To The Death

"Halfway there, the security forces attacked, firing tear gas and nail bombs. the crowds dispersed, everyone was trying to hide. More than one hundred were injured. Nails riddled the lower part of one man's body. It seemed he no longer had legs."

This is the regime of Bashar al-Assad, doing its brave utmost to protect the loyal citizens of Syria, and most particularly Damascus, from the vicious predations of anti-regime protesters. In reality, foreign, not Syrian, at all. Sent to foment problems. They are representative of the religious zealots known as violent jihadists, supported in their purpose to disrupt life and normalcy in Syria, by sinister foreign elements.

Protesters, nonetheless rallied in record numbers, perhaps heartened by the prospect of having some observers representing the Arab League peace mission around to evidence what is occurring, with the regime ordering its troops to fire upon unarmed civilians. Syrians by the hundreds of thousands took to the streets. If this is not courage under fire, then what is?

In this image from amateur video made available by the Ugarit News group and shot on Friday, Dec. 30, 2011, protesters gather at an anti-Bashar Assad rally in Hama, Syria. Hundreds of thousands of Syrians poured into the streets across the nation Friday in the largest protests in months, shouting for the downfall of the regime in a defiant display invigorated by the presence of Arab observers, activists said. Despite the presence of the monitors, activists said Syrian forces killed dozens, most of them shot during anti-government protests.(AP Photo/Ugarit News Group via APTN) THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CANNOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE CONTENT, DATE, LOCATION

Syrians, it appears, have completely shed their fear of government reprisals, determined that they cannot and will no longer live the lives of oppression and repression that have represented their lot for far too long. Members of the government military have continued, attack after attack, to abandon their posts, to join the growing numbers among the Free Syrian Army. And they have then turned their weapons and their intentions upon their former fellow military members.

"Some places looked a bit of a mess but there was nothing frightening. Yesterday was quiet and there were no clashes." Sudanese Lt.Gen. al-Dabi, leading the Arab League mission

The last Friday of the year 2011 represented the most tumultuous, citizen-protester-represented turnout of Syrians determined to free themselves from the shackles of their inherited tyrant. It was estimated that a quarter-million people turned out to protest, in 74 locations in the province of Idlib, defying danger. In each of Syria's 14 provinces people turned out in their numbers to express their defiance of the regime.

The two largest cities in the country, Aleppo and Damascus, saw their share of protest support, even while pro-Assad protesters too turned out waving national flags and pictures of Bashar al-Assad. There were fewer tanks to be seen on the streets surrounding the city as the regime sought to offer a facade of acceding to the demands of the Arab League, to halt the shelling of civilians.

Instead, security forces continued to fire automatic rifles in Hama and Dera'a, and turned to the use of nail bombs, a kinder, gentler way of convincing Syrians that they must go home, lock their doors, forget about the unfortunate occurrences of the past nine months, and settle down to once again present as citizens of Syria, loyal to the al-Assad regime.

All will not, however, be entirely forgiven. Until they convince Bashar al-Assad that they repent, that in point of fact they truly love and support their dictator. Much as Col. Moammar Gadhafi knew his loyal Libyans loved and supported their leader. To the death.