It is wrong to relate the current developments in Syria to the Arab Awakening in Egypt, Libya or Tunisia.
Many tend to simplify the situation in Syria, making it merely a matter of the ruling system suppressing unarmed, united and peaceful opposition.
I wish it were the case, as it was in some Arab countries and in Syria itself in the past.
Can anybody deny the fact that the opposition is armed and there are foreign warriors and agents? Can anybody identify the external affiliations of the diverse components of the opposition? Can anybody confirm who is killing who? Can anybody confirm that the opposition in Syria was not hijacked by external forces motivated by their own interests rather than the interests of the Syrian people?
Hearing senior analysts compare Syria to former Yugoslavia, one wonders whether Syria is heading towards disintegration.
Arming the Syrian opposition means inflicting more suffering on the people.
Best for Syria is an immediate ceasefire, UN humanitarian aid and monitors, and transparent elections with no other external involvement.
This ambitious task can be facilitated by the recently UN-appointed envoy for Syria, Kofi Annan, provided he does not fall prey to any external intervention and exhibits cultural sensitivity and historical understanding.
Madeleine Mezagopian,
Amman