Syrian civil war a global threat

The horrific war in Syria continues to worsen and bleed beyond its borders. A cold calculation seems to be taking hold: that little can be done except to arm the parties and watch the conflict rage. The international community must not abandon the people of Syria and the region to never-ending waves of cruelty and crisis.

The death toll may now be well over 150,000. Prisons and makeshift detention facilities are swelling with men, women and even children. Deaths by summary executions and unspeakable torture are widespread. People are also dying from hunger and once rare infectious diseases. Whole urban centers and some of humankind's great architectural and cultural heritage lie in ruins. Syria today is increasingly a failed state.

The United Nations has tried hard to address the conflict's deep roots and devastating impact. Our humanitarian and other efforts are saving lives and reducing suffering. But our fundamental objective - an end to the conflict - remains unmet. The bleak prospects for peace have darkened further with the flare-up of violence and sectarian tensions in Iraq. The cohesion and integrity of two major countries, not just one, is in question.