Syria's Assad Sworn In, Takes Swipe at West over Revolt

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  • W460
  • W460

President Bashar Assad was sworn in Wednesday for a new term, warning Western and Arab governments of the backfire they face for their support of the armed revolt in Syria.

In a triumphant speech before an invited audience after taking the oath of office at a red carpet ceremony in Damascus, Assad mocked the "fake spring" of the 2011 Arab uprisings.

Assad, 48, won a June election denounced as a "farce" by his detractors, three years into a devastating war that has killed more than 170,000 people and uprooted millions.

"Syrians, three years and four months... have passed since some cried 'freedom'," Assad said in his address, broadcast live on national television, referring to the outbreak of the 2011 revolt.

"They wanted a revolution, but you have been the real revolutionaries. I congratulate you for your revolution and for your victory," he told supporters at the start of a new seven-year term.

"The mask of freedom and the revolution has fallen."

Rebel mortar fire hit several districts of Damascus as Assad wound up his speech at the presidential palace, residents said.

State media said four people were killed.

Assad's inauguration comes with much of the world's attention focused elsewhere, as violence engulfs Iraq, Gaza and Libya, even as his forces pound rebel-held areas of Syria's second city, Aleppo.

During the first two years of the Syrian revolt, which began as a peaceful protest movement before transforming into an armed rebellion, the opposition's Western and Arab supporters repeatedly insisted he step down.

But the rise of the jihadist Islamic State (IS) in both Syria and neighboring Iraq has turned the tide.

Assad has from the outset branded the revolt a foreign-backed "terrorist plot", refusing to recognize any genuine movement for change.

He won the election, held in government-controlled areas only, with 88.7 percent of the vote, defeating two little-known rival candidates.

Assad issued a fresh call Wednesday for "national dialogue", but ruled out talks with "those who have not proven their patriotism", referring to the exiled opposition.

"We stress the need to press on with national reconciliation to stop the bloodshed," said Assad, who regime has clinched a string of local truces around Damascus that activists say remain fragile.

The opposition National Coalition ridiculed the election even before it was held, in a sentiment echoed by US Secretary of State John Kerry and NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

Samir Nashar, a veteran dissident and member of the coalition, admitted the world's attention has since turned away from Syria.

"Unfortunately for Syrians, the instability (across the Middle East) has distracted the international community's attention," he said.

Analysts say the rise of the jihadists has been a "gift" for Assad, allowing him to portray himself as a bulwark against Islamic extremism.

Following in the footsteps of his father and predecessor Hafez, who ruled Syria with an iron fist for 30 years, Assad has ignored the calls for his ouster.

His regime has been propped up with support from allies Iran and Russia.

Hizbullah has also sent thousands of elite fighters to back up the Syrian army.

The rebels by contrast have remained divided and poorly armed.

Weakening the rebels further, they have fought the IS since January, in battles which have killed more than 6,000 combatants.

After the inauguration, the government has to resign and Assad will appoint a new prime minister to replace Wael al-Halqi.

But for the exiled opposition's new chief, Hadi al-Bahra, Assad "is at the core of the Syrian conflict."

And his predecessor, Ahmad Jarba, said in a statement: "Bashar Assad is a war criminal, and the only place he should be... is in an international criminal court."

Speaking to Agence France Presse via the Internet from Aleppo, Maher al-Eissa, spokesman for the city's opposition city council, said: "Assad continues to commit crimes while continuing to kill and shell ...

"And now, after the election farce, he goes on television and acts like nothing happened."

Comments 20
Thumb FlameCatcher 16 July 2014, 13:47

Says the man who is behind most terrorist organisations targeting Lebanon ! Commented by the supporter or Lebanon's largest terrorist organisation :)

The only one paying the price is the Lebanese and Syrian people suffering from the arrogance of Assad / Hezb / Saudi / Iran !

Thumb _mowaten_ 17 July 2014, 13:49

israel and mossad is behind isis, they dont even try to hide their love affair anymore.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/world/.premium-1.605097?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Thumb FlameCatcher 16 July 2014, 13:53

Assad "the monstruous faces have been unveiled" : you forget to mention these monstrous faces are "made by Assad" because you fail to accept the free syrian people's legitimate revolution to remove a tyrannic dictator from power.

The monstrous faces are the same that ruled Lebanon for over 30 years, murdered tens of thousands of Lebanese, robber our economy and wealth, imported terrorism to Lebanon, armed Hezbollah, sustained and controlled the drug trade and fueled the corruption that is plaguing our country until now !

Assad, there might be other monsters in Syria but your father and his "heritage" is the largest monster of them all.

Thumb joker37 16 July 2014, 14:07

الله معه الدكتور بشار هههههههههاااااييي

Thumb Tony.Farris 16 July 2014, 21:50

you mean Dr. death right?

Missing greatpierro 16 July 2014, 14:23

You mean Assad has never supported terror. His father and himself has buy terrorized the lebanese for years.

Thumb _mowaten_ 16 July 2014, 14:48

that's your excuse for supporting terrorism now?

Thumb _mowaten_ 16 July 2014, 18:25

hahaha keep following me around with you fake account, i'm flattered.

are you in the video here btw?
http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/israel-student-union-sets-war-room-sell-gaza-massacre-facebook

Thumb _mowaten_ 17 July 2014, 11:51

you call that stepping on my neck? LOOOL you poor thing

Thumb FlameCatcher 17 July 2014, 12:14

I love it when Hezbollah endocrinated sheep accuse others of supporting terrorism.

There is no excuse whatsoever for supporting terrorism. Whether its Hezbollah or any of the hundreds of Sunni or Pseudo Sunni terrorist organisations.

What's funny is that Hezbollah directly controls Sunni terrorist organisations. It makes them up along with Bashar to justify their terrorist wars.

Thumb FlameCatcher 17 July 2014, 12:14

I love it when Hezbollah endocrinated sheep accuse others of supporting terrorism.

There is no excuse whatsoever for supporting terrorism. Whether its Hezbollah or any of the hundreds of Sunni or Pseudo Sunni terrorist organisations.

What's funny is that Hezbollah directly controls Sunni terrorist organisations. It makes them up along with Bashar to justify their terrorist wars.

Thumb _mowaten_ 17 July 2014, 12:20

"What's funny is that Hezbollah directly controls Sunni terrorist organisations. It makes them up along with Bashar to justify their terrorist wars."

hahahhaha man please find a bridge to jump from, or a suicide belt, you're way too far into delusion to be saved

Thumb FlameCatcher 17 July 2014, 12:29

Yes, Mowaten, go play with your Sunni Brigade of Iran trying to blow up Christian churches ! Maybe post a tweet or two for them.

Thumb _mowaten_ 17 July 2014, 12:42

LOOOOOL you guys are hilarious, one day you cheer them (when they kill civilians of a certain sect),but the next day you cowardly deny you support them and try to reject responsibility on those they target.
people like you are worthless groupies and turncoats, even joumblat has more honor than you, and that says a lot.

Thumb FlameCatcher 17 July 2014, 13:03

Who cheers whom Mowaten : Show me a single instance of me cheering anyone and I will capitulate to you wanting to give control of Lebanon to the great Iranian conqueror Hassan Nasrallah !

Thumb _mowaten_ 17 July 2014, 13:46

i dont want anything from you habibi, dont get too dramatic about "capitulating" even though i know you're the kind who loves to submit to any- and every- thing. (israel, isis, nusra and counting...)

as for you and your friends cheering attacks on dahiyeh and the bekaa, everybody here saw it and i dont need or care enough to waste my time searching the history of articles.

Thumb ex-fpm 16 July 2014, 14:41

and we have been enjoying your terrorism and that of your hizb for the last 20 years, southern.

Thumb ex-fpm 16 July 2014, 16:08

flamethrower, you know nothing about who I was allied with and where. Sometimes, it is better for you to keep quiet and spare us your rants.

Thumb geha 16 July 2014, 15:48

Assad will have the same fate as kadhafi very soon.

Default-user-icon Khoshkaban Zimando (Guest) 16 July 2014, 18:55

Other than gabby14, nobody enjoys the perpetual fall of "ASSad" than... well... umm... duh... me? Today, "ASSad" has proven that nobody has fallen as many times as he, according to the know-it-all Fart 14 poster boy gabbaguybo! It so happens that today is Wednesday! Hurrah! This makes it the 9,472nd time that "ASSad" has fallen, and more falls are yet to come.