Bashar al-Assad is no Mark Twain. But it appears that rumors of Assad’s death are wrong or, as Twain said, “greatly exaggerated.”
Reuters and the Jerusalem Post have the story of Assad doing a taped interview with Turkish TV. The photo is a screen shot of him from YouTube that I took from the Jerusalem Post.
Here’s the video of the interview with Turkish TV. It was reportedly videotaped Tuesday and aired Friday.
After seeing this, it’s hard to believe the rumors. If he is dead then Iran or Russia have the greatest plastic surgeons and actors on the planet.
- Turkish TV has no reason to hide Assad’s alleged death.
- The video shows Assad greeting people and talking.
However, if you spot the fraud, let me know.
In the interview, Assad talks about the assassination rumors. From Reuters:
“I am not hiding in a bunker. These rumours (aim) to undermine the morale of the Syrian people. I neither live on a Russian warship nor in Iran. I live in Syria, in the same place I always did.”
So, were the rumors a ploy? Apparently yes.
Who wins this part of the propaganda battle? Definitely Assad. This interview should probably give encouragement to his forces and followers.
The majority of the interview was the usual from Assad:
- He said the conflict in Syria will spill over into other countries – a clear warning to Sunni states and Israel.
- His sharpest criticism was for Turkey for making a deal with Israel. Turkey recently accepted an apology from Israel over the flotilla incident where Turkish activists were killed trying to deliver what was apparently humanitarian aid to Palestine.
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