Syrian Regime Becoming More Unstable!
January 9, 2005
http://www.tribulationperiod.com/
As I have indicated in several previous Updates and Blogs, it seems unlikely the regime of Bashar Assad, the President of Syria, will last through 2007. If I am correct in this belief, then my primary interest, from a prophetic standpoint, has been, “who will be his replacement?” His replacement could have great influence in the world of Islam.
The extracts, which follow, from an Associated Press Article in the Jerusalem Post, are another nail in the coffin of the present government in Syria.
BEGIN EXTRACTS FROM JERUSALEM POST ARTICLE
Syria’s Ex-VP Calls for Assad’s Ouster
Associated Press, THE JERUSALEM POST
January 7, 2006
A former vice president of Syria called from exile for the overthrow of the regime he served for decades, saying Friday that “a shameless mafia” is running the country and that its president surrounds himself with sycophantic adv
isers and is unfit to rule.
Khaddam told The Associated Press in an interview that Hariri was “threatened in a crystal-clear way on numerous occasions” before his death in a truck bombing last year – including by Assad himself.
“You are working against us and you are conspiring
against us. You are seeking to install a president in Lebanon.
I’m the decision-maker.
Anyone who contravenes my decisions I will crush,” Khaddam quoted Assad as telling Hariri.
Khaddam was for many years Syria’s top official in Lebanon and was a member of the ruling Baath Party’ s regional command, it
s most influential body, for almost 30 years.
Khaddam has been accused by Syria of high treason – which carries the death penalty – since first making his allegations of Syrian involvement in Hariri’s death in an interview with Al-Arabiya satellite TV station on Dec.
30.
Khaddam described the Syrian regime as corruption-riddled, with Assad’s cousins involved.
“A shameless mafia is in control of the country in the true sense of the word,” he said.
He openly advocated Assad’s overthrow.
“What I want is a regime change.”
Bashar Assad “does not deserve to be president,” said Khaddam, who was Syria’s nominal leader for a short period after Hafez Assad died in June 2000.
Khaddam did not spell out precisely how change might come about.
He suggested that people power could be the deciding factor, but said Syrians should not take to the streets now.
Khaddam said he will return to Syria “when the regime is actually collapsing” but added that his own future role was “irrelevant.”
Syria’s small but persistent pro-democracy movement was unlikely to embrace Khaddam as a potential leader.
END EXTRACTS FROM JERUSALEM POST ARTICLE
After I had finished this BLOG on Saturday, the following article was published in the Jerusalem Post on Sunday, so I am also including it as a sign that Bashar Assad is running scared and seeking help from Saudi Arabia and Egypt, who both have close ties with the U.S. Could it be possible this trip might be a preview of where he would flee if his regime was overthrown in Syria?
BEGIN 2ND JERUSALEM POST ARTICLE
Assad Flies to Saudi Arabia for Talks with King
Associated Press, THE JERUSALEM POST,
January 8, 2006
Syrian President Bashar Assad, who is battling an unprecedented challenge over his country’s alleged involvement in the murder of a former Lebanese leader, made surprise journeys to Saudi Arabia and Egypt on Sunday for talks with Arab leaders.
Arab diplomats said the talks focused on finding a face-saving way for Assad to deal with the most recent request to question him by the UN investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Assad was met at Jiddah airport by King Abdullah.
After their talks, he continued to Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt, for talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in another unexpected visit, SANA said.
Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal, who arrived in Damascus earlier in the day, met with Assad and Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa, saying he had traveled to Syria to prepare for Assad’s Saudi visit. He refused to give any details.
END 2ND JERUSALEM POST ARTICLE