Former Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam emphasized that a potential Western military intervention in Syria should result in the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
In an interview with the French magazine “Le Nouvelle Observer,” Khaddam stated that the upcoming military operation against Syria is a demand shared by the majority of Syrians. He accused the Syrian regime of utilizing all available weapons, including chemical weapons, against the people.
Khaddam, who has been in exile in Paris since 2005, further expressed the urgent need for assistance from abroad, regretting the prolonged absence of international intervention since the onset of regime-committed hostilities.
He asserted that the military intervention in Syria should aim to halt the massacres, rebuild the nation, save the Syrian people, and enable them to determine their own destiny. Thus, the strikes should result in a change of regime.
Khaddam clarified his disagreement with reports from both Paris and Washington, stating that the military strikes would not be merely symbolic acts to punish the Syrian regime for its chemical weapon usage. He noted that once military intervention begins, it becomes unpredictable in terms of its scope and duration.
According to Khaddam, American attacks on military sites would expedite the regime’s overthrow. He issued a warning that failing to respond decisively to the chemical weapons crime would lead to an unprecedented rise of extremism in the Arab world.
Regarding Assad’s threats of retaliation, Khaddam regarded them as mere words, citing the example of the late Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, who made similar threats but was eventually overthrown.
Khaddam also mentioned that Israel has attacked Syria multiple times, and the regime has not responded in kind. He attributed the regime’s use of chemical weapons in the latest attack to the international community’s stance on the Syrian crisis.
The former Syrian vice president stressed his belief that Bashar Al-Assad perceives himself as invincible and unaccountable, describing the Syrian president as mentally unstable.
