian Conflict
The Arguments
When Britain has
intervened in the
past in countries
like Libya, Iraq
and Afghanistan,
it only made
things worse.
Other countries
should be left
alone.

15. 12 The Syrian Conflict
The Arguments
“No-fly zones”
and “safe
zones” are
expensive
to maintain.
Russia has
advanced
missiles that
can hit British
warplanes,
making these
zones too
dangerous to
enforce without
risking a war
with Russia.
Vaalaa / www.shutterstock.com

16. 13The Syrian Conflict
Explained
Any weapons sent
to the rebels could
end up in the hands
of terrorists who
could use them to
attack Britain in
the future.

17. 14 The Syrian Conflict
The Arguments
Britain
already
sends aid
like food and
fuel but
Mr Assad’s
government
blocks
delivery in
many areas.
Delivering aid
is expensive
and won’t end
the war.
Melih Cevdet Teksen / www.shutterstock.com