The Syrian president appeared calm, comfortable and optimistic during his speech on Tuesday, while in front of him, those in attendance did not do a good job of choosing when to applaud. They clapped after he attacked the Arab League and said it reflected the terrible Arab situation. This verbal attack canceled the Arab League initiative, the provisions of this agreement and the league's advice. Assad also focused on the "international conspiracy" being led by the grandsons of Sykes and Picot, and countries from the Arab world and the region, while affirming that Syria would defeat them all. During his famous interview with American journalist Barbara Walters, Assad' also denied the reality of Syrian popular movement for freedom and a better life, and focused on his war against terror. During his speech, Assad referred to more than 400 demonstrations, throughout the country, as 400 "pockets." He promised to strike back with an iron fist. The Syrian president said that he was ready for dialogue, but that a part of the opposition was not ready; he said that he had approved important reforms, and that he and the Syrian people were waiting for a referendum on a new Constitution. The essence of the harsh criticism Assad directed at the Arab League indicates that he has rendered meaningless the mission of Arab observers, before they issue a report containing their evaluation of the situation. It is as if Assad is facilitating the desire to send the Syria issue to the United Nations, which is being demanded by some of the opposition and some Arab League members and leading states. The situation in Syria is heading for more violence, casualties and economic collapse, as a result of Arab and international pressure. Domestically, the Syrian Pound is weakening, as is commercial exchange; the tourism sector has been drastically affected and there are basic problems such as a lack of fuel and internal transportation. All of this reflects the difficult situation the Syrian crisis has reached, and prompts further questioning about how long it can continue. Certainly, there are problems in the Syrian opposition but they have been blown out of proportion and distorted. It is natural to see disputes within an opposition that has grown from diverse currents. But the importance of this opposition is that it is the voice of the domestic popular movement, which is the prime engine of change. It is not reasonable that millions of people have taken action and risked their lives before the instruments of repression, just because they are being manipulated by outside parties. The outside party that is pushing for more violence and repression is Syria's ally Iran, which protects the regime and enables it to carry out its hostile policy in the region and the world. In reality, the movement of the Syrian people needs a mechanism of support from the leading western countries. The Russian proposal has not been encouraging in terms of a practical and tough stance in the Security Council. There should be efforts made on the important idea alluded to by Alain Juppe, the foreign minister of France, namely establishing humanitarian corridors inside Syria. The stance of the Syrian regime resembles that of its allies in Lebanon. Both are denying the reality of a true revolution for freedom, which Lebanon has not been deprived of despite the killing of its martyrs, who fell for the sake of liberating their country from the weight of a regime that set down the political "rules of the game" in Lebanon. The position taken by Lebanese allies of the Syrian regime toward a fraternal Arab people being subjected to torture and murder, and facing it bravely, is truly sad. Meanwhile, the authorities in Lebanon, and their supporters, back the killing of this people as part of a confrontation with terror or "al-Qaida." The near future will show how short-sighted such people are, as they engage in this mistaken wager, just as some of them did earlier when they bet on supporting Saddam Hussein.
