Syrian Revolution Takes Off. Where is American Support?

By Barry Rubin

As of today, one can say that the revolution in Syria must be taken seriously. Not only were the demonstrations large but also they had spread to additional parts of the country and involved different religious and ethnic communities.

Of course, there is a big difference between Egypt and Syria. In Egypt, the regime's thugs beat up people. In Syria, the army openly shoots to kill.

What should be happening? The president of the United States should go on television. He should give a long list of the Syrian regime's aggressive and terrorist deeds, including the murder of Americans. He should point to the dictatorship's crimes both at home and abroad. And he should conclude with a stirring call of support for a democratic revolution in Syria.

Sure it's a risk: but a heck of a lot less risky than what this administration has done in Egypt and Libya, not to mention Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.

The moment has come to help overthrow the regime in Damascus. Yet nobody expects the U.S. government to meet that challenge.  Instead, a U.S. government that has no problem trashing an Egyptian government that was an ally for three decades calls the far bloodier and anti-American dictator in Syria, a "reformer."  What a tragedy!