The Other Humanitarian Crisis Regarding Syria

The brutal civil war in Syria which has been raging for over two years took an ominous turn when the Assad regime apparently decided to use chemical weapons -- sarin specifically -- against rebel-held areas near Damascus.  Over 1,400 civilians were killed, including hundreds of children.  The Administration and Congress will be engaging in a back-and-forth over whether to punish Assad for using chemical weapons.

Another, less visible, humanitarian crisis stemming from the civil war has been the outflow of refugees into neighboring Jordan and Turkey.  There are estimates of 5 million refugees living in primitive conditions just beyond the Syrian border, waiting for a resolution to the conflict there.  Five million.  That's an enormous burden to bear, particularly in the Middle East, which suffers from economic decline.  There is only so much that non-governmental organizations like the Red Crescent, institutions like the U.N., or nations can do given such an influx of humanity.  Allies like Turkey and Jordan risk being destabilized with such a overload on their ability to provide shelter, food and medical care -- yet another factor to consider in the complex dilemma that has presented itself.