On February 1, 2012 the US in support of the Arab League urges the UN to request Syria’s President Assad to step down; Russia warns about pressing them too hard. On February 3 the UN failed to reach an agreement on how to stop the violence; on February 4 more than 200 were killed and hundreds were injured in a government assault using mortars and nail bombs; protestors around the world stormed Syrian embassies in response; Russia again warned the UN that a resolution condemning Syria’s leader would end in a scandal; China and Russia vetoed the UN’s resolution and the US said anymore blood spilled in Syria will be on their hands; the US closed its embassy and there was global condemnation of China and Russia voting against the resolution. The US supports the Syrian people’s right for a better future and is considering taking action outside of the UN as the Syrian people ask who will help the since the UN abandoned them. On February 7 the Russian President arrived in Syria for talks with President Assad. On February 8 a new video showing the bombing of a residential area and the people asking where the UN and America are. On February 9 it’s reported that at least 6,000 have been killed in the 11 month uprising in Syria; the European Union is placing harsher sanctions on Syria. We’re told the injured can’t go to hospitals because the President’s troops are there and doctors treating the wounded can be jailed; McCain wants to send medical, technical and military assistance and the US supports Turkey playing the lead role in resolving Syria’s crisis. On February 10 we hear the killing in Syria has expanded; February 11 we heard a top army general was killed and the US has satellite images as evidence of the Syrian people being attacked in their homes. On February 12 we heard that the Al Qaeda Chief urges Muslims around the world to help the Syrian rebels; February 13 the Arab nations called on the UN to send peace keepers; February 14 we heard that some believe that Syria is emboldened by the world’s inaction and missiles are fired every 2 minutes at Syria’s citizens.
On February 15 per RT.com Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov explained that Russia (Assad's ally and main arms supplier) and China vetoed the latest resolution on Syria “because our Western colleagues had closed the door on further consultations, telling us that they would no longer listen to our commentaries and putting this resolution to a vote in an ultimatum-like manner.” Although the authors of the resolution had taken Russia's demands into account by removing the provision for sanctions on Syrian authorities and agreeing the document cannot be used as a pretext for external interference, it carried proposals that did not suit Russia and China - "The resolution demanded that the Syrian government immediately pull out all armed forces from cities” and “We insisted that a provision be added, saying that the armed groupings must do the same - that was categorically rejected.” Lavrov said following talks with his Dutch counterpart Uri Rosenthal in Hague "Of course, we believe that the adoption of a new constitution in Syria is a step forward towards political pluralism". Lavrov hopeful that elections would be held in Syria at the end of May in compliance with the new constitution; described the move as “better late than never.” Lavrov said consultations on a new resolution will continue on February 16 when he is scheduled to meet his French colleague Alain Juppe in Vienna, and “I will be ready to listen to what he wants to tell me" but added "If the plan is to use the Security Council and United Nations to adopt some language to help legitimize regime change, then I'm afraid international law does not allow this and we cannot support such an approach."
Combined reports from Reuters (Beirut), UK’s Guardian, and the Irish Times on February 15 say that President Bashar al-Assad promised a referendum in two weeks' time (February 26) on a new constitution. Syria will hold parliamentary elections within 90 days of the approval of a draft constitution. Assad made it clear that he was still intent on crushing the uprising, with a history of resistance to Assad's late father, with tanks and troops. Syria has been ruled by President Bashar al-Assad's Baath Party since 1963 (Hafez al-Assad was president and was succeeded by his son when he died in 2000). Syria TV cited the draft as saying - "The political system of the state will be based on a principle of political plurality and democracy will be practiced through the voting box"; new parties cannot be based on a religion or regional interests, a clause that would exclude the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood or autonomy-seeking Kurdish parties and it would allow the president to be elected for two terms of seven years. A member of the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) in exile said political reform had come too late to slow what began as a mostly peaceful protest movement but which has turned violent. Melhem al-Droubi, an SNC member and senior Muslim Botherhood figure, said Dr Assad must simply leave power. "This constitutional draft came 11 months late. The truth is Bashar al-Assad has increased the killing and slaughter in Syria. He has lost his legitimacy and we aren't interested in his rotten constitutions, old or new". On February 16 the UN passed (Russia & China vote no) a non binding resolution denouncing Assad, requesting him to step down; the Arab League wants a joint UN-Arab peacekeeping force to be deployed and Turkey has refugee camps. On February 21 an American journalist and French photographer are among the dead. On February 24 about 70 countries request the killing stop so aid can be provided to the people; the people want arms to fight tanks and the international Red Cross to help the injured (they were able to help a few). On February 26 the attacks continue while citizens try to vote on changes to their constitution and the US dismisses the referendum as a sham. On March 2 Russia changes its position but the people still await help.
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