UN Peace Plan for Syria Failing

 

A suicide bomber struck the Syrian capital of Damascus on April 27, killing at least 10 people and wounding about 30 more. The carnage took place across the street from the Zain al-Abideen mosque, which is known as a rallying point for demonstrations against the regime of Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad. The terrorist reportedly wore a military-style uniform that concealed a suicide bomb vest. When soldiers intercepted the man as he approached, he detonated the bomb.

The lethal explosion is the latest in a wave of blasts that have rocked Syrian cities in recent months, and one of four that occurred in Damascus on Friday. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Assad regime blames it on unspecified “terrorists”—the same description it applies to anti-regime protesters. Some anti-regime activists claim that the bombing was actually an attempt by the government to besmirch the uprising, which began in March of last year. Since then, Syrian forces have killed more than 9,000 people, according to the United Nations.

The blast is the latest blow to a peace plan that called for a ceasefire to go into effect two weeks ago. The truce, brokered by special envoy Kofi Annan, has been roundly ignored. The UN has only 15 monitors in Syria who are trying to salvage it.

The rising death toll in Syria is the latest demonstration of the UN’s inability to establish peace. The United Nations was originally hailed by national leaders as the world’s last chance for peace. Instead, it is a comprehensive case study in mankind’s inability to govern itself. Thankfully there will soon be a new government that will usher in peace to a world that has never had it. For more information read “Failing to Bring Peace.”