On the ABC's Lateline last week, Middle East commentator Robert Fisk praised Syria's pro-democracy protestors: 'Tens of thousands of people with great courage go onto the street, they're shot down, then the mourners come along to the funeral and the mourners are shot down.'
Syria is moving quickly towards civil war, and it is natural that we would want to support the side that appears to stand for democracy against the repressive regime. Accordingly the response of Western nations has been to condemn the administration of President Bashar Assad for the violent crackdown and to impose economic sanctions.
Assad has angrily rejected foreign intervention, and foreign minister Walid Muallem has insisted that 'no one outside can impose on us their point of view'.
While nothing can excuse the government's killing of at least 1500 civilians, Muallem could have a point when he complains that that 'not a single European leader has come to Syria to discuss what is going on'.
The international community looks to be siding with the rebels rather than negotiating with the government to help bring peace. This is despite the fact that – as in Libya – little is known about the rebels or the form of democracy they represent.
It is likely that most Syrians would prefer peace – or national unity – to a western-backed democratic revolution. An overthrow of the government by rebel forces would destroy the delicate balance that sustains unity in Syria and would be likely to disadvantage minority groups such as the country's Christian population.
Earlier this month the Jesuits of Syria issued a statement that outlined a vision of national unity. They argued that 'a truly national peace cannot be built if one part of the population is excluded in favour of the other part'.
The statement refers to aspects of democracy such as freedom of speech, but not democracy as an aspiration per se. It could be argued that national unity does not sit well with democracy if democracy represents the will of the majority in a way that leads to the neglect of minorities.
Obviously Christian groups are concerned about the threat to their own rights and welfare posed by regime change. The Orthodox Patriarchate issued a statement that specifically 'condemned the foreign interference in Syria, and asked the Syrian citizens to be united'.
While democratic principles promote human rights, democratic elections represent the will of the majority and, as such, tend to neglect minorities. Regime