SYRIA ON THE BRINK – AT 11:37 A.M. ET:  The violence in the so-called "Arab Spring" isn't very springlike.  It's getting worse in Yemen and Syria.  Syria is one of the most important of the Arab countries, and Iran's major ally in the Arab world.  The brutality in Syria is unspeakable, yet our government only administers wrist slaps.  From Reuters:

Syrian forces killed at least 63 civilians in attacks to crush pro-democracy demonstrations on Friday, the Syrian human rights organization Sawasiah said on Saturday.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets after noon prayers on Friday in defiance of security forces determined to crush a revolt against President Bashar Assad's 11-year rule...

...It was one of the bloodiest days since the revolt broke out 11 weeks ago.

Security forces and snipers fired at tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in the city of Hama, where 29 years ago President Hafez al-Assad, Bashar's father, crushed an armed Islamist revolt by killing up to 30,000 people and razing parts of the city to the ground.

COMMENT:  Great place Syria, ay?  Please note the deep concern of "human rights activists" in the West.  While Assad murders his own people, leftists from the U.S. and Europe are planning another flotilla to Gaza, where a second large shopping mall has just opened and the stores are stocked with food.

Hillary Clinton, in a weird statement, said that Bashar Assad has "almost" lost legitimacy.  Really?  I thought he'd lost it a long time ago. 

The chaos in Syria is increasing, as it is in Yemen.  We seem powerless to do anything in the Middle East, despite the fact that we have a president who assured us that, with his ascension to the throne, all would be well.  We are facing a critical time in a region of great importance to us.  You'd never know it from the relaxed attitudes in the White House.

You'd think that, by this time, Mr. Obama would have addressed the nation on the convulsions in the Mideast, but he apparently hasn't the patience to discuss things with the peasantry.

June 4, 2011