Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is expected to promise a series of reforms on Wednesday, including an end to emergency law, as Syria faces its most widespread protests against the government in recent history.

Assad's move would follow similar speeches by other world leaders that have seen their grip on power weaken or be lost altogether, including President Saleh of Yemen and former President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt. Ultimately, the protestors in who began their assault on Assad's power two weeks ago are unlikely to be pacified by anything he promises to change.

Brought to power 11 years ago after the death of his father, Assad has been a key ally in America's War on Terror. But he's also cracked down on pro-democracy gatherings and refused to bend in his strong religious views. To learn more about Syria's past and Assad's history, click here.)

On Tuesday, Assad accepted the resignations of his cabinet. Protestors responded with celebrations in the nation's capital. At least five dozen people have been killed during the protests in a country of 23 million people.

An expert at the Council of Foreign Relations doubted the force of the protests because they have largely been confined to impoverished and economically-weak areas of Southern Syria.

"It is too early to say definitively, but it is very possible that the winds of change that have been sweeping the Arab world will stall in Syria," Joshua Landis said.

Syria faces similar problems to Egypt in that about a third of the country lives below the poverty line, earning meager wages and dealing with high food prices. But Syria's two major brokers--the Sunnis and the Assad's Alawites--have stayed united. As long as they bound together, Assad can maintain control.

"If things go south in Syria, bloodthirsty sectarian demons risk being unleashed and the entire region could be consumed in an orgy of violence," said Patrick Seale, author of a biography about Assad's father, on the Foreign Policy blog.

Worries about regional chaos has largely kept the Obama administration quiet on the Syria. Taking Assad on would also represent a challenge to Iran and a likely detriment to Israel. Tim Pawlenty, a contender for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, said Tuesday that the U.S. should impose sanctions on Syria--"economic and otherwise."