[View the story "Battle for Damascus" on Storify ]Battle for Damascus Netizens question whether deadly blast could be the beginning of the end for the Assad government. Storified by The Stream · Wed, Jul 18 2012 15:21:09
RT @7bsunlight: الله أكبر الله أكبر…القاتل يقتل ولو بعد حين… لقد قتلوا جميعا اليوم في تفجير مركز الأمن القومي #Syria http://yfrog.com/mgm5ounjremas
The attack was the deadliest blow the government has faced during the last 16 months of violence, leading to much debate - both online and in the media - over whether the conflict has reached a major turning point.
MY OFFICIAL APOLOGY: I'm sorry I doubted we couldn't do this alone. The Syrian ppl are great. #LongLiveSyria #SyriaUm Farouk
Robert Fisk dropping some heavy forecasting on @AJEnglish. Really seems convinced that this is it, this is the endgame.Ishaan Tharoor
FSA combatant on live feed says "this is the battle of the beginning of the end." | http://bambuser.com/v/2836819 #SyriaShakeeb Al-Jabri
I feel it. Today's the day #Assad makes his break. He will escape temporarily. #SyriaUm Farouk
A feast celebrating today's news. I'm so full and happy :)Big Al
Can you believe it? We have a battle to liberate #Damascus!! Oh dear God someone pass me a drink! #SyriaUm Farouk
Syrians took to the streets in different parts of the nation to celebrate the opposition advance, such as in this video from the northern town of Idlib.
Syria - Sacarab Celebrates FSA Damascus Victory Over Dictator Assad Inner Circle 7-18-12 Idlibsouria2011archives
Among those engaged in the online conversation is the co-director of the Activists News Association (ANA), Rami Jarrah (@
AlexanderPageSY ), who shared his views with The Stream.
Rami Jarrah on Syria senior officials' deathsajstream
The cartoon below, created by political cartoonist
Carlos Latuff , implies that intervention from the United States may be near.
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Adding to the sentiment that the day was a watershed moment in the fight against the Syrian government are reports of civilian and military defections.
BREAKING: Mass defection from within military units deployed to #Hama north countryside #Syria.Alexander Page
Mass defections of soldiers and officers has been reported today. rumours of high ranking officials pending confirmations.Furious Syrian
'#Syria units R defecting in large numbers in #Damascus - extent of defections in #Qaboun - delivers district to #FSA' http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2012/7/18/syria-and-beyond-live-coverage-un-talks-damascus-fights.html#1540Alexblx
As regime fights for its life in #Damascus, its position worsens elsewhere: reports of defections in #Homs, #Hama, #Idlib & #Aleppo. #SyriaAletheiaLibya
Being reliably told that soldiers deserting in Midan. Watch out for big number of defections in Damascus area and rest of country. #SyriaSalman Shaikh
If reports on defections are true, we're witnessing a real #Assad regime meltdown under our eyes #Syriadaniele
Rumours have also circulated regarding the current whereabouts of Assad and his wife.
Reports that #Syria first lady Asma Al-Assad has fled to Russia.Frank Gardner
Main road to #Damascus airport reported closed. Damn, says, #Assad, there goes the escape route. #Syria• Ahmed Abukersh •
@THE_47th @BigAlBrand Hold on, if these guys were there, wouldn't Bashar have been chairing the meeting, at least over videoconference?Alexander Clarkson
How sad for Mrs. #Assad. Will she be forced to flee #Syria without her Christian Louboutin shoes?Farah Stockman
#Assad is reportedly hiding in Qalamoun. Can anyone find him please, and finish the job? #SyriaRafif Jouejati
Russia and China should provide escape routes for Assad before it gets too late.Omoluabi
Others have claimed that the FSA has made additional gains since the attacks.
FSA destroy four tanks in Azaz, #Aleppo today https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3V6PRmJet0&feature=plcp Amazing. FSA is wiping the floor with Assad. #SyriaSami al-Hamwi
اعزاز الدبابات الاربعة المحطمة 18 7 2012revolutionazaz
But others have been more guarded in their responses to the attack.
May I point out that people have been talking about "turning points" in Syria, and Assad's days being "numbered" for a long time now...benmoran
Worth noting that, in the Algerian War of the 1990s, fighting and bombing made it into the capital city plenty of times. Regime held.Max Fisher
Impossible to count the number of Sri Lankan military chiefs killed by suicide bombings, or worse, in the civil war. They still won.Max Fisher
@Max_Fisher Same true about wars in El Salvador and Colombia in the 1980s and 1990sMichael Busch
Furthermore, several reports indicate that the government has responded to the attack with force across the country.
This is #Damascus right now. Smoke from the heavy shelling is everywhere. #Syria http://pic.twitter.com/tYfBnTelLeena
#Syria Urgent Retweet getting intl that Assad Regime handing out 1000s of Gas masks to Elite units and Security forces in #Damascusriad al asaad
The authorities destroyed 3 terrorists cars, attacked FSA bases in Ein Tarma where they killed 10s of terrorists. #Damascus #SyriaLinda Juniper
Syria - Assad Bombs Dael - Dictator Targets Town in Daraa for Destruction 7-18-12souria2011archives
Syria - Assad Warplanes Hover Over Mezze as Regime Reacts to Death of 4 Regime Minister 7-18-12souria2011archives
Syria - Assad Bombs Qabon - Dictator Attacks pro Democracy Damascus Neighborhood 7-18-12souria2011archives
Meanwhile, the events have also led to a conversation online about how to label the attack. US columnist Glenn Greenwald was at the centre of the discussion.
Today's suicide bombing in Damascus raises uncomfortable questions about the meaning and justifiability of Terrorism: http://is.gd/pFEqCsGlenn Greenwald
US official tells me US still verifying Syrian regime claim that it was a suicide attack. No indie confirmation on the tactic yet.Olivier Knox
@ggreenwald it was not a suicide bombing .Mostafa
@ggreenwald seriously and with all due respect, please go pick somewhere else to empty that terrorism rubbish, this is a fight for freedomAlexander Page
@ggreenwald - terrorism? not an ongoing civil war? i guess murdering civilians really bring the 'suicide bomber' out of ppl... no pityAlex Wildman
@AlexWildman1 So was the Fort Hood assault - motivated by constant US violence in the Muslim world - an act of unjust Terorrism?Glenn Greenwald
@AlexWildman1 It was an attack on a military base of a country that is at war in multiple countries and has been for a decadeGlenn Greenwald
@augustePDX If a Muslim walks into the Pentagon tomorrow and blows it up as a suicide bomber, you doubt everyone would yell TERRORISM!?Glenn Greenwald
Despite the online argument, others seemed to agree with Greenwald's point.
That awkward moment in the UN Security Council where Western govts have to stop to think about whether to condemn a suicide bombing. #SyriaHayes Brown
Interesting to see Westerners cheer a suicide bombing. Never thought I'd see the day. :P #SyriaAntoun Issa
That awkward moment when western media is enthused about suicidal attacks committed by muslims #syriaVictor Salama
Just as a matter of interest, has the Western media mentioned the word 'terrorist' when talking about the suicide bomber in Syria?Paul Bernal
#thatawkwardmoment when Westerners and secular Arabs cheer a suicide bombing.Blake Hounshell
Keith Urbahn, the chief of staff for Donald Rumsfeld, the former US secretary of defence, also joined in the conversation.
For once we should call a suicide bomber - the one that took out a major fraction of Assad's cabinet - a martyr.Keith Urbahn
@keithurbahn "Terrorism doth never prosper, what's the reason? Why, if it's backed by the Americans none dare call it terrorism".Richard Arnopp
