DAY 197 - OCTOBER 4, 2011
A pro-Assad hacktivist group calling itself the Syrian Electronic Army has broken into Harvard University's website and defaced its homepage causing concern over cybersecurity for the international community. While conducting cyber investigations, US reporters have discovered that the Syrian army is using "deep packet sniffing" software to hunt down anti-government protesters. Meanwhile, the Turkish government has completely severed its ties with Bashar Al Assad while Russia and China successfully veto a UN movement to increase sanctions in Syria. After the fall of Tripoli, the Libyan Civil War seems to be drawing to a close as rebel forces move to capture the last remaining regime city, Muammar Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte.
Outside you can see protesters burning the Russian flag in response to the UN veto. There has been word that Syrian security forces, in Daraa, have been arresting people during the night. Some activists have been able to skirt around the internet ban by using alternative ISPs. However, you have been warned not to use Skype or join Facebook groups. You're told many of them are government traps. You've noticed your son Emad is taking an interest in the opposition's plight. He seems to like the idea of freedom fighting, though not said explicitly. You catch him pretending to play "army" in your apartment by himself. You're worried that he isn't socializing with kids his own age enough since the protests have started. People are saying that yesterday the Assad regime killed an 11-year-old boy. For only a moment you envision Emad dressed in fatigues. You wonder if Ali is dead, and if so, how Emad will channel his anger as he grows up.