An offer of a national dialogue by the Syrian government with opposition forces appears to have done little to reduce street protests as tens of thousands of Syrians have been filling the streets. Adding more distrust to the general situation, Syrian troops pressed toward the Lebanese border, forcing “hundreds” of people to flee to Lebanon. Meanwhile, four people were killed by security forces, two in the town of Kseir and two in Kiswah. Coming on the heels of an appeal for a national dialogue, the current situation would appear to show little confidence on the part of the opposition in the sincerity of the Assad government's intentions. Government forces are already controlling parts of Homs, the town that three decades ago was leveled by Assad's father. If Assad truly desires a national dialogue and is willing to seriously consider making changes to the decades of autocratic rule, creating refugee situations on two of its borders would certainly appear to be counterproductive. With some 12,000 Syrians believed to have fled troops into Turkey and another flow of refugees heading for Lebanon, the calm needed to negotiate a peaceful future for the country is largely absent. The Syrian League for Human Rights called a meeting in Damascus Monday to discuss a way out of the current impasse, but this discussion took place largely among those who are already convinced that the current regime must go. If Assad truly wants a constructive dialogue with his opponents – and they are many – then he must order the army off the streets. __
