The day before Deraa: How the war broke out in Syria

BY Steven Sahiounie
https://ahtribune.com/world/north-africa-south-west-asia/syria-crisis/1135-day-before-deraa.html

The day before September 11, 2001 was like any normal day in New York City.  September 10, 2001 was unaware of the earthshaking events which would happen the next day.

Similarly, one might think the day before the violence broke out in Deraa, Syria in March 2011 would have been an uneventful day, unaware of the uprising about to begin. 

But, that was not the case.  Deraa was teaming with activity and foreign visitors to Syria well before the staged uprising began its opening act.