Arab League observers wouldn't restrain a regime determined to use violence to hang on to power - CSMonitor.com- CSMonitor.com

The Arab League observer mission in Syria is likely to fail - CSMonitor.com

clipped from article:he dispatch of about 50 unarmed Arab League observers to Syria earlier this week has failed to quell the country's mounting violence. Syrian activists reported that at least 32 people were killed across the country today, with the worst violence just outside Damascus.

n that incident, Syrian government security forces opened fire on protesters, sparking an hour of fighting that involved army defectors who have taken up arms against President Bashar al-Assad. The cities of Homs, Hama, and Daraa all witnessed killings.

That the observer mission is failing is hardly surprising. Mr. Assad has used extreme violence against his citizens to hold on to power for over six months now, and more recently, protesters have been fighting back. The Free Syrian Army, a group fighting against the regime, has taken responsibility for attacks on army convoys and military outposts in recent weeks, and appears to be gaining support. Some are warning that Syria could slide into civil war if the violence continues. By some measures, it's already there. At least 5,000 people have been killed so far, according to the United Nations, and there are now daily violent clashes over the question of who should run the country. [ read more at link]