Skip to main content

Assad’s Final Days More Hope than Reality

Ali Hashem writes that perceptions of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s final days are giving way to the reality that he may not be leaving soon.
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad (3rd L) prays during celebrations of Prophet Mohammed's birthday, at the al-Afram mosque in Damascus January 24, 2013, in this handout picture provided by Syria's national news agency SANA. REUTERS/SANA/Handout (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS RELIGION ANNIVERSARY) ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS IMAGE. FOR  EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR A

Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad isn't counting his days; he might still have another year to spend as the president of Syria. This is what many of his key allies believe, and it’s the painful reality some of his enemies started to acknowledge. French foreign minister Laurent Fabius said a week ago there was no indication the Syrian crisis was going to be resolved anytime soon: ”The solution that we hoped for, that is to say: Bashar's fall, the rise of the opposition to power, there are no current signs that are as positive as that.” Fabius contradicted his prediction last month that the end was near for Assad. King Abdullah II of Jordan made similar remarks in an interview: “Anyone who says that Bashar’s regime has got weeks to live certainly doesn’t know the truth on the ground.” The UN-Arab League envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi, cut it short in front of the UN Security Council: “The regime could cling to power for now, but the country is breaking up before everyone's eyes.”

It’s before everyone’s eyes that things started to change. In the last days of 2012, many were suggesting the regime will be toppled by March 15, 2013, the revolution’s second anniversary. Suddenly and after Assad’s last speech on Jan. 6, 2013, question marks were placed after "Assad will fall."

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.