Abdel Halim Khaddam, the former Syrian Vice President who defected to the opposition last year, has stated that Bashar al-Assad will face a fate similar to that of the Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989.
Khaddam took a break from ongoing negotiations with various opposition movements, ranging from Islamists to communists, in a conference hall at a hotel in Brussels. He predicted an imminent popular uprising to overthrow Assad. Khaddam highlighted the widespread poverty, corruption, tight security measures, lack of freedom of expression, and the dire economic situation in Syria as contributing factors. Drawing parallels to the Romanian rebellion, he stated that, like the post-Ceausescu era, he expects reformists from the ruling party to govern Syria after a revolution. Khaddam, who reintroduced himself as a democrat, emphasized that many reformists within the Baath Party fully support his actions and would actively participate in changing the regime without bloodshed.
Khaddam also commented on the ruling style of Assad, noting that the president, who has been in power for 35 years, has prioritized the interests of a close family circle, resulting in Syrian decisions being influenced by that family’s benefit. Khaddam highlighted the United Nations investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri as a critical element in dealing a decisive blow to Assad. Ali Al-Bayanouni, the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, also present at the Brussels meeting, expressed his expectation that the United Nations investigation, which has thus far implicated Syrian security officials directly, will blame the Syrian president.
Khaddam asserted that if the regime’s president falls, the entire regime will collapse, as the president himself primarily leads it. When asked about the timing of the expected rebellion, Khaddam stated with certainty that it would occur within a few months, during this year. He pointed out that President Bashar Al-Assad is making numerous mistakes and digging a hole for himself.
Khaddam and Bayanouni, despite their differences, have joined forces, indicating the seriousness of the opposition in its united efforts to overthrow Assad. Other opposition politicians recognize the significance of their alliance.
It is worth mentioning that Khaddam served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1982 when Syrian security forces brutally suppressed an Islamic uprising in Hama, resulting in the death of at least 10,000 people, possibly twice that number. The former Vice President now expresses deep regret over these events but is careful to attribute responsibility to both parties involved in the massacre.
