There may soon be peace in a part of the Middle East.
According to The New York Times, representatives from Russia and the U.S. have worked out an agreement to obtain Syria’s chemical weapons and properly dispose of them.
Syria’s willingness to abide by the chemical weapons convention combined with the joint agreement reached by the U.S. and Russia proves that having a credible military threat works.
President Barack Obama’s threat to strike militarily may have led Syria to concede that it possesses chemical weapons.
As countries like Syria continue to struggle to find alternative forms of government, it is important that the de-arming process remains peaceful.
A country that cannot govern its affairs within its borders threatens the security and interests of bordering neighbors and allies.
As the Syrian civil war escalates, an estimated 2.5 million Syrian refugees have been displaced from their homes, according to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.
Many extremist groups recruit refugees, which can create instability and breed more extremist rebel groups.
Such groups already exist in Syria, fighting on the side of the rebels.
Even if a multi-religious country seeks to wage war to determine who’s in charge, the act of killing fellow citizens still constitutes genocide.
The United Nations must seek small victories like having Syria agree to a chemical weapons convention in order to further efforts in slowing down the violence and returning order.
It has been agreed upon in past U.N. resolutions that if a country cannot adequately protect itself, military force can be reserved as a last resort.
Time only serves to delay decisive action and draw out the loss in human life and suffering.
It is Russia’s duty as member of the Security Council to not look away from the loss of human life and to help in a peacekeeping role to provide aid to the Syrian people.
Russia’s focus should be on Syria and its people, not on competing interests with the U.S.
All aims must work toward a mutual understanding of peace and prosperity.
As long as a decision is reached towards that end instead of “us versus them,” it’s possible to reach diplomatic solutions.
While American exceptionalism is what drives the decision to intervene, diplomatic solutions backed with the last resort of force can bring about a decisive end to a two-year conflict that has taken the lives of more than 100,000 people.
That’s a responsibility of a member of the Security Council.
Countries with strong military and economic influence must leverage themselves prudently as leaders toward peaceful solutions.
“Equal under God” does not guarantee that same equality on Earth; therefore, we must work together as people to reach those ends.
As a member of the U.N. Security Council, Russia must aim to prevent genocide.
Nicolas Rodriguez is a senior political science major and an assistant opinions editor at the Daily 49er.
