*******WARNING******* Please read the ***WARNING*** below before clicking any links.

As we all are aware the violence in Syria continues to intensify. Most recently the Assad regime failed to meet their deadline for the turning over of chemical weapons stockpile. The active Civil War has become a sort of ignored issue here in the West. Meanwhile, thousands of innocent Syrians are trapped in a state of perpetual fear between a despot intent on forcing the people into submission and an insane mix Islamic terror groups, and more radical secular groups.

Given the two options, Assad or FSA, I was curious what the different folks on here considered the more appropriate.

To colour the discussion I've attached links to two VERY GRAPHIC videos that I believe place the choices in stark contrast. I hope the mods won't kill the links because they are not posted for their shock value but instead to colour the situation and depict the reality on the ground as accurately as possible. ***WARNING*** These are what they don't show you on TV or in the media.

FSA/Terror Group

The Internet is filled with all sort of videos like this and this behavior is some what common place. There is even video evidence of radical soldiers eating Syrian Military Personnel.

Assad and Syrian Regime

This and many more videos clearly show the Syrian regimes targeting of civilian areas. There is a vast collection of videos from the so called, SyrianTube, which depict further attacks on civilian areas as well as supposedly "fake" videos in which men wearing Syrian military uniforms, all the way up to the rank of Colonel, execute civilians and captured combatants with gunfire.

Again, the purpose of the videos is not shock value but to stimulate any discussion by putting a very real face to it. The goal is to attempt to show the reality on the ground and demonstrate that this is not a war being waged by statistics or press releases but by real people.

So, given the international apathy, what are the choices? What is to be done? Who should the US and the civilized world support? Should we do anything? Do we have a moral obligation to stop the violence depicted in these and other videos?

These are sort of deep questions but, like usual, I know the Spin Room will keep this civil and more importantly thought provoking and stimulating.

FURTHERMORE, I in no way endorse the views expressed on the linked website. The links are provided purely because of the video content, nothing more.

There are no good choices. Here are the choices

1) Assad - and by proxy, Iran and Russia. A terroristic regime that gasses its own people and has repeatedly committed crimes against humanity. Supports terrorism on a global scale and supports Hezbollah's terrorism attacks on Israel. Plus side, not Islamist (but supports Islamist groups outside Syria) and allows women some degree of human rights. Widely seen as the protector of Syria's religious minorities, such as the Druze and the Christians. Due to the regime's unpopularity, will likely be unable to win the war. Unlike Iraq, actually serious about obtaining nuclear weapons.

2) Opposition - chaotic group with no identifiable leader. Infiltrated by Islamists. Commit their own atrocities. Would win an election, if a free and fair one were to be held. As support has been lacking, they are unable to win the war. Considered to be a threat to the non-Sunni community and women.

A good choice isn't on offer here. I think the best response is to encourage those with a real stake in the outcome, most notably Turkey, to try to make sense of the situation.