Assad: Leaving Power? Unheard Of

In a deadly game of he-said / she-said, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad claims Russian President Vladimir Putin never mentioned anything to him about resigning and leaving Syria. Russia has given Assad’s government a lot of military support in its fight against rebels, but Putin has dodged criticism by saying he always insisted a political solution would resolve the conflict. Assad is now saying he doesn’t recall Putin every mentioning it to him, which means he is either playing dumb or he’s really that oblivious. Assad did say “only the Syrian people” would decide “when to come and when to go,” and they’ve been screaming that loud and clear for the last five years. 

Nutshell: The Origins Of The Syrian Civil War