The Western media names Dara’a as the birth place of the revolution, where Syrian soldiers and police fired on and killed ‘peaceful’ demonstrators.  This myth remains today, 5 years on.

While in Damascus we had the opportunity to interview a young soldier who was in Dara’a at the beginning of the so called ‘peaceful protests’ in Syria.  This is his account. ~ Gail

I wanted to know what was your first experience on that first day? 

Soldier:  I will tell you how we knew what was going on.  We were at the headquarters in Damascus, sitting, not knowing that something is going on in the country.  And that was 15 of March, 2011.  And we were watching TV and seeing what was happening in Egypt and Tunisia and other countries and we were saying that couldn’t happen to us, that would not happen to our country.  So in March 15…