Former Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam emphasized that President Bashar Al-Assad’s continuation in power is unlikely. According to Khaddam, Assad has two options: either to flee or face being overthrown by the rebels, similar to what happened to the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. In an interview with the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Seyassah, Khaddam revealed that the majority of Alawites support the fall of the regime but are hesitant to join the revolution out of fear of retaliation.
He further explained, “Alawites in Syria are frightened and terrified by Bashar’s oppression and the potential revenge of the revolution. Most Alawites desire Bashar’s downfall, but they have not publicly announced it due to the fear of his violent reaction.” Khaddam pointed out that it is widely known in Syria that if a Sunni and an Alawite were to write similar newspaper articles criticizing the regime, the punishment for the Alawite would be harsher. This is because, in the eyes of the regime, their loyalty is expected to be unquestioning. However, Khaddam mentioned that he communicates with many generous members of the Alawite community and encourages them to overcome their fears and speak out openly.
Khaddam stated that the late President Hafez al-Assad was more reasonable than his son Bashar. He added, “Hafez al-Assad used to treat his community as a sanctuary and employed tools to protect it. Approximately 90 percent of military college students belong to the Alawite community, and they are selected by senior officers who are part of the tribes. Each officer submits a special list of their clan members.”
He criticized the Syrian regime for its harsh criticism of the Secretary General of the Arab League, Nabil El-Araby, highlighting that El-Araby does not have decision-making authority in the Arab League but serves as its Secretary General, announcing only the final decisions taken unanimously by the League members.
He questioned, “If the Syrian regime believes that all the ministers who participated in the decision to suspend Syria’s membership in the Arab League are American agents, then why are they calling for an emergency Arab summit? Don’t these ministers represent the member states that are calling for the summit?” He emphasized that “Assad is one of the greatest missed opportunities since he assumed power after his father’s death. He squandered a golden chance to reform an inherited system riddled with corruption.”
He further stated, “Bashar al-Assad will not remain in power, and his fate will either be to flee or face the rebels on the streets, as happened with Gaddafi. The current Syrian regime has created a perilous and divisive sectarian situation in Syria. Sunnis make up 90 percent of the population, while Alawites constitute only 5 to 6 percent. How can this small faction, which neither represents a majority nor a significant minority, seize control of power?”
Regarding his knowledge of the Damascus regime’s involvement in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Khaddam disclosed, “During one of the leadership meetings, Bashar mentioned that we were under attack by the United States and France, with the assistance of Rafik Hariri, who was mobilizing his Sunni sect against us Alawites.”
After the meeting concluded, I immediately contacted Bashar and warned him about the implications of his words. I emphasized the potential danger if these statements were to circulate among the public.
During that time, I promptly informed Hariri through former Lebanese Minister Mohsen Dalloul. I urged him to leave Lebanon and publicly announce his resignation at the airport, but he did not heed my advice. A week before his assassination, I had lunch with him and expressed my disappointment that he did not take my counsel into account. He informed me that Maher Al-Assad had sent a friendly and affectionate message through Awni Al-Kaaki. I cautioned him that this was merely a message of reassurance.
Khaddam emphasized that former Syrian Interior Minister Ghazi Kanaan “was known as one of the most honest officers. Coming from an affluent family, he did not engage in corrupt practices to accumulate wealth.” This suggests that his reported suicide was orchestrated by the regime.
He further revealed, “After Assad discovered that Kanaan had provided crucial information to the International Commission of Inquiry regarding Hariri’s assassination, which condemned the regime for the crime, Assad summoned him to the palace and berated him with harsh words. Kanaan left, immediately went home, retrieved a gun, and then returned to his office, where he took his own life.”
Khaddam disclosed that the relationship between Assad and Kanaan was strained. “When Kanaan assumed the position of Interior Minister, he would consult with the president’s secretary for guidance, rather than directly approaching the president himself.” He highlighted that “the Assad and Kanaan families belong to the same clan, but the Kanaan family holds a prominent position within the clan, whereas the Assad family is on the periphery.”
Regarding the security practices during Syria’s control over Lebanon, Khaddam stated, “There is no doubt that the Syrian intelligence services carried out heinous and appalling acts during their guardianship of Lebanon. Personally, I and even the Chief of Staff were not fully aware of these practices since the head of the intelligence branch in Anjar used to directly report to President Hafez Assad, bypassing General Ali Doba, the head of the Military Intelligence Division. I would hear about some of these atrocities either from a visiting Lebanese official or from President Assad himself.”
He emphasized that “the culture of corruption originated within Assad’s own household and expanded to become a widespread phenomenon. The primary objective of every Syrian intelligence officer deployed to work in Lebanon was to amass wealth through any means possible.”
Regarding the period when he held a prominent position within the regime, Khaddam stated, “I was responsible for foreign policy and had no involvement in domestic affairs. The Syrian people took pride in our foreign policy and wished that our domestic policy would mirror its success. I challenge anyone to cite an instance where I disrespected any Syrian citizen during my tenure.”
He continued, “On one occasion, I attended a Non-Aligned Summit conference and subsequently prepared a comprehensive report, which I presented to the leadership. In the report, I emphasized the importance of Syria embracing globalization, which necessitates political and economic reforms and genuine people’s participation in governance. The following day, my sons Jamal and Jihad were subjected to a security campaign in connection with a fabricated accusation regarding nuclear waste.”
Khaddam confirmed that former President Hafez Al-Assad established an investigative committee and assured him of his sons’ innocence, expressing their willingness to appear before any international court to prove their innocence in this baseless case manufactured by the Syrian intelligence services.
When discussing the details of his interactions with the late president, Khaddam recounted, “Following the conclusion of the investigation, Hafez al-Assad approached me and said, ‘Your two sons are innocent.’ I replied, ‘I am aware of that, and the individual responsible for the operation is a security official whose identity cannot be disclosed.’ He inquired as to why, and I responded that he could not guarantee my safety. As he examined me, I immediately retorted, ‘Whenever you wish to discuss a secret and crucial matter, you summon me to the palace to avoid discussing it over the phone due to surveillance concerns.'”