The meaning of Syria's 'laughable' referendum: 4 theories (The Week)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]The Week - Assad says he's delivering on promises of reform. But critics say it's a cruel joke to hold a vote on a new constitution while the military is shelling civiliansAs the Syrian military continued to blast civilian neighborhoods, the government of President Bashar al-Assad held a referendum on a new constitution Sunday. At least 59 civilians and soldiers were killed on the day of the vote, many of them in the besieged city of Homs. Assad said the referendum — which in theory would let him stay in power until 2028 — marked a step toward reform and the establishment of a multi-party system; according to state TV, it passed with 89 percent support. But the White House has called the idea of holding a vote on reform while the government is crushing the opposition "laughable." Here, four theories on what the vote really says about Syria:

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/oped/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/theweek/20120227/cm_theweek/224874

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