for more on the situation in syria i'm joined by sharmeen our one year middle east expert and senior associate at st anthony's college oxford so russia has warned of a repeat of the libyan style intervention in syria despite diplomatic efforts of moscow and beijing not to allow that via the un charter likely do you think it is that that may happen. you know i think i'm concerned about the discourse on syria i think we start at the wrong starting point there's so much escalation of rhetoric . going on and i think you know the main thing to look at is that syria sits at a geo political fault line in the middle east and is at the center of. the struggle for the balance of power in the region. it's it's one of the few countries that has experienced revolts in the region where people are actually discouraging for discussions or dialogue and negotiations i think what we first need to look at is what is actually happening in syria you know video photographs being beamed outside satellite pictures inside iraq. and i think you know to take a step back we have to look at you know aside from th