Syrian President Bashar Assad's bloody escalation yesterday presaged a dramatic turning point in the 4 month old uprising against his rule. This is the month of Ramadan where devout Muslims attend local mosques every day for special prayers. It is expected that this will precipitate millions of Syrians pouring into the streets protesting against Assad's rule and that the regime won't have the muscle to deal with it. Hence, the deliberate, planned bloodletting yesterday where at least 150 died in the restive city of Hama - scene of a bloody massacre of 10,000 in 1982 - and dozens more died in other protests around the country when the army moved in and opened fire on unarmed civilians. Assad is trying to intimidate people into staying off the streets. It is not likely to work. I have an article up at FrontPage.com that discusses the events from yesterday and looks to what the future might hold: The death toll in Hama is impossible to confirm, and is likely much higher than the 150...(Read Full Post)