by Zack Beauchamp

Syria has been rocked by significant protests today. The government's response was predictably murderous. Daniel Serwer lists some ideas for how to hasten Bashar's fall:

The international community needs to reward and encourage those among the protesters prepared to keep to nonviolence and maintain unity of purpose.  Monday’s formation of the Syrian National Council (SNC), an analogue to the  Transitional National Council that has become the post-Qaddafi governing structure in Libya, is a good development.  It will need wholehearted moral and financial support from Europe and the United States, though at this stage formal recognition would be premature.

Dov Zakheim predicts an Alawi revolt against Assad. Terry Glavin examines how economic maladies are fuelling the revolt.