January 6, 2006

I'M READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP, MR. BUSH:

AP: Former Syrian VP Says Assad Should Go (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, 1/06/06)

A former Syrian vice president who has openly broken with President Bashar Assad intensified his criticism Thursday, saying the Damascus regime had outlived its time and was unlikely to survive much longer.

Abdul-Halim Khaddam, who left his post in the Syrian government in June, was asked in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press interview from Paris whether he supported regime change.

Yes,'' he replied adding that he had no personal interest in leading the drive to oust Assad. [...]

''I am convinced that the regime committed big mistakes against Syria and Lebanon ... and consequently it must shoulder its responsibility in front of the Syrian people,'' Khaddam said. ''I think the regime has no chance of surviving in the long term.''


He wants to be this war's Chalabi so bad you can smell it.

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 6, 2006 9:19 AM
Comments

It's not so clear to me that this would be a step forward. I, personally, don't think Assad had much to do with the Harrari assassination. What I think is most likely is that some faction of the Syrian ruling class did it, primarily to protect their economic interests in Lebanon. Assad pere was able to control such factions, but Assad fils? Unlikely. He could be tossed off the sled to drain pressure for real regime change.

Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at January 6, 2006 11:05 AM

Then just keep up the pressure until the people have control of their government.

Posted by: Jay at January 6, 2006 11:46 AM

This dude has the chance to be better than Chalabai because he's new on the scene and has not had time to get into it with the CIA/State crew. Jay is 100% correct. Once Assad is out of there, we're on track for elections, constitutional conventions, etc just like next door in Iraq. Iraq will be the model (just like the blog by that name says). Of course the corrupt establishment there will work things to their advantage but they'll have to move with the tide.

Posted by: JAB at January 6, 2006 12:35 PM
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