Syria Broadens Deadly Crackdown on Protesters - Anthony Shadid

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/09/world/middleeast/09syria.html?_r=2&hp


The breadth of the assault — from the Mediterranean coast to the poor steppe of southern Syria — seemed to represent an important turn in an uprising that has posed the gravest challenge to the 11-year-long rule of President Bashar al-Assad. Though officials have continued to hint at reforms, and even gingerly reached out to some dissidents last week, the escalation of the crackdown seemed to signal the government’s intent to end the uprising by force.