The Kozmetsky Center hosted a panel discussion on perspectives on U.S. policy and conflict in Syria in Mabee Ballroom at St. Edward’s University on Sept. 18.

“These aren’t easy issues to deal with, but hopefully this will be a contribution to our community in terms of enhancing their understanding,” Sharyl Cross, director of the Kozmetsky Center, said.

The panel looked at much of the developing news in both their historical context, as well as in ways they are setting precedents for the future.

Cross thinks that the recent diplomacy efforts between Russia and the United States to find a non-violent solution in Syria is another chapter in an old fight between two great powers.

“This feeds kind of this domestic sense that Russia is different, it’s distinct, they have another role to carve out in the world,” Cross said.

Russia’s long alliance with Syria, coupled with its regional concerns that extremists may seize the weapons and they might find their way across Russia’s borders, makes Syria a top priority for Russian officials.

This puts Russia directly against American interests, who must deal not just with resistance abroad, but also a war-weary population of voters.

If the attempts at a simple surrender of chemical weapons were to fail, President Barack Obama would face many challenges in pursuit of military action. Panelist Brian Smith, associate professor of poltical science, believes Obama cannot risk his public approval rating due to a large amount of legislation he wishes to pass later this year, the risk of government shutdown in October and the 2014 congressional elections to think about.

“If it goes well he can claim credit that will get him votes back home, but if it does go poorly he will have to take 100 percent of the blame,” Smith said.

Despite the support of allied governments, a similar lack of public support has kept countries such as England from backing Obama’s initiative. Many of these governments worry what message a lack of action will send to other countries, such as Iran and North Korea, who wish to build up weapons stockpiles of their own.

The discussion attempted to view the issue in Syria from many different angles. The panel discussed not just the familiar headlines, but also some of the other regions that often get forgotten in American media.

“I really liked listening to more of the regional part of it, it seems like it should be covered more in the news, but it seems to be more about the bigger powers,” Christina Clifton, a sophomore Global Studies major, said.

During the discussion, panelist Selin Guner, a global studies professor from Turkey, provided a view of the web of relationships that span the Middle East.

“The Middle East is a really complicated area. It is not simple. There are so many tensions. Ethnic tensions, racial tensions, religious tensions. Once you go in there, you can’t get out of there,” Guner said.

Syria is a complicated and ever-evolving issue and, as such, it can be difficult to follow all the different views that come up every day. The Kozmetsky Center attempted to tackle the most important aspects surrounding Syria, so that students can better understand but also find an avenue for discussion.

“I keep up with the news pretty frequently but it was cool to go in there and see that other people did too,” Bryanna Estrada, sophomore, said.