The fact that 200 members of the opposition met on a farm outside of Damascus is significant in that Assad dared not arrest them, risking even greater protests than is occurring now. But security forces were there anyway, no doubt taking names for future vengeance.

A 147 member national council was set up but no agenda was agreed upon and precious little was done to tap into the energy of the streets.

Meanwhile, 47 were killed at protests around the country:

At least 47 civilians were killed by Syrian security forces on Friday while activists posted footage of the carnage onto YouTube, as the anti-government uprising enters its seventh month. Click here to see videograbs and other images from today's violent crackdown.

The Local Coordination Committees organized the protests which were entitled "We Will Continue Until We Bring Down the Regime", as thousands took to the streets calling for freedom, individual rights and the removal of President Bashar al-Assad who has ruled Syria with an iron fist for the past 11 years.

Most deaths occurred in Homs, Hama, Daraa and the Damascus suburb of Doumma. Syrian forces surrounded mosques in anticipation of protests after Friday prayers and killed indiscriminately with tanks and sniper fire.