Direct Quotes: Bashar Assad
by Seymour M. Hersh, The New Yorker
I spoke to Bashar Assad, the president of Syria, this winter in Damascus. Assad assumed the presidency after his father’s death, in 2000, when he was thirty-four years old, and he expressed some empathy for President Barack Obama, who, like Assad, was confronted with a steep learning curve.
One note: a transcript of our talk, provided by Assad’s office, was generally accurate but it did not include an exchange we had about intelligence. A senior Syrian official had told me that, last year, Syria, which is on the State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism, had renewed its sharing of intelligence on terrorism with the C.I.A. and with Britain’s MI6, after a request from Obama that was relayed by George Mitchell, the President’s envoy for the Middle East. (The White House declined to comment.) Assad said that he had agreed to do so, and then added that he also has warned Mitchell “that if nothing happens from the other side”—in terms of political progress—“we will stop it.”
Quotes from our conversation follow.
President Barack Obama:
Bush gave Obama this big ball of fire, and it is burning, domestically and internationally. Obama, he does not know how to catch it.
The approach has changed; no more dictations but more listening and more recognition of America’s problems around the world, especially in Afghanistan and Iraq. But at the same time there are no concrete results…. What we have is only the first step…. Maybe I am optimistic about Obama, but that does not mean that I am optimistic about other institutions that play negative or paralyzing role[s] to Obama.
If you talk about four years, you have one year to learn and the last year to work for the next elections. So, you only have two years. The problem, with these complicated problems around the world, where the United States should play a role to find a solution, is that two years is a very short time…. Is it enough for somebody like Obama?
Hillary Clinton:
Some say that even Hilary Clinton does not support Obama. Some say she still has ambition to be President some day—that is what they say.
The press conference of Hillary with [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu [in which she appeared to walk away from the Administration’s call for a freeze on settlements] was very bad, even for the image of the United States.
Israel and the United States:
To be biased and side with the Israelis, this is traditional for the United States; we do not expect them to be in the middle soon. So we can deal with this issue, and we can find a way if you want to talk about the peace process. But the vision does not seem to be clear on the U.S. side as to what they really want to happen in the Middle East.
Negotiations with Israel:
I have half a million Palestinians and they have been living here for three generations now. So, if you do not find a solution for them, then what peace you are talking about?
What, I said, is the difference between peace and a peace treaty? Peace treaty is what you sign, but peace is when you have normal relations. So, you start with a peace treaty in order to achieve peace…. If they say you can have the entire Golan back, we will have a peace treaty. But they cannot expect me to give them the peace they expect…. You start with the land; you do not start with peace.
The Israelis:
You need a special dictionary for their terms…. They do not have any of the old generation who used to know what politics means, like Rabin and the others. That is why I said they are like children fighting each other, messing with the country; they do not know what to do.
[The Israelis] wanted to destroy Hamas in the war [in December, 2008] and make Abu Mazen strong in the West Bank. Actually it is a police state, and they weakened Abu Mazen and made Hamas stronger. Now they wanted to destroy Hamas. But what is the substitute for Hamas? It is Al Qaeda, and they do not have a leader to talk to, to talk about anything. They are not ready to make dialogue. They [Al Qaeda] only want to die in the field.
Europe and the Iranian nuclear negotiation:
This is not European but Bush’s initiative adopted by the Europeans. The Europeans are like the postman; they pretend that they are not like this but they are like a postman; they are completely passive and I told them that. I told the French when I visited France.
Iran:
Imposing sanctions [on Iran] is a problem because they will not stop the program and they will accelerate it if you are suspicious. They can make problems to the Americans more than the other way around.
If I am Ahmadinejad, I will not give all the uranium because I do not have a guarantee [in response to American and European insistence that most of Iran’s low-enriched uranium be sent abroad for further enrichment to make it usable for a research reactor, but not for a bomb]…. So, the only solution is that they can send you part and you send it back enriched, and then they send another part…. The only advice I can give to Obama: accept this Iranian proposal because this is very good and very realistic. [Note: the Iranian position appeared to be shifting this week.]
Lebanon:
The civil war in Lebanon could start in days; it does not take weeks or months; it could start just like this. One cannot feel assured about anything in Lebanon unless they change the whole system.
Cooperating with the United States in Iraq:
They [American officials] only talk about the borders; this is a very narrow-minded way. But we said yes. We said yes—and, you know, during Bush we used to say no, but when Mitchell came [as Obama’s envoy] I said O.K.… I told Mitchell by saying this is the first step and when find something positive from the American side we move to the next level…. We sent our delegation to the borders and [the Iraqis] did not come. Of course, the reason is that [Nouri] al-Maliki [the Prime Minister of Iraq] is against it. So far there is nothing, there is no cooperation about anything and even no real dialogue.
George Mitchell:
I told him, you were successful in Ireland, but this is different…. [Mitchell] is very keen to succeed. And he wants to do something good, but I compare with the situation in the United States: the Congress has not changed…. But the whole atmosphere is not positive towards the President in general. And that is why I think his envoys cannot succeed.
Criticisms of some Israeli policies at the J-Street founding conference:
Ahh … that is new!… But we should educate them that if they are worried about Israel, then the only thing that can protect Israel is peace, nothing else. No amount of airplanes or weapons could protect Israel, so they have to forget about that.
Pakistan’s government:
They supported [Afghan President Hamid] Karzai and realized he cannot deliver. I do not know why they supported him and why—nobody knows why.
American power:
Now the problem is that the United States is weaker, and the whole influential world is weak as well…. You always need power to do politics. Now nobody is doing politics…. So what you need is strong United States with good politics, not weaker United States. If you have weaker United States, it is not good for the balance of the world. The New Yorker
To talk about borders is not being narrow minded!All countries should have recognized borders which other countries respect! As for ¨, a civil war could start just like this and one cannot feel assured about anything in Lebanon until they change the whole system,¨needs no comment!!!!!!!!
So Lebanon according to Assad should change the system and he is trying to fuel civil war as usual.
He was in Lebanon for 30 years what system did he put in place? other than Hasish and install lawlessness. He supported Hizbullah instead of Lebanese Army? he supportted one group against another? and now he wants to change the sytem? what business of his is Lebanon System? its okay for Assad to occupy Lebanon and consider it part of Syria? and still occupies Lebanon. They have still have a big chunk of it in the east according to the Demarcation committee. The Syrians do not wish to do it because they have go back quite a bit. Is okay for you Mr. Nissrallah? i Guess its okay because you and your allies keep their mouth shut about the whole thing? Its okay for him to Embrace Gaddafi and you make friends with him. You ignored his hugs and kisses between Assad and Gaddafi. he can walk on air in Lebanon and noone dares to say anything cause of his stupid allies in Lebanon. You’re bunch of Hypocrites and I say Syria is the #1 enemy of Lebanon as much as Isreal. I hope and wish that Israel Destroy’s Syria and Iran and you in the process. Go F**k yourself i have had enough you a**holes who support Syria. You all should be ashamed of yourselves calling yourselves Lebanese.. Rot in Hell you and Syria..
Thank you bashar for saying that Lebanon should change its system. means you do not like this one, and that’s enough for me to think that Lebanon is heading – despite all the hurdles – in the right direction and you do not like that at all !
Syria is the whore of the arab world. Whoever pays it the most it will submit its will to. Now its been Iran the last few years and thanks to Hizabullah it creates a buffer between it and Isreal and in fact it protects syria at Lebanon expense. Those who support Syria are the enemies of Lebanon. They’re doing what they want in Lebanon and controlling Lebanon at will. Yet these assholes in Lebanon supports like Aoun and Amal and Hizabullah and syrian nationalist part and the scummbag wahab is this guy really Lebanese? he looked Aliiwates to me Lol. So Syria runs by the Assad Family and he called that a system? stealing everyone’s money and hardly helping their people. His system is bound to fall and once Israel Inshallah stomps on them his system is going disintegrate and Sunnies and extremists will take over. Let’s see who system will fall. He’s setting dangerous precedence and planting the seeds of civil war. Anyone in bed with them is against Lebanon. Syria and Isreal are equally and no doubts are the same. I hope Isreal this time destroys the Syrian regime and it will for sure this time. Anyone who supported will definitely regretted and that includes that winney little bastard Walid Jumblat. Yes Syria brings all these extremists to Lebanon and prepare them and push them to cause problems in Lebanon so lebenase will regret they kicked syria out. Yes our system needs to be changed and remove all the syrians traces out of it inshallah soon in March Baby mark my word.
All above people are blaming this and that for the internal problems the lebanese facing today..well we brought on all these disasters to ourselves..we always look for outside support never tried to unite..every sect in lebanon is run by a political party with the same family members inheriting it George example Franjiyyeh Jumblaat Aljmaiil Shamoon..etc
Remember George Al-jmaiil went to Syria and got them into Lebanon in the first place ..
This is why we should lower the age of voters to 18 to involve the young people in the politics of lebanon before they fly away..We need new challenges and enthusiasm for establishing a new lebanon away from the freakin old attitudes and the diseases of greedy bast***s
Assad like many is an idiot. Ha has no business and should not be given an opportunity to opine on Hillary, Obama or Mitchel. We are giving him more credit than he is worth by allowing him to talk.
He should go to hell
First I could’ve not agreed more with Tarie Al-Fanarie response, you are the man. Yes, they should all go “F**k” themselves already. I also agree with DALAL’s posting, they need to change the families that control our country. I am 40 years old and I hear the same a**hole families (Christian, Muslims and Druze) talking since I was 5. How can we ever move on if the control gets passed on from 1 family member to the other? But also it is the people fault for not changing and they go in the direction where they pay them more money. I don’t blame them, I blame the politicians because hard working people do not make enough money to live in their own towns or country, so they follow who pays more. I wish they would make it a little different by allowing politicians to only have 2 terms and then get the f**k out of there. I also agree that they should allow 18 & over to vote, maybe we’ll have younger fresher and more enthusiast minds that understand the BS and turn the table around. As for Hezbollah, I am tired of their BS too, all they do is f**k us up and pretend that they want to unite Lebanon (while working for Iran & Syria) and they want to free Palestine and the little piece of land from Israel that belongs to us and bla bla bla. All they do is hold the country from moving forward and they are afraid of that. I want to know what excuse they have when Israel gives them that piece of land back. And then comes the greatest retard Michele Aoun, who doesn’t know what khazouk (D**k) he wants to sit on. One day he’s with Hezbollah and then who knows. 20 years ago he was against Syria and fought against them (apparently it’s a show) and sacrificed all the Lebanese army in the mountains and then ran away like a little bitch to France, but now he’s with Syria. Then he likes the French, 2 days later, no I don’t like them. I have an idea, go literally F**K yourself, because that’s what you are doing anyways. Anyways, god bless Lebanon and hopefully one day, we will be able to go back and work and live there like normal human beings.
All, I understand the anger here, is it possible we can be civilized and not use vulgar language. Regardless of the positive and or negative comments mentioned here; we all still one family.
Take care all
Jamil