Turkey is a democracy, Erdogan received a larger proportion of the public vote then Cameron, Obama or Hollands.
Claig Assad and his father before him have been brutally suppressing the Syrian people for years, just Google Hama Massacre or Tadmor Prison massacre.
The people asked for peaceful reform and were fired up. Children in Deraa who painted anti-government slogans at the start of the uprising were detained and tortured.
There was a saying in Syria "Even when you go to the dentist, you don't open your mouth". Dissent against the regime was impossible. This could never last, the people were bound to want more freedom.
There is also the issue of years of extremely poor agricultural policy (connections, not talent bring you power in the regime), causing droughts which has also fermented unrest.
Tragically, the Assad regime either want their rule, or no Syria. The destruction they have waged on the country is obscene, vast tracts have been flattened.
I don't believe there is any straight forward solution. The country is destroyed, tens of thousands dead, millions displaced. It is a nightmare.
But Assad must go and hopefully some kind of democracy can take it's place.
The road from an autocracy to democracy is rarely smooth, particularly in the wake of such warfare.
Positives are that Syria has a large merchant class who independent of the regime, there would be people to return to rebuild the country.
The amount of money that the Regime has syphoned off over the years is unreal. (Rifat Assad Billionaire is another worthwhile Google.) Syria, by rights should be a first world country by now if run properly.
I hope that answers some of your questions Nicolas.
Meglet - thank you, that means a lot.