Change.org Syria Petition May Be the Only Way to Stop Al Assad's Madness

It seems like many of the world’s most powerful men have reached the end of their thinking capacity when it comes to finding solutions to end the civil unrest in Syria. I single out men here because, for the women, there a new peace plan is about to begin.

Leading a new peace movement for Syria are the wives of United Nations ambassadors from Britain and Germany. These women have targeted Syria's first lady in an online appeal to "stop your husband" in his year-long bloody tantrums of violence which have taken thousands of lives. I believe women will save Syria and should have done this earlier.

Reuters reports that the campaign video contrasts the lavish lifestyle of 36-year-old Asma al-Assad, wife of President Bashar al-Assad and mother of three, with the images of dead and injured Syrian children.

"Stand up for peace, Asma. Speak out now,” the video says. “For the sake of your people. Stop your husband. Stop being a bystander. No one cares about your image. We care about your action."

The video (here) asks viewers to sign a petition at www.change.org demanding the London-born first lady speak out to "stop the bloodshed."

It was produced by Sheila Lyall Grant, the wife of Britain's UN envoy, and Huberta von Voss Wittig, the wife of Germany's UN ambassador.

"We strongly believe in Asma's responsibility as a woman, as a wife, and as a mother. As the vocal female Arab leader that she used to be, as a champion of female equality, she cannot hide behind her husband," Lyall Grant and Wittig said in a statement.

But hiding behind her husband is what former investment banker Asma Assad has done since the uprising started last year. Worse still she has shown signs of selective amnesia, pretending that her husband’s killing spree has not even happened.

E-mails exchanged with her husband, obtained by Britain's Guardian newspaper, apparently showed that the couple was buying pop music and luxury goods on the internet during the conflict.

The European Union has banned Asma al-Assad from traveling to the EU or shopping from European companies.

"Some women are for style and some women care for their people. Some women struggle for their image and some women struggle for their survival," says the video.

The UN estimates that Assad's forces have killed more than 9,000 people in the uprising. Syrian authorities say foreign-backed militants have killed over 2,600 soldiers and police.

The 15-nation UN Security Council voted unanimously on Saturday to authorize an initial deployment of 30 unarmed observers to monitor a shaky truce that started on Thursday.

If the women fail to restore peace in Syria, then the people of that country are sure to see more woes because a woman’s voice is deeply respected and has the last say.