[06 April 2012] Istanbul conference: Call for civil war in Syria? - Middle East Today - Presstv - English A gathering of some 70 countries which took place in Istanbul, has declared the Syrian National Council as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people. The Syrian government and the Syrian opposition inside Syria have refused the conference and have called it the conference of the "enemies of Syria." Although some reports have said that the west and some Arab states have already been arming the opposition, yet still it has not managed to bring down Assad's government, but how long can Assad hang on with the most powerful states in the world backing the rebel forces? Several Persian Gulf Arab states and the United States have pledged 100 million dollars to provide salaries and communications equipment for Syrian rebels fighting against the government. Show Less >>