The Syrian conflict is reaching critical mass. Reports of chemical weapons use by the Syrian government is forcing regional and global leaders, including the United States, to act. The UK parliament just gave an emphatic no to Prime Minister David Cameron's proposal for military intervention. Lines of varying color have been drawn and naval ships are on standby. Oh, and Russia is being Russia. So what are President Obama's options?

It’s not about saving Syrian lives. It’s about Obama saving face. This is how one Syrian, Abdullah Omar, describes the US proposal to carry out limited strikes against the regime of Bashar al-Assad in the wake of a suspected chemical weapons attack against civilians last week. Omar lives in a rebel-held town near Turkey, where he and his family assist refugees turned away from the Turkish border.

Nearly half of Salvadorans believe the "maras" benefit most from the country's gang truce, according to an opinion poll, which could spell political trouble for the pact as presidential elections are looming. In a public opinion survey of 2,119 Salvadorans, El Salvador's Universidad Tecnologica found that 47 percent of respondents believed the Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha (MS13) street gangs benefitted most from the truce brokered between the two groups in March 2012.

In the past week, social media masses have swiftly begun to unleash their ire with user generated content poking fun at the big players in the Syrian conflict. Social media users were torn between those who mocked Assad for getting the cold shoulder treatment by Russian’s Putin, whilst others channeled their creativity to portray that Assad is a victim of a global conspiracy.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel sought to reassure voters on Sunday that Greece would not need a debt writedown but left open the option of more aid for Athens as she struggled to contain a dispute which could hurt her in next month's election. Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble provoked a storm last week when he told a campaign rally that a new rescue for Greece was inevitable in comments that contradicted Merkel, who has said it is too early to discuss additional aid. The subject has dominated the election campaign ever since.

One million people took part in the first day of anti-government protests on Monday, according to strike organizers who expect an even bigger turnout on Tuesday when teachers and health workers join the country-wide protests. The high number is disputed by authorities. The protest organizations’ estimate is in stark contrast to that of the government, whose Interior Minister Fernando Carrillo told press that 60,000 people had taken to the streets and that the situation in the country is “under control.”

As the Egyptian military consolidates control by murdering pro-Muslim Brotherhood protesters and declaring a state of emergency, we may be witnessing the most dangerous potential for Arab radicalization since the two Palestinian intifadas. Despite the resignation Wednesday of Mohamed ElBaradei, the vice president, in opposition to the Egyptian junta's action, the discomfiting fact is that most of Egypt's liberal "democrats"--along with the United States--have never looked more hypocritical.

It seems the entire internet is extremely pessimistic about the new round of John Kerry-brokered peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians. But seeing as most people online don't have a decent grasp on the Israel-Palestine situation, I decided to find out what the real world thinks about the issue. And since I live in Palestine, it was pretty easy to find people who will be directly affected by the outcome (or lack thereof) of the negotiations.