THE positions taken by Russia and China in the Security Council regarding the Syrian Revolution are not strange, because both countries lack the ability to shed their own skins or humanely view the massacres committed by the Damascus regime in all parts of Syria. Russia has its own history of oppression and intervening in the affairs of neighboring countries, while China still lives within the Iron Curtain, so it will not hesitate in repeating what happened in Beijing in 1989 and the horrendous massacre at the Tiananmen Square. The noise of oppressing people fills the air.

Despite these issues, Moscow and Beijing should have taken into consideration the most basic human rights of the Syrians. They should have put pressure on the Syrian regime to stop the killings and arrests, and to implement reforms promised by President Bashar Al-Assad. They should take these steps if they want to be forgiven by the Arabs in the future and to preserve a space for their interests in the post-Baath Syria.

We may understand the positions of the two countries, but what is really appalling is the Arab silence on the incidents in Syria, especially since the Arab nations have taken a stand on the events in Tunisia and Egypt, or their support for the Libyan uprising during the initial stage. They took a unified position in the Arab League Council and have frozen Tripoli’s membership in all of the league’s establishments. Some countries have even been involved militarily to protect the civilians; hence, the anticipation for a similar step against the Damascus regime.

It was expected that the same stand will be adopted in dealing with the Damascus regime, but it seems Al-Assad’s threat to burn the Middle East in six hours if a disciplinary action is taken against his regime, has sent tremors to the Arab countries, Turkey, the US and Israel. Calls have been made in all directions to repeatedly give this regime a chance, even if it has taken advantage of the Arab world’s weakness and international community’s confusion to continue committing atrocious crimes against the Syrians.
Apparently, the Arab countries have given up on the Syrian issue and the entire world is ignoring the most horrible crime in modern history. The popular revolution has been going on for seven months, banking on the strength of faith in righteousness and the legitimacy of demands, without any Arab or European support.

This revolution has not only defied the Syrian regime, but also Iran, Venezuela, China, Russia and all countries that still view the Ba’ath regime as an effective regional force or fear its threats, which are just ‘talks’ for consumption and exaggeration. The regime, which has remained silent for 40 years in spite of the occupation of its territories and the attacks by Israeli fighter jets, is much weaker than most of us think. This weakness is clearly manifested in the revolution that has removed all masks of fear - a proof of the authenticity of the revolution, which does not need anything to succeed except the sense of right and wrong.