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IN DENIAL: Barbara Walters' Interview with Syria's President Bashar al-Assad
07-Dec-2011
In Interview with ABC’s Barbara Walters, Syria's President Bashar al-Assad say’s 'There Was No Command to Kill'. (For More on this Story including Walter’s Views on Interview Go to ABC’s Here)
Barbara Walters discusses brutal crackdown of protests with Syria's président :
(NOTE : TO WATCH DOUBLE CLICK HERE)
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THE ASSAD ENIGMA :
From Respectable Surgeon to ‘bloodthirsty’ dictator
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Barbara from "The View" program went to Syria ( few years ago):
Asma Elassad Syria's first lady on Gaza by CNN (Jan 14, 2009):
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NO REMORSE , NO GUILT
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Syria's Bashar al-Assad 'feels no guilt' over crackdown (bbc)
Syria's president has said that he feels no guilt about his crackdown on a 10-month uprising, despite reports of brutality by security forces.
In an interview with the US network ABC, Bashar al-Assad said he had given no orders for violence to be used against protesters but admitted "mistakes"were made.
He said he did not own the security forces or the country.
At least 4,000 people have been killed since the uprising began, the UN says.
However, Mr Assad said the UN was not credible.
Syria blames the violence on "armed criminal gangs".
The US later rejected President Assad's assertions that he did not order the killing of protesters.
"It is just not credible," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.
"The United States and many, many other nations around the world who have come together to condemn the atrocious violence in Syria perpetrated by the Assad regime know exactly what's happening and who is responsible."
Mr Assad's interview comes a day after the US announced that its ambassador in Syria, Robert Ford, would return to Damascus after he was withdrawn in October because of security concerns.
France's ambassador returned on Monday.
'Big difference'
Responding to questions from veteran presenter Barbara Walters about the brutality of the crackdown, Mr Assad said he did not feel any guilt.
"I did my best to protect the people, so I cannot feel guilty," he said. "You feel sorry for the lives that has [sic] been lost. But you don't feel guilty - when you don't kill people."
"We don't kill our people… no government in the world kills its people, unless it's led by a crazy person," he added.
The security forces were not his, nor did he command them, the Syrian president said.
"There was no command, to kill or to be brutal," he said.
"I don't own them, I am president, I don't own the country so they are not my forces."
Instead he blamed the violence on criminals, religious extremists and terrorists sympathetic to al-Qaeda, who he said were mingling with peaceful protesters.
He said most ofthose killed were from government supporters, with 1,100 soldiers and police among the dead.
Those members of the security forces who had exceeded their powers had been punished, he said.
"Every 'brute reaction' was by an individual, not by an institution, that's what you have to know," he said.
"There is a difference between having a policy to crack down and between having some mistakes committed by some officials. There is a big difference."
When challenged about reports of house-to-house arrests, including of children, Mr Assad said the sources could not be relied upon.
"We have to be here to see. We don't see this. So we cannot depend on what you hear,"he said.
The United Nations, which has said the Syrian government committed crimes against humanity, was not credible, Mr Assad said.
He described Syria's membership of the UN as "a game we play".
Asked if he feared sharing the fate of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi or ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Mr Assad said the only thing he was afraid of was losing the support of his own people.
Recommended Reading:
Bashar al-Assad: Syria's unintended president (CNN, Wire Staff)
U.N.puts death toll at 4,000 in Syria as pressures rise by Mohamed Fadel Fahmy, (CNN)
Related Blogs on Syria and ME Crisis:
Jordan's King Abdullah Calls On Syria's President Assad to Step Down
Jordan's King Warns: 'No one has any idea what to do about Syria'
Jordan King in talks with Mahmoud Abbas on Palestinian statehood bid
STUBBORN WALLS: Ben Gurion, Hussein, Nasser interviews on ME Peace Process
Related Blogs on ‘Barbara Walter’s Interviews’ :
Barbara Walters On Interviewing Muammar Gaddafi in 1989
pictory: Shah Interview with Barbara Walters and US Networks (1974-77)
A QUEEN's LOYALTY: Barbara Walters Shares Shahbanou Farah's concerns for President Mobarak's Family
WOMEN KNOW YOUR LIMITS: The Shah's Post Mortem Apologies to Barbara Walters and Oriana Fallaci
PRINCE OF PERSIA: Barbara Walters Interview with Crown Prince Reza (2002)
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Al-Assad: 'I'm not a puppet ... I will live and die' in Syria
by Darius Kadivar on Thu Nov 08, 2012 07:06 AM PSTAl-Assad: 'I'm not a puppet ... I will live and die' in Syria (cnn)
(CNN) -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad insists he will "live and die" in Syria, even as countries offer him safe passage in exchange for halting a gruesome civil war.
"I'm not a puppet, and I was not made by the West to go to the West or to any other country," he told Russia Today TV. "I am Syrian. I was made in Syria and to live and die in Syria."
He also made an ominous threat against foreign intervention, saying it would have a "domino impact" on the world.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
IRI, Syria, Sandy
by Rea on Wed Oct 31, 2012 02:59 PM PDTPriceless. ;o)
They may as well say that the Americans turned HAARP against themselves. To ensure a post-Sandy construction boom, it's good for the economy.
Pro-Assad group says: Iran, Syria behind Superstorm Sandy
by Darius Kadivar on Wed Oct 31, 2012 03:13 AM PDTPro-Assad group: Iran, Syria behind Superstorm Sandy (cnn)
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Assad performs Eid prayers
by Darius Kadivar on Sat Oct 27, 2012 03:37 AM PDTAssad performs Eid prayers (cnn, video)
Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad made a television appearance on Friday as the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha started.
Syria's FM: "UN states backing rebels 'aid terror in Syria' ..."
by Darius Kadivar on Mon Oct 01, 2012 10:10 AM PDTUN states 'aid terror in Syria' (bbc)
States such as the US and Turkey who back rebels in Syria are supporting terrorism, the country's Foreign Minister Walid Muallem tells the UN.
Arab Spring brought chaos - say's Syrian President Assad
by Darius Kadivar on Fri Sep 21, 2012 02:38 AM PDTArab Spring brought chaos - Assad (bbc)
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad tells an Egyptian magazine that the Arab Spring uprisings only brought chaos and that the rebels cannot win.
Record flight of Syria refugees - 100 000 just in August say UN
by Darius Kadivar on Tue Sep 04, 2012 03:06 AM PDTRecord flight of Syria refugees (bbc)
The UN says more than 100,000 Syrians fled their country in August - as the head of the Red Cross discusses the aid crisis with President Assad.
Al-Assad puts blame on Turkey
by Darius Kadivar on Sat Sep 01, 2012 06:24 AM PDTAl-Assad puts blame on Turkey (cnn, video)
CNN's Mohammed Jamjoom reports on an interview Bashar al-Assad gave to state sponsored Addounia TV.
Syria in Tehran Summit walkout after Egypt attack
by Darius Kadivar on Thu Aug 30, 2012 05:26 AM PDTSyria walkout after Egypt attack (bbc)
Egypt's president Mohammed Mursi hits out at the "oppressive" Syrian regime at a summit in Iran, sparking a walkout by the Syrian delegation.
Syrian VP 'never thought of leaving homeland'
by Darius Kadivar on Sun Aug 26, 2012 02:36 PM PDTSyrian VP 'never thought of leaving homeland'(cnn)
New video shows Syrian Vice President Farouq al-Sharaa in Damascus holding an official meeting in the capital, despite reports this month that he had defected.
Assad exit 'up for discussion'
by Darius Kadivar on Wed Aug 22, 2012 01:16 AM PDTAssad exit 'up for discussion' (bbc)
Syria's deputy prime minister says all issues - including President Assad's resignation - are up for discussion, but the West should not intervene.
Where are the organisers of first Damascus demonstration now?
by Darius Kadivar on Sat Aug 18, 2012 05:03 AM PDTProtest pioneers (bbc)
Where are the organisers of first Damascus demonstration now?
On 31st January 2011, inspired by the protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square, six young Damascus residents organised the first major demonstration of the Syrian uprising.
Assad: Peoples' support saves me from Shah's fate
by Darius Kadivar on Sat Aug 04, 2012 09:53 AM PDTAssad: Peoples' support saves me from Shah' s fate - JPost
Syrian president says an "overwhelming majority" of his people are behind him, accuses the West, Arab nations of seeking civil war.
ANKARA - Syrian President Bashar Assad said in an interview published on Thursday that he would have been toppled long ago like the shah of Iran if his people did not support him. "Everybody was calculating that I would fall in a small amount of time. They all miscalculated," Assad told the Turkish dailyCumhuriyet, which has published excerpts from its interview with the Syrian leader over the past three days.Syria diplomat quits UK post in 'protest' at Assad regime
by Darius Kadivar on Mon Jul 30, 2012 02:41 PM PDTDiplomat quits London post (bbc)
Syria's most senior UK diplomat has quit his post, the Foreign Office says.
Charge d'Affaires Khaled al-Ayoubi told British authorities he was resigning over his government's "violent and oppressive acts".
Prime Minister David Cameron said it was "one in the eye for the regime," which the government wanted to crumble as soon as possible.
The announcement came after the UN said some 200,000 people have fled intense fighting in Syria's second city Aleppo.
Mr Cameron said Mr al-Ayoubi was "basically defecting from the Syrian regime."
Syria officials deny rebel push
by Darius Kadivar on Tue Jul 17, 2012 03:47 PM PDTSyria officials deny rebel push (bbc)
Syrian officials dismiss rebel claims to have launched a final assault on Damascus, saying the army repelled isolated terrorist attacks.
UN envoy Kofi Annan to hold talks with Assad
by Darius Kadivar on Sun Jul 08, 2012 11:42 PM PDTSyria envoy ready for Assad talks (bbc)
UN envoy Kofi Annan will hold talks with Syria's President Assad, as peace efforts shift from bringing about a truce to fostering political dialogue.
Assad rejects external solution
by Darius Kadivar on Fri Jun 29, 2012 03:32 AM PDTAssad rejects external solution (bbc)
Syria's president says he will not accept any solution to his country's crisis imposed from outside, as key nations prepare for a meeting in Geneva.
The Table is Set
by Faramarz on Wed Jun 27, 2012 07:10 AM PDTThe plan to support the opposition and oust Assad has always been to create a "safe zone" near Turkish border and have Turkey's military and ultimately NATO enforce a "no fly zone" and assist the opposition.
With the downing of the Turkish reconnaissance plane and the increased tensions and threats, now the table is set to put the plan in motion.
No more in Denial ? Syria in state of war, says Assad
by Darius Kadivar on Wed Jun 27, 2012 04:38 AM PDTSyria in state of war, says Assad (bbc)
Syria's U.N. ambassador defends daughter
by Darius Kadivar on Sat Jun 16, 2012 01:09 AM PDTSyria's U.N. ambassador defends daughter (cnn)
Syria's U.N. ambassador lashed out Thursday at criticism of his daughter, who was in the news last week after ABC News' Barbara Walters expressed regret for having tried to help her.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
I couldn't agree more Darius jaan
by anglophile on Thu Jun 14, 2012 06:55 AM PDTI only mentioned "our Winston" - as Maggie Thatcher used to say :) - just to say somehin along what you have so informedly stated here. So, as you say, and without being pessimistic, we have got still some way to go.
Thanks.
ps - shall revisit your Princess Ashraf blog and read you latest comment gladly and I also have something interesting to add.
anglophile and Arash jan don't be so sure ...
by Darius Kadivar on Thu Jun 14, 2012 05:27 AM PDTWill the Syria crisis force Washington to sit down with Tehran? (Foreign Policy)
The Russians will give up on Syria when they can be sure the West will give up on lecturing Iran ...
Don't forget beyond the human drama Politics is a chess game ...
Making the right move doesn't always equate making the good move ...
The Russians are actually using the Syrian conflict as a test of wills with the Obama Administration on the nuclear issue.
The question today is not how many children, men and women will be slaughtered in the process ... They don't give a damn. Their goal is to tell the West: You want us to cooperate ? OK so what will you give us in exchange of our Naval Ports in Syria ?
The Russians and Chinese are already filling up the vaccum in Afghanistan and Pakistan ( the very two countries to whose misery they initially contributed to prior to the US led War on Terror) and Iran will be next ...
BBC News - China- and Russia-led Shanghai bloc eyes Afghan roleThat's where Obama and the Europeans will fall for their trap just like Kennedy fell for it during the Bay of Pigs operation when in exchange for a green light for an American Intervention in Cuba the Russians demanded the Americans to pull out their missiles from Turkey ...
Believe me with Sarkozy out Obama's Foreign Policy is at crossroads ...
NO KENNEDY: French Star Blasts Obama for Inaction on Syria
PS: Anglophile Jan Look forward to hear about your opinion to my comment on this thread too:
LET THE CHILDREN IN: Princess Ashraf visits Kurdish refugee camp Iran-Iraq border (1974)
Or as Churchill said Arash jaan
by anglophile on Thu Jun 14, 2012 05:11 AM PDTIt's the end of the beginning :)
The beginning of the End for IR
by Arash Kamangir on Thu Jun 14, 2012 04:15 AM PDTAssad's regime has been the IR's "investment" in middle East. This is now falling apart in Syria and most probably a sunni regime will take assad's place. The count down for IR's fall has started.
Syria: 'Civil war' claim not reality say's Government spokesman
by Darius Kadivar on Thu Jun 14, 2012 03:58 AM PDTSyria: 'Civil war' claim not reality (cnn)
Syria's government on Thursday dismissed a U.N. official's claim that its conflict has turned into a full-scale civil war, saying the description contradicts the nature of the fight.
STORY HIGHLIGHTSExclusive video of Syria suffering
by Darius Kadivar on Thu Jun 14, 2012 01:06 AM PDTExclusive video of Syria suffering (cnn)
CNN's exclusive footage from journalist James Foley, shot in Maaret al Nouman in Syria shows the struggle to survive.
Barbara Walters regrets trying to help Syrian aide daughter
by Darius Kadivar on Wed Jun 06, 2012 11:52 PM PDTBarbara Walters in Syria flap (cnn)
ABC News' Barbara Walters is expressing regret for attempting to help the daughter of Syria's U.N. ambassador by seeking an internship or college admission for her.
"In retrospect, I realize that this created a conflict and I regret that," Walters said in a statement Tuesday.
After Walters returned to the United States from a December ABC interview with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, she said, Sheherazad Jaafari contacted her. Jaafari, the daughter of Syrian U.N. Ambassador Bashar Jaafari, was described in March as a Syrian government press officer in New York.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Assad names loyalist as Syrian PM
by Darius Kadivar on Wed Jun 06, 2012 09:06 AM PDTAssad names loyalist as Syrian PM (bbc)
Agriculture Minister Riad Hijab is named as new prime minister of Syria by President Bashar al-Assad.
Riad Farid HijabSyria bars Western ambassadors
by Darius Kadivar on Tue Jun 05, 2012 05:19 AM PDTSyria bars Western ambassadors (bbc)
Syria declares as unwelcome the ambassadors of several Western states, a week after governments around the world expelled its top diplomats
Bashar al-Assad: 'Our hearts bleed over Houla'
by Darius Kadivar on Mon Jun 04, 2012 12:38 AM PDT'Our hearts bleed over Houla' (bbc, VIDEO)
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has denied his government's forces had any role in the Houla massacre.
More than 100 people, many of them children, were killed in the attack in the west of the country, most knifed or shot at close range.
Addressing parliament, Mr Assad said that the massacre, and other killings, were carried out by "savages" and that Syrians' anger at such events was "indescribable"