Blush is off Syria's 'Rose of the Desert'

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/middle-east/2012/04/19/blush-syrias-rose-desert?utm_content=blogs&utm_campaign=Trial4&utm_source=twitter&utm_term=socialflow&utm_medium=tweet

This blog post from Al-Jazeera is about the Syrian First Lady, Asma al-Assad and the influence she can have on Syria.  A petition and a video have been going around urging her to use her political influence to stop her husband from killing the Syrian people.  As of now, the petition has nearly 20,000 signatures.  The closing lines of the petition state: "No one cares about your image. We care about your action. Right now.” 


From this, it is clear that the image of the Syrian first lady is a major part of her influence on the Syrian people.  She is a 36 year old, ex-London investment banker who married Assad in 2000.  She is nicknamed the "Rose of the Desert" and is a picture of Westernization to the Syrian people.  But, ever since the uprising began, she, along with her husband, have been placed on a list of Syrian officials whom are banned from certain countries, and her assets have been frozen.