Syrians stage rare protest at trial of rights activists. This is big. Not a protest in Lebannon against Syrian Occupation, but rather, one in Syria against SYRIAN occupation. Assad's regime is crumbling beneath him. He is clearly not his father. He simply does not have the ability to hold it together. I suspect he is more of a titular head at this point than it appears. There are a good many party members who have much to lose if Assad falls. Syria, like antebellum Iraq, is run by the Ba'ath party. In both cases, they are run by a class of thugs who raid the country for their own well being and position. They are accustomed to wealth and privildge and are not going to give it up without a fight. Syria is going to be well and truly surrounded. Lebannon and Iraq are going to be very good peer models for Syria. The regime can no longer control information. Without that control, the center cannot hold. Assad's regime will be gone within a year.

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