Global Arab Network | Arab spring: After Libya, eyes turn to Syrian revolt

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Arab spring: After Libya, eyes turn to Syrian revolt

Global Arab Network - - Maha Karim

Tuesday, 23 August 2011 01:38

http://www.globalarabnetwork.com/images/stories/2011/july/libya_syria_qadaffi_assad_goodbye.jpg

Global Arab Network - The downfall of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is likely to pave the way for increased Western attention to Syria and embolden protests against President Bashar al-Assad.

The implosion of Gaddafi's rule after six months of civil war in which the rebels benefited from sanctions on Gaddafi, a no-fly zone and NATO air strikes may have implications for Syri's six-month-old revolt and Assad's efforts to crush it.

"The international community will now think that its strong intervention in the struggle (in Syria) will resolve the situation," said opposition figure Louay Hussein.

"Libya has raised the morale of the West and it will have a bigger excuse to intervene. But we reject any military action in Syria."

Hussein and other opposition activists said however the events in Tripoli would revive Syrian protesters' hopes.

"What happened in Libya means a lot for us, it means that the Arab spring is coming without doubt ... there is no solution to any problem without the will of the people," said Michel Kilo, a prominent opposition figure.

No country has proposed the kind of action in Syria which NATO forces have carried out in Libya. But the West has called on Assad to step down and Washington has imposed new sanctions over his crackdown, in which the United Nations says 2,200 civilians have died.

Syria has an alliance with Iran and a key role in Lebanon, despite ending a 29-year military presence there in 2005. It also has influence in Iraq and supports militant groups Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah.

Read more at (Reuters)

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