Syria: Assad Regime Falls, Syrian People Endure
Assad’s Mockery and Disregard: Ignoring Syria’s Urgent Issues
In a defiant interview with Russia’s Solovyov Channel, Bashar ASSad dismissively predicted Donald Trump’s return as U.S. President, trivializing the role of American presidents as mere “executives” under the influence of powerful lobbies and financiers. ASSad’s comments, laced with arrogance, overlooked the significant security challenges facing his regime, from Israeli strikes against Iranian militias in Syria to tensions on the Golan Heights border.
He mocked Western sanctions against him and President Putin, and derided Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “clown.” ASSad’s disregard for pressing issues within Syria, including the dire economic situation, the fate of detainees, and widespread protests demanding his ouster, underscores his detachment from reality. His nonchalance and mockery of international sanctions reveal a leader oblivious to the growing consensus among future U.S. policymakers for his removal, especially given his complicity in attacks against U.S. forces, signaling his impending downfall.
Assad’s ‘Marie Antoinette’ Moment: Blame on Circumstances Amid Crisis: How Will Her Fate Unfold?
His wife, ASama ASSad, meanwhile, ignored the role of the government and held civil society and charity organizations responsible for helping the needy during the month of Ramadan under the pretext that “regional and international circumstances” caused the inability of the regime and its institutions to “do good.”
Syrian People’s Resilience vs Assad’s Russian Reliance
In Suwayda, escalating tensions following the regime’s inability to manage peaceful protests led to Russian intervention. A Russian delegation’s visit to meet with regime security officials underscored the regime’s dependence on external support to address internal unrest, which included violence and attacks on government and party facilities following the killing of a protester by regime forces.
Concurrently, local actions highlighted community resilience. In Miamas, residents intercepted a drug smuggling operation, seizing 30,000 Captagon pills intended for Jordan. This reflects a broader community effort to tackle drug trafficking and maintain security, compensating for the state’s failures.
The situation in Suwayda and all Syrian regions illustrates two critical points: the regime’s reliance on external powers like Russia due to its failure to peacefully address civil unrest, and the remarkable self-reliance of local communities in ensuring their security and combating illegal activities. These developments are of significant importance for understanding the dynamics of local governance and external influence in Syria.
Similarly in the north, it was Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan who discussed the Syrian crisis, focusing on the return of refugees and the constitution drafting during the Antalya Diplomatic Forum with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, without utter mention of ASSad. The forum highlighted Syria’s stagnant political process, increased humanitarian needs, and security challenges, including ISIS activity and external bombings but most evidently failed to address any viable solutions.
In Syria’s northeast, the SDF arrested 47 ISIS members and seized weapons and narcotics. General Michael Eric Kurilla, CENTCOM Commander, visited key sites in Syria, Egypt, Jordan, and Israel to assess security, meet with U.S. service members, and evaluate progress in combating ISIS, following increased tensions since the January attack that killed three American soldiers. Over 900 U.S. soldiers are stationed in northeastern Syria, focusing on ISIS and supporting the SDF.
The only window that may seem to still be open for ASSad to voice his resentment came in his foreign ministry’s announcement in response to the majority European Parliament vote. This vote recommended against normalizing relations with the ASSad regime, emphasizing the non-voluntary return of Syrian refugees from Europe and neighboring countries. Syria’s foreign ministry condemned the decision as Western interference, lacking the previous threats of aggression but accusing Europe of colonialism and misrepresenting Syria’s fight against terrorism.
