Arab League Debates Syria, Russia Picks a Side

As previously reported, the protests in Syria have been spreading rapidly with the arrival of Arab League observers. The opposition has paused from threatening Israel, to defend itself against charges of terrorism. Apparently President Bashar al-Assad, knows how to strike back where it hurts, with bad public relations.

With the spreading of the protests, so came increased violence. Suicide bombings began occurring at various government buildings. The al-Assad regime was quick to blame the attacks on the opposition. The opposition claims no responsibility, and has even responded back that the government made the attacks happen so as to make the movement look bad. The Arab League observers have been unable to say which side was responsible, but it is unlikely anyone could ever know due to the ever so splintered opposition movement and the secrecy of the totalitarian government. A nice touch by the government was to hold the funerals for slain police officers in a mosque that has been a center for the opposition. Now it is a loyalist stronghold. Armed conflict has also continued to build as Syrian military forces continue to fight against their own who have defected to join rebel forces across the country.

Many Syrians blame the Arab League observers for the increased violence, as no matter who loaded it on, did it surely for the viewing pleasure of the observers. The Arab League has backed off it's own calls for withdrawing the observers, to a debate of deciding whether to increase it's own presence or ask the United Nations for help. UN involvement does seem an eventuality, but the major groups of Syrian opposition have made it clear they do not want it.

An event of interest was the arrival of a Russian flotilla in Tartus, Syria. This naval group did include an aircraft carrier, and members of it were quoted as saying they were sent to show Russia's support for President al-Assad. Russia has upped the ante, as all other international nations have either stayed out of the Syrian conflict, or condemned the regime for it's violent crackdowns.