Withering Golan Heights

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime has been on borrowed time for a long time already. The United Nations has reported that 70,000 people have been killed during the violent conflict, which next month will enter its third year. The past few days have been especially violent in Damascus (bombings) and in Aleppo (missile strikes on populated areas). The bloodbath has endured along the same lines as the Iranian nuclear program — the world is making a lot of noise but nothing is actually changing.

It has been said that the Syrian opposition is fragmented. On Saturday, for a change, it exhibited unity and announced its intention to boycott this Thursday's meeting in Rome with the "Friends of Syria." Planned visits to Moscow and Washington were also cancelled. The Syrian opposition has grown tired of the international community's "silence over crimes committed by the regime."

The Free Syrian Army has taken control, according to Al-Jazeera, of what's left of the "al-Akhbar" nuclear research facility at Dir a-Zur; the same facility that was the target of an Israeli missile strike in 2007, according to foreign reports. Extremist jihadist elements have infiltrated the ranks of The Free Syrian Army, leading the West to breathe a sigh of relief that the nuclear reactor there no longer exists.

On the other hand, according to varying reports, rebel forces are soon expected to gain control of the military's Scud missile launch sites. Not far from our own homes dangerous weaponry is falling into the hands of people who answer to no one.

In the meantime, back in Damascus Assad still believes he can survive. He is convinced that the minorities, specifically the 30 percent of Sunnis living in Syria, are more concerned about an Islamist future than about his regime's preservation of power. He is also confident that the West is extremely afraid that the collapse of his regime will lead to bloodshed in Lebanon and Jordan.

Assad knows that the West doesn't trust the rebels and therefore isn't rushing to arm them. The rebels are divided between nationalists and jihadists. The tensions between the two camps should come as no surprise.

Assad, according to reports in the Arab media, is self-assured and calm. At least that's what those who have met him say. He is convinced he will succeed to subdue the terrorist organizations (as he refers to the rebels) and that the West won't do anything to expedite his downfall.

At this rate Assad will stay in power in Damascus due to the one hundred thousand loyal soldiers at his service, and each of the divided rebel factions will be the sovereign in its own territory — up until the day he falls.

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