President Bashar Al-asad of Syria

The point is that Bashar al-Asad has not translated his increasingly powerful position both inside Syria and in regional and internationalal affairs into easing his grip on prisoners of conscience.

After all, Bashar al-Asad has shown that he can be moved, and that there is room for negotiation on almost all of the abovementioned fronts.

president Hafiz al-Asad had a knack for bad timing.

positions and retiring senior officials.

for the peace process with Israel.

Hafiz al-Asad has been trying, for several years, to clear the way for Bashar’s succession.

remain a player in succession politics despite his exile.

But Hafiz Al-Asad had strengthened his power as a lone ruler also through his personality, leadership, and political wisdom.

Nevertheless, from his conduct in the local and global arenas, it has become apparent that Bashar Al-Asad is a rather weak and unconfident leader.

Syrian President Bashar Al-Asad (SANA)Five years after assuming power, Syrian President Bashar Al-Asad is in the hot seat.

Bashar Al-Asad was not the first choice to succeed his ailing father.

Syrian President Bashar Al-Asad is meeting today with his Turkish counterpart 'Abdallah Gul to discuss the Israeli-Syrian peace talks.

book Professor Lesch has ever written.

This anniversary comes just one month after Syrian president Hafiz al-Asad was re-elected to his fifth seven-year term of office, which will end in 2006.

Next Steps? Since 1994, Hafiz al-Asad has taken a number of steps to strengthen Bashar -- both in terms of increasing his military and political responsibilities and by surrounding him with a cadre of loyal supporters.