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Shawnee Prof. And Active Syrian Opposition Member Comments On Recent Events
By: Fred Kight
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Wednesday's bombing of Syria's National Security Building is "terminal" for President Bashar al-Assad,
That's the assessment of Amr Al-Azm, of Athens, an active member of the Syrian opposition.
The attack killed at least three security chiefs and Al-Azm calls it a "severe blow" for Assad.
"It put the regime at a huge disadvantage, it allowed the opposition inside Damascus and the FSA, the rebel forces, fighting there, it emboldened them. It has allowed them to expand and it has cracked open, if you want, the security arrangements of the regime," said Al-Azm.
More importantly, says Al-Azm, is the bombing is a blow to government morale and it sends a strong signal.
"That you might have all the tanks in the world, you might have all the airplanes in the world, you might have all the helicopters in the world, but if you can't rely on your personal bodyguards and very close inner circle of friends, if any one of those might assasinate you, then you're in very serious trouble," said Al-Azm.
Al-Azm says the bombing may have been an inside attempt to over-throw the government.
Al-Azm is a professor at Shawnee State University who helped set up a coalition of Syrian opposition groups.