The Vacuum in the East

Lack of loyal Syrian troops to put down the rebellion nationwide is made worse by the focus on trying to hold the large city of Aleppo. Too many troops are being sucked into that black hole. The results around the rest of the country are being reported more and more.

The Kurds are stepping up as Syrian security forces withdraw:

Some towns in northeastern Syria are flying yellow, green and red Kurdish flags as long-oppressed Kurds exploit an uneasy vacuum left by President Bashar al-Assad's retreating forces.

Syrian Kurds may be enjoying a breath of freedom after Assad appears to have ceded control of some areas to focus on the battle against mainly Sunni Muslim Arab rebels fighting in Damascus and Aleppo.

More of these areas will become obvious as time goes on. Assad can't hold the entire country and he isn't even trying to do that.

Assad's only hope is if Iran can somehow convince the nonaligned movement to back a ceasefire and send in an international force of peacekeepers to shield Assad as he rests and rebuilds his military.