One of the worst humanitarian crises in the 21^st century is happening right now, in a part of the world many people cannot locate.  Syria, a country in the Middle East, located just North of Iraq, is locked in a struggle for their freedom from a brutal and suppressive regime.

    President Bashar al-Assad, the leader of the country, has faced pressure to resign from his position because of accusations of brutally killing his citizens calling for reforms.

    This struggle for independence dates back one year ago today, March 15^th 2011. This was a revolutionary time in the Middle East. The Arab Spring, an uprising by citizens in different Arab countries from Tunisian to Egypt was sweeping across the region.  Nearly every country was having success toppling their suppressive leaders. However, Syria proved itself to be an exception. The leadership began a crackdown, brutally murdering its own citizens in the street, and to this day, the Assad regime remains in power.

    As noted, today marks the one year anniversary of the uprising; so what is being done to help the Syrian people? President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton have expressed disdain for these actions, but the United States Government has not provided any support or aid for the Revolutionary fighters attempting to free their country from oppression.

    The leaders of the world have reason to be trepid about sending aid or troops. The global economy is still reeling from the collapse of 2008, and most citizens are weary of   more intervention in the Middle East. However, what is occurring in Syria is a humanitarian crisis. Those who are protesting for their natural rights in the streets are being killed by their own government. This is a clear situation where the United States must provide aid to help democracy spread.