Quadriga

Heavy fighting has broken out in Damascus between the president’s supporters and opposition forces. Human rights activists say the army has shelled several neighbourhoods of the city. The uprising against president Bashar al-Assad has become a civil war affecting large swathes of the country - including the capital itself.

The international community continues to seek a solution to the conflict. But the Syrian national council says that any attempt to renew the UN peace plan will only help the Assad regime to stay in power. And Russia and China have blocked previous UN attempts to impose sanctions on Syria. As long as the UN Security Council is unable to speak with a common voice, Assad can rest easy.

The United Nations is now trying to up the pressure on the veto nations ahead of a vote this week on whether to allow sanctions and military intervention in Syria, if either side fails to comply with the peace plan. But can diplomacy still work? And do China or Russia really have the power to stop Assad?

Tell us what you think: Syrian Atrocities - The World Fails to Act

Write to: Quadriga@dw.de

Stefan Buchen– is a journalist. He studied Arabic and French in Germersheim, before going on to post-graduate study of Arabic language and literature. He worked in 1995 as a correspondent for "AFP" in Jerusalem and as a freelance producer in the Middle East. In 2000, Buchen began an internship at the German radio station "Norddeutschen Rundfunk". He later worked on the Panorama programme and was a freelance reporter for "Arte". Buchen has reported from many countries around the world, including Iran, Iraq, Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Michael Stürmer – has been the senior correspondent at the German daily "Die Welt" since 1989. Born in Kassel in 1938, Stürmer studied History, Philosophy and Languages in London, Berlin and Marburg. He is also Professor of Modern History at the University of Erlangen.

Habib Saleh– Der Journalist stammt aus der Mittelmeerstadt Tartus und ist Mitglied des syrischen Nationalrats. Er selbst bezeichnet sich als säkular, linksliberal und nationalistisch. Wegen seiner regimekritischen Veröffentlichungen wurde er zu 14 Jahren Gefängnis verurteilt. Über den Libanon flüchtete er nach Deutschland. Seine Familie lebt weiterhin in Syrien.