Syria's Assad Denies Orders to Kill Protesters
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad denied ordering the killing of thousands of protesters and said "only a crazy person" would target his own people, in a U.S. television interview released Wednesday.
Speaking to ABC News, Assad brushed off widening international sanctions and questioned the U.N. death toll of more than 4,000 since the eruption of the unrest in March, saying most victims were government supporters.
Assad -- speaking to veteran journalist Barbara Walters in a rare interview to foreign media -- said he was not responsible for the bloodshed and drew a distinction between himself and individual members of the military.
"We don't kill our people," Assad said. "No government in the world kills its people, unless it's led by a crazy person."
"There was no command to kill or be brutal," Assad said.
Assad said that security forces belonged to "the government" and not him personally.
"I don't own them. I'm president. I don't own the country. So they are not my forces," Assad said.
Assad's family has ruled Syria with an iron fist for four decades. Assad's brother, Lieutenant Colonel Maher al-Assad, heads the army's Fourth Division, which oversees the capital as well as the elite Republican Guard.
Witnesses and human rights groups say Syrian forces have used intense force, mass arrests and torture to try to crush the biggest threat yet to the Assad family's rule.
The United Nations estimates that more than 4,000 people have died since the uprising began in March, part of a wave of pro-democracy movements sweeping the Arab world that has toppled leaders in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.
Assad dismissed the death toll, saying: "Who said that the United Nations is a credible institution?"
"Most of the people that have been killed are supporters of the government, not the vice versa," Assad said in English, giving a figure of 1,100 dead soldiers and police.
The conflict is said to have taken a heavy toll on children who either took part in protests or were targeted because of their parents' involvement. A U.N.-appointed investigator said that Syria killed 56 children in November alone.
Walters pressed Assad on the case of Hamza al-Khatib, a 13-year-old boy who rights groups say was killed in April after being shot, burned and castrated.
"To be frank with you, Barbara, I don't believe you," Assad said of alleged abuse of children.
"Every 'brute reaction' was by an individual, not by an institution, that's what you have to know," Assad said.
"There is a difference between having a policy to crack down and between having some mistakes committed by some officials. There is a big difference."
Assad, a 46-year-old former ophthalmologist, repeated statements made when he succeeded his late father Hafez al-Assad more than a decade ago that he does not want to lead Syria for life.
"When I feel that the public support declined, I won't be here. Even if they say -- if they ask. I shouldn't be here if there's no public support," said Assad, who was convinced that he still enjoys support.
Assad insisted that his government was moving ahead with reforms but stated flatly: "We never said we are democratic country."
"It takes a long time," Assad said. "It takes a lot of maturity to be full-fledged democracy."
Syria has faced growing international condemnation, including Western sanctions and similar action by the Arab League and neighboring Turkey.
Assad told ABC News such threats did not worry him, saying: "We've been under sanctions for the last 30, 35 years. It's not something new."
The U.S. State Department, reacting Tuesday to excerpts from the interview, sharply criticized Assad for denying responsibility.
"I find it ludicrous that he is attempting to hide behind some sort of shell game (and) claim that he doesn't exercise authority in his own country," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.
"There's just no indication that he's doing anything other than cracking down in the most brutal fashion on a peaceful opposition movement," he said.
But the Syrian foreign ministry hit back on Wednesday, saying Toner had “twisted President Assad’s remarks.”
Syrian foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Maqdesi denied that Assad had said he was not responsible for the actions committed by his government’s forces.
He described Toner's statements as "nonprofessional" and "inexact", saying "it is regrettable and not normal that the U.S. State Department has falsified Mr. President Bashar al-Assad's statements.''
07 December 2011, 14:21
27
"some mistakes committed by some officials" ...probably his best quote today! :)
07 December 2011, 15:26
41
Well my answer might be construed by some as unconventional and rather imaginary, but I do think that bashar might indeed have nothing to do with the killing perpetrated by the armed forces. He might as well be a hostage who is unable to abdicate his throne as he might be killed by the armed forces. A president appearing on a famous TV could not really say lies so flagrant if they didn't indeed exist.
What I sense also is something that might be the begining of the end of the regime. This interview might be an indication that the president is sensing or feeling that the situation has slipped from his hands and the hands of those who hold him hostage to their end.
If anything does happen and the regime falls, the opposition before retributing at Assad should give him the benefit of the doubt by questioning him to see if what he said has any shred of truth in it.
I couldn't have imagined in my wildest dream that a president educated like Assad would kill in this ferocity.
07 December 2011, 15:30
27
A lier has to have a good memory. Bashar has forgotten that he refused to let independent observers enter Syria and report the truth!
i did not watch the interview but It sounds from what I read his arguments sound more incriminating than ever.
07 December 2011, 15:52
16
he is just scared: he has seen what happened to ghadafi and knows his fate will be worse. soon .... :)
07 December 2011, 16:01
05
Some Mistakes?? He is pathetic. He reminds me more of Saddam Hussein that Qaddafi. he is finished and is trying to lie his way out of it. Why did he agree to this interview? No one believes the liars in Iran, Syria, and the Hezz.
07 December 2011, 16:02
04
When a president starts passing the buck you know he knows his end is nigh.
07 December 2011, 16:36
04
Wow! So given the choice of being a brutal murder or an impotent incompetent, he chose the latter. Probably because he thinks there will be mercy in the ICC if he pleads impotence. One other thing, he's trying to plead insanity too. He said only a crazy person would kill his own people.
Its all a delusion. And its all a lie. Its too late for Mr. Assad. The blood of his people are all over his hands up to his elbows.
07 December 2011, 16:53
04
he has no choice but to say this given his upcoming date with the international criminal courts
07 December 2011, 17:07
32
Knowing how well Naharnet and other western outlets summarize interviews and speeches of Bashar al-Asad and Hasan Nasrallah, I'll wait and watch the full interview before making conclusions based on garbage reporting.
07 December 2011, 17:31
04
he is right afterall no one kills in syria, each unnatural death is suicide
07 December 2011, 18:37
08
@mowaten
You are back!
I hope you are following the news and seeing what is going on around, so I do hope you do realize it is coming :)
07 December 2011, 19:26
16
To Mowaten
Please change your name and definitely remove our flag from your name.!! That is insulting enough to have you use our flag let alone the stupidities you mentionned. Get real dude you are as pathetic and as delusional as Criminal Bachar
07 December 2011, 19:39
06
I am the president, 4,000 are dead, Hezz and Persian shabiha are in the country, people are being raped and mutilated, .......but I don't know anything about it.
07 December 2011, 20:57
15
@mowaten
LoL!! You think you're sofisticated ya Mowaten with your 7 policemen broken record!! Hahahahaha....
07 December 2011, 20:59
16
The first 2 killed were children... Tortured... And murdered!
07 December 2011, 21:22
05
Here are the facts:
1. there is over 4500 citizens killed so far - probably many many more. In a civilized country - the government would have been toppled on that fact alone.
2. the protesters are unarmed civilians, who have been killed in cold blood by security forces on orders by their superiors.
3. hundreds of army soldiers have defected claiming that they refuse to fire on unarmed civilians
4. the press has been forbidden from entering Syria and covereing the revolt - If the regieme is innocent as they claim, they would let the press in, and report the truth.
5. innocent children as young as 8 have been tortured and killed as a means of pressure and intimidation.
6. armed regieme thugs have been been attacking protesters, looting villiages, and torturing civilians.
07 December 2011, 21:27
25
here are a few questions for anyone with doubt:
1. if the regieme is innocent as they claim, why not let observers in, as well as the foreign press to show this violent side of the protesters?
2. if the protesters are armed and killing civilians as the regieme claims, why aren't they attacking the pro-regieme protests - wouldn't that be more logical?
3. why are the army soldiers defecting in the hundreds and probably in the thousands if the government was right?
4. why haven't any of the reforms Assad has announced since months not been implemented yet?
just my two cents...
07 December 2011, 21:58
03
@mowaten = you d better ask yourself why the syrian tv the only one allowed has never been able to film those "armed terrorists" shooting civilians torturing and killing....
are they so bad in their job?
if they wanted to show the world that fact, they could have filmed them in action! killing thousands of civilians and never being able to film them is called incompetence or propaganda...
when you listen to deserters of the syrian army telling they were obliged to shoot at civilians, when you listen to syrian refugees telling that the regime kills people inside hospitals and so on... they are many more testimonies telling that bashar is guilty than others...
or just the official controlled media claim the contrary!
07 December 2011, 23:16
01
Murad
a smart man would have waited until he saw the interview before commenting but thanks for confirming your idiocy, you give credence to the people who say the Homsi jokes are not exaggerated..
07 December 2011, 23:16
10
Gabby, what do you mean ASSad is pathetic? Is he the one who gave himself a grace period or was it you after his three-months-and-his-regime-will-fall expired about 2 months ago without explanations from you, buddy? I blame you, and only you (or to be fair, I blame you and Dr. Samir Ghaby). I need answers from you ASAP or else. And now Feltman, your godfather, says he hopes for a peaceful solution with the Syrian regime. Can you explain this BS? We thought the USS Cole Hawa was on its way to the mission of the Era. What is going on, Gabby? What? If you don't know, I expect to hear from either peace or the patriot, or even allouchi. I want answers, and I want them ASAP. Understand? You frustrate me by hiding things from me. Jesus Christ!
08 December 2011, 05:11
23
Assad is no good; Only that the muslim brotherhood and salafis are worst.
08 December 2011, 06:15
01
Barbara you are still a cutie pie therefore I will only allow you and no one else from the Media, I never heard of the 13 yr old that was killed because I gave the order to the minister of defense to make the problem go away but never dealt with any military personnel but if it was true and the kid was shot dead, it was because he protesting with the Government supporter folks and the armed terrorists shot him in the back along with every defected solider and policemen who are not following orders therefore they fail their duty and get executed. Oh Barbie next time bring some youtube pictures to Sasa's interview so he can believe you.
08 December 2011, 10:28
12
The thousands of syrian refugees in Turkey probabely went there to buy rugs and leather...and the assaulted Turkish bus...made up story as well...!
08 December 2011, 16:59
31
Syria, whether this regime or the previous "Sunni" lead one, has always viewed Lebanon as the 16th provence of Syria. Now many of the current "Lebanese" sympathisers of the Syrian opposition were the biggest benifactors of Syrian occupation of lebanon. Khalil gebran wrote"Pity the nation that welcomes its new ruler with trumpeting,and farewells him with hooting, only to welcome another with trumpeting again. Pity the nation divided into into fragments, each fragment deeming itself a nation" Syria has now reconized Lebanon as independent for the 1st time. We support reform in Syria but we should not be supporting a revolt...Lebanon has in the past, and it lead to an invasion. Reform cannot begin under armed insurrection... We should give Bashar one last chance to reform peacefully... For the sake of us all!
What is happening now in syria, is not only about reform but is a religious battle... And I for one, am currently on the secular (non religious) side.
