THE Syrian government has burnt all rescue vessels. It does not listen to entreaties coming from in and outside Syria. It has closed all the doors to peace initiatives; thereby, wasting the opportunities provided by the international community. The Syrian government has pushed the country towards darkness and God only knows if blood will continue to flow in the same manner. At the outset, there seems to be a desperate attempt to encourage ordinary citizens to find justification for their misery. When one of them asked a friend about these killings, the latter replied, “The government wants to change the citizens”.

People no longer believe the government’s claim against armed militias and destroyers to cover up the wanton killings and arrests in Syrian territories. This claim is part of stories fabricated inside a dark room which has been exposed to the sun. The youths have outrightly rejected remnants of the government that fell with the first gunshot fired at the demonstrators.
Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad has no option but to adopt the Arab peace initiative if he really wants to rescue Syria from the imminent civil war. This option is not for the government alone, but also for the entire nation to return to its rightful place among the Arabs. Otherwise, the country will be transformed into a ‘mosaic’ of violence, blood and unending war.

The Syrian government is currently experiencing dire consequences of the gradual ‘political suicide’ for four decades, including the formation of anti-Arab alliances. It never listened to the outcry of citizens who have been suffering the brunt of the series of embargoes that the government has been using as cover for its horrible acts like the detention, oppression and torture of the people to serve the allies and protect those engaged in corruption in various institutions.
As repeatedly mentioned by protesters who have lost patience, the entire Syrian nation has been demanding the ouster of the government which no longer has the legitimacy to rule, yet it still refuses to listen to the Arabs’ voice of reason. The latest communiqué released by the GCC Council of Ministers to halt the killings is actually aimed at stabilizing Syria.

The Syrian government should stop acting like a fool, believing that the international community will not intervene militarily if the killing of innocent people continues. It should learn from its Libyan counterpart, which ‘invited’ further foreign intervention in the Arab territories when it continued to massacre citizens.
The Arab world does not need more foreign military intervention. Therefore, the Syrian government should adopt the Arab initiative, because this is its last chance. Failure to do so will only lead to pointless regret like women weeping due to the destruction of the country, which they should have protected in coordination with the men.