In 2011, just days after the first demonstration demanding the freeing of their children from his regime’s prisons, Assad met with a group of people from the southern Syrian city of Deraa in order to “discuss the people’s demands and why they took to the streets in such an unprecedented way.”
In that meeting, Assad said verbatim: “If you count on the US, you are mistaken. America stands with me and it is all the way on my side. So, it is better for you to go home and stop all what you are doing against me.”
“Don’t be fooled by the media or words from here or there,” he added.
At first, people didn’t believe him as they have heard a lot about the US being the land of the free, the dream within a dream, and the cradle of democracy! And this belief continued throughout the subsequent years, and to some probably till this very day.
Not long time after, the realities on the ground proved Assad to have said the truth
People believed Obama’s “Assad’s days are counted,” and his red lines and warnings regarding the use of chemical weapons against the Syrian people. Syrians believed the multiple statements issued by senior American officials condemning Assad’s non-stop slaughter of civilians of all ages.
Not long time after, the realities on the ground proved Assad to have said the truth. Yes, he was right and he for once said the truth. In fact, it was the only time Assad spoke the truth.
For four or five years, most Syrians didn’t believe that the Obama administration would support the Assad regime; Syrians thought that Assad invented this statement as part of his regime’s propaganda and wishful thinking so as people would fear his policy of arrests, torture, killing, etc.
But with the passage of time, after Assad’s use of chemical weapons more than 40 times against his own people, the most catastrophic was (August 2013) in Ghouta, the Caesar photos, the killing and detaining of hundreds of thousands, the destruction of whole cities, and most recently the Captagon trade cartel issue, to mention just a few of the Assad crimes that form just a drop in the ocean of blood Assad shed, most Syrians now take the American support for Assad for granted. It is something that goes without saying.
Despite Assad’s sea of lies, there is certainly that one single incident in which he revealed the real American policy towards his regime
Despite the fact that there is a never-ending list of horrible deeds that amount to crimes against humanity attributed to the Assad regime, still, Assad, his murderers and torturers are free and expanding. Assad is being returned gradually to the Arab and international arenas with the implicit approval of the US.
Hopefully Assad will ask the Syrian people for an apology for underestimating his frankness and truthfulness, be it for once.
Despite Assad’s sea of lies, there is certainly that one single incident in which he revealed the real American policy towards his regime. Assad needs to be credited for admitting it as it spoke volumes!
