Armed thugs attacking demonstrators protesting against the regime was a hallmark of the early months of the Syrian revolution. The thugs were at it again early this fall in the Syrian city of Homs; this time, however, the demonstration was in the opposition stronghold of Wa’ar, and the armed men who roughed up the crowd and yelled at people to go home were Islamist rebel fighters who were provoked by protesters’ chants for a peaceful and secular future for their country. “It felt as if our revolution was stolen,” said a friend who was there. In the beginning it was simple enough to say you were against the regime, it was the people against their oppressor — in the suburbs of Damascus, in downtown Homs and elsewhere people were demanding freedom, reforms, an end to corruption and a united Syria for all sects. The Syrian people were the ones who
