Transnational Arms Flows in the Syrian Civil War
- Degree Grantor:
- University of California, Santa Barbara. Global Studies
- Degree Supervisor:
- Paul Amar
- Place of Publication:
- [Santa Barbara, Calif.]
- Publisher:
- University of California, Santa Barbara
- Creation Date:
- 2015
- Issued Date:
- 2015
- Topics:
- Peace studies, Sociology, and International relations
- Genres:
- Online resources and Dissertations, Academic
- Dissertation:
- M.A.--University of California, Santa Barbara, 2015
- Description:
This paper looks at small arms transfers to non-state actors in the Syrian conflict as an under analyzed aspect of intervention in intrastate war that is both globalized and potentially destabilizing. I challenge the dominant narrative that the international community has failed to intervene in Syria, by pointing to the manifold government-funded arms transfers to opposition groups beginning in 2012. I find that there are two significant networks of arms trafficking: one through Jordan with Saudi Arabian and American support; the other through Turkey with Qatari support. These patterns and rivalries between donor countries have contributed to three processes within the transformation from revolution to civil war: militarization, increased sectarianism, and fragmentation of the opposition. I review two mechanisms of international arms control: multilateral embargoes and the recent Arms Trade Treaty. Their weaknesses, as evident in the case of Syria, are related to the problems of self-monitoring and enforcement by states that have contradictory incentives. Next, I address the related issue of surplus arms by looking at how the failure of disarmament measures in Iraq and Libya had a direct impact on arms proliferation in Syria. I conclude with a discussion of the legality of arms transfers to non-state actors and the need to focus on political rather than military solutions to globalized conflict.
- Physical Description:
- 1 online resource (103 pages)
- Format:
- Text
- Collection(s):
- UCSB electronic theses and dissertations
- Other Versions:
- http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&res_dat=xri:pqm&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:1600299
- ARK:
- ark:/48907/f3k072fc
- ISBN:
- 9781339086705
- Catalog System Number:
- 990045716160203776
- Copyright:
- Megan Stanek, 2015
- Rights:
In Copyright
- Copyright Holder:
- Megan Stanek
File | Description |
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Access: Public access | |
Stanek_ucsb_0035N_12617.pdf | pdf (Portable Document Format) |