On Syria, Democracy, and Imperialism by Prabir Purkayastha http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2011/purkayastha060511.html

It would be easy to dismiss the opposition to Assad's regime as totally inspired and funded by the West. No doubt the West would like to get rid of Assad and has funded various opposition forces in Syria for this purpose. Nevertheless, there is also a genuine desire in Syria for a greater say in running the country that is very much a part of the opposition to the Assad regime.Before we analyse the forces in Syria, it is important to register some basic facts.

While the opposition to the regime has been widespread in Daraa, Homs and Douma, a distant suburb of Damascus, it has been relatively muted in cities of Aleppo and Damascus, where almost half of Syria's population live. Daraa is where the movement first started. According to a retired diplomat living in Damascus:

The pro-democracy movement has failed to organise effectively, and lacks cohesion. The fact remains that while Assad's reputation has been severely dented by the government's ineptitude and brutality in dealing with the protesters and the so-called reform agenda, most Syrians respect Assad enough to see him as a hope for meaningful reform. While they will not give him the benefit of the doubt forever, the fear of chaos, including secular conflict, is very real. In this respect they see the pro-democracy movement as naive and out of touch with reality.

[AS FAR AS STRATFOR IS CONCERNED,I HAVE EXPOSED THAT AGENCY AT LENGTH BUT ITS GOOD THAT IT EVEN ADMITS THESE THINGS STATED IN ARTICLE,BECAUSE IT ITSELF,HAS ALSO BEEN CAUGH DEFENDING THAT FIRST ARRESTED ,SO CALLED ACTIVIST

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(WHO HAD JUST BEEN IN TAHIR SQUARE PROTESTS,THEN ISRAEL,ONLY TO GO TO SYRIA DEMONSTRATIONS)IN SYRIA,WICH CLAIMED A COLOMBIAN WOMAN PAID HIM TO GET PICTURES OF PROTESTS(ACCORIDNG TO HIS OWN ADMISSION)AND STRATFOR ATTEMPTED TO DEFEND HIM,BING THIS ARAB LIVE SIN SAME CITY AS STRATFORD,BASE DOUT OF TEXAS!...SEE..

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Austin man arrested in Syria bing defended by head of Stratfor Global Intelligence (CIAFRONT) based out of TEXAS...wink wink http://thenakedfacts.blogspot.com/2011/03/austin-man-arrested-in-syria-bing.html

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ALSO SEE MY BLOG ON SYRIA,SINCE THE ARTICLE LEFT OUT MUCH EVIDENCE OF EXTRENAL MEDDLING AND EVEN FUNDING OF OPPOSITION......syria false flag ,facts hidden and leftout by msm media. http://syriafalseflag.blogspot.com/