- Why is the National committee to Support for the Revolution not part of the core opposition, the National Council?
The National Council is part of the opposition but is not the core opposition, and we are not part of it due to differing political orientations. We believe that the only solution to save the Syrian people requires the formation of an international military coalition outside the Security Council to protect the Syrian people, save them, and enable them to achieve their aspirations, similar to what happened in former Yugoslavia and Ivory Coast. Meanwhile, the National Council rejects international military intervention, sticking to Arab initiatives that have failed to make progress in saving the Syrian people.
- Why is the Syrian opposition fragmented and divided?
The existing regime in Syria has left no opportunity for the growth of political parties. Thus, the opposition, in general, emerged abroad in different environments and did not initiate the revolution but works to support it in various ways. Additionally, the ideological and doctrinal differences among opposition groups have played a significant role in their fragmentation.
- Do you believe the Free Syrian Army is the solution to defeating the Assad army?
The Free Syrian Army consists of a group of national military personnel who refused to kill civilians. In their current situation, they are defending unarmed civilians and need substantial support in terms of money and weapons. In any case, the Free Syrian Army is a supportive factor in liberating the country.
- You accuse Bashar al-Assad of pushing towards sectarian war. What is his strategy?
Bashar al-Assad is deploying units from the army, mostly composed of officers and non-commissioned officers from his sect, to kill civilians and use the dirtiest methods of killing and repression in cities and villages populated by the country’s largest sect, which constitutes the overwhelming majority of Syrians. He is also training large numbers of his sect’s members in combat operations with the help of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. These individuals, along with the army, are participating in storming cities and villages, killing and arresting civilians. The goal is to increase sectarian tension to intimidate his sect from the majority in the country, thus driving the sect to protect and stand by him.
In a conversation with one of his Lebanese allies, he said, “I will not surrender or give up. I will turn the conflict into a sectarian one and go to the coast to declare a state there.”
- You have known Bashar al-Assad since he was young and he did not like power. What happened and why does he insist on staying in power now? Has a doctor of ophthalmology fallen in love with power?
I did not know Bashar al-Assad at any stage of his life. I met him in 1998, and he was not an enthusiast of ophthalmology but of power. His love for power drove him to commit the worst crimes of murder and genocide. For him, power is not only about practicing repression and confiscating freedoms but also controlling the country’s wealth, turning corruption into an institution for controlling national wealth.
- Will the new Syria be a democratic state, and what is your vision for Syria after Assad?
Democracy is one of the primary aspirations of the Syrian people, who have struggled for years to achieve it and have faced repression and death due to their struggle to live in a democratic state that achieves justice, equality, and guarantees freedoms for individuals and groups.
After the fall of the regime of murder and tyranny, the Syrian people will focus on building a civil democratic state where citizens are equal in rights and duties regardless of religion, sect, nationality, or gender. A state that elevates its people, achieves prosperity and progress, and relies on science and knowledge in building and advancing society.
- What will be the relationship of the new Syria with Iran, Hezbollah, and Israel?
The issue is related to Iran’s stance after the change. If it continues its approach aimed at controlling the region, relations with it will be unfriendly. The same goes for Hezbollah. As for Israel, the issue is related to Israel’s continued occupation of the Golan Heights and denial of the national rights of the Palestinian people. Therefore, the peace issue in the region is tied to these matters.
- Will you return to Syria after the fall of the regime? Will you run for presidential elections?
There is nothing more precious than one’s homeland, and only those who have been separated from their country due to uncontrollable circumstances know this. I will certainly return to Syria as soon as the regime falls. I will not run for any presidential or other elections, and I will serve my country as a citizen who aspires to see his people living in freedom, security, and peace.
