Cockburn back from 10 days in Syria, says government not near collapse, but unable to defeat foes; criticizes media for accepting rebel reports uncritically; speaks of ability to drive major roads safely; of rebel and government atrocities, of minority fears of Sunni takeover; of Kurds seizing opportunities; of class and countryside vs. city conflicts; of contradiction in US policy of supporting opposition but labeling al-Nusra front, its best fighting force, as terrorist; sees chemical weapons hype akin to Iraq WMD; thinks conflict, like Lebanon civil war, likely to go on for years.
