You want me to believe American evidence and don’t want me to believe the indications that we have. We live here, this is our reality.
BASHAR AL-ASSADYou want me to believe American evidence and don’t want me to believe the indications that we have. We live here, this is our reality.
BASHAR AL-ASSADI cannot afford to make mistakes.
BASHAR AL-ASSADAt the end, I said [chemical weapons] is something not to be discussed with anyone.
BASHAR AL-ASSADThere is no such things as “Islamic terrorism,” because terrorism differs from Islam. There’s just terrorism, not Islamic terrorism. But the term “Islamic terrorism” has become widespread.
BASHAR AL-ASSADWe wouldn’t have withstood for two years and a half. We would have disintegration of the army, disintegration of the whole institution in the state.
BASHAR AL-ASSADYou cannot reform your society or institution without opening your mind. So the core issue is how to open the mind, the whole society, and this means everybody in society including everyone.
BASHAR AL-ASSADAmerica is interested in re-arranging the region as it sees fit.
BASHAR AL-ASSADThis is the Middle East, where every week you have something new; so whatever you talk about this week will not be valuable next week.
BASHAR AL-ASSADWe’re not like the American administration, we’re not social media administration or government. We are a government that deals with reality. When we have evidence, we’ll announce it.
BASHAR AL-ASSADHistory teaches us that nobody can prevent a resistance group from arming when it has the support of the people.
BASHAR AL-ASSADWe cannot use jihadists because it’s like shooting yourself in the foot.
BASHAR AL-ASSADHezbollah fighters are on the borders with Lebanon where the terrorists attacked them. On the borders with Lebanon, this is where Hezbollah retaliated, and this is where we have cooperation, and that’s good.
BASHAR AL-ASSADPeople do not only live on interests; they also live on beliefs, especially in very ideological areas. Unless you understand the ideological aspect of the region, you cannot understand what is happening.
BASHAR AL-ASSADThe Israeli lobby has clout in the U.S., which means that re-arranging the region and controlling its resources one way or another, will serve Israel through its control over the American administration.
BASHAR AL-ASSADAny strike will be as direct support to Al-Qaeda offshoot that’s called Jabhat al-Nusra and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. You’re right about this. It’s going to be direct support.
BASHAR AL-ASSADFor Turkey, they think that if the Muslim Brotherhood take over the rest of the region, they will be very comfortable, they will be very happy, they will make sure that their political future is guaranteed.
BASHAR AL-ASSAD