HORROR IN SYRIA – AT 10:06 A.M. ET:  We keep urging here that, in the midst of our own economic stress, it's important not to take our eyes off the foreign-policy ball.   There is new horror in Syria, one of the most important of Arab countries.  From Fox:

Syrian security forces killed at least 62 people Sunday in an escalation of the crackdown on protests ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, activists and residents said. Most died in raids on the flashpoint city of Hama, where a barrage of shelling and gunfire left bodies scattered in the streets.

Demonstrations calling for President Bashar Assad's ouster are expected to swell during Ramadan, which starts Monday, in Syria. Security forces appeared to be racing against time as they stormed and raided cities and small villages across the country in an attempt to crush a remarkably resilient uprising that began in mid-March.

Having sealed off the main roads into the opposition stronghold of Hama almost a month ago, army troops in tanks pushed into the city from four sides before daybreak Sunday in a coordinated assault. Residents shouted "God is great!" and threw firebombs, stones and sticks at the tanks. The crackle of gunfire and thud of tank shells echoed across the city, and clouds of black smoke drifted over rooftops.

"It's a massacre. They want to break Hama before the month of Ramadan," an eyewitness who identified himself by his first name, Ahmed, told The Associated Press by telephone from Hama, where at least 49 people were killed Sunday.

Hospitals were overwhelmed with casualties and were seeking blood donations, he said.

COMMENT:  Note the deep concern expressed by "human rights activists," especially in the United States.  And note the laxness of our own government in dealing with this nightmare.  We were quick to push pro-American Hosni Mubarak out of the Egyptian presidency, but very slow to put truly serious pressure on the anti-American and pro-Iranian Syrian regime.  Hmm.

July 31, 2011