It's Friday and it means more protests in Syria

Syrians took to the streets in large numbers today again after Friday prayers. As much as the military forces are beating down the North East of the country, elsewhere people are out in numbers in the streets to protest. It is said that marches took place after Friday prayers in Homs, Hama, Deraa, Der al-Zour, Jableh and other cities, including various suburbs of Damascus.

More then 9000 people are in refugee camps in Turkey but that hasn't stopped them from peaceful protests either. They don't want to be forgotten because they left the country.   Turkey is also preparing care packages for the 10,000 Syrians on the border getting ready to cross should things get worse.

I realize that the Syrians in Syria get very little information through outside sources since the crackdown and it amazes me the depth of their courage to go out there knowing that it could be their last day.

I keep hoping this week is the week that the Assad government falls, but my Lebanese husband tells me that there will be much more bloodshed before it's all over. I find this difficult to believe. How people can kill their neighbours like that. Especially in a country that prides itself for making it's population literate. You'd think people would think twice before shooting at crowds of unarmed peaceful protesters.

I do realize that not all the protesters have been peaceful. But after the armed forces start shooting with no regard for life, I'm not surprised some just take to arms and return eye for eye.   It is said that in some protests men go bare chested to clearly show that they are peaceful and not armed.