The Assad regime starts to crack under the pressure of increasingly large, passionate, cross-sectarian protests. Millions of people are taking to the streets and voicing dissent for the first time in their lives, putting the regime's legitimacy in doubt for the first time in decades. This prompts Bashar al-Assad to authorize a campaign of repression across Syria, among the earliest of his crimes against humanity.
Also, we are currently listed among the Top Five Syria-related podcasts on Feedspot.com (https://podcasts.feedspot.com/syria_podcasts/). Check us out there and help us get up to the #1 spot.
Sources / Quotes:
Civil War in Syria by Baczko, et. al
The Impossible Revolution by Yassin al-Haj Saleh
We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled by Dr. Wendy Pearlman
Assad or We Burn the Country by Sam Dagher
Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War by Robin Yassin-Kassab and Leila al-Shami
A Woman in the Crossfire by Samar Yazbek
Syria by Dr. David Lesch
Shatter the Nations by Mike Giglio
“Syrian Revolution Song,” The Arabic Student
http://www.thearabicstudent.com/2012/02/syrian-revolution-song.html
Syrian Revolutionary Dabke - YouTube (“Yalla Erhal ya Bashar” by Ibrahim Qashoush)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCS8SsFOBAI
“Amnesty accuses Syria of crimes against humanity,” BBC News
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14032765
“Syria: Assad no longer legitimate, says Clinton,” BBC News
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14115762
“At least 30 killed in factional fighting in Syria” by Mariam Karouney and Oliver Holmes, Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-syria-idUKTRE76F26V20110718?edition-redirect=uk