Members of forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad are seen with their weapons at Darya near Damascus, in this handout photograph distributed by Syria's national news agency SANA on February 9, 2013. REUTERS/SANA/Handout
Damascenes Panicked By Call For Men To Fight Assad's War -- Reuters
(Reuters) - When a government-linked Islamic body in Syria said this week it was a "sacred duty" to join the army and fight the revolt, Damascus was ablaze with rumors of a mass military draft.
Men of military age panicked, worrying they would be given a gun and told to fight never-ending street battles with rebel fighters before being returned to their families in a wooden box, like thousands of soldiers over the past two years.
President Bashar al-Assad's forces are stretched thin across the country as the opposition takes further ground, overrunning military bases and executing prisoners. Fleeing reservists say morale is low among troops, who are virtually imprisoned in their barracks by officers who fear they'll defect or flee.
Mohammed, a 30-year-old who supports Assad, said he would rather flee the country than fight the rebels.
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Update: Will Assad draft all Syrians into his army? Ominous signs on TV -- Globe and Mail
My Comment: The best explanation that I have read on this possibility is here .... bottom line .... the Syrian government is losing the war, and they need more soldiers to stop this trend.
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