"The book is an important source for those seeking to study the Middle East, the Arab Spring, and the Syrian civil war. The breadth of Abhyankar's treatment of the conflict, along with the details given, help readers look at the events contributing to the unrest from different angles. Moreover, the author offers several approaches that could aid in moving the political process forward, making the book a constructive reference for the region for years to come." (Emrah Atar, Insight Turkey, Vol. 23 (3), 2021)
Chapter 1: Will Syria Survive? Fall-out of the Unending Civil War.- Chapter 2: Why Syria Matters.- Chapter 3: The Syrian Revolution and Its Aftermath.- Chapter 4: The Assad Regime, Does Longevity Trump Credibility?.- Chapter 5: Role of Regional and International Powers.- Chapter 6: International Efforts Towards Peace: United Nations and Others.- Chapter 6: The Future of Syria.
Rajendra Abhyankar taught at the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA. He taught courses on the Practice of Diplomacy at the graduate and undergraduate levels and a Capstone course at the graduate level. Professor Abhyankar’s long and varied diplomatic career since 1968 culminated as India’s Ambassador to the European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg. He has also been Indian Ambassador to Cyprus, Syria, Turkey, Azerbaijan. He was Deputy High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka and Consul General of India, San Francisco. He has been Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs from 2001 to 2004. He is the author/co-author of six books on various aspects of India’s foreign policy. He has written for both Indian and foreign journals and widely sought at a speaker. He has travelled widely and speaks five languages other than English apart from four Indian languages. He lives with his wife in Mumbai, India.
This book explores how the ethically inconsistent behaviour by international entities can be rooted in moral fibers of the decision-makers, their varying foci depending on their self-interest, ignoring long established norms of international conduct on which they rest. It explores further to what extent such decisions may be shaped or modified by contextual factors leading eventually to the dismantling of the existing international system. It analyses the various aspects of the Syrian situation, its determinants and variations across socio-economic and demographic factors as a precursor to being replicate in other international situations.
Rajendra Abhyankar taught at the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA. He taught courses on the Practice of Diplomacy at the graduate and undergraduate levels and a Capstone course at the graduate level. Professor Abhyankar’s long and varied diplomatic career since 1968 culminated as India’s Ambassador to the European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg. He has also been Indian Ambassador to Cyprus, Syria, Turkey, Azerbaijan. He was Deputy High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka and Consul General of India, San Francisco. He has been Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs from 2001 to 2004. He is the author/co-author of six books on various aspects of India’s Foreign Policy.