Rebels in Syria claim to have added the overrunning of a hydroelectric dam to their growing string of strategic victories over Bashar al-Assad's government—the most notable being the capture of an air base in Damascus on Sunday. One analyst covering Syria told the New York Times that the real question "is when the regime will start to pull out of the north."

While recent successes are not likely to suddenly shift the power dynamic in Syria, the rebels have successfully confiscated some significant government weapons caches, a small yet crucial score in a fight where they're largely outgunned.

Six collaborating journalists have compiled a good report of recent rebel triumphs and the evolving situation in Northern Syria in today's Times that is worth reading to its end.

Over the past month, rebels have seized or damaged major military bases around the country, making off with armored vehicles, antiaircraft weapons and other equipment they desperately need to break the stalemate in the grinding conflict, which has taken more than 30,000 lives. But they have not tried to hold all of the bases, as they become easy targets for government airstrikes.

It is hard to believe that this civil war has been going on for over a year and a half. It still seems that few are considering how to unite these disparate rebels in the new Syria, whatever it might become, if or when Assad falls.