A Conversation with Bashar al-Assad

[Penn]

This fascinating and insightful interview with Assad surprised me. He is well educated, thoughtful, considerate, and by any measure, politically astute.

Interviews are always of interest to me, especially if you can detect, through the answers, the uninterrupted thought stream of the interviewee, where the answers to questions are directly and effortlessly stated. Imo, that has occurred here, the result is impressive.

A Conversation with Bashar al-Assad

http://www.foreignaffairs.com/discussions/interviews/syrias-president-speaks

[The Reaper]

Must be his evil twin behind all of the torture and killing.

TR

[SF_BHT]

He is just showing the public side wait until the lights are turned off and the door closes.

[Penn]

TR
Must be his evil twin behind all of the torture and killing

No doubt about his effort to remain in power, but what interested me was the control he exhibited in response to very pointed questions. I reference control, in what appears in my reading of his responses, as complete understanding of the historical and current geopolitical situation he finds himself. I also thought it was interesting how Assad reference Syria's constitution and the importance of any solution being accepted by the Syrian people; from dictator to republican in no time at all.