The armed forces of Syria need to return to their barracks now to prevent any more bloodshed on the nation's streets. In a sad and bloody turn of events, the army began using tanks and armoured vehicles to put down popular anti-government protests.
According to reports and eye-witnesses, the southern city of Daraa was turned into a battlefield when army tanks sealed off the city and moved into its streets to conduct a security sweep.
Whatever the cause, there can be no excuse for army officials to let loose its military power against a largely unarmed civilian population.
While there are claims that some of the protesters have gained access to arms and that the military was asked to intervene, the use of armour to suppress demonstrations cannot be condoned.
Syrian government officials have asserted that outside influences are being brought to bear on protesters and that various groups and nations are supplying weapons to the demonstrators. There is little if any evidence of that. But if images of tanks opening fire on largely unarmed demonstrators are widely circulated, it could be a matter of time before that is indeed the case.
Already, the bloody suppression of the anti-government voices have caught the attention of Washington and it is only a matter of time before international action is brought to bear on the Syrian regime. The solution to Syria's problems must come from within, not imposed by the international community.
Syrians alone now must solve Syria's problems. The administration of President Bashar Al Assad needs to come to terms with the forces lining up against it. It must look at the recent protests as an opportunity to reform Syria's government, politics and economy in a meaningful way to effect change for all.
It should look at recent events elsewhere and realise that violence only begets violence.
