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Why Assad Need Not Fear Gaddafi's Fate

(Financial Times) Ed Husain - The dramatic scenes in Tripoli are already being seized upon by those keen to depose other despotic regimes. Taken alongside the unstable situation in Syria, there is now a risk of a dangerous moment of western triumphalism. This must be resisted, especially given that the odds of overthrowing dictator Bashar Assad are so small. U.S. president Barack Obama last week succumbed to calls from commentators and Syrian opposition leaders, and demanded Assad's removal. The decision was a mistake. Calls for regime change will thus help Syria, as Assad defies the west with ease. As elsewhere in the Middle East, defying Washington is a cause of strength and popularity. For the west, the most powerful and poignant moment in recent months came when U.S. ambassador Robert Ford travelled to Hama, scene of protests, to show solidarity and monitor the regime's actions. Such innovative, soft power strategies will do more to help Syrian democracy than loud statements from the White House. The writer is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and author of The Islamist.
2011-08-24 00:00:00
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