TOO LATE

Arab League Fears Syrian Civil War

As monitors quit mission.

A day after Syrian President Assad gave a public speech in Damascus about how the nation will overcome foreign conspirators, the head of the Arab League has something else to say: Syria is at risk of civil war. Nabil Elaraby made his announcement late Thursday after news that several of the Arab League monitors were quitting or considering quitting. The monitors worked Thursday for the first time after 11 were injured in an attack three days ago. Elaraby says that violence has decreased since monitors entered the nation. By January 20, the monitors will present their findings and decide where to proceed from there—though Syrian opposition thinks this is just buying time for Assad.