Local Editor

He went smiling out the door. He absolutely does not reflect any security concern. He who enters to see him is neither subjected to any inspection, nor passes under any electric portal.

At the beginning of his third term, President Bashar al-Assad's daily actions suggest that the country might not have been originally to war.

Nothing is related to war in his office except for the sound of artilleries launched from time-to-time towards the strongholds of terrorists. He is keen on his appearance and elegance, as in conditions of peace. He cares about sports and his family, despite the
accumulation of political and security files that he personally follows in details throughout the day.

Those who know him in close stress that during the years of war, he was the most cool-nerved. He was never shaken. They recall that on the day that US President Barack Obama was expected to announce the zero hour of aggression against Syria, al-Assad, until the final moments, was connecting and individually asking about his staff.

When the bombing targeted the headquarters of the head of the State Security Service at that time [the head of National Security], Major General Ali Mamlouk, al-Assad was the first to call and advice Mamlouk not to leave the office out of fear of a second bombing. Examples are many and no one has a clear answer to the reason for this calmness. The factors of confidence and certainty during the war are rare. However, al-Assad continued to say that Syria is exposed to a foreign conspiracy, and that terrorism will spread to later bomb its very origin.
Today, he feels he was right. "The West belatedly embraced what I was saying since my first speech after the crisis because it felt that the fire spread to its home."

According to the al-Akhbar Lebanese daily, al-Assad has remained sure of the support of the Syrian people, from the very start of the crisis.
"From the first moments of the crisis, which was brought to Syria to destroy it, I felt that the people trusted the state and its president and its army," al-Assad said. "This is why I kept betting on the ability of these people to hit the very roots of the conspiracy."

He further stated that the presidential election was proof that the people had not changed despite attempts at "mobilization, terrorism, takfirism and foreign conspiracy."
"I'm convinced, more than ever, of the people's ability to overcome this black phase in the history of Syria," he said.
The head of the Syrian state also confirmed that "dialogue" and the "culture of dialogue" were the themes of the current phase, speaking about the wide-ranging amnesty he granted to "fighters" after his re-election.
"We reconciled with armed fighters and we issued a general amnesty to them, so why not engage in dialogue with each other?" al-Assad asked.
He said Russian President Vladimir Putin had supported and continued to support the "Syrian position because he was convinced that what has happened in Syria is not the result of public outcry, but foreign countries' desires to destroy its role."

Regarding the Iranian ally, Al-Assad assured that, "it [Iran] is not going to change its stance on Syria. It is steadfast in its position more than some believe. However, America and the West are the ones who began to send signals of change."
Addressing Western leaders, he confirmed that they wouldn't be able to do more than what they already had to in order to change the equation.

"They talk about lethal and non-lethal weapons. All kinds of weapons have been available to the terrorists for a long time, including the anti-aircraft," al-Assad mentioned.
He said he believed that the US was under growing lobby pressure over Syria.
"US officials, including former executives, are trying to maintain contact with us, but they do not dare because of lobbies pressuring them," al-Assad said, without naming any specific figures.

The Syrian President also highlighted that the US, among other foreign powers, has orchestrated war on Syria.
However, he mentioned, "The Americans have proven they are more rational than the French, despite everyone's involvement in the conspiracy."
Al-Assad said France's stringency appeared to be linked to financial deals with Saudi Arabia and other countries. He did not elaborate."Each conspirator is gone, and Syria will remain victorious with the broad spectrum of its people and its army."

According to the Syrian President, "Perhaps the most persistent regional antagonist to Syria, after "Israel," is Saudi Arabia."
Al-Assad's interpretation of the Saudi position comes to mingle between "the US' dictations and personal hatred."

On the Lebanese level, al-Assad hailed the Head of the Change and Reform Bloc MP Michel Aoun as an "honest man," saying he would welcome his election as president.
"Aoun is an honorable and honest man who fought with dignity and reconciled with dignity," he said, and he pointed out that, "Aoun remained loyal to his stance towards us despite all the storms."

Asked about the Lebanese Presidential election, the Syrian president stressed that his country does not interfere in the local affairs of any Arab state.
"But, we welcome Aoun's election as president for being in Lebanon's interest and in the interest of friendly ties," he said.

Moreover, al-Assad described Aoun as, "patriotic, non-sectarian and someone who believes in the resistance."

The lasting and most important ally is Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. "Sayyed Nasrallah always expressed sympathy and support that Syria and the Syrians won't forget. We see in Lebanon what Sayyed sees."

It seems that al-Assad is more than ever confident that the "victory is inevitable even if it needs time."

Source: Al-Akhbar, Translated and Edited by website team