WITH more than 100 nations and organisations calling for tougher UN sanctions against the Syrian regime, Bashar al-Assad seems to be fighting a hopeless battle at home and abroad. The call for UN sanctions was given on Friday by the Friends of Syria group, which also asked the Security Council to adopt Kofi Annan’s six-point plan for transition to democracy. President Assad had accepted the plan but violated it; the truce didn’t hold, and casualties continued to mount. So far over 15,000 people have been killed, but the regime shows no remorse. Last week, the opposition received a boost when one of the regime’s insiders broke ranks and fled. Brig Gen Manaf Tlas, one of the elite Republican Guards’ top commanders, had defied orders and been confined to his home by the president’s brother, Gen Maher al-Assad, commander of the Republican Guards. Gen Tlas is now in Paris, but the Free Syrian Army feels he could be an asset for them. Gen Tlas won admiration from the opposition when he defied the regime’s orders to cut off all cellphone links in Rastan, a city that was under attack from the government forces and was suffering.

Independent of Hillary Clinton’s strong attack at the Paris meeting on Russia and China for their continued support for the Baathist regime, the two powers need to re-examine their Syria policy. Beijing has economic interests in Syria, while Moscow’s defence ties with Damascus have continued since the Soviet days. They also know that their vetoes could frustrate the move for UN sanctions. The issue before the two is to realise they are on the wrong side of the Syrian people, who as part of the Arab nation legitimately want to breathe the fresh air infused by the Arab Spring that has toppled four Middle Eastern dictators.