image missing
HOME SN-BRIEFS SYSTEM
OVERVIEW
EFFECTIVE
MANAGEMENT
PROGRESS
PERFORMANCE
PROBLEMS
POSSIBILITIES
STATE
CAPITALS
FLOW
ACTIVITIES
FLOW
ACTORS
PETER
BURGESS
SiteNav SitNav (0) SitNav (1) SitNav (2) SitNav (3) SitNav (4) SitNav (5) SitNav (6) SitNav (7) SitNav (8)
Date: 2024-10-19 Page is: DBtxt001.php txt00002335

Syria
Who is the power elite in Syria?

Power in Syria is centred in the hands of President Bashar al-Assad's extended family and top figures within the security apparatus, according to observers.

COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

See the interactive presentation about the Assad circle of family and collaborators

Power in Syria is centred in the hands of President Bashar al-Assad's extended family and top figures within the security apparatus, according to observers.

Various rumours of disputes and power struggles between family members have circulated during Assad's rule. Due to the closed nature of the Syrian system, such reports have remained unverified, and no cracks have appeared in the open.

Joshua Landis, director of the Centre for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, says rumours of internal conflicts, mostly stemming from the Lebanese press and the opposition, originate in a 'tremendous amount of wishful thinking that the Assad family will collapse on its own'.

He says that contrary to rumours, the ruling dynasty has proven to be an 'extraordinarily well-functioning family', with regard to avoiding splits from within.

'They have stuck together through thick and thin,' Landis says.

'Disputes have been resolved peacefully, with great care, because staying together is the key to this regime's longevity. The moment they really fall out, and shoot at each other, the regime is going to collapse.

'When Rifaat al-Assad in 1984 tried to overthrow his brother, Hafez, what did Hafez al-Assad do? He demoted him, he exiled him three times, and brought him back, trying to reintegrate him into the family.'

Rifaat now lives in exile in London.



The text being discussed is available at
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/2012/01/201212391849968939.html
SITE COUNT<
Amazing and shiny stats
Blog Counters Reset to zero January 20, 2015
TrueValueMetrics (TVM) is an Open Source / Open Knowledge initiative. It has been funded by family and friends. TVM is a 'big idea' that has the potential to be a game changer. The goal is for it to remain an open access initiative.
WE WANT TO MAINTAIN AN OPEN KNOWLEDGE MODEL
A MODEST DONATION WILL HELP MAKE THAT HAPPEN
The information on this website may only be used for socio-enviro-economic performance analysis, education and limited low profit purposes
Copyright © 2005-2021 Peter Burgess. All rights reserved.