Why Syria Matters

There is widespread opposition in the West against foreign intervention in Syria. By large margins, public opinion in the West opposes the projection of Western military power into the Syrian conflict. Much of this sentiment is driven by opposition to US intervention in Iraq after 2003 and the sordid legacy that was left behind. But is Syria another Iraq? Are the best interests of the Syrian people, the Middle East and the broader world best served by staying out of the Syrian conflict? This lecture challenges mainstream public opinion in the West by providing a moral argument as to why Syria matters and why external intervention in Syria can be ethically justified.