Syrian Revolution Digest: The New Lebanon!

The world has waited too long it seems, the window of opportunity for ousting the Assad regime at the minimal possible cost for all is closing rapidly, if it hasn’t already. Now we have to deal with the prospect of lebanonization in Syria, and just in time for Christmas! Thank you Santa!

Monday 12, 2011

Today’s death toll: 21, including 4 women. Most of the dead fell in Homs City. Meanwhile clashes between insurgents and loyalists in Idlib, Hama and Deraa/Hauran and Rural Damascus continue.

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THE STRUGGLE FOR SYRIA IN 2011

Syrian opposition: Massacre could follow deadline

Syria unrest: Local elections held despite fighting

Inside Syrian regime, hard-liners gain upper hand

I am not afraid of democracy in action, I am afraid of democracy’s inaction, because that gives ample opportunity for all sorts of vile deeds to take place with impunity. Indeed, this is what’s happening in Syria today.

The Assad regime has rebuilt its killing machine with Iranian and Russian support, and is continuing its crackdown against the people. Left to their devices, with a divided opposition abroad, and international leaders that seem incapable of making up their minds, the revolutionaries are trying their own solutions to the dilemmas they continue to face. One way or another, they have settled on an approach to resistance that is a combination of militarization and civil disobedience, and are slowly beginning to organize themselves into more intricate networks that are gradually emerging as alternatives to the political councils formed by traditional opposition figures and groups, which have so far failed to rise to the levels of expectations and challenges. Even the Free Syrian Army and its leader have come under severe internal criticism of later due to the rapprochement with the Syrian National Council, a development that reflected negatively ion the image of Col. Riyadh Al-Ass’aad and made him look weak. This is complicating immensely the process of integrating the proliferating local resistance chapters emerging all over the country into a united whole.

Meanwhile, the battle for Syria goes on. And for the revolutionaries, it is still a battle for freedom and against tyranny and corruption. But considering how long it is taking for the international community to react, this is likely to become a proxy war as well pitting all and sundry against each other. Syria is fast becoming the new Lebanon of the Middle East.

News from the Front

The Free Syrian Army in Kinsafra Village in Jabal Al-Zawiyeh Region in Idlib Province – Not exactly a small or quiet affair http://youtu.be/UCfqBUdwrR0 The village stands on the top of the highest point in Jabal Al-Zawiyeh, and today, its inhabitants raised the independence flag there http://youtu.be/S_xMcNzKBYo And the defections continue http://youtu.be/EtowR_4SI1Y , http://youtu.be/jaavdrntkEQ

Insurgents in Rural Damascus form a new fighting unit Suqur Al-Sham http://youtu.be/oeK9pnUqRv0 Developments in Rural Damascus continue to be underreported, even though they are no less extensive than those taking place in Deraa, Hama and Idlib. In fact, the regime might have lost more troops here in the last 3-4 weeks than anywhere else. As insurgents get more organized, the challenge to the regime is getting more and more serious.

A natural gas pipeline running near the town of Rastan in Homs Province explodes. Locals say, this was the result of pounding by loyalist army troops, official media blames the explosion on insurgents http://youtu.be/1YyAeyN9eU0 The explosion as seen from nearby Talbisseh http://youtu.be/qWBPkFjnsgE

Hama City is back under fire http://youtu.be/tC9z-4c4r3k

Homs City continues to be under fire with renewed pounding in Bab Tadmor http://youtu.be/RZTCyRpa6Ro In Baba Amr – a family made up of a father, a mother and a baby boy is martyred http://youtu.be/LcxZxCVk6vQ In Bab Dreib, locals retrieve the body of a martyr http://youtu.be/K4UMOlwWNPs Still in Bab Dreib, we are told this scene shows local defectors repelling an attempt at invasion by loyalists http://youtu.be/-RgkPt9O5-Q As part of their daily routine, cars and bicycles rush through the intersection to avoid being fired at by snipers http://youtu.be/BoxFBe7PWA8 In Jib Al-Jandali, nighttime shelling destroys two cars http://youtu.be/2QI6vl6L7UA

In Da’el in Deraa/Hauran Province, a tank passes the time by firing at the residential neighborhood http://youtu.be/K2DvK-golSA Loyalist troops storm the community and do battle with defectors http://youtu.be/ZwCkwyhUIf0 , http://youtu.be/T9iMSqcly3Y

In Sanamein in Deraa/Hauran Province, protesters shout “the people want the arming of the revolutionaries” http://youtu.be/FRaHCI8XbGA In Jouret Al-Shayah Neighborhood in Homs City “We don’t want it peaceful anymore, we want guns and bullets” http://youtu.be/FRaHCI8XbGA

Troops move through Downtown Damascus on their way to Rural Damascus, where the insurgency is heating up http://youtu.be/z8nr359lwtw In place like Qatana, where convoys of loyalists patrol the suburb all through the nigh http://youtu.be/qlUvIe_gw4s

Funerals took place in Douma (Damascus City) http://youtu.be/XqQdC9VljCg , http://youtu.be/d_wr696PvHg Tafas (Deraa) http://youtu.be/zs_SC6GtxT0 Khan Shaikhoon (Idlib) http://youtu.be/6eRnI5KcRJU , http://youtu.be/RZTCyRpa6Ro Hilfaya (Hama) http://youtu.be/hD7RZght9S4 Houleh (Homs Province) http://youtu.be/8doVXcyWGNs In Teir M’alla Suburb in Homs Province, a mass funeral http://youtu.be/uerQ4G8QaX0 Kafrenboudeh (Hama) http://youtu.be/WTDTVIcejh0

General Strike continues to be observed: Deir Baalbah (Homs City) http://youtu.be/9QCoPlqAYwI Hadir (Hama City) http://youtu.be/18JJ6IQojZc Areeha (Idlib) http://youtu.be/S8VGgTXDc2U Sarmeen (Idlib) http://youtu.be/cbIK6pPzD20 Hbeit (Idlib) http://youtu.be/OLTFiz5MymU Harrah (Deraa) http://youtu.be/E-not01LMhI Hraak http://youtu.be/XsAge0a8iKI Nasseeb http://youtu.be/IQOpIE8xjk0 Qadam (Damascus City) http://youtu.be/oc0aloNvzjU

December 12

HOMS CITY: Demonstrations took place in Baba Amr http://youtu.be/8aTjqrPfZwQ Deir Baalbah http://youtu.be/zyEcstwv0Eo , http://youtu.be/tIZxEnRw57I Khaldiyeh http://youtu.be/1IZCRuWmOto Insha’aat http://youtu.be/JwXtPBMyiPU Night http://youtu.be/71RFdaW-rs0 Bab Dreib http://youtu.be/1n4usgUEyrs Bab Houd http://youtu.be/1Sr4W-11zVg Ghoutah http://youtu.be/EmDBnAoL6Ts Jouret Al-Shayah http://youtu.be/FxjOhx36PiU Karm Al-Shami http://youtu.be/qwL5CiuASeI Bayadah http://youtu.be/KZT5cCzPg68 Qoussour http://youtu.be/y3XsYKuJ8Dk Shammas http://youtu.be/gkj4HumtMk0 Wa’er http://youtu.be/V3omwailT1s Wadi Al-Arab http://youtu.be/_HYyuvBn7eA

HOMS PROVINCE: Houleh http://youtu.be/2zIUctkcc6U , http://youtu.be/uoa0fnhZfFg Za’afaraneh http://youtu.be/iX3PZEpBcYY , http://youtu.be/vNunbk8KNnk Qseir http://youtu.be/mDsanJzdzp8 Tadmor (Palmyra) http://youtu.be/r5zVkP15A7U

IDLIB: Demonstrations took place in Fateerah http://youtu.be/wh7EQxf30E0 Students in M’arr Hourmah paint the independence flag on the walls of their school http://youtu.be/Vx8M41adw-o Troops pass through Kafroumah http://youtu.be/q-FuQgvNMUY But as soon as they leave, protesters come out http://youtu.be/R4ozZgau8WY M’arrat Masreen http://youtu.be/DZOp_hXZBtY