After nearly five months of unrest and violence, it’s still unclear whether President Bashar al-Assad and his Baathist regime will survive or fall. So far, human rights groups estimate that 1,700 people have died.
Syria bolstered security around the U.S. embassy in Damascus after Monday’s attack by a pro-government mob on the compound drew worldwide rebuke. After weeks of restrained U.S. reaction to Syria’s brutal crackdown on democracy protestors, diplomatic exchanges between the countries are now tense.
Over the last several months, Amina Arraf, a blogger who said she was Syrian-American and went by the name Gay Girl In Damascus, captured the world's attention.
Anti-government protests in Syria are nearing the two-month mark. After initially hinting at compromises, President Bashar al-Assad now appears to favor using force to crush the demonstrations. Last weekend saw an escalation of government forces in cities across Syria.
A Syrian newspaper reported that President Bashar al-Assad is expected to lift a decades-old emergency law that restricts public demonstrations and other political freedoms.
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