Syrian army soldiers stand at a checkpoi

Syrian army soldiers stand at a checkpoint in the city of Harasta, 9 km north of Damascus on February 15, 2012. Syria’s President Bashar Al-Assad has called a referendum on a new constitution that would effectively end nearly five decades of single party rule, state media said, as troops reportedly stormed protest hubs.
AFP PHOTO/LOUAI BESHARA (Photo credit should read LOUAI BESHARA/AFP/Getty Images)