From frustration to cease-fire

The use of chemical weapons in Syria might be a positive sign. It indicates frustration. More than two years of conventional civil war have had extreme bad effects and no positive effects. The idea of war does not seem smart any more. The conflict in Syria is special. It is not so much about territory as about political influence. The territory is given, but the future power structure between the different ethnic and religious groups is not yet decided. So the evaluation of the effects of the war should be related to future influence. The preconception is that the more military violence you use, the bigger gets your influence. In reality it is the other way around. The best way to get support is to support and safeguard the society and its inhabitants. The conditions for supporting any group in Syria are worse now than three years ago. The war has created conflicts which did not exist before. But at the same time as the conflict is worse than ever, the conditions for cease-fire should be better than before. It is obvious for all that more of military violence will do nothing but damage. The time for a political agreement is coming closer. The origin of the war was the new will to be free and independent which has swept over many nations lately, starting in Tunisia. This freedom is legitimate and should not be stopped by military means. But many groups want freedom, so the old idea of freedom by domination should be replaced by the idea of freedom in cooperation and harmony.