Syria at a Crossroads...

Today marks the 40th day since protests erupted in Syria. While they started sporadically and reluctantly as if testing the water, the protests have gained momentum by day reaching a peak yesterday after Friday prayers leading to the death of 88 civilians according to some news sources. The government's tactics in responding to the protestors seems to indicate a muddled decision-making process and absence of centralized authority. The responses have varied between media blackout, concessions, and violent crackdown. Similar desperate measures are reminiscent of the last days of Mubarak. But, unlike Egypt, Syria's army falls under the president's command, which could mean an extensive draining battle before Syrians are finally able to draw the curtains on an era of repression. Another noteworthy factor is the fate of other dictators in the region, namely Libya's Gaddafi and Yemen's Saleh, which ultimately impact the protestors' morale. Toppling neighboring dictators previously had the effect of emboldening protestors and reinvigorating their stance. 
While it is still very early to judge how the events will unfold during these crucial moments, it is inarguable that these are historic times for the country ...

(Picture: historical city of Bosra in southern Syria)

On Opposition...

Since my previous post was about a much-anticipated but lagging Syrian revolution, I thought it was only fair to share some updates from the Syrian opposition. The following link shows footages of protestors from various parts of the country, collected in association with the UK-based Strategic Research and Communication Centre: http://www.icontact-archive.com/Bm8lHV2mhxCcOgrfaR4ODDF-0-Edh3VG?w=3

In spite of the sporadic protests, I still think that a major unified revolution has not yet taken place and is unlikely to happen in the near future, unless radical internal structural shifts or external interference take place.

As a matter of fact, the majority of Damascenes I have talked to report the continuation of normal daily activities, dismissing the news about the protests as "conspiracy theories aimed at national solidarity".

Here, I would really like to say a few things about opposition gorups. Regardless of the end results it achieves, the existence of opposition in any self-respecting constitutional regime is as vital as the presnce of the government in power itself. Call it the Yin and Yang of politics, if you will. Opposition ensures that powers are kept in check and that a healthy civil discussion is maintained. Most important, "opposition" is neither synonymous with "unpatriotism" nor "sectarianism". And while I do not generally support a power vacuum, I certainly can not give my voice to any institution that readily labels anyone seeking imporovement as an unpatriotic agent.