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. More deaths and thousands of mass arrests, including of women and children, have also been reported.  

 A Syrian-American who lives in Chicago joins us to discuss the latest developments. Originally from the city of Homs – which has seen some of Syria’s greatest unrest – she asked us not to use her real name in order to ensure that family members in Syria don’t face retaliation.