Synopses & Reviews
This is the first major work on Bashar al-Asad. It assesses the durability of his father, Hafiz's legacy including the persistent influence of the old power-brokers, the effectiveness of Bashar's attempts to move away from his father's shadow, and the prospects for reform. Above all, it evaluates Bashar's continuing hold on power following Syria's humiliating retreat from Lebanon in Spring 2005 and the aggressive American drive to impose democracy in the Middle East.
About the Author
Eyal Zisser is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Middle East and African Studies and Research Fellow at the Moshe Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University
Table of Contents
Preface * Introduction - The Legacy of the Late Leader * Part One - Syria Under Bashar * The Road to the Top * Taking the Reins of Power * Bashar al-Asad - The Man and his Regime * Unfulfilled Hopes * A False Spring in Damascus * Syria's Society and Economy and the Age of Globalization * Syrian Foreign Policy Under Bashar * Bashar al-Asad in the Inter-Arab and International Arenas: The al-Asqa * Intifada, the September 11, 2001 Events, amd War in Iraq * Syria and Israel in Bashar's Era * Syria in Lebanon - The End of an Era? * Conclusion - "Why Bashar? Because there is No One Else"(or "Will Bashar Survive?"