Rumors are the cornerstone of psychological war, which constitutes another facet of war on the field. And in light of the major progress affecting communication means and photography techniques, it has become logical to question everything we hear and see on television channels and on the web, and even what we read in newspapers. President Bashar al-Assad previously announced that what was happening in Syria was a “satellite war,” to corroborate the fact that everything witnessed in his country was fabricated, especially at the level of the violent practices exercised by his troops against the Syrian people.

Now, anyone can deliver information, in light of the visual media outlets’ need to fill the time. This information maintains an apparent logic, but its credibility collapses in the face of any attempt to check its core, which is fueling the war of rumors in a way never before witnessed by humanity.

Hence, it has become difficult to learn about the nature of this or that incident, or check the identity of its heroes.

Moreover, it has become impossible to check the source and content of what is reaching us in terms of reports related to the regime and its practices, while the same goes for the opposition. One example for that is the tape which was posted online, showing armed oppositionists carrying out hideous acts against supporters of the regime. These armed men, who were celebrating the occupation of an official administrative building, probably aimed at showing their strength and at warning the defenders of the regime against the bleak fate that awaits them.

However, some believe that the regime fabricated that tape to show that the armed opposition was perpetrating inhumane acts against its opponents, and at shedding light on the bleak fate awaiting the supporters of the regime in the event of its defeat.

Hence, the same time is serving purposes in favor of both sides involved in the fighting.

When the security headquarters were detonated in Damascus – where senior officials were killed – the audience did not get confirmed information about the perpetrator, while mystery is still surrounding the explosion. Consequently, numerous theories emerged about its nature and those involved in it, knowing that the building in which the higher security commanders met should be the most guarded and under heavy security protection, especially in light of the open war in the country. One of those theories considered that the explosion fell in the context of internal liquidations related to the ways to manage and exit the crisis. Nevertheless, the reemergence of the talk about Maher al-Assad’s injuring in this explosion undermined that theory and confirmed once again it was carried out by the opposition, which did not present any signs pointing to its responsibility for this act.

In the absence of any transparency and credibility and in light of the reliance on the war of rumors, each event is carrying a meaning, a purpose and their opposite at the same time.

Still, no matter how fierce this war of rumors gets, the confirmed facts on the ground are seen in the massive destruction witnessed in all the Syrian cities, the high number of dead and escapees from the Syrian killing machine, as well as the testimonies of the defectors about the regime’s nature and practices. Moreover, there are facts related to the inhumane practices of armed men at least working under the banner of the opposition, if they are not members in it.

Eventually, these are the facts that should determine the direction of the crisis and the ways to exit it, not the rumors and media fabrications. And as much as the opposition adopts transparency and distances itself from obnoxious behavior which might occur here and there, as much as it will guarantee the accomplishment of the main goals it set, especially in regard to the unity of the state and the country under a new democratic and pluralistic regime.