Micah Zenko argues that overreaching Western eagerness to help Libya's rebels will now make it more difficult to line up meaningful outside support for Syria's opposition.

The Security Council failed to adopt a resolution condemning human rights violations in Syria, owing to a veto by Russia and China.

Syria's upheaval has entered a new, perilous phase. Tougher regime crackdowns risk splintering the country into sectarian war, say experts, while debate over international action intensifies.

Theo Padnos explains how the Assad regime exacerbated the Alawi-Sunni rivalry, bringing the country to the brink of today's sectarian war.

Max Boot says Senate opposition to a U.S. ambassador to Syria is understandable but misguided.

Elliott Abrams, Eliot Cohen, Eric Edelman, and John Hannah, argue that former Vice President Dick Cheney advocation's for a U.S. strike to destroy the al-Kibar nuclear reactor built by Syria and North Korea was based on sound judgment.

The Syrian regime's brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters didn't trip the same alarm bells as Libya's did for the UN Security Council, but the international community is gradually losing patience with Assad, says expert Edward Luck, a special advisor to the UN secretary-general.

A new regime in Damascus could threaten Iran's support of Hezbollah and deprive Tehran of its one ally in the region, so it's counseling the Assad government to hang tough, says Iran expert Karim Sadjadpour.

Libya, Syria, and Egypt headline the latest "Arab Awakening" developments. This CFR Issue Guide offers expert insight into the causes and consequences of the region's upheaval.

Micah Zenko says Western leaders can take lessons from the ouster of Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi and apply them to Syria.

Ed Husain warns against Western triumphalism as the situations in Libya and Syria unfold.

Elliott Abrams argues that while the fall of Muammar al-Qaddafi is a victory, President Obama's failure to act sooner and more resolutely in the Libyan conflict has caused NATO to suffer greater damage than necessary.

Micah Zenko offers seven lessons the world's remaining autocrats can learn from Muammar al-Qaddafi's mistakes.

On August 18, 2011, European Union High Representative Catherine Ashton made this statement on behalf of the EU, regarding violence in Syria.

UK prime minister Cameron, French president Sarkozy and German chancellor Merkel gave this joint statement regarding Syria on August 18, 2011.

U.S. calls for Syria's Assad to step down can only be realized if combined with stronger measures to forge a diplomatic coalition and drive a wedge between Assad and his supporters, says CFR's Robert Danin.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave these remarks regarding the situation in Syria on August 18, 2011. She stated, "This morning, President Obama called on Asad to step aside and announced the strongest set of sanctions to date targeting the Syrian Government. These sanctions include the energy sector to increase pressure on the regime. The transition to democracy in Syria has begun, and it's time for Asad to get out of the way."

The White House released this fact sheet on Syria on August 18, 2011, regarding the U.S.' "series of steps and actions to work toward putting an end to the Syrian government’s violence, arrests, and torture, supporting the Syrian people’s universal rights, and pushing for a democratic transition".

President Obama signed this Executive Order on August 18, 2011. The order, according to the White House, "blocks the property of the Syrian government, bans U.S. persons from new investments in or exporting services to Syria, and bans U.S. imports of, and other transactions or dealings in, Syrian-origin petroleum or petroleum products".

President Obama gave this statement on the situation in Syria on August 18, 2011.