A Failing Fiefdom

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's Baathist-fascist regime isn't looking too stable lately.

Here's some anecdotal evidence via the NYTs:

It is commonly heard here that the public would be willing to endure sanctions and international isolation if the government were in trouble for its stand on the Palestinian cause or for its positions on Iraq, but not over the Hariri affair. That was evidenced Tuesday when the authorities tried to organize a sit-in outside the United States Embassy. They hung flags, set up speakers and blared music. A few hundred people showed up at first, but the crowd quickly started to thin. Security agents were seen ordering young people to stay put as they tried to walk off. (my itl.)

In the interest of democracy, I can only hope Assad will continue to be a barrier to inquiries into the Hariri assassination of which a U.N. report implicated Syrian involvement. If he's smart, he'll cooperate as much as possible, because if sanctions are brought against Syria for noncooperation in the inquiry into Hariri's assassination, the public won't be too happy with Assad.

Now it's up to Syrian democrats and dissidents to steer their country away from Baathism and Islamism toward liberal democracy.

May the dominoes continue to fall throughout the Middle East.