International aid to Syria is at an inflection point. As the number of Syrians in need continues to rise a decade into the conflict, the Assad government continues to use aid to reward its allies and punish its adversaries. The Syrian government has grown increasingly skilled at turning humanitarian assistance into a political instrument. Consequently, global efforts to support the Syrian people increasingly have the effect of politically and financially strengthening the Syrian government—the same government that is responsible for the suffering of millions of Syrians and the exile of millions more. Adding billions of dollars in aid to the current system will not save Syria; instead, it will entrench the government and nefarious actors, ensuring millions of Syrians, desperately in need of assistance, continue to suffer.
