President Obama's Comments on Syria Inconsistent With Intelligence Reporting

President Obama's comments on Syria, that the opposition is gaining strength and it is not a question of if but when the regime will go, are inconsistent with the intelligence reporting for the administration.

There are three markers, according to U.S. officials, that indicate a regime is collapsing from within -- lost support among inner circle, lost support among elites, the military is turning against the regime -- there is no evidence to indicate any of those markers exist in Syria. The recent defections are not seen by U.S. officials as critical inner circle.

U.S. officials confirm that there is new evidence, based on satellite images, that the slaughter of civilians by the military is escalating including the shelling of mosques, schools, playgrounds and a hospital in Homs.

The opposition continues to be seen as weak and disorganized.