SYRIAN NIGHTMARE CONTINUES – AT 10:46 A.M. ET:  As NATO continues its bombing campaign in Libya, an equivalent tragedy continues in the much more important nation of Libya.   There are "condemnations" from other nations, but little else:

AMMAN - Syrian helicopter gunships fired machine guns to disperse a large pro-democracy protest in the town of Maarat al-Numaan on Friday, witnesses said, a dangerous escalation of force at the end of a day in which 32 civilians were reported killed by Assad's forces across the country.

The gunship use was the first reported use of air power to quell protests in Syria's uprising.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that helicopters fired at the town after security forces on the ground killed five protesters, but said no killings were reported in the assault by the helicopters.

Also on Friday, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky confirmed a report by Kuwait news agency KUNA that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had been trying to call Assad on Thursday but was told that the president was "not available."

He added that Ban had been trying to speak with Assad all week but was unable to get through to him.

Britain, France, Germany and Portugal have asked the UN Security Council to condemn Assad, though veto-wielding Russia has said it would oppose such a move.

Denouncing the Syrian government's actions, the White House said Friday's "appalling violence" had led the United States to back the European draft resolution at the United Nations. "The Syrian government is leading Syria on a dangerous path," the White House said.

COMMENT:  Take that, Assad.  Resolutions!  Phone calls!  How can you hold out against such iron-fisted condemnation?

Assad shows no signs of stepping down.  And in Libya, Gadaffi continues to hold out.  Maybe they're both inspired by the "I won't go" spirit of Anthony Weiner. 

But these dictators must be pushed out.  If they win, and remain, the West will be seen as having suffered a major defeat, and the future for democracy in the Mideast will be bleak.  (It's already marginal.)  Obama, in particular, must disprove the notion that he's a weak, vacillating president, a man who makes Jimmy Carter look like Richard the Lionheart. 

The Arab spring is turning into a long, hot summer.

June 10, 2011