The Syrian Humanitarian Crisis

Next month will mark the fourth anniversary since the start of the Syrian conflict, and there are no signs that the crisis will abate anytime soon. Assad has demonstrated no remorse, and, indeed, his intransigence has only hardened as he maintains his grasp on power and the enclaves of Syria, thanks to the support from Iran and the United States' unwillingness to engage both ISIL and Assad in a comprehensive strategy. ISIL and other terror groups have managed to wrest control of other large areas of Syria, and they, too, have no intention of giving up the territory they have claimed. Since President Obama announced strikes against Syria last September, ISIL has actually gained more territory. That leaves little territory for those Syrians who wish to flee the fighting and flee the violence. What we are seeing unfold in Syria is one of the worst humanitarian crises in the region in recent memory, and it isn't just limited to Syrian and Iraq. Jordan and other neighboring countries have been forced to bear the brunt of a massive influx of refugees fleeing the fighting.