Assad interview with the Sunday Times

Pretty sure this is Assads first interview with a Western media outlet in over a year. He basically says that the only people who can oust the president are the Syrian people inside the country and any foreign influences are worthless. He further states that the UK cannot bring peace to his country simply because they are now in the process of arming the problem.

Al-Jazeera article

Lebanese-British reporter Hala Jaber, who also interviewed Assad in 2011, spoke this time to the president in Damascus.

She said he drove himself to the location, "a relatively modest building", and was told "that despite regular explosions, Assad insists on maintaining a normal lifestyle including — to his security chief’s dismay — driving to the office in the morning."

Jaber said Assad, who was softly spoken throughout the sit-down interview, adopted a conciliatory tone when discussing future negotiations.

"We are ready to negotiate with anyone, including militants who surrender their arms," he declared. "We are not going to deal with terrorists who are determined to carry weapons, to terrorise people, to kill civilians, to attack public places or private enterprise and to destroy the country."

The interview is brief but he does bring up some very good points when it comes to foreign influence. I'm sure there will be a few people who disagree but I think Assad isn't going anywhere in a hurry. He is still moving freely inside Syria, He doesn't look like a president on the brink of defeat and I think he does have some very good points.

He is critical about the UK and their influence inside the country also remembering that the British overnment are in the process of militarizing the opposition as we speak.

He seemed very confident and clam usual a good sign of a leader.

reply to post by Agent_USA_Supporter

He seemed very confident and clam usual a good sign of a leader.

Or the mark of a narcissistic sociopath.

He also vowed to retaliate against Israel in that interview.

If the Assad regime is certain to fall, and they have nothing to lose, that makes anything possible... Assad knows that one thing that can unite the Muslims in the region, and especially in Syria would be a war with Israel.

The end of the Assad regime, will not be a good one....

Originally posted by DJW001
reply to post by Agent_USA_Supporter

 

He seemed very confident and clam usual a good sign of a leader.

Or the mark of a narcissistic sociopath.

I guess you prefer the sociopaths Free Syrian Army whom are using Child Soldiers, thankfully the majority doesn't agree with you.

reply to post by ausername

The end of the Assad regime, will not be a good one....

Oh brother not this again i have being hearing that The end of the Assad regime for nearly two years its getting old and if the FSA did win they would have already done so.

As for his statement on Israel he has said it before when Israel attacked in Damascus but haven't fulfilled its highly unlikely.

I am surprised to see Supporters of the Free Syrian Army on ATS.

reply to post by ausername


Thats assuming that the Assad regime even falls though. Iran seem to think different and are pretty confident that he will be around for the 2014 elections. Imagine if he is and the Syrian people vote him back in. How will the West feel about that? Sometimes I think that the Syrians will vote him back in simply because the West want him out

Heres the article about Irans view on the Syrian government. I tend to believe them if the last two years are anything to go by.

Iran on Syria
President Bashar al-Assad will take part in Syria's next presidential election in 2014, the foreign minister of close Damascus ally Iran has said.

"In the next election, President Assad, like others, will take part, and the Syrian people will elect whomever they want," Ali Akbar Salehi said at a news conference on Saturday with his visiting Syrian counterpart, Walid al-Muallem.

"The official position of Iran is that... Assad will remain legitimate president until the next... election" in 2014, Salehi said.

Muallem arrived on Saturday for talks aimed at ending the nearly two-year conflict in Syria that the United Nations says has killed at least 70,000 people and is tearing the country apart.

reply to post by Agent_USA_Supporter


Let me elaborate for the record... IF the Assad regime is certain that they are going to fall, they will launch (suicidal) attacks on Israel, if they have nothing to lose, there is nothing preventing them. They will fulfill the Islamic prophecies that will end the time of conflagrations between Muslim sects (Sunnis, Shiites and Alawite). The entire region will ignite in a long feared Arab/Israeli war. A war that will not only be devastating for Israel and the region, but a war that will draw in NATO and the USA, and from there it will no longer be contained to the region. This war WILL come home, and whether you believe it or not, this all could escalate to a point where all of humanity will be threatened....

Some things are better left alone... IMO

You have no idea what is actually playing out here, or what the actual implications are, and frankly it is probably better that way.

Enjoy ignorance and oblivion while it lasts....

Originally posted by DJW001
reply to post by Agent_USA_Supporter

 

He seemed very confident and clam usual a good sign of a leader.

Or the mark of a narcissistic sociopath.

HA!

That comment made me laugh then I realised that actually you may very well be correct and the reason he is so clam is simply because he is a psychopath, quote a worrying possibility.

Originally posted by OtherSideOfTheCoin
HA!

That comment made me laugh then I realised that actually you may very well be correct and the reason he is so clam is simply because he is a psychopath, quote a worrying possibility.

Well he could be but he still seems to have his country under some sort of control even though his people are being slaughtered. I find it funny though that we can joke about Assad being a psychopath yet our governments can do things like the below and be made out to be heroes.

European advocates said the Free Syrian Army should be provided with large supplies of munitions, including military vehicles, body armor and night vision goggles, as well as tactical and strategic training. This position is privately supported by Britain, France, Germany and Italy, a European official told the Washington Post on condition of anonymity.

London and Paris have pushed to lift an EU embargo on arms trades to Syria. However, the ban was prolonged until at least May, as some nations in the 27-member union have refused to lift it.

Yes and the rebels have been slaughtering civilians with the weapons they already have also. I can't believe our leaders are givin these jokers a free pass to kill who ever they choose all in the name of toppling one leader.

reply to post by OtherSideOfTheCoin


Oh no lets ignore the Free Syrian Army they are all Fluffy and Bunnies they wouldn't harm a fly. The truth is the FSA are a lot worst psychopaths then Assad even though Assad is educated.

reply to post by OtherSideOfTheCoin


By the way other side hows that failing Libya doing?

Originally posted by Agent_USA_Supporter
reply to post by OtherSideOfTheCoin

 

Oh no lets ignore the Free Syrian Army they are all Fluffy and Bunnies they wouldn't harm a fly.

The truth is the FSA are a lot worst psychopaths then Assad even though Assad is educated.

Agreed on this. It's the most frustrating thing about all this. Prior to the outside Jihadists deciding Assad must die and Syria must roll into the Arab Spring, he'd have been a guy I'd have been happy to see go.

Now that I've have a good look at what would replace him? Hey, I don't need hindsight to say he's not THAT bad a guy. Hindsight is looking at Libya, as you note..... Gadaffi was another real winner...except for what replaced him. They are worse, no doubt. (sigh)

reply to post by Agent_USA_Supporter


Where did I say that I support the FSA in that post?

I do see them as a lesser evil compered to Assad but the are far from perfect

reply to post by DarknStormy

Well he could be but he still seems to have his country under some sort of control even though his people are being slaughtered. I find it funny though that we can joke about Assad being a psychopath yet our governments can do things like the below and be made out to be heroes.

This is no joke. In case you have not noticed, Syria is in a state of civil war. By definition, this means he is not in control of his country. If he had the best interests of his nation and its people, all of its people, in mind, he could have applied his intelligence and education to creating an equitable transition of power. Instead, he has allowed the situation to escalate to senseless conflict. Sadly, this has permitted Islamic fanatics to win the hearts and minds of the Sunni majority. Assad could have prevented all this, but he put tribal loyalty and self interest above the future welfare of his nation.

Originally posted by DJW001
reply to post by DarknStormy

 

This is no joke. In case you have not noticed, Syria is in a state of civil war. By definition, this means he is not in control of his country. If he had the best interests of his nation and its people, all of its people, in mind, he could have applied his intelligence and education to creating an equitable transition of power. Instead, he has allowed the situation to escalate to senseless conflict. Sadly, this has permitted Islamic fanatics to win the hearts and minds of the Sunni majority. Assad could have prevented all this, but he put tribal loyalty and self interest above the future welfare of his nation.

Islamic fanatics are not winning the hearts of the Sunni majority. As much as I agree that there maybe a few, the majority believe in their political system. If Syrians wanted Assad out so bad they would of done it themselves without the help of Western backed thugs. As for civil war,, it doesn't apply to Syria. Terrorists have overrun the country and most are sent in from outside sources. This is no joke either.

reply to post by OtherSideOfTheCoin


If you think Al-Assad is evil you are drunk on western propaganda. Saddam, Gaddafi, Al-Assad were all progressive reformers that brought their countries out of the dark age that was fundamentalist Islam. They ALL warned about the Jihadis. They all fought battles with the Jihadis, Saddam in particular was despised for gassing radical Islamists who were trying to kill him. To an extent we can count Mubarak among these men. We killed two of them - and are now working on bringing down the fourth, final secular dictator. Meanwhile we send billions to the Wahabbist Saudi monarchy and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. We have given arms to Jihadis (because it is much easier than invading with our own troops - see Iraq) just as we did to Bin Laden's muhajideen network back in the 80s. The question is, when we will hold our traitorous leaders accountable for this? And why are they blatently furthering the cause of radical Islam in the middle east?

reply to post by SteveR


I think its because they believed they could someone work with the Jihadis when all was said and done.. How wrong they were. This push for fanatical Islam in the ME is a strange approach considering they are the very guys we have been condemning for the past 10 years. I think they will find that they are going to have more problems than what they did before. If we think the likes of Gadaffi, Assad,, Saddam not playing ball with the West was counter productive, wait and see what these psychopaths have in store for us. Thet will be much worse and we have already seen in Libya how much they respect our diplomats etc.

Originally posted by Agent_USA_Supporter
reply to post by OtherSideOfTheCoin

 

Oh no lets ignore the Free Syrian Army they are all Fluffy and Bunnies they wouldn't harm a fly.

The truth is the FSA are a lot worst psychopaths then Assad even though Assad is educated.

Exactly...

UN Designates "Free Syrian Army" Affiliates as Al Qaeda

Assad is no angel, but we seriously need to stay out of this.

reply to post by DarknStormy

If Syrians wanted Assad out so bad they would of done it themselves

Cool. Tell your buddy to call for a general election.