PRESIDENT Bashar al-Assad’s international isolation is deepening. The UN has condemned his brutality, the European Union has slapped sanctions, the Arab League has suspended Syria’s membership and the Organisation of Islamic Conference has come out with an unusually strong warning. The Arab League’s ire is understandable. On Nov 2, Arab foreign ministers gave Damascus 15 days to implement its plan, which asked it to end the crackdown on civilians, withdraw troops from protest hubs, release the detainees, negotiate with the opposition and allow foreign observers in. The AL also threatened to close its embassies in Damascus and to negotiate with all “currents” of the opposition. The AL decision was not unanimous, but the fact that only two members — Yemen and Lebanon (besides the regime’s representative) — voted against it shows that an overwhelming majority of Arab opinion considers the Assad government guilty. The AL felt humiliated when pro-regime supporters attacked the Qatar and Saudi embassies, besides those of France and Turkey. The Arab League is meeting again today to review the situation, because there were some doubts about the utility of the Nov 2 decision. Nevertheless, given the deteriorating situation, Mr Assad’s options are getting fewer and fewer.

There are desertions in the army on a larger scale, the casualty toll —3,500 deaths — is approaching the Libyan figure, and protests have spread to outlying areas. Over the past two days alone, some 70 people have been killed in clashes between protesters and security forces. While a Libya-like foreign intervention is not feasible or desirable, both AL and OIC have given hints about what lies in store for Syria. The AL said it would have to consider seeking international protection for Syrian civilians, and OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu warned that the intransigence of the regime risked an internationalisation of the Syrian crisis. Whether Mr Assad has learnt from Col Qadhafi’s fate we do not know. But a widening of the internal conflict, especially in a country that borders Israel, will have geopolitical ramifications, unless sense dawns on Mr Assad. As Mr Ihsanoglu said an internationalisation of the crisis would not be “in anybody’s interest”.