respect what they re trying to do. but at the same time, unfortunately repression, if used repeatedly, ruthlessly, brutally, can work. we saw that in iran and i m afraid we could see it in syria. and yet, we re still seeing demonstrators pour into the street. has it not reached a critical mass that could really create cracks in the regime? well, as you know all too well, anderson, we don t have foreign press, a free press in there covering the events. so it s hard to know. but what i do know is we have not really seen massive demonstrations in damascus. many of the people demonstrating in damascus have come in from the countryside or the surrounding villages, and there are millions of people in damascus, most of them sunni arabs, another couple million alepo, and we have not seem them
well, as you know all too well, anderson, we don t have foreign press, a free press in there covering the events. so it s hard to know. but what i do know is we have not really seen massive demonstrations in damascus. many of the people demonstrating in damascus have come in from the countryside or the surrounding villages, and there are millions of people in damascus, most of them sunni arabs, another couple million alepo, and we have not seem them yet cast their vote, if you will. and the free press is another thing this regime lies about. i talked to an employee of the british embassy, a spokesperson for the british embassy a couple weeks ago, the only syrian government we ve been able to get on the program, and he claims, look, we re just processing foreign journalist paperwork. we re understaffed. clearly they ve had time to let foreign reporters in. and even those that are there, they won t let them leave damascus.
ambassador, did these people stand a chance against such brutal violence? first of all, you have to admire their courage. i can t tell you how much i respect what they re trying to do. but at the same time, unfortunately repression, if used repeatedly, ruthlessly, brutally, can work. we saw that in iran and i m afraid we could see it in syria. and yet, we re still seeing demonstrators pour into the street. has it not reached a critical mass that could really create cracks in the regime? well, as you know all too well, anderson, we don t have foreign press, a free press in there covering the events. so it s hard to know. but what i do know is we have not really seen massive demonstrations in damascus. many of the people demonstrating in damascus have come in from the countryside or the surrounding villages, and there