Analysis: “Syrian Civil War Drags in Mideast, Global Powers”

Peter Apps, political risk correspondent for Reuters, argues that a long and bloody civil war in Syria threatens regional stability and risks “growing antagonism between the world’s great powers.” After months of peaceful demonstrations, an increasing number of attacks on forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad could mark the beginning of a civil war. Many analysts believe that Iran has been supplying Syrian forces with weapons, and now some contend that the opposition is receiving weapons from abroad, as Apps states, this “risks further fuelling the growing regional confrontation between Tehran and its local enemies, particularly the Gulf states and emerging heavyweight Turkey.”

Jeffery White of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy contends that Free Syrian Army (FSA)  ”appears to be gaining in strength and effectiveness, and Damascus now faces both peaceful and armed resistance. So far, the FSA has proven resilient in the face of regime measures to suppress it.” White asserts that as pressure rises on the government to change, and civilians death rise, there will be more defections which will escalate the fighting.