Revolution near for Syria

DAMASCUS, Syria, May 10 (UPI) -- The revolution under way in Libya will soon become the norm in Syria as the opposition takes up arms against the regime, an opposition leader said.

The official Syrian Arab News Agency describes ongoing conflict as an insurgency, blaming terrorists and foreign elements for unrest gripping the country. Western allies, however, blame the regime for a brutal crackdown on demonstrations that erupted last month.

A man calling himself Nisr men Tel Kalakh, who used an alias for security reasons, was quoted by The Christian Science Monitor as saying Syria is on the brink of civil war.

"We are all expecting for Syria exactly what happened in Libya -- a revolution against the regime, an armed struggle against the regime," he said. "It will happen soon."

The opposition leader said his movement isn't armed, but expected "friendly countries" to start supplying weapons soon.

Washington blames Iran for helping Syria crush the opposition.

Demonstrators are calling on Syrian President Bashar Assad to step down. He assumed in power after his father Hafez al-Assad, who ruled Syria for 29 years, died in 2000.