Syria's rebels "disillusioned" with America
The Arab League today disbanded its peacekeeping mission to Syria, and called on the UN Security Council to send a joint UN-Arab team.
Amateur video appears to show Syrian forces resuming their attacks in the city of Homs after a brief lull. Protestors say at least four were killed.
Clarissa Ward reported from inside Syria this past week, and was able to reflect on her experience just across the border in Turkey this weekend.
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CBS News anchor Jeff Glor interview Ward via satellite link.
Glor: This is your second trip inside the country since the uprising began. I wonder how different it was this time?
Ward: It is incredible how much has changed just in the last two months. When I was in Damascus at the end of November, protests were still considered very daring, if you will. Now people are out protesting every single night for the most part without real fear although regime forces still have snipers who have been known to target people attending those protests.
Glor: A lot of names have been used to describe what's happening now. I just said it was an uprising. It's been called a revolution. Some say it's a civil war. What do you call it?
Ward: I think at this stage it would be fair to call it an uprising, but there are real fears on the ground about the possibility of a civil war. It's important to remember that these rebel forces are not united. There's not a cohesive leadership. They are all from different sects and they have different interests, and for that reason there's a very grave concern that tensions could flair between the different sects within Syria.
Glor: Do these rebels have any expectation that more help is coming?
Ward: I think they have high hopes, but certainly they are very disillusioned and disappointed by the reaction of the international community. We attended a protest where we saw people burning photos of Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. There's a lot of anger with China and Russia for failing to back the UN resolution on the Syria situation.
There is also frustration with America. Many in Syria are saying: "Why is America not stepping in? America is about defending democracy and this is what we are striving for as a people now, is to have freedom and democracy in our country."
