Recent articles from Al Jazeera report the progress of the rebels in Syria. As of yesterday, the rebels took Maarat al-Numan, "a key town on the highway to Aleppo." The degree of casualties or brutality of the fighting has been unconfirmed, but there has been speculation that Syrian government warplanes bombed Maarat al-Numan in the process.
Also, new developments report the heightening tensions between Turkey and Syria, as the possibility of a UN-backed Turkish invasion increases. Both Turks and Syrians have already died from cross-border artillery fire.
This situation is a lot more difficult than I thought it was. I think it's going to be hard to determine a "winner" and a"loser" in this war. The well-equipped Syrian government isn't giving up anytime soon, but even if the rebels "take" the majority, or even all of the country, will the government relinquish power? What will it take for the establishment to cede power to the civil society? And more importantly, what will come of Syria if it's new government derives from the violent coup preceding it?
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