You can expect Bashar to turn to his dog-eared copy of the Hama rules any day now to bring on the pain, misery, and murder of those who dare oppose his regime. The city of Hama is the focus of the crackdown because they continue protesting Assad's regime and brutality.
With more than 300,000 people taking to the streets there, this isn't some passing fancy demonstration. It's self-sustaining, and it's growing precisely because Assad's brutality in attempting to thwart further protests is leading to still more protests; his security thugs attack funeral processions for those killed in previous clashes between the security forces and those opposition protesters.
Syria has banned nearly all foreign media and restricted media coverage, making it nearly impossible to independently verify events on the ground. But witness accounts, including interviews with refugees who have fled to neighboring countries, indicate that the regime is cracking down hard on the protest movement.
Also Tuesday, a Syrian activist said buses carrying security forces had been spotted heading to restive, mountainous areas near the Turkish border. Omar Idilbi, a spokesman for the Local Coordination Committees, which track the protests in Syria, said witnesses told him the vehicles were rushing to the area where the military has been trying to prevent the opposition from establishing a base.
About 10,000 Syrians have fled to Turkey amid the crackdown.
The exodus has been a source of embarrassment to Syria, which has tried to tightly control coverage of the revolt. It also has strained ties with Turkey.
On Tuesday, the head of the Syrian Red Crescent, Abdurrahman Attar, urged all Syrian citizens in Turkey to return home, Turkey's state-run Anatolia news agency said. Attar visited the Turkish city of Hatay along the countries' border but did not visit the refugee camps, the report said.
Rep. Dennis (the Menace) Kucinich could not be reached for comment.
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