Pact with a dictator?
Syrian President Bashir al-Assad is isolated on the world stage. But now he's offering the West military cooperation in the fight against "Islamic State," painting himself as a guarantor of stability.
When the Arab Spring unfolded in Syria, it appeared that the Syrian president's fate was sealed. The heads of state of other Arab countries had fallen one by one: Ben Ali fled, Mubarak was ousted, Gadhafi was murdered. Things weren't looking good for Bashar al-Assad in the autumn of 2011. Thousands of Syrians were protesting against their president, fighting his regime with all they had. But Assad refused to be chased away. He issued continual warnings against the "Islamist terrorists" in his country, and clamped down brutally on his own people. The march of the Islamists Three years and more than 190,000 deaths later, Assad's warning looks more and more like the truth. Militants of the "Islamic State" group are advancing across the country, fighting mercilessly for a religious state. They murder anyone who stands in their way. The Islamic extremists, supported by thousands of volunteer fighters from the Arab world and Europe, have taken hold of large areas of both Syria and Iraq. In the beginning, they mainly fought against Syrian rebels, strengthening the regime in Damascus. Now, the militants are also targeting Syria's government troops. The United States, as well as many European and Arab governments, sees the caliphate as a provocation. Islamic State has given Syria and the West a common enemy - something that could play into the hands of the government in Damascus, said Syria expert Petra Becker of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin. "From the very beginning, Assad denounced the revolution - which was actually about democracy and human rights - as an insurgency of Salafist jihadists," Becker said. At the same time, Becker added, Assad granted amnesty to a number of imprisoned jihadists at the start of the uprising, in the knowledge that they would try to establish terror cells in Syria: "He stood back and watched as jihadists spread across the country. He did everything he could to radicalize the forces at play in the revolution in order to support his narrative." Secret torture methods Against the backdrop of the brutal terrorist methods the "Islamic State" uses and celebrates in the media, the torture methods used by the Syrian regime appear less drastic. The Syrian government also does all it can to keep such things shrouded in secrecy. But with the capture of the strategically important air base in Tabqa in the northern province of Raqqa, "Islamic State" has turned into a problem that is larger than the government expected. Not even Assad himself likely could have predicted such resistance. And yet his strategy appears to be working. The fear-inducing enemy in his own country could help Assad to break through his international isolation. "This is the moment for Assad to capitalize on his past policy," said Becker. "If he can manage to convince Western states to accept him as a partner in the war against terror, he will have secured his power for the years to come." Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem has already floated the idea of a cooperation between Damascus and the United States. "Geographically and strategically, Syria is at the center of an international coalition against Islamic State," Muallem said. "Any states who seriously want to fight this terror should side with us." The lesser evil? On Tuesday, the US military began surveillance flights over Syria in preparation for possible air strikes. American broadcaster NBC reported that surveillance drones are being used to prepare attacks against the terrorist group on Syrian territory. Political leaders in Washington denied that the government was cooperating with Damascus. They say they don't want to strengthen the position of a dictator. But given what's known about the terrorists of "Islamic State," Assad could look like the lesser evil in the eyes of many in the West, even though he ordered the oppression and killing of his own people.
Syrian
President
Bashir al-Assad
Bashar_al-Assad
West
Western_United_States Western_world West Western_Conference_(WNBA) West_Africa Western_Ukraine West_Province_(Western_Australia) West_(cigarette) West_Germany American_League_West Longitude Scottish_Junior_Football_Association,_West_Region Enoch_West Senior_League_World_Series_(West_Region) Western_European_Summer_Time David_West_(basketball)
Islamic State
Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant Islamic_state Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Sinai_Province Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Khorasan_Province Islamic_republic Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_in_Libya Islamic_State_of_Afghanistan Islamic_State_of_Iraq Caliphate Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Caucasus_Province Islamism Islamic_state_(disambiguation) Al-Shabaab_(militant_group) South_Thailand_insurgency Azawad Salman_Ramadan_Abedi
Arab Spring
Arab_Spring 2011–12_Saudi_Arabian_protests Internet_censorship_in_the_Arab_Spring Impact_of_the_Arab_Spring
Syria
Syria Roman_Syria Syria_national_football_team Bilad_al-Sham Syria_(region) Ottoman_Syria Syrian_Arab_Federation_for_Football Syrian_Civil_War French_Mandate_for_Syria_and_the_Lebanon Syrian_Republic_(1946–1963) Mandatory_Syrian_Republic Syria–Lebanon_Campaign History_of_Syria Greater_Syria Arab_Kingdom_of_Syria Seleucid_Empire
Syrian
Arab
Arabs Arab_Canadians Arab_citizens_of_Israel Arab_world Arab_Americans Arab_cuisine Arab,_Alabama Palestinians Arabic Arabic_music Arab_Indonesians Arab_culture British_Arabs Arabian_horse Arab_(horse) History_of_Arabs_in_Afghanistan
Ben Ali
Zine_El_Abidine_Ben_Ali Ben_Ali_(horse) Ben_Ali_(businessman) Ben_Ali,_Sacramento,_California
Mubarak
Hosni_Mubarak Mubarak_(name) Mubarak_Wakaso History_of_Egypt_under_Hosni_Mubarak Taqi_Mubarak_Al-Siyabi Mubarak_Ghanim Jehan_Mubarak
Gadhafi
Muammar_Gaddafi
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar_al-Assad Al-Assad_family
2011
Syrians
Assad
Bashar_al-Assad Asad Salah_Assad Al-Assad_family Hafez_al-Assad Assad_Abdul_Ghanee Clarice_Assad Hamri_Al-Assad
Islamist
Islamists
Assad
Bashar_al-Assad Asad Salah_Assad Al-Assad_family Hafez_al-Assad Assad_Abdul_Ghanee Clarice_Assad Hamri_Al-Assad
Islamic State
Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant Islamic_state Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Sinai_Province Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Khorasan_Province Islamic_republic Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_in_Libya Islamic_State_of_Afghanistan Islamic_State_of_Iraq Caliphate Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Caucasus_Province Islamism Islamic_state_(disambiguation) Al-Shabaab_(militant_group) South_Thailand_insurgency Azawad Salman_Ramadan_Abedi
Islamic
Arab
Arabs Arab_Canadians Arab_citizens_of_Israel Arab_world Arab_Americans Arab_cuisine Arab,_Alabama Palestinians Arabic Arabic_music Arab_Indonesians Arab_culture British_Arabs Arabian_horse Arab_(horse) History_of_Arabs_in_Afghanistan
Europe
Europe UEFA Europe_(band) UEFA_competitions European_Athletic_Association European_theatre_of_World_War_II European_Union Europe_(dinghy) European_Cricket_Council UEFA_Champions_League Senior_League_World_Series_(Europe–Africa_Region) Big_League_World_Series_(Europe–Africa_Region) Sailing_at_the_2004_Summer_Olympics_–_Europe Neolithic_Europe History_of_Europe Europe_(magazine)
Syria
Syria Roman_Syria Syria_national_football_team Bilad_al-Sham Syria_(region) Ottoman_Syria Syrian_Arab_Federation_for_Football Syrian_Civil_War French_Mandate_for_Syria_and_the_Lebanon Syrian_Republic_(1946–1963) Mandatory_Syrian_Republic Syria–Lebanon_Campaign History_of_Syria Greater_Syria Arab_Kingdom_of_Syria Seleucid_Empire
Iraq
Iraq Iraq_national_football_team Iraq_War Ba'athist_Iraq Kingdom_of_Iraq 2003_invasion_of_Iraq Iraq_Football_Association Mandatory_Iraq Iraq_national_under-23_football_team Iraqi_Republic_(1958–68) History_of_the_Jews_in_Iraq Anglo-Iraqi_War Flag_of_Iraq Iraq_national_under-20_football_team Australian_contribution_to_the_2003_invasion_of_Iraq Elections_in_Iraq
Syrian
Damascus
Damascus Damascus_(horse) Damascus,_Maryland Damascus_Eyalet Damascus_Governorate Capture_of_Damascus Damascus,_Arkansas Damascus,_Virginia Damascus,_Oregon Damascus_steel State_of_Damascus Jund_Dimashq Damascus,_Georgia Aram-Damascus Damascus_International_Airport Damascus,_Ohio
Syria
Syria Roman_Syria Syria_national_football_team Bilad_al-Sham Syria_(region) Ottoman_Syria Syrian_Arab_Federation_for_Football Syrian_Civil_War French_Mandate_for_Syria_and_the_Lebanon Syrian_Republic_(1946–1963) Mandatory_Syrian_Republic Syria–Lebanon_Campaign History_of_Syria Greater_Syria Arab_Kingdom_of_Syria Seleucid_Empire
United States
United_States United_States_men's_national_soccer_team United_States_men's_national_ice_hockey_team United_States_women's_national_soccer_team United_States_national_rugby_union_team American_poetry United_States_men's_national_junior_ice_hockey_team United_States_Soccer_Federation Secondary_education_in_the_United_States Recording_Industry_Association_of_America United_States_men's_national_basketball_team United_States_Davis_Cup_team United_States_national_cricket_team Cinema_of_the_United_States Education_in_the_United_States Same-sex_marriage_in_the_United_States
European
Arab
Arabs Arab_Canadians Arab_citizens_of_Israel Arab_world Arab_Americans Arab_cuisine Arab,_Alabama Palestinians Arabic Arabic_music Arab_Indonesians Arab_culture British_Arabs Arabian_horse Arab_(horse) History_of_Arabs_in_Afghanistan
Islamic State
Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant Islamic_state Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Sinai_Province Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Khorasan_Province Islamic_republic Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_in_Libya Islamic_State_of_Afghanistan Islamic_State_of_Iraq Caliphate Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Caucasus_Province Islamism Islamic_state_(disambiguation) Al-Shabaab_(militant_group) South_Thailand_insurgency Azawad Salman_Ramadan_Abedi
Syria
Syria Roman_Syria Syria_national_football_team Bilad_al-Sham Syria_(region) Ottoman_Syria Syrian_Arab_Federation_for_Football Syrian_Civil_War French_Mandate_for_Syria_and_the_Lebanon Syrian_Republic_(1946–1963) Mandatory_Syrian_Republic Syria–Lebanon_Campaign History_of_Syria Greater_Syria Arab_Kingdom_of_Syria Seleucid_Empire
West
Western_United_States Western_world West Western_Conference_(WNBA) West_Africa Western_Ukraine West_Province_(Western_Australia) West_(cigarette) West_Germany American_League_West Longitude Scottish_Junior_Football_Association,_West_Region Enoch_West Senior_League_World_Series_(West_Region) Western_European_Summer_Time David_West_(basketball)
Damascus
Damascus Damascus_(horse) Damascus,_Maryland Damascus_Eyalet Damascus_Governorate Capture_of_Damascus Damascus,_Arkansas Damascus,_Virginia Damascus,_Oregon Damascus_steel State_of_Damascus Jund_Dimashq Damascus,_Georgia Aram-Damascus Damascus_International_Airport Damascus,_Ohio
Syria
Syria Roman_Syria Syria_national_football_team Bilad_al-Sham Syria_(region) Ottoman_Syria Syrian_Arab_Federation_for_Football Syrian_Civil_War French_Mandate_for_Syria_and_the_Lebanon Syrian_Republic_(1946–1963) Mandatory_Syrian_Republic Syria–Lebanon_Campaign History_of_Syria Greater_Syria Arab_Kingdom_of_Syria Seleucid_Empire
expert
Petra Becker
German Institute for International and Security Affairs
German_Institute_for_International_and_Security_Affairs
Berlin
Berlin Humboldt_University_of_Berlin Berlin_(band) German_Open_(WTA) Berlin,_New_Hampshire Berlin_Hauptbahnhof Olympiastadion_(Berlin) Berlin,_Connecticut Berlin_International_Film_Festival Berlin,_Maryland Berlin_(Lou_Reed_album) Berlin,_New_Jersey Berlin,_Massachusetts Berlin,_Wisconsin East_Berlin Battle_of_Berlin
Assad
Bashar_al-Assad Asad Salah_Assad Al-Assad_family Hafez_al-Assad Assad_Abdul_Ghanee Clarice_Assad Hamri_Al-Assad
Salafist
Becker
Theodor_Becker Becker_(TV_series) Becker_County,_Minnesota Boris_Becker Becker,_Minnesota Becker Cornelius_Becker Becker_College Becker_High_School Becker's_muscular_dystrophy Becker_Hawks Albert_Becker_(chess_player) Gary_Becker Becker,_Florida Charlotte_Becker Nicolas_Léonard_Beker
Becker
Theodor_Becker Becker_(TV_series) Becker_County,_Minnesota Boris_Becker Becker,_Minnesota Becker Cornelius_Becker Becker_College Becker_High_School Becker's_muscular_dystrophy Becker_Hawks Albert_Becker_(chess_player) Gary_Becker Becker,_Florida Charlotte_Becker Nicolas_Léonard_Beker
Assad
Bashar_al-Assad Asad Salah_Assad Al-Assad_family Hafez_al-Assad Assad_Abdul_Ghanee Clarice_Assad Hamri_Al-Assad
Syria
Syria Roman_Syria Syria_national_football_team Bilad_al-Sham Syria_(region) Ottoman_Syria Syrian_Arab_Federation_for_Football Syrian_Civil_War French_Mandate_for_Syria_and_the_Lebanon Syrian_Republic_(1946–1963) Mandatory_Syrian_Republic Syria–Lebanon_Campaign History_of_Syria Greater_Syria Arab_Kingdom_of_Syria Seleucid_Empire
Islamic State
Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant Islamic_state Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Sinai_Province Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Khorasan_Province Islamic_republic Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_in_Libya Islamic_State_of_Afghanistan Islamic_State_of_Iraq Caliphate Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Caucasus_Province Islamism Islamic_state_(disambiguation) Al-Shabaab_(militant_group) South_Thailand_insurgency Azawad Salman_Ramadan_Abedi
Syrian
Syrian
Tabqa
Al-Thawrah List_of_Syrian_Air_Force_bases Battle_of_Tabqa_(2017) Tabqa_Dam
Raqqa
Raqqa Raqqa_Governorate Raqqa_campaign_(2016–2017) Raqqa_District Rakka_Eyalet Battle_of_Raqqa_(2017)
Islamic State
Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant Islamic_state Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Sinai_Province Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Khorasan_Province Islamic_republic Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_in_Libya Islamic_State_of_Afghanistan Islamic_State_of_Iraq Caliphate Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Caucasus_Province Islamism Islamic_state_(disambiguation) Al-Shabaab_(militant_group) South_Thailand_insurgency Azawad Salman_Ramadan_Abedi
Assad
Bashar_al-Assad Asad Salah_Assad Al-Assad_family Hafez_al-Assad Assad_Abdul_Ghanee Clarice_Assad Hamri_Al-Assad
Assad
Bashar_al-Assad Asad Salah_Assad Al-Assad_family Hafez_al-Assad Assad_Abdul_Ghanee Clarice_Assad Hamri_Al-Assad
Assad
Bashar_al-Assad Asad Salah_Assad Al-Assad_family Hafez_al-Assad Assad_Abdul_Ghanee Clarice_Assad Hamri_Al-Assad
Becker
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Western
Western_(genre) Western_world Western_culture Western_United_States Western_Province,_Sri_Lanka Western_Province_(Victoria) Western_film Western_Europe Western_comics Western_fiction Western_Conference_(NBA) Western_music_(North_America) Western_Mustangs Western_Province_(Papua_New_Guinea) American_frontier Western_Province_(Kenya)
Syrian
Foreign Minister
Walid Muallem
Walid_Muallem
Damascus
Damascus Damascus_(horse) Damascus,_Maryland Damascus_Eyalet Damascus_Governorate Capture_of_Damascus Damascus,_Arkansas Damascus,_Virginia Damascus,_Oregon Damascus_steel State_of_Damascus Jund_Dimashq Damascus,_Georgia Aram-Damascus Damascus_International_Airport Damascus,_Ohio
United States
United_States United_States_men's_national_soccer_team United_States_men's_national_ice_hockey_team United_States_women's_national_soccer_team United_States_national_rugby_union_team American_poetry United_States_men's_national_junior_ice_hockey_team United_States_Soccer_Federation Secondary_education_in_the_United_States Recording_Industry_Association_of_America United_States_men's_national_basketball_team United_States_Davis_Cup_team United_States_national_cricket_team Cinema_of_the_United_States Education_in_the_United_States Same-sex_marriage_in_the_United_States
Syria
Syria Roman_Syria Syria_national_football_team Bilad_al-Sham Syria_(region) Ottoman_Syria Syrian_Arab_Federation_for_Football Syrian_Civil_War French_Mandate_for_Syria_and_the_Lebanon Syrian_Republic_(1946–1963) Mandatory_Syrian_Republic Syria–Lebanon_Campaign History_of_Syria Greater_Syria Arab_Kingdom_of_Syria Seleucid_Empire
Islamic State
Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant Islamic_state Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Sinai_Province Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Khorasan_Province Islamic_republic Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_in_Libya Islamic_State_of_Afghanistan Islamic_State_of_Iraq Caliphate Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Caucasus_Province Islamism Islamic_state_(disambiguation) Al-Shabaab_(militant_group) South_Thailand_insurgency Azawad Salman_Ramadan_Abedi
Muallem
Tuesday
US
United_States Billboard_200 Billboard_Hot_100 Recording_Industry_Association_of_America United_States_dollar Nielsen_SoundScan Billboard_charts Hot_Country_Songs Unincorporated_territories_of_the_United_States Billboard_(magazine) Dance_Club_Songs Federal_government_of_the_United_States American_English RIAA_Certification .us Us_(Peter_Gabriel_album)
Syria
Syria Roman_Syria Syria_national_football_team Bilad_al-Sham Syria_(region) Ottoman_Syria Syrian_Arab_Federation_for_Football Syrian_Civil_War French_Mandate_for_Syria_and_the_Lebanon Syrian_Republic_(1946–1963) Mandatory_Syrian_Republic Syria–Lebanon_Campaign History_of_Syria Greater_Syria Arab_Kingdom_of_Syria Seleucid_Empire
American
broadcaster
NBC
NBC NFL_on_NBC Major_League_Baseball_on_NBC NBC_Sports NASCAR_on_NBC NBC_Sunday_Night_Football NBA_on_NBC NHL_on_NBC Golf_Channel_on_NBC Thoroughbred_Racing_on_NBC NBC_Radio_Network Major_League_Baseball_on_NBC_Radio NBC_Olympic_broadcasts NBC_News Weapon_of_mass_destruction College_Basketball_on_NBC
Syrian
Washington
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Damascus
Damascus Damascus_(horse) Damascus,_Maryland Damascus_Eyalet Damascus_Governorate Capture_of_Damascus Damascus,_Arkansas Damascus,_Virginia Damascus,_Oregon Damascus_steel State_of_Damascus Jund_Dimashq Damascus,_Georgia Aram-Damascus Damascus_International_Airport Damascus,_Ohio
Islamic State
Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant Islamic_state Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Sinai_Province Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Khorasan_Province Islamic_republic Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_in_Libya Islamic_State_of_Afghanistan Islamic_State_of_Iraq Caliphate Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant_–_Caucasus_Province Islamism Islamic_state_(disambiguation) Al-Shabaab_(militant_group) South_Thailand_insurgency Azawad Salman_Ramadan_Abedi
Assad
Bashar_al-Assad Asad Salah_Assad Al-Assad_family Hafez_al-Assad Assad_Abdul_Ghanee Clarice_Assad Hamri_Al-Assad
West
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United States
United_States
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
Bashir al-Assad
Bashar_al-Assad
gender::male iptc::11000000 slot::keyword topic::politics type::entity type::head_of_state type::person type::politician
Western
Western_world
topic::none type::entity type::location type::regio
Islamists
Islamism
iptc::12000000 topic::none topic::religion type::other type::religion-x
Islamic State
Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant
iptc::16000000 slot::keyword topic::conflict type::armed_movement type::entity type::organization
Arab Spring
Arab_Spring
iptc::16000000 slot::keyword topic::conflict type::entity type::event type::protest
Syria
Syria
slot::in slot::keyword topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
Damascus
Damascus
slot::keyword topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe2 type::location
Petra Becker
gender::female iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::person type::politics_per
Walid Muallem
Walid_Muallem
gender::male iptc::11000000 policy::exterior topic::politics type::entity type::minister type::person type::politician
Syrian
topic::none type::gpe0-x type::other
President
topic::none type::role type::value
Arab
Arabs
topic::none type::entity type::ethnicity
Ben Ali
Zine_El_Abidine_Ben_Ali
gender::male iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::head_of_state type::person type::politician
Mubarak
Hosni_Mubarak
gender::male iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::head_of_state type::person type::politician
Gadhafi
Muammar_Gaddafi
gender::male iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::head_of_state type::person type::politician
2011
topic::none type::time type::value
Syrians
topic::none type::gpe0-x type::other
Islamist
iptc::12000000 topic::none topic::religion type::other type::religion-x
Islamic
Islam
iptc::12000000 topic::none topic::religion type::other type::religion-x
Europe
Europe
topic::none type::entity type::location type::regio
Iraq
Iraq
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
European
topic::none type::loc-x type::other
expert
topic::none type::role type::value
German Institute for International and Security Affairs
German_Institute_for_International_and_Security_Affairs
iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::organization type::policy_institute
Berlin
Berlin
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe2 type::location
Salafist
Salafi_movement
iptc::12000000 topic::none topic::religion type::other type::religion-x
Tabqa
Al-Thawrah
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe2 type::location
Raqqa
Raqqa
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe2 type::location
Foreign Minister
topic::none type::role type::value
Tuesday
topic::none type::time type::value
American
topic::none type::gpe0-x type::other
broadcaster
topic::none type::role type::value
NBC
NBC
topic::media type::entity type::media type::organization
Washington
Washington,_D.C.
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe2 type::location
Germany
Egypt
Tunisia
Libya