A Norwegian student suddenly found himself facing an angry mob of demonstrators in Damascus during the recent unrest. He didn't see any choice but to address them, something he managed to do in Arabic. Even Nord Rydningen is a young man from Oslo who's studying in Syria. He says he was watching a demonstration outside the French Embassy on Friday when he felt the crowd starting to turn against him. Suddenly a Syrian friend, whom Rydningen claimed commands respect in Damascus, yelled at the hostile crowd that "This is Even, a Norwegian and a good friend." Rydningen immediately found himself...