[Syrian President Bashar al-Assad] stressed Syria was key to keeping the peace in the region.Assad has drawn repeated condemnation from the United Nations, Arab League and Western governments for the violent manner in which he has attempted to crush a seven-month uprising against his rule.
[...]
The UN estimates that more than 3,000 people, including nearly 200 children, have been killed in the unrest. Since the start of protests in March, Syrian authorities have blamed the violence on gunmen they say have killed 1,100 soldiers and police.
Syria has barred most international media, making it hard to verify accounts from activists and authorities.
[...]
Louay Safi, a member of the opposition Syrian National Council, said Assad has to understand that he is "inviting an intervention".
[...]
Assad said in the interview that Western countries "are going to ratchet up the pressure, definitely... but Syria is different in every respect from Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen", comparing his countries to others affected by 'Arab Spring' uprisings.
"The history is different. The politics is different. Syria is the hub now in this region. It is the fault line, and if you play with the ground you will cause an earthquake," he said.
"Do you want to see another Afghanistan, or tens of Afghanistans? Any problem in Syria will burn the whole region.
I’m not advocating intervention, but isn’t there already a “problem in Syria?”
....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.
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